This is the last chapter - I hope you don't hate the ending. It is a bit silly and unrealistic, but the whole story has been a bit like that! Thank you for reading and reviewing.

Bonnie Sveen Fan, I like Lily and Ethan together - she's my favourite of Ethan's girls and I think she's the best-suited to him, but opposites attract! I love Ethan's supportiveness. I think he'd try to support anyone who needed it (though he sometimes makes an exception for Cal!). Thank you for your review.

Tigsey, yes that is a lot of kisses for a little guy! I really don't think he was expecting to kiss even one of them. Thank you for your review. If you're the Tigsey who used to post stories here, welcome back! If not, it's nice to meet you.

westlife4ever80, thank you for your review. Ethan is definitely having an interesting day! He's interesting a lot of people and I think he might be quite interested in all of them!

Tanith Panic, he probably does need lip balm! Though I don't feel all that sorry for him. I'm really glad you're enjoying this and not taking it too seriously - it's not very realistic at all, but it is just a bit of fluff, like you said. And Ethan is my favourite bit of fluff in the world. Thank you for your review.

InifinityAndOne, thank you for your review - I'm really glad you've enjoyed reading this. I have tried to keep him as much like the old Ethan as possible as I really love him as he used to be. I'm not so keen now. Ethan;s only kissed three girls that we know of in nearly three years, so his yearly average has more than doubled!

"Open wide," said Penny softly.

Ethan felt Penny's finger brush his lips on its way into his mouth.

"How does that feel?" asked Penny.

Ethan answered as best he could with her finger in his mouth.

"Good," said Penny, smiling. She turned to the dental nurse. "I think we've run out of paper aprons. Could you get me some more, please?"

The dental nurse thought there were more in the cupboard, but Penny was right and she left the room. Penny shut the door after her with a click and returned to Ethan.

"Bite together for me? Oh, Ethan, that's so good! Sorry. I mean that's very good."

Not that Ethan had ever made a conscious study of it, but her finger tasted different from most dentist's fingers.

Penny removed her finger. "Ethan, w-would you mind if I examined you using my… a different instrument?"

"No," whispered Ethan. "Not at all."

Penny's mouth moved closer to his. "Open," she murmured against his lips, and they parted at once.

It was difficult kissing someone when half your mouth was numb, but Ethan had had quite a bit of practice. Penny's kiss was so sweet, he felt glad he'd had toothache. He wrapped his arms around Penny's waist. When she lost her balance and landed on his lap, he didn't mind.

He thought he heard the dental nurse trying to open the door. She might have knocked on the door and called Penny's name.

But Ethan wasn't sure of anything except Penny and she didn't seem to hear a thing.

Honey smiled as Ethan entered the shop. "How's your tooth?"

"It's much better now, thank you," said Ethan. "The numbness hasn't worn off yet, but I'd like some more water if that's all right?"

"Course it is," said Honey.

Ethan got a bottle out of the fridge and turned to see Honey perched on the counter.

"It's on the house," explained Honey. "So I don't need to reach the till."

She took the bottle from Ethan and opened it. She lifted it to her mouth and tilted her head back, letting the liquid wet her lips. Then she placed the bottle to one side and held out her arms.

Ethan liked the shiny look of her lips. He took a step closer. Honey guided him between her legs and wrapped her arms around him.

Blushing, Ethan lifted his head. He had to stand on tiptoes to kiss Honey, but he didn't mind. Her lips were so warm and familiar. Like coming home at the end of a hard day – and Ethan really had had a hard day.

Ethan took off his coat, put his bag down and walked into the living room.

"Hey," said Cal. "Are you hungry?"

Ethan shook his head. "I don't think I want dinner tonight, Cal. Sorry. I think I'm going to head off to bed."

Cal grinned. "I would too after the day you've had!"

"You haven't started cooking, have you?"

"Of course not! I was waiting for you," said Cal. "Why would I do the cooking when you're here to do it for me?"

"You're lucky I'm too tired to throw something at you, Caleb," said Ethan, but he wouldn't really have done it and from Cal's smile, he was well aware of that.

Ethan went to his room and opened the door.

"Hi, Ethan."

Ethan shut the door behind him. "Hey. Sorry I was so long. It's been quite a day."

"Yes. That's very true." Lily took Ethan's hand and led him to the bed. "I have a book I thought you might like me to read to you. Statistical Records in Medical Research."

"It sounds perfect," said Ethan, smiling at Lily as he sat on the bed.

Lily sat beside him and smiled at him.

A pair of hands caught his shoulders. "Don't lie down yet, Ethan," said Jenny. "I know you're tired, but you need a massage after such a hard day."

"A massage sounds lovely," admitted Ethan. He sighed in rapture as her fingers gently began to work out the kinks in his shoulders. "Thank you. That's wonderful, Jenny."

"You're wonderful," said Jenny softly.

"Would you like something to nibble, Nibbles?" asked Kate. "I've got some jam-free tarts for you right here!"

Ethan smiled as she lifted a jam-free tart to his lips. "Thank you, Kate." He nibbled it gently. "It's delicious."

Alicia leaned forward. "Ethan, you look hot. Let's get that shirt off you before you explode." She unbuttoned it slowly, letting her fingertips brush Ethan's bare chest. He breathed in sharply and nearly choked on his jam-free tart, but it wouldn't have mattered if he had. He had two doctors and a nurse to take care of him.

Jenny paused the massage briefly so Alicia could finish removing his shirt. They had the move well-synchronised now.

"Any special requests, Ethan?" Jorgie was sitting on the edge of the bed with a notebook, her pen poised. "I need to write them down so we don't forget. It's so easy to forget things when we're with you."

Ethan smiled at her. "Thank you, Jorgie. That's very thoughtful of you. I think the most important thing I need is an early night."

"Early night," said Jorgie, writing it down carefully. She moved closer so her thigh brushed Ethan's.

"A hot bath would also be really nice, if it's not too much trouble," said Ethan. "Perhaps with bubbles?"

"And a bath bomb?" said Honey hopefully.

"Yes, of course," said Ethan. "Two bath bombs, please, Jorgie. Then afterwards, perhaps we can all watch a foreign film together? Perhaps one from America. We could even make it an 18 if you like, as long as you don't mind if I blush."

"We love it when you blush," said Jorgie reassuringly.

"Especially when we're the ones making you blush!" said Honey.

"I bet I can make him blush right now." Alicia slipped a finger into the waistband of his trousers. "They're coming off next, Ethan!"

"That sounds lovely, Alicia. Thank you," said Ethan - and he was blushing.

Penny leaned forward. "I'm sorry, Ethan. Would you mind very much if I checked on your filling? I'm a bit worried. I was very distracted when I did it and my hands might have been shaking. I know my heart was thumping."

"So was mine, Penny," said Ethan gently. "I'm sure you did a wonderful job and it doesn't hurt at all, but of course you can look." He opened his mouth as Penny examined him first with her eyes, then her finger, then her tongue.

"Everything looks fine to me," said Penny. "You may resume all normal activities." She blushed slightly. "And abnormal ones too. If you'd like to."

"Thank you, Penny," said Ethan. "Cal has always said I'm very well-suited to abnormal activities."

The girls all tutted and gave him a group hug.

"Don't listen to Cal," said Jenny. "He's just teasing you."

"He's just jealous!" said Honey.

"I mean, who wouldn't be?" said Alicia.

Ethan thought there was a good chance Cal was jealous. He'd known Cal to share his bed with three women before, but never seven. I really am extremely lucky, thought Ethan. Of course, it's a tremendous responsibility, but all I want is to make my beautiful, wonderful girls happy. Even if they did all tease me horribly today and start off all kinds of rumours about me. They had agreed to keep their relationship quiet at work and it looked like that would be more difficult now, but Ethan forgave them. He would always forgive them. He loved them.

"Are you ready for a cup of Honey's honey tea?" asked Honey, picking up a mug from his bedside table.

"That would be wonderful, Honey. Thank you," said Ethan.

Honey held the cup to his lips for him. "Let me know if it's too hot."

Ethan had a sip. "It's perfect. Kate, could I have a little more jam-free tart, please?"

"Of course you can, Nibbles," said Kate. "Here you are."

"Thank you very much." Ethan nibbled some.

Jorgie stroked his hand. "Any more special requests, Ethan?"

"Like your trousers coming off, maybe?" said Alicia hopefully as she played with the zip.

"Oh… um…" Ethan lost his focus for a moment and the girls laughed at him affectionately. "No special requests at the moment, Jorgie, but thank you for asking and I'll let you know if I think of anything. Your idea sounds lovely, Alicia, but would you mind terribly if Lily reads to me while you're doing it? I am looking forward to what you're planning very much, but I'd really like to hear some of the book Lily's chosen for me. I do find statistical methods extremely exciting."

Lily nodded in satisfaction. "I believe removing Ethan's trousers will be even more enjoyable when he is excited, Alicia."

"Maybe I shouldn't say this, but I love it when Ethan gets excited," confessed Penny.

"So do I!" said Honey gleefully as she ran her hand down Ethan's thigh, making him gasp.

"Chapter One," said Lily. "The Scope of Statistics. In one sense, medical statistics are merely numerical statements…"

Ethan smiled as he listened to Lily's clear voice almost caressing each word. Jenny's fingers kneaded his shoulders. Kate and Honey offered him alternate nibbles and sips; Jorgie stroked his knee as she scribbled busily, making out a plan for how they would all fit into the bath and who would take responsibility for washing which parts of Ethan (there was often a bit of a fight over some parts of his anatomy). Alicia slowly unzipped Ethan's trousers, careful to make the sensation as pleasurable as possible, and Penny simply held Ethan's hand as she smiled at him, silently reassuring him everything would be all right.

Ethan knew it would be. He was loved and he was cared for, and even when he couldn't care for himself, his beautiful, incredible ladies would support each other as well as him and have plenty of time to rest and enjoy themselves.

He knew many would pity him and consider his situation unfair and there were certainly times when Ethan agreed with them.

But he also knew he was the luckiest man in the world and with Alicia, Honey, Jenny, Jorgie, Kate, Lily and Penny at his side, he would never forget it.