Blame it on the Stars (The Blame Game) (6 page)

“
It’ll be fine. Give it time.”

They ended up in the backyard.

“
Eight bedrooms.” She shook her head. “Holy shit, Steve. It is a mansion.”

He laughed.
“What can I say? I grew up here. We’ve done a lot of renovating, and the place has been rented out the last few years. But I like it.” He sat in a lounge chair, and pulled up one next to him for Catlin.

“
Well, I should say so.” She glanced around. “Hey, where’s the garage?”

Steve pointed to the far corner of the house.
“Over there. Three of them.”

“
Well, good.” Catlin tossed her hair back haughtily. “I could never live in a house without a garage.”

David and Dana came around the corner.
“Don’t tell me she’s moving in,” David grumbled to his father.

“
Shut up!” Dana slapped his arm. “Hi Miss M.! Did you guys eat? We have some leftover pizza.” She set the box on the patio table.

Catlin waved her hand
“We ate, thanks.” She looked at David. “I was just kidding about the garage, David.”

“
Sure,” he said, mockingly. “Hey, my dad would be a pretty good catch for someone like you. If he was available, that is.”

Catlin tried not to let her jaw drop open
. She’d only seen the boy a handful of times, and he’d barely even given her the time of day.
Where was this attitude coming from?
She looked at Steve.

He
seemed totally oblivious, simply smiled at his kids. “So how was the pizza?”

“
Good.” Dana kissed her father on the cheek. “Thanks, Daddy. I’m going to go change.”

“
Okay.” He watched her walk off and turned to his son. “What are you up to today, Dave?”

“
Not sure. Going to go change now.” He grabbed the pizza box and headed into the house.

“
Talk to you later then.” Steve turned back to Catlin. “Oh, I didn’t tell you, behind that fence are a pool and a Jacuzzi.”

Catlin thought about saying something,
but decided to let it slide. “A Jacuzzi, huh?” She leaned over next to him. “I enjoy a dip in the hot tub.”

Steve
winced. “Unfortunately, we never opened the pools up this year. It was so late in the season when we moved, I thought we’d just wait.”

“
But you can use a Jacuzzi year round.” She slid her arms around his neck. “Haven’t you ever snuggled in a really hot tub on a really cold night?”

He shook his head.
“I never have.”

“
Ooh.” She nuzzled his neck. “You’d be amazed how hot it can get in one of those tubs.”

He rubbed his hand over her hair.
“We may have to check it out.”

The phone rang, and they heard David yell
, “Got it!” A moment later he yelled again, “Dad! It’s
Mom
!”

Steve cleared his throat
. “Excuse me. I’ll take it in my office.”

She nodded, and he wen
t in.

Dana
came out and sat next to Catlin. “So, Miss M., how are you and my dad getting along?”

Catlin chose her words carefully.
“He is a very nice man.”

“
He is the best! He deserves someone really cool like you.”

“
Dana…” Catlin started, but didn’t know what to say. “Your dad and I are just friends.”

“
My mom’s kind of nutty, you know. Dad deserves so much better.”

“
Dana!” Catlin was surprised at the comment, but found herself again at a loss for words.

“
Well, it’s true.” Dana looked away with a pouty expression, and then turned back to Catlin. Her eyes lit up. “If you’re going to be hanging around here, do I have to call you Miss M.? Can I call you Catlin?”

Catlin rubbed her hands over her face.
“Well, I guess. But not at school, please.”

“
Yeah, duh.” Dana stood up as Steve came back out.

“
I’m sorry that took so long.” He stood next to Catlin and fiddled with one of her long curls.

“
Hey Dad,” Dana said excitedly “Catlin says I can call her by her first name because she’s going to be hanging out here!”

He raised his eyebrows at Catlin.

“That’s not exactly—” Catlin tried to explain, but Dana interrupted again.

“
I’m going to go upstairs. See you later, Catlin!” She bounced back into the house.

Catlin closed her eyes and rubbed her temples.
“That was not exactly how the conversation went.”

Steve laughed.
“She’s gregarious, you’ve got to give her that. So, what do you feel like doing?”

Catlin shook her head.
“Nothing. I’m beat. I just need to get home, I think.”

“
No fun, no fun.” Steve swung her hand back and forth.

Catlin pu
lled her hand back. “Please. I’m getting a headache.”

Steve
looked at her. “I can drive you home,” he said simply.

“
No need, I’ve got my car, remember?” She stood, and went in for her purse and jacket. She faced Steve at the front door.

He looked disappointed.

She reached out and caressed his cheek. “It’s been a big weekend. I just need to relax a little. Do you mind?”

“
If you’re sure. I could follow you home if you want.”

“
Really, no thanks. How about I call you later?”

He reached for his wallet, and pulled out his business card.
“Here’s my cell number. You can call me anytime. If I’m busy, you’ll get voicemail and I’ll call you back.”

“
Thank you.” She kissed him lightly. “It’s been fun.”

“
I’ll talk to you later, then?”

“
Yeah.” She offered one last smile, then walked out. Her head was pounding. She made it home, lay down, and relaxed by thinking about Steve. Thoughts of his kids, on the other hand, seemed to make the headache return. Catlin sighed.

Jetta cornered her Monday for details, and Catlin told her about the weekend, leaving out the details of the headache-producing children. Jetta reminded Catlin that Steve mentioned dinner for the four of them sometime soon.

Catlin
pulled his card out of her purse. She picked up the phone and dialed.

He answered businesslike.
“Steve Naughton.”

“
Hi, it’s Catlin,” she said softly.

“
Hey, I’m glad to hear from you.”

“
Can you talk?”

“
Since I was one or two, anyway.”

She laughed.
“So much for my concern that you might be busy. I just didn’t want to interrupt you.”

“
You are a welcome interruption. How’s your day going?”

“
Good. Jetta and I were talking about dinner this week. Do you think you might be free?”

“
Well, let me pull out the old calendar.”

She heard him rummaging around on his desk.
“Any night but Wednesday is good for them,” she added.

“
No Wednesday, eh?” It sounded like he was still rummaging.

“
Jimmy has a bowling league that night.”

“
Ah, bowling! I haven’t bowled for ages.”

“
Bowling.” Catlin sniffed. “The thing I don’t like about bowling is wearing other people’s shoes. Gross.”

He laughed.
“You can bring your own shoes, you know.”

“
Then there’s that other thing I don’t like. Making the ball stay in the lane instead of rolling in that gutter-thingy.”

Jetta was laughing, and Steve laughed over the phone.
“Okay, I see bowling is not your sport. I found my calendar. Thursday I have a Chamber of Commerce thing. But I’m good tomorrow or Friday.”

Catlin looked at Jetta and said to Steve
, “Tomorrow?”

Jetta nodded, and Steve said.
“Sure. What time?”

“
Shall we meet them at six-thirty?” Catlin asked both at once. Jetta nodded, and waved as she left the lounge.

“
Six-thirty will be lovely,” Steve told her. “I’ll pick you up between six and six-fifteen.”

“
Sounds good. Any chance I could see you tonight?”

“
Well, it would have to be later. I like to have dinner with the kids as often as I can.”

“
Later is fine.”

“
Unless you want to come to dinner?”

“
No, thank you,” Catlin jumped on that. “Spend some time with the kids, and I’ll see you whenever.”

“
Do you want me to call before I come over?”

“
Nope, I’ll be there.”

“
And so will I. See you then.”

“
Later, ‘gator,” she said softly, and hung up the phone.

Chapter Five

They met the Crafts the following evening for dinner and dancing. The men hit it off immediately, and they all agreed to get together again soon.
Later that evening, Catlin and Steve lay wrapped in a big fleece blanket on her couch. She curled up next to him and sighed. She loved the curly, soft hair that covered his chest, and she always ended up rubbing her face in it.

“
Don’t start something I can’t finish.” His eyes were closed, his hands rubbing over her bare back.

“
I’m not trying to start anything. I just love the feel of you close to me.”

“
Ditto,” he murmured.

She laid there for a minute, thinking about that.
Then she laughed. “Is that all the better you can do?
Ditto???
What a romantic you are.”

He laughed, too.
“Yeah, you’d never know I’ve won awards for my editorials. Sorry, guess I’m just tired.”

“
Long day,” she agreed.

He pinched her waist from both sides.
“I wasn’t nearly as tired before I got over here!”

She
giggled as they wrestled around a little bit. Steve ran his hands over her face and held her cheeks. “You are so beautiful,” he whispered, and stared into her eyes.

Catlin climbed
up and over him to reach his face, and pressed her mouth on his. They held each other tightly, and kissed fervently.

When they finally stopped, she
looked away. “I can’t believe how I’m feeling, and I’ve only known you a matter of weeks. I swear it seems like so much longer.” She looked him in the eyes. “It’s almost like I can’t remember not talking to you or seeing you every day. You’re the first thing I think of when I wake up in the morning, and the last thing I think of when I go to sleep at night. And during the day, when I realize there’s this happy feeling in the pit of my stomach, I smile, because I’m thinking of you again. Am I crazy?”

He didn
’t answer, but pulled her face close and kissed her hard. After several more minutes, he brushed her hair back and told her “You’re not crazy. I feel the same way. I’ve never been in a better mood. People must be wondering what I have to be so damn cheerful about.”

She looked him in the eyes one more time.
“I know this is soon. But I just have to tell you... I love you, Steve.”

He didn
’t speak, but his eyes burned right through her. He shifted her weight and guided her down on top of him. He leaned forward and nuzzled her breasts. “Tell me again,” he murmured.

“
I love you,” she moaned, and before long they shuddered together.

Catlin’s amazing happiness spilled over into the next week, after spending much of her weekend with Steve. She was feeling very comfortable with him and more comfortable with his daughter all the time. Dana was pleasant and a hard worker in school, and Catlin enjoyed the girl’s company.

David was another story.
When he passed Catlin in the halls at school, he ignored her. She considered that to be an improvement from the snotty comments he usually had for her, if he ever saw her with his dad. “Give it time,” Steve kept telling her, and she forced herself to repeat it over and over.

On Wednesday night, one of the bowlers on Jim
’s team was sick. Steve was thrilled when Jim phoned and asked if he’d like to fill in as a substitute. Catlin and Jetta went along to watch and tease them.

After two frames, Jim shook his finger at them.
“If you two don’t quit being so obnoxious, you’re going to have to go sit behind their team.” He motioned to their competitors.

“
Oh yeah, yeah...we’re really worried.” Jetta waved him off, but they decided in the interests of harmony, maybe they should go check out the jukebox.

Afterward, as the
y sipped beers in the bar, Steve said, “I haven’t even had a chance to ask Catlin about this yet, but this weekend, my kids will be gone. I was thinking we could get together at my place, have something to eat, hang out...”

“
Play Pictionary?” Jetta piped up. Jim shook his head, and said to Steve, “Be very careful playing word games with teachers. They cheat.”

Catlin and Jetta laughed
. “We do not,” Jetta replied “Maybe we just know more words than you.”

“
Cheatin’ words,” Jim said to Steve, and they all laughed again.

“
That sounds fun,” Catlin said. “Can you guys make it?”

The
Crafts both nodded and Catlin turned back to Steve. “Where are the kids going?”

“
To visit,” he cleared his throat “their mother.”

“
In New York?” Catlin was incredulous.

He shook his head
. “No, she’s in Kansas City. She’s picking them up Friday and bringing them back Sunday.”

Catlin thought about that, but didn
’t say anything.

Jetta said
“Let’s cook something
good.
Pasta, stir-fry, what do you think?”

Steve said
, “We could just order in, if it would be easier.”

“
Easy is not a word that these two are familiar with,” Jim smirked at the girls. He turned to Steve. “You look like a man who appreciates a good steak. I’ve got some thick cut T-bones in my freezer, just waiting to be brought back to life.”

“
I love to grill out.” Steve nodded.

Jim jumped in
. “Gas or charcoal?”

“
Nothing beats charcoal for taste,” Steve said.

Jim nodded, and the girls looked at each other.
“They can bond over their charcoal, and we’ll make something fattening to go with it,” Catlin decided.

“
Yum,” Jetta agreed, and it was settled.

As Steve was driving Catlin home, he told her
“Saturday night sounds fun.”

She snuggled up next to him in the car.
“It does! Thanks for thinking of it.”

He walked her to her door, and they kissed goodnight.
“Why don’t I pick you up at about six-thirty,
on Friday
. And pack a bag. I’ve got you all to myself this weekend; I’m not letting you go.”

“
Ooh!” she squealed, and hugged his neck tight. “I can’t wait until Friday night!”

He carried her two suitcases in his front door, and set them by the stairs. Catlin stepped in, and looked around.

He smiled
. “We’re alone.”

“
No kids?”

He shook his head.

“No housekeeper?”

“
No interruptions.”

“
Woo hoo!” Catlin hollered loudly, and he laughed. He grabbed her around the waist. “And I have a surprise for you.”

“
I love surprises.” She ran her hands through his thick hair. “And I love you.”

He kissed her deeply, and replied
, “You know how much I love to hear that?”

She pulled off her jacket and tossed it up in the air, not caring where it landed.

He laughed, as she started unbuttoning her shirt.

“
You might want to leave that on for a minute. My surprise is outside.”

“
I don’t want to go outside.” She opened her shirt and ran her hand over her bare stomach, and up to her bra.

“
Come on.” He pulled her by the hand toward the back door. “I think you’ll like this.”

She let him drag her out, muttering
, “Where are we going?” It finally dawned on her, and she grinned.

Steve reached the gate, and swung it open.
There was the Jacuzzi, bubbling and steaming in the cool night air. There were a few lights spread around inside the tall fence, and a tray with some wine, cheese and crackers.

He walked over to a nearby table, and turned on a c.d. player.
He picked up some matches and lit a row of candles encircling the hot tub.

Catlin watched, amused.
“I don’t have a swim suit, you know,” she told him.

“
Don’t need one. Fence. Tall fence.” He finished lighting the rest of the candles, then put out the other lights, so they were left in the flickering candlelight. “Okay?”

“
More than okay.”

“
Well, come on...finish what you started inside, will you?”

Catlin laughed. She pulled off her blouse and twirled it on her finger before tossing it aside. She slipped her slacks off and sent her shoes flying at the same time. She slipped out of her panties, and stepped close to him as she removed her bra and flung it aside.

“You are so beautiful,” he said in amazement, and traced his finger around her belly button.

“
I am so...
freezing
!” she wailed.

H
e laughed as she splashed into the warm and waiting tub.

“
Ahh, better…” she sighed. “Well? I’m waiting.”

He shed his clothes quickly and without fanfare.
He joined her in the hot tub, and leaned back with her in his arms. “My God, this
is
nice.”

She turned around to face him.
“It’s going to get a whole lot nicer.”

He smiled.
“And just think, we have the
whole weekend
.”

“
Woo hoo!” she hollered again.

Catlin woke up the next morning in Steve’s bed, in Steve’s arms.
Heaven.
She moved closer and snuggled up to him.

He yawned and stretched, then gathered her close.
“Good morning.” He kissed the top of her head.

“
Good morning.” She sighed. “This is as wonderful as I thought it would be.”

“
Oh yeah.” He grinned. “I could get used to waking up with you.”

She rolled up on top of him and started kissing his neck. She pressed her body against his, and writhed up and down a few times. Steve moaned with pleasure at her gyrations.

The phone rang.

“You have got to be fucking kidding me,” he muttered.

S
he laughed. She rolled back on to her side of the bed.

H
e grabbed the receiver. “What?” he answered gruffly.

Catlin laughed, and heard Dana say through the phone
“Daddy? What’s wrong?”

Steve rubbed his face.
“Nothing. I’m sorry. Hi, sweetheart. What’s up?”

“
Did I wake you?” Dana asked. “It’s almost noon!”

“
I was working late,” he lied.

Catlin laughed quietly again.

“Oh,” Dana said. “Well, Mom doesn’t think she should take me to Barney’s to buy those boots I wanted. I told her you said it was okay, but I don’t think she believes me.”

Steve rubbed his face again, trying to concentrate.
“Boots? Why would she buy you boots?”

“
Daddy,
” Dana insisted “You remember, those tall brown boots we talked about. They don’t have them in Marshall, but Barney’s has them here. You told me I could have them.”

“
Okay, Dana. Tell your mother I said you could have them.”

“
I told you, she doesn’t believe me. Here, you tell her.” Dana held the phone away and yelled
“Mom!
Dad’s on the phone!”

“
Oh shit,” he muttered “Dana, no. Don’t put your mother on....”

Catlin was laughing, and she made a move like she was going to start kissing him again.

He pointed his finger at her. “Don’t even!”

She laid back and laughed, and
they heard, “Hello.”

“
Hello, Barbara,” Steve replied. “Dana has some boots she wants to pick up at Barney’s while she’s in town.”

“
Steven,” Barbara said indignantly “Have you seen the boots she’s referring to? I don’t think they’re appropriate for a sixteen-year-old.”

Steve rolled his eyes at Catlin.
“Yes, she showed me a picture. I don’t see anything wrong with them.”

“
Did she tell you they’re
ninety-five dollars
?”

He chuckled.
“I think she forgot that little detail. Oh, so what. Let her have them, Barbara. She’s a good kid.”

“
You are too permissive, Steven. I can’t see spending that kind of money on a child.”

“
I
will buy them,” he said, irritated. “Just slap them on your charge card. I still seem to be paying that bill every month.”