Can't Help Falling in Love

After her last procedure, Miranda Bailey gave a smile to the patient's husband and backed out of the room to give them privacy. She sighed and dropped the chart off at the Nurses' Station. "Thank you, Bokhee," she said. The day had been mundane and, to be honest, she was more than ready to go home. She loved being a surgeon, a lot more than most people loved their jobs, but having been at Seattle Grace-Mercy West for the last forty-eight hours, she was tired of seeing the same four walls and seeing the same people. As eager as she was to leave, one would have thought there was someone there waiting for her. But, alas, she had no husband, nor did she have children, and while—eventually—she wanted a family, now wasn't that time. Though her job was demanding, she also hadn't found anyone that she liked enough to bring into her orbit. Not yet anyway.

When his phone buzzed on his nightstand, Ben Warren reached to get it with a smile. Today was the day. Five weeks since his kidney transplant and ready to get back to normal. Well, a new kind of normal. And that started with a walk in the park. Rolling out of bed, he pulled off his t-shirt and looked in the mirror. His scar was healing and he felt great. The door to his bedroom opened and he gave his sister a look that had her closing it slowly and knocking on it. "Come in, Ros." His sister came into the room. "Hey, can I borrow some deodorant?" Ben shook his head at his younger sister, pointing to his dresser. "How are you feeling?" He grinned. "Feeling good, feeling great." Alone again, Ben took a shower, put on some clothes and was out of the door. Getting back home, he felt exhausted, but in a good way. And couldn't wait to do it all again tomorrow.

Miranda had ignored her best friend calling damn near all weekend because while she loved Callie, she loved the rarity of this alone time even more. The music was on, the candles were lit and she sank into her bathtub. "Ahhh," she sighed. She allowed her mind and hands to wander beneath the water, relieving some much-needed stress. Half an hour later, she was finished. Looking at herself in the mirror made her giggle. "You still got it," Miranda said to herself. Her hips and curves welcomed her hands as they smoothed lotion over her skin before she planned her day. First things first, breakfast. Second things second, begrudgingly, she decided to go to the least-crowded park she knew of. Truth be told, she hated walking, it was boring, but she needed the physicality of it. With her job, it was easy to get caught up in the lifestyle of cafeteria food and sleeping the day away. Miranda didn't work out often, but she was learning to squeeze it into her schedule.

Before he even started his third day of attacking the track, Ben could tell something wasn't right. There was a twinge in body that he actively chose to ignore. Because it didn't hurt—he could just feel that something was wrong. By the time he got to the park, he felt okay and began jogging. On his third lap, he passed a woman stretching at the front near the bench. Ben waved, but she wasn't paying him any attention and he kept going. By lap four, he could barely see in front of him. The numbers and words on the sign looked a little blurry when he tried to read them, but Ben assumed that it was because of the sweat in his eyes. He stopped jogging and reached out of grab a hold of the tree that was in front of him. Only it wasn't in front of him. He stumbled and fell knocking his head to the ground. "Damn."

Entranced by the monotony of circling the track and the music pounding in her ears, Miranda almost missed the foot jutted out in the path. "JESUS CHRIST!" She swallowed hard. "What the hell?!" Her eyes widened and she ripped her earphones off, looking around quickly. "H-hello?" She called out, praying that they answered. Miranda glanced up and down the road, not seeing anyone else. "Shit! Shit! Shit!" She hurried over and was glad to see that it wasn't just a foot. A man lay in the grass. Rolling him, she put her face to his chest and noticed that though he was breathing, it was staggered and faint. She felt for a pulse. "Sir!" She looked at him, his eyes were closed. He looked like he was just asleep. There was a pretty deep cut on his forehead that full of dirt and with a leaf stuck on it. Miranda removed it, speaking loudly: "Sir? Can you hear me?" Miranda pulled out her phone, dialing 911. "Sir, if you can hear me—"

Ben felt his body being shaken. But he didn't have enough strength to respond or even open his eyes. He should have stayed home like Rosalind had begged him to. But, no, he wanted to get back up to his eight miles a day. Now look! He was temporarily paralyzed on the ground with someone screaming in his face. Though he wouldn't deny it, not that he could now anyway, but they smelled sweet. Who put on perfume to come to the park? Ben heard them call for an ambulance; then, their hands went to his pocket rummaging around. They pulled out his wallet. Thank God he had it. "Um, Benjamin, my name is Dr. Miranda Bailey," she said. Her voice had softened and the panic was gone. She stroked his head asking: "Does anything hurt?" Ben's eyes fluttered open a little. "No…" "That's good," she answered. "But you're beautiful," he said closing them again.

Slightly embarrassed and intrigued by his statement, she stayed with the man until help arrived. Her hospital was the closest one and she followed the ambulance. Part of her was mad that she'd even gone for a walk—not that she didn't want to help the stranger but because on one of her few days off, she was about to be back within the four walls. The other part was upset because the first man outside of a family member to call her beautiful was probably concussed. At the hospital, Miranda found him sitting up and looking quite the opposite of how she'd last seen him. "Knock, knock," she said gently tapping on the curtain. "Come in." "Hi, um, you probably don't remember me," she started, "I'm—" "The woman who saved my life," he finished with a wide smile. Her lips mimicked his. Now that he was alert and awake, she could see that he was very handsome. Like, extremely handsome. The scratch on his face was now covered with a bandage. And that somehow made him more attractive. "How'd you know?" "I could never forget those eyes," he told her, his smile drawing her in. "And your voice." Miranda blushed. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Ben said gesturing for her to sit down. She declined. "And I stand by what I said." The woman tilted her head slightly. "And, uh, what was that?" "That you're beautiful." She looked away trying to conceal the smile on her face, but he clocked it. "I'm Ben Warren, but you already knew that." He held out his hand. "Miranda Bailey," she responded shaking it. "It's nice to put a face and name to the voice," he told her. His eyes traveled her entire silhouette and he held his gazes in all his favorite places for longer than he should have. "So, how are you feeling?" "Like I got the wind knocked out of me," he sighed. "Accurate." "Though I'm pretty sure I know what's wrong with me." Miranda crossed her arms and waited. Ben blew air from his lips. "I had a kidney transplant about five weeks ago." Her face dropped.

"You should not have been walking the track," she sucked her teeth shaking her head. When would people learn to listen? "I was jogging," Ben admitted. "Well, that was just dumb. Hope it was worth it." Her hands went to her hips. "Could be organ rejection," she mused mostly to herself, "or you've formed a clot." The man's face showed a little worry. Miranda tried to rein in her fury at this complete stranger's medical misstep. "Have you had any other symptoms, nausea, vomiting, oliguria?" "What's that last one?" "Uh, not… urinating as much as you usually do?" Her hands went to her cheek. She couldn't believe that she was actually blushing over a medical question. "No, I, uh, I mostly felt fine… until I passed out." Ben avoided her gaze. Which was best because the look she was giving him was deadly if she did say so herself. She calmed herself a little so that he would look at her again. "You know you should have been resting, Benjamin Warren."

Ben grinned at her usage of his full name. He felt his heart his flutter and if she hadn't been looking at him with those brown eyes, he would have thought he was about to pass out again. "I know, I know. But I thought it would be okay." Miranda shook her head and he hated that he'd disappointed her. "Stupid, I know. And I'm a high school principal, so I should be better at following directions." "You damn well should be," she told him. "It's a mistake I won't make again." "Good because someone went through a lot to give you their kidney and this is how you repay them? Some people just stay in bed for weeks and here you are—" Ben raised a brow. "Are you lecturing me?" He asked giving a perplexed look. "Well… no, I'm not." "You are. Even though I'm on my deathbed." She pushed his arm gently. "You're being dramatic." Ben smiled again. "Don't you feel the teeniest bit bad for me?" "No," she said. He poked out his bottom lip and Miranda twisted her mouth to the side. "Okay. Only slightly." He nodded victoriously.

Suddenly, the curtain was pushed back. Miranda recognized the doctor as Sydney Heron, one of her colleagues. "Oh, Dr. Bailey! I didn't know you were on the case." Miranda shook her head. "I'm not. I'm just… visiting." Sydney nodded. "I'll give you two a few more minutes then." Before Miranda could object, the woman was gone. "Well, I think that's my cue," she said turning to Ben. "You don't have to go. I mean, I know you're busy. You probably have lots to do, but if you don't…" She swallowed and stared at him. Her brain was telling her to leave and go home and enjoy the rest of her weekend. "I'm sure you want your privacy and I just wanted to make sure that you were okay." "There isn't much they could tell me that's more embarrassing than you finding me in the dirt." She cracked a smile at his persistence. He was probably nervous. "Stay. Please, Miranda." The hairs on her arm stood tall as he spoke her name for the first time. Just that one thing made her want to continue talking to him. Miranda pulled up a chair. "Just for a little while."

When she finally sat down, he exhaled. He didn't mind being alone, but he would have minded if she left and he didn't get a chance to see her again. "So, how are you going to make it up to me?" Miranda asked snapping him out of his thoughts. Ben grinned. "Flowers?" He offered. She raised a brow that told him to keep going. "Um, chocolate? A gift card?" She began nodding and he knew he was getting warmer. She leaned back in her chair and crossed her legs and he saw the smoothness of her thigh below her biker shorts and cleared his throat. "What about dinner?" His heart thumped loudly as he waited for her answer. "I'm baaack!" Sydney said with a wild smile. Miranda and Ben gave each other a look. "Um, Dr. Bailey, if you could just step right on out there." "It's fine if she stays." "Oookay. Um, well, we're going to run some labs." He looked over at Miranda to see her chin tilted a little taking in the information. "Now, are you sure there's no one we can call for you?" "I've called," he said thinking of the text message he'd sent Rosalind. Someone came into the room and began unplugging things. "It's fine," Miranda told him. "I'm not worried." "You look worried. Do you need me to hold your hand?" Ben smiled. "Please." He watched the smirk leave her face. "Will you be here when I come back?"

She wasn't supposed to, but when Ben's labs came back, she took them. Sydney had explained everything to him and set off to find another cause, but Miranda scoured them, murmuring to herself. "Biopsy is normal. Normal white count… creatinine doubled…" Ben stared at her face hoping for an answer, but all she could say was: "Something isn't making sense." He touched her hand, shocking her. "Sorry about that." She expected him to draw his hand back, but he eased his fingers past her palm. Biting the corner of her bottom lip, her eyes danced between him and his results. His usual confident eyes were full of concern. "I know I messed up, but I don't want to lose my kidney, Miranda." She found herself nodding. "You won't. We'll find out the problem." Sydney bounced in the room again. "So, Ben, we're still going over options. And we'll probably need to do more bloodwork." Miranda stood up and walked out of the room, gesturing for the bubbly woman to follow her. "You should do another ultrasound." "We did and it was inconclusive." "Do it again. We're missing something." Sydney put her hands on her hips. "We? You're not the doctor on the case. I am. And I don't know what your relationship to him is, but he is my patient and I'll be the one making decisions." Everything Sydney was saying true, but Ben was important to her. She froze. That little thought was her reality check. She was too damn close to this patient. Miranda swallowed hard. "Just do the ultrasound."

He didn't know if they knew he could hear them, but Miranda sounded pissed and looked even more pissed as she breezed through the curtain. "Miranda, is everything okay?" He asked as she moved the chair back to its original spot. "Are you leaving?" She didn't respond and he was starting to panic. "Miranda?" "I have to go. You'll probably have more tests done and labs and…" Sitting up, he grabbed her hand tightly, forcing her to look at him. "Talk to me," he demanded lightly . She clenched her jaw. "She's right. I'm not your doctor or your friend. I'm just the nice woman who helped you. That's it." "Well, we can change one of those things. Let's be friends. Would that make things better." Miranda laughed. "I have friends, thank you." "What's one more then?" Her brown eyes hit his soul and he pulled her closer to him. He could smell the faintest smell of sweat and found himself getting turned on. "You're a patient at the hospital that I work at." "I'm not your patient." She shook her head. "It feels like you're mine." Ben grinned. "Wipe that silly grin off your face. I didn't mean it like that." "Well… we'll see."

There was one thing Ben was right about—He wasn't her patient, but that was a line she didn't want to tiptoe. Miranda had seen and felt the secondhand consequences of what could happen. She jerked her hand away. "Bye, Ben." With one more look at his mesmeric brown eyes, she left, leaving the room before he got in another word. Halfway to the exit, she felt someone grab her arm. "I didn't know you were working today," her friend said. She just shook her head. "What are you doing here then?" "Like you don't know." Callie shrugged. "I don't." Miranda squinted. Maybe she hadn't heard. In the prayer center located near the gift shop, she told her friend of her wild day, leaving out some bits of the flirting. Had they been flirting? Or had she just imagined their lingering looks and easy touches? Either way, she wanted to keep that to herself. "Wow, Bailey, that sounds…" Callie searched for the right word. "Romantic." "Romantic?! There was no romance. I just met the man." Her best friend nudged her. "You had to meet a guy somewhere." Miranda waved her off as someone walked by them. She lowered her voice. "Besides, I may never see him again." "He's a patient, it would take no time at all to look him up." "Torres!" "Bailey!"

In another universe, he would have called after Miranda, would have even tried to detach himself from the hospital bed to go after her, but she'd seemed so sure and adamant. Ben had just met her, but her face, her voice was ingrained in his brain and skin. Dr. Heron came back into the room. "We've decided to do another ultrasound," she told him. "On Dr. Bailey's request." It was rude on his part, but he didn't speak. "There it is," he heard a while later. "You have a clot in your renal vein. We need to get up to the O.R. right now." After surgery, he sat in his room every day for the next couple of days hoping that he'd look up, wake up and see Miranda's face coming through the door, walking toward him. He hadn't felt so strongly about a woman in a long time, but she wasn't just any woman. Maybe it was some kind of attachment syndrome. Rosalind visited him as often as she could and heard from someone else about Miranda. "Why didn't you tell me? Sounds like you two hit it off." Ben scoffed sarcastically. "There's nothing to tell," he lied. He wouldn't have his sister interrogating him over Dr. Miranda Bailey. "Nothing at all."

The weekend had been wretched. Every silent moment had her thinking of Ben Warren, the principal. His face wormed its way into her mind. And that smile! Miranda wanted to see it again. Over the next week, she moved nonstop. During a break and seemingly against her will, she looked up his name in the system. Seeing that he was just a floor below her, she tapped the desk wondering if she should take a quick trip down there. Just to check on him, of course. Miranda clicked away from his information while she mentally justified her future actions. Halfway to the elevator, Callie caught up with her. The woman was grinning so widely, Miranda figured that she must have gotten some last night. Lucky. "Where are you off to?" "Um… to lunch." If she knew her best friend's face, she could see that the woman didn't believe her. "Okay, well, let's go." "No, you don't have to." "I owe you one, so it's my treat," Callie said. Miranda grinded her teeth as the elevator moved past his floor and to the lobby. Maybe it wasn't meant to be. Maybe she wasn't supposed to see Ben Warren again—the guy who put butterflies in her stomach.

"Welcome back, Ben," his assistant principal said as he passed them in the hall. "Thank you, Lindsey. Feels wonderful to be back." He stopped to chat with the woman. "How've they been?" She rolled her eyes making him laugh. "Vermicious knids. They were alright for a long while, but they've gotten restless," she told him. He sighed. "I guess I gotta remind them what's what around here." As they walked into the auditorium, it erupted with cheers and shouting. Ben put a hand to his chest, so glad that he was able to be here, doing something he truly loved. "Mr. Warren!" A few of them shouted rushing toward him. "Be careful!" Lindsey said into the microphone. Ben stood on the stage and looked out into the faces of his students. "Good morning, Braswell High." A few days later, after a checkup with his doctor, he was told that he was all good to go back to pre-transplant activities. "That includes, running, swimming, sex… just remember, if something doesn't feel right, trust yourself." Back on the track, he exhaled. A woman passed him on the track and for the briefest of seconds, he thought it was Miranda. He couldn't believe that even after three months, he was still thinking about the woman who'd helped him and set his heart on fire. When she turned to go to the parking lot, he realized that nothing about her was Miranda-esque.

"So, remember to employ your 'R-O-C'…" Miranda sighed at the silly pun about to roll off her tongue. "And you will rock your patient's world." The room laughed and clapped after her presentation. "Okay, that's enough of that. To the pit you go." The residents filed out of the room while she gathered her stuff. "That was good, doc," a voice said from the door. Miranda nodded and put her phone in her pocket. Looking up, she saw eyes that she only remembered in her late-night thoughts. Thoughts so vivid and dirty, they made her body pulse. Even now. "Hi," she said. "Hey." "You… uh, y-you look good," she sputtered. "I mean, you look healthy." "Thanks to you." He was dressed in blue khakis and a black polo and God, he still looked good. And now she wished that she were wearing something other than scrubs. "What are you doing here, Ben?" She said speaking his name outside of her bedroom for the first time in months. "I came to see you." Miranda kept her composure though her heart was doing cartwheels. She shrugged. "For what?" "I, uh, think I owe you dinner." "I thought we agreed on something else?" They laughed and she picked up her folder as he walked toward her. She watched as he took something out of his pocket and put it in front of her. A smile betrayed Miranda as she looked at the Visa gift card tied to a Hershey's bar. "Is this right?"

By the look on her face, he was on the right track. He tilted his head. "Dinner's still on the table, though." Miranda shook her head as he reached for her hand, slipping his fingers between hers, locking them together. "It's still complicated," she whispered. He tried not to groan at her answer. Instead, he moved in her direction, their bodies close. Her soft, sweet smell was invading his nose again. He loved it. And wanted more. The door opened and Miranda took a big step back. "Dr. Bailey, they're waiting for you… in the pit," someone said coming into the room. Papers fell from her folder and Ben helped her pick them up. "I'll be right there," she replied and they left the room. "I'm no longer a patient here, Miranda. And I'm good. Back to running and everything." lips. So let me buy you dinner. Please." Miranda licked her "An early dinner, like four o'clock." He laughed. "That's not even a date though," Ben argued. "It's not supposed to be. It's just dinner." "Fine. Just dinner," he echoed holding up his right hand miming an oath. They made plans for the next day and he spent the next 24 hours trying to find something to wear. At the restaurant of her choosing (of course), Ben looked around and saw that they seemed to be the youngest ones in the joint by thirty years at least. "Are you happy now? We're part of the early bird crew," he said as they ordered their drinks. "Yes, I am," Miranda said pushing back her hair, revealing a slice of her neck, tempting him. Jesus, he thought. He wanted to taste her.

"Enjoying your pasta?" Miranda asked sipping some of her wine. "Is that your way of saying you want some?" She gestured and he handed her his plate. "I can order you some pasta, you know?" She heard him say. "I want some of yours. It'll taste better." "Whatever you want." Looking across the table, she saw him smiling and it warmed her entire body. There wasn't any part of her that didn't want to hold any part of him. "So, you're a high school principal?" He nodded. "What's the story there?" Ben put down his fork. "Well, I was a firefighter, but with my kidney problems, I was too afraid to go back to doing it, you know?" Her face relaxed. "So, I followed in my mom's footsteps and finished my degree in Education. Then, I was a teacher and then principal." Ben shrugged and picked up his glass of wine. "And it's one of the best decisions I've ever made." The passion in his voice reminded her of her own when she talked about surgery. Miranda wondered what else he was passionate about. "I love that," she told him. "I mean, I had plans on ribbing you, but educating children is amazing." She lifted her glass and he did the same. "What about you?" He asked when they went back to eating. Miranda noticed that his hand was slowly inching across the table toward hers. Move it, her head told her. Don't you dare, her heart rebutted.

It had taken the longest time, but he was finally holding her hand again. "Well, I've always wanted to be a doctor and surgery… it just called to me," Miranda responded. "My ex-boyfriend didn't understand. Neither did my parents, but I kept going." She rubbed her thumb along his palm and Ben wondered if she knew what she was doing. "I'm glad you did. You saved my life. That clot could have killed me." She bobbed her head back and forth. "Eventually." That cracked them up and they laughed so hard that tears came to their eyes. "Look, um," Ben was saying at the same time Miranda was saying: "I don't think…" "Yes?" He asked. "I don't think I want the night to end." When he smiled, she looked away. The check came and he put his card into the folder. "Follow me," he told her when they were out of the restaurant. Ben drove through town, happy that she was right behind him. He had no clue where he was going until he did and when he did, he made a few turns and was pulling over into an empty, gravel-filled parking lot. "What's this? Where are we?" He took her hand, firmly. When they found his favorite bench in the park, they sat down facing the water. He took his jacket and placed it on her shoulders. "Thank you, Ben." The two of them looked at each other for a long time. Her eyes pierced him. Ben pushed back some of her hair. "I'm going to kiss you now."

She closed her eyes and held her breath, afraid if she were to breathe, she'd wake up and it would all have been a dream. Miranda squeezed Ben's hand unsure of which of them were sweaty. Moving closer to him, she found some courage and kissed him softly. The tiniest voice in her head reminded her that he was once a patient, but the louder voice demanded that she keep kissing him. His hands went to the back of her head, flattening her curls. "I like you," she said when they pulled away. "Oh, God, pretend you didn't hear that." Ben chuckled and it shook her. Was he laughing at her? Ben held up a hand. "It's just that… I thought about you every day," he admitted. Though were already mere centimeters apart, but she moved so that their thighs were touching. Not wanting to be outdone, Miranda cocked an eyebrow and said: "I wanted to stay that day." "I wanted you to stay, too, Miranda." "Your scar looks good, tough." "Thanks." Turning back to the water, she listened to the randomness of the wind hitting the water. His voice caught her attention. "I'm glad you agreed to this dinner. I'm glad we got to be alone." She couldn't keep her eyes off his eyes or his lips, wanting attention from both. "Me too," she said as they kissed again. And again.

"Where the hell have you been?!" Rosalind asked when he stepped into the house after parting ways with Miranda. He was walking on nonexistent sunshine only to get smacked back to Earth by his screeching sister. "Why are you yelling? Is everything okay?" He said locking the door. "I've been calling you for the last two hours. I thought s-something happened to you again." Ben pulled out his phone and saw that his ringer was off. He hadn't wanted any interruptions while he was with Miranda. But seeing a full notification bar told him he'd screwed up. "I'm sorry, okay? I didn't mean to worry you." Rosalind was tearing up and he hugged her, rubbing her back. "But I'm fine, alright? I'm as healthy as a horse." She backed away. "Where were you then?" He grinned. "I was on a date—kind of." "With?" "The doctor from Seattle Grace, Miranda." Rosalind gasped. "Really! Ooo! I knew it was more than you let on." She wiped her face. "And you kissed her!" Ben's face grew hot. How did she know that? "How do you know that?" He laughed. "That cocky grin and lipstick on your lips." "Well, I had a great night and now I'm going to my room to sleep." "Right, sleep." He swung his hand trying to grab her and she ran from the room, cackling.

Unbeknownst to Miranda, Callie had spilled the beans about Ben to one of Miranda's cousins. So, when her mother called and asked about her "new fellow," it threw her for a loop. "What, uh… what are you talking about?" "The new man in your life. The teacher." Thankfully, Elena couldn't see her rolling her eyes and cursing silently. "His name is Ben and he's a high school principal," Miranda said with the widest smile. "Is he cute?" "Beep! Beep!" The younger woman said feigning an alarm sound. "Ma, I'm being paged. I gotta go." "Mmhmm. I'll call you later." Leaving her favorite spot and heading toward the locker room, she was corralled by Sydney. "Hey, Dr. Bailey." "Dr. Heron." "Um, did that patient from a few months ago, Ben Warren, find you the other day?" "Oh, yeah, he did find me. Thank you." Taking a step away from her colleague, she saw that Sydney was still right beside her. "I hope it was okay that I told him where to find you." Miranda prayed that her cheeks didn't look as red as they felt. "It… was. Thanks again." Her little legs hurried into the nearest stairwell and she exhaled. After two long weeks, she was seeing Ben again. They'd seen each other for a quick lunch here or there, but this time he was cooking—at her place! And she couldn't wait. Seeing his face was like a breath of fresh air. She kind of hated that the man put a smile on her face the size of the Memorial Bay Bridge, but that's what he did for her. And she loved it.

Ben inhaled before ringing Miranda's bell. Getting to know her had reminded him that his life was supposed to be enjoyed with other people. He was supposed to have conversations and debates about topics that interested him. When she answered it, his heart stopped. She looked so beautiful in blue jeans, a light green button-up blouse and bare feet. "Hey," she said. "Hi." He put the bag he was carrying down on the floor and hugged her tightly. "I, uh, brought stuff for beef stroganoff. Do you like mushrooms?" She nodded. "Me, too," he smiled. "How was your day?" She asked. As she walked away, he slipped his arm around her waist. "Hey, no 'I haven't seen you in a week' kiss?" He asked putting his face against her cheek. "That is not a thing." "It is now," Ben remarked as he put his lips on the corner of her mouth waiting for her to open up to him. Embracing him, Miranda waited for him to lean in and he took his time, observing that her usually reserved face was twitching with anticipation. "Well, are you gonna kiss me or not?" "You don't have to beg, I'll kiss you," he said enjoying his first taste of the evening. After dinner, they sat on her back porch that looked out onto a big, grassy field where the neighborhood kids were playing. "That was really good, unexpectedly so," Miranda said. "Wow." "No," she laughed, "I mean, it was really good. And I'll just leave it at that." "Why thank you." She turned to him, her hair swinging slightly. "Want another beer?" "Sure." She stood up and just as she was about to walk away, he pulled her down into his lap. "I thought you wanted another beer," Miranda said softly as they began a slow, passionate kiss.

This is what she missed about being with a man. The actual being with a man part. Ben's hand roamed her body while his tongue explored her mouth. Miranda usually hated the taste of beer, but on his lips, it was like something from heaven. She ran a hand through her hair. "Um, come here. I want to show you something," she said getting back up, ignoring her shaky legs. Taking his hand, she led him back into the house and toward her bedroom. His face was a mix of confusion and now she was thinking that she was going too fast. Which is something she never did. It had taken her a month before she kissed her ex-boyfriend and months before they had sex. But how long could she and Ben do this? Pretend like there wasn't an electricity between them so strong that it hurt when they had to pull away from one another. Ben detected her apprehension and touched her hips. His hands slipped beneath her shirt, skimming her stomach, his thumb brushing her stretchmarks. Miranda moaned telling him to continue. "Can I rip this?" He asked. She shook her head, "I like this one." Ben pulled her bottom lip between his teeth. "I'll buy you another." Soon, her mint green shirt was missing buttons. His lips were on the tops of her breasts and between them, searching for her nipples. Finding them, he sucked slowly backing them up to the bed where he unsnapped her bra, dropping it beside her. She was so wet and so turned on, she couldn't think straight. Miranda tugged off his shirt. "Damn," she said looking at his body. "Go slow with me, it's been a long time," Ben told her.

They moved up on the bed and he crawled on top of her. Their pants had long since disappeared and their underwear lay up at the foot of her bed. Once ready, her body swallowed his as he entered her slowly. Ben closed his eyes trying to not to look in her eyes. He wanted to take his time, but Miranda had him nearing a climax already. She grabbed his chin, pulling him in for a kiss connecting them in more ways than one. Ben held himself up with one hand and felt between her legs with the others, feeling her juices, wanting to lick her dry. "Ben!" She called out. "Yeah, baby?" Miranda whined and he couldn't stop himself from looking at her. Her head tilted with her neck exposed, her eyes rolled back, her mouth open begging to be kissed. "Shit!" He yelled. His heart raced as he was seconds from bursting. "I'm… this… feels so good! I'm coming. Oh, God! I'm coming!" "Look at me," he said in her ear before he sat up, thrusting quickly. It was so quiet that he could hear himself stirring inside of her. They made eye contact as they both orgasmed. "Ben!" She cried. "Miranda." They were moving at a pace where he could feel all of her and he loved it. With one last groan, he removed himself from her and fell beside her. "Now, what'd you want to show me?" He asked kissing her deeply. Miranda pushed his body with her own. "Shut up." Ben grabbed her arms, pulling her on top. "Make me."

Staring at her ceiling, she prayed that it had been as good for him as it had been for her. And it had been good as hell. "What are you thinking about?" Ben asked. Miranda sighed. She wasn't going to tell him that she wanted him in more ways than she could name. Or that even though they hadn't been talking long, he'd been on her mind and heart for months. Or how just him running his hand up and down her arm like he was doing now was making her fall for him. And, damn it, she wanted to resist. "So?" "So?" "Miranda." "Benjamin." He snaked his hand down her thigh. "Fine, you don't have to have pillow talk with me." Grinning, she turned to him. "I don't like talking about my feelings." "Then, I'll go first." Her hand found his cheek as she listened, having no clue as to what he was going to say. "I want you, Miranda Bailey, to know that… I enjoy your company. You mean a lot to me." "Is that right?" He nodded, "Oh yeah. You're beautiful and I knew that from the first moment my eyes landed on you. And I'm glad that you're the one who found me. And I—" Miranda put her finger to his lips, certain that if he kept going, she would start blubbering. "Shhh." "Okay," he smiled. Her heart and skin tingled under the weight of her feelings. "I'm happy when I'm with you," she declared. "You make me happy."

Like he knew it would, Miranda's tough exterior slowly started to deteriorate as they dated. The more he learned about her, the more he knew she was the right one for him. So many times, Ben had been close to saying "I love you" only to stop, afraid that she'd retreat. But in her bed one night, he pushed up her chin with his nose kissing her neck. "You love me, don't you, baby?" As soon as it was in the air, he wanted to snatch it back. She'd let him know when she was ready. Instead of an answer, Miranda turned over. And they fell asleep just like that. When he woke up, Miranda was sitting up next to him with the covers wrapping her chest. A purposeful swipe of her skin told him she was still completely naked. "Yeah?" The clock on her nightstand read: 01:53. He sat up, his back landing on her velvet headboard. "Morning, handsome." Ben blushed as he kissed her cheek then her lips. "What's up, gorgeous?" There was a long pause before she said, "When I tell you that I love you, you have to say you love me back. Because I can't be the woman who says it first to a man who doesn't feel the same way." He smirked at her rambling. Didn't like talking about her feelings, his ass. "Alright." Silence. "That's it?" "That wasn't enough?" Miranda inquired. Taking a chance, he shook his head.

"Okay," Miranda said lowering her voice. "I love you, Ben. I do. And it scares me, but I'm okay with being scared… if I get to have you." Ben sighed and touched the back of her head. "I am in love with you, too, Miranda. And nothing about that scares me." She was crying now and he kissed her as the tears slipped down between their lips. "Was that so hard, babe?" Ben reached for her hand and put the back of it to his mouth. "Yes," she told him. "Terrifying." "Why?" He asked. Miranda swallowed. "There's just a bunch of 'what ifs' floating in my head," she confessed. "Like?" Puffing up her cheeks, she said: "What if you didn't love me back? What if I lose you? What if this is just a heat of the moment kind of thing? What if—" Ben cut her off with a sensual kiss that led to heavy touching and before long, she was arching her back to a soft finish as he fingered her. "Are you done with the damn 'what ifs'?" He asked licking Miranda's nipples. "If I'm not, will I get another?" Laughing, they moved closer, hugging. Her skin on his skin aroused her in a way that didn't require a climax. All she needed was Ben. He was The One. She wanted to spend her life with him, but that was a conversation for another day. "Why'd you come to the hospital that day?" He licked his lips. "I needed to see you. I even left the school earlier than usual so that I could catch you. I missed you." "I was coming to see you one day while you were still admitted, but I was shaken." "That's okay. It all worked out for the best, babe." "It really did, my love." Miranda and Ben slid back down in the bed and faced each other, chatting softly until they fell asleep.

Time was now split into two parts: Before Miranda and With Miranda. Before her, he lived a relatively good life. But with her, he was soaring and everything was better. His career, his health, even certain drinks tasted better. She was it for him. One day, many glorious months later, he woke up well before she did and started making breakfast. Today was a special day. Before she got out of bed, he met her at the door with a tray with the food and drinks on it. "What's all this?" She asked pushing her hair back. "Breakfast." Pointing to the clock, she said: "Brunch." "Fine, brunch. But it's brunch in bed." She lifted her shoulders in glee. "Yes, please," she said before putting her head down to pray. He retrieved a small box from his pants pocket and put it in the middle of the tray. "Amen." "Amen." As soon as she reached for her mimosa, she gasped. "What is that?" "What?" He asked feigning ignorance. "That box." Miranda picked it up and opened it, giving the empty box a puzzled look. He loved watching her pout a little as she turned to him. "Wh—" Ben held the ring up; custom-made, it was perfect for her. "Miranda, I see our life together and it's beautiful. Like it is now, but somehow brighter. I love you more than anything and if you let me be your husband, I promise to give you the world." Ben paused, his heart leaping from his chest. What if…? "Yes, Ben," Miranda said with no hesitation. "I love you so much. And nothing would make me happier than being your wife. Our life together will be amazing." They kissed once more. "Now can we eat?"

Six Years Later

"You're literally pissing me off, Benjamin," Miranda said. She groaned trying to get out of bed. Several months pregnant and even the easiest tasks proved to be difficult. "I made a simple statement," he retorted. "Lo and behold, that's the very thing that's pissing me the hell off!" "It's not that serious, Miranda," he said following her. She glared at him and watched as he tried to backtrack. "I'm sorry." "Don't bother. It's not that serious, remember?" In the bathroom, she sat on the toilet, ticked off that she was so mad. She loved the man, no doubt, but the way he could get under her skin irked her soul. Her only bright spot was that she was able to do the same to him. And had been doing it for the last six years. An awkward knock on the door, had her ripping it open. Prepared to look up at her taller husband, instead, she had to look down. Her four-year-old, Imani, was standing in front of her with a piece of paper in her hand. "Is this for me?" She asked softening her voice. "Did daddy give this to you?" Her daughter nodded. Miranda took it and read it, sighing and biting the corner of her bottom lip. "Yes," she squeaked. She reached for her daughter, lifting her for a kiss. Her heart grew ten times over looking at the girl. Her father's eyes and her mother stubbornness. Her mother's nose and her father's chill. She was perfect. Finding a pen in the top drawer, Miranda wrote "Yes" under Ben's writing and gave the note back to Imani. "Take this to daddy please." The girl wobbled over and there went her heart.

With an exaggerated grunt, he lifted Imani up onto the bed with him and read what Miranda had written beneath his: "Sorry for eating your sandwich. Can I eat you out to make up for it?" Ben kissed his daughter's forehead. Let a psychic have told him that he'd be married within a year of meeting his soul mate and become a father within two, he would have laughed right in their face. "Go and tell mommy that I love her," he said helping Imani off the bed. Ben watched her go and felt his heart flutter. Lying back, he heard: "Don't send your daughter to do your bidding." Miranda came out of the bathroom, her belly swollen pregnant with their second daughter. The sight of her holding their first made him fall in love all over again. "I'm still mad that you ate my sandwich. I'd been looking forward to it," Miranda said getting in bed. He leaned over and kissed her cheek. "I know. And I'll get you another." "So you can eat that, too?" As she rocked Imani, she began smiling. "Is that an 'I'm over it' smile or an 'I'm gonna kill you' smile?" "Look at her," she said glancing at their daughter. Ben touched the girl's head gently. She was breath-taking. Later, Ben curled up behind his wife. "Nope! No sleep for you, sir. Don't you owe me something?" Ben licked his lips and dove under the covers between his wife's thighs. "No air," she breathed. "It's not my first rodeo," he answered. When they were finished, she whined about how good it was. "I still should have left you in the park that day." "Low blow." She shrugged as he tickled her until she apologized. "She's moving." Ben put his hand on her stomach feeling their daughter turn. "I love you," he said to his wife. They exchanged soft kisses. "I love you more."