Captivation

Captivation Part 4

"Stop that this instant." Caitlin said loudly enough so that her words could be heard above the two voices. Just a few minutes ago she'd cajoled the two men into the cloakroom that was two doors down from the hall.

"Now, Cait, darling, we're just saying..."

"You're spreading malicious rumours." She interrupted instantly. If there was one thing that Caitlin really hated, it was people being spiteful. "That isn't right." Caitlin folded her arms and adopted what she considered her school teacher pose. The fact these guys were old enough to be her parents at the very least, did not stop her from reprimanding them.

"We're telling the truth. His mother was..."

"His mother." Caitlin interrupted crossly, threw her arms in the air as if seeking divine intercession and then refolded her arms across her chest before she did something silly like knock their sixty-year old heads together. Shaking her head, she huffed, "There's no need for a character assassination. His family situation is a private thing." She told them and they could hear from the clipped nature of her words just how cross she was. Then she shook her head, sighed and softened her tone, "And yes, everyone knows that he isn't scared of dad!" She huffed loudly, "Yes, the entire hall know he isn't interested in me, and that I apparently am interested in him. And yes they know he dumped me, which is really odd, because we were never together!" She nearly chuckled, "And according to him I'm a staid, snooty daddy's girl, who he thinks wouldn't know how to kiss. But that doesn't mean he deserves a character assassination. We don't have a choice in selecting our parents." She reminded them primly.

"Just because your father isn't here this evening to look out for you, doesn't mean we can't." Said her father's best friend, Tom. He folded his arms and adopted what would have been an imposing stance if he didn't look worried by the fact that Caitlin was scowling at him.

"I can look out for myself." She leaned forward and kissed his cheek to soften her words. They were being protective. She got that. "Thanks. But you both need to stop spreading malicious rumours about the poor guy." She advised them bluntly, making sure she looked straight at them so that they realized she was serious.

"He isn't poor." Muttered Tom, adding beneath his breath, "They aren't rumours."

"And he shouldn't have told everyone that your father couldn't buy him and that you were snooty and wanted him, but if you want him..." Frowned her uncle, Neil, only to be interrupted by his niece who appeared to be taking the entire hullabaloo in her stride.

"No, I don't." Definitely not after what she'd had to endure this evening. "I don't even know the man." She replied in frustration, seeing that they were unlikely to let go of this unless she could convince them that she really hadn't been hurt by his actions or words.

"Then why did you say you wanted him?" Tom asked in what sounded like bemused frustration.

"I didn't." Caitlin shook her head and said quietly but firmly. "Good grief, before this evening I'd probably seen him a couple of times in my entire thirty years! I doubt I've even spoken to him before. He's the kind of guy who's interested in cheerleaders, or strippers or pole dancers, certainly not some daddy's girl, as he put it." She looked at both men and smiled, "For goodness sakes I'm hardly his type. I'm probably wearing more this evening than his girlfriends have in their entire wardrobe!" She was pretty sure that was an accurate statement.

"But..."

"Wanting a man like that would be like wanting to waltz with wolf." Caitlin mulled aloud. He really was an impressive animal. Tall, broad shouldered, slim hipped, character lined face. He was what most women would call gorgeous. And what she'd call dangerous. He was a man who lived life to the full and enjoyed all the perks life had to offer. She'd heard enough stories to know that was true. "And I don't know how to handle wolves let alone know how to waltz!"

"So.."

Caitlin decided it was in her interests to explain how she probably came to be embroiled in the situation this evening. "I was asked during a conversation why I was here this evening, because according to them I don't come to these events often." She rolled her eyes, as she remembered the conversation, and who she was speaking to at the time. Next time she was going to keep her thoughts to herself, even if she was being facetious. "I ask you. Is it any wonder? Anyway, I stupidly said I was here to look around. Check out the talent, and even more sarcastically said from where I was standing the talent was impressive. He just happened to be in line of sight at that moment." She massaged her temples and huffed, "I was being facetious. He's a good looking man, and he could have his pick of women, but I'm not willing to queue! Nor am I willing to be mauled. That man wouldn't know romance if it got up and bit him on the bum. Sex, on the other hand and he could probably write a full and comprehensive guide."

She looked at the two men, smiled slowly when she saw their looks of consternation at her bluntness. It was obvious that both didn't know how to respond to her statements about sex.

Caitlin smiled gently as she took pity on them, and added, "I was being taunted by a rather unkind woman, and I, unfortunately responded to the taunts when I know better." She smiled at them with warmth and asked quietly, "You both know I don't even kiss a guy on my first date, so why in the world would I identify one I want to marry at first glance and broadcast it to a group of people I don't know?" She chuckled at their baffled looks.

These two men were doing their best to protect her, even if she didn't like the means they had employed, she could understand and appreciate the fact that they were trying to protect her. Their friend's daughter.

"He should have been flattered that you were interested in him." Tom was gearing up for another round. And from where he stood, as far as he was concerned, he really did believe that Jared should have been flattered if Caitlin was showing some interest in him.

Caitlin laughed as she squeezed his hand, "Thanks for the vote. But he doesn't, so let it go."

"He shouldn't have told everyone he wasn't interested and that your father couldn't buy him." Her uncle Neil grimaced. "It doesn't do much for a girl to have everyone know she's desperate. And that her father would force a guy to marry her."

Caitlin winced, then laughed again, her bubbly nature surging to the surface. "He didn't tell anyone anything. Well, not intentionally. Someone overheard." She shrugged. It was in her nature to be stoic. "And Uncle Neil, I'm not desperate. Just stupid." She threaded her arm through theirs as she added. "I should never have come this evening."

"But..."

"But, nothing. He has every right to be angry." She grinned at them. "Anyway, I don't think he's the marriage kind, and I imagine the women he's interested in probably wear a lot more make up, a lot less clothing and offer a hell of a lot more action than me! He's probably had his style cramped this evening because of the rumours about our supposed engagement!"

"That's not all that should be cramped."

"Now Tom!" She disengaged, and looked at him and had a hard job stopping the smile as she added, "So, we've agreed." She waited until she had made eye contact with both of them, "Leave the poor man alone. Tell dad's friends what I said."

"You're assuming we have some control over them." Tom muttered.
"I know you both! I figured you marshaled them into action. Now you need to stop it." By the time she'd returned from the ladies room she'd heard whispers about Jared. And being astute she soon realised that her father's friends had swung into action when they'd heard the rumours doing the rounds about her being publicly dumped by Jared. Her dad's friends were loyal. Caitlin hadn't liked what she'd heard been said about the man. They were shredding his family history. If he'd been embarrassed before, he was bound to be mortified by what was doing the rounds now. "OK. Let's go back and see what's happened now. I hadn't realised these things could be so exciting." Her sarcasm wasn't lost on either man, but they said nothing.

She couldn't wait for the evening to end. She'd only been here an hour, it was only eight pm. She knew she had at least another three hours to go. And even then they would say she left early.