come here.” He guided her back into his embrace and she wrapped her arms around his waist. Her soft breaths tickled his chest, and his heart swelled with tenderness for the sweet, young woman who stirred his passion beyond all bounds.
During the following days she was on her best behavior. She was quick to obey his commands, both inside and outside the bedroom, and her eyes held a softness he hadn’t noticed before. She seemed happier and more relaxed. Her tinkling laughter filled the cabin and each evening when he arrived home she rushed into his arms, a brilliant smile lighting her face.
On his next Friday in the office, she tagged along and spent hours entertaining the children in the waiting room. She set up a table and helped them work on various crafts, using the meager supplies she’d found at the drug store in town. When he walked into the waiting room to call for his next patient and saw her holding a baby, the world tilted and he saw the future he wanted. He became flustered and forgot the name of the patient he’d been about to call, and he had to glance down at the chart in his hands to refresh his memory. As he looked up, his gaze locked with Melissa’s and she grinned at him. The baby cooed at her and the child’s mother looked on with approval. Throughout the day, each and every patient commented on how exceptionally kind Melissa was, especially the parents who appreciated her efforts to keep their children occupied in the busy waiting room.
“Thank you for being so wonderful today,” he said after the work day ended. He held her hand as they walked down the street, headed for the diner.
“Oh, it was nothing.” She shrugged and stared off into the distance, a content look relaxing her features. “I had fun. The people around here are so friendly. Even after they realized the Mercedes being repaired at the shop belongs to me, they didn’t treat me any differently. I’ll admit I was worried about that.”
The bell above the door jingled as they entered Amy Lou’s. They took their usual booth and enjoyed cheeseburgers followed by a slice of chocolate cream pie. John couldn’t take his eyes off Melissa, and he marveled at their chemistry and the closeness they shared. She admitted to feeling better after he’d punished her for intentionally distracting him while driving, and he shared more of his beliefs about domestic discipline with her while she listened intently, rarely blinking as she held his gaze across the table.
Though she asked plenty of questions and was obviously curious about DD relationships, a sadness darkened her visage as the dinner continued, and she became quieter and quieter. John worried he’d scared her off with his forthrightness. The drive back to the cabin was painfully silent, and the spark of tension that always simmered between them was absent.
“Tell me what’s wrong, Melissa.” He parked the truck in his driveway and reached for her hand. To his dismay, she tensed at his touch.
“I had a great time today. I really enjoy spending time with you, and I appreciate you letting me stay here.”
“But?”
“But you know I can’t stay forever.” A faint tremor shook her voice.
He wanted to compel her to stay, wanted to make her promise to stick around for at least another month. Then at the end of that month he’d do the same thing all over again, until she finally promised to stay forever. Their situation was unique. Hundreds of miles would separate them after she left, and he needed to make every moment up until her departure count, because calling her up for a date night or dinner at Amy Lou’s wasn’t going to happen once she drove away. Even if they remained in contact, he worried a long distance relationship would be fraught with too many difficulties to overcome. He was the type of man who liked to take care of his woman, and how could he do so when she was in Florida or New York? He couldn’t just drive away and leave House Call Hope unattended,
During the following days she was on her best behavior. She was quick to obey his commands, both inside and outside the bedroom, and her eyes held a softness he hadn’t noticed before. She seemed happier and more relaxed. Her tinkling laughter filled the cabin and each evening when he arrived home she rushed into his arms, a brilliant smile lighting her face.
On his next Friday in the office, she tagged along and spent hours entertaining the children in the waiting room. She set up a table and helped them work on various crafts, using the meager supplies she’d found at the drug store in town. When he walked into the waiting room to call for his next patient and saw her holding a baby, the world tilted and he saw the future he wanted. He became flustered and forgot the name of the patient he’d been about to call, and he had to glance down at the chart in his hands to refresh his memory. As he looked up, his gaze locked with Melissa’s and she grinned at him. The baby cooed at her and the child’s mother looked on with approval. Throughout the day, each and every patient commented on how exceptionally kind Melissa was, especially the parents who appreciated her efforts to keep their children occupied in the busy waiting room.
“Thank you for being so wonderful today,” he said after the work day ended. He held her hand as they walked down the street, headed for the diner.
“Oh, it was nothing.” She shrugged and stared off into the distance, a content look relaxing her features. “I had fun. The people around here are so friendly. Even after they realized the Mercedes being repaired at the shop belongs to me, they didn’t treat me any differently. I’ll admit I was worried about that.”
The bell above the door jingled as they entered Amy Lou’s. They took their usual booth and enjoyed cheeseburgers followed by a slice of chocolate cream pie. John couldn’t take his eyes off Melissa, and he marveled at their chemistry and the closeness they shared. She admitted to feeling better after he’d punished her for intentionally distracting him while driving, and he shared more of his beliefs about domestic discipline with her while she listened intently, rarely blinking as she held his gaze across the table.
Though she asked plenty of questions and was obviously curious about DD relationships, a sadness darkened her visage as the dinner continued, and she became quieter and quieter. John worried he’d scared her off with his forthrightness. The drive back to the cabin was painfully silent, and the spark of tension that always simmered between them was absent.
“Tell me what’s wrong, Melissa.” He parked the truck in his driveway and reached for her hand. To his dismay, she tensed at his touch.
“I had a great time today. I really enjoy spending time with you, and I appreciate you letting me stay here.”
“But?”
“But you know I can’t stay forever.” A faint tremor shook her voice.
He wanted to compel her to stay, wanted to make her promise to stick around for at least another month. Then at the end of that month he’d do the same thing all over again, until she finally promised to stay forever. Their situation was unique. Hundreds of miles would separate them after she left, and he needed to make every moment up until her departure count, because calling her up for a date night or dinner at Amy Lou’s wasn’t going to happen once she drove away. Even if they remained in contact, he worried a long distance relationship would be fraught with too many difficulties to overcome. He was the type of man who liked to take care of his woman, and how could he do so when she was in Florida or New York? He couldn’t just drive away and leave House Call Hope unattended,
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