Lush by Beth Yarnall

was his .
    “There’s my girl.” Lucy rushed over and scooped up her baby, showering her with kisses.
    Sam got up from the chair and came over to Cal. “I’m sorry I arrived too late,” he whispered. “By the time I got there he’d hit her in the face and was about to kick her.”
    “You stopped him.”
    “Yes, sir.”
    “Then you got there in time. I can’t thank you enough, Sam, for saving my Lucy. I don’t know what I’d do if anything happened to her or Poppy.”
    “I’ll be giving a full account of what happened today to Mr. Vega.”
    “Could you include your security recommendations? I have some ideas of how we can tighten up, but you’re more of an expert than me. I’d appreciate your suggestions.”
    “Yes, sir.”
    “Thank you. Why don’t you go on downstairs and relax for a bit. You’ve earned it.”
    Cal was alone with his girls. He’d watched Lucy be a mother to their daughter many times over the past few weeks, but there was something about watching her now that made him imagine more babies with her. Another two or three, boys, girls, it didn’t matter, as long as they greeted him the way Poppy did now, trying to leap out of her mother’s arms toward him.
    “Come here, sweet pea.” He scooped her out of Lucy’s arms and held her. “Did you miss me?”
    “She could care less who I am when you’re around.”
    “I believe your momma’s jealous. Another female’s captured my heart, and she just can’t take it, can she?”
    Poppy grabbed his cheeks so she could rub noses with him. It had become their thing.
    “I’m the bringer of food and baths. You’re the big giant plaything who sneaks her sugary cereal—don’t think I don’t know you still do that—and who gives her horsey rides and tickles her.”
    “Well, darlin’, I can’t help it if she likes me better.”
    “It’s all that bribing.”
    “You do what works for you and I’ll do what works for me. Why don’t you go take that bath, and I’ll keep working my wiles on Miss Poppy.”
    Lucy hesitated. Watching Poppy with Cal worried her. The more attached she got to him the harder it would be if she had to leave.
    “All right. I won’t be long,” she said.
    “We’ll be fine. Go on.” He picked up a book, sat down in the rocker with Poppy, and started reading to her.
    As Lucy ran the water in the tub, she couldn’t get the sight of Cal holding Poppy out of her head. It made her long for things that might never be. Poppy deserved a father who loved her and who would be there for her. In that regard she’d failed her daughter, she thought as she lowered into the steaming bath water. The first father she’d given her daughter had been neglectful when he hadn’t been abusive and cruel. And now here was Cal wanting to fill the role that should’ve been his in the first place.
    But Lucy still wasn’t convinced that Cal had made a full one-eighty where women were concerned. She hadn’t been joking when she’d told him his cheating a second time would destroy her. She’d been more than halfway to falling in love with Cal when she’d walked into his office that fateful afternoon and caught him between the legs of his secretary, her skirt hiked up, his tongue in her mouth, and his hand up her blouse.
    She’d stumbled out of his office and down the hall with Cal on her heels. He’d finally caught up to her in the elevator, stammering excuses and mumbling half-hearted apologies. She hadn’t believed a word he’d said then, but now…now she was starting to believe, and that was the most dangerous thing she could ever do.
    Because if she believed him, she’d start to trust him. If she trusted him, she’d have to tell him the truth about what happened after she walked out of his office that day. And once it was out, there would be no going back.
    With thoughts of Cal and Poppy tumbling around in her head, she couldn’t get comfortable in the tub, so she climbed out and toweled off. It had only been a couple