feel the sun from the inside out

“I’m your husband,” Frank murmured against her lips. Mel could feel the metal of his wedding band, silver and snug at the base of his finger, pressing against her hip through her wedding dress. It matched the platinum of her own engagement ring and wedding band. She wanted it to leave a mark.

(They wore their rings on necklaces while they were at work, putting silicone bands on their fingers at the hospital. Frank started wearing his the moment they signed the paperwork for the marriage license, telling Mel that it absolutely counted.)

“We’re married,” Mel agreed, still feeling a little crazy about it all. Giddy and excited and somehow feeling so calm and centered, too, Mel couldn’t believe that the day three years in the making had finally come true.

Now in her senior year of residency, things hadn’t slowed down for Mel at all. They hadn’t for Frank, either, who split his time between an attending position at PTMC and teaching courses for pre-med at Pitt. Adding the planning of a wedding on top of all of that, even if it was a small one, had presented an additional challenge that Mel and Frank somehow managed to tackle.

Now, minutes into the start of their cocktail hour, Mel and Frank decided to take some time to bask in the afterglow of their new marital status. Someone, probably Becca or Yolanda or god forbid, Abbot, was bound to come and find them. Every stolen moment was just for them, and Mel was glad that they found a few fun little hiding spots in the historical mansion that was the venue for their wedding.

Right on cue: “Hey! Your guests are waiting for you!”

“Yeah!”

It was Yolanda and Samira yelling at them, with Becca standing right behind them, tapping her wrist like she was wearing a watch.

Mel pulled Frank down for another kiss, pulling him close so the hard lines of his body were pressed against her softer ones. Their friends were still hooting and hollering at them, and Mel waved her hand over her head as she kissed her husband—her husband!

“Come on.” Frank dropped one quick kiss to her lips, and then another. “We should eat something.”

“Oh!” Mel brightened immediately. “Can we find some of those cheesesteak eggrolls, please?”

It’d been a week since the gala and Mel and Frank arranged a dinner at Mel’s apartment, so they could have Becca and Abbot over. It felt like an important step forward since they’d revealed their true relationship status.

Frank was an excellent cook, so he was in charge in the kitchen while Mel chopped and prepped ingredients at Frank’s direction. They bought Becca’s favorite red velvet cake from a local bakery, and they made sure that they had a six pack of Abbot’s preferred beer. Mel put on some calming music, something quiet with an acoustic guitar, but she went into the bathroom and put her AirPods in to hype herself up with her favorite Megan Thee Stallion song.

In the end, all of Mel’s nervous energy was easily dissipated when Becca and Abbot showed up. Abbot, for all his intensity in the pitt, was surprisingly easy to be around (which was probably why Frank preferred working with him over Robby, though he knew he could never make the switch to night shift). On the day Frank met Becca, her stress had more to do with her argument with Mel over anything else. Apparently, she liked him just fine, and thought that he and Mel made a good couple.

Becca didn’t like the carrots, and Abbot made a face when Mel stretched up onto her tiptoes to kiss Frank. Otherwise, the night went well. Becca fully gave her blessing, grinning at Mel in the kitchen as they dished out slices of cake.

“You’re right,” she told her twin sister. “He does have nice hair.”

Mel rolled her eyes but didn’t say anything else. It was true, after all. Frank had nice hair. And eyes. And shoulders. And hands. And a lot of other things that she wouldn’t be sharing.

All Abbot really had to say was, “You’re lucky I like you, Langdon.” Mel took it as approval of their relationship (not that they needed it, really. Still, it was nice to have). She patted Frank’s knee when she caught sight of the confused look on his face, ensuring him that it was all okay.

Gasping, Mel clutched at his broad shoulders. She used her grip to tug him with her until they collapsed on his bed together in a tangle of limbs. He nipped and kissed and licked at the column of her throat, spending a lot of time at her fluttering pulse. She knew, as he moved his mouth further down, she’d likely have a nice mark she’d have to cover up later. She couldn’t bring herself to care.

“Everyone knows I’ll give you whatever you want.” His lips traveled down the center of her body, his big hands parting her thighs. “Whatever you need, sweetheart. I love you.”

Mel moaned as his mouth pressed against her cunt, and he was pretty sure she’d never gotten to orgasm so quickly before. She pulled him up, kissing him messily, and then she was gone.

“Where’d you go?” Frank complained, but it choked off when she wrapped her lips around the tip of his cock. His hands fell to her hair and his head dropped back as her mouth moved up and down over him.

“Mel, come here,” Frank pleaded when he felt himself get close.

It took a few moments, but Mel eventually let his dick fall from her lips and climbed over his lap, straddling him. Now her hands were in his hair as she kissed him, rocking against him as she panted.

“One of these days, you’re going to come in my mouth,” Mel swore. She lifted up and Frank steadied himself so she could slide down on him, both of them gasping at how deep he went.

Frank’s lips found her thundering pulse again. “I just want you so bad, Mel. I want you all the time.”

Words ceased between them as they rocked together, bodies pressed closely so they could feel every movement, every breath.

“I have you,” Mel breathed, a little amazed as she circled her hips, holding on to his shoulders.

“You have me,” Frank confirmed. He tugged lightly at her bottom lip with his teeth. “For as long as you want me.”

A whine escaped Mel and she dug her fingers into his shoulders, her hips moving faster. Frank held onto her waist, steadying her. Grounding her. Loving her.

“Forever?” Mel asked as she started to come.