Count On Me

Part Twenty Three

A/N Another apology, been a little unwell. Better now. Not sure you'll all like chapter, but promise this is a turning point of sorts, enjoy if you can, xxx

Chapter Twenty Three

Lizzie was glad of the separation from Oscar that night. After a reunion with his sister and family, which Nate loved, Lizzie had escaped quite gladly. It was late, and Nate was asleep before his head hit the pillow. As she watched him sleep, she sighed. He'd taken the loss of his mother so well, and she wondered how things would have been if Oscar hadn't turned up like a whirlwind.

He'd made the loss so much more palatable for the boy, and that was a good thing, but he was just so overpowering. She thought back to the previous night, that kiss. She almost swooned. It had taken more than her breath away. And now he was trying to convince her that his relationship with Krystal was over.

Lizzie hadn't met her, but Freya had been quick to express her dislike, and now Oscar was trying to convince her that they weren't together. Cheating was one of her biggest hates, after walking in on her college boyfriend in bed with the most glamorous girl in their class, she realised exactly how painful that was for anyone, if she'd doubted it before.

And until they sat on the plane and he told her it was over with Krystal, she'd had the sickening fear that she'd been on the brink of doing what someone else had done with her. Being the other woman. And she hated herself. It had only been a kiss, but there was no saying it was going to end at that. They'd been play-fighting, it wasn't as if either of them had planned to end up as they had, wrapped around each other on the sofa. But when they did...it was like fire between them.

She'd spent the day convincing herself that it was a mistake, that it would never happen again...but his words had changed that. He told her he couldn't stop thinking about it...and neither could she. This was purgatory.

Again she glanced across at Nate, he was sleeping in his half of the big bed, she'd enjoyed having him in the same bed since they'd been in the US, largely because it made her feel that she was closer to her sister with him in her arms, cuddling her. Eased the guilt in her own mind.

But there were other reasons that she was glad he was with her, especially when there was a knock at the door.

Taking a deep breath she crossed the lounge, to open the front door, and as predicted Oscar stood there, his head dropped but his eyes on her as he gave her a coy smile.

"Wanted to check on how you guys are."

She was really tempted to stop him there, block his way in, but she couldn't do that, plus the deep inner part of her wanted to spend time with him, even though she hated that. He had something to say, he'd told her as much on the plane, and she'd tried to avoid it, but now there was no way to hide.

Stepping back she offered him inside, "we're good...Nate was asleep before his head hit the pillow."

He glanced across the room to see the boy fast asleep, his chunky fist under his cheek, face relaxed in deep sleep.

"He's beautiful," she offered.

That made him look up and stare at her for a moment, "I feel like the luckiest man alive."

Lizzie grinned, "me too...he makes every day happy for me."

Oscar sighed, "are you ok, with me moving in?"

She gulped at that, then offered, "you could ask me on a date first!"

It stunned him, but then it had stunned her too. She wasn't flirtatious, anything but, yet it was almost instinctive that she responded to the double entendre in his question. Instead of smiling, she grimaced at the awkwardness, but Oscar burst into a deep belly laugh.