Captivation

Captivation Part 35

At eight o'clock on Tuesday morning Caitlin opened her door and was surprised to find Jared on her doorstep. For a second they just stood in silence. She was in her short cotton dressing gown. Nothing fancy, and yet Jared felt his gut tighten and his pulse escalated. His eyes tracked from the top of her tousled hair to her bare feet. This is what he would wake up to every morning. That thought had his heart dancing a samba. Jared grinned.

Caitlin frowned at him. What was he grinning at? She tugged her dressing gown closed, feeling at a distinct disadvantage as she stood in her night wear while he was dressed casually in loafers, jeans and t-shirt. As she took note of his clean-shaven look, eyes alert, fresh faced appearance and, she wondered whether she looked as tired as she felt. Then she couldn't remember whether she had combed her hair this morning. Typical, it would be just her luck to be standing here, looking at Mr Adonis, while she looked as if she had a bird's nest on her head. Before she could become vain about her appearance she scowled at him. Then she glowered and said, "Yes?"

His lips twitched. She was so utterly adorable! She quirked a brow at him as she folded her arms and stood at the door making no attempt to look friendly or happy.

"We need to talk." He told her sensing that she was not enjoying this morning meeting as much as he was. She had her hair down. She was dressed casually, still in a short dressing gown and with shorts and tshirt he thought underneath that dressing gown. Not a speck of make up on and with a scowl for adornment. And still his heart raced!

"Heard of a telephone? A relatively well established invention." She replied.

"Prefer face to face." He countered.

"What for." It wasn't a question. She did not move off her door guarding spot. What was he doing here? At this time of the morning? Shouldn't he be at his office? Isn't that what successful businessmen did? Work all hours? From the crack of dawn to late into the night? Caitlin stifled a yawn. She hadn't slept well. She'd gone to bed late, because she had visitors, but she had anticipated falling asleep as soon as her head touched the pillow. Only to discover that sleep was elusive. She was over thinking things. What she should have done. What she could have done. Why she wasn't going to do anything now! And every single thought involved this man!

Jared was pleased to have found her at home. He wasn't sure what her work schedule was like. He did not want to show up at her house too early incase she wasn't a morning person. And at the same time he didn't want to get there late and miss her. "We can do it on the door step" And as she went to close the door, he said loudly, "I can appraise the neighbours of our weekend away, if you like, or you could let me in." Jared was ready. He might have been slow off the start, but now that he was pretty certain she liked him, now things were different. For now he believed that women from her stratosphere could fall for guys at his ground level.

"Five minutes." Caitlin told him, pulling her dressing gown closer. It was early. Though she would normally be up and dressed by now, she had visitors and they had all had a late night. So as a result, she was still in her dressing gown at 8am on a Tuesday morning. That was her excuse. Her father was already out. He and his friends played a round of golf early on Tuesday. Caitlin had never worked out why they felt the need to be up at the crack of dawn just to wander around a golf course, wrapped up against the chill that they always grumbled about on their return! Caitlin wished she hadn't answered the doorbell. She could have avoided facing Jared.

"Thanks." Jared said. Though he intended to be here longer than five minutes.

"Then stay out of my life." She held the door open, Jared stepped in and banked his grin. Phase one of his plan was going to plan. He was in. He looked past her, expecting to see her father lurking in the background. But there was no sign of Jacinto. But better to check before he made any rash assumptions, "Is your father in?" Jared hoped Jacinto was out, for his plan needed Caitlin on her own.