“Come on,” he said, gesturing toward his bedroom. “Let’s find you something dry to wear.”
He left her alone in his walk-in closet while she chose a pair of gym shorts and a sweatshirt. The scent of his clothes instantly took her back to the first time she ever stayed over at his place.
When she had finally managed to dry off, she joined James in the living room. There were two cups of hot chocolate on the coffee table.
“I’ve got some schnapps in the cupboard if you want some,” he called to her as he started up the fireplace.
He knew her too well. She grabbed a small bottle of the peppermint liquor and poured a good measure in her mug.
“Feeling better?” he asked.
She nodded, one last shiver leaving her system. James sat down next to her on the couch, his hands wrapped around his warm cup.
There was an awkward silence between them. Both knew exactly what had to be done. Either they would agree to enter a relationship that night, or they would decide to call it quits for good. They both had something they wanted to say, but they were afraid of how the other would respond.
After several long, uncomfortable moments, James spoke up.
“Let’s just get this out of the way. I want to be with you. I’ve always wanted to be with you, from the first moment you kissed me in the doctor’s lounge. You’re not just a hot hookup to me. I want you in my life. I can accept it if you don’t want to be with me, but it’s all or nothing. I can’t spend the rest of my life hoping that you’ll eventually come around some day. I love you, Isabella, and I want you to know that I’d do anything to get you to stay with me.”
Isabella tried to hold back the tears that were starting to form in her eyes. She blinked rapidly, trying to be discreet, and then she was overcome by her own feelings for James.
“Did I say something wrong?” he asked. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”
“No,” she said, wiping her tears away. “I have feelings for you, too. I’ve been pushing them down for so long because I was trying to protect myself. I want you to know that—”
She got choked up. Fresh tears slid down her cheeks.
“Know what?” he coaxed.
“I was wrong. I really want to make this work.”
James pulled her into his arms, and she dripped tears on his shoulder. He kissed her softly on the head.
“You have made me so incredibly happy,” he said.
She smiled, and he dried her face with his thumbs.
“Can we go back to how things were before the disaster dinner with our parents?” she asked.
“Of course. I’ve wanted to try out some new recipes but have had no one to cook with. I also have that voucher for the trip to the resort that needs to be used soon.”
“Are you asking me to go on vacation with you?”
“Is it too soon?”
She laughed. “I don’t think anything can be too soon anymore. I would love to go with you, but if we take the same time off work, will it look suspicious?”
“What’s the point in keeping it a secret anymore?”
“How about if we don’t go out of our way to announce it to everyone, but we don’t deny it if anyone asks?”
“I can work with that,” he said. “We should probably limit sexual activity to the privacy of our own homes, though,” he said, laughing.
“That’s fair. I suppose normal couples don’t have sex at work, do they?”
“No, I don’t think they do.”
He twirled a strand of her damp hair around his finger. “So this is actually happening, isn’t it?”
Isabella nodded and kissed him. “Are you afraid I’m going to run out?”
He grimaced. “Honestly, a little.”
She grabbed his face with both hands. “James Johnson, I promise you that I will do everything I can to make this work.”
He smiled. “That’s all I can ask for.”
“My mom is going to be thrilled. Ugh,” she exclaimed. “I’m going to have to call her tomorrow.”
“I think my dad will be pretty happy, too.”
“Are you sure? We’ve only met the one time, and I behaved abhorrently.”
“No, he understands the situation.”
“Have you talked about me?” she asked.
“Maybe,” he said cryptically.
“I’m glad we have this sorted. Otherwise, family gatherings would be a nightmare,” she said.
“Maybe we should have another dinner with the parents soon,” he suggested. “This time, there will be no secrets.”
“That sounds nice.”
They kissed, and everything felt right. There was no tension or drama between them anymore. They would be together and let nothing get in the way of their happiness.
Work had a different vibe now. They didn’t see each other often during the day, but occasionally, they could meet up for lunch. The interns had their suspicions, but no one had confronted Isabella about her friendship with the attending. Of course, Jordan knew everything, and she could not have been happier for Isabella.
When they found themselves alone in the doctor’s lounge, they opted for a quick smooch instead of a quickie. This way, they could keep things perfectly professional. There was less temptation to get it on during work hours anyway, because if Isabella wanted sex, James’s house was only a short drive away.
Even though their sex life was no longer deviant, it was just as hot as ever. Because they were no longer hooking up between patients or before rounds, they could take the time to really explore each other’s body.
Initially, they told each other that they would only meet up a few times a week. However, as the weeks went on, they found themselves spending more and more time together. Isabella didn’t have to give up her studying though. Many nights were spent together on the couch, where Isabella would read and James would play video games, with headphones on, of course. Just being in each other’s presence was good enough for them. It didn’t matter if they were talking or not.
In the end, Isabella got more than she ever imagined she could have in life. She was in a committed relationship without feeling pressure to get married or start a family. Work was challenging, but worth it. She was top of the interns and pushed herself to be better every day. Isabella could live life independently but still count on James’s companionship to cheer her up and keep her motivated. Their relationship wasn’t something either of them imagined they would ever have, but being together was far better than their expectations.
Epilogue
Isabella and James had made it through four months of their relationship without incident. Despite their best efforts, rumors flew around the hospital, and before they knew it, their relationship was public knowledge. For the most part, this wasn’t a big issue. The male interns were pretty upset at first, but they had all branched out on their own by then, and they hardly had to work together.
About a month after they reunited, James took Isabella on the trip to the resort in Mexico. Isabella had been on fancy vacations before, but this was better than any island getaway she’d ever been on. Whereas her mother liked to do nothing but lay by the pool on vacation, James liked adventure. Together, they went parasailing and snorkeling, and they even swam with dolphins.
At night, they took advantage of the all-inclusive dining and enjoyed late dinners by candlelight and drank as many tropical drinks as they could manage. For the first time in years, they slept in late and ordered room service to be delivered late in the morning to replenish their energy after doing the deed.
They spend so much time scantily-clad that week that they could hardly keep their hands off each other. They went at each other like newlyweds every time they were in the privacy of their room. They even attempted sex on the beach in the wee hours of the night, but the tide nearly overtook them, turning them into a drunken, giggly mess. From there on, they played it safe and stayed in their bed.
Unfortunately, the trip didn’t last long, and they ha
d to return to their life of hectic work schedules and sleeplessness. Their relationship was stronger than ever when they returned, and it was hard for them to act like professionals at work when they only wanted to hold hands and make out.
“Hey,” James said one afternoon after spotting Isabella by the lab. She gave the lab technician a sample and told her to send her the results as soon as possible.
“How’s it going?” Isabella asked her boyfriend.
“Pretty good. I was just coming down here to get some results for one of my patients. I see Dr. Jensen is having you run samples around to the lab. You know, I bet you could get a nurse to do that for you.”
She giggled nervously. “It’s no problem. Besides, the nurses like it when the interns don’t ask them to perform mundane tasks.”
“Suit yourself,” he said. “By the way, my dad said that he’s coming to town tomorrow with your mother. Do you want to meet them for drinks?”
“How about dinner?” she suggested.
“Sounds good. I’ll tell them we’ll see them tomorrow at seven o’clock.”
He walked away, sneakily grazing her fingers with his as he left.
“Oh,” he exclaimed, turning back toward Isabella. “I want you to come over after dinner. I have a surprise for you.”
“A surprise?” she asked anxiously. Isabella liked to be in control too much for surprises to be fun.
“Don’t worry.” He smiled.
Isabella couldn’t help but worry. She had a bad feeling she knew what his surprise was. She had sensed something was up with him recently. The last few nights, she had called him to talk, and he was busy and away from his house. She would ask him what he was up to, and he gave very vague responses.
Of course, James was allowed to have a life outside of Isabella’s. It was just unusual for him to not be at home in the evening. Even stranger still was the fact that he didn’t tell Isabella where he was or what he was doing. She was starting to feel crazy for even questioning it.
She hoped that his surprise was something silly, like a new flavor of ice cream they’d never tried, or a new TV that they could watch movies on. What she didn’t want was a surprise having to do with expensive gifts or major life changes. She’d had too many of those recently for her liking.
Dinner with the parents went much better the second time around. Out of all the men her mother had ever married, she liked Charles the best. Maybe she was biased, though, because she was dating his son. Their parents were both pleased that they were together. Right on cue, her mom asked them prying questions.
“Do you think you’re going to get married anytime soon?” she asked.
“I think that one’s up to your daughter,” James answered, smiling.
Isabella rolled her eyes at her mom. “Way to put me on the spot.”
“Any plans for giving us grandkids?”
James laughed. “I think that would have to happen after marriage. Your daughter is stubborn. You may be waiting for a long, long time.”
“Hey, when she’s ready, she’s ready,” Charles said, attempting to come to the aid of his new stepdaughter.
Isabella gave him a look of silent gratitude.
“You’re only backing her up to get on her good side,” her mom accused her new husband.
“It’s working.” Isabella laughed. “I feel like the two of you are ganging up on me.”
“Never,” James said, reaching under the table and giving her thigh a gentle squeeze.
“I’m stuffed,” Charles announced, sliding his empty plate a few inches away from him. “Anyone want to order dessert? How about a digestive?”
“Nothing for me,” Isabella said. “Dinner was decadent enough.”
Sparing no expense, as usual, the other three mused over a selection of brandy.
“Want to try some?” James asked Isabella, holding his glass of cognac near her nose.
The scent burned her nostrils. “No, thank you. I’ll stick to water.”
After dinner, they hugged their parents and went their separate ways.
“That went well, don’t you think?” James asked.
“Yeah, that wasn’t even remotely painful,” Isabella noted. “Except for the part when my mom asked inappropriate questions.”
“Oh, she’s just curious. I don’t blame her.”
As much as it annoyed Isabella, it was sort of nice to have her mom back in her life. For so many years, she’d resented her for putting a slew of new husbands before her daughter, but once she saw her mom with her new husband, she had more empathy for her. It couldn’t have been easy to live life with a daughter who had nothing to do with her and didn’t require anything from her besides a little money every now and again.
Her mother used her husbands as a means to provide for herself and her daughter. But she also craved companionship and someone to love. Now that Isabella had that for herself, it was easier to forgive her mother for their strained relationship.
It was also good to see that James and his father could still have a good relationship after going through the same issues. If James could do it, Isabella knew that she could too.
“Do you want to tell me what the surprise is?” Isabella said nervously as they pulled into his garage.
“Wait a few seconds. You’ll see.”
James was clearly too excited to show her the big surprise, because he didn’t even hear her when she said she had something important to talk about too.
When he opened the door, she saw nothing out of the ordinary. There was no surprise party, no balloons, no scattered rose petals or signs.
He grabbed a small, plainly wrapped box off the kitchen counter and handed it to Isabella.
“I really hope whatever is in this box is not expensive,” she said. She hated when he spent a fortune on unnecessary gifts for her.
“Don’t worry. It’s nothing much.”
She slowly unwrapped the paper, took a deep breath, and opened the little box.
Inside was a key, the type sold at a hardware store.
“What does it go to?” she asked. “Or is it some sort of symbolic gesture?”
“Isabella, the last few months have been nothing but perfect. I constantly find myself alone here, wishing you would be by my side.” He paused. “Isabella, will you move in with me?”
She let out a sigh of relief. This was big, but it wasn’t as big as a marriage proposal. She could handle living together.
“Yes,” she said, giving him a hug.
“Perfect, because I hired movers to bring your things here next week.”
She laughed. “What if I would have said no?”
“I knew you wouldn’t. Come here. Let me show you some changes I made for you. I did a little work earlier in the week to get things ready for you to move in.”
He led her to the office. “I added a whole new bookshelf, just for your books. That way, you have a space to study when I’m playing my games.”
He took her hand and brought her to the kitchen. “I bought a fancy espresso maker so you can quickly make the kind of coffee you like in the morning.”
Finally, he took her to the bedroom. “I had to do a little reorganizing, but now, there’s plenty of closet space for you.”
He gestured to her half of his massive closet. She had shelves for shoes, racks to hang clothes, and even a little seating area and vanity to get ready at.
Isabella felt both touched by his gesture and overwhelmed by it all. Before she knew it, tears were pouring down her face.
James’s face fell. “You don’t like it?”
“I do,” she sobbed. “This is all so nice of you.”
“Then what’s the issue?”
It took her a moment to calm down enough to speak clearly. She wiped her eyes on her sleeve.
“You know when we spoke by the lab today?”
He nodded his head.
“I wasn’t delivering a sample for a patient. It was for me.”
James grabbed her hands. “
What’s wrong?” he asked, looking like he was going to faint.
“I hadn’t been feeling well, and I just chalked it up to stress and lack of sleep. Well, a couple of months went by and I wasn’t feeling any better, so I had some blood work done. I got the results shortly before we left for dinner.”
“And?”
“I’m pregnant.”
James stood still, completely stunned.
“We can discuss our options,” she said hastily. “My options, I guess. I’m not going to make you go through with this if you don’t want to.”
His mouth split into a wide grin. “Are you kidding me? Of course I want to. This is incredible.”
He picked her up around the waist and spun her in a circle.
“Wow, that beats my surprise of asking you to move in.”
“Are you positive you want to go through with this?”
“This is the best day of my life! The love of my life is moving in with me, and I’m going to be a father! How are you feeling about all of this?”
“Terrified, but I think that I can get through it.”
“I know you can,” he said, giving her a kiss. “I’ll help you every step of the way.
Isabella was unsure about all of this. Just one year ago, she was a single student with a clear expectation of where her life was going. Now, she was moving in with her surgeon boyfriend, and they were expecting a child. She had no choice but to trust James when he said everything was going to be okay. But, as he would point out to her, he was typically right about these things.
Nothing about their relationship was typical, so why should she expect such a bland happily ever after? Together, they did nothing slow or ordinary, so Isabella knew to expect nothing but wild unpredictability in their future.
Thank You
Stephanie Brother writes scintillating stories with stepsiblings as their main romantic focus. She’s always been curious about the forbidden, and this is her way of exploring such complex relationships that threaten to keep her couples apart. As she writes her way to her dream job, Ms. Brother hopes that her readers will enjoy the full emotional and romantic experience as much as she’s enjoyed writing them.
Please see my Author Central Account on Amazon for a full list of my titles.
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