Free Do Not Disturb by Lisa Ballenger

reached around her holding a bottle in each
hand, pressing his front against her back. She tried to move forward, but he
had her body clinched against his with his upper arms around her shoulders.
    "Relax. Kelly's watching television
again." He placed one of the beers in her hand. "Besides, what's
wrong with her seeing me touch you?"
    She sipped the beer, thinking.
    "It's just..." What would Kelly think
about Brett showing affection? She wasn’t so sure now, after the conversation
about her getting married so she wouldn’t be alone. And having a real
relationship with Brett certainly included...
    "Kelly's never seen a man touch me...you
know...like..."
    Lowering his mouth, he kissed the side of her
hair. "What about Kelly's father?"
    "No,” she said quickly, hoping he wouldn’t
press for more details on her history with James.
    He slid around to her front, dragging his free
hand along her back, resting it on her waist as he stood close.
    But he had a different path in mind.
    "And in all that time you've never?"
    She looked down at the top of Brett's feet. This
was so embarrassing. "Never," she whispered.
    "That's an awfully long time, isn’t it?"
    "I know." She focused on his tan boat
shoes. If he only knew how long. “I’ve gone out a few times, but nothing ever
seemed to click and...” she let the words drift off.
    He slipped his hand up her back and pulled her to
his body. Using his other arm he pressed her head close against his chest.
"Maybe it's time to change that."
    She stood still. It felt wonderful in his arms.
Her pulse raced as his heart pounded beneath her cheek.
    "But..."
    "Shhh. Just enjoy, darling. Don't
analyze."
    The endearment slipped in and wrapped around her
lonely heart.
    Putting his leg on the bottom step behind her, he
fit her body between his thighs. The bulge beneath his thin cotton shorts
strained against her lower body.
    He wanted her.
    A tingle began in her stomach and moved lower. A
feeling that was becoming familiar and stronger each time she was with him.
    "Kelly..." she protested weakly.
    "We're only hugging. Besides, it's good for
Kelly to see that someone cares about her mother." He moved his head back
just far enough to see her eyes. "It feels good to you too, doesn't
it?"
    "Yes. That's what scares me."
    His lips curved. "I was hoping I wasn't the
only one getting excited here."
    She smiled at his honesty and relaxed against his
chest.
    No, he definitely was not the only one excited.
     
    #
     
    "Mother, Dad, what are you doing here? I
thought you were out dancing." Allison's parents followed her into the den
where Brett and Kelly watched a movie. 
    "The caller got sick half-way through
and..." Her mother stopped as Brett stood. She glanced back at Allison
with a gleam in her eye.
    Allison cast her mother a quick ‘calm down’ look.
"This is Brett Tyler. He's helping me with the Halloween Carnival this year,”
then turned toward Brett. “These are my parents, Ruth and J.T." 
    “So nice to meet you, Brett,” her mother said
enthusiastically, pumping his hand and grinning.
    "Nice to meet you, too." Brett moved
aside, allowing them access to the couch.
    "Brett." J.T. nodded, gave Brett a quick
handshake and sank down next to his wife, stretching a long deeply tanned and
arm along her shoulders. 
    "Hello, honey. Come give your grandma a
kiss." Ruth smoothed her square dance skirt over her knees, then tapped
her pale, freckled cheek with her finger.
    Kelly ran over to her grandmother, snuggling
close.
    "Sit down, Brett." Allison pointed to
the chair next to the sofa. Moving the matching footstool by the chair, she sat
on the floor, her back against the cloth-covered furniture.
    "Yes. There we were dancing away and
suddenly." Ruth clutched her chest, her gray curls bouncing as she shook
her head. "Calvin fell over. You remember Calvin, Allison. Donny's
father."
    "Sure, Mother. I remember him." She shot
her eyes toward Brett, rolling them slightly. "Is he OK?"
    "Lord knows.