Do Not Disturb (18 page)

“Curtis.” Margaret said in a warning tone. “That
is really none of our affair. She may not want to discuss it.”

“No, Margaret. It’s fine.” Allison paused. “You’ve
all been so helpful.” She looked at Brett. “I’m so grateful. I’m not sure what
I...” her voice caught.

Brett dropped his hand to her shoulder and
squeezed it, warmth spreading through her body. She turned back to the Tylers.
“It’s made everything so much easier.”

“You poor dear. I hope you don’t mind that Brett
told us what’s happening.” Margaret bent forward. “I just cannot imagine
what...it is just so hard to believe. I’m impressed how well you are holding
up.”

“Allison’s very strong, Mom. She’s been through a
lot and doesn’t let anything get her down.”

Allison glanced at Brett, her cheeks burning.
“Now, Brett. That’s not true. I nearly imploded when this happened.”

“Only for a few minutes and then you were ready to
fight. And fight we will.” He rubbed the side of her arm. “We’ll win, too.”

She wasn’t nearly as strong inside as he said. And
he knew it. “I hope so,” she said in a weak voice.

#

“Allison. Allison.”

She felt a large hand shaking her and a warm
breath in her ear. Where was she? Her heavy head lay against something soft.

“Just like in Orlando, you fell asleep,” he
whispered. “I’m beginning to get a complex.”

Her eyes popped open. Brett. She was at Brett’s
parent’s house. She glanced around the room. Empty.

Sitting up, she moved quickly away from his
shoulder. She was in the Tyler’s family room. They had settled in to watch a
movie after dinner, Brett and Allison on a couch and his parents on a love
seat.

“I can’t believe I fell asleep.” She pressed her
hands to her face. “With your parents sitting right here in the room. What must
they think of me?”

“That you were tired and relaxed.”

“Don’t tease, Brett. This is awful.”

“It doesn’t matter, darling. Mom fell asleep in
Dad’s lap.”

“But they’re married and this is their house. I’m
a guest. A pretty tacky guest at that.”

“At least you didn’t snore.”

She stood up. “I’m going to bed and tomorrow I’ll
apologize to your parents.”

Brett drew up beside her and placed his hands on
her shoulder. “You didn’t do anything wrong, Allison. You just fell asleep. I
pulled you against my shoulder to make sure your neck didn’t get stiff.” He
kissed the top of her head. “Nothing to be embarrassed about or apologize for.”
He turned to his side, keeping one arm around her. “Let’s get upstairs.”

“I’m still mortified.”

Switching off lights, he led her up the stairs,
opened her bedroom door and followed her in.

“Go to bed.” She held up her hands. “Your bed.
I’ve done enough tonight already.”

“I just want a good night kiss. That’s all I’ll
ask for. Tonight.”

He kissed her lips lightly, circling her waist and
dragging her body close to his. Her foggy mind grew hazier with each movement
of his delicious lips. Just one kiss would be all right, then he would leave.

Running his hand up her back, he pressed her
closer to his chest. Her arms wrapped around his back.

Just a little longer and then he would leave.

“Baby, you feel so good in my arms.” He whispered
in her ear and then kissed down her neck. Exactly where he knew she liked it.
Oh no, this was not good. He had to leave.

He moved his hand down to her butt and drew her
into his hard body. Her skin grew warmer and warmer.

“Brett,” she gasped against his chest. “You have
to go.”

“I know. I will.”

Suddenly light spread through the open bedroom
door. They jumped apart.

“What the hell?” Brett moved to the door and stuck
his head into the hall. “Dad?”

“Forgot the damn alarm.” Curtis’ voice streamed
over the landing. “Hope the light didn’t bother you.”

“No, we’d just walked upstairs.”

“Good. I forget sometimes, we’re so used to being
alone. See you tomorrow son.”

“Good night, Dad.”

Brett turned around and Allison stood behind him,
her hand on the doorknob. “Time to go.”

“We never get a break, do we? I knew we should’ve
gone into the shower.”

“Leave. Now.”

He backed into the hall. “I’m gone.”

She closed the door and debated whether to lock
it. Surely Brett wouldn’t sneak in.

Would he?

Her hand dropped from the lock.

No. He wouldn’t.

“Allison, you ready?”

She ran across the room and slung open the door to
find a grinning Brett.

“Ready for a Tyler family holiday?”

“You’re looking mighty handsome today, Mr. Tyler.”

“Why thank you ma’am.” He brushed at a
non-existent piece of lint on his navy pull-over sweater.

She gave in to temptation and touched it. “Wow.
Cashmere?”

“Birthday present.” He moved her fingers to his
lips. “My mother’s idea of how I should dress.”

She smiled at the large face of his scarred black
sports watch sneaking out of his cuff. Bet his mother wouldn’t have suggested
that to go with the outfit.

“Good taste. I knew I liked her.”

“She’s not so bad, I guess.”

“You love her and your dad. It’s so obvious.” She
stopped as he stepped in closer. “I know you missed them.”

“I did.” He put an arm around her waist. “And
hopefully we can work things out. Not have to go through this crazy little
separation game again.”

Her head fell back to look into his serious face.
“I haven’t seen them do anything that would make you want to stay away.”

“You may not.” His eyes darkened. “Or you may at
today’s festivities. When my brother and his family show up.”

“Why then?”

His fingers tightened on her hip. “Hal’s a lawyer
in Dad’s firm and they live about five miles away from here. Dad’s happy with
Hal’s career choice, Mom’s happy with Sally and the grandchildren and
everyone’s thrilled they all live so close together.”

“Is Hal happy?”

“Sure.” Brett shrugged. “He loves being a lawyer
and living here. Their influence in his life has never bothered him. I think he
has a lot more in common with them than I do.” He looked past her into the
bedroom. “I was more like my grandmother. A little rebellious.”

“They just love you and want you nearby.” She
reached up to touch his smooth cheek. That wouldn’t last long, the way his
beard grew. And she kind of liked the rougher look he usually had. Although he
looked handsome now, he seemed a little too polished for the normally carefree
Brett. “I can understand that. I know I’m overly protective with Kelly, too.”

His eyes darted back to her face. “She’s ten,
Allison, not thirty-six.”

“I know. But I’ll probably still be giving her
suggestions and trying to run her life when she’s thirty-six, too. You know me,
always in control.”

The muscles in his jaw relaxed. “Yes. I know you.
But I also know there’s another side that not everyone sees.” He leaned into
her ear. “I seem to recall you happy to lose control on my living room floor.”

“Brett.” She splayed her hands on his chest,
shoving him away as he laughed.

A voice in the distance interrupted. “Are you two
ready for breakfast?”

Brett kept his eyes on Allison’s blushing face as
he yelled down to his mother. “We’ll be right there.”

#

The day ran smoothly until they dove into the
leftovers around seven that night.

Hal and Sally had arrived after breakfast with
their two toddlers. He was perfectly groomed, a younger version of his father.
She was perfectly groomed, a younger version of Margaret, right down to her
polished nails and glowing skin. And Allison liked them.

Hal had the same outgoing personality as Brett and
it only took a few minutes for Allison to feel as if she’d known him forever.
But Sally was the biggest surprise. She had worked at a bank until her second
child was born and was anxious to get back to her profession. She begged
Allison to share her secrets of working and raising a child and was thrilled to
have someone to discuss career strategies.

Brett raved on and on about how Allison’s genius
father restored vintage automobiles and Hal and Brett tried to outdo each other
with embarrassing stories from their past, each more exaggerated than the last.
By the afternoon, Margaret had begged them to stop, claiming they were
destroying her precious memories of their childhoods.

As Allison learned more about them and they asked
questions about her life, her daughter, and her family, she realized their
families weren’t so different. Loving parents and rambunctious children.

She began to wonder if the problem Brett had with
his family was all in his head.

Until that night.

His brother and family had left and Margaret,
Curtis, Brett and Allison sat at the kitchen table picking at leftovers.

“How’s the business going, Brett?” Curtis poured
gravy over his stuffing and reached for the salt shaker. He muttered under his
breath as Margaret moved it out of his reach.

Brett’s shoulders squared.

“Fine. It’s going fine.”

“Do you have a business plan?”

Brett’s hands clenched before he dropped them to
his lap. “I have a plan.”

Curtis stabbed a piece of turkey and dropped it on
his plate. “Are you still working out of your house?”

“Yes.”

“You know, son, if you need some funding for an
office, I’ll be happy to arrange—“

Brett pressed his back against the wooden chair.
“I don’t need another office, Dad. I’m fine.”

“But where do you meet with your clients?”

“Dad...”

Curtis took a long drink of coffee, watching his
son over the rim of the china cup. “I was just offering to help, Brett. I know
how hard it is to start a business.”

“I know, Dad, but I don’t need any help. I’m
fine.”

Silence. 

“Curtis, pass the cranberry sauce to Allison.”
Margaret stirred cream into her coffee with a sterling silver spoon. “Are you
still in the rental house, dear?”

“Yes, mother. The same house.”

“Are you planning to buy something? I know that
house is very small.” Margaret reached behind her to retrieve the ceramic
coffee pot, then filled Curtis’ cup.

“It’s a nice house, mother.”

“Can I get you anything, Allison?” Margaret’s arm
paused in the air, coffee pot still in her hand.

Allison shook her head. “I’m fine, thanks.”

Margaret smiled and placed the pot on a china
trivet on the table, shoving several other plates closer together to create an
empty space. “I’m sure it is dear, but Caroline needs room. To have her friends
over. She’ll be dating soon and --”

Brett took a deep breath. “There’s plenty of room,
Mother.”

Allison’s eyes darted back and forth following the
conversation. Why didn’t he tell her about his plans to build a house?

“Well if the down payment is a problem.”

Brett jumped up, his thigh hitting the edge of the
table rattling the silverware. “I think I need some fresh air, if you would
excuse me.”

“Brett...” his mother pleaded.

He stalked to the door leading to the back deck.

Margaret waited until the door clicked shut. “I’m
sorry you had to see that, Allison. I don’t know why he gets so upset when we
ask a few questions. We just want to know how he’s doing.”

Curtis shook his head, but kept eating.

“Maybe he’s tired,” Allison suggested. “He’s spent
a lot of time helping me recently. I’m afraid I’ve really been leaning on him
for support. Probably more than I should.”

“Oh no, dear.” Margaret touched Allison’s arm.
“Brett wouldn’t do anything he didn’t want to. If he’s helping you, it’s
because he wants to. That’s what friends do.”

Allison glanced toward the door and the darkness
swallowing Brett. And now he needed her.

“You’re absolutely right, Margaret.” She stood. “I
think I’ll go outside. If you’ll excuse me.”

“Of course, dear.”

Brett sat on the rail of the deck, partially
visible from the kitchen lights filtering through the blinds. He must be
freezing in his thin sweater. Brown leaves tumbled across Allison’s feet as she
moved toward Brett.

“It’s cold out here,” Allison said. Her cotton
dress was in a fall color and was perfect for November in Florida, but provided
no warmth in the Northern Virginia chill. “Hard to believe it’s so different
from Florida.”

She moved close to Brett, her shoulder next to his
arm.  The muscles in his jaw twitched as he pressed his lips together.

This was not going to be easy.

“Sorry, Allison. I didn’t mean for that to
happen.” He shook his head. “I should have known it would though. We were so
close to getting through the holiday without it, but...”

“It didn’t bother me.” She interlaced her fingers
with his hand hanging at his side. “I know you don’t see it, but my family’s
not a lot different.”

“Hmmmph...I’ve met your family, Allison. They are
not like mine.”

“You didn’t see them when I told them I was going
away to college. Major fight.” She lowered her voice, imitating her father.
“What’s wrong with the University of South Florida? It’s right here. You don’t
need to go all the way to North Carolina to go to college.”

She laughed. “And then when I said I wouldn’t be
coming back to Tampa for graduate school or to work, before I got pregnant of course...it
wasn’t pretty. I thought I’d have to supply references for the companies I
wanted to work for. Dad even wanted to call the apartments to see if they were
safe for his little girl.” She rubbed her thumb over his cold knuckles. “I was
the first one in my family to leave, too, you know.”

“But they don’t question every thing you do now.”
He turned his head to her. “How did it change?”

“I started talking to them. Stopped fighting their
questions.”

His fingers tightened around hers. “Are you saying
this is my fault?”

“No. I’m just telling you what worked for me.”

She shivered as the wind swirled across the deck
slapping the end of her hair into her face and sending a blast of cold up the
hem of her dress. Brett wrapped his arm around her shoulder and tugged her
against his side. “You’re cold. We should go inside.”

“Only if you feel better.”

“I’ve calmed down. I don’t know if I feel better,
but at least I won’t yell at anyone now.”

“Maybe yelling wouldn’t be so bad.”

“Yelling? This from Miss Control?”

“At least it’s communication.”

“Yeah.” He stroked her arm, the friction creating
warmth on that one small spot. “But Tylers don’t yell either.”

“I see.”

Who was more stubborn here? Brett or his parents?

“Just because we aren’t doing what someone expects
of us, doesn’t mean what we’re doing is wrong,” she suggested.

“You think I need to talk to them more. Explain
what I’m doing.”

“I’m saying they love you and you love them and
it’s not easy. I’m sure Caroline and Kelly will not be thrilled with a few
things we’ll do in the next few years.”

“You’re right.” He laughed. Finally. “I swore I’d
never be like my parents and I hear myself quoting them every day. I hate
that.”

“I know what you mean.”

He slipped off the rail and hugged her. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.”

He really hated control. She continued to shiver,
the goosebumps spreading up her arms. What was she doing with a man who hated
everything she needed to make her life work?

#

“Go back to your room, Brett.”

He stood braced in the open doorway of her bedroom,
his hands on the doorjambs. “You’d better let me in or my parents will hear
us.” He‘d changed into jeans and a sweatshirt, but his feet were bare. He
looked entirely too inviting.

He’d dropped her off at her room twenty minutes
earlier, kissing her breathless. They were supposed to be asleep.

But he was back.

Hiding behind the door, she leaned her head around
to talk. She was naked except for her short cotton nightgown. She’d forgotten
her robe.

“Only for a second, then you have to go back to
your room.” She opened the door wider.

He slid into the gap and shut the door with his
foot.

She cringed at the click of the door. “I’m sure
your parents have counted the number of times the doors have opened and closed
and know what’s going on.”

She backed up as Brett stood in front of her, his
legs spread wide balancing his stance, his arms crossed over his chest, that
glint in his eye. The one she now recognized as “ready.”

He wanted her.

“They can’t hear the doors close, darling. And
Dad’s already set the alarm, I checked. So no one will be bothering us.”

He stepped toward her. She backed up.

“Besides, we’re adults. They don’t care what we
do.”

He stepped toward her. She backed up.

“Oh, I’m sure they care. It’s their house, Brett.
I would never be able to...”

He stepped forward. She backed into the dresser.

He leaned down and kissed her. Fiercely, not
sweetly.

“Relax. Remember. That’s the key to being able
to---“

She put her hand over his mouth. “That is not what
I meant and you know it.” His teeth nibbled her fingers. “We will be home
tomorrow.”

Why did that feel good? She dropped her hand
before he could eat her alive.

“And who knows how long before we’ll be alone
again after we get home. We’ll pick up Kelly and then Caroline will be home
and...”

He kissed her neck. It wasn’t fair.

“But we’re not alone now either. We’re at your
parents’ house. In your Grandmother’s old room for heaven’s sakes.”

“Grandma would be so proud.” His hands rested on
her hips.

“Is this like the nightshirt you described to me
on the phone?”

It was up to her waist. She had to stop him. His
hands were on her sides now.

“Brett...”

He lifted it over her head and kneeled in front of
her, kissing her stomach.

“Yes?”

Her hands dropped to his shoulders as he raised
his head and nibbled his way up to her breasts.

“Brett, we have to...”

“I know we do, baby. I need you.”