Daniel sat back in his chair after saying goodnight to Dr. Reese, thinking back on the last few months of his life and how much had changed. Robyn was working with him and they were finally starting to have a relationship with her. He was caught up in a memory of a conversation he'd had with his therapist regarding another relationship he was involved in.
"Daniel, what's troubling you?" his therapist asked as they walked through Chicago on a cold winter night.
Daniel sighed, unsure of how to respond, "I've met someone but it's not right."
"What do you mean?" she asked, curious as to what objections he might have.
"She's younger than I am," he began, "She's the same age as Robyn which makes things very awkward from the start. She works at the hospital. I've told her that I've been married 3 times and starting something with me is a mistake but she doesn't seem to care. She's fearless. Her attraction to me makes no sense which makes me constantly listen to her speak and evaluate her for whatever issue she has that has caused her to seek romance with me," he explained as he let out another deep sigh.
His therapist smirked, "You have listed a good list of things to be wary about with this woman but you haven't said how she makes you feel. Are you as interested in pursuing a romantic relationship as she is?"
Daniel laughed lightly as he replied, "Of course. She's young, she's smart and she's beautiful. I don't want to say no to her but she's exhausting. She is never satisfied, if you get my drift. The first time she told me how she felt," he faltered for a moment, "was one of the most inappropriate encounters of my life and I have a lot more years under my belt then she does. I am too old and too fat to make her attraction to me make any sense and it's not money either because I have alimonies taking most of my earnings away," he finished, shaking his head.
"Do you want my advice?" his doctor asked to which he nodded so she went on, "If she makes you happy then there's no reason to reject her. Let things happen as they do and you might be surprised."
Daniel laughed as he realized that he had no control over the situation regardless of his own reservations because Mallory Taylor was not a woman who took no for an answer. He groaned as he stood from his chair to put on his coat and gather his things. He made his way down to the ER to see Mallory before he left. He got off the elevator and walked to her desk to see her completely fixated on her screens.
"Hey," he said to grab her attention.
Mallory looked up from her computer and her lips curled into a soft smile as she saw Daniel, "Hi, are you heading out?" she asked, noticing his bag.
Daniel nodded, reaching down and placing his hand on top of hers, "I was wondering if you would like to grab a bite to eat?"
Their relationship was still in the earlier phases because he was insistent to take things slower. They were intimate but they didn't do sleepovers because he wanted her to be able to make up her mind about him and her feelings.
Mallory sighed, "I wish I could but with the new ORs almost done, I have so many surgeries to schedule, it's ridiculous. I'm really sorry but you've had a long day so you should get something really good and get some sleep, Scheduler's orders," she finished with a smile.
Daniel smiled tenderly at her as he nodded, "I'll do my best. Don't overdo it," he warned as he mentally noted all the hours she'd been putting in.
Mallory held up a large cup of coffee and tilted her head to the side, "I'm good to go for a few more hours at least. If you want, I could meet you back at your place when I leave," she suggested, knowing the answer before she asked.
Daniel shook his head, "Mallory, you know how I feel about that. It's too serious and we're just not there yet. I'll check in with you later, ok?"
Mallory nodded, "Talk to you sometime tonight. Sorry again that I can't do dinner," she finished as she looked away from him and back to her computer screens.
Daniel sighed as he walked away knowing that she just didn't understand his perspective on their relationship.
Mallory began working once more, disappointed that Daniel was still so reserved when it came to her. She just wanted to be there for him but he always kept her at arm's length. As she worked, her mind went back to the first time she made a pass at him after their initial flirtations. He was so cautious she was forced to be as bold as possible.
Mallory walked up to Dr. Charles once she had finished scheduling the surgeries for the following day. She reached out and placed her hand on his arm to get his attention. "Dr. Charles?" she began.
Daniel turned to face her, his face breaking into a smile as he saw her, "Yes, Ms. Taylor," he replied.
Mallory suppressed a grin as she got very serious, "May I please see you in Exam 1?"
Daniel raised his brow at her request, wondering what a surgery scheduler could have for him, but he nodded as he followed her. Mallory led him to the room and gestured for him to go in first. Once he was in the room, she shut the door and pulled the curtain before turning to face him, "Would you mind taking a seat?"
Daniel furrowed his brow, "There's no patient in here. What do you need from me?" he asked, his face filled with curiosity.
Mallory smiled as she pulled off her scrub top to reveal a green lacy bra, "Are you going to cooperate or make this difficult?"
Daniel was shocked by her behavior as he shook his head, "This is completely unprofessional, Ms. Taylor. What if someone needs this room?"
Mallory sighed, over his reservations, as she walked up closer to him reaching out and pulling his tie from behind his sweater vest, "No one is coming. I arranged this with Maggie and since you refuse to allow either of us to go anywhere but a public place, I wasn't left with much of an option," she explained as she pushed his lab coat off of his shoulders and down to the floor before turning her attention to his sweater vest, giving him a gentle shove onto the bed as she did so.
Daniel took a deep breath, using all of his reserves, "Mallory, I don't want you to take my words as a rejection but this is not how this needs to happen. Maybe I can adjust our arrangement slightly," he urged, trying to keep his mind on anything other than her.
Mallory took a deep breath herself as she leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek, working her way down to his neck, undoing the top button of his shirt along with his tie for better access, "How about instead we just rip off the band aid and take care of this? You are never going to let me any closer unless I make you," she whispered in his ear before moving her attention back to his neck.
Daniel was losing control with each passing moment, hoping for something to pull him away so that he could ensure their first time would be done right. Mallory moved her attention back toward his mouth as she stopped briefly to look him in the eyes before she placed her lips against his, causing his body to shudder.
Daniel had nothing left as he let go of the edge of the bed and put his hands on her pulling her closer. "What brought this on so suddenly?" he asked watching her as she released him to pull her scrub pants down to the floor, revealing a matching pair of underwear.
Daniel inhaled sharply as she moved back to him, pushing him down so he was laying on the bed before she climbed on top of him, her legs straddling either side of his body as she ran her hands up his chest, "I heard Goodwin ask you to dinner and she mentioned someone she thought might interest you and I wanted to make sure you'd be thinking about me," she replied as she leaned down pulling his lips to hers once more.
Mallory was pulled back from her memory as the ER flooded with teenagers. She sighed as she tried to focus on her work and not get distracted by all that was going on around her.
Mallory got lost in her work and didn't realize that the whole night had passed and it was 5 am. She took a deep breath as she looked around and saw the same patients but new faces beginning to arrive as shifts were switching. She looked at her phone and realized Daniel had never called which meant that she must have upset him more than she'd thought. She took a deep breath as she locked her drawer and left her desk to see if he was in his office already for the day.
She got off the elevator and walked toward his office seeing the door open so she walked toward it and gently knocked on the open door.
"Come in," she heard his voice reply as she made her way into his office, noting that he was in the same clothes as the previous day.
Daniel looked up and saw her, "Did you ever leave?" he asked, noticing she was also in the same outfit as the day before.
Mallory shook her head, "I got caught up in work but from the looks of it, you did too. You should go home and get some sleep," she said as she sat down in the seat across from his desk.
Daniel shook his head, "I have plenty to do today so I won't be able to get home until tonight for some sleep. Robyn, Reese and Latham all needed me for various things and they each caught me as I was leaving. Did you get all your scheduling done?" he asked, running his hand through his hair while attempting to suppress a yawn.
"Some of it," she replied, "Listen, when do you need to be downstairs?" she asked, looking at him with a tender expression.
"I don't have the energy for what you're suggesting," he replied causing Mallory to laugh.
"Daniel," she began as she stood from her seat and walked around his desk, pushing his chair out enough so that she could sit on his lap, "I know that I'm very demanding in that area but it's not all I'm interested in. I was going to say that you should take a nap on your sofa before you get to work. You do know that I want more from our relationship then casual meals and sex, right?" she asked as she laid her head down on his shoulder.
Daniel sighed, "It doesn't make sense and that's my problem. I do want what you're talking about," he began, "Well, to a degree. I can't do marriage again. But, you're young and you have so much ahead of you. You're wasting your time."
Mallory sat up and looked at him, placing her hand on his cheek and leaning down to place her lips to his briefly, "It's my time so I think I should be able to use it how I want. I know you want me to tell you why I like you and what we could have but I can't. All I can offer is that I do want you and that I would like you to allow me into your life."
Daniel closed his eyes for a moment, taking in what she was saying, "If you will agree to stop seducing me in different areas within the hospital then I will accept sleepovers as a part of our relationship. Deal?"
Mallory's lips curled into a mischievous smile, "I have one more condition before I will agree to your terms." Daniel rolled his eyes as she stood and reached for his hand.
He took her hand and she led him over to his sofa where she gestured for him to lie down. "Get some rest before you come down and work, ok?" she said.
Daniel smiled at her before he moved to lay on his side and pulled her down with him, "You need a mental break as well."