Looking over at Bill on the couch "Thank you for putting Kelly down. Tonight's been a really nice night, we should probably talk about things though." Walking over to sit beside Bill on the couch, he pulled her onto his lap, wrapping her arms around him. Slightly giggling she asks "Bill, did you give Kelly a bath or did Kelly bath you?"

Smiling and locking down at his shirt "Technically, I think Kelly bathed the whole bathroom."

"I'm fairly sure I have a dry t-shirt around here" running her fingers across the top.

As she started to undo the buttons "Or I could just loose the top all together", placing her hand on his, "Bill, we probably should talk" the light heartedness of her tone had dissipated.

Taking his hands off his shirt buttons and resting it on her lower back "So top staying on then."

"For the moment" smirking at him, "but seriously we probably should talk." As she went to move off his lap, he held onto her. "Your changing your mind?"

"No" she said it with such conviction that he felt as though her could breathe again "but I want to be honest with you also"

"Honest how?" Bill seemed uncomfortable

"About Liam, Kelly, the future"

"Ok, I am listening, you can tell me anything"

"I was talking to Ramona before I came to see you today. She had told me about your divorce from Katie and I possibly acted impulsively but it felt like it was now or never." Before he could speak, she put her finger on his lip "just let me get it out, please. In July, Liam and I slept together when he was living here. I'm telling you this, only because it showed me that I don't have any feelings for him anymore. I will always love him for being Kelly's father but that's a part of my life that is closed."

Looking at her, running his fingers along her spine "Anything else?"

"Custody of Kelly has thrown me; I had never planned on changing anything with Liam. I thought we were in a good place" looking away from him.

"But now?"

"Now I don't know what is happening with Liam, which worries me."

"Worries you how"

"Because I didn't see custody papers coming and I'm scared as to what he will do once he knows about us, if you want there to be an us" letting out a slight sigh, he could tell she was deflated, she truly hadn't expected anything like this.

Lifting he chin up and looking at her he said "Yes, I want there to be an us."

"But maybe you don't, things could get messy and I don't want to upset things between you and Liam, so maybe you shouldn't" before she could finish speaking, he kissed her.

"This, I want this. I want nights like tonight, I want moments like in Barbados, I want to be able to hold you, kiss you, I want to give you everything I have promised you in the past and never given you. But I have also given you reasons not to trust me."

"I trust you. There is just one more thing", looking at her he nodded his head.

"I decided to sell the beach house. I have loved this house; it has been filled with great memories and painful ones. I want to move onto the next chapter in my life."

"Steffy, none of what you are saying makes me want to change my mind or leave, I can't pretend like I don't feel that we were made for each other. You and I, there's something that pulls us back together". As they were kissing, her little girl had become unsettled. Standing up to go to her, Bill also stood behind her, kissing her neck, "let me go to her". Steffy loved that he loved her little girl.

Heading into her room, she could here Bill singing to Kelly through the monitor whilst she changed into her pjs. Walking out of her room wearing boy legged briefs and an over-sized white t, she stood in front of him, watching him look her up and down "do you want to stay?" putting her hand out of him, reaching out and taking her hand before whispering in her ear "I'm going to stay the night, every night, kiss you, hold you." Steffy had forgotten how well defined his body was, the muscle tone, his broad shoulders. There was something nice about being in bed with him, having him hold her against him, the warmth of his body against hers, his hand on her abdomen, she felt safe, loved.

…..

"I spoke to Hope earlier about what is going on, she is so upset about the papers Steffy served on them."

"I spoke to Steffy too." Before Ridge could even finish saying what was spoken about Brooke jumped in "Does she understand what she is putting Hope and Liam through?"

"Logan, its late. I don't think we can get involved. They each feel as though they are doing the right thing. I just hope they are wrong, and Bill isn't mixed up in all of this." It was evident to him that Brooke was suspicious.

…..

Tension grew in the office over the coming days, yet despite her families attempts to persuade her, she held her ground, unwilling to give into Liam and Hopes demands. Rather she focused on Kelly, Bill, her business and searching for a new house.

After a meeting of the board, Steffy stayed back with her father and grandfather; both of whom believed that Steffy was using her personal beliefs when making business decisions. Despite pointing out to her grandfather that Ridge seemed to be on the side of Hope, pushing for additional marketing to be put in campaign. Sticking to her guns, Steffy was not willing to move company money around. If her father and grandfather could show solid marketing and benefit to the company then she would reconsider but until then her decision was final.

Leaving the office, she called Bill to check in. Letting him know that she was headed back to Malibu, to look at a house, she wasn't planning on heading before heading home. She had, had enough of the tension and badgering from her family for one day. Seemed that Bill's day hadn't been much better, Liam had been walking around the office in a foul mood, unhappy that Justin was helping Steffy. Asking if he could come look at the house with her, they decided to meet there, this would be the first house that they had looked at together.

As they walked around the house, Steffy felt a deep connection to the property. Speaking with the real estate agent she made an offer on the property; much to Bill's surprise, she was a strong woman who knew what she wanted and how to get it. Within a few hours the real estate agent had come back accepting her offer on the property, advising her that settlement could happen as soon as she wanted. It was such a liberating feeling, knowing that she and Kelly would be starting fresh. She wanted to share the news with Bill deciding to head into his office to see him. It was after hours so she was comfortable heading in there to see him, especially as Kelly was having dinner tonight with Liam.

Walking into Bill's office he was on the phone, gesturing for her to come in before walking over and sitting on the edge of his desk. Watching him as he spoke on the phone, her certainly knew how to be a force to be reckoned with, smiling at him as he ran his fingers along the outside of her leg. Once he hung up, she shared the good news with him, she had gotten the home. Standing up, he wrapped his arms around her kissing only to be interrupted when Wyatt walked into the office.

Wyatt didn't seem surprised with what he had witnessed, he knew something had been going on with his father; he was happier, focused on work but not working ridiculous hours anymore. However, he didn't expect to find them in a state of undress, suggesting that next time they lock the door. As he walked out of his father's office, he turned around and said 'I'm happy for the two of you, your secret is safe with me' before closing the door behind him. An embarrassed giggle came across her face as she buried it in Bill's chest; clearly, we need to lock the door, a few minutes later and we would be paying for Wyatt's therapy.

….

Arriving home from Bills office, Steffy was surprised to see Liam at her place. She had expected Amelia to be the one bringing Kelly home. Liam was hoping they could talk however, Steffy said it was best to go through lawyers. Since he was there, she told him that she had purchased a new house for her and Kelly, not far from their current one but that they were moving over the next few weeks. She was surprised that he told her she couldn't move out of their home. Reminding him that it is her home, not theirs, she made it quite clear that he didn't get a choice in where she and Kelly live or who they live with. Opening the door for him to leave, he did without sharing anymore words.

As he drove back to the cabin, he called Carter seeking some advice. Could Steffy sell the house and move without his say; he was surprised by Carter's response, Steffy could in fact move to a new house without his permission. Before hanging up from Carter, he had one more question, something Steffy had said to him kept repeating in his mind 'you don't have a choice in who Kelly and I live with', why would she say that, who would she live with? Was there someone in Steffy and his daughter's life that he didn't know about. It just didn't feel right to him that she could make these types of decisions without consulting him. He knew Hope, Brooke and Ridge wouldn't be happy about the decisions she was making, Steffy just wasn't thinking about what was best for Kelly anymore; they would understand why he told Carter to go ahead, to file the papers at the courts because obviously they weren't going to be able to reach an agreeable conclusion.

…..

Liam's attitude hadn't changed the next day, he was snarky during a Spencer Publications meeting. After the meeting, Liam expressed to his father and Wyatt his disappointment about Steffy's behaviours. Wyatt could see that his father was getting annoyed with his son and defensive for Steffy but he also couldn't believe what he was hearing coming from his brother.

"Liam, you and I both grew up with single mothers, could you imagine if Dad tried this on your mother or mine?"

Liam's tone was so defensive "I'm not trying to control Steffy"

"What would you call it?" Wyatt was surprised that Liam didn't see what he was doing. The fact was Liam would have been the first to call out their father for doing the same thing.

"Protecting her and Kelly!" He said it like they were innocent, that Steffy wasn't a strong or capable woman.

"From what? Aren't you with Hope? Don't you have another family? Are you telling me that you can have a family but Steffy cannot?"

"Wyatt, you aren't listening to me" but before Liam could finish, his brother interrupted "Yes, except you aren't seeing past your wants and desires, you aren't thinking about Kelly or Steffy." Liam didn't even respond to him, just throwing his arms up in the air before walking out of the office, slamming the door behind him.

Wyatt and Bill shared a look at each other, "Dad, Liam is going to lose it over the two of you."

"I don't want to lose her again." Looking over at his son, Wyatt could see the pain in his father's face. Wyatt couldn't deny what he had seen, over the years; Liam had gone back and forth over the years with Steffy and Hope and though his father had been married throughout that time, no one could deny the chemistry between his father and Steffy.