by Sheri Lynn
All his treatments proved effective. Within an hour of the medication and warm bath, Lily stretched out between them on the couch and fell into a peaceful slumber.
Sophia breathed deep and she didn’t have the compulsion to cry. She couldn’t believe Trevor came. She couldn’t believe how he came in and fixed the immediate problems. He eased Lily’s discomfort and Sophia’s angst. Yes. She could believe it. He did it better than anyone. If she gave him the chance.
“I’m thinking…since it’s the weekend and you can’t accomplish anything with the guardianship until Monday, we will have some fun. Get outdoors. If Lily feels up to it,” he suggested.
Outdoors. Fun. Leave it to Trevor to gravitate toward outside entertainment. He did have a valid point. She couldn’t work on expediting her motion or acquiring necessary approval from the courts. “We’ll see. Depends on Lily.” It’s not like she had anything else to do. She supposed she would still be tending to a fussy baby and sobbing like one if he didn’t show up. And, it would’ve continued through the entire weekend she felt certain.
“I have an idea for now. An idea for some indoor activity,” he leered at her. His brown eyes warmed complementing his subtle charm and overt sexuality. Damn, he could turn her on in the worst bestest of ways, in the most hopeless of circumstances, and when she needed it most.
She dropped her eyes to Lily. It felt wrong to think of sex. Her body disagreed. Her skin warmed and her core tightened.
“I’ll put her to bed. I noticed the playpen set up in the other room,” he volunteered. The words shot out of his mouth. The warmth in his eyes heated into flames of fiery lust and heavenly promise. The dude was a walking, talking oxymoron. Charming. Smoking--fry your mind hot. Accommodating across the board—visually, emotionally, physically, even intellectually.
Impossible. No man could encompass every girl’s dreams and fantasies. Nope. She couldn’t have her chivalrous knight in shining armor and her lusty lavish Adonis. Even if he did exist. Which Trevor presented a damn good argument for one—she would never have him. Too much competition.
And she thought she had baggage before Lily. Her personal profile now included a toddler. Not such a tempting attribute to most men when judging eligible females. If she ever put herself on the market her standing dropped a trillion notches.
Why did her mind go there? Because the Trevor thing would end. He would leave. And she couldn’t. She couldn’t be gallivanting around to different locations. Lily needed stability. She required quality healthcare. She should receive the benefits of a solid education.
And Sophia would make sure she got it all.
Chapter 16
Hotel
Trevor
The situation with Sophia turned out to be much more complicated than he anticipated. Not for him necessarily. Yes, it did. He could lie to himself and pretend it would turn out as he wished. It wouldn’t. Knowing Sophia and her lack of trust and incapacity to see out beyond her nose. And what a perfect nose she had.
Selfish. Yes. But he recognized what Sophia needed. Not that it wouldn’t benefit him. She needed him to shower her with love and affection and take her out of her head.
He couldn’t deny Lily was one hell of a cute kid. It repulsed him hearing what he personally heard and about the slurs Sophia told him Craig made about the child. Trevor knew racist intolerant people existed, but he had never kept company with any. He had to admit he couldn’t distinguish her ethnicity. She had gorgeous darker skin, dark hair, and dark eyes. Sometimes he saw Asian in her facial features. It might be interesting one day to do one of those ancestry reports on her. A lot could change as she aged, but regardless, she was one beautiful girl.
Concentrating on Lily and Sophia he skirted around any discussion of his introduction to Polly and Craig. He provided Sophia with the condensed version of how he found her. They did discuss his stint in her office. He admitted he met Polly. He bypassed the Craig encounter. For now.
Getting Sophia naked and underneath him were his only objectives. He carried Lily to her room and laid her down. She barely stirred. Going back for Sophia, her cheeks were flushed, and her pupils dilated. Damn he wanted to erase everything from her mind except him for as long as could.
“Follow me you sexy thing. You’ve got some serious adult time due you.” He held his hand out and she took it. Taking her to her bedroom, he caressed her face and kissed her sweetly. As much as he wanted to jump her and claim her fast and hard, he would not.
Raising her shirt up and over her head, her exquisite breasts bared before him, he cupped each one and swirled his tongue around one nipple biting it gently before bestowing the same attention to the other. Kneeling in front of her, he kissed and licked her stomach. Her breaths became shallow and he noticed her eyes were closed.
He hooked his thumbs in her leggings and slid the pants down stopping at her thighs. Grasping her ample ass in each of his hands he drew her to his face and breathed his warm breath over her panties. Her hands went to his head. Her fingers twisting and tugging his hair.
This woman drove him insane. He wanted her so badly. So completely. Pushing her panties down to join her pants, he stuck his tongue at the area he exposed. Slipping his mouth in between her lips, he rested it there before slowly swiping his tongue through. He repeated the motion over and over until her hands flexed tighter against his head and she moaned.
Releasing his grip on her ass, he continued tantalizing her clit with his tongue while his hands freed her of her remaining clothes. He thought she might be getting close to climax. “Not yet baby. Not until I have my face buried in you and I can smell and taste your sweet cum.”
Putting one hand on her stomach and one on her bottom, he steered her back onto the bed. He stood and removed his clothing. Her eyes followed his every move. They smoldered with desire and his dick throbbed wanted to be buried inside her.
Taking one of her knees in each hand, he spread her legs wide. He tongued her opening feeling her legs quiver. He licked from there up to her clit and back down again. Slow and methodical. She started to pant and moan, so he increased the pressure and speed. He felt her body tense. She came. She came hard and long. And he didn’t slow and lessen the pressure until he knew she rode the peak and began the descent.
Her body twitched with the aftershocks. Raising himself from the floor, he stretched out over her, his face in front of hers. She had her eyes closed, but when she opened them, they were glossy and blissful.
“Damn,” she rasped.
He chuckled and put his lips to hers. The kiss began innocent and patient. Her tongue caressed his. His caressed hers. It then became urgent. Their lips turned forceful and demanding. Her hand wrapped around his cock. She squeezed it and released it. Pumping it. And if he didn’t get it in her then, he’d have to wait as he wouldn’t last. And he didn’t want to wait.
Placing his hand over hers, he reluctantly but willingly moved her hand off his dick. He planted her hand on the mattress beside her head and pinned it there. Gliding inside her slowly, he groaned. Fuck she felt so damn good. She moaned underneath him.
“You ready, huh. You want it,” he whispered.
“Yes. Please, yes,” she responded.
He withdrew, almost completely, and slid back in as deep as he could go. Sophia clutched his ass holding him there. Her fingernails digging into his skin. She took control. Grinding into his pelvis and on his cock. Hot damn she knew how to work her body. And his.
Her head fell back. Her eyes were closed and her mouth open. He’d let her get another orgasm before he took over driving and plunged into her like a freaking madman.
And she did. She moaned and whined. And as the tension left her body, he pulled back and thrust into her wildly until he reached his.
The weekend sped by. They engaged in many more hours of sexual gratification. They took Lily to a small park and pushed her on the swings. All three of them laughed running along the paths. Sunday, they took her to a little zoo in a neighboring c
ity. As with most kids, she loved the monkeys.
It seemed Sophia had relaxed. A lot. They spoke about their plans once they received the order of permanent kinship guardianship. She finally agreed to take his advice and contacted some lawyer acquaintances of hers in D.C as the court requires a report and a review within a year. And if she did proceed with adoption as she discussed, she would undergo home studies and interviews. He didn’t know why she didn’t in the beginning, but it didn’t matter. She did now.
She already got fingerprinted for her background check. She had to provide character witness statements. It all appeared to be moving along and they hoped to leave and head to D.C. by the weekend. It didn’t end there by any means. He listened and tried to understand it all. Guardianship. Custodial parent. Different state laws. Once in D.C. a home study would be done. Trevor just knew he needed to get out of there. Lily needed to be in her new home. She needed to become familiar with it and a routine.
Sophia needed to become comfortable with her new life. And to get back into a routine. She would feel much more in control and confident once she did.
He told her he didn’t have a set date to return to Roatán. He would stay as long as she wanted or needed him to. He planned to be in her life forever. But he couldn’t stay away from Roatán forever. He too had obligations.
When Lily went down for her nap, he convinced Sophia to tackle some work matters. She gave him a million excuses why she hadn’t, but he told her he didn’t want to hear it. Sure, she had valid justifications, but she had him there to take care of Lily if she woke.
She sat at the kitchen table and pecked on her laptop. He sat on the couch watching t.v. He had the volume so low as to not disturb her he couldn’t hear it. Between her shifting in her seat and huffing, he knew things with work weren’t going well.
Leaving the table, she took her phone and went into their bedroom. Their bedroom. He liked referring to it as such.
“Molly. Molly. I know. I know,” she insisted. Her tone suddenly changed. It startled him. “If you can give me a fucking minute I’ll explain.”
After meeting Molly, he didn’t suspect she continued complaining. Gee, he hoped she hadn’t started crying.
“I’m signed in now on my laptop. I’m hoping to be back Friday. My half-sister died and—I have a toddler now,” she divulged.
Good for her. Acceptance and commitment. This Sophia he knew. This Sophia he loved.
“Molly, it has come as a big shock to me too. We can talk all about it all when I get back,” Sophia continued.
He heard her moving in the other room. No doubt pacing. She never did do well sitting and thinking. He used to love watching her while they studied. He’d be stretched out on her bed, couch, or floor with a bag of chips. She would be pacing and shaking her hands accentuating different points as she spoke aloud to herself.
“Duh. I’m not taking her to a humane shelter when things are tough. Which they will be at times. I’ve already experienced it. So yes, you will meet her soon.”
He smiled imagining what Molly might be saying.
“She is a she. Lily. She’s beautiful. Now, can we talk about a few things that concern me.”
Sophia returned to the table and fiddled with her laptop. “I see that Roger has submitted an expense request for Pilgram Enterprises. It is not for Red Lake which I specifically suggested he look into for their annual retreat.”
Listening to her take control and be the boss turned Trevor on. Damn. And they had been having a lotta sex. As much as he enjoyed and adored the needy, insecure Sophia, the no-nonsense hardcore beauty at the table equally intrigued him.
“No. No. No. I don’t give two shits what his alternate ideas are. I didn’t provide him with a venue for him to disregard it. And we managed a successful event at Red Lake last fall for the Dunbarton firm.”
And lucky for him, Sophia shoved her chair back and began pacing. Her right hand keeping tempo with her final directives. “Have Peggy deny his requests and if I don’t see new ones in the queue by day’s end for Red Lake—let’s not go there right now.”
She marched in front of him to the window. He stared at her ass as she looked out.
“Yep. I’ll keep you updated. And I’m sorry for my lack of professionalism and neglecting you and the company. Yep. He made it. Sounds like you made quite an impression on him.” She laughed. “You big softie. Talk to you soon.”
Ending her call. She raced and jumped on the couch on her knees. “I’m back baby. And it feels amazing,” she gushed.
They received the documentation late Wednesday afternoon they were waiting on. Flying back wasn’t an option because of Lily and all her stuff. Sophia wanted to leave right away. So, they returned his rental car and headed to D.C. in hers. They had almost a good thirteen-hour drive ahead of them.
Sophia had been occupied with work since she got her groove back. Trevor didn’t mind. It made her happy. And that made him happy. And Lily would be happy probably anywhere. If she had the stuffed elephant they bought her at the zoo, someone to hug her when she reached out, and food—the kid was a delight.
Before they dropped his car off at the airport and while they were loading her vehicle, he asked Sophia if she wanted to say good-bye to her mom. Without hesitation she said no. He dreaded it. He really did. But he had to tell her. He prayed it didn’t send her back into a phase of dejection and another period of being unmotivated.
“I know we haven’t talked much about my meeting your mom. I don’t believe you wanted to talk about it,” he started.
“I don’t,” she snapped.
“And, after meeting her, I completely understand. She loves you, Sophia. It probably isn’t the love you hoped for. I’m not sure it’s even a recognizable form of love.”
She pinned him with a hard glare. “Why are you doing this? You what…meet her one time for a whole ten minutes maybe and you are an expert on her and her love now?”
He chucked the playpen in the back of the SUV. “I spent a lot of time with you. Most of it years ago, but I wouldn’t dare claim to be an expert even on you. So, no. I’m no expert. I met your dad and Reba too. Not that I can say we had any formal introductions.”
She threw her head back staring into the sky. He saw the tears pooling in her eyes. He reached for her hand and she jerked it out of reach.
Clearing her throat, she lowered her head and scowled at him. “You going to tell me he loves me too?”
“Fuck no. He’s even worse than you painted him to be.” He hated upsetting her. Oh, he hated it. “I didn’t want to tell you because you were already in such a fragile place. And it’s not him I want to discuss. It’s your mom.”
“I don’t want to. I don’t. Get in your car and let’s go. Never bring it up again,” she hissed.
Chapter 17
D.C.
Sophia
Things were super busy. At work and at home. Sophia forgot how fabulous it felt to get dressed for work and present an image of class and competence. Good thing she set her alarm and got up extra early to go to the office.
Trevor took one look at her with her hair all in place, her makeup on, wearing a fitted skirt with a great top, and a pair of heels, and he came up behind her as she filled her to-go coffee mug. Lifting her skirt, he peeled her panties down her legs. He had her raise one foot out of the lacy thong, slapped the inside of each thigh until she widened her legs to his preference and after using his fingers first—he claimed her. He claimed her rough and fast over the kitchen counter.
Good gosh she loved having him around. She blinked a few times before moving her head. She swore she saw stars, she came so intense.
Running kisses up her neck and behind her earlobe, he pulled away and popped her on the ass. She wouldn’t be forgetting the sex or the slap for the duration of the day. He put some force behind. It jolted her abdomen into the granite edge.
“Have a great day now. You’ll be sorely missed,” he remarked.
“Ha. Ha. I jus
t hope my skirt isn’t a wrinkled mess now.”
That occurred on Friday, her first day back to the office. Over the weekend, between the time she worked from home, they went shopping. They chose furniture, paint colors, and a theme for Lily’s new room.
She helped him begin painting that Sunday. He sort of gave her the disbelieving eyes when she decided on two separate colors. Gray. Pink. And to alternate them on the walls. One pink. One gray. Not difficult. Until he got her in there with him. Except difficult didn’t best describe it. It required patience which neither of them had a history of mastering. The rinsing and waiting for the rollers and pan to dry so they could switch colors prevented them from completing the task before Lily’s bedtime. She so wanted to get it done before she went back to work.
With Lily’s finger pointing assistance amid a large selection, they went with an elephant pattern. The bedding and the curtains were adorable.
Toward the end of the following week they all fell into a routine. And each day before she left the house, Trevor incorporated a satisfying quickie and restored his palm print on her backside. Whether or not it had begun to fade.
So, all day while listening to clients complain, putting out fires started by incompetent staff, and scouting locations, she never stopped thinking and fantasizing about Trevor. She had a perfect life. She couldn’t think of one thing lacking. But she knew her dream would end.
How could it not? It wasn’t Trevor’s dream. He never said he wanted kids. Now he had one twenty-four seven and undertook the role of house-daddy. She dealt with the scooter accident. She accepted her role as Lily’s new parent. She reacquainted herself with another great love of hers—accomplishment.