When Cristina entered the apartment later that evening, Burke was already home, making dinner.

"Hey."

"Hey. You're home early."

"Yes, I thought you'd like me to cook for you after having a bad day."

"Bad day? It wasn't a bad day but I'll let you cook for me anyway."

She opened the fridge and took a beer. Burke slightly turned to look at her, puzzled with her statement. "No surgery and not even the right to watch one and it wasn't a bad day? Are you Okay Cristina?" He asked, a fake concern in his tone.

This girl never stopped surprising him. She didn't seem upset or pissed of. She was sitting behind the counter, slipping her drink and watching him cut the onions. Like she did every normal day. As if she had scrubbed in. As if she hadn't been forced to rest.

"As a matter of fact, it didn't start well. I have an over controlling boyfriend who wants to rule my life and doesn't want me to learn anything."

Burke stopped, gaping at her mocking intonation. He had prepared himself to meet an angry and outraged Cristina. He had expected her to yell at him for the way Bailey and he had sent her home this morning.

But instead, he was facing a peaceful, spunky Cristina. There was a glimpse in her look that said she was delighted because she had put him off balance. She was playing and enjoyed the situation. He wasn't sure what that game was about, but it seemed worth the try. He raised an eyebrow and let a large smile spread on his face.

"Poor baby. He sounds like a monster." He had moved closer, still grinning and put his arms around her waist, to comfort her.

She pretended to fall apart but he tightened his embrace before kissing her neck. He couldn't resist a teasing and relaxed Cristina.

"But he didn't manage to ruin your day, did he?" He whispered in her ear before he went on, covering her skin with brushes of his lips.

"Oh no, he didn't! I am a smart and resourceful woman… " She was now giggling both under the warm touch that gave her chills and because Burke had no idea where she had spent the day.

"Yes, you are…." His words were genuine.

Every time he thought he could predict her reaction, she entered a new phase of development. And this made him lose total control. He reached for her lips, his left hand playing with her hair while the right was caressing her cheek.

He craved this puzzling, mysterious, intoxicating woman who made his head spin with a single smile. But as he started to draw her towards the bedroom, she pulled apart.

"If you wanted sex, you should have been here this afternoon. Now isn't the time. You're cooking for me, remember. It was a bad day."

Out of breath, he watched her walk to the kitchen.

That was it.

She was leading him by the nose. That was her way to punish him for forbidding her to stay at the hospital. Whatever game she was playing, he wouldn't let her win so easily. Burke stepped back to where Cristina had sit and was pretending to read.

"I'm starving too."

He removed her magazine and started to kiss her again. He gently pressed his lips on her forehead, her eyelids, and her nose before catching her below lip with his. He could feel her quiver under his lips. He had to act carefully if he didn't want her to run away.

"So, what did you do today?" He proceeded with his soft exploration of her face.

"I witnessed two murders. Actually, two slaughters would be more exact."

"What??" Burke quickly loosened his grip on her waist and looked at her, full of concern and worry. "What happened?? Why did you wait to tell me?"

She had nearly succumbed to his charms.

The warmth and closeness of his strong body was so hard to resist.

But Cristina had regained control in this moment, so she quickly brushed aside the guilt she felt for toying with him, looking into his beautiful panicked eyes.

It was her game.

She had to win

"I didn't think you were interested in zombies and serial-killers pursuing pretty girls to kill them. I thought you were more one of a Bodyguard type of movie watcher." She sounded innocent, as if the idea that her words could have meant something worse hadn't even crossed her mind.

He should have guessed she wouldn't drop the grudge so easily. After all, he had deprived her of surgery today.

She wanted him to pay.

"So, you went to the movies. Was it good?"

"Yep. It was great. Full of blood and dying people who could've used surgery." She was now picking at the vegetables he had cut for dinner.

"Really? You enjoy horror movies?"

"They are my favorite." She resumed her reading of the magazine that Burke had previously removed from her hands. She knew perfectly Burke was now looking at her in disbelief. She tried to act as if she didn't care.

"Are you seriously telling me that you love watching stabbings and bloodbaths?"

"Yes I do, it's funny!"

"Funny? How can it be funny? It's disgusting!"

"Come on, Burke! You're a big boy. Has anybody told you it wasn't real? And by the way, if you had allowed me to watch your surgery, I wouldn't have needed it."

"I'll never understand you… How can you spend money and time watching those kinds of things."

"Have you ever seen one?"

"No, I haven't but… "

"If you go to the movies with me tomorrow, I promise I'll be nice with you for the whole evening." Her fingers were making circles on his chest and a very suggestive smile had spread on her face.

"And the next two days?" His lips curved into a cocky grin.

"You don't have to work?"

"No, the chief gave me the days off because he thought I had to keep an eye on you." He teased her.

"I don't need any baby-sitter!" She threw a chunk of carrot at him playfully.

He grabbed her petite wrist and pulled her closer, howling with laughter. "Don't play with your dinner."

"Don't act so smugly."

"So, is it a deal?"

"What deal?"

"I'll go to the movies with you, and you'll be a nicer person for two days."

She pretended to hesitate a few seconds, their eyes shinning with a glint of amusement and desire. "Okay."

Burke pushed away the food on the table and lifted her without breaking their passionate kiss.

Cristina began to think that vacation couldn't be too bad. Tomorrow could even be more interesting.

A suivre…

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