Do Not Disturb

by Lisa Ballenger

  Hearing a rustling behind her, Allison turned to see Joan lever herself out of the chair and waddle toward the window.

  She lay her hand on Allison’s arm. “Then don’t worry about what you should do. You’ll know.”

  Allison sighed, smiling at her friend.

  She sure hoped so.

  "I can't believe we're alone," Brett said.

  At the click of the front door lock, Allison moved quickly to his den, stopping to run her shaking fingers along the pictures dominating the sparsely decorated room. They were all Caroline and Brett. Him rocking her as a baby. At Christmas with Santa. Even one with the Easter bunny. "Nice pictures."

  His arms wrapped around her from behind. "Let's not talk about anything or anyone but us for the few hours we have."

  A chill ran down her body as he whispered in her ear. The thought of Brett wanting to be with her, concentrate only on her...

  "Sit on the sofa while I put on some music." Brett backed away, his fingertips trailing down her arm.

  She crossed her arms against her jumping stomach and backed toward the couch.

  Brett knelt beside a wooden entertainment cabinet filled with a compact disc player, a large screen television, stacks of CDs in no apparent order, and impressive stereo speakers. "How about Otis Redding?"

  Otis singing ‘When a Man Loves a Woman?’ She rubbed her palms up her forearms, trying to smooth out the goose bumps. “Sure, fine with me."

  She dropped to the navy and white striped couch, sinking into the overstuffed cushions and waited. Glancing around, she tried to find something to focus on, anything but what was going to happen in a few minutes.

  She zeroed in on the navy rug covering the bleached hard wood floors, then slowly moved her gaze to the newspapers, books and magazines piled under the end table. She relaxed just a tad, just thinking about the effort Brett had obviously put into trying to clean up for her visit.

  "Did you bring the furniture with your from Virginia?"

  He hesitated a second as he contemplated the tracks on the display. "No, we bought it after we got here." He motioned to the television in the corner as he stood. "That's all we brought. And of course, the pictures." He plopped down next to her, draping his right arm along her shoulder.

  The goose bumps multiplied, spreading up her arms. "You never told me why you decided to move this year."

  His body tensed, his fingers digging into her bare shoulder.

  "Well..." He picked up her hand, separating each finger as he talked softly. "I'd been wanting to move for a while, but I thought I should keep Caroline near her mother."

  "You had custody of Caroline in Virginia?"

  "I've had custody since the divorce."

  "That's unusual isn't it?"

  He nodded. "She stayed with both of us when she was five, during the year of separation. You know, shuttling back and forth." He stopped talking briefly still playing with her fingers. "But her mother wanted to put her in boarding school when..."

  "Boarding school?" Allison sat forward. "Put her in boarding school?" That woman really was selfish.

  He smiled at her reaction. "Yes. I was shocked too. But her mother was planning to remarry by then and she didn't want to be bothered with Caroline."

  "I can't believe that." She sank back on the couch. "I've never known anyone who sent a six-year old to boarding school."

  "I was willing to have full custody and responsibility, so her mother agreed. Easily."

  She twisted her body toward Brett, pulling her leg onto the couch. His arm dropped to her waist. "That is simply incredible." She placed her hands on his leg. "So how did you end up here finally?"

  "Remember the friend I told you about from Tampa?"

  "The one you went to college with?"

  He nodded. "He was killed in a car accident in January."

  "How awful." She clapped her hand over mouth.

  "It really shook me up at first." He smiled gently. "But his wife told me he’d been happy and that I shouldn't feel bad. He’d lived exactly the way he wanted and the only thing he regretted was me not moving down here to work with him, because he knew I belonged here."

  Tears welled in her eyes as his voice became raspy with emotion.

  "So I decided I wasn't going to wait any longer to do what I wanted. Caroline spent so little time with her mother anyway.” He shrugged. “It didn't matter where we lived, so I sold my place in Arlington and we moved when Caroline got out of school."

  "I'm so sorry." She touched his cheek. “About your friend.”

  "Don't be.” He leaned into her hand. “I miss Rob, but I'm now living where I want, thanks to him. I might have just drifted along in Virginia, unhappy, but I'm not anymore."

  "It took a lot of courage to do what you did."

  Brett smiled. "My parents and ex-wife think I'm crazy."

  "No." She rubbed the lines on his jaw created by his smile. "I think it's great. Deciding what you want and doing it. And starting your own business, too."

  Wrapping his arm around her waist, he tugged her body down, stuffing a pillow under her head. "You're sweet, Allison."

  He pulled her legs onto the cushions as he lay on his side against the sofa back. "Haven't we talked about me enough? I'm bored with myself."

  Capturing her lips with his, he kissed her deeply. He bent his leg, his knee moving between her legs, then up her thighs. The hair on his leg tickled the smooth skin below her shorts, the friction causing a flow of warmth to run from her breast down her body. She needed more.

  She slipped her arms around his back, lowering them to the top of his buttocks and then slowly further down. He straightened his leg and rolled on top of her. The hardness of his erection replaced the position vacated by his knee and Allison arched against him.

  He tugged her shirt free from her shorts and ran his fingers up her side until his hand covered her breast, clothed in a thin cotton bra. Arrows of pleasure shot from her nipple as he rubbed it between his two fingers

  "Brett...oh..."

  He slid down her body and kissed her breast where it formed a mound above her bra, then tilted his head back briefly as he searched for a hook. He reached under her back, released the garment, then kissed each space of skin until he reached her nipple, shoving her clothes out of his way as he went.

  She ached with need.

  "Allison?" He raised his head, the question in his eyes.

  It was time. She nodded.

  He sat up, taking her with him. "Let's go in the bedroom."

  The phone rang.

  "Oh no. It can't be." Brett moaned. "Let's just let it go to...no we can't. It might be the girls." He dragged her with him to the kitchen, holding her close as he answered the phone.

  "Hello." His eyes closed, despair replacing desire as he listened.

  "Don’t worry. Just wait. Bye." He dropped the phone on the counter. "Are we ever going to be alone?” Putting his other arm around her waist, he leaned his forehead against hers. “It was Caro. The electricity went out at the theater and they need to come home."

  Allison giggled, then threw her head back laughing.

  "It's not funny." He placed her hand on his still hard body. "Am I destined to live like this forever?" She gasped as he rubbed her palm down his erection.

  "It looks like there won't be any help for you today." She increased the pressure as he groaned. "But soon. Let's make it soon. I'm beginning to suffer too."

  "You are?"

  She removed her hand and placed it on her hip. "You don’t need to be so pleased, you know."

  He lifted her off the floor in a hug. "Hey, I admit it. I have an ego." Setting her down, he kissed her nose. "Just remember, I'm the man that’s making you suffer and I'm the man that can relieve it. If we can ever be alone for more than five minutes."

  "I'll remember."

  "OK then, darling. Let's go get those children."

  He stopped Allison in front of the entry hall mirror. "Here let me re-hook your bra, or what
we've been up to won't be much of a secret."

  "Thanks.” She ran a hand over her hair, reclasping the loose curls in the barrettes on the sides.

  Brett stood behind her and looked at her in the mirror. "It’ll be soon, Allison."

  She shivered at the intensity and passion in his voice. Not soon enough.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  “The annual audit will start next week, Allison. A group will be in Tuesday.” Walter handed her a folder with details on the new firm the bank had hired. “Work with Joan to get them settled.”

  She scanned the memo from the Joan, then slid out the annual statement on the company.

  “Why did we change anyway?” She skimmed through the pages of the slick document.

  “The head of this firm went to school with the our new president. Actually I think their families go way back.”

  “Connections,” she muttered.

  The typical information on a company was there; accomplishments, client list and...” She stopped at the picture of the officers. Rows of men in blue suits, mostly older, a token women and... ”Brett.”

  “What?”

  Snapping the folder shut, she leaned forward in her seat. “Is there anything else you need?”

  Her boss gave her a quizzical look. “No. That’s all.”

  She scooted out of the chair and almost ran to her office. Shoving the door shut with her foot, she raced around her desk and flipped open the brochure as she dropped into her chair. Yes, there he was.

  Running her finger along the picture caption, she found him. “Brett Tyler, Sr. Vice-president.”

  She sank back in her chair and stared at the tiny picture, holding it at an angle to the light from the window. Brett in a suit. Looking much paler than he did now. No tan. Much more formal. But definitely Brett.

  A Sr. Vice-president at a huge financial services firm? Why didn’t he tell her? She closed the folder and shoved it to the corner of her desk.

  How could he leave such a great job and why wasn’t he looking for a similar one in Tampa?

  The committee members straggled into the school gymnasium. Allison was a nervous wreck and they acted like this was a dress rehearsal. She glanced at her watch. The carnival would start in less than an hour and there were still tasks to be completed.

  “Now this is creative.”

  She twirled around at Brett’s voice to find him resting casually against the bake sale table.

  “How can you just sit there?” She moved closer to him. “We need to get everything finished.”

  He cocked his head to one side, then touched the red smeared on her face. “I think you’re dead, with the blood everywhere.” Next he scrutinized the grease running up her clothes. “And these look like tire tracks.” He looked up, a gleam in his eye. “You’ve been run over?”

  “Yes. Just like I’ve been feeling lately, like someone run over by a truck.” Placing her hands on her hips, she gathered in the tattered shirttail hanging from her shoulders and tried to get his attention away from her costume and back on the problem of the carnival. “And now I’m beginning to think they’re backing up and aiming at me again.”

  “Oh boy.” He captured her shoulders. “I see stress.”

  “Stress. You’ve haven’t seen stress yet.” She waved the legal pad in her hand. “We’re not close to ready. All this has to be done.”

  “Calm down. This is supposed to be fun.” He turned her around to face the center of the gym. “Watch.”

  The committee members were spreading out around the floor.

  “All I see is chaos. People walking around.” Her voice inched higher. “We need to review our list.” She put the end of her pen in her mouth and jerked the cap off with her teeth. Sticking the other end in the cap she chewed on the plastic and studied the list. “Okay. If we hurry—“

  “Allison. It’s under control. Really.” Brett sounded amused. “Just watch.”

  Each committee member moved to their station. Organization took over. “Oh my, it does look like we might make it.”

  “You need to relax. Just sit over here. You’re looking kind of run down.” He let out a loud laugh as he led her to a metal chair and sat her down.

  Allison moaned loudly at his joke. “Are you pretending to be a bad a comedian? Is that your costume?”

  “No. I’m the dead man in the casket in the haunted house.” He leaned down to whisper in her ear. “And since you’re already dead too, I’ll make room for you in there with me and we can finally be alone.”

  He let out an even louder laugh and strolled off.

  Her eyes followed. Nothing seemed to rile that man.

  Stuffing her ripped and blood spattered purse under the counter of the bake sale table, she tried to relax. It wasn’t easy letting someone else take charge. Especially when they were as laid back as Brett. How did he do it?

  "I'm back. When do we start the cake walk?"

  Susan Walker stepped behind the table, whipping the voluminous skirt of her antebellum costume around her legs. Her smile calmed Allison's nerves. She’d always liked Susan. Ever since they’d comforted each other the day they left their daughters together in first grade.

  "I thought we'd give everyone thirty minutes to drift around and see what we're offering at the carnival and then we'd get going. How’s that?'

  "Great. We’ll have some time to catch up." Susan sat down in the chair next to Allison and scooted it up close. "Let’s gossip."

  Allison laughed at the thought. "I don't know any gossip, Susan. I'm so swamped at work that I can barely keep up with what's happening at my own house."

  "Okay, then I'll tell you some. I heard that you're dating Brett Tyler." Susan leaned over and patted Allison’s leg. "Lucky you."

  Her eyes popped open. "Where did you hear that?"

  "Now. Now. No need to keep it a secret. Brett's a wonderful guy."

  "He is nice.” But dating? It seemed like such an odd term to use for a woman her age. And were they really dating? “But he’s the opposite of me.”

  "What do you mean? I’d think you have a lot in common.”

  “Well, we do have daughters near the same age...”

  “No. I mean your financial backgrounds.”

  How did Susan know about Brett’s background? Had he told others about his job in Virginia when he’d done everything he could to avoid talking about work to her.

  This little secret was beginning to annoy her.

  “I will tell you though, Bob’s a little jealous of Brett,” Susan whispered confidentially. “He wishes he were brave enough to leave the corporate rat race behind, too."

  “Really?” They knew a lot more than she did. This annoyance was quickly turning to anger.

  "Yeah. Especially when he found out Brett made senior vice-president so young. I can’t believe he gave it all up." Susan's eyes roved to where Brett stood with her husband Bob. "I'm going to find out what they're talking about since we have a few spare minutes. If I don’t watch out, Brett will talk Bob into going out on his own, too."

  Her friend crossed the gym and linked arms with her husband. Brett smiled as she joined them.

  Allison’s stomach knotted. What was going on here?

  Suddenly Brett’s smile disappeared. He looked from Bob to Susan, then crossed his arms, his back stiff.

  Bob clapped him on the back and laughed, but Brett didn’t participate.

  What did Bob say to freeze Brett?

  When Susan nodded toward Allison, Brett’s mouth dropped open.

  Something was definitely wrong. His jaw locked and his eyes narrowed. Neither Bob nor Susan seemed to notice as they kept on chatting.

  Suddenly Brett turned to face Allison and began a slow looming walk her way. He stopped suddenly, towering over her.

  “Could we talk outside please?”

  She followed him out the back entrance to the gym, then stopped suddenly as he whipped around in front of her, a scowl covering his face.

  “What’s g
oing on, Allison?”

  She pulled her head back at his reproving tone. “What do you mean?”

  “You know what I mean.” He closed his eyes and shook his head. “I can’t believe this. I thought you were different.”

  A bitter taste rose in her throat.

  “What are you accusing me of?”

  He laughed. No it wasn’t a laugh. Definitely no humor here.

  “Susan said you know all about my past job.” He leaned closer. “How in the world did you find out? And why do you care? Wasn’t I good enough for you with just a home business?”

  The blood rushed to her head. “How dare you, Brett Tyler.”

  “How dare I? You’re the one snooping around in my past.”

  “I have not been snooping around in your past. Not that you would have ever told me anything anyway.” Her ears were ringing. “I guess I’m good enough to fool around with but not good enough to tell anything else.”

  “How did you find out?”

  “Find out what Brett?” She crossed her arms to cover her breaking heart. “That you were a Sr. Vice-president at some big fancy firm in Northern Virginia?”

  His eyes narrowed.

  “Well, Mr. hot-shot, Bob found out from a friend of his. I didn’t say a word to Susan or Bob about it. They said something to me.”

  “But you knew.”

  “Yes I knew.”

  “So am I acceptable now?”

  Tears collected at the corner of her eyes. She couldn’t tell if they resulted from the anger at his words or the pain at realizing their relationship was dying.

  “Acceptable? I have no idea what you’re talking about.” She had to get away from him before she cried. “But next time you want to keep a secret you’d better make sure your picture isn’t in the annual report of your company’s customers.”

  She twirled around and stalked off just as the tears streamed down the side of her face, dripping red fake blood onto her shirt. Damn him.

  As Allison cut out the lights in the hall and closed the door to her bedroom, she still wanted to cry. Her entire body was racked with pain. Even her jaw muscles hurt from trying to smile.