Free Love By Design by Liz Matis Page B

thoughtless question of his return.
    “I miss you.”
    “I’d miss you too, sweet ums, if it weren’t for my mother’s nurse.”
    “Cute?”
    “Delicious. Having thoughts of feigning sickness.”
    Victoria laughed. “Naughty, naughty Neil, get back in bed, it’s time for your bath.”
    “Exactly! And how is it going with the Aussie?”
    “He’s impossible.”
    “Carl said he slapped you right on the ass. I didn’t believe him.”
    “Carl has a big mouth.”
    “So it’s true? And the Aussie still lives?”
    “He’s not afraid of me.”
    “I wish I was there to see THAT.”
    “If you were here, then he wouldn’t be and I wouldn’t have to put up with him.” Victoria needed to confide in someone. Ava would call her a drama queen. Neil understood, he was a drama queen trainee, though in his defense it was part of his act, that it was expected of a gay, male designer. Should she dump all this on him? His mother was doing better so he could handle a little drama. Maybe it would even take his mind off his worries if only for a moment. “Russ hated the paint color, he abandoned us with a ton of work still to be done, and he called me cupcake, Vic, Vicki, and Tori. You know how much I hate nicknames,” she rushed out.
    “Cupcake?”
    Figures he’d pick up on that. “It’s a long story.”
    “Victoriaaaaaa, there’s something you’re not telling me.”
    “He kissed me.”
    “OMG, OMG. Where? When?”
    “Today. In the bathroom.”
    “The homeowner’s bathroom?”
    “Umm … yeah.”
    Neil squealed and she heard him slapped his hand against something. “Scandalous!”
    Yes, it was . Victoria knew he meant professionally, but she was thinking about the actual kiss. There must be countries in the world where it meant they were married.
    “Andddd?”
    “And what?”
    “Good? Bad?”
    Good didn’t begin to describe Russ’s lips on hers.
    Mind blowing? Close.
    Rocked her world? Closer.
    Ruined her for all other men? Bingo.
    “Victoria?”
    “Good.”
    “As in you want to jump his bones?”
    “Jump him? Really, you’re as bad as Ava—” A floorboard creaked. Neil went to say something but she shushed him. The vinyl made a crinkling noise as she tried to sit up. Instead she slid off the couch, her butt hitting the floor with a thud.
    “What’s the matter?”
    “I think someone is in the house.”
    “Maybe, it’s—”
    “Shhhh!” The floorboard creaked again. Only then did she regret volunteering to work late. Did she remember to check the lock after the last of the crew left? Damn it, she didn’t think so. Maybe the house was haunted. Please, please let the house be haunted.
    “Who’s there?” What kind of stupid ass question was that? As if a robber or worse would announce himself. Where was that nail gun? Another creak, this time closer, and she saw a figure outside the darken archway leading into the living room. She was just about to let out a scream that would rival any made-for-Halloween movie when she heard the familiar Aussie drawl.
    “I’m home, cupcake.” He entered the room with his hands up.
    Her body froze like a statue as if he was a bear she stumbled upon in the woods. Or was the rule to drop to the ground, curl into a ball, and try not to cry? She was a city girl for crying out loud. What did she know about taming wild animals or wild handsome Aussies? Well, she knew one thing: never stare directly into their eyes. But that is exactly what she did.
    “Victoria! Is everything okay?” The question spouted from the cell phone. Remembering Neil, she slowly lifted the phone to her mouth like any sudden movement would cause Russ to pounce. She whispered even though he was close enough to hear anyway. “It’s him. Gotta go.”
    “No, wait! Put it on speaker so—”
    Neil’s frantic request was cut short as she snapped the phone shut. She believed a good defense was a good offense. “What are you doing back here?”
    “Me? What are you still doing here?”
    “I