Caitlin, having had a few moments to think about the rapidly escalating situation decided she really needed to remain calm and pretend as if this did not matter one little bit. For whenever he managed to get under her skin she said and did things that just landed her in more hot water. That was one of her failings. She was too quick to react. She needed to stop and think.
"I told you, whenever you aren't there." She reminded him, and wondered how she was going to get him to leave. No doubt Joe would be back soon, and he unlike Leah would not refrain from asking questions! Personal questions. Caitlin chewed on her lower lip without thinking about it, and Jared struggled to remember what it was he intended to say. That was the problem he had. A man of his experience should not be encountering such difficulty. It wasn't as if she was being deliberately seductive! She was just chewing on her lower lip. He couldn't help the fact his gaze kept returning to her mouth. Then he noticed that she had stopped chewing her lip and was talking to him. "Did you hear what I said?" She asked and managed to throw in a scowl for good measure.
Jared figured it was probably best that he didn't tell her he was distracted. "We got off to a bad start, but ...."
"Give me a break." Caitlin jammed her hands on her hips, "A bad start?" She shook her head in annoyance and exasperation, " a, you told me in no uncertain terms that my father couldn't pay you to go out with me, b, you told everyone I was a waste of space, c, you kiss me with your brain tuned in to hear your friend approach, d, you make me a pariah at the cottage, and you think that is getting off to a bad start?" She all but growled at him. Sometimes men simply did not see just what a mess they had created.
Jared winced. This is what happens when you fail to stay on top of things. His mind had wandered when she started chewing on her lower lip and now see what had happened. The trouble was that dealing with Caitlin was proving to be harder than he'd imagined it would be. He was confident and arrogant enough to believe that his years of experience would stand him in good stead. He had years of experience when it came to managing women. So why was this one so difficult to manage? It was then that it dawned on him. The others didn't have what she had. Caitlin did not have to seduce him, she did not have to work at attracting him, she did not have to use artifice. She just had to be her. That's all it took. That's what made it so difficult! With the other women he knew much of what they presented was an act. With Caitlin what he got was her. No sides. No pretence. No artfulness. The packaging reflected the person. Feisty mixed with frankness. Gentleness and strength overlapped. Compassion and determination ran through everything. She was a woman who knew her own mind. But she was also one who did not realise just how attractive she was! That innocence combined with that strength of character is what would put paid to his single days.
Jared bridged his fingers, planted his elbows on his knees and then tapped his lips with his index fingers as he spoke, "OK, I admit, I was a touch....."
"A touch?" Caitlin interrupted with a scalding look for added impact. She flounced off and headed for the other arm chair. She perched on the arm rest. If she sat on the seat it might give him the idea that she was settling in for a longer chat with the exasperating man!
"A lot, heaps, whatever. I'm trying to fix things." And making a hash of it given how difficult it was proving to be. Douglas if he was a fly on the wall would be laughing at Jared's poor form and dismal strategy. For a man who had a pretty decent track record with women, Jared was making a real mess of this. The trouble was, there was so much riding on the next few moments. In the past, when Jared had issued an invitation he could take or leave the response. But here, how Caitlin responded was crucial to the development of this relationship
"Yeah, I've experienced your strategy and I don't like it." Caitlin wrinkled her nose in disgust. "Not one bit." She mumbled and folded her arms as she glared at him.
"So what would you suggest?" He leaned back as he decided that the best way to deal with this was to take the argument to her.
"Me?" She squeaked in surprise, her brow beetling. This man had an unnerving knack in being able to take her feet out from under her. Every time she thought she was in control of the situation he managed to unsettle her position. That had more to do with her than him. For she was the one unable to shift him from her heart and mind, despite her best intentions.
Jared studied her carefully. She was once again rattled. That was good. "Yes, you. If you were in my place, what would you do to make amends?" He was pleased to see that this latest strategy was making her pause.
"Grovel. Heaps." Caitlin told him bluntly.
"What do you think the last few minutes have been about?" Came the dry response.
"Beats me." She shrugged and looked as if she really did not have a clue.
He blew out a breath in exasperation. Looked like she wanted her pound of flesh. "I am very sorry for my part in this shambolic turn of events." He quirked a brow hoping she would at least acknowledge that apology. She just quirked a brow at him in return. Jared bit down on his exasperation. If his friends could see him now, he thought as he continued with his explanation. "I never meant to embarrass you." His eyes widened, waiting for her to interrupt, again to no avail. She seemed to be enjoying this. Who could blame her? Jared figured he ought to make sure this was fulsome apology as he had no plans to repeat this experience! "I certainly never meant to humiliate, and yeah, I know your father wouldn't have announced anything like an engagement without checking with me. Sorry."
Caitlin shook her head then shrugged. Ok, looked like that was it. It was, to be fair, more than she had expected.
"That's it?" He rubbed at his elbow and waited to see if she was going to demand more. Any other woman in his life would have ensured that he groveled.
"Don't push your luck. What did you want? A commendation for apologizing?"
He held up two hands not wanting to loose the ground he'd just made. He could not remember having to work so hard to persuade a woman to date him. "Ok, ok." He nodded. Then he smiled, hoping to charm her, "So can you make Friday night? Are you free?" Now to get her to actually agree to coming out with him. And Candy and Nigel!
"I'll think about it." She replied flippantly. Of course she was free!
"You'll..." He ground to a halt when she quirked a brow. "Ok." He reached into his wallet and retrieved a card. "My phone number." He handed her the card. "When do you think you'll have made up your mind?" He was going to badger her into this date.
She read the business card, "I'll let you know by the end of today, ok?" She flipped the business card between her fingers, her eyes taking stock of the logo. Up until now she hadn't paid much attention to the fact that this man actually was a successful businessman. Up until now she hadn't paid any attention to the fact that he was clearly a man used to managing people. Given he ran a mini empire, he was probably used to having people do the leg work. She wondered whether his PA took charge of his personal diary.
"Yeah." He nodded. Then waited. She looked at him. He smiled. Then said, "Well I guess I'd better get going." Clearly she wasn't going to offer him coffee. "When you make up your mind, call that number and leave a message with my PA if you can't get hold of me." Though he intended to leave clear instructions with his PA and his switchboard to put any call that came from Caitlin, straight through to him. He just did not want her to know that she had him sitting around waiting for that call! Time to use his skills. Time to pretend that he was not on tenterhooks about her calling. "I'll be in touch." His eyes once again tracked her dressing gown glad body, "By the way I like what you're nearly wearing!" He teased her.
Caitlin pouted at him even as a faint hue of red suffused her cheeks. "I'll show you out." She opened the door and strode out into the hallway. Holding the front door open, she said, "Bye."
"Bye Caitlin. See you soon." Then to her astonishment he leaned in and gave her a quick peck of a kiss on the lips before he sauntered off!
When she turned around she found Joe lounging against the door jamb to the kitchen, coffee mug in hand, "So," He quirked a brow. Having seen that kiss on the lips he figured there was something going on. "What was that?" He had bits and pieces of information. But clearly not enough, given Caitlin looked excited and nervous.
"That was a guy who told everyone he'd have preferred the company of a lamp post." Caitlin announced bluntly and walked toward Joe.
Joe's jaw dropped, he wasn't expecting that. "You're kidding, right?" When Caitlin strode past him without saying a word he turned and followed Caitlin in the kitchen, "You are kidding, right?" He repeated his question and wished he'd known this before Caitlin had shown the man the door. Joe might well have put him through the door. Though Joe was pretty sure that Jared could hold his own in a fight. The man was taller than Joe, he might look debonair, but in those eyes were several life times of experience and challenge.
"Nope." She strolled toward the kettle and announced as if she was reading from the local paper, "He broadcast it loud and clear on the public address system. I'm a spoilt rich bitch and my father can't pay him enough to marry me." She lifted the kettle, gauged that it needed to be topped up and headed toward the sink to fill it.
"Why the hell didn't you say something, I'd have pulverised him." Joe pulled out a chair and sat down with obvious agitation. The more he thought about the situation the more annoyed Joe became. Caitlin was one of the kindest people Joe knew. So learning that Jared had humiliated Caitlin was not something that Joe was willing to let slide. "In fact if you tell me where the idiot lives, I think I might have a word or two with him."
Caitlin plugged the kettle in then walked toward Joe. She grinned then leaned in and kissed his cheek. "Thanks. But Eli has already had a pop at him!" She ambled past heading for the pantry. She was hungry. Obviously arguing with the giant worked up an appetite. With the muesli carton in her hand she strolled back toward the table.
"Remind me to shake Elias' hand.' Joe murmured.
Caitlin smiled. "Why is it that guys think the best way to solve something is with their fists?"
"I'm happy to use my boots!" Joe replied. "A good kick up the backside could work for me!"
Caitlin sniggered. "I don't think Leah will be pleased to hear all this talk about beating up some guy! You are a dad now!" She put the carton down and said, "Anyway, Jared came round to apologise." Then she frowned as she began to peel back the cover. She rolled her eyes as she glanced at Joe and added with a huff, "No actually he came round for me to apologise to him."