The next morning as the sun was just starting to peek in through Martin's bedroom window, casting it's warming rays over the two figures sleeping nearby, nestled in close to one another – it was that sensation that caused him to stir from his sound sleep.

His eyes searched about the room a bit to finally focus on his surroundings. It was then he realized he wasn't alone.

Looking down, he saw Pauline curled up against him like a cat, her loosened copper curls framing her face. One hand had actually found it's way under a few buttons on his shirt so that he could feel her fingers against his skin, her cheek resting on his chest.

Jumping up a bit in shock, he noticed she had on the same clothes from the night before – so at least they hadn't –

As he rustled around a bit, it failed to rouse her as she continued to sleep.

His mind panicked for only an instance, when a lovely warmth settled into his bones as she sighed a bit in her sleep and held him closer.

He realized how nice it was, to be able to hold a woman in his arms like this again – as he leaned over, he could slightly smell the aroma of magnolias in her hair.

Relaxing, he laid back a bit, careful not to move too much and disturb her. Gradually reaching up, he grew brave and touched her bare shoulder as he brought her closer – her tawny skin felt like satin against his hand – it was bliss. He sighed himself as he played with a lock of her soft hair.

He was filled with immediate peace and then it was impossible to deny – he was falling in love with her.

"Oh God!" He lamented, groaning somewhat.

It was the sound of his voice near her ear that gradually woke her.

She buried her face slightly into his neck and opened her eyes so that she was looking up at him lying underneath her. His calming expression changed to one of distrust, but it didn't phase her.

"Goodmorning," she purred. "Did you sleep OK?"

"Why are you here?" He demanded.

She seemed startled at his tone. "Wha…?"

"Here – in my bed! Why are you still in it?"

She couldn't believe what he was saying.

"You fell asleep while I was givin' you a massage!" She argued.

"Which I can quite aptly do on my own!" He snarled in return, motioning to sit up as he shrugged her off of him. "The…sleeping part, that is – not the massage…"

"Look, you fell asleep in my arms, I made sure you were lyin' down so you could get some sleep and then tried to get up – but you pulled me back down with you, so I stayed."

"Nonsense!" he muttered. "I should have never let you come in my room to begin with! It was a bad decision on my part!"

She finally got tired of him trying to shove her to move that she sat up and got out of bed, looking very indignant.

"You know what your problem is?"

"I'm sure you're about to tell me!" He replied.

"Damn straight I am – you need to let a woman come up here more often – because you need a really, good fu…!"

"Pauline!" He shouted, quickly intercepting what he knew she was about to state. His face turned red. "I think you should leave!"

"Fine!" She hissed and tried to put herself together, straightening her hair as best she could, but then she stopped short of leaving completely. "No! You know what, I'm not leaving!"

"This is my room – you have no say in the matter! Beside of which, it's hardly the point – I may have patients awaiting me downstairs, this conversation is over!"

"What was so wrong with me staying here last night?"
"Do I need to really go into the ramifications of what people will think of our current situation when they find out I have slept with my receptionist?"

"Practice manager!" She corrected and then added. "You make it sound filthy – like I was some cheap one night stand!"

"There was no stand, we didn't…well, we didn't…" he started to grumble, unable to voice even the word 'sex' in front of her.

She began to pace in front of him as he looked up at her rather bitterly.

"You can't even say it can you?" She taunted. "The word is sex – we didn't have sex. Say it!"

He glared up hard at her. "Sex! There are you happy? And, might I add – of which we will never now or ever have!"

"Don't flatter yourself!" She snarled. "It's not like I'm considering it anymore anyhow."

He looked at her startled at her half confession, she seemed to almost trip over her own feet for a moment – realizing what she'd just said.

"I mean…not like I've ever thought about it…with you…" she mumbled, now it was her face that was turning red. "Forget it! I shouldn't have even kissed you, what a big, fat waste of my time!"

Humiliated slightly, and still tripping over her feet, she ran for his door and threw it open. He quickly jumped to his feet and followed her out into the hall. Her last words rang in his ears as he was still trying to grasp what she just said.

Little did they know that his Aunt Joan had come in downstairs, hoping to get there early to bring Martin some breakfast when she overheard voices above her. In curiosity, she approached his stairs when she saw who it was appearing at the top.

"Pauline! Pauline!" He shouted and tried to reach for her arm. Finally catching up to her, he grabbed her elbow and pulled her back to him a bit.

"What?" She shouted as she looked at him.

"What do you mean by 'you shouldn't have kissed me?'" He demanded to know.

Joan down below overheard and covered her mouth in surprise.

"Nothing, I was just trying to be sarcastic…" she mumbled.

"I don't believe you!"

She glared up at him, hard and could just make out his expression in the darkened entrance to his rooms.

"I don't care what you believe anymore, I'm outta here!"

"You were just taking advantage of me and the situation!" He shouted, still not relinquishing his hold on her. His face was gnarled and angry.

"I just felt like doing it – so sue me!"

"Why?" He demanded.

"What do you mean 'why'? I don't know why!"

He came in close to her face and very clearly said "You're just trying to make a fool out of me!"

Joan rolled her eyes below.

"Oh Marty, wake up!" She said to herself.

"That's right, it's always about you!" Pauline said. "Never about me or what I feel, is it – oh no!"

"What do you feel?" He continued, it was like he was a man possessed, his hold on her arm became a bit more firm as he brought her nearly up against him. She didn't know why he was growing so insistent all of a sudden. As she looked up at him towering over her, she could feel her pulse quicken.

"Nothing," she said, coolly. "Now let me go, I have work to do – as you so often remind me. After all, it's all you do – isn't it?"

"Fine!" He snarled and finally let her go. "But next time you plan to molest me in my room while I'm asleep, let me know first!"

His comment was meant to be a jab at her but as he was walking down the stairs, he was met by the startled and rather disgusted expression of his…

"Auntie Joan!" He exclaimed, looking embarrassed at being discovered.

Pauline ran into Martin as she was following him at his heels and gasped in surprise at Joan watching them from below. This was the last thing she needed!

"Mrs. Norton – how long have you been standin' there?" She asked, biting her lip. She pushed her way past Dr. Ellingham who was nearly like a wall as he stood in her path.

She tried to look as if the whole scene above never happened as she came up to the elder woman.

"Can I get you some tea? Let's see if you're our first appointment today, shall we!"

Martin walked to Pauline as she tried to skirt away from him and whispered in her ear. "This isn't over yet! We're going to talk about this later!"

"Oh goodie!" She said to herself. "Now I can't get him to stop talking to me!"

He glanced up at her, he had overheard her words. "What?"
"Nothing," she grumbled again.

"That's a great idea!" Joan said, and went towards the front door of the surgery. "Why don't you two get comfortable, chat for awhile – I'll make sure you both have your privacy!"

"Auntie Joan, what are you up…?" Martin called as he watched her go, his suspicions at high alert.

"Uh uh – I can handle things outside!" She chided and ran for the door.

He tried to intercept her, but she proved too quick for him as she closed it behind her and barred it with her body as he tried to open it from the other side.

"You're being childish!" He shouted through it.

Pauline just glanced up, barely blinking an eye as she said "And ignoring the fact we have a back door. I can see how you're related now!"

Martin shot her a dirty look. "Oh, go back to work!"

"I don't start until 8:30 and until then – I think that talking sounds like a great idea!" She answered and then brought her chair across the room so that she sat directly in the center of it, looking up at him. "Why don't you start?"

"Shut up!' He hissed and walked across the room to his office. Before slamming the door, he added. "And, this still isn't over!"

"Run away!" She shouted. "Like you always do!"

He reopened the door and came back into the room, waving his finger at her. "And furthermore…"

"Yes?" She replied, totally calm and passive as she sat with her hands in her lap, looking up at him expectantly.

"Nevermind!" He growled and went back to his office, once again slamming the door.

"Thought as much!" She replied and went back to her own. "You can come in now, Mrs. Norton!"

(Later on that afternoon, Bert stopped in to bring Pauline her lunch and chat for a bit. The doctor was running behind, and patients were starting to grow restless):

"Must be Mrs. Philean, she always was a bit long-winded, God love 'er!" Bert commented as he leaned over desk to chat.

Pauline smirked to herself, that was like the pot calling the kettle black – but in this instance, no doubt he was right.

Adjusting her clothes, she still hated the fact she had to wear that same outfit she ended up sleeping in the previous night.

Glancing up at the doctor's door – she thought 'Damn him!'

Her head raised a measure in it's dawning and slow deliberation. There was a mischievous glimmer in her light sapphire eyes as she glanced up at Bert.

"You know what we need, Bert – atmosphere!"

"Are you daffy, girl, what atmosphere? Here? In the puke green waiting room of delights?" He said, shaking his head. "Are you gonna sing for us?"

"Better! Have you heard of Lilly Allen?"

"Oh yeah, that saucy lil' Brit gal that sings rock right?"

"Want to hear some of her stuff? I think I have somethin' on my Pod. Hold on."

She fished out her tiny, ivory device and dug around in her desk for her docking station.

"This ought to cheer up this place!" She said, disappearing under her desk for a moment to plug it in. She knew the doctor never allowed her to play this out loud – but that was the point at the moment.

Finding the song, she turned it on and cranked up the sound.

The music poured out and was amazingly loud for such a small instrument. At first there was this sort of Mexican mariachi beat and then Lilly herself began to sing – it was the song 'LDN' – which was short for London. It always tickled Pauline, she knew the doc was from there, now she was going to rub his face in it.

Inside the doctor's office.

Dr. Ellingham was sitting at his desk talking to the frantic woman across from him, as she fretted that her husband had given her genital herpes and started speculating that no doubt he was sleeping with a prostitute. He rolled his eyes as she ranted on and on about men when the sound coming from the lobby interrupted him.

It sounded like some sort of teenage rave as he could make out laughter and chat along with the music.

"What in God's name?" He shouted, startling the patient across from him.

"Doctor, do you think he's being unfaithful? Should I confront him?" Mrs. Philean yelled, trying to talk over him.

Her GP wasn't even noticing her anymore, instead he was glaring hard at the door behind her.

"Doc?" She said, raising her voice even more. "Very well! I'm leaving then!"

"Yes! I think confronting someone sounds like an excellent idea!" He snarled and got to his feet. Walking across the room and opening the door to his office – he watched as his receptionist and Bert were arm in arm twirling each other around the middle of the room as they were dancing to the beat. A few people were clapping and cheering in time.

But, they quickly settled down as they saw the doctor's presence in his entrance way, looking like he was about to explode. Except for Bert and Pauline, who continued to dance around as the music went on.

Pauline did actually notice him, but just gave him a smug smile and carried on like nothing was wrong.

Mrs. Philean who had felt insulted, shoved her way past Martin and walked for the front door.

That was all the incentive he needed. Crossing the room, he went directly for her desk and searched for the source of the noise. Finding it at last, he ripped the iPod right out from the dock and placed it in his pocket.

Pauline turned to him and looked at him stunned.

"Hey! That's mine!" She shouted.

"Not any more it's not, it's staying with me for the remainder of the day! This is a surgery, not a discotheque!"

She tried to grab for it, but he wouldn't let her and walked indignantly back towards his office without looking at her.

"Next!" He shouted.

Pauline was red faced as she turned to Bert.

"Now, my darling – you need to breathe, OK – calm down!" He said, trying to sound fatherly, but it was falling on deaf ears.

"He has no right to take my stuff!"

"In all rights, my dear – you did start it!" Bert said, he hated to admit it – but the doc did react like he expected.

"Oh sure! Take his side – that's so typical, you men all stick together, don't ya?" She snarled and got up without another word and strode with a determined gait towards the doctor's office and threw open the door.

It was safe to say that her intrusion was not appreciated.

His new patient looked startled as the receptionist was giving the same heated and intense stare that the doc had done only moments earlier.

"I knew I should have rescheduled this for next week!" He said meekly and wished he could crawl away along the floor, instead he tried to stand up.

"Sit down!" Martin shouted and glared up at Pauline. "I'm with a patient! Leave immediately and close the door behind you!"

But, Pauline would not be deterred.

"So last night didn't mean anything?" She cried, her voice breaking a bit as her breathing started to quicken.

His pale gray eyes grew big as a slight panic overcame the doctor, his face started to drain of color as even Mr. Tobin looked surprised - he couldn't believe she wanted to discuss this with a room full of nosy patients right behind her back.

"Pauline!" He said, enunciating her name and his voice becoming a menacing whisper. "We'll discuss this – later!"

"No!" She hissed. "I want to talk about this right now!"

Bert was watching the scene playing out in shock, he had no idea that things had gotten to this point already – the doc moved much faster than he expected.

"You're embarrassing me!" Martin hissed.

She said nothing but just stood there, stoically.

"Fine!" He finally spit out. "Mr. Tobin, we'll have to do this another time. Take your regular medications, if you feel any other symptoms or your existing symptoms change – call me immediately."

You didn't need to ask Mr. Tobin twice, as soon as he heard he was off the hook, he scurried like mad out of the office.

Martin walked around to where Pauline stood and grabbed her hand with his.

"Kitchen! Now!" He snarled under his breath.

She shook him off as soon as they got to the other room as she gripped the kitchen counter for support.

Bert quietly followed behind them in concern.

"Pauline, I – !" The doc began to say when he noticed they weren't alone. "Bert, what are you doing? This doesn't involve you! Get out!"

He held up his chubby hands in defense and tried to calm them down. Pauline turned, and groaned as she saw him behind her.

"Now, I think we all need to calm down and talk about this like rational adults. Cool heads will prevail, eh? It's no use in bottling up your feelings for one another," he replied.

This time both Pauline and Martin turned and said "Out!"

"OK, fine, my work here is done."

As Bert finally stepped out of the room, Martin turned to stare back at Pauline who was strangely quiet and looking off out the window. He almost could see tears forming in the corner of her eyes. He was all prepared for a big battle of wits, but backed down when he saw how much it was getting to her.

"What do you want me to say?" He said finally.

"The truth would be nice for a change," Pauline replied, still gripping the counter with her fingernails.

"I have never lied to you! But, you on the other hand…" he said, defensively, feeling his back up again as he began to pace a bit.

"I don't want to argue," she said, softly, not feeling like retaliating. She instead went over and sat down at the kitchen table and held her head in her hands. "I just want to figure out what is going on inside of me right now."

"Well don't expect me to tell you that. I still haven't figured that one out and I've had the great misfortune to have known you for several years!"

She glanced up at him and then it dawned on her. "You are treating me like she's still here, aren't you? No – that's not true, you're treating me like I'm her!"

He began to tremble at her words as he could feel a chill go up his spine.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he mumbled.

"Look at me, doc – I'm not Louisa, OK!"

"Don't bring her into this!" He warned and turned away from her.

"It's not about her. It's about us. Why is this happening?"

But, he couldn't answer her.

"Didn't you at least feel anything when I was touching you last night? Or when I said I kissed you? Am I that insignificant?" She cried, trying to shake it out of him.

Finally, he turned back and his own eyes were hot with tears as he shouted. "No!"

"'No' what? Last night or the last part?" She demanded.

"I…" he tried to say something, like a confession as his eyes turned tender when he looked down to see her staring back up at him, "I can't…"

She stood up and came up to him. "I felt something."

Looking down, he could see just how close she was standing in front of him. How small her hands were – he tried to raise his own hand to touch her, but only managed one, shaking finger that delicately touched the back of her fingers before he drew away with a grunt of disgust. Turning on his heel, he left through the back door.

Pauline stood there, slightly numb and cried by herself.

(It was early morning when Martin decided to pay his Aunt Joan a visit, she'd invited him for breakfast. On his way back to the cottage, he saw a little moped bike by the side of the road and immediately he recognized it's owner – after all, she was the only one in town to own one):

Pauline sat in the open field, her hair blowing around her face and her helmet sitting beside her. She had her legs peeking out from under her skirt, her feet bare as she felt the grass between her toes. She was leaning back on her hands slightly, yet her face was anything but mellow as she stared off into the sea in the distance just beyond the rolling hills.

It was then she heard the sounds of a car slowing down on the gravel road just behind her. Glancing back, she could see a shimmering silver Lexus stopping in the dust and the driver clearly putting in park.

She looked away and bit her lip. He no doubt was going to scold her for being late again. She didn't need this right now.

"Pauline?" His voice said, breaking only the silence of the gentle wind.

"I just need a few minutes alone, doc – I'll be in later, I promise," she said over her shoulder, but didn't look up at him.

"What are you doing out here?" He asked, that's when she noticed he had walked through the grass to stand beside her.

She gazed over at his patent leather shoes and smiled. "You're going to get your nice shoes all dirty!"

"I'm used to it," he replied.

She smiled slightly. "How did you know where I was?"

"I didn't – I noticed your moped as I was driving by."

She just nodded, solemnly.

Then suddenly, she felt him move and sit down beside her on the grass, in his finely pressed suit, groaning a bit as he settled himself and stretched out his long legs. She looked at him in amazement and couldn't help but smile now.

"Grass stains," she whispered.

"Probably."

They both stared out at the ocean for a moment and now Pauline seemed to relax a bit.

"It really is pretty out here. I often come out this way to think."

"Ah!" Was his only reply.

Now it seemed they didn't know what to say to one another. After a long moment of silence, Pauline finally said something.

"I'm sorry about yesterday," she whispered.

"Umm…yes," he said, without affect and then slowly added. "So am I."

"I still meant what I said before you left," she added, hoping to trigger a response.

He continued to stare out blankly at the ocean before him.

"Doc?"

"Martin," he replied.

She looked at him in surprise, she didn't know what he meant. "Huh?"

"My name is Martin, you can call me that…that is if you'd like…?"

He seemed almost shy as he glanced over at him, there was such a little boy quality to him at times, it was hard to ignore.

She grinned. "I don't know – it would feel kinda weird."

"Then, you don't have to, forget it."

"No, no – let me try…um…Martin."

His cheeks turned a bit rosier at his name on her lips, he stared at them despite himself and watched her form the words. She giggled a bit in embarrassment.

"Try calling me Paul."

"Paul is a man's name."

"Paul."

He sighed in exasperation. "Paul."

She smiled at him again. He had to admit it, he loved it when she did.

They stared into one another's eyes for a long time, when she reached over to touch his cheek a bit with her hand. He shook fairly in his shoes at her tender touch. He could feel his heart stand still as she leaned in and kissed his cheek. It was soft and sweet – and over too quickly.

"You have pretty eyes," she whispered.

He didn't know how to reply to it, as without warning, she laid back a bit on the ground next to him.

"Well, you – you have – an interesting…mole formation on your face. Acquired moles are a form of benign neoplasm, while congenital moles, or congenital nevi, are considered a minor malformation or hamartoma and may be at a higher risk for melanoma. A mole can be either subdermal (under the skin) or a pigmented growth on the skin, formed mostly of a type of cell known as a melanocyte."

"That's very interesting…Martin, lie down!" She said and tried to tug on his coat to get his attention.

"Pauline, I'm not lying down, it's one thing to sit in this wretched grass but I'm not rolling around in the dirt where the ground is crawling with God knows what…no!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah – come on, take the coat hanger out and relax!"

"No!" He said, firmly, feeling frankly insulted.

"I'll suck on your earlobe if you do," she teased.

Now he looked down at her in shock. "You'll what?"

"You heard me, come on down here."

Rolling his eyes, he took a deep breath and laid down. But, his shoulders were stiff as he tried hard to get comfortable resting against her. She just smiled at him. Rolling over, he could feel her moving against him until she was nearly resting on top of him – almost reminiscent of the other day.

"Close your eyes," she whispered, her breath in his ear.

He could feel his blood begin to race as she blew hotly on the shell of his ear and then could feel the warm, wet feeling of her tongue sliding around the edge. A tiny moan escaped his lips as by instinct, his arm went around her waist to pull her closer to him. He prayed to God he wasn't dreaming this whole thing but as she nipped at the tip, he knew with the sharp intake of pain, it wasn't. Slowly, she began to suckle on his right earlobe and play with it in her mouth. It almost made his toes curl as he bit down on his lip to contain himself. It was unreal. She was certainly talented.

One of her hands crept up his shirt front and began to undo a few buttons hidden by his tie and slid a few fingers inside to wander over his smooth chest.

"Oh God, Pauline!" He moaned.

"I love your ears!" She said, between nips and kisses.

Suddenly there was a loud horn that broke the silence around them, it had come from the boats in the harbour. It startled Martin who nearly sat up, and Pauline who jumped to her senses – she knew the sound, it was the coast guard alert – they would be needing her.

"That's the signal. Oh my Gawd – I have to go!"

"Go? Go where, but…" Martin muttered, looking confused.

"It's OK, we'll do this later, I promise you that!" She said, glancing down at him as she got to her feet.

He opened his mouth to object when she suddenly dropped to her knees once again, pushed him down on the ground and climbed on top of him.

"Pauline!" He complained, feeling her weight and not sure what had come over her – or him for that matter.

That was until she leaned in close and covered his lips with her own for a sound kiss. He tried to kiss her back, but he was too dumbstruck to do anything.

Finally, she hopped off of him and ran up the hill.

"Later! Promise!" She repeated and waved at him as she struggled to put on her helmet.

"You'll never make it, let me drive you."

"Oh – yeah, OK – thanks!"

He got up, dusted himself off, still shaky on his feet from the kiss he now knew he could actually say he remembered and walked up to her already at the top of the road. He helped put her moped in his trunk and they got into his car together, driving off for the bay down below.