"Not so fast, Miss Vaughn."

"Huh?"

"This bedroom is over the office."

Laura's words acted like a switch, and the sexual cravings Toni had managed to scold into silence returned instantly. Before she could blink, Laura kissed her, and open-mouthed and hungry, Toni answered in kind until their lips were swollen with passion. Although Toni had been the one who had admitted she was horny, Laura was coming in a close second, and wasting no time, she pulled the T-shirt from Toni's body and pushed her to the bed.

"Can you be quiet?" Laura asked, reaching for the waistband of Toni's pajamas.

"I promise. Oh, Laura...I promise."

Seconds later, Toni was naked, and wearing only her pajama top, Laura climbed onto the bed and smiled as Toni opened her legs. With the help of the light coming from the bedside lamp, Laura could see the glistening folds and sliding her hand lower, she murmured, "God, you're wet."

Biting her lip, Toni spread her legs even wider, and grasping fistfuls of sheets, she didn't make a sound when Laura pushed two fingers deep inside.

Laura had been the one who had remained mute the day they left for Scotland. Standing in their bedroom, she had refused to utter a sound as Toni sat between her legs, tonguing her to orgasm, but Toni was finding it hard to do the same. Pressing her lips together, she struggled to remain quiet as Laura stroked with skilled precision, but they both soon realized that Toni's silence wouldn't be the issue. When Toni began to match Laura's rhythm, the iron bed frame announced its age with an ear-splitting squeak that seemed to echo through the room.

"Shit," Laura whispered, placing her hand on Toni's belly to quiet her movement. "Sweetheart, I'm sorry, but you can't move. The bed...it's making too much noise."

Groaning her disapproval, Toni said, "Laura, I can be quiet, but for God's sake, you can't ask me not to move. That's...that's like asking me not to breathe."

Thinking for a moment, Laura pulled away and climbed off the bed. Seeing the frustration etched on Toni's face, Laura said quietly, "The floor, Toni. Get on the floor."

As soon as Toni stood, Laura pulled the duvet and pillows from the bed, and allowing them to puddle at their feet, she pushed Toni down into the softness.

Their lips met in a hungry kiss, and as her hand slipped between Toni's thighs once more, Laura whispered, "Now...where were we?"

Chapter Forty-Five.

"You're up early," Eleanor said, shuffling into the kitchen.

Looking up he smiled at the sleepy-eyed woman staring back at him. "Good morning to you, too."

"Whatcha doing?"

"I thought I'd make my girls some breakfast," Bill said, turning around and pulling Eleanor into his arms.

Their lips met in a slow good morning kiss, and then resting her head on his shoulder, she said, "I like that."

"What?"

"You calling us your girls."

"Good," he said, placing a kiss on her forehead.

Glancing at the clock on the wall, Eleanor said, "I'd best go wake them up."

"It's still early. Let them sleep."

"I would, except the ladies from church will be over tonight to pick up the biscuits I promised them, and we haven't begun to make them yet. Be right back."

A few minutes later, Eleanor stood in the hallway with a puzzled look on her face. She had knocked three times and called out their names twice, but having yet to receive a response she shrugged and opened their door. Seeing that the bed was empty, Eleanor was about to look out the window to see if Laura's car was gone, when she noticed the door leading to the other bedroom was open. Without thinking twice, she went over and looked inside. Seeing Laura and Toni asleep on the floor, Eleanor frowned and then crept back the way she came. Reaching the hallway, she closed the door and rapped loudly on the frame. "Laura! Toni! You awake?"

Eleanor patiently waited, knowing her pounding would have woken the dead and finally the door opened a crack. Seeing her daughter peeking through the opening, Eleanor said, "Sorry, I know it's early, but I wanted to let you know that your father is making us all breakfast. That is, if you're interested?"

"Oh...um...okay. Sounds good. We'll be down in a tick."

"Good, I'll let him know."

Standing at the sink washing the breakfast dishes, Eleanor asked, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Tell you what?" Laura asked, stacking two more plates on the counter.

"That Toni had sleeping issues."

"What are you talking about?"

"If she needed a harder mattress or even a cot, I could have arranged it."

"Mum, what the hell are you talking about? Toni doesn't have any sleeping issues. She has the occasional nightmare, but that hasn't happened in a while."

"Then why were you two sleeping on the floor?"

Laura's mouth dropped open and staring at her mother, she asked hesitantly, "You were in our room?"

"This morning when I knocked and you didn't answer I let myself in and found you both on the floor in the other room. I just assumed-"

Eleanor lost her ability to speak when she saw Laura arch a single eyebrow, her eyes gleaming with humor as she stared back at her mother. Realizing her mistake, a blush to end all blushes crossed Eleanor's cheeks. Clearing her throat, she said, "I see. Well, I suppose I should reconsider entering your bedroom in the future without an invitation."

"Excellent idea," Laura said, kissing her mother on the cheek. "And I'm thinking I should do the same. Yes?"

A bit more color found its way to Eleanor's face. "I hope you don't mind, but it was rather late when we finished last night, and I didn't see the need for him to travel at that hour."

"Actually, I'm getting used to him being around, but it's still kinda weird knowing that you two are back together."

"From where I'm standing, it's kind of nice."

Seeing her mother's radiant smile, Laura said, "You really do love him, don't you?"

"With all my heart, Laura. With all my heart."

After receiving a whispered suggestion from Eleanor that he should bring back an overnight bag, Bill left just after breakfast to go to his apartment for a quick shower and a change of clothes, and two hours later he returned to a kitchen in shambles. Rolling up his sleeves, he began the task of washing all the bowls and measuring cups that had been piled by the sink during his absence, and amidst the sounds of laughter and the smell of vanilla, the morning faded into afternoon.

Standing at the sink, he listened to the women talk as they mixed and measured, and when expletives flowed from Toni's mouth when she forgot to use an oven mitt, he laughed heartily at her creative use of one particular word. His mouth watered at the smell of Scottish shortbread slowly baking in the oven, and his hand was slapped more than once when he tried to steal a freshly baked chocolate chip cookie off a tray. And as he waited for the next batter-covered bowl to be handed to him, Bill looked at the women in the room and smiled. In all of his life, there weren't many days burned into his memory...actually, up until today, there had only been three.

On the day of their wedding, Mother Nature had done her best to dampen the afternoon, but the spirits of a young man and woman on the threshold of starting a life together could not be washed away by raindrops and thunder. In a small church, atop a hill and surrounded by the greenery of the country they loved, they spoke their vows in front of family and friends. Wearing a Highland kilt, he had walked his bride, dressed in white, down an aisle covered in rose petals, and after carrying her over the threshold of their home that night, he made love to the woman who completed him...and created the one who would fill his heart with pride.

Nine months later, in the wee hours of a Friday morning he stood by a bed and marveled at the sight of his daughter. Swaddled in white cotton, with chubby cheeks and bright eyes, she stole his heart with her first coo. Tiny fisted hands reached up to him and when he held out a finger, and she took hold, it was like no other feeling in the world. He never thought he could feel humbled by just one touch, and he never thought it would happen again...but he had been wrong.

"Be careful."

"I'm fine."

"If you fall, Eleanor will have my head."

Smiling, Toni looked down at the ground. "If I fall, Eleanor will be the least of your worries."

"What do you mean?" Bill asked, shielding his eyes from the sun as he looked up at the woman on the ladder.

"You've obviously never seen Laura's temper."

"Have you ever seen Ellie's?" Bill asked.

"No, why?"

"Trust me, you don't want to," he said, snickering under his breath. "You going to be okay if I go finish up the shrubs?"

"Yep, only have a few more clips to go and then this part will be done. Go attack the hedges. I won't be far behind you."

Watching as Bill walked back to the front gardens, Toni returned to the task at hand with a smile on her face. He no longer felt like a stranger to her, and the anxieties that she had had the night before seemed to have disappeared. She liked him. He had an easiness about him. A relaxing, playful boyishness, and as they had covered the gardens in lights, she found herself laughing more than once as he mumbled four-letter words at the amount of decorations Eleanor had purchased. They chatted comfortably as they assembled silhouettes of deer and angels, while making fun of the other's inability to put Tab A into Slot C. The day was bright and crisp, and as she reached out to hook the next light into its clip, Toni breathed in the frosty air and smiled again.

Standing with a tangle of netted lights in his hand, Bill glanced in Toni's direction, frowning as she once again overextended her reach. It was something he had done more times than he could remember over the years, so holding back his comments, he was about to cover more shrubbery when he saw her slip. "Shit!" he said, tossing the lights aside as he bolted toward the ladder.

It took five long strides to get to her, but it seemed like an eternity as he ran across the gravel, and with every step he took, Bill prayed to God that he'd make it on time...and he did. Managing to wrap his arms around Toni before she collided with the stone-covered drive, they both fell to the ground with a thud. His back twinged at the impact, but he didn't care. Overcome with emotion at the near tragedy, he pulled her into a bear hug as he silently thanked God for his swiftness.

"Get your bloody hands off me!" Toni growled, struggling like a madwoman to get out of his arms. "Let go of me!"

For a split second, Bill didn't understand her terror-filled shrieks, but when Toni began kicking and punching to get away, he relaxed his hold and watched in shock as she scrambled across the driveway. Stunned and saddened, he didn't know what to do. Like an animal ready to attack, Toni remained crouched on the ground, glaring back at him as if daring him to move and Bill's heart broke at the expression on her face. She was terrified...absolutely terrified.

Eleanor had told him that Toni had been abused in prison. Over drinks and dinner, she had explained a few of Toni's fears and quirks, but it wasn't until that moment when Bill realized the depths of the woman's despair, and tears sprang to his eyes. Unconsciously, he shook his head, trying to say without words that she needn't fear him. That he would never hurt her, but how do you convince someone so frightened to trust?

Fearful that any sudden movement would cause more harm to the tormented woman, Bill cautiously got to his feet. Never allowing his eyes to leave hers, he prayed that she'd see the message they were sending. Trust me. Please trust me. I won't hurt you.

Enraged and ready to fight, Toni squatted on the ground with hands fisted as her enemy slowly got up, and when he stood tall, she tensed, preparing to strike out if he took one step closer. Trying to determine his next move, she looked him in the eye and in an instant, Toni's hellish nightmare ended.

He looked so sad...so hurt...and when she saw the tears rolling down Bill's face, she felt gutted. Like a deflated balloon, Toni sagged to her knees, embarrassed and ashamed. Finally able to hear the words of her heart over the deafening sounds of her terror, her gaze clouded with tears as the words kept repeating in her head. He's not one of them. You can trust him. He's not one of them. You can trust him.

Taking a ragged breath, she raised her eyes to meet his, and listening to her heart, she reached out her hand to him, praying he would take it...and he did.

Bill's heart grew large as he took two quick steps, and pulling Toni into his arms, they held each other close. They didn't need words. They didn't need explanations or apologies as she buried her head in his shoulder, and he buried his in hers.

He wasn't her father, but in his arms, she felt safe. A dozen men had given her a reason to fear, but this man had just given her a reason to trust and she knew she would never fear him again.

She wasn't his daughter, but the love he felt told him she was. Their souls had touched amidst gravel and fear, and a bond had been formed that would never be broken. He loved her. It was the simplest of truths, and he would protect her until the day God took him away.

Neither had a choice...all they had were reasons.

"William!"

Shaken from his thoughts, he looked at the woman who had called out his name. "Sorry, dear. What was that?"

"Where did you just go?" Eleanor asked, eyeing the man.

"Oh...um...just a bit of daydreaming. What did you need?"

"There are a few bags of tins in the office. Can you get them for us so we can get these biscuits packed up? The ladies will be here soon."

"Sure...sure," he said, tossing the towel on the counter as he walked out of the room. "Be right back."

Eleanor returned to the trays of shortbread, but hearing another "Shit!" fly from Toni's mouth, she looked up. "You didn't burn yourself again, did you?"

"No," Toni said, giving Laura a sideways glance. "Someone keeps swatting my hand away from the biscuits."

"That's because if you don't stop eating what we're making, we won't have any left to pack up," Laura said as she moved another baking sheet out of Toni's reach.

"It's better than the way I used to be, isn't it?"

Curious, Eleanor looked up from what she was doing. "Can I ask what that means?"

"Oh...um...I had a few problems...um...actually..."

Seeing Toni struggle for the words, Laura spoke up. "Toni used to ration what she ate. Something she had to do in prison, but she's getting better. It doesn't happen that often anymore, and when it does, we work through it."

"Oh, I see," Eleanor said quietly. "Well, then perhaps we should make a few more batches so we have plenty. How's that?"

"Works for me," Bill chimed in as he returned to the kitchen carrying a pile of tins. Placing them on the table, he added, "And my vote is for more shortbread."

"And who said you had a vote?" Eleanor asked with a twinkle in her eye.

"Ouch."

Enjoying the playful exchange, Toni glanced in Laura's direction and grinned when she saw the expression on Laura's face. Although adamant that she didn't think of Bill as her father, the look in Laura's eyes said just the opposite. They were smiling and bright, and filled with the love of a daughter for her father...whether she cared to admit it or not.