Open Heart (Dr. Love): A Steamy Standalone Instalove Romance Read online

  She looks confused, nearly scared until I tell her the one thing I know I should have said sooner.

  “I want you to be mine forever, don’t you get it? Like man and wife forever,” I finally manage to hear myself say out loud.

  Relieved when I can hear the words.

  She still looks confused, but a smile curls on her lips before she looks up at me, sniffing back her emotions.

  “It’s not a proposal dammit,” I growl. “It’s a… A… proposition. We can try things. Just for a while if it makes you feel better. And when you like, we can-”

  “When I like?” she retorts. “So… you’re asking me to move in with you?” she coos, teasing me now, knowing how much I want her to say yes to everything.

  Why is she playing with me now? I thought she was worried about her dad?

  I’ve never seen her happier, I realize suddenly. Never seen her in her own element more than when she’s watching me squirm a little.

  But I’m not squirming.

  I’m not.

  “I’m taking you home, Evelyn. That’s that. We can talk, shout or argue about anything you want but I won’t live another day without you by my side. Do you hear me?” I tell her.

  She hears me, and the softness of her lips meet mine as she leaps into my arms answers everything.

  A kiss is just a kiss, or is it?

  Sometimes we can live a lifetime through a kiss, and each kiss with Evelyn is like a lifetime on its own. Our own world that neither of us wants to break open until we really have to.

  “I love you. Dr. Love,” she says firmly as I set her down again.

  “And I’ll go anywhere. Do anything, even move in with you if that’s what it takes to prove it,” she adds, growling her voice to try and sound like me when I’m pretending to be mad.

  I pull her into my arms tighter than I should, hearing her squeak as I squeeze the air out of her.

  Kissing her hair, then her face until I find her lips, I promise her.

  I promise her everything we both feel already.

  “Just let me show you,” I tell her. “Give me a chance and let me show you how different life is on the other side.”

  One look and I can tell she’s prepared to meet me every step of the way in this.

  “Isn’t it just a little too soon, Mark? I mean, look at my dad. Our situation. Should I really just throw my hands up in the air and let Dr. Love take care of it all, without any sense of duty of my own? Without even trying to work something out for myself?” she asks.

  I was impressed by her fire at first but hurt by it now. I thought we’d been over all this, I guess she hasn’t come to terms with things as they really are.

  With me in her world.

  “Would you prefer it if I left you both alone? You and your dad?” I dare her, cringing internally as I hear the insanity of my own threat.

  I’d never leave Evelyn. Never let her have to deal with any of this on her own, but I have to ask her point-blank.

  “Of course not,” she gasps, those tears almost coming now. And I take her in my arms again, where she belongs.

  Where I know she’ll always be from now on. No matter our joys or sorrows.

  “Don’t mistake me, baby,” I tell her. “I love you and your dad. I’ll always be here for you both, always,” I remind her, rocking her gently as I ignore the staring faces drifting by.

  “Come home now,” I tell her. “I know it’s been a lot to take in, but you need rest yourself. I think we all do.” I reason with her, feeling her head nod against my chest.

  “You really mean it though?” I hear her finally ask. “You’ll take care of… everything?” Her eyes looking up at me and winding me up.

  “Of course,” I assure her with a shrug. “But, I just might need you to take care of me every once in a while,” I remind her. Knowing my life’s nothing without her in it anymore.

  It never was.

  I hug her tighter and lose track of how many times we tell each other how much we love one another until it’s clear it really is time to go home.

  Waiting for a cab out front of the hospital, I hear myself suggesting I might be taking more than a three month break from work.

  Her hand in mine, with her other running across her belly she looks up at me.

  “I think I’d like that,” she admits.

  “Roomy,” she adds, teasing me already, but I don’t mind it at all.

  The softness of her hand in mine, the scent of her hair in the cab ride home, and the surprise in her eyes when we pull up through the gates when I open them remotely from my phone.

  All our parcels are neatly stacked and delivered as promised. Although early, makes me smile.

  Anything she wants.

  Anything she needs.

  It will always be there for her. For all of us.

  Our family. The one I know we’ll make and grow from now on in this house.

  Home.

  “Here we are,” I announce, helping her out of the cab and slipping some bills to the driver.

  It feels like I’m coming home for the first time. The whole place seems brighter, cleaner.

  New.

  “No servants here, I’m afraid,” I announce, reminding us both of the strangeness of our arrival at the island house we just left.

  “Good,” Evelyn announces, getting to work in lifting some of the parcels from the front porch.

  “That doesn’t mean I want you to do everything,” I chuckle, lifting the boxes from her arms after opening the door.

  Maybe some permanent staff would be a good idea?

  I shake off the thought.

  That would be stupid. Although plenty of people I know do have permanent housekeepers, I usually just have a lawn guy and a house cleaner when the place needs it.

  “I can manage,” she smiles, and I see a tinge of guilt as I’m sure she counts each box.

  All for her.

  Those clothes and whatever else she wanted I insist she get.

  “There’ll be more boxes yet,” I muse aloud, guiding Evelyn into the foyer. Glad when she doesn’t seem taken back by the size of the place.

  “Not sure how much stuff you have, but there’s no shortage of room for it here either.”

  EPILOGUE

  THREE MONTHS LATER

  Evelyn

  “I’ll be late for class,” I try to protest, but not even trying to escape his strong arms as they drag me back over to the bed, both of us laughing as he kisses me.

  “I can get you a medical certificate,” Mark offers, making me remind him of the stack of sick notes already on my tutor’s desks.

  ‘No wonder you want to study medicine, Ms. Partridge. Your own health seems to be a case study of its own!’

  I yield to Mark’s touch every time though. I can’t help it. Neither of us can.

  “Just. Let me. Examine you,” Dr. Love groans, his hands running across my chest until he finds his favorite two handed grip on my body.

  Kissing me with a passion that only seems to grow day by day.

  I finally catch my breath, and after reminding him my class is only in the next room online, he finally lets me go with a low moan of surrender.

  He doesn’t like me locking the door either, but some days I just have to.

  The sight of Mark Love, naked and hard in my study doorway has been the ruin of more than one online lesson or exam.

  Today’s a little different though.

  I use the break in my online class to take a bathroom break of a different kind.

  Butterflies in my stomach, I watch my hands shiver as I wait for the test result.

  Could be negative, but why should it be?

  Mark and I have talked about starting a family since I moved in, from day one. And there’s no doubt in my mind I want him to be the father of my babies.

  No doubt in my mind our family started the first night he claimed me as his.

  The family he’s never had and my own desire to be the mom I certainly know
I never had stick around while I grew up.

  All the voices in my head though, mainly my dad’s… telling me I’m too young. I should establish myself first.

  But I am established.

  I have Mark, and he has me. I’ve never known more stability in my life. Never been surer of anything either.

  The knock at my study door makes me jump.

  It’s Mark.

  Of course, it is. He’s never one to leave me locked up for too long and almost always knows my schedule better than I do.

  The thought makes me smile as I watch the test strip turn blue.

  “Evelyn?” I hear his muffled, deep voice from behind the door. “Evelyn, you okay?” he asks again.

  But I can only make a strange sound. A sound I know Mark’s never heard before.

  “C’mon, Evelyn. I’m not kidding. You alright in there?” he asks louder, pounding on the door until I finally hear the tiny lock popping under his weight.

  It’s not Fort Knox. The lock was always just kind of a joke so Mark would leave me alone long enough for me to get some work done.

  But once he thinks something’s not right, he’s the first man on the scene.

  I’m in his arms before I know it, his calm but firm voice demanding me to tell him what’s wrong.

  But nothing’s wrong.

  Nothing’s been more perfect in the history of the whole entire world, ever.

  I can’t find the words, only the test, which I pass to Mark as he looks on with anxiety until it registers.

  “You mean?” Is all he can ask at first. His expression turning from worry to joy, relief, and then beaming pride all in one second.

  My only response is to nod.

  I can’t believe it either, but at the same time, it’s no real surprise.

  I knew it from our first night.

  And every night and day since then, it wouldn’t take a genius to figure out we were…

  “Mommy and Daddy?” he says slowly, making me want to laugh at how silly he sounds.

  But hearing it like that, from his lips. As if it was our own children speaking already.

  I start to cry.

  “Mommy and Daddy,” I echo back to him, feeling his body shake with emotion as he holds me tighter still, reminding me how blessed we all are, and how blessed we’ll always be.

  “You’re gonna be the best mom,” he says, stroking my hair as I grip his iron abs, pressing my soft chest into him.

  “And you’re already the world’s greatest dad,” I sniff. Meaning it. “And my best friend in the whole world,” I add. Not even trying to sound corny.

  Because it’s true.

  “So it’s settled then?” he adds cryptically.

  My face forming into a puzzle as I study his smile.

  “What do you mean?” I ask innocently, fondling the test between my fingers as though I need convincing this is real.

  “You’ll be my wife as well as our children’s mommy,” he says, a matter of fact.

  I hear myself gasp and then groan, clutching my belly.

  But not for the reason he thinks.

  “Is everything alright?” Mark asks, grabbing both my hands until I bring one of his up to my lips, kissing his large mitt.

  “Never better,” I confirm. “And in case you were asking, the answer is yes. Always yes, Dr. Love,” I tell him, trying not to cry again.

  “Dr. Partridge,” he corrects me, making me pout.

  “I thought if we’re to be married I’d be Dr. Love too,” I protest. “Once I’ve graduated, of course,” I admit.

  “You’ll always be Doctor Partridge to me, I’m afraid,” he admits.

  “How so?” I protest.

  “Because it was Evelyn Partridge who rescued me. She saved my life don’t you know?”

  “I only want to be Mrs. Doctor Love,” I tell him, wrapping my arms around his neck.

  “Okay, baby,” he croons. “Just be on call whenever we need you?” he asks, running his hand over my belly, murmuring “Dr. Love” to himself, as though it’s the first time he’s heard it like that.

  EXTENDED EPILOGUE

  THREE YEARS LATER

  Mark

  “I just don’t think I can make it, sorry,” I confess to the director of yet another hospital on the other side of the country.

  “Patients need your help!” I hear the strained, swollen moneybag voice on the other end of the line pleading with me, but by now it’s usually always the same response.

  I hear our little Jane and her older brother Josh in the background of my world, reminding me where my true responsibilities lie.

  There’ll always be someone to try and save everyone else.

  I did it for twenty years, don’t need to bust my gut trying it all over again.

  I’ve got my own family now, my own responsibilities.

  I hang up calmly and silently before Evelyn hears. I know how she likes to worry I might go dashing off again to save some poor soul at the drop of a hat like she’s been training to do.

  And against all her dad’s supposed ‘wishes,’ she’s gonna be the best damned doctor I’ve seen in twenty years.

  No bias on my part though.

  Maybe, Nick, me, and Evelyn could go all in? Make the best practice the country’s ever seen.

  Maybe even a hospital?

  Easy tiger. Stick with just getting the girl for now.

  And keeping her.

  Giving her everything she deserves.

  “Who’s on the phone, hun?” she asks, breezing through with a folder in her hand and scooping up one of the scrambling babies at her feet.

  I scoop up Jane while she nabs Josh as if he’s air under her hands. Following her, to the changing table, I know from my sense of smell that they both sorely need it.

  “Nobody special,” I tell her, pecking her lips and feeling her body shiver a little.

  Not because it’s cold, but because every time we touch it always feels the same.

  Like the first time.

  She’s set her folder down, ignoring my questions about where she’s at with her own studies.

  I already know she’s the best doctor. The most specialized kind.

  A mom. A wife and a thousand other things that go along with having two toddlers along with a full-time at home half-baby himself husband.

  I’m just curious though, but Evelyn never likes to tell me every little thing about what she’s working on or where she’s at with her studies saying family time is more important.

  “You miss it yet?” she asks me, a large steel pin between her teeth as she expertly changes Josh’s cloth nappy with surgical precision.

  I make a face as I stab my own thumb from Jane’s.

  Again.

  Every damned time.

  “Miss what?” I ask, sucking blood from my thumb before I let her finish for me.

  Not because I can’t change a real diaper.

  Just because she does it better, and the kids know it too. Always wanting mommy to change them when it’s time.

  For obvious reasons, I guess.

  “Maybe stick to open-heart surgery, Mark,” she coos, pecking my cheek, scooping up both our bambinos and her folder before making for the living room.

  “That came out wrong!” she calls over her shoulder, and I feel the smile on my face cancel out any doubt I might have just had.

  Giving someone a new valve or three inside their chest is one thing, but pinning a child’s cloth diaper at three a.m. without a second glance?

  That’s a skill in itself.

  I follow her through to the living room, the open fire blazing and the cribs already rocking, as if waiting for our little babies in anticipation.

  Once they’ve started to settle, I take a seat beside them.

  A scene I’d always imagined but never thought would ever come true.

  Mom and dad, babies.

  “You okay, hun?” she asks me, and I know she’s still worried about her own comment.

 
“Never better,” I assure her. “Perfection,” I hear myself say, grinning again at the sight in front of me. Taking in her curves and willing the kids to sleep soon so I can grab hold of them again.

  “I don’t have to keep up with the next term,” she says with a small smile.

  I raise my brow in question. “Uh, you probably do if you want to graduate,” I remind her seriously, wondering if her dad’s been at her again about becoming a doctor.

  But her face furrows.

  “Maybe what I want now, is to just be a stay at home mom with her husband,” she says adamantly.

  I hold both my palms up in surrender, letting her make her own choices in this life. Promising to support her, no matter what.

  “You’d make a helluva doctor, though,” I say to myself, not even trying to tease her. Because it’s true.

  “Tons of doctors work from home,” I add, letting her know I’ll support her in anything she wants to do.

  “Specializing in what?” she asks firmly, challenging me as she stands facing me with her hands on her hips.

  Those hips.

  “Family planning,” I offer cheekily, curling my lip and letting my eyes follow her curves as they move closer to me until she settles herself on my lap.

  “Very funny,” she whispers into my ear, her hand already stroking me to full attention.

  “You know I could never devote any time to anyone else’s problems in that department,” she adds. “I’m far too busy with my own.”

  I moan softly and checking the kids really are asleep, suggest we move to the rug in front of the fire.

  Pillows and blankets are everywhere, looks like Josh is gonna be quite the builder. His makeshift forts are really coming along.

  Evelyn purrs under my touch, and just when I think we’re about to have some quality alone time, he coughs and then cries.

  Awake.

  “Hold that thought,” I tell my wife, pecking her lips as she props herself up on one elbow, smiling as she watches me tend to our son.

  Not wanting to be left out, Jane joins her brother and squawks louder than he ever could.

  In no time, Evelyn is up and nestling our daughter in her arms as I rock Josh gently, we meet on the rug by the fireplace in a very different way.

  Smiling at one another, and with her brow lifted, my darling wife sighs with contentment.