* * *

Deep in the night, Scott reached for her and pulled her close against him. “Are you awake?” he whispered.

“Hmm-mmm,” she answered sleepily, snuggling closer.

“I want to tell you something.” He stroked her cheek. “I didn’t think it would feel like this. I thought I would have a woman in my life again someday. I was open to the idea. Hoping. I didn’t want to stay alone. I wanted what everyone wants—someone they just can’t live without. And I thought when I finally found it—her—it would feel nice. I didn’t think it would feel like this—overwhelming. I wake up thinking about you. I fall asleep wanting you. I’m in love with you, Peyton. Not in an ordinary, comfortable, easy, compatible way, but in a desperate, passionate, powerful way. Completely gone. I want to be with you forever.”

“Forever is a lot longer than three months,” she said, her voice sleepy.

“Lots longer. I understand you’re at a crossroads. I know you aren’t sure where you should be next. Maybe you’re not completely sure who you should be with. But, Peyton, I want you to know how I feel, while you’re figuring things out. I love you. I love you completely. I want to be with you. I want us to be together if we can. I think I can make you happy, I really do. I promise you I’ll do everything in my power, and when I give everything I’ve got, it doesn’t fall short—it’s really everything. I want you, you make me feel like there’s nothing else in the universe I need. It’s just you. I want you to know that.”

“Is that a proposal?” she asked weakly.

“It can be whatever you want it to be. I love you. I want you. You’re the one for me. I dated a little bit, it wasn’t even interesting to me. It’s you, honey. It’s you I fell for. Just know that. It’s not just lust...okay, there’s a lot of lust. You really do something to me. But there’s more to it—it’s deep in me. It’s solid in me. I know how to treat those feelings, too. I can be steady for you; you can count on me and lean on me, and I’ll always give everything. I promise. Whatever you decide is right for you—at least you have the facts.”

“I have things to figure out,” she said. “To understand, get over.”

“I know.”

“I’m not ready to say all that. Not yet.”

“I know. And I want you to be sure because I’m not interested in being the consolation prize. I’m here when you’re sure.”

“Maybe while I’m figuring things out, someone else will come along and distract you, make you see there are other fish in the sea.”

“I’m not him, Peyton,” he said. “There won’t be anyone else.”

* * *

Peyton was pretty much walking on air when she got out of bed the next morning. She didn’t doubt Scott’s sincerity for a second. He had treated her to a lot of snuggling, hugging, deep kissing and three very lovely, earth-shattering orgasms. For a man who showed love with every sexual move he made, it was clear he never held back the power of it. He could love gentle; he could love hard. They hadn’t been a couple long, yet he already knew her body so well, evidence that he paid attention.

And she knew his body. Oh, God, did she know it! She knew how to touch him, tease him, blow his mind. She could bring him to his knees, leave him gasping. And then his reciprocation caused her to cry out, he was so tuned to her desires.

They’d parted ways in the early morning so Scott could go home for a shower and change of clothes. When Peyton walked into the clinic, she asked Devon if she had talked to Scott.

“He’s here!” Devon said. “Did you know?”

“I talked to him last night,” she said, smiling. “He’s a freewheeling bachelor for a few days. I take it saying goodbye to Gabby was hard for the kids, so he left them with the grandmothers for a few days.”

At that, Scott walked into the reception area. “The grandmothers drive me bat-shit crazy,” he said. “But they can take on the task of buying new clothes. School starts for Will pretty soon, preschool for Jenny.”

“I hope to meet these grandmothers someday to better understand,” Devon said.

“Their next visit, they’ll stay with you,” he said. “How’s our schedule today?”

“Light,” Devon said. “I didn’t expect you back, and I went easy on Peyton. Dr. Stewart came by yesterday afternoon, looked over the charts, approved Peyton’s exams and procedures for the day. He’s nice, by the way. Good choice.”

“Thank you,” Scott said with a smile.

“We had walk-ins yesterday, of course,” Devon added.

“Nothing earthshaking,” Peyton said. “Some allergies, a strained muscle, and I taped up a broken toe—the baby toe.”

“I thought you talked to Scott last night,” Devon said to her, clearly a little confused that she was left out of the loop.

“We didn’t talk about work,” Scott said.

“Oh. I see,” Devon said, looking between them. “I hope you two didn’t think you were fooling anyone, because you’re very obvious.”

“I wasn’t fooling,” Scott said.

“Me, either,” Peyton said. “I really had no idea Scott was coming back right away.”

“The grandmothers are thrilled,” he said.

“I’m going to pull up the schedule and see how I’m spending the morning,” Peyton said.

Once she was sitting at her desk, laptop open, her cell phone buzzed. She answered it briskly. “This is Peyton,” she said.

“Hi,” Ted said. “I need to talk to you.”

“No, you don’t,” she said. “We have nothing to talk about. We had a clean break, remember?”

“It’s serious,” he said. “We have issues. Unfinished business.”

“Take it up with Lindsey,” she said, clicking off. The phone immediately buzzed again. “What?”

“Listen, Peyton, what would it take to get you to come up here and have a meeting with me?”

“Am I being investigated for malpractice? Nonfeasance? Embezzlement?”

“Don’t be ridiculous....”

“I’m not coming to Portland, Ted. Not now, not ever. You made your choices, some of them irrevocable, and I’m no longer a part of your life.”