"Caleb," pleaded Ally, trying her best to dissuade him from staying. His eyes glistened like green bullets.
"I'm staying and I'm sleeping down here."
"Where? On the couch? Caleb, get real. I do have a bed upstairs."
"Nope, down here." He looked at the couch and frowned. "I'll sleep on the floor. I've slept in worse places." Caleb looked around and then back at Ally. "When are you going to get some decent furniture? This stuff is for sissies."
"This stuff is very fine French Provincial furniture," retorted Ally.
"It's too frilly for my taste. Is your bedroom furniture like this too?"
"No." Ally looked at him questioningly. "Why? Do you want to see it?"
"No, just asking." Caleb grinned at Ally's discomfort.
"Get your mind out of the gutter," responded Ally smoothly. She got up and poured herself a glass of wine. "Do you want to watch any television? The remote is right there."
"Sure." Caleb got out of the chair and moved to the family room. "Now this is a chair," he commented as he slid into the oversized leather recliner. "I could sleep right here, but I'd like it better with you in your bed."
"Get that out of your mind right now, buster." Ally shook her finger at him and then smiled. "You're just trying to get my goat."
"Maybe more than your goat." Caleb smiled back at her. "Now, go back to whatever you were doing. I'll just stay here."
"Fine." Ally walked back to the kitchen table and returned to the work she had been doing on her laptop. They sat in compatible silence until the landline phone rang. Ally went to answer it and heard no one on the other end. She placed the phone back in its cradle and shook her head.
"What's going on?"asked Caleb.
"I don't know. They didn't say anything. Probably just a wrong number," she replied. Ally took a sip of her wine and continued working.
"What are you doing?" Caleb had been watching her concentration on the laptop.
"I'm working on this business plan for Kat. We're getting together tomorrow and I want to make sure we're on the right track." The phone rang again and Ally picked it up. "Hello? Hello? Who is this?" Heavy breathing sounded on the other end and then they hung up.
"Well?" demanded Caleb as he rose from the chair.
"Somebody is messing with me," commented Ally. She checked Caller Id and the display read unavailable. She looked up at Caleb. "Next time, you answer it."
"You bet your ass I'm going to answer it." Caleb strode quickly and sat next to Ally. He grabbed the phone from her and leaned over to see her laptop. He read what she had written and smiled. "What's the name of the business?"
"Kat doesn't have one. I told her to think of one quickly so we can get business cards and brochures done. I'm ready to go ahead and name it myself."
"I got it. Ally Kat's Catering." Caleb grinned widely.
"Get serious." She glared at Caleb.
"No, it's the one. Something people will remember. Ally, I'm serious. People pay me for this advice and here y'all are getting it free."
"People pay you for advice?" admonished Ally.
"Ally, what did I tell y'all the last time? I'm president of the Chamber of Commerce." He looked at her smugly.
"Oh." She looked at Caleb dubiously. "Kat and I will talk about it tomorrow."
"For your business cards, use…" Caleb never finished his sentence since the phone rang. "Hello?" The caller hung up immediately and Caleb checked the number, which read
unavailable
. "Yeah, they're all messing with you. I know what to do the next time they call."
"You do?"
"I'm Officer Wade, the constable of this town." Caleb smiled wickedly.
"Who is doing this?"
"Kids, I told you they know. I bet you didn't think to get your number blocked."
"I didn't think anyone would know me around here." Ally looked troubled.
"Ally, be realistic. You're a famous model. People are going to hunt you down. You just can't walk away and expect people not to notice."
"No?" asked Ally dejectedly. She looked up at Caleb with an angry expression. "Oh Caleb, why can't people leave me alone?"
"Now, don't start the waterworks," said Caleb gruffly. "I hate it when a gal cries.”
"I can't make it stop," cried Ally. "I-I'm sorry." She reached for a tissue and Caleb interrupted drawing her into a big bear hug. It felt too good and they stayed that way for a long time. Ally felt a slight shiver of sexual stirrings as she relaxed into Caleb's hard muscular body.
Caleb felt her soften and hoped she had not felt him harden. He pulled away slowly and cupped her chin in his right hand. Her skin felt so soft against his calloused hands. "Ally, when you're famous like you are, they're never going away. They are going to follow you for a very long time. The least you can do is to take some serious steps into security. People around here will give you your privacy, but be careful. You're a beautiful lady and, Ally? Things happen to you that don't normally happen to other people. Now, you understand why I'm staying tonight."
"You're right. I didn't think anyone would even try to track me down here in Texas."
"Honey, people know. You think they're going to call again?"
"No, I think you set them off."
"Good." Caleb took the phone and headed back to the chair.
Ally went back to work when her cell phone rang. Caleb looked up at her inquisitively as she answered the phone.
"Ally, how could you move to Texas? I'm coming down there to bring you back home." Greg whined on the other end.
"Damn it, Greg..." Ally never finished because Caleb snatched the phone away from her.
"Y'all heard the lady. Leave her alone."
"Who the hell are you?" Greg turned nasty.
"Her husband." Caleb disconnected and turned to grin at Ally. "I couldn't think of anything else to say."
"My husband?" Ally giggled at the mere suggestion of marriage with Caleb.
"That is pretty far-fetched. I mean, you'd give me a heart attack."
"Am I really that bad?" asked Ally.
"Now, don't start up again." Caleb became frustrated. "I just think you didn't think this thing through. If I didn't like you, I wouldn't care, but I do. If you were my little girl, I'd be in prison for killing someone. How does your daddy handle it?"
"I'm tough."Ally lifted her chin in defense. "My father taught me how to be a survivor."
"That's why I'm spending the night here." Caleb had a smirk on his face.
"I didn't ask you to." Ally stance had become defiant.
"I am because I'm the next best thing as your daddy; I'm a concerned neighbor."
"Well," Ally hesitated. "Thanks." She looked at the time. "It's ten o'clock. Isn't that a little late for you?"
"Yup." Caleb yawned and turned down the sound of the television. "Are you going to bed, too?"
"Yes." She looked at him in sympathy. "At least let me get you a pillow and a blanket."
Ally ran upstairs and Caleb knew it would be a long night. How could he sleep, knowing Ally slept in the next room over?
"Thanks and leave your door open." Caleb sighed as he watched Ally retreat into her room. He could hear bustling about before it turned quiet. He turned the television back on at a lower volume as not to disturb her. Then he tried to sleep and all he could think about was Ally and how she slept. What positions she used to fall asleep; did she lay on her back or stomach? Better yet, what did she have on? He tossed and turned to no avail. If he knew better, he really should go home. With his mind made up, Caleb walked into Ally's bedroom. He found her wrapped up in the sheets and hugging her pillow tightly, her blond curls spilling all over it. Caleb sighed and sat down into an oversized chair to enjoy the luxury of watching Ally for a minute.
Ally sensed someone in the room. She opened her eyes slowly and adjusted to the darkness around her. "Caleb?" She sat up quickly. "What's wrong?" Caleb got out of the chair and then sat on her bed keeping a safe distance.
"I think it's in our best interest I go home. I think you'll be fine."
"It's in my best interest?" Ally looked confused. She noticed his shirt, unbuttoned from the top which revealed his perfect six-pack abs. She shivered in awe.
"I don't quite know how to explain this." Caleb searched for the right words. "I have quite the reputation of being a ladies' man, but I can also be a real gentleman, too. However, when one of the prettiest women in the world is sleeping half naked in the room next to me; the devil wants to take over."
"I see," said Ally thoughtfully looking at Caleb. "I try not to let that 'pretty' thing get in the way of who I am. I'm just me, Ally. So, for your reputation, what do you want it to be?"
"I got lucky?" Caleb smiled and moved closer.
"Back up, there a minute, Romeo." Ally laughed and placed her hand on his chest, which she shouldn't have done. His body heated and it felt darn good. "What about our pact? You know the one; you're not looking for a woman and I'm not looking for a man?"
"I think we should eat our words." Caleb leaned in and kissed Ally fully on the lips. The smell of her cologne and femininity drove Caleb over the edge. His tongue expertly slid into Ally's mouth and tasted the sweetness there.
Ally's hands on his chest burned as she gently explored his muscles, sending shock waves throughout his body.
Caleb became lost and deepened the kiss because he couldn't get enough of her. Looping her arms around his neck, Ally pulled him down on top of her and Caleb gladly followed. "Ally, the devil is winning."
"Caleb," shrieked Ally as she pulled away. "We should stop. This isn't a good idea. We hardly know each other. We're neighbors. We're not supposed to be doing this." Ally jumped out of the bed. "I made you renege on our promise."
"You're right," sighed Caleb as he reluctantly got off the bed. "I apologize for not being a gentleman."