Live-In Position

by V. S. Tice

  “Daddy?” Victoria’s voice sliced through the lust-filled haze wrapping around us.

  He whirled around quickly, and my face flushed.

  “Why are you kissing Sophia?”

  Chapter Twenty

  -TWO

  LOCKED MOTIONLESS IN shock and shame, I couldn’t look at Collin. How could we have been foolish enough to let her find us like this?

  “I thought you were sleeping?”

  I dropped my hands from my face and looked at the side of his head.

  Really, Collin? That’s your response?

  “Are you going to get married?” Her face lit up.

  “What?” I coughed.

  “Are you going to have a baby? Can we get a baby sister?” She was practically bouncing.

  “What? No!” I gasped out. He chuckled and I glared at him.

  The smile on his face was wide and relaxed. His head turned toward my gaze with a look of ‘I told you so’ plastered all over it. I glowered.

  “How can you be so calm?” I hissed.

  He shrugged and pulled me toward his side.

  “But I don’t want a brother,” Victoria whined. I looked back to her. “Please, please, Sophia, can we have a girl?” She pouted her lips.

  “Whoa, wait, Victoria, we’re not having a baby sister or any other baby for that matter.” Her happiness deflated. I knelt down to her. “Are you okay…with this?”

  “Do I get to be the flower girl?” She eyed me from under her lashes as a sly grin played on her lips.

  “Flower girl? Victoria we aren’t—”

  “I really liked being a junior bridesmaid for Miranda, but I really want to sprinkle the flowers for you to walk on.” She jumped forward, wrapped her arms around me, and knocked me onto my butt. “Oh, I’m so excited!”

  “Easy Victoria, you don’t want to hurt each other.” Collin leaned down and helped us back to our feet.

  I was still in shock. This wasn’t how I thought this would go.

  “I told you she would be happy about it,” he whispered into my ear.

  “I guess so.”

  “You guess?” He looked at me questioningly. “She’s practically picked our wedding date, and I do believe I even heard a request for a sibling.”

  I gaped at him.

  “So can I have a baby sister? Huh, Daddy?” Victoria tugged at her father’s arm.

  “That’s up to Sophia.” He looked into my eyes. I saw the humor in them, but there was also a hint of something else. My eyes widened.

  “There is no baby,” I stated.

  “Well, then can I have a puppy?”

  Both Collin and I dropped our heads down. She batted her eyelashes. I couldn’t help it. I burst into a fit of hysterics. The entire situation had become comical. Victoria looked at me oddly and then gave Collin the same look when he joined in.

  “Did she just ask for a puppy?” I gasped.

  He nodded. “Yes, just between flower girl and baby sister.”

  “What’s so funny?” Victoria whined.

  Once we calmed down, I felt we should really talk to Victoria about things. I was pretty sure she wouldn’t be going back to see Grace again, but if the court social worker started asking questions about Collin’s relationship with me. I wanted her to have the answers she needed. We sat with Victoria between us on the couch in my room.

  “Victoria, Sophia and I are –”

  She cut him off. “Kissing?”

  “Well, um, yes, but we are not getting married,” his eyes met mine briefly before he finished, “yet.”

  I opened my mouth but closed it. That was a conversation for another time.

  “But you were kissing,” She stated matter-of-factly.

  “Yes, but—”

  This time she cut me off. “Then you have to get married. If you kiss, then you should get married.”

  “Listen, Sophia and I are more like boyfriend and girlfriend right now. Perhaps one day there will be a wedding. We will have to wait and see. Do you understand?”

  She nodded.

  “Good. Do you have any questions?”

  She opened her mouth, but I cut her off this time.

  “Besides wedding and baby questions.”

  She closed her mouth. I could see the wheels turning in her head. “Is it okay for me to come to your room if I can’t sleep?” She looked up at me.

  “Of course, I’ll be right where you always find me.”

  Her face wrinkled as she thought hard. “You aren’t sleeping in Daddy’s room?”

  Collin suddenly gave me the same look but with pleading in his eyes.

  “No, sweetheart, this is my room. All of my things are here.” I couldn’t bear looking at Collin, afraid of what I would see in his eyes.

  “For now,” Collin added.

  Victoria and I both looked up at him.

  “Grace slept in Daddy’s room.”

  Now that was something I’d not been trying to think about. She was really making a great case for me to stay in my own bed. There was a small rumble from Collin’s chest.

  “We will have your things moved to the master bedroom.” My eyes flashed from Victoria’s face to his hard eyes. They dared me to defy him.

  “Do I have to get a new nanny?”

  Her question pulled me from the argument about to unleash between Collin and me. Worry lines on her face quickly softened my demeanor.

  “I, uh, no. I am still, um, I’m still your nanny.” The words were stumbling out of my mouth.

  “But you kiss my daddy? Miranda didn’t kiss my daddy. Wait, did Miranda kiss my daddy too?” Her eyes widened.

  I felt the heat rush into my face and shook my head.

  “Can’t you be my mommy now?” Her little hands gripped my upper arm and tugged. “Please?”

  “I love you very much, but I’m not your mommy, sweetheart.” I pulled her into a hug, hoping it would reassure her.

  “Victoria.” Both she and I looked to her father. “She is still your Sophia. She isn’t going anywhere, and I promise not to hog all her attention.” He winked at her.

  “My Sophia,” she whispered and wrapped her arms around my waist, burying her head in my stomach. I hugged her tightly.

  “Nanny Swear,” I whispered.

  She shook her head in disagreement. “Sophia Swear.” Her smile brightened the dim room. My heart felt like it would burst.

  We sat that way for a few more minutes before finally getting up from the couch. Dr. Bishop had some things to tend to in his office while Victoria and I went down to work on dinner together. She didn’t ask any more questions or make any more requests, but there was an obvious excitement about her.

  It was beyond frustrating trying to get her settled into bed, going on and on about babies and weddings. The one good thing about her incessant talk about a baby sister was that it reminded me to make an appointment at the health clinic for birth control. While Victoria showered, I typed a reminder into my cell phone.

  Once she was dried, dressed, and brushed, I got her into bed. During the middle of her second bedtime story, Dr. Bishop entered. He kissed her head and wished her a goodnight before stepping back out. Not five minutes later, her eyes fluttered and closed. For a couple of moments, I lay next to her and watched her sleep. This little girl had infiltrated my entire being from the moment I laid eyes on her. I didn’t think I could possibly love anything more than her, not ever. With a quick kiss to her cheek, I left.

  Back in my own room I set about getting a shower. My thoughts were wild with the events of the day, Victoria being left alone in the middle of a park, picking her up at the police station, her finding out about Collin and me. With my palms against the tiles in front of me, I bowed my head and allowed the hot water to fall over my back.

  My mind couldn’t rest. What would‘ve happened if someone else had gotten to her first? What if no one would’ve found her at all? Anyone could‘ve swooped in on her and taken her away without much notice of her abduction. Fire
tingled at my belly, spreading to my fisting hands.

  Stepping out of the shower and into the towel-wrapping embrace of Dr. Bishop, my head fell against his chest. His hands rubbed slowly up and down my back, allowing me to cry out my pent-up frustration and fear. He wiped the tears away before leading me out of the bathroom.

  “I talked with my lawyers this evening.” I spun from my dresser, holding the towel to my body with one hand.

  “What did they say?”

  “First, they told me to press charges against Grace, which I will be doing.” He ran his hand through his hair as he sat on the edge of my bed.

  Carefully, I stepped toward him. The moment I was within arm’s length, he reached out, pulling my body to him. His fingers dug into my hips before he wrapped his arms around me and pressed his face to my chest.

  “I’ll be leaving first thing in the morning to file charges at the police station.” His head didn’t move from my chest. I cupped his right cheek.

  “It will all be fine. She’s home and I would hope to God the judge wouldn’t dare allow Grace to see her again.” My words had transformed from soft and soothing to growling.

  “My lawyers are pretty certain Grace’s case ends here. However—” I didn’t like the sound of that.

  “However, what?”

  He cleared his throat. “If Grace does have photographs, as she stated, well, we don’t know how the judge is going to respond.”

  “Oh.” I let my hand drop from his face. Panic flooded me and every bad scenario, regardless of how irrational, passed through my head.

  “Oh god, I told you this shouldn’t happen.” I tried to step back, but his hold tightened.

  “Don’t.” The command stilled my retreat. “Don’t do that.” He stood from the bed and pulled my face to look up to his.

  “There is nothing wrong with what is going on between us. We want to be together and we, well, I’m happier than I’ve been in a long time.” My head started to shake, but before I could protest he continued.

  “Sophia, because of you, I have my daughter more in my life than ever before. My daughter is the happiest and liveliest I have ever seen her. And I have never,” he paused, staring into my eyes, “loved someone as much as I love you.”

  I couldn’t breathe. He loved me? He couldn’t possibly… Returning me into the firm embrace of his arms, his lips pressed to mine. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I pushed up onto my tiptoes. The Egyptian cotton towel fell from my body and pooled at my feet. Warmth spread across my body where his hands touched my bare skin.

  Slipping my hands under the hem of his cotton shirt I could feel the toned planes of his back. I worked my way toward his shoulders, and in one swift motion he removed his shirt, pulling me against his hard chest. The moment we were skin on skin he growled and tightened his hold.

  We lay down on the bed. He pressed his body and hardness against my thigh. Then it vibrated. Either he had some amazing skills or something in his pocket was happy to get me naked. I felt the vibration again. He growled, this time in anger. Yanking his cell phone from his pocket, he looked at the screen.

  “Shit.” He sat up and looked back at me. “It’s the lawyer’s office. I should probably—”

  “Answer it.”

  His eyes perused my body slowly with a lick of his bottom lip. He put his phone to his ear.

  “Dr. Bishop.” He was stern and cool, all business.

  Oddly enough, it was turning me on. The stern ordering tone he used sent goose bumps across my skin. I shook the thought off, rolling to get off the bed. Long strong fingers wrapped around my thigh. Looking up to him in surprise, he shook his head. I smiled and pulled his hand away. He frowned while I hurried to dress.

  “I understand…I will meet you there tomorrow…How soon can we arrange the mediation?”

  Sitting on the bed with my back against the headboard and Collin at my feet, I waited for him to finish his call.

  “Of course…Obviously I want it as quickly as possible…Let me know…Goodbye.”

  “Everything okay?”

  He took a deep breath and exhaled loudly.

  “He’s going to meet me at the police station tomorrow and then he’ll begin filing the motion to address the current circumstances.” Collin tossed his phone onto the side table and turned his body toward me. A grin spread over his face, and his cool emeralds blazed. “I didn’t want you to get dressed.”

  “You weren’t the one damp and naked. It was a little chilly,” I rebutted. He began to crawl up my body.

  “Hmmm…only damp?” He paused. “I would have guaranteed you were wet.”

  My mouth fell open. This naughty side to him was definitely intriguing. I wanted him, but there was also something important I wanted to discuss. My body pulsed when he pulled me down flat on the bed.

  “Collin?” The tenor of my voice must have given away the seriousness of my next statement because the grin fell from his face.

  “So help me god, Sophia, if you are going to call us a mistake or tell me how wrong this is, I will strangle you with my bare hands.” His icy nature emerged and while I knew he wouldn’t really strangle me, a part of me cowered in fear.

  “No, it’s not that. I mean, I still question…” The hard angry look on his face deterred me from finishing that sentence. “Anyhow, I was wondering, where was the court-appointed chaperone that was supposed to be with Grace and Victoria? Wasn’t she there?”

  Collin moved onto his right side, propping his head up on his hand. He pulled me against his chest.

  “We are looking into that now. I suppose I could ask Victoria about it tomorrow. She was there when I left Victoria with Grace, but it’s something that bothers me as well.” His left hand was rubbing from my hip to the side of my breast and back. The rotation was causing a throbbing ache between my thighs.

  “You don’t think Grace did something to her, do you?”

  “I don’t know, but I don’t like this situation at all.” Suddenly he rolled to his back. “How could she just leave her? Why is it that she can just walk away without a care of who gets hurt?”

  The current situation was his disguise, but, deep down, we both knew he was referring to both Victoria and him. My heart was conflicted between pity that he had to relive Grace’s abandonment again and the unreasonable jealousy that she still affected him. Of course, guilt also made an appearance because I knew I shouldn’t feel jealous. Grace was, after all, his first love, Victoria’s mother, and someone who had hurt him deeply. I was pretty sure he no longer loved her, but his hurt still prevailed.

  Not knowing what words to say, I could only offer compassion. Slipping my arms around him, I pulled him to my chest. No more words were spoken. We simply lay in silence until sleep claimed us.

  THREE DAYS HAD passed since that horrid Sunday. Dr. Bishop was either working or tending to legal matters. There was still no date set for the mediation, and he wanted quicker results. Victoria was back in the routine of school and after-school activities.

  With no immediate errands to run, I sat in the waiting area at the dance studio, listening to women discuss their lives. One woman’s eldest daughter was going to Yale next year, another woman was getting a face-lift, and a third was going to be a grandmother. The grandmother statement stuck with me. Then suddenly something slammed into me.

  My period, oh god, I missed my period. Wait, did I? When was I due again?

  My hands fumbled as I pulled my cell phone out of my pocket, and it fell loudly onto the floor. The group of women gave me a look of annoyance when the “F-word” slipped from my lips. Once my hands were stable, I pulled up the calendar and started counting.

  Oh dear Antichrist! Two days. Instantly, I felt nauseous. I groaned. I was an idiot. Stupid, stupid, stupid!

  “Are you sick?” The sound of Victoria’s voice brought my head back up. I forced a smile.

  “You done already?”

  She nodded but looked at me curiously. Taking her hand, I practically dr
agged her to the car. The drive home was interesting. Victoria seemed to be in her own little universe in the back seat while I swore every person walking down the street was holding a baby, pushing a stroller, or had a very large baby bump. The urge to pull over at every pharmacy we passed was too great, but how would I explain it to Victoria? I forced myself to go straight to the house and resigned that I would take care of everything tomorrow.

  It was fine. It would all be fine. I was overreacting. I mean, it was only a couple of days. It’s not as if I’d never been late before. I had, right?

  I was antsy and distracted for the rest of the day. Barely able to think straight, I couldn’t even cook. I decided pizza was the best option for dinner.

  If there was ever a night I wished Collin was working or away on business, it was tonight. However, since God now shunned me for cavorting with his arch nemesis, Collin got home just when the pizza arrived. He no longer hid any type of affection between us. Pulling me in to kiss him after he walked through the door with Victoria watching was nothing new. But what he didn’t know was that my mind was still on “Code No Flow” alert.

  “Are you okay?”

  I nodded and walked away.

  Pull yourself together before you get Victoria’s hopes up and Collin…oh damn, what would he do or say?

  “Sophia?” The heat of his hand on my shoulder pulled me out of my troubled mind.

  “Yeah,” I spit out too quickly. He eyed me suspiciously.

  “She’s been like that all day.” Victoria sounded annoyed as she climbed up on a barstool.

  “Are you not feeling well?” Collin was immediately concerned, searching my face and body for injury or signs of illness.

  “I’m fine,” I waved them both off. I hadn’t sounded as believable as I had hoped. “Just a little tired,” I tacked on for good measure.