WindSwept Narrows: #20 Fleur & Liliana

by Diroll-Nichols, Karen

  “I had to leave,” she corrected with a small shake of her head, her head up and eyes locking with his. “I had to. I started to feel like I should be defending them to you, just to keep peace. Just to please them. To try and…and fit.” She drew in a slow breath, grateful when he let the silence be for a moment. “The counselor I’ve been seeing told me I had to learn to walk away. That I wasn’t responsible for making them happy at the cost of myself.”

  “Your counselor is right. They’ve made choices I’m used to seeing, but have spent so long ignoring, that I honestly never gave it much thought,” he let his head fall back against the cushions. “I don’t know if it got through to them or not, to be honest. I don’t know how to make it more clear that this is where I want to be. Maybe the New York progression…I think you’re groomed in a way to expect a certain progression in your career. That you grow out of certain parts and into others. It’s what people expect and you don’t stop and think is it really where I want to be,” his mouth curled slightly. “Until we started really talking about it. Then I realized how much I had enjoyed being in the middle of the manufacturing, in the center of the creation, from the ground up.”

  “Oh, swell…” she teased with a grin. “So it is all my fault.”

  Oliver just laughed and pulled her back against him, his lips nipping at her ear at the same time his hands found the buttons down the front of the shirt.

  “Oliver…” Lili shivered, a glance cast toward the baby busy playing contentedly, the small bottle held dangling from her teeth.

  “Stay right here,” he said firmly, setting her up and striding to the back, returning quickly.

  “What are you…” She caught a glimmer of foil in his fingers and the deep smoky blue of his eyes.

  “I was wondering if you remembered…” Oliver relaxed on the sofa, turning her and pulling her to sit on his lap with her back against his chest. His fingers went back to work on the buttons down the front, the tiny gasp and movement of her hips telling him she did remember.

  “I wanted to make love to you…” she recalled, the warm heat had already begun flowing from his fingertips to the flowing moisture between her thighs.

  “And you had bought a book about sex during pregnancy because I was concerned,” he whispered against her throat.

  “You were worried about hurting me or the baby,” Lili shivered again.

  “After the fourth position, I was worried about hurting me,” he laughed gruffly, his palms stroking along the slender ribs and cupping her breasts. “I read that book three times to make sure I knew what I was doing.”

  “It should certainly be easier without an eight month pregnant belly in the way,” Lili’s giggle turned into a soft moan. He was so good at bringing her body alive to his touch.

  “I found you incredibly erotic with that belly,” he admitted against her ear. “I don’t think I told you enough how much…how exciting it was to know we’d made a baby. It’s…it felt unreal even when I laid listening to the heartbeat,” his words caught inside him emotionally, still amazed at memories that would always be a part of him.

  “Oliver…Hailey…”

  “Is very occupied,” he whispered. “We talked about never forgetting to be lovers and friends as well as parents. She can’t see us, the sofa blocks her view. And I think she’s dozing. I want you, Lili…god, it’s never going to be enough…” He raised up enough to shove his jeans down, hands quickly preparing himself before moving to stroke long, firm fingers through the hot, moist evidence that she was far from immune to the passion roaring through him. He slid two fingers down the center and inside, the strong grip of her muscles making them both groan.

  Lili groaned against the sensations. He shifted lower, she held herself higher and her body accepted him in slow, tantalizing strokes until he was buried inside her. He held himself still, their kiss crooked but strong, tongues caressing and words whispered when he began to careful move, first himself and then her.

  There were groans and laughter and low, barely contained breathless shouts when Oliver’s body couldn’t take any more and followed her over the cliff, both of them free falling in the fading contractions that squeezed and convulsed pleasantly into nothing.

  “Oh my…” Lili collapsed against his chest, her head tipped to the side and his mouth tasting the faint sheen of moisture. “I definitely remember that last part. I think at some point, you forgot about worrying…”

  “It was a very informative little book you had,” Oliver said with a steadying breath, his arms holding her against him for several quiet minutes before her body decided it was time to move. He groaned when she lifted herself, his hands on her waist to steady her when she wobbled slightly.

  “Wow…I think I’ll put some clothes on now,” Lili just shook her head and went into the bedroom, seeking out jeans and a tee shirt.

  Oliver came into the bedroom and pulled a t-shirt over his head, tucking it in and buckling his belt. “Can we move her while she’s sleeping?” He looked over at Lili bent and tying shoes in place.

  “I’d never get anything done if I didn’t,” she laughed. “Where do you want to go?”

  “I have something to show you,” he reminded her, lifting a pair of casual shoes from inside his suitcase and following her into the main room.

  Lili sat down and tied her sneakers in place before going to the kitchen and preparing some bottles for their day. She had extra food, diapers and busy toys in the bag waiting by the door. It still made her a little nervous watching the large hands wrap Hailey carefully in her favorite blanket before cradling her against him. She watched him absently patting his pocket before glancing at her.

  “I don’t even know what kind of car you have here,” She had one hand wrapped through the strap of Hailey’s bag, following him down the stairs and into the large parking area.

  “We have two. The sedan arrived yesterday morning with the belongings. It’s all been unloaded and placed in the house,” he told her, walking with her through the lines of parked cars. “Grab the keys from my pocket. I don’t have a clue how to get her into this thing, Lili.”

  He watched her adjust the straps and check the connection before taking Hailey from him. Babies are incredibly pliable, he realized as he watched the procedure. Now and then the pale lashes would blink, followed by a soft sigh, her fingers trapped in the edges of her blanket and her head turned to drop back off.

  “She sleeps like her father,” Lili murmured, closing the door and climbing into the seat next to him.

  “Which is why her mother hears a mouse moving,” he teased. “We complement one another.”

  “You seem to have learned the roads around here very quickly,” Lili commented, part of her mind still on his parents. She just wasn’t sure where or what to do with the thoughts.

  “I’ve been here a few weeks, Lili,” he admitted, guiding them down the coastal road and up into the housing area. “Dorian’s having some renovations done on the house next door. Pretty much the same, I think. Upgraded heating and replacing the carpeting with radiated heat flooring.”

  “You’re very confident about us, Oliver,” she said quietly, watching him drive.

  “No, Lili, I wasn’t. I was scared to death you’d refuse to talk to me,” he admitted, those thoughts still inside him after the confrontation that morning with his parents. “And I wouldn’t have blamed you, but I had to try. What messed us up was part us…but more because we somehow…”

  “I don’t think we had enough us time to cement the trust,” Lili said in the silence when he seemed at a loss for the right words. “And they’re good at what they were doing.”

  “They acted like a damn…” He stopped and pulled air hard into his lungs. “They used other people against you, Lili. I can look back now and see things, know when I was waylaid for other things to happen involving you and I’m pissed, so let’s talk about drapes or furniture or the damn rain that wasn’t supposed to be here today.”

  Lili laughe
d and shook her head. “You’d better adjust to the fact that they really don’t know how to predict the weather here, Oliver,” she caught herself, eyes widening from the chocolate and amber wood structure. “Oliver, what did you do?”

  Chapter Nineteen

  “It’s not as big as it looks,” he said quickly. “It’s three bedrooms, an office and two and half baths.”

  “And the garage?” She looked toward the detached building and then back at him. The yard had all been done without grass. Paths and a raised stone bed filled with massive green and orange flowers.

  “Well…it’s a garage,” he answered, stepping onto the concrete and shoving his key in, tapping the alarm off before walking back to the SUV. “Show me how this works, Lili,” he told her, watching her hands move over the latches and locks of the car seat. She raised the heavy duty handle and lifted the baby from inside the car. He grabbed up the travel bag and followed behind Lili, partially holding his breath. “I wanted it to be a surprise. We talked about getting out of the city…and the kind of place we’d like.”

  “I know…and you have a good memory,” she thought of their talks when they lay together or walked through the streets, browsing shops and having a late dinner somewhere. Just them. Just talking.

  “Let me take her,” Oliver held the baby carrier and his breath as Lili looked around at all the furniture and boxes. “Down this way…the bedrooms. Hailey has one right across from the second bath…and ours is down the hall. The monitor will work nicely so you can hear her,” he wanted the feeling of forever that he’d found when they first became a couple. Still a small part of him was afraid to believe he’d brought all the pieces back together again. It was a new feeling for him, doubt.

  Lili stood in the doorway of the bedroom he’d filled with all her shower gifts, all the things they had shopped for together before Hailey was born. Tears formed behind her lashes when she thought of the laughter and fun they’d had selecting things for their child.

  A child who had a chance now for a happy set of parents. She turned and met a set of eyes she never would have thought held apprehension or doubt, or worse, fear. She moved to stand in front of him, the baby carrier on his arm to the side.

  “I love you, Oliver Kensington. Thank you for loving me enough to make us whole again,” she whispered, going to her toes and kissing him softly, tenderly. His free hand was up and on her head, holding her against his chest as a long ragged breath was forced free.

  Oliver bent slightly, gently setting the baby carrier on the floor before gathering her as close as humanly possible.

  He felt his insides quaking.

  He felt a huge weight lifted from every cell in his body and just held her.

  He couldn’t think.

  He was positive if he spoke, he’d make a fool of himself, not that Lili would have minded.

  “You are the best thing in the world for me, Lili,” he finally breathed against her temple, surprised when she leaned up and put a palm on his face, slim fingers catching the thin line of tears edging from his eyes.

  “Thank you for coming back to me,” she whispered against his throat. “I’ve missed you so much. It’s a beautiful house and a gorgeous room for Hailey.”

  “You probably want to rearrange the bedroom for her,” he cleared his throat, his voice gruff as he glanced into the child’s room.

  “I might,” she said with a little smile and turned to look at the large space.

  Oliver made a move forward but stopped when she held up one hand to him without looking over her shoulder.

  “It’s a nice, airy large room,” she commented, moving things to the center and then into places she wanted. “Everything’s light and empty. Easy…” She stopped in the center and slowly spun to look at the arrangement several minutes later. “Good,” she nodded and faced him, the grin on his face seemed to make him look so much younger. Is that what happiness does to you, she thought, stepping into the arms that opened for her. “So…we got a bed here?”

  Lili laughed when she pushed her hips against him, his reaction bringing an unusual tint of red to his cheeks. She brushed his face with one palm. Lili lifted the baby carrier and carried it into the larger room at the very end of the wide hall. Her shoes made no noise on the heavy stone tiles.

  “When we were in Vermont,” Lili wandered absently around the large room, fingers tripping over boxes and eyes taking in the space to be filled, the large walk in closet and the very nicely designed master bathroom. “Did you worry that we would end?”

  “No,” Oliver’s answer was immediate, unrestrained. Confident, he realized, smiling at the easy way she refilled him. “No, Liliana, I never thought it or felt it. I think when I saw you disappearing in that taxi, everything inside me shut down in disbelief.”

  “I am sorry I left. Mostly. I’m not sorry we’re here. Maybe it was a nice coincidence that Fleur was here and they needed a pastry chef,” she shrugged, sighed and smiled at the mumbling baby slowly coming back awake. “I know I needed to talk to the counselor. For me. To understand the mistakes I was making with your family and….and the people I thought were your friends,” she dropped to her heels and quickly unbuckled Hailey and lifted her, pliable and very warm and cuddly. “Could you bring the bag into her bedroom, please?”

  Lili worked quickly in the new bedroom, laughing when Hailey used the bars of the new crib and pulled herself to stand up, little knees bending and bouncing while Lili opened boxes and began putting the bedroom together. Even as Oliver started protesting.

  “Lili, you haven’t finished exploring the house,” he laughed but carried the bottle she handed him into the kitchen and warming it per her instructions.

  “And I will…one room at a time,” she said simply, excitement filling her as she opened box after box of things she had left behind in New York.

  Grumbling through his laughter, he found himself moving furniture, taking things she didn’t want to the garage for the time being and ripping open boxes, hanging clothing and generally doing as he was told.

  They left after an hour to find a grocery store, Lili playing with Hailey as she shopped and talked. It was night before they headed back to her apartment, a sleepy baby bathed and put to bed before they collapsed together, laughing, talking and loving.

  Chapter Twenty

  Lili couldn’t remember feeling so real and happy in months. It was that feeling that surrounded them when they parted on Monday morning. Oliver was taking on the morning routine, feeding and dropping Hailey off while Lili made sure things were packed and ready to go before taking off at a run for her kitchen in the resort.

  She could still smell the fruit and powdered sugar when she changed out of her tunic and gathered her pack, heading happily along the corridor to the daycare center. Her hand froze, clenched tightly to the pen in her fingers when she saw the signature a few lines above where she had been about to write.

  “No…no…” Lili pushed past the young woman and went room to room frantically. “Where’s Hailey?” She opened doors until she came to the office, Eve crossing the room at the sounds she’d heard. “He’s taken her! Oh god, he’s taken her!” Lili felt her knees give way and would have tumbled to the floor if not for Lacie on one side and Eve on the other, taking her into the director’s office. She couldn’t breathe, all the air in her world seemed to disappear.

  “Lili, what’s wrong?” Eve looked at Lacie. “Get me the log.”

  “He’s taken her, Eve,” Lili breathed raggedly, her head shaking. “He’s taken her because Oliver won’t go back to New York. Because of me, he’s taken my baby!”

  “Hailey was signed out, Eve,” Lacie held up the log, her head shaking. “Jeanie was on the desk. She’s new. She verified ID and…we didn’t plan for juniors and seniors,” she finished in a soft voice.

  Eve lifted the phone, speaking clearly and concisely before dropping the receiver.

  Lacie brought a bottle of water and pushed it into Lili’s hands at the same time Daphn
e came in from her office. “Cassidy is pulling video. Lili, I am so sorry.”

  “He can’t have her,” Lili declared vehemently, looking around at her friends. “I won’t let him! Oliver won’t let him!”

  “Do you have his number in your phone?” Eve asked as Catherine Jenkins came into the office, dark eyes sweeping the room.

  “Have you heard from him?” Cat asked firmly. “We’ve pulled video. Cassidy followed him from here out to a waiting car. A woman joined him in the lobby and a younger one took Hailey at the car.”

  “Oliver’s mother and father,” Lili said, working to get her breathing under control. “He came to the apartment on Saturday. He wanted me to sign papers divorcing Oliver, but Oliver was there and…he was caught in his lies. Oliver was…is…very angry with the whole thing. I’m not even sure that’s strong enough. I have to talk to him,” she jerked her pack from her shoulder and began rummaging for her phone, pulling it free at the same time it sounded. She would have pressed the button instantly but Catherine snapped it out of her hands. “It’s him!”

  “Listen to me,” Cat leaned over, hands on her knees. “Make him think you’re in your office. You haven’t called the police…you were going to call him…you haven’t spoken to anyone about this, understand?” She accepted the nod and pressed a button on her shirt collar. “Use speaker and no one make a sound,” she ordered, closing the door firmly behind her.

  “Hello? Mr. Kensington? Where is Hailey? I want my daughter back now!” Lili had to set the phone on Eve’s desk to stop her fingers from wanting to squeeze the phone too tightly.

  “I see you’ve been to visit the daycare,” came the slow, drawn out words. “So I have your attention.”

  “I want my baby back!” Lili hissed, anger coming to the top of her emotions. “How can you be such a…a beast! Taking my child like you have some right to her!”

  “Don’t give me orders,” he said coldly. “Have you called my son about this?”