Read Online Live-In Position by V.S. Tice - Free Book Online Page B

Larissa and Max want him here.” She ran her hand through his hair. “Though it seems his nap has already started.”
    I tilted my head and saw that Ryan was fast asleep. I bit my lip so I didn’t laugh and wake him.
    “Here, I’ll take him.”
    As Amber stepped forward, the all too familiar sensation of Dr. Bishop’s presence filled the hallway. Amber took Ryan into her arms and held him against her chest. He never woke.
    “Okay, well, keep me posted, and if you need anything give me a call, okay?” I whispered. With a smile on her lips, she nodded slightly, not wanting to wake Ryan.
    Dr. Bishop stood at the nurse’s station in his scrubs and white coat. I turned to leave, but his eyes on me stopped my progress toward the exit. They were like liquid fire, piercing my flesh causing tingling flames to course through my veins.
    “I’m just going to take her back to the house.” The words left my mouth breathier than intended.
    What the heck is going on?
    He nodded without a word, and I practically ran down the hall, well as fast as I could with a little girl in my arms.
    After the Thanksgiving holiday things got back to normal with the exception of Victoria’s afternoon lessons. Her horseback riding with Claire was over until March, and since Roberto went back to Spain to visit family until the New Year, she didn’t have her Spanish lessons either.
    Given the free time and the proximity of Christmas, I decided to make Christmas cookies. I had purchased all the ingredients the week before and bought some Christmas shaped cookie cutters. Pulling everything out, I called Victoria down from her room.
    She bounced into the kitchen and looked around the table where I had everything laid out. “What’s all of this?” She hurried to my side.
    “We’re making cookies,” I said, placing the large bowl and measuring cups in front of her.
    “I get to help?” She peeked into the empty bowl.
    “Well, I can’t do it all by myself.” I playfully rolled my eyes at her.
    Setting the cookbook on a stand, Victoria read the instructions to me. Then I had her measure out the amounts needed for each ingredient. When she got to dump them into the bowl we made different dumping noises. Mrs. Baker sat at the table with us when we began to cut out the cookies. She became our official cookie dough roller while Victoria was the official cookie cutter and decorator. I placed them on the cookie sheets and kept an eye on them while they baked.
    Covered in flour and sugar, cookie dough under our fingernails, we were laughing at each other’s appearance. In the midst of our happy moment, the snow miser made a rare appearance. He stepped into the room, and our giggles died to whispered snorts. I watched him take in the large mess on and around the table.
    “What’s this?” he asked in his chilled tone.
    “We’re making Christmas cookies!” Victoria said cheerfully. Her tongue stuck out over her lip as she pressed the tree cutter into the dough Mrs. Baker had rolled out to the perfect thickness.
    “Oh, Collin, my boy, you should see her. She’s quite the little cookie cutter professional,” Mrs. Baker chuckled and watched Victoria.
    “Yes,” he said coolly and walked around the table. Standing only two feet away from me, he focused his glacier eyes onto me. “What about her Spanish lesson? Or have you taken it upon yourself to change that as well?”
    My mouth gaped open for a moment. Then, I closed it and straightened myself up.
    “Roberto is in Spain until the New Year. He cancelled the lessons until his return. I put the note about the change into the mail slot on your office door.” My tone bordered on angry. I needed to calm myself. Right at that moment, the oven timer alerted me the cookies were done.
    Saved by the bell!
    “What educational value does making cookies hold?” he quipped.
    Taking the cookies out of the oven, I slid the hot cookie tray onto the top of the stove a little roughly. Taking a deep breath I