Count On Me

Part Fifty Six

A/N Sorry once again for the delay, I've been on a trip and had hoped to tie this story up before I left.  Hope you're all ok, and haven't given up on me. A few more chapters to go, xxx

Chapter Fifty Six

Lizzie smiled as she watched Nate skip his counter across the board, he loved trying new board games, and this was no exception. A game where you had to move around the board without landing on a monster square was a game made perfectly for him. And as if to prove the point, it was something she'd done about five times. In the beginning, when they started playing board games, she'd wanted to let him win a few games, but over the last few months, he became better at the strategy of these more simple games and could beat her quite easily. Well, if she was distracted anyway, and she was distracted that afternoon.

As she threw a five and landed in the mouth of some sort of evil vulture, Nate squealed with delight and she obediently returned to the beginning.

They both heard a noise; Nate had been poised all evening, waiting for his father to come home. His eyes flicked to hers with glee, and before the door from the hallway opened, he was there throwing his arms around Oscar.

She watched as he scooped to pick up his son, burying his head into his hair closing his eyes as he inhaled the scent of Nate. It warmed her, but it worried her, there was a desperation in him that brought concern. He'd been gone all day, normally he was elaborate in his explanations, today he'd been more evasive, but she wasn't worried about that. Or rather she was trying not to be, she trusted him, it wasn't easy, but she did. He had a business to create and he was following every lead that he could find. That took time and effort...but in the back of her mind...she had that sick feeling...it was a gut instinct, and she couldn't get past it.

His head lifted and he opened his eyes, and the smile he gave her could only be described as grateful. She stood and walked towards him, "you ok?" He'd not come home looking this stressed before, and immediately that made her gut instinct more real.

Oscar nodded, freeing one arm to wrap around her, pulling her into their embrace, planting his lips on her head. "I am now. Just a long and weird day. Glad to be home."

"We waited on dinner...though we were only giving you another half an hour."

He grinned, and then jiggled Nate in his arms, "you were going to eat without me?"

"I'm hungry!"

Oscar grinned lowering him to the ground, "that is a good thing."

"Why don't you tell your Dad all about your day whilst I get dinner finished?"

Nate grinned, dragging his father by the hand to the table, and his school books.

She was in the kitchen draining the pasta to add to the carbonara sauce when she felt arms slide around her waist, and lips connect with the skin just below her ear.

"Nate's washing his hands."

Putting down the drained pasta, she turned in his arms, and let his lips find hers.

"That's what I need..." he murmured against her skin. It made her shudder with desire, and he chuckled against her cheek, "not just me, hey?"

She still hated opening herself up so obviously, even though he'd exposed his own heart so often, it took a moment for her to nod, "no it's not just you."

Oscar grinned, pressing her further into the hard work surface behind her, his hips flush against hers as his lips finally found hers once again. They were disturbed by the sound of Nate's feet racing down the stairs.