Caroline's Seduction (Montgomery Family and Friends) (3 page)

“I had planned to take you out to dinner, but I can’t wait another two hours to have you in my bed.”

 He pulled her into the large foyer with the cathedral ceiling and quickly locked the door behind her.  Then he led her up the stairs and to the master bedroom tucked into the back half of the house. 

“I’m not really hungry, at least not for food,” Caroline reassured Kyle as she followed him into his bedroom. 

They’d both been busy and it had been a couple of weeks since they were last together.  Clothes flew around the room as both of them quickly undressed.  Caroline was the first to be completely naked.  Still a little modest about flaunting her body she dived under the sheet.  She had no such compunction about Kyle’s body however.  The former college linebacker still took great care of his body with frequent visits to the gym.  He’d told her once that working out was a great stress reliever especially after a tough day at work.  She didn’t know about that, but she did know that his body was gorgeous all the way from his broad chest to his sculpted abdomen and beyond.  She openly admired the hard muscular planes of his body as each became visible. 

Kyle finished undressing.  He gave Caroline a wicked smile.  Then he grabbed the bottom of the sheet and yanked it completely off the bed.  He chuckled when she let out an undignified squeal. 

“Hey give that back,” she demanded.  She reached for the beige satin sheet, but Kyle was holding it just out of reach.

Kyle just shook his head right before he dropped the sheet on the floor.  “I want to see you too, Caroline.  You don’t have to hide from me.  I’ve already seen and touched every inch of you anyway.”  He watched as Caroline turned pink in that way that fascinated him.  “I actually think I’m going to miss you when you’re gone Caroline Johnson.”

Caroline froze.  Now was the perfect time to let him know she was staying.  “Maybe not,” Caroline responded, “because as it turns out, I’m not leaving after all.  The school where I completed my student teaching offered me a job and I accepted their offer this morning.”

Kyle pulled back and looked at Caroline with amber eyes that were no longer aroused or even amused.  “I always thought that you planned to go back to your hometown after graduation,” Kyle stated in a quiet but firm voice.

That tone of voice sent chills down Caroline’s back.  It was all she could do to contain the shudder that threatened to break loose.  It was definitely his boardroom and not his bedroom voice he was using now.  She stuck up her chin.  “That was my original plan, but why should I?  Since my aunt died, I don’t have family there or anywhere else for that matter.”  She drew her knees up to her chin and wrapped her arms protectively around herself.  “All my high school friends are here at UGA or spread out at other colleges around the southeast.  And I really like the school where I did my student teaching.  It’s a great fit for me and I already have a good working relationship with some of the other staff.” 

“Everything I need is right here in northern Georgia.”  She looked Kyle dead in the eyes when she said it.  She wasn’t backing down.  If he had problems with her staying in town, they needed to get them out in the open now and deal with them.  “Really nothing is going to change.  First year teachers are swamped with work.  I’ll be even busier than I am now.”

Kyle stood and pulled on the large white terrycloth robe he kept on the foot of the bed.  “It makes a big difference, Caroline.  I always thought you’d be leaving soon, that this relationship was temporary.  And that’s what I want, what I’ve always wanted, a
temporary
relationship. 

Caroline didn’t miss the way he stressed the word temporary.  Tears formed in her eyes and she had to fight to hold them back.  The last thing she wanted was to cry in front of Kyle.  She felt vulnerable enough having this argument without wearing any clothes.  She got off the bed and quickly put on her shirt, panties, and denim skirt.  She realized she forgot to put on her bra about the same time she saw it peeking out from under the edge of the bed.  She grabbed it up and stuffed it in a pocket.  There was no way she was redressing right now.  She had more important issues to worry about. 

“I didn’t realize you felt so strongly about me leaving northern Georgia one way or the other.”

“What did you expect Caroline?  I feel like you lied or at the very least misled me with your intentions.  I would have never pursued a relationship with you if I hadn’t thought we both understood it was only temporary.”

Caroline felt her tears dry up to be replaced by righteous indignation.  She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him.  “I’ve never been anything but honest with you,” Caroline snapped.  “You’re the one that assumed I’d be leaving when I graduated.  I didn’t correct you, because I wasn’t really sure what I was going to do.  It all kind of depended on the job offers I received.  I thought things were going really well between us.  I don’t understand what you’re getting so upset about.  There’s no reason things can’t stay the way they are right now.”

Kyle ran his hand through his thick black hair several times.  His frustration was growing with every minute that passed.  It had been a long and tiring week as usual.  He’d been looking forward to getting lost in Caroline’s body.  Now instead he was facing his worse nightmare, a clingy woman with happily-ever-after on her brain.  And he had nobody but himself to blame.  He’d seen the possibility of this happening from the start, but he’d ignored his own warnings. 

“Look Caroline, I haven’t talked too much about my past, but you do know that I was the victim of a not so pleasant marriage which led to a very bitter divorce.  The only bright spot in the whole nasty situation was that my ex-wife wanted my money more than she wanted Sarah.  She didn’t even put up a fight for custody when she saw the size of the divorce settlement. 

More like she was probably afraid to battle Kyle and his lawyer in court, Caroline decided.  She hadn’t known Kyle long, but she’d known him long enough to know he’d make a formidable opponent.  One she definitely wouldn’t want to face in a courtroom or anywhere else for that matter.  “I’m not your ex-wife and frankly I still don’t see the problem.  We like each other’s company, the sex is great, why borrow trouble.  Things don’t have to change just because I’m not moving.”  Caroline tried taking a pragmatic approach thinking that would appease Kyle.  “It just means we have longer to let our relationship run its course instead of forcing it to a premature end.”  At least she hoped so.  His next words shattered that hope.

“Well as far as I’m concerned our relationship has definitely run its course.  I don’t want to see you anymore.  I was going to break it off after this weekend anyway,” he told the lie with a straight face knowing it was for the best.  A clean break was definitely the way to go, no reason to drag it out.  “But under the circumstances I think you should go ahead and leave now.” 

Caroline felt her heart breaking.  She had been so excited about this weekend and somehow everything was going horribly wrong before the weekend could even get started.  A sob wrenched its way out from between her tightly clenched teeth.  She reached a hand toward Kyle as if to plead, but dropped it at the last second when she saw his hardened expression.  Her tears would have no sway with him.  She might as well keep what little pride she had left.  She briskly walked out of the bedroom, found her purse, and let herself out of the house.  She didn’t even slam the front door even though that cost every ounce of self-control she possessed.

******

Two weeks after being unceremoniously dumped from Kyle’s life, Caroline looked at the little white stick with its damning plus sign.  She’d been sick every morning since the breakup with Kyle.  At first she thought it was nerves, then a stomach bug.  Finally after almost two weeks she’d had to face the fact that she could be pregnant.  Now unless the over the counter pregnancy test had made an error, she was indeed pregnant.  She thought about not telling Kyle, but her conscience wouldn’t let her go that route.  No matter how much of a jerk he’d turned out to be he was still the father and he had a right to know. 

First she needed to be one hundred percent sure she was actually pregnant before she bothered Kyle.   After all they had used condoms every time they’d made love.  She walked to the on campus health center and waited a little over an hour to have a blood test to confirm her pregnancy.  The nurse told her to check back Monday afternoon for the results.  Caroline stumbled back to her dorm.  Thank God Faith was out with friends, because Caroline really needed the time alone.  She knew she should be making plans for the future, but she was too numb from the shock.  There would be enough time for planning Monday afternoon.  She’d know one way or the other for sure by then.  Even though in her heart she already knew the answer, she was pregnant, and Kyle was not going to be happy with this latest development.

******

Caroline left the health center with the confirmation of her pregnancy weighing heavily on her mind.  She needed to contact Kyle as soon as possible.  She wasn’t looking forward to the fallout.  If he hadn’t been happy about her staying in the greater Atlanta area, he most certainly wouldn’t be happy about an unplanned pregnancy, especially when they’d gone out of their way to use protection at all times.  The sooner she got the unpleasant task over the better.  She quickly walked back to the dorm room.  She needed to hurry if she was going to make the call before Faith came back from her afternoon final.  Caroline definitely needed privacy for this call.  Faith was her closest friend and very well meaning, but Caroline needed to cope with this on her own.

****

One very frustrating week and about thirty unreturned calls later, Caroline was done.  This was not a good time for so much stress.  Graduation was in a couple of days then she’d be moving into her new apartment.  She wanted this matter taken care of and not hanging over her head anymore.  That was the mantra running through her head as she took the elevator up to the top floor of the downtown Atlanta building that housed Wakefield INC.  She didn’t even know if Kyle was in town, but this was her last ditch effort to do the right thing and inform him of his impending fatherhood. 

  Caroline faced the pretty and elegantly dressed receptionist with a big smile.  She was relieved when the receptionist smiled back.  “Hello.  I’m Caroline Johnson and Mr. Wakefield is expecting me.”  Caroline tried not to miss a beat at the little white lie.  After all the phone calls she’d left saying she needed to talk to him, he couldn’t be too surprised by her sudden and unannounced presence at his office.

The receptionist’s smile quickly faded until it turned into a frown.  “I’m sorry.  I’ve seen Mr. Wakefield’s schedule for the day and you’re not on it.”

Caroline forged ahead with her plan.  “There must be a mistake with the scheduling,” Caroline persisted.  “And I really do need to see him today, right now.  I’ll just go back to his office and let him know I’m here.  What I have to say won’t take long anyway.”

“I’m afraid that’s impossible,” the receptionist declared.  “He left strict instructions not to be disturbed.”

Caroline panicked.  She hadn’t come this far to fail in her objective.  There was too much at stake.  She dashed past the receptionist who was still seated and flung open the outer door of the suite of offices.  She headed straight for the corner office at the end of the hall.  Surely that would be Kyle’s office. 

The receptionist was right behind her.  “Wait!  Ms. Johnson you can’t go in there without an appointment,” the woman yelled. 

So much for a surprise visit, Caroline decided.  The receptionist was so loud, Kyle had to have heard her and know that she was on the way into his office.   She opened the door and all the words fighting to run off her tongue were silenced.  Stunned Caroline took note of the well-dressed chic woman sitting on Kyle’s lap.  His face was buried in her neck.  After what felt like an eternity Kyle looked up.  Caroline’s blue eyes were pierced by his dark amber eyes.  She knew she shouldn’t be wasting time, but she couldn’t make any words come out of her mouth.

The woman discreetly stood and straightened her skirt.  Caroline missed the glare the woman sent Kyle.  “It looks like you two might have some unfinished business.  I’ll just wait outside until you’re finished.”

“Stay right where you are,” Kyle demanded.  Then he turned his attention to Caroline.  “I told the receptionist I wasn’t to be disturbed.  You really are making a nuisance of yourself Caroline.”  The contempt was evident in the chilling tone of his voice.

Caroline crossed her arms over her chest in an attempt to stop the minor trembling in her body.  She was suddenly chilled to the bone.  She could have just blurted out the news, but found herself defending the receptionist instead.  “It’s not her fault.  I ran past her.  I need to talk to you.”

Kyle’s gaze turned down right frosty.  Caroline wasn’t able to suppress the shiver that snaked down her spine.  “So you said in several phone messages.  I didn’t return those calls, because as far as I’m concerned there’s nothing more for us to say to each other except goodbye.  Now please leave or I’ll call security and have you escorted out.”

Caroline couldn’t believe how humiliated she felt.  She saw and hated the pitying looks from both the receptionist and the woman from Kyle’s lap.  In that split second she felt her heart and any dreams of happily-ever-after completely shatter.  One lone sob managed to escape before Caroline fled the room in a dead run.  She ran, taking the stairs instead of waiting for the elevator.  She didn’t stop running until she reached the parking deck and her car. 

The stitch in her side had turned into an excruciating cramp by the time she was behind the wheel of her car.  She had to fight to catch her breath.  The pain wasn’t going away.  It took her a few minutes to notice the sticky wetness between her thighs.  She looked at her lap and took in the spreading red stain with an odd sense of detachment.  She calmly started the car and drove to the nearest hospital, but she knew it was already too late.