Live-In Position (65 page)

“Victoria,” I panted. He groaned and placed his forehead to my chest.

“It’s just as well because I need to discuss something with you.” I nodded for him to continue. “The detective has found nothing but a trail for Grace.”

“Still?”

He nodded. “Yes, so I had my lawyer petition the court for sole custody.”

“They’ll have to agree with Grace just disappearing again.”

He looked worried and that confused me. “Yes,” he forced a smile, “however, they want to meet with Victoria again, and you.”

“That’s not a problem.” I brushed his hair from his forehead.

“I want to make a petition for you to have parental rights to Victoria,” he continued.

“But how…I mean that’s not possible without—”

“If Grace doesn’t return, or is gone for a period of time, then it can happen. You wouldn’t be able to adopt her until we can get Grace deemed unfit and prove she abandoned Victoria.” I saw the hard swallow he took. “Victoria would have to be aware of being called an abandoned child.”

My eyes widened, but I fought to keep my feelings under control.

“Well, we would just need to talk with her first.”

“You are so fucking perfect.” He began kissing me again.

“Victoria,” I panted.

“Won’t hear any—”

“Is behind you.” I pulled away and blushed. Victoria giggled loudly and climbed onto a stool.

“What’s for dinner?”

A WEEK LATER we sat in the courtroom. The judge went over the motions, affidavits, witness statements, and police reports with the parties. Collin’s petition for sole custody would be granted, but the judge postponed our petition for my adoption of Victoria. Papers needed to be sent out with ample time given for Grace to respond.

Meeting Victoria in the hallway after the hearing made my heart leap. She was as cheerful as ever. I took her hand, and we began to walk back to the main lobby of the courthouse.

“How about some ice cream?” I raised my eyebrows.

“Really? Can we?” She developed a bounce in her step. Somewhere in the background a baby wailed loudly.

“Definitely,” I smiled.

Collin froze next to me. I stopped and looked to him. His eyes were focused across the room. I followed his glare. Dominic.

Dominic approached with an infant carrier. The source of the crying was the small newborn inside. The poor baby’s face flushed red. My heart broke for the child.

“What do you want?” Collin’s eyes darted from the baby, back to Dominic.

“Is Grace here?”

“What? No, she isn’t here. No one can find her or has seen her. Apparently, you‘ve seen her?”

“Look, she showed up a week ago with this baby, okay?”

“Why didn’t you tell anyone? You knew we were looking for her.” Collin was starting to yell. I placed a hand on his arm to calm him. Victoria buried into my side.

“She just showed up, Collin. Claiming this kid was mine. She said she didn’t have anywhere else to go.” Dominic tried to put a pacifier into the baby’s mouth unsuccessfully. “I told her she could stay until I got a DNA test, but two days ago I got home from work and she was gone.”

“She just left the baby there alone?” I gasped.

My instincts took over. I reached for the baby and removed him from the seat. Holding him against my chest I patted and rocked him until he calmed.

“I haven’t been able to get him quiet all fucking day.” Dominic exhaled and rubbed his tired face.

“Where did she go?” Collin continued questioning.

“I don’t know. I got home from my shift and there was this middle-aged woman on my couch with the baby sleeping in her arms. All she said was that Grace hired her so she could run errands and said I would pay her for the day. She hasn’t contacted you at all?”

“No.” Collin shook his head, running his hand through his hair.

He turned his eyes to me and gave me a disapproving look. Victoria was still hiding in my side.

“I don’t know what the hell I’m going to do with him,” Dominic said. “Christ, she just shows up and throws me an infant, claiming he’s mine. She even fucking named him after me, calls him Dom.” His humorless laugh was a little eerie.

“Why don’t you let us take him while you look for her? Come over this evening and—” Collin’s red face stopped me from finishing.

“We are NOT taking that child home.” He pulled the baby from my arms and thrust him back into Dominic’s. “I will not get involved.”

I found myself suddenly angry. Grabbing Victoria’s hand, I walked away from them. Collin called after me, but I needed to cool off. He met us at the car, but we didn’t speak, not even after he pulled out of the parking space. It was Victoria who broke the silence.

“Was that my baby brother?” Tears formed in my eyes and I wiped at my face.

“Yes,” Collin answered.

“Grace left him too, huh?”

I wanted to strangle that no good woman with my bare hands.

“Yes,” he answered again. I narrowed my eyes at him. He refused to look at me.

“Can’t Sophia be his mommy, too?”

There was no stopping the tears now. I felt so bad for the baby. He did nothing to deserve a shitty mother who abandons her offspring. He especially didn’t deserve suffering with Dominic’s lack of parenting skills. Collin simply sighed.

“That’s not how it works, Victoria.” His tone softened.

“But—”

“Sophia is with us, not with them,” Collin finished.

“Does that make him my daddy too?”

“No,” Collin and I answered in unison.

“But he won’t have a mommy?” There was a whimper in her voice.

“Collin, please, can’t we just help that poor baby?” I gripped his thigh.

“He isn’t our concern,” he growled. “Do you really want to get involved in all of that?” Briefly, his eyes turned to look at my teary face. “We have our own children to worry about.”

“I don’t want to keep the baby, but we can help until he finds a good nanny or whatever he decides,” I hiccupped.

He looked at me one more time and sighed heavily. “I’ll give him a call when we get home, but this will not be permanent. I need you to relax, not become more stressed.”

Leaning over, I kissed his cheek. “This is helping me relax. I would be so worried if we didn’t help.”

“I don’t like this at all,” Collin grumbled, keeping his eyes on the road.

“I’ll make you feel better later,” I whispered into his ear before sitting back and speaking louder. “This way Victoria can get to know her little brother.” Before turning to look at her, I saw a small grin on Collin’s face.

That evening Collin contacted Dominic, offering him our help with Dom and providing him the information for the Nanny Poppins Service along with a few names I had suggested. That night I gave Collin one intense evening of gratitude. No longer comfortable in the Catwoman suit, I wore a tiny nurse’s outfit I’d been saving and made sure to only refer to him as Dr. Bishop. He seemed to enjoy it immensely.

Dom was at our house during the day for a week before Dominic hired a tiny blonde, Kenly, from the nanny service. His last request was that I would spend a day with Kenly and the baby, just to help her get familiar with the baby. Collin was relieved that I was no longer concerned with taking care of Dom, but I did make sure Kenly understood that she could call me any time, as well as visit often. Dom was Victoria’s brother after all.

SITTING AT MY laptop going through a multitude of emails, my cell phone vibrated across the wooden surface of the desk.

“He’s here!” I recognized Benji’s voice immediately.

“Oh, that’s wonderful. How are they?”

“They’re fantastic,” he boasted. “Rand did so good, Soph, she was amazing, and the baby, Jack, is so perfect.”

“You named him Jack?” I rubbed my slightly bloated belly. “I’m so happy for you guys.”

“Thanks, Soph. I would love to chat, but I have so many people to call while Rand is asleep.”

“Okay, tell her I love her. Congratulations! Have her call me when she feels up to it.”

“Will do. Bye, Sophia.”

“Bye.” I set the phone back on the base.

I closed my laptop and opened my calendar book to the current week. I read through my scheduled events—dance class, karate, a dinner party with Collin’s mentor, lunch with Ilene and Larissa, dinner with Juliet and Connor, phone meeting with my publisher. The list seemed to go on and on. With a heavy sigh, I closed the book and grabbed a stack of folders I’d been avoiding.

Sitting in the middle of the bed, I spread the folders out around me. Collin convinced me to fill out the Request and Requirements form and mail it off to an agency, to get possible applicants for a personal assistant. I had completed it and received multiple faxes in response. I got as far as sticking them in folders and stacking them on my desk. With the weight of my calendar growing, I finally resigned to look them over.

I needed someone who would help me with dinner invites, traveling arrangements, organizational and time management skills, as well as someone who was decent with children. Because, let’s face it, I would most likely need the help after the baby arrived, and Collin’s schedule was even worse than mine. Opening the first folder, I began to review.

Amidst my reading, I started to get lost in my own thoughts, thinking back to my interview with the overpowering Dr. Bishop. In the beginning I thought this type of lifestyle would be my breaking point, and I would end up walking out, but I had more than prevailed. And in the process, I had gained so much. This nanny position had grown into something I never could have imagined.

I had a beautiful little red-haired girl who could melt my heart with one look, a baby on the way, and a husband who worshipped me. To add to the euphoria, I was well on my way in my long time career goal. My book was selling at an unexpected rate, and parents and children alike seemed to enjoy it. It seemed I was getting it all.

Would hiring an assistant be my first step as Mrs. Doctor Collin Bishop, prominent wife and mother of two?

E
pilogue

SITTING IN THE recently remodeled spare room, which was now my personal office, I looked up over my laptop as my beautiful ten-year-old daughter slowly walked her two-year-old sister through the door.

Kaitlin Arabella Bishop, Katie, arrived two weeks past my due date at eight pounds, ten ounces and twenty-one inches long. At birth she resembled Collin. Since then the resemblance had only grown stronger. Her green eyes and coppery hair could only be matched in beauty by her daddy’s.

“What are you two up to?” I grinned as they entered my room.

“We missed you,” Victoria smiled and then dropped her head to Katie. “Didn’t we?” she cooed to her living doll.

Victoria had taken on the role of doting and helpful big sister although she did disappear on me during those colicky months. If it hadn’t been for Steph, my assistant/live-in nanny, I don’t know how I would’ve survived. Between a screaming baby, Victoria’s schedule, Collin’s traveling, and my book tour, I could have easily lost my mind.

The gurgled “mum” falling from Katie’s lips made me smile wider. Pushing up from my seat, I rounded my desk and lifted the mini-Collin into my arms. Her chubby arms wrapped around my neck, and her head rested on my shoulder.

“I’m done for the morning. Come on,” I stretched my hand out to Victoria, “we should start getting you two ready.”

Together we walked to Victoria’s room. Releasing my hand, she ran directly to her closet and pulled out the white and dark mauve gown.

“I’m so excited to be in the wedding,” she squealed on her way toward her bed.

“The dresses are so freaking cute.” Steph’s voice alerted us to her arrival in the room. She looked to me first. “Do you want me to take her?” Her arms stretched out toward a half-asleep Katie.

I shook my head. “No, it’s nice to hold her.”

“Just don’t let—”

“Sophia,” Collin’s worried voice caused me to turn toward him standing in Victoria’s open doorway. “You shouldn’t be carrying her around.”

“Collin.” My firm warning tone was accentuated with one raised eyebrow.

“Overbearing again?” His concern shifted to the look of a scolded boy within milliseconds. I couldn’t help but smile at him. “I’m sorry.” It only took a few steps to close the gap between us. “I just want to make sure you and the baby are okay.” His lips pressed to my forehead as his long fingers stretched over my newly developing baby bump.

“I have already told you it is perfectly safe for me to pick up and hold Katie. You know, as a doctor and a dad of two, you should really know this by now.” The left side of my mouth rose in amusement.

“As a doctor, I’m well aware of the dos and don’ts, however, when the love of my life and our children are concerned, awareness is null and void.” He pressed his lips to Katie’s forehead.

Her eyes opened and blinked slowly before fully focusing on Collin. “Dahey.” Katie reached out for her father and he quickly cuddled her to his strong chest.

Having been with Collin for three years, I’ve had him in the most intimate of ways, but to see him holding our daughter, watching him take on the role of protector and caregiver always made my insides melt. When he looked to me and winked, my thighs ignited and he knew it. Sometimes I think his desire to have another baby so quickly was simply because of the horny side effect. It took a moment to bring my thoughts back to the present task—getting ready for this evening. I walked over to Victoria.

“Let’s see, we need to pull your hair up on your head and place the tiara right about here, right?” My fingers were pressing onto her head about two inches from her hairline.

“Yep.” The excitement in her eyes was infectious. I leaned forward and kissed her head before sending her off to shower.

“I can take Katie to lie down for a bit before we get her dressed,” Steph offered.

“I’ll carry her in.” Collin walked the sleepy girl toward her room with Steph following close behind. I took the opportunity to shower.

Shaving my legs with a swollen stomach, even if it wasn’t very large yet, was difficult and I cursed myself for not going to get them waxed last week. Just as I moved into my flamingo position, Collin’s naked body wrapped around me.

“Damn it, Collin,” I yelled. “I have a razor,” I looked up at him, “Are you trying to make me cut myself?”

“I think we both know the last thing I want is for harm to come to you.” A familiar smolder burned in his green eyes. I began to push space between us.

“Collin, we have to get ready and I still need to shave my legs.” With one arm stretched out in front of him, he pressed forward until my back was against the wall.

“Give me the razor.” He must have thought I was crazy. There was no way I was going to let him shave my legs. “Don’t give me that look,” he smiled, “trust me.”

Hesitantly, I handed over the razor. With my back against the wall, I gasped when he moved to his knees before me. Taking one of my legs, he applied the shaving lotion before slowly and precisely following the curve of my leg with the razor. Never had I thought this would be such a turn-on, but hot damn it was erotic.

The way his long fingers slid across my skin and the delicate way he moved the razor filled my body with desire. Heat spread across my chest and face, embarrassed with myself for getting so worked up. When he finished and looked up, still on his knees, I saw my lust reflected back in his eyes.

After making time for a lovely shower rendezvous, we both dressed for the evening. Collin’s black suit was cut perfectly for his broad shoulders. I found myself trying to prevent my hands from stripping him down and hiking my dress up.

Knowing we couldn’t be late, I took one last look in the mirror. The gray satin, empire waist dress was comfortable and complimented my current figure. With his hand placed on my lower back, Collin walked me out of our bedroom toward our girls’ rooms. His hand slipped down over my ass just as I entered Victoria’s room.
God, I love him.

“Do you need help with anything?” I called out and sat my purse on top of her dresser.

“Nope, I got it.” Victoria stepped out in a fluffy white gown with layers of light mauve tulle around her waist and a large dark mauve satin bow tied in the front. Her hair was pulled up into a high bun and the tiara fit perfectly. A tear formed in my eye as I looked her over.

“You look beautiful.” Collin voiced what I couldn’t say without bursting into tears.

“Thank you, Daddy.” She smiled proudly.

Victoria and Collin had only gotten closer as the years passed. Every month for the past year, Collin took Victoria on a “daddy-daughter” date. It was always just the two of them and it usually lasted for a minimum of four hours. They had become the best of friends.

“Mum.”

We all turned as Steph walked Katie into Victoria’s room. She wore the same dress as Victoria, minus the tiara. Victoria pushed by us and was the first to reach her sister.

“Look at you, Katie, you look like a princess.” Victoria kissed her head.

“We match.” Katie giggled at the big sister she adored.

“Okay, ladies, we need to get going,” Collin announced while rubbing his hands together. “Steph, are you ready or did you need more time?”

“No, I’m good. I’ll go grab the diaper bag.”

Steph headed to Katie’s room while we went down the stairs, Collin carrying Katie. We slipped into our coats and made last minute checks to ensure we weren’t forgetting anything. Collin escorted all of “his ladies” to the car and we were off.

As soon as we arrived to the NHS Hall of the Seattle Botanical Gardens, I took in the beauty. The gardens were lit with warm yellow lighting, and the stone walkway was filled with the smell of fragrant exotic plant life. Allison had really done a lovely job finding the location for the wedding. Inside there were enough round tables to seat at least twohundred fifty people, and probably more. Allison, dressed in a long dark mauve dress, approached us quickly.

“I need the girls to come to the back room with me.”

Victoria quickly took Katie from Collin and walked toward Allison.

“Maybe I should tag along.” I stepped forward, but Steph’s hand stopped me.

“Go sit. I’ll help with the girls.”

“Thank you, Steph,” Collin answered before I could. Placing his hand on my lower back he guided me through the double doors and into the room of round tables.

The flowers and plants decorating the hall were amazing. Tea lights surrounded the centerpieces, and candelabras lined the walls. It was so simple, elegant, and intimate. Excitement for the evening built into a thousand butterflies. Looking to the front of the room, my eyes settled on the arch of creeping ivy. Just then, Larissa caught sight of us and waved us to a table in the front.

As we made our way through the mostly filled tables, I caught sight of Dominic. My brow furrowed briefly wondering why he was here, but then I saw Kenly seated two seats from him with little Dom on her lap. The moment I made eye contact with her I smiled.

Dominic hadn’t had much luck where Grace was concerned. The DNA test proved Dom was his, and for a couple of months, I thought Dominic wasn’t going to be able to handle it, especially when Grace resurfaced, begging to be with her son. It lasted only a month before she disappeared again in the middle of the night.

The last we heard of Grace, she was living in Hollywood with an up-and-coming photographer. Collin had gotten in touch with her long enough to demand she sign away her rights to Victoria. In true Grace fashion, it took money for her to comply with our wishes. The moment her maternal rights were officially terminated, we filed a petition for adoption. When everything was finalized, we celebrated with a four-day weekend at Whidbey Island, just the four of us.

As for Dominic, he couldn’t get Grace to relinquish anything, but my concern with his handle on his child was completely misplaced. Dominic was a very attentive and active father. Baby Dom came first and foremost in his life, although in defense of my apprehension, he did like the appeal his son had on women. He had even referred to him as unmatchable foreplay for women. I didn’t exactly appreciate his remark, but I also didn’t expect any less from him in that area.

Kenly had been an amazing addition to his household. She was fantastic with the baby and held no intimate interest in Dominic, a huge blow to his ego until he met her girlfriend. She was perfect for a live-in nanny in his house.

Reaching our table, Larissa immediately began rubbing my baby bump before touching her own belly. My eyes widened in question. She shrugged.

“We‘ve started trying again.” A smile crept over her face.

“I’m so happy for you.” We embraced.

Soft music began and the guests moved into their seats. A woman in a long robe stepped up to the archway with a smile on her face and a book in her hand.

“Welcome, friends and family, please take your seats.”

Collin pulled out my chair and I settled in next to Ilene. Drake, her romantic interest, was on her right with his arm around the back of her chair. They were still an unusual pair, but it seemed to work for them. Collin’s hand on my knee pulled my attention to him. He scooted his chair closer to mine, just as a string quartet walked through the crowd playing soft string music.

Once they reached their places at the front of the room, the song changed. Doors opening at the back of the room made everyone turn in their seats. Victoria walked through holding Katie’s hand as they tossed rose petals down the aisle. Tears welled in my eyes. Collin handed me his handkerchief.

Allison entered with her daughter, Lucy. Lucy was the polar opposite of the twins – shy, quiet, and subdued. I wasn’t sure where those traits came from because neither Allison nor Jonathan displayed those tendencies. Briefly I scanned the room, checking to see if Jonathan was in attendance. I was sure he was somewhere in the room, given the obsessive nature he had developed, constantly trying to win Allison back after the birth of their daughter.