Alexander, Kalissa - Katlynn in Training (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting)

KALISSA ALEXANDER

Copyright © 2012

Chapter One

Katlynn had just opened a box full of pots and pans when she heard a knock at the front door. The movers had already left, and she hadn’t caught a glimpse of even one neighbor when they were moving her in to the second-floor condo. She splashed a little water on her face and wiped her nose before she opened the front door, expecting to see one of the delivery men holding a forgotten box that had been left on the truck. Instead she found herself greeted by the most beautiful blue eyes she had ever seen on a man. He didn’t look like any of the delivery men she had seen earlier. This one she would have remembered.

“Hello. I’m Justin Carson, your next-door neighbor. I thought I’d stop by to say welcome to the neighborhood.”

She pasted on a smile, hoping her eyes weren’t too bloodshot from her recent tears. “Hello. It’s nice to meet you, Justin. I’m Katlynn Angelis.” She slid her hand into the one held out to her. He had a nice, firm grip, and those eyes that were looking directly into hers were mesmerizing.

“My brother, Jeremiah, and I only moved in last month. Unfortunately, I never had a chance to meet your mother. I want you to know that I’m very sorry to hear about the loss of both your parents.” Seeing the confused expression on her face, he added, “Mr. Adams, the association director, told me and my brother what happened and that you were moving in.”

“Thank you.” She looked away for a moment. “It was a shock.”

“I know. I lost my dad a couple years back, and I still miss him every day.” He faltered for a second and then said, “I didn’t mean to intrude.”

“You’re not intruding. If anything, it’s nice to see a friendly face.” Her words surprised her because she meant them. It was unlike her to encourage the friendliness of a stranger, even if he was a good-looking man. “You’re welcome to come in. I’m sorry I can’t even offer you a soda or a cup of coffee. Things are anywhere but where they should be right now.”

“Don’t worry about that. I’m fine. But, if you don’t mind, I’d love to come in.”

Katlynn opened the door wider and stepped back for him to enter. She hoped he wasn’t one of those nosy neighbors who wanted to be the first to get the scoop on a new arrival to report back to the other neighbors. She had certainly met enough of those over the years. However, if she were to judge by appearances, he didn’t fit into that mold.

“This looks like our place did not that long ago.” He smiled, looking around sympathetically at the array of boxes that littered the combination living room and dining room. “It takes some time, but eventually you’ll have everything where you want it.”

“I hope so. Would you like to sit down? Just let me move a few of these boxes off the sofa.”

“I have a better idea,” he said from beside her, his hand resting on the box before she could lift it. “Why don’t you take a break from all this and come over to my house and let me make you a cup of coffee or tea or whatever you want.”

Although she knew she should say no because she had so much to do, to say nothing of the awkwardness she always felt with first meetings, there was something about him, maybe it was those eyes that looked into hers so hopefully that made her want to say yes. “I could use a break from all this.” She eyed the mess around her before she turned to give him a grateful smile.

“Great,” he said, his face splitting into a wide grin that caused his eyes to twinkle more expressively into hers.

He wasn’t handsome in a pretty-boy sense, but he was definitely attractive, and she’d take a guess that he was somewhere around her age. His light-brown hair was cut short, a little on the spikey side, but it became him. Those eyes that held hers were light blue with long lashes that curled on the end. His faded jeans clung to his muscular thighs and the blue T-shirt that hugged his upper body did nothing to hide his muscular physique. He looked to be about five foot ten, which meant he was about an inch taller than she was. There was something about him that drew her to him. She liked him, and she didn’t even know him. This was highly unusual for a woman who had been a loner for most of her life. However, her therapist had warned her that the grief and loneliness from losing both parents in such a short period of time could make her more vulnerable to unusual shifts in mood. She would have to keep that in mind and not allow herself to fall victim to her own weaknesses that included the heart palpitations she was currently experiencing.

She wondered if Justin and his brother looked alike, not that she should care. She doubted that she would see that much of them. However, she was not going to give him her usual disinterested hello-and-good-bye speech that she had perfected over the years. This time, she was going to make a real effort to be friendly. In her current situation, it more than made sense to try and cultivate some kind of a relationship with a neighbor She needed to have someone close by that she could go to if something came up unexpectedly. Showing an interest in a man who looked as good as he did shouldn’t be that difficult. Being all alone in the world was not something she had prepared for, even though she should have, considering she was the only child of parents who had also been only children.

They had both grown up in California, far from the suburbs of Philadelphia, where they eventually ended up living after her father retired from the Navy. She had never wanted for anything, but growing up with a parent in the military had meant moving every few years with little chance of making lasting friendships. At some point, she had stopped counting how many times she had faced a classroom full of students where everyone knew each other and she knew no one. Instead of becoming more outgoing, she found herself caring less about making new friends with each move. Even now, at the age of twenty-seven, she was still the same girl who had difficulty developing and maintaining relationships, whether it was with friends or lovers. She wanted more, but she was hard pressed to know how or even try.

Her job as a research writer for the publications department of an insurance company had been well suited for a woman who enjoyed her own company. Days could go by without interacting with others while she wrote and edited copy for employee brochures and training manuals. She had been drawn to the solitude of being a researcher who was allowed to work long hours from her home. Whenever she had felt the need to be with people, she had only to call her parents. Occasionally they would show concern that she didn’t have her own friends, but then they had never surrounded themselves with a lot friends either. It wasn’t until after her father’s death that her mother had spoken to her about her social life or lack thereof.

“You know, dear, I think your father and I were a bit selfish where you were concerned. Not that we haven’t enjoyed every minute spent with you.” Her mother put her arm around her only daughter and hugged her tightly. “But I think we may have inadvertently done you a disservice.”

“What are you talking about?” Katlynn returned the hug. “You two couldn’t have been better parents. You’ve always been there for me in every way possible. I couldn’t have asked for anything more.”

Tears filled her mother’s eyes as she pulled away to look at her only child. “It’s just that I worry about you being alone someday. We should have thought more about that and less about how much fun we had with you. The fact that you came to us after a number of miscarriages, when we had given up hope of having a child, just fueled our need to continue to be a part of your life when most parents had cut the apron strings. I mean, even when you went to college, you lived at home with us. You should have lived on campus like the rest of your peers.”

“Mom,” Katlynn said firmly, not wanting her mother to ever feel badly for loving her so much, “I wanted to live at home remember? You gave me the choice to live in the dorm. I chose home, and I’m not sorry I did. I’ve never been a social butterfly and I never will be. I’m fine just the way I am. Now stop worrying.”

Her mother’s words had now come back to haunt her. She had never allowed herself to think about what it would be like when they were both gone. Even when her father had died, she still had her mother. They had clung to each other and been practically inseparable until her mother suffered a massive heart attack in her sleep a few months later. The overwhelming sense of loss and emptiness she now lived with made it hard to get out of bed most days. She was truly alone.

“Katlynn, are you coming?” Justin was standing by the front door, holding it open for her. He was looking at her expectantly.

“Yes, of course. I was just thinking about my mother. I’m sorry.” She felt a tear escape down her cheek. She quickly wiped it away.

“I understand.” He walked back over to her. He reached out to pull her close. “It’s okay. I knew when you opened the door you had been crying. I still have my mother. To have lost both your parents must be almost more than you feel you can bear.”

She nodded, surprised that she had allowed herself to be drawn into a stranger’s arms. “I miss them both so much. They were everything to me. I feel so alone.”

When the tears began to fall, she couldn’t stop them. Her body shook as she let herself enjoy the comfort of a man that she had just met. It was unnatural how good it felt when his arms tightened to still her trembling.
I must be experiencing one of those mood shifts my therapist had said to expect.
There’s no other explanation.

“You’re not alone, Katlynn. I’m here. Just let it all out,” he whispered into her hair.

Those few kind words were all she needed to hear for the floodgates to open completely. She was clinging to him, her tears wetting his shirt. When she was finally able to control herself, she pulled herself from him, embarrassed by her actions. “I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have done that. I don’t even really know you. I can’t imagine what you must think of me.”

“I think you’re a beautiful young woman who just lost both her parents, and if having my shoulder here for you to cry on helped even a little, I’m glad to offer it. And if you need it again, it’ll be here for you.”

“Thank you,” she choked out. “I’m as big a mess as this place.” She tried to smile.

“You’re supposed to be a mess. Crying is all part of the grieving process.”

“That may be,” she said, looking up into his beautiful blue eyes that were looking down at her with compassion. “But I shouldn’t be crying on the shoulder of a man I’ve just met.”

“These strong shoulders are more than happy to be of service.” He pulled out a clean hanky from his pocket and handed it to her.

She took it and dabbed at her eyes. She couldn’t remember the last time she had seen a man with a hanky.

“You really do look like you could use a cup of coffee. You’re not going to say no to me now are you?”

“I don’t know. I don’t want to burden you with my company. Maybe another time would be better.”

“There’s no time like now, and you will not be burdening me with your company. I don’t only want us to be good neighbors, I want us to be friends, Katlynn. I hope you want that, too.”

“I would like that,” she whispered. He reached for her hand. She let him lead her through the open door like a child. She knew nothing about her knight in shining armor except that at this very moment, she would have followed him anywhere.