by Anthology
“I’ll see you later, Mrs. Milo Lazare.” She jokes and we hang up. I’m grateful for Naomi’s concern. She pulled in the big guns having her boss Rex look over any legalities we might need to know about during this process. So far things are a go. Milo and I plan to get together and talk about the details, but things have been hectic with both of us working. Our communication has consisted of brief calls between teaching classes and seeing patients in the last 48 hours. Milo is collecting all his paperwork so we can fill out the application at the courthouse in one shot, but I haven’t seen him since the day I went to his office.
The blood draw is quick but in hindsight going straight to the clinic after teaching a class at the gym was dumb skipping a proper lunch. I’m light headed, fainter than normal and I slide into the wall squeezing my eyes shut. Today I’m definitely feeling off more than usual.
I should sit down for a minute.
I blame stress.
And a certain hot doctor.
I have plans to hang out with Maisy. Diana is popping over to the office dropping off files for Naomi and meeting us later for dinner in Maisy’s room. We can’t go outside since she spiked a fever and developed a cough they are monitoring with her upcoming treatment. Right now, her immune system is weak and there’s little to do except entertain her and keep her in good spirits.
“Piper?” I don’t see the thick arms wrap around me as I sink into a warm chest. My eyelids slide closed as I lean in smelling Milo’s spicy clean scent that’s peppered with the hospital aroma. My nose wrinkles at the sting. He’s wrapped himself around me supporting my weight and I have no desire to straighten out myself.
I meld into him tangling my arms around his neck. “I’m okay.”
“You’re white as paper. Let’s get you sitting down before you fall.”
“Milo, seriously, I’m fine. I just donated blood.” I should have taken the juice they offered instead of trying to leave right away to get to Maisy. Milo is sweet but annoying attempting to boss me around. I’m definitely not used to it. Day thirty-eight I remind myself and we haven’t even tied the knot yet.
“You’re not fine and I’ll carry you if you keep insisting differently.” Since my impromptu proposal we’ve had short phone calls consisting of Milo demanding to do things his way. If that’s any indication of the future, it leads me to believe he’s a bossy pants. I’m not sure how I feel about that.
Looking up into dark eyes that melt me from the center out I sulk, “Maisy.”
“Maisy is fine playing with a few kids her age in the playroom. I just saw her and her fever is down.” Milo helps me walk guiding me into a small exam room propping me against the table. He opens a drawer and pulls out a few items I can’t see.
“I’m not playing doctor with you.” It feels good to sit down, but I won’t admit it.
“Not even naughty nurse?” I don’t respond to that and he laughs.
“No.” I cross my arms pouting.
“Someone is grumpy when their blood sugar is low.”
“I am not.”
“Really?” Drolly he snaps gloves on.
“Milo.” I’m too tired to argue when he takes my hand.
“Finger.” He follows with a sharp prick pinching my finger.
“Oww. Didn’t I give enough?” I jerk my hand back but he’s got a strong grip. I watch him squeeze blood onto a testing strip.
“Relax, Piper.”
“What are you a vampire? I just saw them down the hall.” I howl and take my hand back when he’s done.
“It didn’t hurt, stop being dramatic. I’ve got five-year-olds better at this than you are.” He rolls his eyes ignoring me.
“If this is your idea of kinky–”
“Shush, Piper.” He waits until the machine beeps and shows me the numbers. “It’s low. Told you so.”
“Told you so.” I mimic his slightly accented voice. Milo doesn’t think it’s funny and I clear my throat feeling embarrassed under his censure.
“Drink this juice and sit here for a minute.” His voice is husky and domineering. The more he bosses me around the thicker his accent gets. It’s hot and I feel a flush not associated to donating blood.
“I said I was fine.”
“And I said sit and stay.” He wraps the tip of my finger in a Band-aid. Yup, totally bossy.
“I’m not a dog.”
“No, but the urge to spank you increases with each passing minute.” Whoa! He’s grouching and the comment startles me even though it’s said with a smirk. If this is what married life will be like with Doctor Domineering I might have to rethink a few things. Maybe I should call Naomi and ask her about contracts? Should I have a safe word or something? I wonder if Rex handles that part of the practice?
“Drink.” He nudges me out of my musings.
I sip the apple juice box trying to not pout. The Band-aid on my finger is pink with princesses on it and I remember I’m on the children’s floor. He’s sweet, he cares, but if he pricks my finger again I will kick him in the balls.
“Why did you do that?” I stare at the cartoon painting on the wall instead of him directly. I can’t converse with him; his gypsy eyes might hypnotize me and his voice like honey might command me to get naked. I’m not saying no exactly, but yeah, I haven’t fully wrapped my mind around his idea of a real marriage because in a normal world, in a normal situation there would have been dating, and wooing, and all that jazz to proceed this.
Oh, and love.
We were missing that too.
“Do what?” He hums throwing out the trash in the metal bin.
“Test my blood sugar.”
“Curiosity?”
“Weirdo maybe.” I grump slurping the juice box loudly.
“Habit I guess? Some of the chemo treatments leave other body systems compromised so I’m having to check levels all the time.”
“So, you’re not planning on doing this when we get married or anything, right?”
He chuffs, “No, I expect we’ll both want a full workup, you know since this will be a real marriage and all that.”
My cheeks heat and the match the photo of the fire engine on the far wall mocking me.
“Yeah I get that, sex and stuff.”
“I’m assuming you’re on birth control. Or are we planning on using condoms?” He snaps his remaining glove off.
“I’m sorry what?” I gulp the last of the juice nearly choking on it. He takes that and throws it out in the trash like we’re having a mundane conversation. I’m sure I’ve lost not only blood from the vampire sticker, but my brain as well.
“I don’t want to make you uncomfortable, Piper.” He means it. I can tell by the kindness in his voice and the physical distance he’s giving me in the room. It’s me who is conflicted about jumping him and running away from my own crazy idea all at once.
What the hell was I thinking?
“I’m not uncomfortable.” I just thought we’d wait a while before any of this was an issue, but I guess I was wrong about that.
“I’m pretty frank about these things.” He stays standing against the wall watching me. The distance feels like electrical currents jumping between us, or I’m still feeling the effects of donating blood. Either way it's disorientating with his warm eyes following my every movement.
“Don’t call me Shirley.” I mumble attempting to put some emotional distance between us by checking out the Band-aid on my finger with renewed interest.
“Who is Shirley?” His brow furrows like he’s running down a list of people he thinks he should know and its strangely endearing.
“Uh, never mind.” Obviously, he never saw the movie. He won’t get the reference to Airplane if I try explaining it and I wonder what it was like growing up in Georgia. Instead I ask, “So sex?”
“Kind of takes the spontaneity away don’t you think? Especially if I’m always reaching for a condom.” He steps away from the wall and I put a hand up stopping him. He stays put for all of one second. So, we
were having the talk after all. I never felt my twenty-six years so acutely before.
“Huh, yeah.” I manage to say watching him move about the room with ease I don’t have. He says this like we’re going to be having a lot of sex. A freak ton of sex. I’m not opposed, it’s just that this is all new. Up until two days ago I was the logical one, but the table has been flipped upside down and I’m drifting without an anchor.
He leans closer and I scoot back on the table as he speaks, “This will be a real marriage, Piper.” He backs off as his phone buzzes and he reaches into his pocket checking it not once taking his eyes off of me. He doesn’t answer turning it off. All I can do is stare at his semi-erect cock in his pants and swallow back anything smart mouthed to say. I thought we could sign some papers and then go about our merry way with a cute safe word or something. Apparently, Dr. Milo Lazare has other ideas. The last forty-eight hours have been very strange indeed.
“Sure. I mean that’s what we’ve agreed to. I’m agreeable. You’re agreeable. Everyone is agreeable.” I slide off the exam table bracing myself upright.
Oh geeze, shut up.
Milo grins, probably thinking I’m an idiot. Some carrot juicing, exercise biking addict and he’d only be half wrong. I hate carrots.
“What is the saying, you might as well give me a test drive?” Oh no he isn’t using his lack of idioms to get to me. Arms spread wide, he shrugs smiling and I want to grab something, anything to hit him.
Or kiss him.
I can’t decide.
“Test drive?” I stare at the way his dress shirt stretches across his wide muscular chest, the buttons threatening to pop. Being the gym nut, I wonder what kind of workouts he does to stay in fantastic shape like this. I might lose more than my last name in this arrangement starting with an eye if his shirt buttons ping right off his chest. I know I’m staring but so is he, and I feel like turnabout is fair play.
“I thought American women were laxer in their views on premarital sex?”
I sputter over his cavalier attitude. Milo couldn’t be a doctor, he had to be insane. We went from talking about getting married to getting his Visa status so he could save Maisy to having sex without condoms.
“Did you read that in a medical study?” I ask.
He looks at me deadpan. “No. The June issue of Cosmo was in the waiting room.”
Is this real life?
“Maybe this was a bad idea?” I whimper biting my lip. Me and my big mouth, my big stupid mouth offering to marry this hunk of man in a brash decision. Is it too late to blame Diana? Images of my sweet Maisy sting my eyes. She needs Milo, and if I am honest with myself, completely one hundred percent honest, I want Milo too. We were out of options.
His voice practically purrs, “I think it’s a great idea.” He takes a step forward and my ass bumps into the exam table behind me. “Was I wrong?”
Oh, this is wrong for certain, just not the kind of wrong he’s thinking. My heart thumps wildly and head misfires signals like crazy.
“W-wrong?”
“Come on now, Piper. You can’t proposition me without at least knowing what you’re getting yourself into.”
“I-I can’t?” I make the mistake of looking down to see the outline of his cock tight against his dress pants that hide nothing.
Abso-freaking-lutely nothing.
Milo lifts me up by my hips and places me on top of the table, paper crinkles under my butt and I shift back. “Of course not. It’s called due diligence.” I’m utterly speechless. I don’t get far when he grabs me again and pulls me forward pulling the paper with me and my legs part to let him stand between them.
“This isn’t exactly what I had in mind for due diligence.” My hands press against his chest over his coat and my fingers trace his name embroidered on the pocket over his heart.
“No?”
“Definitely not.” My hand brushes against his pectorals slipping under the coat this time and those hard buttons press into my fingertips or maybe it’s the other way around, I can’t be sure. His cologne is light, spicy filling my nose. There is something totally wrong about being in here at the hospital, but neither of us seem to care about the rules.
“Your pulse is elevated.” Holding my wrist, his eyes concentrate on the pulse of my skin under his fingertips.
“I’m weak from blood loss.” I cop out.
He snorts, “Nice try Piper.”
My other hand slides up around the collar of his dress shirt. His head leans down and for the first time I realize how tall he is standing flush against me. My thumb touches the pulse in his neck feeling the same thump-thump-thump-thump that’s coursing through my own body.
“Yours is elevated too.” My hand continues its travels pulling his head down to me. We are so close the only thing separating us is the faint scent of sweet apples from the juice. I lick my lips and taste them. It doesn’t satisfy me nearly as much as Milo’s lips will.
“I was going to wait to kiss you, but fuck it.” Milo’s accent dips low and growly as he presses his lips against mine, chins extending to breach the distance. I don’t know why he would want to wait, heck I don’t want to wait. His nose rubs my face as he inhales.
“Piper.” Crooning his lips find mine again and our kiss deepens.
His mouth tastes mine, his tongue licks swirling inside my lips sucking on my tongue. I twirl my tongue with his stroking inside his mouth meeting his for each step of this slow dance. His mouth devours mine until he stops. He presses a last kiss to my cheek with a tenderness I don’t expect.
“I guess you like apples?” I feel strangely shy.
Grunting he replies, “I like you.” It feels like he’s holding back and I don’t press him again.
I try diffusing the moment with humor instead. “An apple a day?”
“You’re not keeping me away.” He kisses me again drawing me deeper into his spell. My legs hook around his waist and his groan matches mine. I don’t have time to think about anything but him and where this is and isn’t going.
Temporary, right?
Divorce after a year, maybe two?
I hesitate needing something firmer to stand on. Maybe it’s too late to question our decision, but I do it anyway panting like I’ve been on the treadmill too long. “We barely know each other.”
Milo frowns. “We don’t, but we could try. That’s why I wanted to wait to kiss you, but I’m not very good at denying myself.”
He laughs but it sounds strangled.
“What are you saying?”
“People have married for lesser reasons. In my country, marriages have often been arranged. When I think about it, is this really any different?” Milo moves in to kiss me all over again, but I lean back, my hands press his chest to put much needed space between us. He obliges but doesn’t seem to like it. I’m still wrapping my mind around what he said.
“Arranged marriages?”
“Yes, I’m from Georgia. I’ve been in the US since medical school on various school and work visas until now.” I hadn’t thought about what this would mean to him.
“So, you’ve already thought about all of this.”
His hands run down my shoulders. The juice perked me up, but his eager kissing mouth left me hazy and needy for more.
He squeezes my hands diverting my attention from my unsettled thoughts of kisses and more Milo.
“I have. I think we can make this work. We’re a little short on time to court each other, but we’re adults.”
“Court?” Such an old fashioned word, I hope he didn’t think I would turn into some pliant housewife kneading bread at dawn.
“Ah, date.” Milo clarifies. He catches a handful of my hair in his grip pulling me in slowly. I couldn’t have resisted if I tried.
What the hell did I agree to?
“Do we really have time for that?” I calculate the days in my head.
“For you, I’ll make the time.” He kisses my forehead sweetly before dipping back to my lips lingering a
nd I believe him.
CHAPTER FOUR
Milo
“We should celebrate.” It’s day thirty-two before I’m kicked out of America and we’re standing inside the Baltimore City county courthouse holding a stamped packet of papers. We have our official marriage license with all three copies notarized. The packet feels awfully thin to be so official and the determining factor of the next chapter of my life.
“Celebrate how?” Piper eyes me suspiciously, not that I blame her. Our courtship has been on a time constraint.
I like keeping her on her toes and ponder what to do next. It’s early afternoon and if this could lead to kissing her again I would be fine with that. She tastes delicious and apples are my new favorite snack when I’m not around her.
Don’t judge me.
I brush her loose hair back behind her ears catching the pink lock between my fingers. “Maybe we should have one date, or at least dinner so we can get to know each other. No friends, just us, okay?” The week has been busy. We both got blood tests to clear our sexual histories though I wasn’t concerned. I squared away putting Piper on my health insurance plan once we got married since it made better financial sense. I even made her my life insurance beneficiary against legal advice. I won’t deny it also made things look more official, but I felt like I was doing my husbandly duty taking care of her. I couldn’t knock some of these habits.
Piper looks anywhere but at my face. You might think this wasn’t her idea at all the way she avoids making eye contact. It’s a paradox how brave she was asking me to marry her and now eight days later she can’t even look at me because she thinks I’m going to jump her. As much as I would like to imagine us having a wild time, I’m not that impulsive. However, I can’t speak for my bride to be and the thought of her jumping me does make me smile.
“A date?” I watch her throat bob and her mind spin.
“Just us. Dinner.” I squeeze her hand hoping it feels reassuring to her. We’ve just made huge life altering decisions and I’ll wait as long as she wants despite my desire to kick this off as real and as soon as humanly possible.
