Because I've Always Been In Love With You

Zoe and Max broke apart, cheeks flushed and chests rising and falling heavily from their kiss.

"I missed you." Max whispered into Zoe's ear, his breath on her neck causing her to shiver.

"I missed you too." Zoe said softly.

Max began to kiss her again, causing a moan to escape from her lips. She blushed.

"I'm sorry..."

"Why are you sorry?" He kissed her nose.

"Max... I need to know that we're not just going to have another night of passion, like when we were a fling- I need to know that we're going to try to make this work."

Max cupped her face in his hands. "I promise you Zoe, that I am not going anywhere... Because I've always been in love with you." He whispered.

"I love to you too." She said, and he pulled her close. She buried her face in his shirt, taking and breathing him in, clinging on to him. "I've missed you so much."

"Me too, sweetheart, me too." He kissed her forehead. "I'm never going to let you go like that again, I promise you."

Zoe lifted her head to gaze at him. "That is a complete ditto."

"I have a suggestion..." Max said.

"Yes?"

"Seeing as tomorrow is Valentine's Day, I want to do something special-if that's okay?"

"Okay, just give me a second."

Zoe nipped to her office to find her bag. She returned a few minutes later and handed the keys of their flat to him. "I didn't know if you still had a set. Right, I have some paperwork to complete quickly, and then I'll come home."

"Okay." Max kissed her again. "I love you."

"I love you too." She squeezed his hand. "See you later."

A while later...

Zoe knocked on the front door of her and Max's flat, her heart beating with a mixture of excitement and nerves.

Max opened the door a couple of minutes later, and greeted her with a smile. "Hello, you."

"Hey." She beamed, and took his outstretched hand and stepped inside

The flat was decorated with hundreds of candles, a bunch of red roses in a vase were set upon the coffee table, and music was playing softly.

"Max..." Zoe was lost for words.

He helped her off with her jacket, and Zoe stepped out of her signature Jimmy Choos and set her bag down.

"D'you like it?" He asked, a slight nervous edge to his voice.

"I love it. And you." His wife smiled, looping her arms around his neck and kissing him passionately.

Max moaned."Zoe..."

"Yes?" Zoe asked as she kissed her way down his neck, running her hands through his hair.

"I love you too."

"I know." Zoe said, and kissed him again, pulling him in the direction of their bedroom.

The next morning...

Zoe woke up with a yawn, her eyes blinking against the rays of sun streaming through the window.

She rolled over in the hopes of finding Max, but was surprised to see that he wasn't there. The female panicked, thinking that she'd done something wrong, made a mistake...

The bedroom door opened, and Zoe relaxed when her husband came into view, carrying a tray.

"What's wrong?" Max saw that she was worried.

"I thought that you'd left me, that I'd done something wrong..." She said, a tear slipping down her cheek.

"It's okay, Zoe." He reassured her, setting the tray down on the bedside table and pulling her close.

"I'm sorry, I'm being silly." She apologised.

"Shh, I love you." Max whispered.

"I love you too." Zoe said, a small smile gracing her features.

He rubbed her back. "I'm not going anywhere, I promise."

Zoe gave him a gentle kiss and held his hand. "I know... I'm just scared..."

"You have nothing to be scared about." Max smiled at her. "Mrs Walker."

The female grinned at the name. "I know, Mr Walker." She said, noticing that he was wearing his wedding ring. She turned to her bedside table, opened her jewellery box and got her wedding ring out. "D'you want to..?"

Her husband nodded and put Zoe's wedding ring onto the third finger of her left hand.

Zoe's breath caught in her throat. "I can't believe that this is happening..."

He smiled. "I know what you mean..." He'd always dreamed of a day when he'd wake up next to Zoe when they were husband and wife. After their wedding, that dream had been crushed-but now, all had been forgiven-and dreams did come true, after all.

Max told Zoe this as she began to eat the waffles that he'd made for her, they were a little cold.

"That's true." Zoe smiled. "So, what have you got planned today?"

"Ah, that's a surprise. Just don't wear heels." Her husband answered.

"Okay." She frowned, slightly confused.

The consultant finished her breakfast, and got dressed. Max went into the living room and packed some things up ready to take out with them.

Zoe dressed in a stripy top, tight blue jeans, finished with a pair of flat Jimmy Choo pumps. She did her makeup and went to find her husband.

"You look amazing." Max smiled as he caught sight of his wife.

"Thank you." She said, stretching up to give him a kiss. "So are we going to go out, then?"

"Yeah, about that... You're going to have to let me drive your car, because it's a surprise." Max said hopefully.

"Just this once, it is Valentine's Day, after all." Zoe conceded.

"And because I'm very handsome." Max grinned as they made their way out of the flat, careful to keep a bag behind his back.

"Hmm." Zoe chuckled.

A while later...

"Max, where are we going?" Zoe huffed. They'd been driving for at least half an hour and she was getting bored.

"We're nearly there." Max reassured her.

"Good." Zoe crossed her arms, sat back in her seat, and closed her eyes.

"We're here." Max said a few minutes later as the car came to a stop.

Zoe opened her eyes, they were at a beach in a town a little further down the coast than Holby. A smile spread across her face. "This is perfect."

"I knew that you'd like it." Her husband smiled.

They got out, and Max took Zoe's hand. "I love you, you know."

"I know. I love you too." She smiled, and gave him a kiss. "What's in that bag?"

"Dinner." He said.

Zoe smiled. "Yum!" She smiled as they made their way onto the beach. It was surprisingly warm for February, which Max was glad about-it felt as if the sun was shining just for them.

Max laid a tartan picnic blanket out and sat down, pulling Zoe against him.

The female cuddled into her husband. "I'm so happy, Max."

"I'm happy too." He smiled, kissing her. "I'm never going to let you again." He said, squeezing her hand.

The End :) x