Caroline & 'Doom & Gloom'
By: Jana~
Chapter One
*****~*****
--"I found a guy for Caroline!" Del exclaimed as he entered Caroline's loft…
"Was he in lost and found?" Annie chuckled to herself, amused by her joke…
"No…" Del smirked… "He's one of the greeting card guys. Richard."
Annie stopped coloring the 'Caroline' strip and gave her boyfriend her undivided attention… "Richard? What strip does he do?"
"No strip…" he corrected… "Just the greeting cards. Fancies himself a 'real artist'? Always wears black?"
She snapped her fingers in recognition… "Tall? Blonde? Glasses? Does the 'Doom & Gloom' line?"
"That's the one!"
"I don't know, sweetie… are you sure he's right for her? They seem so… different. Caroline's so perky… and he's… well… not."
"They're both artists!"
"Well, maybe, but that's where the similarities stop. How'd you even get him to say yes to a date? He's always so… stand-offish…"
"Nah… not like you might think…"
---------------**Flashback**---------------
*****~*****
--Del entered the lunchroom at Cassidy Greeting Cards for the purpose of getting a cola from the vending machine…
"Afternoon…" he greeted the dark-clad individual upon approaching the machine… "Richard, right?"
"Yes…" Richard replied somewhat distantly… "Richard Karinsky."
"Right. How's it going?"
Richard shrugged… "As well as could be expected, thank you for asking."
"Hey, here's a question… do you date?"
"On occasion."
"You're straight, right? You're not gay?"
"I'm not gay, no."
"If you're interested, I know someone I'd like to see dating… a nice guy. And you seem nice…"
"Mmmm… well, thank you, but I'm not into blind dates."
"Well, maybe you know her… Caroline Duffy?"
Richard abruptly looked to Del… "I know of her. Isn't she dating Thomas What's-His-Name?"
"Simmons. Thomas Simmons… yeah. They broke up a while ago…"
"So, I would be the rebound guy? No thank you…"
"No, no… she's dated a bit since the break up. She's in a good place, she just doesn't think she has good taste in guys…"
"And you think you do?"
Del squinted at Richard for a moment, trying to decide if the comment was meant as an insult, but moved on… "Would you like to go out with her or not?"
He shook his head slightly at Del's denseness, then retrieved a business card from his pocket… "Have her give me a call."
---------------**Flash forward**---------------
*****~*****
--Del handed Annie the card and she looked at it carefully for a moment… "Well, I know she knows who he is. Give her the card and see what she does. Not so sure it would work out though…"
"Not so sure what would work out?" Caroline asked as she skipped down the stairs…
"I found a guy for you!" Del announced enthusiastically…
"Did you find him at 'Guys-R-Us'?"
Caroline and Annie both laughed, Del just rolled his eyes… "No! At the office! I think you may know him. Richard Karinsky?" He handed her his business card…
"Karinsky?" She looked over the card a moment… "Oh! 'Doom & Gloom'?"
"Yep!"
"He's cute! But really distant… he said he wanted to go out on a date with me?"
"Well, I asked him."
"What?!" Caroline's shrill voice made Del wince… "Great! Now he thinks I'm a loser who needs people to find me dates!"
Del looked to Annie with a confused expression…
Annie shook her head… "You should've just said 'the conversation came around to dating'…"
"I can't call him now! He'll think I'm pathetic!"
"He's not gonna think you're pathetic, Caroline." Annie offered…
"He seemed interested in you when I told him your name."
She considered Del's words for a moment, then returned her stare to the card… "I'll think about it…"
*****~*****
--Caroline sat with the cordless phone in her lap, the card Richard had given Del in her hand… her dilemma occupying her mind.
Should she call? Would she seem desperate or needy? Would he think her brazen? Finally, after much deliberation, she turned the phone on and dialed the number…
--"Hello?" the male voice on the other end of the phone answered…
"Hello, Mr. Karinsky please?" Caroline forced her voice not to tremble with nervousness…
"Speaking, but I'm not interested in changing my long distance carrier, and I'm not interested in attending the policeman's ball, or donating to any charities… or subscribing to any newspapers. Or--"
"Richard?" Caroline interrupted, a slight chuckle soon following… "This is Caroline Duffy."
"Oh, God… sorry. It's just, this time of night… I usually get bombarded with--" he stopped there, clearing his throat… "Anyway… I'm glad you called."
"You are?"
"Yeah. I was kicking myself for not asking Del for your number. I was worried you might not call…"
"I considered not."
"Really? Why?"
She shrugged… not that he could see through the phone… "I didn't want you thinking I was some pitiful loser or something…"
"I wouldn't think that. I don’t think that."
"Good…" She smiled to herself… "So, would you like to get together for a drink?"
"I would like that. Say, tomorrow at seven?"
"Sounds great…" She rattled off her address… "So… I guess I'll see ya tomorrow."
"I look forward to it." He replied softly…
His voice was very sexy she'd decided, and she was a bit giddy about the upcoming date as she hung up the phone and headed upstairs to decide on an outfit.
--Richard looked at the phone after he hung it up.
"A date with Caroline…" he muttered to himself, a smile creeping across his serious face… "Incredible…"
He immediately threw on his painting shirt and exposed his latest creation that sat atop his easel. Painting was his way of expressing his emotions… right then, he was experiencing many… happiness, anticipation, anxiousness… among others. All this came through onto the canvass as he painted into the night.
*****~*****
--Caroline hit the intercom button at the sound of the buzz… "Yes?"
"Hello, Caroline? It's Richard…"
"Oh hi… you're early…" She looked at Annie with a horrified expression, then turned her attention back to the intercom… "Second floor. The apartment right off the elevator." She hit the off button, then ran up the stairs to her room…
"Be nice to him Annie!" she yelled back before slamming the door closed…
"I'm always nice…" she muttered softly to herself, hearing the elevator arrive with a 'ding'.
Richard knocked softly on the open door, peeking his head in… "Caroline?"
"She'll be right down."
He was greeted by Annie's brash voice…
"C'mon in and have a seat…" she directed him… "She shouldn't be too long."
He nodded and moved slowly inside Caroline's apartment, looking around at everything but the short brunette who was eyeing him.
"So, Richie…"
"Richard…"
She chortled… "Ok. Anyway, what are your intentions towards Caroline?"
"And you are?"
"Her best friend and colorist, Annie Spadaro." She extended her hand, and he shook it out of politeness…
"Richard Karinsky."
"I know. What are your intentions?"
"My intentions, are to take her out on a date."
"She means a lot to me… you hurt her, and I'll hunt you down and kick your ass."
He fought not to scoff or roll his eyes… "I'll keep it in mind."
Within a moment, Caroline descended the stairs, and Richard's breath caught in his throat at the sight of her.
The dress was simple enough… an understated red-in-color little number… but with a low neckline and a high hem line.
"You look stunning." He managed to utter his compliment, completely taken by her beauty…
"Thank you." She smiled shyly… "So do you."
Annie smiled… "Maybe not such a poor match after all…" she muttered to herself. "Ok," she clapped her hands, bringing both Richard and Caroline back to reality… "Go out and have a good time and have fun… and be back at a decent time…" She ushered them out the door, then shut it firmly once they were out in the hall…
Richard took the shawl from Caroline's hand and began to place it around her shoulders… "Odd little woman…" he discerned… "She lives with you?"
"No, actually, she lives there…" Caroline replied, pointing at Annie's apartment door… "But she has some work to finish up. She'll lock up when she's done."
He nodded… "Shall we go?"
Caroline nodded her reply.
*****~*****
--"So, how'd you come up with the 'Doom & Gloom' line?" Caroline asked as they sat at a fairly secluded table at The Plaza…
"Well, it was really an accident. I was at this restaurant… I had just been rejected by this gallery, and was doodling on this napkin as I finished my free scotch… and Del spotted my 'talent'…" he shrugged… "It pays the rent…"
"It's a very different line of cards…" she offered, not sure if she take offense to his last comment…
"Yeah… I argued with Del at first… cause I'm not exactly a cheerful 'greeting card' type of person… but he insisted there was a market for these type cards. Guess he was right."
"Del is good at spotting what works for greeting cards."
"How about you? How did you get started in cartooning?"
"Not very differently, actually. I was in a dead-end job… and happened to be doodling on my lunch break when this guy came in. He was lost, and asked for directions to a certain office. He saw my art work and introduced himself… happened to be an agent. He's a great agent…"
"Did you always want to be a cartoonist?"
"Well, yeah…"
He smiled… "You hesitated."
"I, at one time, wanted to be a dancer. You know, a ballerina? But, only the best of the best make it… guess I wasn't."
"You have the grace of a dancer."
She smiled… "Thank you."
"You're welcome. What about Annie and Del? How'd they come to join your little team?"
"Well, my agent got me in touch with Del, and Cassidy Greeting Cards. We actually dated for a few months, but…" she shrugged… "I think he thinks he's responsible for my dating life now… because we didn't work out. Annie I met when I moved into my building five years ago. She's lived there six years. An aspiring dancer, so we have that in common… her minor in college was in the arts and painting, so… I hired her as my colorist. She dates Del now… they're a much better match."
"I see…"
She chuckled… "Sounds like a bad soap opera script, huh?"
"Maybe a little…" he admitted with a slight grin…
--They made small talk and got to know each other for over 2 hours… till she invited him back to her place…
*****
--"Annie gone?" he asked as Caroline unlocked the door…
"Yeah… she should be." She opened the door and looked around… "Annie?"
No answer.
Caroline smiled back at Richard… "Yeah, she's gone." She shut and locked the front door, then took off her coat, silently asking for his coat to hang… which he gave her. "Coffee?"
He nodded… "Yeah, thanks."
"Make yourself comfortable." She suggested, and he did… sitting on the couch.
He watched her buzz about the kitchen, smiling as he noticed her brow crinkle in concentration…
*So beautiful…* he thought silently to himself…
The smell of brewing coffee soon filled the room, and she joined him on the couch as they waited for it to be done.
"I had a good time tonight…" she stated quietly, her voice timid…
"I as well…"
They looked into each other's eyes, and he slowly leaned in to touch his lips to hers. Her eyes closed in anticipation, and his hand moved to touch her cheek as he kissed her softly. The kiss grew in intensity, her hands finding his hair, his hands grasping her waist.
He heard her gasp as his hands moved to her breasts, his thumbs brushing her peaking nipples, and she gripped his shoulders as sensations of need and want raced through her body…
"Your touch is amazing…" she whispered as his lips found her neck, and he shuddered at the sound of hunger in her voice.
His hands traveled down her sides to her back, creating goose-bumps on her pale skin… he groaned as he pushed the material of her dress aside and nibbled on her shoulder blade…
"I've never done this before…" she murmured as his affections warmed her… "On a first date I mean…"
"I can stop…" he offered, his voice full of want… "I think…"
"I don't want you to…" she replied, pulling back to look at his eyes… "I just don’t want you… to think…"
"What?"
She sighed… "Poorly of me."
He touched her face… "I never could." He smiled, then returned his lips to her skin… her lips… her neck… "You're sweeter than honey…"
She took a shaky breath, finding her voice… "Come upstairs?"
"Yes." he whispered, reluctantly pulling back to stand, helping her to her feet.
--She led the way to her bedroom, standing nervously before him after he shut the door and turned to her…
Toe to heal, he managed to work his shoes off his feet, his eyes never leaving hers. He approached slowly, as if she would frighten by a faster movement, then snaked his arms around her waist as he gathered her into his arms.
He trailed kisses along her jaw-line to her neck as he inched the zipper down on her dress. With a delicate touch, he pushed the dress off her shoulders, then down her body till she took over the task of removing the tight fitting article of clothing.
Immediately, he noticed she was wearing no undergarments, and he smiled as she blushed under his stare… his look of appreciation…
"You are so beautiful…"
She smiled shyly, her cheeks turning a darker red, and he moved to kiss her… claim her lips with his.
His hands on her bare skin, fondling her breasts, his tongue caressing hers… she wanted him.
She moved to unbutton his shirt with trembling hands… his belt buckle, pants snap, and zipper next to be undone. Gaping open, his trousers fell down to his knees, and she pushed his shirt off his broad shoulders, her fingers teasing his chest hairs.
She rubbed against him seductively and felt his arousal through his boxers prominently… he groaned in response. Deftly, he removed the only garment left between them, then kissed her deeply as they moved together towards the bed.
He pulled the blankets down from the perfectly made bed, then she climbed in… he joined her a second later, returning his lips to her body eagerly. When she wrapped her petite hand around his arousal, he moaned, thrusting into her hand…
It had been a long time… too long… and he knew he would not last to meet her needs if she continued her pleasurable act…
"Caroline…" he whispered… "It's been a while. I need-- I'm…"
She sensed what he was getting at, but rather than stop, she picked up the pace… and kissed her way down his body. He felt her tongue dance across the tip before her mouth devoured him, and he nearly lost it instantly…
"God, Caroline…" he gasped, arching his back, grasping at her shoulder desperately. He uttered her name several times in succession, and she knew he was close…
She abruptly stopped, kissing her way up his body, smiling as he groaned in frustration…
"Two can play at that game, ya'know…" He shifted her so he was laying above her, then began to kiss and fondle her body frantically, working her arousal to a frenzied peak.
He opened her legs and kissed her inner thighs, moving to her center, flicking his tongue across her clit… she yelped in delight, moving to meet his mouth.
She gyrated against him, the need for release great… but all too soon, he stopped. Her disappointed moan was silenced by his lips on hers…
"Protection?" he asked in a whisper against her ear, licking the lobe…
"I'm on the pill…" she breathed… "And I trust you…"
Without hesitation, he entered her… them both moaning in unison…
"You feel perfect wrapped around me, Caroline…" he whispered… "You are so hot… so wet…" he kissed her cheek… "You make me ache with need…"
His kisses moved to her lips, nibbling on them like they were delicate candies to be savored.
His words fueled her need for release, and she chanted his name softly in time to his thrusts as she felt it approach.
Her reward did not disappoint as her whole body tensed in response to the mind-shattering orgasm that shook through her almost violently. Richard's release was moments later, forcing himself to hold off till he was sure she was finished and on her way down off the high…
TO BE CONTINUED
Thanks for reading!