Matched with the Doctor (Lunchtime Romcoms #1)

11. Colleen

Colleen

I looked down at our intertwined fingers and replayed Ben’s words in my head. When I didn’t say anything, he gave my hand a squeeze. I looked up into his brown eyes.

“Let’s just give this thing a chance, can we do that?” he asked. “This is a fresh start for us. Let’s date and see where this goes.”

“Fine, but let’s try to keep this on the down low as much as possible, okay? No talking to Tricia or any of the nosy old ladies about our relationship.”

He mimed locking his lips. “No talking.”

After having a delicious dinner, we decided to head back to my house to watch a movie. I made us some Irish coffee – coffee with Jameson Irish whiskey and whipped cream – and we put on one of the Avengers movies. I couldn’t tell you which one because shortly after the opening credits started, I turned to Ben to ask him if he wanted more Irish coffee. Our eyes met, and I couldn’t say who moved first, but suddenly we were flying together.

“Ben,” I gasped against his lips.

One of his large hands cupped the back of my head and then he was kissing me. I tilted my head, opening my mouth as he nipped my lower lip. Our tongues tangled as the kiss turned more intense. I ran my hands up and down his back, feeling the hard muscles through his shirt. Clearly Ben took good care of himself.

He pulled away, his lips sliding up my jaw to nip my ear, making me shiver.

Then we were kissing again, struggling to get closer. I broke the kiss, shifting to throw my leg over Ben’s lap so I could straddle him. Unfortunately my knee bounced off the arm of the couch instead and somehow I bounced backwards, landing on my butt on the floor at Ben’s feet.

His mouth dropped open in surprise.

“Colleen! Did you hurt yourself?”

“Only my pride,” I said ruefully. “Sorry to ruin the mood.”

Ben stood up, reaching out a hand to help me up. Once I was standing, he pulled me into a hug. I wrapped my arms around his waist, reveling in the sensation of being enveloped by his warmth.

“I should probably go home before things go too far,” he said regretfully. “I don’t want us to rush this. It’s too important.”

I was dying to protest, but he was right. I needed some time for my mind to catch up with my body. But hopefully not too much time, because my attraction for him was growing rapidly.

“Let me walk you to the door.”

With a kiss to the top of my head, he was gone.

The next two months went quickly. Our relationship grew and evolved until we were spending most of our free time together. Eventually, we decided to take our relationship to the next level and it was good. The only regret I had was waiting so long. We were compatible in every way.

Despite our best efforts to keep ourselves out of the gossip mill, keeping things private in Cedar Creek was easier said than done. Every time we were together, the town busybodies were watching us and speculating about us.

When we went for coffee, the barista reported it to my mother, who was predictably thrilled that her daughter finally had a boyfriend. When I went grocery shopping, the cashier asked me if I was cooking dinner for Ben. I usually was, but that was none of her business. The first day that Ben took my hand while we were walking down the street together, it caused such a stir that I had to shut off my phone to escape the dinging of nosy texts asking for information.

And then there were the family dinners. Every Sunday Ben dutifully joined us at my parents’ house. Between being teased by my siblings and my mother’s none too subtle hints about how I didn’t have too many years of childbearing left, I was ready to kill them all.

Ben of course took it all in stride. He’d always had an easy-going personality, not letting too many things bother him. I’m sure that’s one of the things that made him a good doctor.

When we were alone, everything was good. Better than good. Our relationship continued to progress at a speed we were both comfortable with, getting closer as we got to know each other better. For the first time in my life, I was completely content with a boyfriend.

Until the day my mother came over unexpectedly on a Saturday morning.

Ben had slept over and we were sitting in the kitchen having coffee and grinning at each other like the lovesick saps we were when I heard the key in my lock. Before I could process what was happening, my mother appeared in the doorway to my kitchen, gasping when she saw us sitting there.

“Mom! Have you heard of knocking?” I grumbled, ruing the day I’d given her a key for emergencies.

“I didn’t think you were home,” she said, her eyes bouncing between me and Ben. “Ben, I didn’t see your car outside.”

Probably because he parked in the garage when we spent the night together in order to reduce gossip, but I wasn’t about to tell her that. I realized that I was only wearing one of Ben’s tee shirts with socks about the same time as my mother realized that Ben wasn’t wearing a shirt.

“You only have one outfit between you?” she chided. “Is that why you have to share?”

“We weren’t expecting company,” I said sharply. “Why are you here?”

My mother handed me a bag. “I made banana bread.”

I opened the bag to see three foil wrapped loaves inside. I took one and handed the other two to Ben. His appetite was way heartier than mine which was super annoying, given that he didn’t have an ounce of fat on him.

“Did you and Dad have a fight?”

My parents didn’t fight often but when they did, my mother went on a baking spree.

“Yesterday,” my mother admitted, “But he realized the error of his ways and apologized this morning.”

She turned towards Ben. “That’s good advice for anyone getting married. Apologize when you’re wrong.”

We both heard the message there and ignored it. My mother sighed.

“I’m going to go now, I can see that I’m interrupting.” She pinned me with a hard look. “You’d better get yourself to confession, Colleen O’Malley.”

Then she was gone. I lowered my head to the table, tapping my forehead against the wood a few times.

“Well, that went well.”

Ben reached across the table for my hand.

“We’re single adults,” he reminded me. “We’re not doing anything wrong. I assume your mother knows you’re not a thirty-six year old virgin.”

“I don’t know what she thinks,” I said. “But how would you feel about having a slice of banana bread and going back to bed?”

“I’d feel real good about that.”

When Ben left later that day I texted my sisters, Erin and Kennedy. Us three sisters were all close and we’d always believed that it was us against the boys when we were growing up, although the five of us would still always band together against my parents when the opportunity presented itself.

Colleen: Guess who stopped at my house unexpectedly this morning? And used her key to come in without knocking?

Erin: I’m guessing Mom brought you banana bread too?

Colleen: Three loaves. That fight with Dad must have been a doozy.

Erin: Well you like banana bread.

Colleen: I wasn’t alone when she barged in. Or fully dressed.

Erin: Oops.

Kennedy: Sorry, just saw this but I came in at the good part. Did you and Ben have a sleepover?

Colleen: We did.

Erin: I didn’t know you were at the sleepover stage.

Colleen: We’ve been doing that a lot lately.

Kennedy: I take it the sleepovers are good?

Colleen: The best.

Kennedy: What did Mom say when she found you together?

Colleen: She told me to go to confession.

Kennedy: LOL

Erin: Five bucks says she and Aunt Bianca are planning your wedding right now.

Colleen: I’d be foolish to take that bet.

Erin: How did Ben react?

Colleen: He took it in stride, like he does with everything.

Kennedy: That guy’s a keeper.

Colleen: Yeah, I think you’re right.