A/N Another apology...I have a stack of excuses for the delay...all of them genuine, but let's get on with this. Hope you enjoy, x

Chapter Forty Three

They couldn't tear themselves apart; lying on the sofa for far too long, but for Oscar is was perfect, he had shown her how he felt, in the only way he knew how. And then she'd rolled herself on top of him and taken control, joining them together once more, lowering herself slowly onto him, and teasing him with her eyes as well as her body.

He was exhausted, both physically and emotionally. But not so much that he couldn't scoop up her tired form and carry her upstairs.

"I'm too heavy!" She protested, as soon as she realised what he was doing. But he shook his head, because it was nonsense.

"I like doing things for you; you rarely let me...so I'll do this."

Lizzie rolled her eyes, but he found it quite adorable, curled up in his arms, looking so natural, so beautiful. He had barely climbed a few steps and he was hard for her again. But she had that affect on him, he was a slave to her...he just needed her to realise it.

Or maybe show her.

That was his lasting thought as he lowered her to the mattress then curled up beside her.

"I'm not sleeping without you," he offered as some sort of explanation when she raised an eyebrow in question. Then when she slumped against the pillow uncomplaining he gave an almost grunt of victory.

She didn't flinch when he wrapped his arms around her, and in fact, she pushed her hips back into his, fitting snugly against his thighs.

"Are you doing that on purpose Miss?"

He felt her silent chuckle, then watched as she turned and coyly winked at him, it was his undoing, within moments he was on her again, kissing, touching, tasting, and wondering how the hell he was going to last all day without her.

"What have you got planned for today?"

Oscar almost blinked from the trance he was in watching Lizzie so efficiently manage about three tasks at once at breakfast the following morning. There was no awkwardness when they woke, despite him opening his eyes to find her bare breast right in front of his face. Somehow he's slid down the bed and was curled into her stomach, and so he'd woken to that glorious sight...and hadn't shirked the chance to secure his lips around her nipple. She'd woken with a squeal, a sound he wanted to hear every morning...

Now she was asking him questions.

"Have to work," he sighed, between chews as he reached for his coffee. "Though I'd rather stay here with you..."

Nodding slowly, meeting his lustful gaze over the top of Nate's bowed head full on, "hmm, one of us has to earn a living, and you are trying your best to assure that isn't me..."

"For the RIGHT reasons!" He cut in, his eyes wide.

She laughed, and he wanted to growl at her, she knew exactly which buttons to press, "so you say!"

"Lizzie."

She took the warning in her stride, still grinning, "only got your word for it!"

"I've given you a lot more than my word, Miss Breen, on several occasions just last night." That made her blush and he mouthed, "touché," at her.

Nate was fortunately oblivious.

"We need to clean your teeth before school," she placed a hand on his shoulder, but her eyes never left Oscar's. How could they cope with this every day? How could they function? She'd never lived in such emotional and hormonal chaos. It was exhausting and seemed to absorb all her time and thought. Life was still going on, the world was still turning, yet she was swamped in the depths of lust with her co parent and house mate.

Operation Clean Up Janis was in its final stage; Lizzie had emptied the last of the cupboards and had bagged her remaining clothes. Rather than take them to a charity shop, she called the local women's hostel. They were ecstatic when she explained the volume of clothing and the thirty pairs of shoes that she'd picked out as being in the best condition.

As she folded the clothes lovingly, she tried not to feel incredulous at the sheer volume of items. Janis had always been broke, always begged, stolen or borrowed from her 'wealthy' sister. Not that Lizzie had wealth, she was left with nothing. She didn't want to think ill of her sister, she was dead, Lizzie was having days, weeks and months with her sister's son, but she still couldn't completely get past the reality of all that she'd given to Janis, physically, emotionally and financially...every day. She had a happy care free life...and now she, herself, was left with debt, and nothing but sorrow.

Then she thought of Nate, and his father. They both brought her joy, happiness, and in Nate's case, unending love. She was truly the gifted one. Swiping at her tears, the one that were only ever a step away, she turned back to the task in hand, ending her sister's place on the earth. A tragic task and one that she was feeling anger over doing. What sort of a person was she?

It wasn't quite lunchtime when her phone beeped. She knew it would be Oscar, he rarely phoned during the working day.

"How's your day sexy?"

She felt heat sweep her cheeks at that greeting, he wasn't usually so flirtatious, and it was warming. But instead of gushing, she gave him a measured response...but one that she knew would make him smile.

"Who is this, please?"

She could almost hear him smiling at that. And it wasn't long before her phone flashed with a response.

"You knew EXACTLY who I was last night, young lady."

Again she blushed, biting her lip as she tried to think up a witty response. Beep. Another message appeared.

"See I was right, you ARE sexy, especially when you bite your lip like that."

That made her giggle; releasing her bottom lip as she thought to modify her response...then she re read it. He could see her? Looking up her eyes met those of Oscar, stood in the hallway watching her intently, his phone still in his hand.

"What are you doing here?"

She watched as he sighed, tucking the phone into his pocket, before he spoke, "you are too tempting to resist. I couldn't concentrate."

Lizzie pulled herself to her feet, and brushed her dusty hands along her thighs, "if I believed that I'd believe anything."

His face fell a little, "it's partly VERY true, but you're right, I've got to go to New York for at least three days, tomorrow."

She gasped at that, "so soon."

He nodded, "we knew this could...would happen."

Giving a slow nod, she acknowledged that, but it didn't make it an easier thought, they were just starting to work this out...and now he was leaving already. "When do you leave? Today?"

He shook his head, "tomorrow, early." She knew her face fell, and there was a warm smile that lit his, "will you miss me?"

Rather than acknowledge that, she gave a shrug, her eyes widening as he stepped towards her menacingly, "are you ever going to admit that you like me...even a little bit?"

The smile of response was lost into the warmth of his lips as he possessed hers thoroughly; forcing her back against the wall of what was now his bedroom. She melted in to his arms as he pinned her against the cold wall, his body pressed into the length of hers.

"What's this all about?" she managed to snap out between gasps for air, when his lips started to travel to her neck.

His responding laugh was a rumble against her throat, "we have a couple of hours...I want to spend it wisely."

"What about Nate?"

He murmured against her skin before propelling her in the direction of her bedroom, "like I say, we have a couple of hours."

Her surrender was a hungry growl as he kicked the door shut behind them.

"Come on lazy bones," Oscar tugged the duvet off Lizzie and she squealed with indignation. "We've got forty minutes, let's shower."

Despite her protests, he smiled as she pulled herself to her feet and padded across the bedroom after him. In the bathroom he had the shower on full, it wasn't a big cubicle, but it was big enough for him to lavish his attention on her delectable curves, soaping her lovingly, then washing her hair for her when she turned her back.

It felt a little clandestine, not having Nate around giving them more freedom than they were used to. But when she turned her hands on him, repaying his ministrations, he lost it, and devoured her again.

Later Lizzie was dragging her damp hair into a plait as they both ran out the door with minutes to spare, but they were on time to collect Nate...just.

"You wanna go out for some dinner?"

Nate chuckled, nodding his head; he loved the local pub where they had an indoor play area as well as his favourite meals on the menu. Oscar watched as he skipped along the road between them, unaware of the reason why he was being treated. He wasn't sure how the boy would take the news that he was leaving, he was trying not to think about it himself. He could call Lizzie, talk to her, tease her even, but Nate wasn't really old enough to have conversations with his father, and he had to rush the trip as much as he possibly could.

Lizzie had tucked Nate into bed, fast asleep so quickly, before she turned to find Oscar packing his case. They'd agreed that they would tell the little one over breakfast, rather than upsetting him before he went to sleep. But that didn't make it any easier for her, as she perched on the end of the bed in her sister's old room, watching him pack things into his small suitcase.

"Are you going to see Freya and Coop when you're home?" She hated that she seemed a cross between needy and jealous of him spending time with his own family, but she suddenly felt bereft.

Pausing, he shook his head, "no, I'm going straight to head office in Manhattan. I've not giving up time here to go back and see them."

It was exactly what she wanted to hear, but it also sounded scary, that he was prioritising her and Nate...and that was changing things, altering the depths of their relationship, and her fragile ego was struggling to deal with what that meant.

He was taking over everything, making her need him, and whilst that on the surface was what she wanted, but it also terrified her. For all her bad experiences, with cheating men, parents who didn't love her enough, and a sister who took her for granted...she wasn't sure she'd survive that destruction in her life of being let down again.

"What's up?"

He stopped what he was doing and came around the bed to take her hands, but she could only shrug, "I'm just worried about how quickly this is all moving."

Oscar stooped to plant a kiss on the top of her head, "I know that worries you...this is quick for me too. But it's different. I don't want you to think that this is me just embracing a readymade family."

She sighed, "I don't think that...not now."

Oscar's chuckle warmed her, "one day you'll trust me!"

She sighed, "I do, well more than I thought I could."

"That'll do for me!" He pulled her into his arms, tumbling them onto bed, landing on top of her, "in fact, it is far more I ever thought I'd get!"