Chapter Eighteen

Cooper

I was down here less than five minutes after Mallory left my apartment. Admittedly, I didn't clear away the breakfast things, or tidy the apartment, or even make the bed. I just put on a set of clean scrubs, checked my hair didn't look too messy, found my shoes, and ran out the door.

That gave me a few moments to finish tidying the surgery… a job I'd left undone last night, for the simple reason I had better things to do. A few moments was all it took to make it look as though I hadn't abandoned my duties, thank goodness, because I'd only just finished when Greta arrived. I let her in, trying to pretend it was just a normal morning, even though it felt like the exact opposite… especially as Mallory wasn't at her desk, and I missed her already. I get how feeble that sounds, but I honestly don't care. I love her, and when she's not with me, I miss her… so much that I have to go see her. Right now.

"Can you finish getting everything ready, please, Greta?"

"Sure." She doesn't even look up, and I guess she thinks I need the bathroom, or something… when in reality, I just need to see Mallory, even if it's only for a few seconds.

I wander out into the reception, pausing when I see she's sitting at her desk, rummaging through her top drawer. She looks incredible, her hair braided loosely behind her head, and I wonder how she can look so together when I feel as though I'm falling apart without her. How can she treat today like it's no different from any other, when in reality, nothing will ever be the same again?

I wander over, and even though she hasn't noticed me yet, I lean across her desk and whisper, "I've missed you."

She glances up, a smile lighting her face, and she says, "I was hoping you'd come out here and say something like that."

"You were?"

"Yes. I've been feeling kinda lost."

I go around to her side of the desk and crouch beside her. "Me too." Although in the strangest way, I think I've finally found myself.

I rest my hand on her thigh, and she gasps, parting her legs slightly. "We can't start something now," she whispers.

"I can't stop."

She stares at me with such longing in her eyes, and I squeeze her leg, leaning in to kiss her, just as the door opens and my patient arrives.

I stand, stepping away, although Mallory looks up at me with a smile, and I give her a wink before I welcome Mrs. Brennan.

"I'm sorry I've had to come in so early," she says, having clearly not noticed anything amiss between me and Mallory. "It's just that Greg and I are supposed to be going away this afternoon, and I won't survive the journey, let alone the vacation, if I don't get this tooth looked at."

"It's fine, Mrs. Brennan. Come with me and we'll soon have you feeling better."

"Oh, thank you, Doctor White."

She's simpering slightly and as she enters the surgery, I turn to Mallory, who rolls her eyes at me, a smile touching at her lips. I blow her a kiss, which seems to surprise her, and I hear her sigh, even from here.

"I want you," I mouth silently. She nods her head, licking her lips, which does crazy things to my cock, and I realize the stupidity of that move, even though I can't help myself, and I take a breath before going inside the surgery and closing the door.

I need a little time to recover from that and while I pretend to check a few things on the computer, I think about Mallory. Why wouldn't I?

Neither of us has said a word, but it feels like we're on the same page. It feels like we both want more than a physical relationship, and although that thought ought to scare someone like me, it doesn't, because the thought of anything less with Mallory is terrifying.

"Where are the keys?" I say as the door closes on Greta.

"Here."

Mallory gives them to me, and I lock the front door, coming back and holding out my hand.

"Come with me."

"Where to?"

"Upstairs."

"We can't," she says. "Greta could come back."

"Not today. She told me she's meeting a friend for lunch at the coffee shop."

Mallory's eyes light up and she leaps to her feet and takes my hand, following me through the door and up the stairs to my apartment. Once inside, our hands are all over each other, clutching at clothes, pulling them off, the morning's desperations getting the better of both of us.

"Lie down on the couch," I say the moment she's naked, and she looks up at me for a second, then nods her head, making her way over there and lying along the length of it, her eyes widening as I follow in her footsteps. She's already parted her legs and sucks in a breath when I grab her ankles and pull her down slightly, so there's some space above her head

"What are you doing?" she asks.

"I wanna fuck your mouth."

"Oh…"

"Is that okay?"

"Of course."

She goes to sit up, but I shake my head. "I didn't make myself clear. I wanna fuck your mouth, while eating you," I explain, and she nods her head, lying back down and licking her lips in the most beguiling way. "Is that okay?"

"Absolutely."

I climb on top of her, getting into position, my dick above her lips. "If this gets too much, tap my leg. Okay?"

"Okay."

She grabs my cock, guiding it to her mouth, and I feel her lips surrounding me, driving me insane as she moves her hand away, giving me control. I focus for a moment or two, shifting backwards to get the angle right, and then as I start to move, taking her mouth, I concentrate on her pussy. It's right before me, her lips plump and inviting, and I part them with my fingers, dipping my head to lick her clit. She bucks against me and I repeat the process, over and over, inserting first one, and then two fingers inside her. She's dripping wet and I take advantage of that, moving my middle finger downward and circling it over her puckered anus. She groans loudly, grinding her hips, and I flex my own, taking her mouth a little deeper just as I insert my finger into her tightest hole. I'm hitting the back of her throat with my dick, and I half expect to feel a tap on my thigh, but I don't. Instead, I feel her bring her arms up, resting her hands on my ass and pulling me in even closer. She wants more, and who am I to deny her? I fuck her mouth as hard as I dare, while I work her pussy just a little harder, my tongue flickering over her clit until I know she's about to climax. I'm almost there myself, and as she lets out a scream of pure pleasure, her hips rolling and writhing, I let go down her throat, my own pleasure bordering on pain, but never quite getting there, as she swallows me down.

It takes us a while to come back from that, and when we do, I gently pull my fingers from her, kissing the tops of her thighs before I release my cock from her mouth and slide to the floor, kneeling beside her.

"That was amazing, babe."

"Hmm… it was." She smiles at me, reaching out and resting her hand on my cheek. "Thank you."

"Why on earth are you thanking me? It should be the other way around."

She shakes her head. "I love the way you make me feel."

"Oh? How's that?"

"Like you can't get enough… like you lose control – just a little – when we're together."

"I do… and more than just a little."

Her smile widens and she sits up, twisting around to face me, her hand dropping to her side, although I take it in mine and she studies our entwined fingers for a moment. "Y—You make me feel wanted, too, Coop. Wanted, and happy… and safe."

I smile down at her and open my mouth to tell her how easy that is, because I'm in love with her, just as I hear the phone ringing downstairs, and we pull apart.

"Let it go to voicemail," I murmur, looking down into her eyes, and although I'd rather stay exactly where we are, I know we have to get back to work… and soon.

"We should go down," she says, like she's read my mind.

"Not before we get dressed and you do something with your hair."

"My hair? Why? What's wrong with it?"

"Nothing. It just doesn't look as tidy as it did."

She raises her hand, feeling behind her head where most of the braiding has come loose. "I'm a mess," she says.

"Maybe. But you're my mess."

She sucks in a breath, staring into my eyes as she nods her head. "I am, although it's gonna take me a few minutes to make myself presentable again."

I stand, helping her to her feet, and although I expect her to head for the door, and go upstairs, she picks up her clothes and makes for the bathroom. My heart flips over in my chest. She's making herself at home here… or it feels that way. And nothing could make me happier, other than being able to stay up here and enjoy a little more time with her.

"I'll see you downstairs," I call, pulling on my pants. "I'd better get down there in case Greta comes back and there's no-one to let her in."

Mallory suddenly appears at the bathroom door. She's still completely naked, and even though I'm already pulling my top on over my head, and I know we don't have time to do anything more right now, I can't help wishing… and thinking about this evening, and all the things we can do then, when we have more time.

"Oh. You're not waiting?" she says, surprising me. "I—I'll go upstairs then, shall I?"

"What on earth for?"

"Because this is your apartment, Cooper. It's your space."

I step across to her, pulling her close, my hands on her bare ass as I bend my head to kiss her. "Not anymore, babe."

"You mean, you're okay with me being here when you're not?"

"Absolutely."

"But I thought you said…"

I know what she's talking about, and she's not wrong. To have someone in my space before now would have felt wrong. With Mallory, it feels completely natural.

"That was then, baby." I lean in and kiss her forehead. "Just don't be too long and close the door behind you when you're done."

She smiles and leans up, kissing me this time. It's a kiss that I know will have to last me all afternoon, so I make the most of it, holding her close to me, and using up all my willpower to eventually pull away and let her go.

"I'll be right behind you," she says, as she ducks back into the bathroom.

"Good."

It feels like it would be the most natural thing in the world to call out, ‘I love you' as I depart, but we haven't said it face-to-face yet. Saying it to an empty room doesn't seem quite right. Even to me.

Standing here thinking about that won't get me anywhere, though, so I head downstairs and go into the reception area to unlock the door roughly a minute before Greta comes in. Has it really been an hour? I guess it must have been and my heart beats a little faster, knowing how close we came to getting caught – again – although I wouldn't want to go back and change a single thing. Everything with Mallory is just perfect, and I can't help smiling as I make my way around her desk and pick up the phone to see who called.

"Is everything okay?" Greta asks as she walks past.

"Yeah. I just missed a call, that's all."

"You missed it?"

"Yeah."

"Where were you?"

"Um… busy."

She nods her head and gives me a smile, like she knows exactly what I've been doing since she left, but she doesn't say a word and heads for the ladies' room while I check the voicemail.

It's been a horrible afternoon.

Obviously that's mostly because I've missed Mallory, but it's also because I've had some particularly difficult patients to attend to, and by the end of the day, I'm more than relieved when I hear her lock the front door.

"You have remembered my doctor's appointment on Friday, haven't you?" Greta says, as she wipes down the countertop and I turn from my seat at the computer.

"Doctor's appointment?"

"Yes. I told you about it last week."

She may well have done, but a lot has happened since then.

"Remind me?"

She rolls her eyes. "I need to leave early."

"How early?"

"No later than five."

I check the diary and nod my head. "The last appointment is at four-thirty and it's just a check-up, so that'll be fine."

"Good. Because I'm going anyway."

I chuckle, blocking out the five pm slot, so no-one can book it. It's something I ought to have done when she told me, but I guess I've been preoccupied, and I smile, thinking about that perfect preoccupation, who's sitting out at the reception desk. I won't object to finishing a little early on Friday myself, and my smile widens as I contemplate an entire weekend with Mallory.

"You're looking very cheerful," Greta says, and I nod my head.

"I'm feeling very cheerful."

"Might that have anything to do with Mallory?"

"It might."

She smiles. "So things are working out okay?"

"Things are working out spectacularly."

"Then don't screw it up."

Her reply makes me laugh, and she shakes her head, still smiling, as she leaves the room, her work completed for the day.

I've just got a few more notes to finish, and once that's done, I shut down the computer and head out to the reception. Mallory's sitting there, her desk clear and her computer already switched off. The blind has been pulled down over the front door, and I can't see any reason for her to still be here… except…

"Are you waiting for me?"

She nods her head, getting to her feet, and I hold out my hand, waiting for her to take it, and then lead her to the stairs. This feels less frantic than at lunchtime, but still so gloriously normal, and I wonder how we can have slid into such an easy-going relationship so easily. I also wonder why the thought of being in a relationship doesn't bother me in the slightest… although I'm not going to waste too much time thinking about it.

I'm just going to enjoy it.

Once we get to my apartment door, I open it, surprised when Mallory pulls back.

"I need to go upstairs."

"What for?"

"I have to feed Saffron."

"Oh. Okay. I'll leave the door open for you." She nods her head, letting go of my hand and stepping toward the next flight of stairs. "Don't be long, will you?"

She smiles. "No."

With that, she's gone, rushing up the stairs, and I go inside, leaving the door ajar. A quick glance at the kitchen reveals that the breakfast things have all been cleared away. I was gonna do that myself, but Mallory's beaten me to it, and I shake my head, although I can't help smiling as I make my way into the bedroom, noticing that she must have also made the bed. That was good of her, and while I could spend a minute or two contemplating our new domestic set-up, I've got more important things to do.

I strip out of my scrubs, putting them into the laundry hamper, then hurry back to the living room, and settle on the couch. My cock is already bone hard, and I lean back into the corner, getting comfortable before I palm it, stroking along my length, and wondering what Mallory will make of this, as I contemplate her straddling me, my hands on her perfect ass. Man, that's hot. It's enough to…

"Saffron!"

I hear Mallory's cry and sit up slightly, just as her cat bolts through the door, practically skids to a halt, glancing left and right, and then runs for the couch, jumping up on the back of it, and surveying my apartment.

"What are you doing in here?" I say, shaking my head, just as Mallory comes flying through the door herself.

"I'm so sorr—" She stops dead, her apology dying at the same time, and although she glances at her cat, her eyes dart back to me, dropping to my cock, and widening as she licks her lips. "D—Did I miss something?" she says, stepping closer.

"Not yet."

She smiles just as Saffron jumps down onto the seat of the couch and curls up in the opposite corner from me.

"I'm sorry about this," Mallory says, shaking her head. "I left the door open, and although she'd normally do anything for food, curiosity obviously got the better of her, and she escaped without me noticing." She turns her attention to Saffron. "Come on. You don't live here." She reaches out to pick up the cat, but I grab her hand and pull her down onto my lap, making her squeal and giggle at the same time, although Saffron doesn't seem to notice.

"She can, if you want."

Mallory frowns. "You wanna steal my cat?"

I smile. "No."

"Then I don't…"

"I want you to bring her with you when you move in here."

"Move in? Seriously?" Her face is a mixture of confusion and joy, and she's never looked more beautiful.

"Yes. No matter how turned on I am by the thought of you running around naked, I think it makes sense, don't you? I like making you feel safe, Mallory, and I wanna keep doing it… all the time. Not just when you're lying in my arms about to fall asleep, or when we're making love… but every minute of every day."

"You do?"

"Yes."

She nods her head, her eyes glistening, which makes me wonder if she's going to cry, although she doesn't. She just leans in and says, "You don't think people will say it's too soon for us to move in together?"

"I don't care what people say, but if you wanna wait, we can."

"We can?" She seems surprised by my response, and I pull her closer.

"Sure. We can wait until the weekend, if you insist."

She giggles. "We've only been dating since Monday."

"And? You think any of that matters?" I flex my hips upward while I'm talking and she moans softly.

"No."

"Good. In that case, we'll move you in properly over the weekend, but for now, why don't you go upstairs and grab whatever you and Saffron need for tonight. Then you can come back down and we'll pick up where we left off."

She leans back, frowning at me. "I wasn't aware we'd started anything."

"I had." I tap the side of my head. "In here."

This morning has been a lot less rushed. I guess it's helped that my first appointment isn't until nine, but Mallory having her things here has been the biggest factor. We didn't need to discuss who was gonna shower where, and more importantly, she didn't have to leave. I've so enjoyed watching her get dressed and prepare herself for the day, although I'll admit, it's a struggle to keep my hands to myself.

"You can't possibly want to go again," she says as I come up behind her in the bedroom. She's fully dressed and so am I, but I can't resist, and I rest my hands on her hips, flexing mine so she can feel my arousal.

"Why not?"

She spins in my arms, smiling up at me. "Because you're the one who keeps reminding me how old you are, and that you take longer to recover."

"Evidently not, when I'm with you."

"Does that mean it's gonna be like this all the time, when I move in?"

"Probably. Why? Is that a problem?"

"No. I'm just checking. I'd hate to be disappointed."

I narrow my eyes at her, although I'm still smiling. "I hope I never disappoint."

She shakes her head, putting her arms around my waist as she leans against me. "Never," she whispers, and I hold her close.

"And you still wanna move in?"

She tips her head back, looking up at me. "Yes, I do."

I smile. "That's not just because I made you come four times last night, and three this morning?"

"Absolutely, it is."

We both laugh and I pull her back against me, rocking her gently from side to side and loving every second of this… of what we've got. I might not know how we got here, or have been able to put any of it into words yet, but I won't give it up.

I won't give her up.

Not for anyone, or anything

She pulls back again, looking up at me. "I've just gotta feed the cat, and we can go downstairs."

I glance around the room, noting she's already made the bed. "You didn't have to do that." I nod toward it and she smiles.

"I don't mind."

"Are you always so tidy?"

She nods her head. "It comes from living in spaces that aren't your own."

"This is yours, Mallory," I say, waving my arms around. "If you wanna make a mess, make a mess. No-one's gonna tell you off."

"This is mine?" she says, her voice little more than a whisper.

"Yes. The bed, the room, the apartment. It's all yours."

"It is?"

"Yeah. And I'm all yours, too. Every fucking inch of me." I pull her close, rolling my hips into hers as I'm speaking and she moans softly, then lets out a long sigh.

"Can I make a mess of you later?"

"If that's what you want."

"It is," she says, and leans up, kissing me. Hard.

I've thought of nothing but Mallory all morning. That's not unusual anymore, but concentrating has been impossible, made worse by the fact that I haven't seen her since we came down here. It happens that way sometimes, but in the past, it's never bothered me. In the past, I wasn't in love with her. I didn't crave her presence, or long to hold her in my arms.

And I do now.

Now, I don't feel whole without her, and I can't wait for my last patient of the morning to leave, or for Greta to follow close behind, so we can be alone.

"Come with me," I say, locking the front door, and rushing back to Mallory's desk. She stands, taking my hand, and follows me to the back of the reception area, although she veers toward the stairs while I head to the surgery.

"Aren't we going up to your apartment?"

"It's our apartment now. And no, we're not. I can't wait that long… besides, Greta won't be gone for long, so this has to be fast."

"Hard and fast?" she says, with a slightly breathless hitch to her voice.

"Definitely." I pull her into my office, closing the door, and even as she's giggling, I know there isn't time for the niceties of removing clothes. Not today. I raise her skirt instead, letting it bunch around her hips, then walk her backwards until she hits the countertop, lifting her onto its surface. Her yelp of surprise becomes a throaty moan when I drop my pants, push her thong to one side and enter her. "That," I whisper. "That's what I needed."

"Hmm… me too," she says as she leans back slightly, creating a space between us, and looks down, her eyes widening. "We look good together."

"We do." I pull out, leaving just the tip of my cock inside her, my shaft glistening with her juices, and she licks her lips.

"I love the way you stretch me."

"I love how tight you are." The words ‘I love you' are poised on my lips, but I'm distracted when she reaches between us, circling her middle finger over her exposed clit. "Fuck… that's hot." I slam back into her, taking her harder. "After I understood there was no boyfriend in your bed, and before I realized you had a vibrator to work its magic, I used to fantasize about you rubbing your clit."

"Did you?"

"Yeah. I used to like the idea of you lying on your bed upstairs fingering your pussy."

"Did it turn you on?"

"Hell, yeah. I imagined you'd be quite rough with yourself… I don't know why…" I let my voice fade and she smiles.

"Probably because you know me so well," she says, and lets out a breath as she works her fingers harder and faster over her clit.

"That's it, babe," I whisper. "Just like that."

Within moments, her eyes flutter closed, and she throws her head back, crying out my name as she shudders through her orgasm. That's too much for me, and even though I'd love to hold on, I can't. I'm incapable, and I pull out, jerking off over her pussy, her hand, and her thong.

"I'm sorry," I whisper.

"What for?"

""I didn't mean to come so soon."

"I'm not complaining," she says. "I wanted you so much."

"I noticed." She smiles, biting on her bottom lip. I lean in and kiss it free. "Although I should probably be more responsible… or at least try to be."

"No. I like it this way. I like feeling you… all of you."

"I like feeling you too, babe. But what if…" She raises her hand, her fingers clamping over my lips to silence me.

"Stop worrying." She looks so damn happy, I can't help smiling and I dip my head, waiting a second for her to pull her hand away my lips brushing gently over hers. She's right. How can I worry when something feels this good? I wonder if I should reassure her that I won't be going anywhere… that wild horses couldn't drag me away from her, no matter what, but as I break the kiss, she leans back and looks down at herself, a smile forming on her lips.

"Now I really am a mess," she says, and I can't deny she has a point.

"You're a hot, sexy mess."

"Maybe, but my panties are soaked."

"Then take them off."

"But I don't have time to go upstairs for some clean ones… not if we're gonna eat lunch before your next patient. I was gonna go over to the delicatessen, but…"

The obvious solution would be for me to deal with lunch while Mallory goes up to her apartment and finds some clean underwear, but I've never been keen on doing the obvious.

"You still can," I say and she tips her head at me as I lift her down onto the floor.

"How?"

I grab some paper towels, bringing them back, then drop to my knees, remove her panties and clean her up, making sure she's dry before I straighten her skirt. "There," I say, standing up again. "Now you can go find us some lunch."

"With no panties on?"

"No-one will know."

"Except me."

"And me."

She narrows her eyes. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

"You bet." I pull her into my arms. "And so are you."

I let my hands drop to her ass, squeezing her flesh through her skirt, and she sucks in a breath, letting it out slowly. "How am I supposed to get through lunch when I want you so much again already?"

"Lunch?"

She frowns. "Yes."

"Were you thinking about putting clean panties on afterwards, then?"

"Of course." I shake my head and she tilts hers. "Are you saying you want me to stay like this for the rest of the day?"

"I'm not wearing any underwear. Why should you?"

Her brow furrows, and she looks at me thoughtfully for a second. "I guess when you put it like that…" she says, and pulls away, wiggling her ass as she walks to the door. "Is a BLT okay with you?"

"You're a tease," I call and she spins around, on the threshold.

"I know. But it was your idea."

She laughs, the sound fading as she heads out into the reception, and I have to wonder if I underestimated her… and my ability to resist.

My idea didn't quite backfire, but by the time we get upstairs to my apartment, I'm breathless with need for Mallory, and I think she feels the same. The door has barely closed before we're tearing at each other's clothes, and I love the fact that by simply removing her skirt, I can touch her, without even a thong between us. She's already got my cock in her hand, and I yank my top over my head, kicking off my pants, and then lift her into my arms and carry her to the couch, lying her down and lowering myself between her parted legs. She raises one, resting it on the back of the couch and bends up the other, exposing her swollen pussy to me.

"I've been thinking about this all afternoon," I murmur as I sink into her and she lets out a slow sigh, nodding her head.

"Me, too," she says. "Do you think it'll always be like this?"

"Always be like what?" I ask, smiling at the thought of ‘always'.

"Will we always want each other like this, or will that need fade with time?"

"I don't think my need for you will ever fade."

She looks up into my eyes. "It's too strong, isn't it?"

"Yes."

I lean down and kiss her, my heart bursting at the thought that she feels the same… or at least wants the same. How the hell did I get this lucky? It's beyond me, but I can't stop a smile from forming on my lips as she brings her hands up, resting them on my ass and pulling me in to her. That feels amazing, and I let her dictate the pace for as long as I dare, knowing I'll have to pull out, eventually. For now, I'm okay with this, and I change the angle of my head, kissing her a little harder.

"Ouch… Jesus." I stop, mid-thrust, mid-kiss and pull back, looking down at Mallory's confused face.

"What's wrong?" I ask. "Did I hurt you?"

"No. It wasn't you." She leans up, stretching to look over my shoulder. "It was the cat."

"The cat?" I twist my head and spy Saffron, sitting on the couch in the tiny space between my legs. "What did she do?"

"She bit my hand."

Mallory pulls it around, and although there's nothing to see, and definitely no blood in sight, I can tell it hurts.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

"Do you wanna carry on?"

"Of course." She smiles up at me, and although the moment's been interrupted, it's easy to get back into it with Mallory. She has that effect on me. I dip my head, licking her nipples, and then move again, going deep inside her. She puts her hands back on my ass, and then almost immediately pulls them away. "Saffron!"

"Did she bite you again?"

"Yes. I don't think she likes me touching you."

"Tough."

I pull out of her and lift her into my arms, standing at the same time, and with a backward frown at the cat, I carry Mallory into the bedroom, closing the door behind us.

I think watching Mallory get dressed could become one of my favorite things to do. Obviously, I prefer watching her undress, or better still, undressing her myself… but there's something about the way she chooses her clothes and fixes her hair and makeup. It's enchanting.

"Is something wrong?" she asks, noticing my gaze.

"No. I just like looking at you. I like having you here."

"Here… as in specifically in your bedroom? Or here in more general terms?"

"Here in my life."

She smiles, which I guess means she liked my answer. "In that case, I'm glad I brought some more clothes down last night."

"So am I… although I noticed you didn't bring any panties."

"I didn't think I needed them."

She switches on her hairdryer, which she also brought down last night, while I was cooking the dinner, and I can't help smiling when I remember how good it felt to watch her moving her things in. We'll do the rest at the weekend, but like I say, I love having her here.

My phone rings, and I pick it up from the nightstand, smiling when I see Brady's name on the screen. I haven't spoken to him since the conversation we had at the weekend, which means I've got a lot to tell him. Still, it's early, and it can't hurt to talk.

"Hey." I answer the phone before my voicemail kicks in.

"How's everything going?" he asks. "I keep meaning to call, but life gets in the way, you know?"

"I do. And in answer to your question, things couldn't be going better."

"The begging strategies worked, did they?"

"I didn't need them in the end."

"What happened?"

"I explained to Mallory that I hadn't meant to hurt her, and asked her to give me another chance."

"I assume she agreed?" he says.

"She did. We had dinner together on Monday evening."

"And you've seen her since? Other than at work… obviously."

"I have. She's here now, getting dressed, and she'll be moving in over the weekend."

"Moving in to your place? As in, to live?"

"Yes. And before you tell me I'm taking things too fast, I—"

"I wasn't going to," he says, interrupting me. "I was just gonna ask who you are and what you've done with my oldest friend."

"I'm still here. I'm still me."

"Just a happier version?" he asks, although I think he already knows exactly how I feel. He's been here himself.

"God, yeah."

"Well… I'm available for best man duties, if you need me."

"Very funny," I say, although I'm no more averse to the idea than I was when it first occurred to me at the Fall Festival. Still, it seems better to at least mention it to Mallory before I let Brady in on the news, although I can't help smiling at the thought of making her mine forever, just as my intercom buzzes. "Shit. There's someone downstairs. I'm gonna have to go."

"Okay. Call me after the weekend and we'll get together. All four of us."

"That sounds great." Almost as great as the thought of marrying Mallory. Well, who'd have thought…

We end the call and I pocket my phone as I open the door, closing it before Saffron can escape, and I run down the stairs. We must have forgotten to shut the blind last night, and there's a guy standing at the front door, clutching a package. I think I know what this is, and I open the door, taking it from him, and signing the device he pushes toward me.

"Thanks," I say, even though he hasn't uttered a word, and with that, he's gone.

I close the door, locking it, and stare down at the plain brown wrappings on the square box. There's no need for me to open it. I already know what's inside, and I feel a tingle of excitement as I head for the stairs, although I'm only halfway up when my phone rings again.

It can't be Brady, can it? Did he forget to tell me something? I pull out my phone, my breath catching in my throat.

The name ‘Meredith' is at the top of the screen, and I stand still on the stairs, gazing down at it. I can't talk to her. I don't even want to, and I decline the call, immediately blocking her number, before I go to my contacts and delete her from the list. Why I haven't done that before now, I don't know, but I wish I had. I only want Mallory now. She's the one woman in the world for me… and I know that means I have to be honest with her. There can't be any secrets between us.

I continue up the stairs, dumping the package on the couch, its contents forgotten for now, as I make my way through to the bedroom. Mallory's just finished drying her hair, and she looks up as I enter the room.

"Where did you g—" She stops talking and gets up, coming over to me, taking my hands in hers. "Something's happened."

"Yeah. I—I um… I just had a call. In fact, I had two."

"Who from?"

"The first was from Brady."

"Is everything okay?"

"Yeah. He was just calling to catch up."

"I see. I'm sensing that's not why you're looking so worried."

"No."

"So, who was the second call from?"

"Meredith."

She pulls her hands away and steps back. "What did she want?" she whispers.

"I don't know. I declined the call. Then I blocked her number and deleted her from my contacts list. I should have done that before now, and I'm sorry I didn't." Her eyes are glistening and I step closer, reaching out and pulling her into my arms. She's stiff, and I hold her tight with one arm, cupping her face with the other hand. "Don't look so scared."

"Don't you think I have every right to be scared, Coop? I said I'd try to accept Meredith's role in your past, and I meant it. I'm trying so hard, despite everything I heard you do with her. But how can I hope to forget every scream and cry and moan the two of you made together, if she's still here?"

"She's not here, baby. She's history. You're it for me." I want to say ‘I love you', but would she believe me if I said it now? Would it sound like a platitude, instead of the one constant in my life? The one I want to keep beside me, always… for better, for worse?

She opens her mouth, her words interrupted by a knocking at the front door.

"That must be Greta," she says, and I know she's right. Anyone else would have buzzed the intercom. "You'll have to let her in."

"I can't leave you like this."

"You have to. I'll be fine." She doesn't sound very fine, but she pulls away again, and nods toward the door. "You can't keep Greta waiting."

"Tell me nothing's changed."

"Nothing's changed."

I nod my head, hearing a slightly louder knocking at the door, and I swear under my breath.

"I have to go," I say.

"I'll see you downstairs."

I step away, pausing on the threshold. When I look back, she's still staring after me, and I realize that although she says nothing has changed, something has.

She doesn't feel safe anymore.