Do Not Disturb
Page 23
He grabbed her hand. “It’s getting late, we’ll talk more tonight.” He led her out of the bedroom and toward his office.
“Mrs. Jones.”
“Brett, I placed the...” A fifty-something woman in a neat turquoise business suit lifted her head from the papers she was packing in Brett’s briefcase. “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know you had company.”
Allison tried to tug her hand free, but Brett held on.
“This is Allison, my fiancé.” He motioned into his office. “Allison, this is my lifesaving assistant, Mrs. Jones.”
Allison held out her free hand to the smiling woman.
Fiancée. She liked the sound of that.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
By Sunday afternoon the house was pared down to only it’s four permanent inhabitants. The wedding had taken place the first Saturday night in February, with non-stop mayhem from the moment Brett’s family had arrived that afternoon. A very late night and a houseful of relatives depleted the newlywed’s energy. They’d delayed their honeymoon for a few months to meet Brett’s business obligations and settle in as a family.
Brett lifted Allison onto the island in the kitchen and kissed her. She looped her arms around his neck.
“Finally.” He moved his mouth to her neck. “I thought we’d never be alone again.”
“We aren’t really alone. The girls will be back in here in a few minutes.”
“Hmmm.” He placed a hand on her lower back and pressed her to his chest, then slanted his face to capture her lips again.
“We’re ready to do Caroline’s science project.”
Allison opened her eyes and saw the girls standing in the kitchen stifling giggles. She tried to move back, but Brett wouldn’t release her.
“Brett,” she mumbled in his mouth.
He groaned. Leaving his arms around her, he turned to the observers and smiled. “Sounds like a good plan. Just be sure to cover the floor with papers and don’t make a mess.”
“Okay, Dad.”
“Sure Mr....Brett.” Kelly smiled and corrected herself.
“Keep your lips ready, I’ll be back.” Brett patted her butt and headed to the garage.
She hopped down and was sinking into the couch cushions when he appeared through the door with a grin on his face and a bag in his hand.
Allison sat up. She recognized that look in his eye. But it was three o’clock in the afternoon. Surely he wasn’t planning for them to...”
He sank down next to her and dangled the bag between his legs.
“What’s that Dad?”
“Something I made.” He patted Allison’s leg and winked at her.
Oh brother. What was he up to?
“It’s going to be different for all of us now. Living together as a family. And it’ll take some adjusting. So I thought I’d make something to help us all out.”
He reached a hand into the bag. “You girls are growing up and will be wanting more and more privacy.” He cast a wicked look at Allison. “And Allison and I need our private time too. So...”
He pulled out two wooden signs with “Private” painted down the front of each. Each one was about six inches long, one orange with lime green letters and the other purple and yellow, and dangled from a brown string he had tied in a loop at the top.
“For your rooms.” He held them out. “If you want some time alone, the other family members will respect it with this on the door.” He leaned forward to look in their eyes. “Of course, since we’re the parents, if we feel there’s a valid reason for disturbing you we can, but we’ll knock first.”
Each girl took a sign.
“Wow, Dad.” Caroline held hers up, watching it twirl from the string. “Thanks.”
“Yeah, Brett. This is great.”
This was not the end. Allison knew better.
He drew out a much larger and fancier sign with “Do Not Disturb” painted in bright blue. “And this is for us, darling.”
Her face was hot with a blush.
“If this is hanging on our door, it means do not bother us. If you do, there’d better be a real emergency. You know, blood, guts, earthquakes, that type of thing.”
“Brett...” Allison said, amazed at his planning.
“Sound fair to everyone?”
“Sure.” The girls nodded, seemingly more impressed with their presents and the possibilities for privacy than with the implications of Brett and Allison’s sign.
He tugged Allison off the couch. “Come on Mrs. Tyler, let’s test out our new sign.”
She gasped as he stepped over the pile of papers on the floor, dragging her with him.
“See you girls later,” he said over his shoulder.
“Bye Dad.”
“Bye Mom.”
Allison tried to slow Brett down, but he towed her down the hall to the bedroom, placing the sign on the door and locking it.
He moved quickly to Allison. “I’m not waiting any longer.” He pulled her flush against his body. “Do you realize we’ve been married for almost a whole day and haven’t made love yet? All these darn people around staying up to all hours interfering with my married life.”
She grinned. He was almost growling. “Are you sure you can keep your voice down? We don’t want to scare the innocent children.”
“Do you like my plan, baby?” he asked softly, unclasping her hair from its clip and spreading it over her shoulders. “See how I’ve learned planning ahead is good sometimes. When it’s something I want...and need.”
His hands and voice sent shivers down her spine.
“So what are you waiting for?” she whispered. “Let’s put that sign to good use.”
He walked her backwards and fell with her on the bed.
“Oh darling, I do love it when you’re in control.”
Thanks so much for reading “Do Not Disturb”.
If you would like to read another contemporary romance, please consider one of my other books.
In “A Home for my Heart”, Julia meets Pro Golfer Adam whose playboy reputation makers her doubt a future with him. But does she really want to marry Bill? He is reliable and lovers her but… And what about her dream career? Time for decisions.
In “Follow Your Dreams”, Sophie dreams of being a photographer and traveling the world but stays close to her needy family. Max is not interested in a home and family, instead plans to sail the world alone. But when he meets Sophie while helping his sister and her family, he is drawn into her world and finds he may need someone after all.
And I love hear from readers so please join me on Facebook or email me at lisa@lisaballenger.com
May you and your love have as much fun as Allison and Brett when they are finally alone,
Lisa Ballenger