Doubt (The Connected Series Book 1) (20 page)

I keep my eyes on the road ahead of me, not wanting to see Sophie’s reaction to my suggestion that I’d like her to move in with me. 

“How long will they be over?” She asks, voice steady, not showing any reaction to my words. 

“They are coming for two weeks. The hope is, we will spend a lot of time together, I’ll have to work on some days, but I hope to be able to do most of it from home. I would love it if you could join us, I mean, if you want to, not all the time obviously, unless of course you want to be there all the time, I just know...” I’m cut off when her fingers press agains my lips. 

“Will you stop talking,” she laughs, “I can’t answer you if you keep rambling.”

“Go on, my mouth is closed.” My face breaks into a smile and I kiss her fingers.

“I would love to spend time with you all. I’ll have to work, but I wont take on too much more work so I can be around as much or as little as you would like me to be.”

“We’ll take it slow, okay? No one has to rush anything.” I see signs for services and indicate to turn off. 

“I’d really like to get a coffee, and even more than that, I really want to kiss you.” I say. 

“Well, what the driver wants, the driver gets.” she laughs. 

***

After a quick stop, we’re back on the road. Sophie seems relaxed, comfortable, and I know I have to ask her how much her parents know. 

“Sophie, what do your mum and dad know?” I’m apprehensive about her answer.

“Well, I haven’t really spoken to them a great deal the last few weeks. I tried to keep busy and I was working a lot so we only had short conversations. When they asked how you were..” she looks at her hands in her lap, “I told them you were good..”

“So they don’t know that we...
separated
?” the word is hard to spit out. 

“No, they don’t. I wasn’t in the frame of mind to go discussing it with people, Doug. I didn’t like lying to them. But, unless they had to know, I didn’t tell anyone. I wasn’t sure what was happening with us so.. Miley knows... She phoned after your weekend at
Coopers
....” She turns her head to look out of the window and I regret asking.

“That weekend... was...
awful
. Look, I’m sorry for bringing it up, I just didn’t want to put my foot in it this weekend. If you don’t want them to know about Abigail yet, thats fine.” I try to get her to turn her head but she wont. 

“Sophie, look at me.” 

“You’re driving Doug, you shouldn’t be looking at anything but the road.” She tries to sound cross, but she turns and looks at me anyway.

“Are we okay? I didn’t mean to upset you.”

“You didn’t its just, those days were the worst of my life. It hurts to remember them.” she smiles a watery smile.

No more is said about those days and the journey continues without incident. There is no traffic this late at night. We’re listening to
Van Morrison
when the song is interrupted by my phone ringing in the car. Seeing the number is international I glance at Sophie. Her eyes widen in recognition and she nods.

“Take the call Doug, you can’t ignore your daughter.” she smiles taking my hand in hers.

“Are you sure? I can stop in a bit and call her back...” 

“It’s fine, answer the phone.” I press the answer button and say hello. 

“Daddy!” The car is filled with the most sing song, angelic voice of my daughter and I cannot help but break out into an ear splitting grin.

“Hello baby girl.”

“Where are you?” she asks.

“I’m in the car, where are you? Have you had a nice day?” I look at Sophie and she smiles, the smile of an Angel. 

“I’m at home, where you going?” Always so interested. 

“I’m going to see some special friends.” I reply, not knowing how to explain to her where I was headed.

“Nana got me new shoes today, daddy. All ready to see you soon in England.” she sounds excited.

“I bet they are lovely shoes, I can’t wait to have you here Abigail.”

And as I say the words, I feel the truth in my heart. If you had asked me a few months ago if anything was missing from my life, I would have said no. but since finding out about my little girl, I couldn’t imagine a day without her.

“Pops says I can’t bring my teddies.” She sounds suddenly sad, and something deep within me wants to fix it. 

“Of course you can, you can bring as many as you want to.”

“Nu- uh, Pops says that they wont fit.” I can almost hear the scowl in her voice.

“How about, you bring your favourite one and we go out shopping for more when you get here, how does that sound?” the answering squeal tells me it sounds great. 

“Great! I love you
so
much Daddy. I miss you.”

The now familiar lump is in my throat again and I try to swallow it down, Sophie must sense it, as she reaches over taking my hand and squeezing it. 

“I miss you too sweetheart, more than you can ever know.” Tears fill my eyes and I wipe at my eyes hastily to me able to see where I am going. 

“Daddy, Nana says dinner is ready. Can I call later?” she asks, hope in her voice.

“Sweetheart, you know you can call whenever you want, okay? I sigh, wishing she didn’t have to call at all. 

“Whenever?” her little voice sounds full of surprise “Even when its dark here?” 

“Even when its dark there.”

“Thank you daddy. I phone later. I love you, with my whole heart and to my toes!” she coos down the phone.

“I love you too.” I hear Jane call and the line goes dead.

The music starts to play again and I turn it off. Wanting to remember the sound of Abigail’s voice.

“Doug?” Sophie whispers.

“Yes?” I whisper back, unable to find my voice.

“Are you..
okay
?” Exhaling, I think about it for a moment. 

“Yeah, I just wish she was here. I just feel like I’ve missed out on so much of her life, every minute I can’t see her is wasted time. Then I feel like a total prick for feeling like that when her mother won’t spend any time with her ever again...” 

“Doug, you can’t look at it like that. It is horrible what happened, but Abigail
needs
you, she clearly loves you so much. She is so lucky to have you as her daddy, what if you didn’t want to know her? She wouldn’t have any parents.” Sophie voice is full of emotion.

“I never really thought of her as a real person, hearing her voice, made it so real.” she shakes her head. “I think it just sunk in that I just heard your daughter...” I’m not sure what Sophie feels right now, but I know that I cannot be without her. 

“It has taken a while for it to sink in for me too.” 

“I can’t wait to meet her, Doug.” Sophie smiles and it takes all my concentration to keep driving.

***

We arrive at Sophie’s parents house after 1am. They are asleep, but there is a lamp left on in the kitchen with a note from Sophie’s mum;

Sweetheart, I hope the journey wasn
’
t too tiring. I
’
ve left some things to make a sandwich in the fridge and there are some scones I made earlier in the pantry if you prefer. Please don
’
t get up early in the morning, rest. I
’
ll be waiting for my hug when you get up. Sleep well both of you. Your room is all ready. Towels in the bathroom. You know where everything is, please help yourself. Love Mum xx

Wrapping my arms around Sophie, resting my chin on her shoulder I look at the note.

“You’re mum is the best, you know that?” I kiss her shoulder, pulling her closer. 

“She really is. I can’t wait to spend the weekend all together.” she sighs and relaxes into me. 

“Are you hungry? Or did you want to go straight to bed?” I ask.

“I’m so tired, I think I’ll go straight to bed.... Do you...?”

“I’m happy to go to bed.” But I have to admit, sleeping is not what I’d like to do. I don’t say this though. 

“I’ll get us some water, would you take our bags up?” she wriggles herself free and goes to get some glasses.

“I’ll see you up there.” 

I fetch our bags from the car and take them upstairs, taking them to the guest-room. Its light and comfortable and I always enjoy our stays here. I’m starting to get changed when Sophie comes in, she stops in the door way, just looking.

“Are you coming in?” I tease looking at the blush creep up her cheeks. She closes the door and hands me my water. 

“I’ll just go brush my teeth, can you hand me my toiletries bag, please?”

Handing her the bag, our fingers touch and the spark that has aways been there sizzles, Sophie drops the bag with a thud and launches herself into my arms, her arms wrap around he neck, her hands pull my head down to meet hers. I groan gripping her arse and pulling her into me. Thrusting her tongue into my mouth, her hands fly to my jeans and she begins to un-button them.

“Sophie, wait...” I must be mental stopping this, but I am aware that her parents are asleep next door. 

“What?” She gasps, slipping her top over her head. I stare, hungrily at her chest, encased in purple silk, all thoughts of why we should stop vanishing, “What, Doug?”

She’s slipping out of her jeans now and looking up at me from under her lashes, her hair falling around her. 

“Your parents.. We can’t...” she steps forward, tugging me towards her by my waistband.

“They are asleep, and we can, I need you.”

Our reunion is mind blowing, better than it has ever been. As I lie in the dark, Sophie in my arms, listening to her even breathing in sleep, it dawns on me. Almost like a lightbulb moment. I need to marry Sophie, to make her mine. I don’t plan on spending a day without her. As I drift to sleep with thoughts of Sophie in a wedding dress, standing before me and our family and friends, becoming
Mrs Roberts
, I squeeze her a little tighter and smile.

Oh what a difference a few hours can make.

Chapter Twenty

The smell of bacon wakes me the next morning. For a second I think Doug is awake and cooking, and then I feel him slide closer, pushing his morning erection into me. I am wrapped in Doug, his front pressing into my back, his leg thrown over one of mine and tucked under the other. His face is buried in my neck, his arms wrapped around me. And as much as I would like to say, it is the best feeling in the world, which of course, in many ways it is, I am way too hot and I need the loo.

"Morning beautiful.” He breathes into my neck.

"Morning handsome, how did you sleep?”

"Like a baby. You?" He pushes his groin further into my arse.

"Really well, but you have to get off me before I spontaneously combust!” I croak, pushing back.

This doesn't have the effect I hoped it would, pushing my backside into Doug’s erection causes him to pull me tighter.

"Seriously, way too hot over here.”

"I know that, you don't need to tell me!" he laughs.

“Doug, I am too hot. Don’t make me knee you in the balls.” I am struggling to get free, which makes me even hotter.

“I have the perfect solution.” He releases me, flipping me onto my back and straddling my hips. His erection it resting on my tummy and his eyes are dark and hooded.

“Cooler?” He asks, moving a little up my body so his cock it resting in between my breasts.

“Funnily enough, no!” I buck my hips trying to throw him off. It’s an impossible task. He is pure man and solid muscle.

“Sophie, I have a problem. I need help with.” he leans down so he is whispering in my ear. “Do you want to help me…?”

“O....kay...” He moves slightly, nuzzling his nose against mine.

“Do you want to suck my cock, Sophie?” He pushes his erection into me.

I’m taken by surprise and turned on by his filthy mouth, both at the same time. I bite my lower lip and close my eyes. Nodding my head, Doug slowly moves higher up my body, an idea pops into my head and I look up at him.

“Wait.” Reaching down, I cup both of my breasts and push them together, squeezing Doug’s cock in-between them.

“Fuck these first. Then I’ll suck you.” A visible shudder runs through him at my words and his eyes darken a little more.

“Your mouth is getting filthy, Miss Bennett.” he tells me, running his thumb over my bottom lip.

“Are you complaining?” I raise my eyebrows at him, knowing full well he loves it.

“No, merely pointing it out.”

Not taking his eyes off of mine, he begins to thrust himself between my breasts, each thrust moves me up the bed a little and brings his cock closer to my mouth. Leaning down, I lick the tip making him throw his head back. Deciding I’ve had enough of this teasing, needing him in my mouth, I release my breasts getting his attention.

“Mouth.” He shifts closer and slips his cock into my mouth. Sucking hard I take him all the way into my mouth.