"I'm going to move my car into the driveway, Allison." He snagged his keys and headed to the front door. "You can use it tomorrow. I need the truck to haul away some limbs."
"Where was it? I didn't see it." She scraped the dirty plates in the sink and set them in the dishwasher.
"I moved it down the street so you'd have room to park in front of the house. Be right back." He paused in the front hallway. "Caroline, we need to go home, so get ready."
Hearing the front door open a few minutes later, Allison dried her hands. Brett appeared at the entrance to the kitchen.
"Here are the keys for the car." He handed Allison a key ring. "I have the tow truck coming tomorrow morning to take your car in -"
"Oh no, is it that bad?"
"No." Brett grabbed her arms. "I just think it's safer to have it towed. You don’t want to do any more damage. And in the afternoon, a guy's coming by to give me an estimate on the garage."
She placed her hands on his chest. "I can take care of all this after tomorrow. I told Walter what happened and I’ll take some time off."
"It's already done." He kissed her forehead. "You'll get your turn to help on Saturday by letting me work." He moved his lips down to her ear and whispered. "And you can thank me properly on Friday night."
"Brett..."
He kissed her quickly on the lips and stepped back. "Gotta go."
Black, sleek and shiny. Just the car Allison had dreamed of parked in her driveway. A Jaguar.
"I can't believe it. He has a Jaguar." She peeked in the car window. The lush beige leather seats beckoned. "Just how successful was he?" She stepped back. "I can't drive this. What if I wreck it?"
She raced back in the house and dialed Brett's. No answer. She closed her eyes as she set down the receiver.
"I'm ready." Kelly touched her mother's arm. "What's wrong?"
"Uh...nothing." Allison picked up her purse and briefcase. "I guess we'd better go."
After Allison carefully parked the Jaguar in her drive that afternoon, she switched off the engine, still shaking. She climbed out and was standing next to the vehicle when Brett's Range Rover pulled in behind her.
"Mom, look. We're going to make tacos." The girls clutched small grocery bags and ran to the house. "We'll get started."
Brett lifted the last two bags out of the back and slammed the door. "How was your day?" he asked, strolling toward Allison.
He stopped in front of Allison and set the bags on the ground. "What's wrong? Why are you trembling?" He grabbed her hands.
"Why didn't you tell me your car was a Jaguar?"
"What?"
She waved her left hand toward the car, dragging his arm along with hers. "Your car. If I had known it was a Jaguar I would’ve never agreed to take it. I was a nervous wreck."
"Why?" He glanced at the car and back at her. "It's just a car."
"Just a car?” She pulled her hands free and walked to the front of the vehicle. “This is not just a car. This is an $85,000 dream car."
"So how was your day? The audit going all right?" He picked up the grocery bags and Allison's briefcase in one hand. Placing his other arm around her shoulder, he escorted her up the front walk.
"Brett I'm trying to talk to you about the car." She let him lead her up the stairs.
"And I'm trying to talk about something that's important. The car's not important." He stopped at the door and looked down at Allison. "You want to open it, darling?"
"We're going to talk about this, Brett." She slung open the door and reached down for her briefcase.
"Why don't you change clothes and we'll get the food started." He left her standing in the hall, his voice trailing off as he disappeared around the corner. "You girls ready to cook?"
"Here." Brett shoved a bottle of soda into Allison's hand. "All we need now is for you to pour the drinks." He went back to the stove and stirred the meat before spooning it into a bowl. "Everyone get a plate and let's eat."
Allison moved to the table and filled the glasses. He was going to discuss this. And she wouldn't let his culinary talents distract her.
When everyone was settled at the table, Brett leaned toward Allison. "So, tell us about your day."
The memory of the day at work overtook her paranoia over the car. "I can't believe I forgot." She dropped her fork on the plate. "I sent in my thesis. I’ll graduate in December."
"All ready?" Brett captured her hand, holding it tight. "I thought it was just the draft?"
In her excitement, she forgot the girls and placed her other hand on Brett's, squeezing back. "Walter told me to sit down and finish the darned thing so I could concentrate on work. He was sick of hearing about it. Can you believe it?"
"I believe it. You’re obviously valuable to him and the company." Brett turned away from her face, but kept her hand in his. "Looks like I'll have to find something special to cook up on Saturday night and we can all celebrate the new MBA. How's that sound?"
"Lasagne, Dad. Fix lasagne."
At the sound of Caroline's voice, Allison eased away from Brett, realizing she’d been holding hands with him in front of the girls. She lowered her eyes and concentrated on her taco.
"You've got it. Lasagne at our house."
Two tacos later Allison jumped up, taking her plate with her. "I'll clean up, since I didn't help cook." She kneeled down, rooting through the bottom cabinets for containers to store the leftovers.
"Allison."
Brett pulled her off the floor and backed her against the counter ledge.
She jerked her head to the table, but realized the girls had left the room.
Placing a finger on her chin, he lifted her face toward his. "Congratulations, darling." He kissed her lips gently. "I know this is important to you."
She relaxed against his chest.
He kissed her cheek, then the bottom of her ear. "You're going to be very successful."
Successful? Oh yes. The Jaguar. "Oh no you don't. We're alone now and I want to talk to you about that car."
He threw his head back and groaned. "Not the car again. What is it with the car?"
She poked his chest and lowered her voice. "How can you think that a car that expensive is just a car?"
"It's not important, Allison. It's just a thing." A pained look crossed his face.
She recalled his ex-wife and her obsession with money and shows of success. Did she insist he buy the car? "I know it's just a thing, Brett, but, it's a very expensive thing." She softened her tone. "I can't even imagine being able to afford a car like that and you think nothing of it." She paused, considering her next words carefully. "Why?"
He rolled his eyes and then closed them.
"Your family is very rich, aren't they?"
"What difference does it make?" He dropped his arms and started filling the bowls with food.
"It just means we...well, we come from different worlds."
He whirled around and grasped her shoulders. "This is our world, Allison. Not what our parents do or how much money they have." His fingers dug into her arms. "Having money doesn't mean anything."
"OK." She reached up to loosen his fingers. "It's not important what our parents do or have." She drew his fingers to her lips. "We won't talk about money anymore."
He pulled her close. "Let's not worry about parents anymore either, OK?"
She reached up and traced the lines on his forehead. "But, I don't want to drive that car. I’m afraid to go over twenty miles an hour."
A small smile tugged at his lips. "All right, you can have the Range Rover back." He kissed the top of her head. "Now, I'm going home and I want you to go to bed early. We both need to be rested for tomorrow night."
Butterflies rambled free in her stomach.
"One more night, baby." Brett quickly moved his lips to hers, kissing her deeply. "Just one more night."
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
"Are you nervous?"
Allison stuck her head out the closet door. "Nervous? Why did y
ou ask that?"
"Because you've changed clothes three times since I've been in here." Kelly held up the two dresses flung across the bed. "And you're still not ready."
Sinking back against the closet door, Allison dropped her head. Her hands shook and her stomach hopped. Yes, she was nervous.
"And why did you clean up your room so perfectly, even changing your sheets?"
Her stomach jumped clear to her throat. How had Kelly noticed that?
"I had some extra time, so I thought I'd do some chores before the weekend." She slid a maroon silk dress off the hanger. "You know we're going to be busy this weekend."
This is how adults act? First she and Brett had snuck around the house kissing in the dark and now she was making up stories to cover her plans. She stepped into the dress and attempted to adopt a casual attitude, strolling out of the closet to Kelly.
"Zip me up?"
"I guess that makes sense." Kelly stood on the bed to reach the hook at the top of her mother's dress.
Allison scooped up the discarded dresses and headed back to the closet. How did other single mother's do this? Hotels? Taking another uneven breath, Allison walked back into the bedroom and opened her jewelry box.
"What time will you be home?"
"We'll come by to pick you up no later than eleven." She stabbed the earrings at the holes in her ears, grimacing at her misses.
"That early?" Kelly flopped back on the bed, throwing aside the pillows Allison had carefully arranged. "What do people your age do on a date anyway?"
The shoe Allison reached for with her toe slid across the carpet as she stumbled. This was tough. How did married couples separate their lives with their kids from their - she glanced at the now rumpled bed - their personal life.
Stuffing her foot in the reluctant shoe, Allison stood up straight and faced Kelly. "We're going to dinner."
"You're going to eat from six-thirty until eleven?"
Allison glanced at her bedside clock. Hurry, Brett. Rescue me. "We may have drink before dinner and walk around afterwards..."
The phone rang as Allison's voice drifted off.
"It's probably for me." Kelly rolled over the bedspread, wrinkling it as she went. "Hello."
When the doorbell rang, Allison stared at the disheveled bed for just a second before leaving the room.
I guess it's not important what the bed looks like for our first...
"You ready to go?" Brett set his coffee cup on the restaurant table and reached for Allison's hand.
She turned her palm up, allowing her fingers to curl into Brett's larger hand, but didn't answer.
"You want to go somewhere for a drink?"
She looked up, surprised at the question. Is he nervous, too? Or does he just realize how anxious I am? His eyes were warm and inviting.
"What do you want to do?" she asked softly.
He tugged her hand closer squeezing it gently, his eyes turning dark gray. "I want to make love to you."
Her heart turned over. "Let's go."
He cut off the engine and flipped off the car lights. Placing a hand behind her head, he kissed her forehead. Next he moved to her mouth, nibbling on her lips before parting them and kissing her urgently. His strong passion sent shivers through her body.
”We're going to be very good together, baby."
She could only nod, her nerves slowly being replaced with desire. When he slipped his hand away and opened his door, she sank back against the seat.
I really want this man.
She unlocked the front door and reached for a light, but Brett caught her hand, twirling her to his chest. He pressed her head against his cheek and whispered huskily. "I'm going to try and be gentle, Allison. But, I don't know how I'll do it." His fingers pressed into her back. "I want you and I'm already finding it hard to control myself."
She slanted her head back slightly, running her hands over his shoulders and around his neck. "I want you, too."
She led him down the hall to her bedroom. Stopping at the foot of the bed, she kicked off her heels. Brett sat on the edge of the bed and removed his shoes and socks. When Allison returned from laying her earrings and watch on her jewelry box, he was standing very still.
"You look nice in a suit.” She placed her hands on the lapels of his jacket, rubbing her fingers over the dark gray material. “Better in person than in that fancy corporate brochure." She shoved the jacket off his shoulders and folded it, laying it on a chair against the wall.
He nodded, barely breathing as she loosened his tie and drew it through his collar. Without taking her eyes from his face, she slung it toward the chair.
His hands, suddenly unleashed, clasped her arms. "Let me undress you, Allison," he said through clenched teeth. “I’ve been dreaming about it.”
She dropped her hands to her sides as he reached around to her back. He slid her zipper down quickly, catching it on the fabric.
"Damn. Turn around."
He leaned down, mumbling as he moved the zipper slowly back and forth until he accomplished his goal. She stepped out of the dress as it slid to the carpet.
His hand traced down her back before turning her around. His eyes ran from her face down her body, taking in the skimpy bra and panties she’d bought for this night. He ran a fingertip down the straps, over her breasts, stopping briefly before seizing the edges of her panties with both hands.
"You look incredibly sexy in these Allison...but right now...I just want you naked." His eyes bore into hers, his voice low, a whisper of agony.
He unhooked her bra, letting it drop to the floor and kissed the top of her thigh as he moved her panties down her legs. Standing rapidly, he grabbed her head, kissing her urgently as he pulled her body against his. She could feel his erection beneath the rough fabric of his suit pants.
"Now, Brett." She began frantically unbuttoning his shirt. "I want to see you too."
He rapidly undid his cuffs and reached for his belt.
"No," she whispered, "I'll do it." She whipped his belt out and dropped it on the floor, unfastened his pants and drew down the zipper. Pushing down his pants and boxers, she stooped and dragged them away from his legs.
As she stood up, Brett took one step toward her, then towed her to the bed. Whipping the covers aside in one movement, he fell with her to the sheets.
"At last." Brett hugged her tightly. "We’re finally alone." He rubbed his hand down her head, stopping at the gold clip at her nape. "May I?"
She nodded.
He unclasped her hair, spreading it over her shoulders. “I love your hair. It’s so beautiful.” He dipped his face first into the auburn curls and then moved his lips down her neck to her breast. His tongue ran a circle around her nipple, before sucking gently.
She pulled his head closer to her body with one hand and ran her palm down his back with the other, stopping momentarily at his waist, then inching toward his erection throbbing against her leg. When she circled him, his hips jerked forward.
"Harder, Allison." His fingers slid down her stomach and into her wetness. She shivered at his touch. Slowly his explored, then faster, finding the rhythm suited to her body.
"Tell me what you need. Guide me," Brett rasped.
She moved her body to position his hand. "That's it. Yes."
Gasping for air, he moved his lower body away from Allison's stroking. "Hold off for a minute. I need to slow down."
Dropping her hand to the bed, she gave in to the feelings coiling inside her at his touch. Would it happen? She thrashed her head as the tension grew. "Now, Brett, now." She reached for him.
"No. Not until you're ready."
"But..."
"Just relax and enjoy." He slid an arm under her shoulder, pulling her body closer to his, taking her breast in his mouth. He teased her nipple with his tongue. Slowly moving his mouth up her chest, Brett kissed the edge of her ear. "You feel so wonderful in my arms, Allison. Just knowing how you respond to me...it's incredible."
His words an
d movements pushed Allison closer to the edge, but still...not...
"Brett." She clutched his thigh, drawing his body on top of hers. "Please come inside me. Please."
“Are you sure?”
Maybe if he was inside. She nodded.
He nudged her legs open and plunged inside in one quick motion. She arched up to meet him, taking him deep into her body, her breath catching. He stopped his movement. "You all right?"
"Yes, yes. Don't stop."
Lowering his upper body onto his elbows, Brett set up a motion that felt so...good...
Yes. She felt herself tensing. And thinking. This was not the time to think, Allison. Concentrate on how good he felt inside as...he...moved and moved.
His back muscles tightened under her fingertips, then one last hard thrust and he threw his head back, closing his eyes before collapsing.
After several heavy breaths, he slipped off to her side. "Come with me. I want to stay inside."
Leaving her legs around his thighs, they remained connected.
As his breathing evened, his body relaxed.
Hers was still tense.
Brett tried to hold her close, but eventually nature took over. "Oh well, I guess we couldn't stay like that forever." He dropped on his back. "I just don't have the staying power I had when I was young."
She rolled to face him, running her hand over his chest. "I'm glad. I don't think my body could take any more...staying power."
"We'll just have to see about that. Maybe next time I won't be so excited I can barely control myself."
Walking her fingers down over his waist and over his hip, circling past a now relaxed part of his body, she appraised the masculine form lying next to her. "I kind of like having you out of control and anxious for me."
“Speaking of control.”
Oh no. He could tell. She drew her hand back and closed her eyes.
“I’m sorry I rushed, baby. I didn’t take enough time for you.” He ran his hand down her stomach and slid it between her legs. “I promise I’ll be slower next time. So now let’s...”
She clasped her legs together. “It’s okay, Brett. It felt good.”
Do Not Disturb Page 13