A Home for Lily (12 page)

“Stop, Logan.  Just calm down.”

“Asshole?”  Charles eyes widened but before
he could speak, Regina interrupted hurriedly.

“Mr. Anderson, we know that trying tobuy
the baby from Lily was the wrong thing to do and we’ve apologized to her for
it.  We just want to be a part of our granddaughter’s life.  That’s all.  We’re
not going to – “

“Buy the baby?”  Logan whispered.  He
turned back to look at Lily.  “They tried to buy your baby?”

“Logan, listen to me.  They – “

He shook his head and turned to glare at
the elderly couple.  “Get out of my house.  Right now.”

Regina gave Lily a frantic look.  “Lily,
please – “

“Get out of my house and don’t ever contact
Lily again.”  Logan’s voice was low and dangerously quiet and Regina gave
Charles a frightened look.

Charles took Regina’s arm.  “Let’s go,
Regina.”

“Charles – “

“I said, let’s go.”  Charles pulled her
firmly from the living room and when Lily tried to follow them, Logan grabbed
her arm.

“Let go of me, Logan.”  She hissed at him. 

He blinked in surprise and dropped her
arm.  He followed her into the hallway and they watched in silence as Charles
opened the door and pulled Regina outside.

“Lily, please call us.  Please.”  Regina
begged. 

Before Lily could reply, Logan stepped
around her and shut the door in their faces.  Breathing heavily, he stared at
Lily.  She was glaring at him and, without speaking, she turned and stomped
back into the living room.

He was two steps behind her and as she
gathered up Regina’s half-full tea cup he glared at her.  “Why didn’t you tell
me they tried to buy the baby?”

She slid past him and stalked into the
kitchen.  He followed her and leaned against the doorway, blocking her in the
kitchen.  “Lily?  I asked you a question.”

“I didn’t tell you because I didn’t think
it mattered.  I wasn’t going to sell the baby to them no matter what happened.”

“You still should have told me.”  He said
angrily.

“Why?”

“Why?  Because – because I…”

He trailed off and she arched her eyebrow
at him. 

“You had already given me a job and a place
to live.  Because of you, I didn’t even have to consider giving up my baby. 
Besides, you didn’t need to be dragged into my personal problems.  You’re my
employer, for heaven’s sake.”

“What did they want?”  He asked abruptly.

“They wanted to apologize for trying to buy
the baby and see if I would be willing to let them be a part of her life.”

“No.”  He said immediately.  “I don’t want
them anywhere near her.”

“It’s not your decision to make, Logan.” 
She said gently.

“Lily, are you crazy?  You can’t let them
near her.  Not after how their son treated you.  And especially not after they
tried to buy the baby!  Have you forgotten that they wouldn’t even let you live
in your own damn house?”

“I haven’t forgotten.”  She said quietly. 
“But they are her grandparents and I’m not sure that denying them or her the
right to be a part of each other’s life, is the correct thing to do.”

“Lily!”  He gave her a look of exasperation
and stepped forward to cup her arms.  “They don’t deserve to be anywhere near
her.  I know people like them.  They think they can buy whatever they want and
they don’t care who they trample or hurt to get it.”

“Logan, I know you’re just trying to help
but I – “

“You’re not to see them again, Lily.  Do
you understand?”

She froze and then carefully backed away
from him.  “Don’t you dare try and tell me what to do, Logan Anderson.”

He hesitated, his face flushing, and she
crossed her arms protectively over her belly.  “I spent years living under
Barry’s thumb and his rules, and I’ll never allow another man to treat me that
way.  Do
you
understand that?”

Hurt flooded through him.  “You think I’m
like Barry?”

“That isn’t what I said.  Don’t put words
in my mouth.”  She said angrily.  “I know you’re nothing like Barry but it
doesn’t mean that I’m going to allow you to dictate how I live my life.”

“I’m not trying to – “

“You are.”  She said firmly.  “You just
stood there and told me that I’m not allowed to see Barry’s parents.”

“I didn’t mean it that way.  I just – I
don’t want them near our baby.  Not after everything they’ve done to you.  How
can you trust them?”

She was giving him a strange look and his
face burned dully when she said, “Logan, she’s not
our
baby.  She’s my
baby, and you need to trust that I know what’s best for her and would never
allow anyone to hurt her.”

He stared mutely at her as she sighed and
rubbed at her forehead.  “I – I think that we need to take a step back, Logan. 
What happened a few nights ago was lovely and I enjoyed it very much but we
both know that this is a mistake.  You’re my employer and having a relationship
of a sexual nature is probably not the wisest move either of us could make.  In
a year Hazel will be in school and I’ll be out of a job and out of your life. 
It’s best if we maintain a strictly professional relationship from now on.  Do
you agree?”

“Is that what you want?”  He asked quietly.

She hesitated.  “It’s what’s best.”

“But is it what you want?”  He persisted.

“Please, Logan.  Don’t make this harder or
more complicated than it already is.  We both know – “

“Daddy!”  Hazel came flying into the
kitchen and Logan plastered a smile on his face and picked up the little girl.

“Hi, baby bug.  How was your nap?”

“Good.  I’m hungry.”  She kissed him on the
cheek and then grinned at Lily.

“Can I have pasta for dinner, Lily?”

Lily nodded.  “Yes.  Why don’t you take
your daddy into the living room and he’ll colour with you while I cook dinner.”

“Okay.”  Hazel smiled at Logan and he
hugged her tightly and, without looking at Lily, left the kitchen.

“Lily?  Will you tell me what’s wrong?” 
Janet asked gently.

Lily stared into her tea.  “Do you mean
other than the fact that I’m nearly a week overdue and I’m so uncomfortable and
my belly is so big I can barely fit through doors now?”

Janet laughed.  “Yes, other than that.”

Lily sighed, opened her mouth to tell Janet
everything was fine and found herself spilling out the entire story of Barry’s
parents and what had happened between her and Logan.

Ten minutes later, as she stared shamefully
at the table, she felt Janet’s hand grip hers.  “Lily, it’s alright.”

She looked around the busy coffee shop.  No
one was paying any attention to them and she gave Janet a miserable look,
hoping the tears weren’t about to start flowing down her face.  “I’m so stupid,
Janet.”

“No, you’re not.  I told you before, there
isn’t anything wrong with being attracted to Logan.”

Lily laughed humorlessly.  “No, nothing
wrong with it at all.  Except that he’s my employer and if I lose this job I’ll
be homeless and penniless with a baby to support.”

“Do you believe Barry’s parents really do
just want to be in the baby’s life?”  Janet asked suddenly.

Lily mulled it over.  “Yes.  I’ve never
seen Regina like that and even Charles seemed much more…subdued than he
normally is.”

“Then I think allowing them to be in her
life is the right thing to do.”  Janet replied.

“You do?”

“I do.”  Janet said firmly.  “Of course,
I’m a firm believer that children should have lots of family around to help
guide them and love them so take my advice with a grain of salt.”

“Logan doesn’t want them anywhere near
her.”

Janet smiled.  “Logan cares for you.  It
makes him protective of both you and the baby, and I understand why he doesn’t
want them near either of you.”

Lily frowned.  “Logan only cares for me
because he has a white knight complex and he believes I need saving.”

Janet shrugged.  “I don’t think that’s
true, Lily.”

“It is.”  She insisted.  “Why else would he
be attracted to me?”

Janet frowned at her.  “Because you’re
gorgeous and sweet and good to him.  Not to mention excellent with Hazel. 
Hazel loves you, that’s plain to see, and just from watching you with her I
know you’ll make an excellent mother.”

Lily blushed a little.  “Thanks, Janet.  I
love Hazel too.”

“I know you do, honey.”  Janet smiled at
her.  “Logan does care for you, and I believe it’s more than just a stupid
white knight complex, but you’re right in that it doesn’t mean he can tell you
what to do with the baby.  You have to make that decision for yourself, and if
you want Barry’s parents to be a part of her life then they should be.  Don’t
let Logan’s personal feelings cloud your judgment.”

“I won’t.”  Lily said firmly.

Janet took a sip of her coffee.  “Now, how
do you feel about Logan?”

“I – what?”

Janet grinned.  “How do you feel about
Logan?  Do you love him?”

“I – I don’t know.  I care about him and I
–“ she stopped as she felt the familiar heat in her face and cheeks, “I want
him desperately.  It’s all I can think about, which is ridiculous because I
told him that I wanted it to be a strictly working relationship and for the
last month he’s done just that.”

She sighed deeply before sipping at her
tea.  Janet was giving her a sympathetic look and Lily swallowed heavily. 
“Every night I lay in my bed and think about going to Logan’s room.  What kind
of person does that make me?  I tell him one thing yet inside I’m wishing
desperately I’d never asked him to stay away from me.”

Janet smiled at her.  “People change their
minds all the time, Lily.  I’m sure if you went to Logan and – “

Lily shook her head.  “It’s been a month
and he hasn’t touched or looked at me like he has any interest.  He’s – he’s
not attracted to me anymore.  I can’t blame him.  I look like I swallowed a
beach ball.”

Janet laughed so hard that the people at
the table next to theirs glanced over.  Lily flushed.  “It’s true.”

Janet shook her head.  “Logan is still
attracted to you, trust me.  The other night when you guys were over for
dinner, he couldn’t keep his eyes off of you.  And I lost track of how many
times he stopped himself from touching you.”

Lily frowned.  “I didn’t notice.”

“Of course you didn’t.  You’re about to
give birth, you’re tired and sore, and Logan makes damn sure you’re not looking
when he’s watching you.”

Lily rubbed at her swollen belly.  “What I
need to do is stop thinking about sex with Logan and start thinking about
getting this kid out of me.  The doctor said she wanted to wait at least three
more days after I was a week overdue before she’d consider inducing me.  That’s
almost five more days.  I’m not sure I can go five more days.”

Janet grinned brightly at her.  “I have the
perfect solution.”

Lily gave her a suspicious look.  “Oh
yeah?  What’s that?”

“Sex with Logan.”

Lily, taking a sip of tea, coughed and
sputtered.  Janet leaned over and thumped her firmly on the back. 

“Okay?”

“Yeah.”  Lily coughed again.  “Although I’d
like to know how sex with Logan is going to result in this baby making her
grand entrance.”

Janet laughed.  “Seriously?  You’ve never
heard that having sex can bring on labour when you’re close to your due date?”

Lily shook her head.  “No.  Are you just
making this up because you know how much I want to sleep with Logan?”

“No, I swear I’m not.”  Janet snickered. 
“I was three days overdue with Nicole and the night before I went into labour,
Rob and I had sex like three times.  The very next morning – bam, I was in
labour and Nicole was born not two hours later.”

“Seriously?”  Lily said doubtfully.

“Hand to God.”  Janet said solemnly.  “Some
women say that walking up and down stairs can help, but why do that when you
can be having orgasms left and right?  Seems like a no-brainer to me.  I told
you that pregnancy sex is the best sex ever right?”

“You did.”  Lily couldn’t help but laugh.

“You had an orgasm with Logan.  Was it
super awesome, or what?”  Janet asked cheerfully.

Lily turned bright red and Janet laughed
and squeezed her arm.  “I’m sorry, honey.  I sometimes forget that not everyone
is as open about their sex life as I am about mine.”

* * *

Logan stepped out of the shower and
towelled himself dry before pulling on a pair of shorts.  He wandered into his
bedroom and stared out the window into the darkness.  He was feeling restless
and grumpy and he was almost relieved to be going to work tomorrow.  The last
four days with Lily had been hell.

It felt like every day it got harder and
harder to keep his hands to himself.  He wanted Lily desperately and even though
she had made it perfectly clear that she wanted just a working relationship, he
wasn’t sure how much longer he could live in the same house without touching
her, kissing her, and making her his.

He sighed and shut the bedside lamp off,
plunging the room into darkness.  He pulled the quilt and the sheet back and
then paused, cocking his head curiously.  He could hear a faint rhythmic
thumping noise and, every thirty seconds or so, the tell-tale squeak of the
fourth stair.  He waited for a few more moments and when it continued, crossed
the bedroom and stepped curiously into the hallway.

He grunted softly in surprise.  Lily, her
head down and her dark hair hanging in her face, was climbing determinedly up
and down the stairs.  He watched as she disappeared down the staircase in to
the darkness and then, a few seconds later, reappeared.  She was wearing a thin
tank top and her pale pink shorts and he stared at her breasts and her slender
legs before clearing his throat.

“Lily?  It’s late.  What are you doing?”

She didn’t look up.  “Climbing stairs.”

“Why?”

She sighed.  “Because Janet mentioned that
climbing stairs repeatedly could bring on labour.”

“I don’t think it’s good for your leg,
Lily.”

She didn’t reply and before she could turn
and stomp back down the stairs, he grabbed her arm lightly.  “Stop,
sweetheart.  You’re going to hurt your leg.”

She finally looked at him.  “I need this
baby out, Logan.  Do you hear me?  I can’t…”

She trailed off as she looked him up and
down.  He felt a small thrill go through him when her gaze met his and he could
clearly see lust in her eyes.  He had decided in the last month that she was no
longer attracted to him, and to see her need for him now had him ready to carry
her off to his bed.  He took a deep breath as she joined him at the top of the
staircase and stared at his naked chest. 

“Why are you half-naked?”  She asked almost
angrily.

“I just got out of the shower.”  He wanted
to touch her but he kept his hands clenched at his sides.

She reached out with a trembling hand and
rubbed her fingers across his chest.  He caught his breath, his cock hardening
immediately in his shorts, and moaned lightly.

“I’m sorry.”  She whispered.

“Sorry for what?”  He grunted.

“For touching you.”  She continued to
stroke her fingers across his chest.  “I told you we could only have a working
relationship and here I am, touching you.”

“I don’t mind.”  He said hoarsely.

She gave him a searching look.  “Do you
still want me, Logan?”

“Yes.”

She sighed.  “I still want you too.”

She dropped her hand and disappointment
flooded through him.  She stared at the floor and then said something so
unexpected, he could only stare at her.

“Janet says that having sex can bring on
labour.”

When he didn’t say anything, she sighed
again.  “It’s probably not true, anyway.  Good night, Logan.”

She started to walk away and he caught her
arm.  “Lily, wait.”

She turned to look at him.  Her face was
flushed and he could see the hard outline of her nipples against her shirt. 
His cock swelled in response and he took a deep breath.

“I know you said this should be a working
relationship only and I – I agree.  But if you wanted to um, try and induce
labour, I’d be more than happy to help you with that.”

She bit her bottom lip and he hurried on. 
“It can be just a one-time thing, Lily.  I won’t expect anything from you after
tonight.”

He wondered if his desperation was as
apparent to her as it was to him.  He was so anxious to have her in his bed, to
feel her warmth sliding down over him, that he would take whatever she was
willing to give him.  Even if it was only one night and only because she was
desperate to go into labour.

“I don’t want to just use you, Logan.”  She
whispered.

“I don’t mind.”  He repeated.  “I want to
help you, Lily.  Let me.”

She hesitated and then reached out and
touched his chest again.  “I want you so badly, Logan.” 

His heart thumping in his chest, he put his
arm around her waist and drew her up against him.  “I want you too, Lily.”  He
bent his head and kissed her throat.  She moaned, her fingers digging into his
chest and then turned her face towards him.  He kissed her lightly, almost
hesitantly, and then groaned loudly when she immediately pushed her tongue into
his mouth.  He sucked on it and she pressed herself against him as he reached around
her and squeezed her ass.

“Just this one time.  Okay, Logan?”  She
whispered when he released her mouth.

“Okay.”  Afraid she would change her mind,
he bent and scooped her up and she gave a soft squeak of surprise.

He grinned at her and carried her into his
bedroom, shutting the door behind them with his foot before crossing the room
and setting her down gently next to the bed.  He kissed her again, threading
his fingers through her hair to hold her head firmly as he forced her mouth
open wide so he could explore its warmth.  She returned his kisses eagerly, her
hands running over his back as he grabbed the hem of her tank top.

She lifted her arms and he pulled it over
her head and dropped it to the floor before cupping one breast.  He ran his
thumb over her hard nipple and then bent his head, sucking it into his mouth
and tracing it lightly with the tip of his tongue.

She gasped with pleasure, her hands moving
restlessly through his hair as he sucked and licked, switching from one nipple
to the other until she was moaning breathlessly and making soft pleading noises
under her breath.

He slid his hands down over her hips and
eased her panties down her legs.  She stepped out of them and reached for the
waistband of his shorts.  He helped her take them off and she stared with
delight at his erection.  She reached out and took him into her hand, rubbing
her thumb over the tip.  He groaned loudly and thrust his hips against her.