“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.