A/N: There is a one-to-one relationship to feedback and inspiration for this story. Every time I read one of your lovely comments I was motivated to write just a little more of this part. And well, here we are.

Oxytocin is known as the "cuddling hormone" because it causes you to feel a connection and bond with your lover. If you enjoy cuddling with your girl after sex, chances are you know the effects of oxytocin well. (from the Askmen web site)

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Meddling – Robin 9
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"I love you, Robin Scorpio." Patrick's words are barely a whispery moan into my mouth yet I hear them with a surreal clarity. In the next second after the words float away we both stiffen and our dark eyes are wide and terrified mirrors.

"Did you." I stop. I can't believe I'm lying here underneath Patrick with his orgasm still wet on my hand and have just heard words that with every fiber of my being I have believed I would never hear again. I don't even know if he meant them or if it was an oxytocin-induced expostulation. The seconds click by and he still looks shocked and terrified. Is it because he didn't mean it or is he's worried that I won't say it back? Or that I will?

The only thing clear right now is that of the two of us I am the one with experience in these matters and someone needs to take the lead.

"I should go wash my hand."

Okay, wow. That was not quite that I meant to say. I see the hurt flash in his eyes and I grab onto his hip before he can move off of me completely. "Wait. Just wait!" All of a sudden I'm pissed. I mean how dare he dump that on me without warning and then expect a perfect reaction when he doesn't even look like he knows what that would be. "Give me a second here!"

I'm about to run my fingers through my hair when I stop and make a face.

"I guess you really need to wash your hand."

Startled by his droll tone I look into his eyes and see that he is grinning at me. Thrown off by the abrupt change I look at him suspiciously as he unclenches my other hand from his hip and gently pushes me off the couch. He takes a moment to pull up his pants, shoot me a grin and then pushes my unresisting body towards the kitchen. Wary, I don't speak a word. At the sink he pours some dish soap on my hand and turns on the water. He motions for me to get to it.

While my hands are under the spray my mind is going a mile a minute and stuttering at the same time. I begin to think he really meant it. I shoot him a glance out of the corner of my eye and then flick them back to the sink. Holy shit, he did! Before I know it I'm smiling like a loon. Heedless of the water I turn my entire body around to look at Patrick, inadvertently splashing him across the face and chest. I crack up as he rolls his eyes at me and turns off the water.

Well, he needed some cleaning too. Which, grabbing a dish towel, I proceed to take care of. All the while I'm smiling up at him and he's smiling down at me.

"So you love me?" I ask shyly as I run the towel slowly over his washboard abs.

"Yeah. This was not quite how and when I intended to say it. But, yeah."

"So you intended to say it?" He might seem certain now, but I'm still wondering if he knew he loved me before his brain was fogged with chemicals. At his nod I ask the next question on my mind. "When did you know?"

"I knew for sure that morning in your kitchen. When you kissed me." The certainty of his answer takes my breath away.

"Awwwww." I chuckle and drop the towel into the sink and wrap my arms around his torso.

Patrick cups the back of my head and clears his throat. "Is there something you plan to say back to me?" His voice sounds a bit choked. I giggle against his warm, bare skin. "Don't you want to wait for the right moment?" I tease.

"You're killing me, Scorpio!"

With a gentle sigh and look up at Patrick's face. His dark eyes are sparkling with an attractive mixture of amusement and nervousness. "I love you too, Patrick Drake."

He closes his eyes and lets out a relieved sigh. He reaches under my arms and lifts me until I'm sitting on the counter and he leans down right into my face. "Of course you do."

"Really?" I laugh and frame his face with my hands.

"I am irresistible. If you didn't that would mean there was something wrong with you." He shrugs one shoulder.

"And then you'd have to play doctor." I roll my eyes purely for form's sake. "You are, you know. Irresistible. Even when I couldn't stand you I was drawn to you," I admit in a quiet, tender tone.

"Same here, babe." He presses a soft kiss to my lips.

My heart is no longer beating, it's just pulsing. My entire body feels like it's floating. Patrick Drake is in love with me. This gorgeous, kind, caring, sexy, arrogant man is mine.

"Stay tonight," he whispers against my lips.

I want to. I really, really want to. Still, there's a couple of things niggling at the back of my mind that need to put to rest. I see Patrick's smile change and I can tell he knows it. This man knows me so well.

"I don't want to move too fast, Patrick." Before he can say what I know he's going to say I clarify. "I'm not just talking about sex. I'm talking about this love thing. Like you said you hadn't intended to say it tonight and we haven't even talked about exclusivity."

Patrick nods once and his eyes get serious, though his lips are still smiling. "I didn't intend to say it tonight because I wanted the perfect moment, and yeah, part of me was still resisting the final giving up of my wild ways, but I only want you Robin and I want you only with me. And I love you and I will never tire of saying it." As he speaks he is tracing a finger down my cheek to rest over my heart.

Moved, I close my eyes and let out a shaky breath. "You might have been trying to plan a perfect moment, Patrick." I open my eyes and look at him through my tears. "But you found the perfect words." I stroke his face tenderly. "I love you and I'll stay with you tonight."

He smiles and nips at my neck.

"But making love is going to wait until we're away and alone – without any fathers within bursting in or listening distance."

He growls and pulls back to shoot me a mock glare. I can see the sexual frustration in his gorgeous eyes and I know it's reflected in mine. Frankly, if my libido had its way I'd have him right now on this counter, but I'm a planner by nature and I want nothing to inhibit or interrupt our first time together.

"There are other ways to satisfy each other in the meantime."

Surprisingly, it's me who says those words.