"You'll get spoiled."

"Is that a bad thing?"

"No," Wynter replied seriously. "It isn't. I like making you happy."

Pearce kissed her. "You do. Very."

Wynter brushed her fingers through Pearce's hair. "Feeling better?"

"About being stuck out in the middle of nowhere?" Pearce flopped onto her back and settled Wynter against her side. Wynter nestled her head against Pearce's shoulder. "Not really, but I'll go back. I don't have a choice if I want to finish my residency."

"I think you should talk to your father. You're senior enough to complain about a lousy rotation like this. It's not fair at this point."

"I've been thinking about that," Pearce said, watching the shadows on the ceiling fade as light began to filter through the windows. "He's got plans for Dzubrow. I guess he figures once he gets him settled, he'll let me in on his plans for me." Pearce turned her head and looked into Wynter's eyes. "But I've got plans of my own."

"What?" Wynter asked softly, wondering at the fierce intensity in Pearce's face.

"I want to be with you. Whatever it takes."

"I don't understand."

Pearce smiled. "I'm probably getting ahead of you. I don't even know what you want--"

"Tell me what you want." Wynter cupped Pearce's cheek and caressed her mouth with her thumb. Pearce had always lived someone else's dream. As much as Wynter wanted her, she would not let Pearce do the same with her. "If you could have anything, do anything--what would it be?"

Pearce was silent a long time, stroking Wynter's face, her neck, her breasts. She dropped a gentle kiss into the hollow at the base of Wynter's throat. When she looked up, her face was peaceful. "I'd be with you. And Ronnie. I'd teach some, I think, and have a general surgery practice. I'd have a family--and a life."

Wynter's lips parted and she drew in a shaky breath. "I said last night that you're one of the bravest people I've ever met. I was right."

"Why?" Pearce frowned.

"It took me a long time to admit that I couldn't live the life I'd fallen into." Wynter kissed Pearce. "I know how hard it is to be honest about something that means so much. And how scary."

"Not when I'm with you."

"God, I love you."

"I'm kinda still getting used to that."

Wynter laughed. "Okay. We've got time."

"I don't want to be the chairman anywhere. I just never thought about anything else before, because that's what my father wanted me to be."

"He won't be happy about that," Wynter said.

"I know. But he's never really been happy with me anyhow."

Surprisingly, Pearce found she could say it without it hurting quite so much. "The only difference now is that I will be happy."

"Pearce, honey--"

"I know, I'm going too fast," Pearce said hastily. "I'm sorr--"

"No." When Pearce started to draw away, Wynter threw an arm across her chest and pulled her near. "You're not going too fast. I'm crazy about you. I'm a little afraid to think about the future, because I've gotten used to living one day at a time. But I want you to be part of my life."

"Okay," Pearce said. "Okay."

"But you've got to go."

Pearce frowned. "What--"

"Look at the time."

"Fuck."

Wynter rolled on top of her and kissed her one more time, a slow, thorough kiss that promised more. Soon. The next time. Again. "If you can't come here, I'll come there."

"You've got Ronnie. I'll come here."

"I love you."

Pearce smiled. "I love you too."

Wynter sat up. It was time to do what needed to be done. "I'll make you coffee."

"That's okay. I've gotta get out of here. I'll grab a coffee on the way. Once I make rounds, I can shower at the hospital."

"Are you sure? It won't take long."

Pearce slid out of bed, grabbed her jeans, and tugged them on. "I'm okay. I slept like a log. There won't be much traffic. Don't worry."

"Call me when you get there, all right?" Wynter pulled back the covers and started to get up.

Pearce pushed her back. "You can sleep another hour or so. Do it.

You'll need it later." She sat on the edge of the bed and pulled on her boots, then found her shirt.

Wynter stroked her back. "I want to walk you out."

"Stay." Pearce leaned down and kissed her. "See you soon, Doc."

"See you soon," Wynter whispered as Pearce disappeared. She listened to Pearce's footsteps in the hallway, and then as they faded as Pearce disappeared downstairs. It didn't feel right--she couldn't just let her walk away. She bolted from the bed and scrambled for her robe.

Barefoot, she ran from the room and down the stairs to the front door.

She pulled it open just as Pearce closed her car door and started the engine.

"Pearce!"

Pearce look back toward the house, frowned, and opened her door.

"What's wrong?"

Wynter came down the stairs, mindless of the cold.

"Jesus, Wynter," Pearce exclaimed. She left the engine running and hurried toward her. "It's freezing out here. Go back inside."

"Be careful." Wynter wrapped her arms around Pearce's neck and kissed her, hard. "Just be careful."

"Hey, I'm not the one running around half naked in the middle of February." Pearce put her arm around Wynter's waist and led her back upstairs. She stepped inside the foyer with Wynter, pulled her tightly to her, and buried her face in Wynter's hair. "I wouldn't go if I didn't have to."

"I know." Wynter stroked the back of her neck, kissed her throat, her jaw, her mouth. "I just..."

"I'm not going anywhere, babe," Pearce murmured. "I'll talk to you soon, okay?"

Wynter nodded and reluctantly released her, knowing as she watched Pearce pull away that it wouldn't be soon enough. She missed her already.


CHAPTER THIRTY

An hour and a half later, Wynter slid a bowl of instant oatmeal into the microwave and set the timer. She checked the temperature of the bowl she had just heated and then placed it in front of Winston. "Use your spoon, honey."

Ronnie made impatient sounds and tried to get her hand into Winston's oatmeal. Winston ignored her.

"I think he's got the disposition of an anesthesiologist," Ken noted as he ambled into the kitchen, already in scrubs, as was Wynter. "He doesn't get bothered by people crowding his territory."

"He is pretty unflappable," Wynter agreed as she gave Ronnie her own portion of oatmeal. She looked at Ken. "Want some?"

"Sure. I've got a little time. Thanks."

"Mmm," Wynter replied absently.

"Pearce gone?"

Coloring, Wynter looked over her shoulder at him. "How did you know?"

"I kind of guessed when I saw the T-shirt."

"Oh yes," Wynter said, recalling that she'd picked it up off the hall floor after her hasty flight downstairs had knocked it off the doorknob.

"Not too subtle."

Ken laughed. "I kind of felt like I was living in the frat house again."

"Nice."

"I heard her old man farmed her out. What's going on with that?"

Wynter shook her head. "I'm not sure. I don't think it really has anything to do with her."

"It still stinks."

"Yes." She passed Ken his oatmeal and then hastily ate her own.

After she ran two dish towels under the warm water, she passed one to him. "You get yours, I'll get mine." As they cleaned up their respective children, she asked, "Is Mina awake?"

"Yep. She's just moving a little slow."

"Is Chloe coming over today? I'm not sure Mina is up to watching all of these kids any longer."

Ken nodded. "Chloe's going to be spending part of the day here until the baby's born, and then for a week after. She'll help keep things under control." He hefted Winston.

"I want to pay a little extra, then," Wynter said, lifting Ronnie into her arms.

"No need," Ken said as they carried the kids upstairs.

"I want to anyway," she said firmly.

Mina met them in the hallway. "Have the little darlings been fed?"

"All taken care of," Wynter pronounced. "I left the fixings out for Janie."

"Park them in there, then," Mina said, indicating the playroom.

Then she looked at Ken. "Janie's still asleep. Don't wake her."

"I won't." He kissed Mina's cheek and then headed toward his daughter's room. "I just wanna see her before I go."

"How was your night?" Mina asked suggestively as she joined Wynter in the playroom and settled into the easy chair with a sigh.

"Too short," Wynter said brusquely as she dragged out Ronnie and Winston's favorite toys.

"Get any sleep?"

"Some."

"Are you all right?"

Wynter settled a hip on the arm of Mina's chair. "More or less. I miss her already, and it feels like we're constantly stealing time to be together. But it was..." She smiled. "Wonderful."

"Mmm. I'm looking forward to this story."

Wynter slid an arm around Mina's shoulder and squeezed. "Well, you're going to wait for a long time. I don't kiss and tell."

"Since when? I knew every little detail about you and Dave."

"You did not," Wynter protested. "And even so, this is different."

Mina gave her a long, serious look. "It is, isn't it?"

Wynter nodded.

"Does she feel the same way?"

Again, Wynter nodded.

"Then that's just fine." Mina patted Wynter's knee. "But I still want details."

Laughing, Wynter got up, kissed Ronnie and Winston, and started for the door. "Maybe just a few. When I have time."