Part 4

Roy finished reading the story he had promised Lian and closed the book. Lian climbed from her position leaning against him on the sofa into his lap and Roy wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head, "You make sure you be good tonight while I'm gone." he said.

Lian looked up at him "I'm always good for Suzie..she's fun." she said referring to the new sitter Roy had hired.

"Well I won't be home until after you go to bed..I hope you save me a big hug for when I see you in the morning." Roy said, hugging the little girl.

Lian hugged him back then looked into his eye's. "I really like Rach and Sammy." she said.

"Yeah I get that kiddo...Don't you worry I really like Rach and Sam as well."

"Rach like's you too, she told me." Lian said happily.

"Oh did she now...And why did she mention that? As if I couldn't guess" Roy laughed.

"I asked her if she liked you...And she said she liked you a whole lot and I told her Sammy would like to have you as his Dad." The little girl explained.

Roy chuckled again, just as the door bell rang. "That'll be Suzie." he said placing Lian on the sofa and standing up. "And you'd better remember Suzie already has a boyfriend little miss match maker." he ruffled her hair affectionately and went to answer the door.

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Roy smiled happily as he waited for the door to the small apartment to open. He was looking forward to spending some quality time with Rachael. He had been seeing Rachael, who turned out to be a twenty four year old nurse and single mother for a little over four months now and he had to admit he couldn't have been happier with his daughters clumsy attempt at match making..The mere thought of her made his heart race, he loved everything about her, her smile, her sense of humor and compassion, the way her eye's lit up when she saw him, even the way she made Lian laugh...He hadn't felt this way in...heck he couldn't really remember ever feeling this way. He'd loved some beautiful women in his life, but Rach..Rach was so much more than he ever thought he deserved.

The door opened and Roy stepped inside instantly pulling the pretty blonde haired woman into an embrace and gently kissing her. "Missed ya babe." he whispered as he pushed the door closed with his foot.

Rachael laughed and playfully slapped him on the arm. "You only saw me this morning." she said.

"Yeah I know, but that's too long to go without seeing your beautiful face." he kissed her again..He had it bad and he knew it.. the fact that he was replying to her with corney comebacks like some love sick teenager confirmed it... Hearing a squeal and feeling something grab his leg, he broke off the kiss and looked down. "Hey Sam the man.' he said happily bending to scoop up the toddler.

Rachael sighed and looked at the little boy. "I gave up trying to get him to go to sleep...The little tiger wouldn't give in.' she said apologetically.

"Guess I get to spend some time with my little buddy then." Roy replied pausing to blow a raspberry on the childs neck..The toddler giggled delightedly and attempted to copy the action on Roy's cheek. Roy laughed and turned his head to wipe the drool away on his shoulder.

Rachael watched happily, her heart quickening at the sight of the two of them together. Sam loved Roy and Lian and it was obvious the feeling was mutual...She walked to the living room and sat down.

Roy followed her and sat on the floor his back against the sofa as Sammy dragged a huge stuffed sheep from out of a toy box and plonked down on Roy's lap. "Seety." the little boy said as he held the toy up for Roy to inspect.

Roy looked puzzled.."Um..yeah I'm kinda out of practice when it comes to understanding toddler jargon." he said, turning to look back at Rachael who had curled up on the sofa behind him.

"That's Sheepy, his decided it's his favorite toy...actually we may be in for a break he's only been pulling Sheepy out when he's tired." Rachael remarked.

"Oh a bedtime toy..I get that, Lian's got fifty of the things and she can't sleep without every darned one of them." Roy said, as the little boy curled up on his lap and began to suck his thumb.

"Lian's the sweetest kid...Your so lucky to have her." Rachael said as she lay behind Roy on the sofa and wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed him on the check.

"I know it..Everyday I look at her and can't believe how special she is..how much she's brought to my life. I honestly don't know how I coped with out her, she's my light." he said, reaching down to gently stroke the toddlers blond hair as the little boy focused sleepy blue eye's on his face.

Rachael reached out to run her own fingers through Roy's red hair, amused when the gentle touch caused him to shiver briefly. "Guess we're both lucky that way...I don't think I could have gone on with out Sam, he was the only reason I had the will to survive" she said Softly.

Roy heard the sadness in her voice, and he knew what she was talking about. She had told him everything about herself and Sam's father...how that man had treated her...how she had feared for her life while she was with him and how Sam's dad Ryan was now in and institution for the criminally insane, he had tortured and murdered a young women when Sam was just three months old. Ryan had blamed her, she had made him angry by taking their son and going into hiding. He reached up and caught her hand in his holding for a moment and giving it a gentle squeeze of reassurance. "That man doesn't deserve to live." he said.

"It's over now, I never have to see him again, I can try and pretend he doesn't exist." she replied, watching the little boys desperate efforts to keep his little eye's open.

It was a battle the toddler soon lost and within minutes he had drifted off to sleep.

"I'll put him to bed if you like." Roy said as he struggled to his feet with the little boy in his arms.

"You hungry? I'll fix us something while your putting him down if you want?' Rachael asked.

"Nah already eaten." Roy said as he disappeared into the toddlers room.

They had gotten into the habit of spending whatever time they could together, that didn't always mean they had to have dinner, sometimes like tonight, Roy would organize a sitter so he could simply come over after dinner, just so they could be together. Rachael watched as Roy gently lay the toddler in his crib, she could scarcely believe the events of the last few months. To find someone that could accept her and her son so completely was beyond her wildest dreams.. She had told Roy all about her past, and she had expected Roy to withdraw and turn away from her, other men she had met always did, but he hadn't...In fact it had brought them closer and when Roy explained his past to her in great detail including who Lian's mother was..she knew why he understood, he may not have faced the exact situation she had faced, but he did understand and that was more than she could ever have wished for.

Roy gently closed the door to the Toddlers room and turned to grin at Rachael..That grin always made her weak at the knees, she smiled back. "Alone at last...Whatever shall we do with ourselves?" she jokingly asked, smiling back at him, her heart quickening as he began to walk towards her.

He pulled her into his arms, "I'm sure I can find a way to keep you occupied." he whispered suggestively as he brushed his lips across her cheek, his breath caressing her skin making her body flush with warmth. He slid his hand up to gently cradle the back of her neck and raised his head to look into her eye's. She tilted her head to accept his kiss as his lips sought her's...gently at first..then deeper more demanding., before breaking away to trace little kisses down her chin to the hollow of her throat, then leaning down to scooped her up and carried her into the bedroom.

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