Warning: Rated T for strong language and some light sexual content.

A/N: Here you go! Enjoy.

Chapter 10 – It's Time to Celebrate

Lexie

I stood in my bedroom looking at my reflection in the mirror. I was wearing a pair of extremely tight blue jeans that made my ass look really good. I had just put on a navy-blue sweater that was tight and hugged all my curves—including my breasts—in the right place. I finished the outfit with my favorite pair of black ankle boots.

"You look really pretty," said April.

"I am totally jealous that you get to go to Meredith's place. All of the second-year residents are going to be there," added Jo. "I need to get me a cool sister."

I laughed. "I just can't believe Meredith invited me," I said.

"Why wouldn't she? You're a great person," commented April.

I smiled at April, because if it wasn't for her constant positivity, I was sure I would have been driven to madness long ago. If anyone was a great person, it was April. Even when people were mean to her, made fun of her, or underestimated her, she still met them with kindness. It always came back to her faith in Jesus.

"Your pretty great yourself," I said.

April blushed. She looked up and gasped. "Do you realize this is your first official family dinner?"

I felt the corners of my mouth turn down. "I really wouldn't call this a family dinner. Not with all of the second-year residents being there."

"What about attendings?" Jo asked.

"What about them?"

"Well, Derek will obviously be there. Do you think they would have invited any other attendings? It could be a great way for you to socialize and segment how good of a doctor you are to the rest of them," Jo surmised.

I swallowed. I hadn't thought about that. Mostly because ever since I had run from the elevator and that amazing and mind-blowing kiss with Mark Sloan, nothing else had been on my mind. When I had gotten back to Derek, more than once he had caught me distracted after asking me a question and I hadn't answered him. After about the fourth time, it was the first time he really got frustrated with me and dismissed me from his service early.

I should have been mad and upset that doing something extremely stupid like kissing my attending had affected my ability to focus on my actual work, but I couldn't. Because that kiss to me wasn't stupid. That kiss was something I had wanted, but didn't know I really needed, until it happened.

Never mind that when his lips met mine, I swear I felt stars exploding from behind my eyes. It was like my whole body had come to life. Something I had never experienced before. So, naturally, I did what I always did best. I dissected the ever-living crap out of it.

I thought back to all of my boyfriends from both high school and college. None of them—sex included—had ever made me feel as hot, turned on, and heady as that one kiss in the elevator with Mark had made me. Maybe it was because kissing Mark was like trying to take a bite of forbidden fruit. It was wrong and against the rules, and very much frowned upon, but so…so…so…good.

The only thing I wanted to do…was do it again. That was bad.

"Earth to Lexie…" said April.

I shook those thoughts away. "What? Sorry."

Jo and April exchanged a look. "We asked if you think other attendings might be there?"

"It's possible," I finally answered. "Uh, Mark is Derek's best friend…so I imagine he would be there."

I hoped he wouldn't be there.

"And Callie is Mark's best friend, so I imagine if he's going, he might have passed it along to her," offered Jo.

"I'm just looking forward at the opportunity to spend time with Meredith," I said, trying to bring the conversation back on track and away from discussion about possible hot attendings that I just so happened to have already kissed.

We chatted for the remainder of the time while I got dressed until I had to leave to head over to Meredith's place.

Mark

"Mark!"

Meredith greeted as I stepped into her home. It was a large house that used to belong to her mother, Ellis Grey, and had been passed along down to her. It had five bedrooms and bathroom's and almost all of her friends and second year residents had lived there—or continued to live there—during their residency.

Derek had recently moved in her home now that they were on again—both confirming that they had no intention of breaking up this time. I figured it would only be a matter of time before Derek was coming to tell me to let me in on his big secret that he was going to ask her to marry him.

I stepped into her house with a grin, already hearing the music and chatter of her other guests in the other room. She had practically invited all of the attendings and her second-year residents. I was aware that she only invited one intern, the very intern that I had wanted to see since we kissed on the elevator.

I wanted to keep asking myself what possessed me to kiss her in the elevator, but something snapped when she had turned to me, started leaning in, the smell of honey and her strawberry shampoo just overwhelming all of my senses. I kept telling myself that my involvement in all aspects of her life—including the whole situation with James Whittman, was because I wanted to just protect her—but that would have been a lie. I wanted to protect, but I also wanted more.

It was none other then Andrew Jensen who finally made me realize it all and how it fit in with the cryptic messages over the last month.

"Mark, my boy!"

Andrew clapped me on my back, almost startling me as I was busy making notes in a chart. I turned to face him. "Andrew." I noticed he was dressed in his normal clothes; his jovial smile ever present. "Glad to see you were discharged."

"Ah, yes, that Dr. Grey of yours is a lovely young lady."

I tried to mask my emotion around him by focusing more on my chart instead. "We've been over this, Andrew…she is not mine. Just a colleague."

"But she could be," he countered.

I looked up, abandoning the chart and turned to face him fully now with my hands inside my pockets. I looked around our space to make sure that no eyes were on us and listening to our conversation. "I'm her boss, Andrew. Besides, the differences between us are too great. It just wouldn't work," I said.

The corners of his eyes crinkled and his expression turned to a frown. "That's hogwash and you know it. Its excuses. You make them because you keep yourself guarded."

"Well, you of all people should know why being guarded is best," I retorted considering that if he was who he really said he was when being a physic, he would understand.

Andrew placed his bag at his feet. "You know, your mother regrets that she didn't spend more time with you. She's angry that your father left," he said.

I swallowed. My mother wasn't the greatest of mother's but for what she was able to give, she did love me. My parents were nothing like the parents that Derek had—warm and loving. Mine were so focused on wealth and society and making sure they were at all the social gatherings—like a James Whittman—that I spent most of my nights alone without them. I knew our maids better than I knew my own parents.

"It's in the past. Wishing and what ifs don't change anything," I said bitterly.

Andrew's face transformed into the "Ah-ha" like expression. "That's exactly my point, son. Instead of your mother being at peace, she is tormented with only the things she wished she had done. Her regrets. Is that what you want your life to be like?"

I balked. "This coming from her?"

He shook his head with a smile. "This comes from me," he answered. "Your mother hasn't been with me since the first time I met you. Do you remember what I told you over a month ago?"

I sighed. "Yeah. That I was lost and hadn't found my home," I answered. "I hate to tell you, but I have a home and I am surely not lost."

He chuckled. "Ever literal," he mused.

I grinned. "Are you going to tell me I'm found now. Because I can assure you, I haven't found Jesus since the last time we talked."

There was a slight flicker of amusement in Andrew's eye. "Oh, no, you are still lost my boy…but at least now you are on the right direction."

I know I was being a little sarcastic and most would think it's rude, but Andrew and I just had that relationship. I indulged on these little nuggets he was giving me by teasing him just a little bit. Even as crazy as I still thought these "gifts" could be, Andrew had been fatherlier to me in the few months I knew him then my own father had ever been.

"Oh, yeah? Which direction? North? South—"

"To your home," he interrupted, this time all of our teasing coming to an end.

"Right. Seattle," I confirmed.

He bent to pick up his bag, gripping it firmly in his hand. "Your home has never been a place, my boy. It's a someone." He tapped me on my shoulder, and winked. "Take care, Mark."

He turned and started to walk away. "You too, Andrew."

He stopped and turned, a teasing grin on his face. "Your future looks promising," he said in that sarcastic tone that we joked about when making fun of fortune tellers.

I shook my head at him unable to hide me smile. I was going to miss him and his eccentric personality.

His parting words to me had been on my mind the last couple of days and more so in the last few hours. Your home has never been a place, my boy. It's a someone.

Lexie.

It wasn't lost on me that he could be talking about Lexie, or maybe I was trying to so hard to want to believe that it could be her. After all, Andrew had mistakenly thought that Lexie and I were together. One thing was hard to ignore was that when we were together, we did just fit so well. Worked well together like he had seen.

All of the reasons that I kept telling myself would be why we would never work…were they just excuses like Andrew said? Was I holding onto them because I was guarded? It was hard to get hurt if I never opened myself up. It was hard to have to feel anything if I kept my perfectly guarded walls around myself.

It was easy to have no strings attached sex. It was easy to move from place to place without actually putting roots down. Up until now, Derek had really been the only person I had ever let slip behind my guarded walls and let myself care about. Even though sometimes he thought the opposite, it was why I had chased after him after things went south with my affair with his ex-wife.

Derek was the one person who took me in. Maybe it had started out as a charity case, but I believed over the years we had built a strong relationship. A brotherhood. So, naturally, I would do what I always did…try and sabotage the only good thing in my life before they could walk away. Only that time, I did not want to walk away. So, I had to admit my mistakes, my faults and go after him. My family.

Now…now that unsettled feeling was back. I wanted more. Dared to hope for more and it was slowly suffocating me from the inside. That kiss. That one single kiss with Lexie unleashed some animal in me that now refused to want to go back into his gilded cage. It was making me start to realize that the life I was leading was just passing through without actually living.

I nodded and said hi to passing colleagues, as I moved towards her family room where a spread of snacks and drinks were laid out. I instantly grabbed a beer in my hand. As I surveyed the room, I knew before I even need to confirm with my eyes that Lexie wasn't here yet. However, my best friend was.

"Thank god you finally got here," Callie said as I approached her.

I clinked my beer bottle to hers. "Having a magical time?"

She grunted. "Calculating how many more beers I need to have before I don't have to feel."

I frowned. I could tell that Erica Hahn leaving had really done a number on Callie. As much as Callie tried to downplay it, she had really started to let her guard down and like the Cardio doctor. It took months after George had cheated on her to get back to the Callie I knew and loved. For a while, I had thought it almost broke her. She had been so wrapped up in George and wanting to make him happy, that she had left herself behind.

Then Erica came along. Erica had this quality about her. This confidence that she didn't give a crap about what anybody wanted or said about her, she knew she was good at her job. Erica also knew what she wanted. Including wanting Callie. It pissed me off, that she would just up and leave everyone without a good-bye, especially Callie. Erica knew about her past, especially with George. Erica knew what a hard step this was for Callie to even explore these feeling she was having about Erica sexually.

Erica Hahn might be a good doctor, but she was a lousy person. Callie was better off. She would find someone worthy of her love and affections, and until then, she had me as her best friend. I would protect her. I would be there for her whenever she needed me.

"She didn't leave you, Cal," I said softly.

Callie brought her beer to her lips, giving me a cold stare. "Pfft. I was probably the reason she did leave."

I pushed the sleeves of my black sweater up my forearms. "As confident as Erica liked to portray herself out the outside, she was a little insecure bitch on the inside."

My comment had done the trick and got a laugh out of Callie. "She didn't like you, you know. She hated that you and I were close. That you and I…used too, you know."

"Have sex," I finished for her. Why did everyone get embarrassed when talking about sex? It was as natural as tying your shoe laces. "Maybe it's because she knew she couldn't match my awesome skills."

Callie just shook her head exasperatedly. I was glad to see her smile returning. She shrugged. "Maybe."

I took a sip of my beer. "Ok, I have to know. Who was better? Me or her?"

The small hint of red on her cheeks told me Callie was embarrassed by the question. I didn't know why, next to me—or maybe Alex—was the only other one who joked and laughed about sex. It was one of the many things we bonded over. Dirty sex jokes.

"I couldn't possibly compare. It's vastly different," she said at last.

"Yeah, because I'm better. Real deal."

"And…new topic," she said. "You seem more relaxed than I have seen you in the last few days. I take it you're over your predicament with a certain intern?"

I took a drink. "Nope," I replied honestly.

She turned to me surprise. "What do you mean, no?"

I shrugged. "I mean, that I am going to just stop worrying about what I should or shouldn't do and just let the chips fall where they may."

She shook her head left and right frantically. "No, Mark, no. That is not something you should do." She looked around, and I noticed she was looking for where Derek and Meredith might be. "She's Little Grey. Your best friend's, girlfriend's sister."

"I know."

She scoffed. "That should be all the reason you need to abort this idea. I could help. We could be each other's person. Like, if you think about doing something incredibly stupid, I can talk sense into you and stop it. Just like you can stop me from making anymore stupid decisions."

"Too late."

Callie gasped. "What do you mean too late?"

I wasn't ready to spill all my secrets yet. "I mean I may have already done something that is too late to stop."

"You slept with her?" she accused harshly.

"No."

Her eyes went wider. "You introduced her to the Mark Sloan method?"

My eyes scrunched at her tone. How potentially having oral sex with Lexie would be worse than actual sex was beyond me. Every time I think I understood woman, I was only proved that outside of the language of sex—I was clueless.

"Again, no," I answered.

"Oh no…" her words trailed off. If I didn't know any better, I think her face paled. "This is not good. So, not good."

Now I was starting to get mad. "Why?"

"Were not talking about you scratching some kind of itch, are we?"

I met her gaze and I understood the second she understood that it was not just about a quick night of sex. That it was something more. "No," I admitted gruffly.

"Wow…"

I looked at the opening of my beer bottle. "If you're my friend Callie, I need you to be my friend now and just support me on this. Even if I don't know what this is yet."

Her bottom jaw was opened, but at my words, it closed and she slowly nodded. "You are my friend. I might not think what you are doing is wise, and extremely dangerous, but I will support you, Mark. I'll always support you. Because you've been the only person who's ever supported me," she replied.

I bent down and placed a kiss on her cheek. "Thanks, Cal."

"Is it ok to say that I am tad bit jealous? Even if she doesn't feel the same—which by the way—she would be stupid not too."

I grinned. "Don't be."

"Oh, yeah? Why's that?"

I took another long sip of my beer and looked out in the Meredith's living room. I waited until Callie's eyes followed mine. "Because there's a certain blonde who hasn't taken her eyes off you since we started talking," I said.

The blush returned to Callie's cheeks. "Stop. No."

I put my hand on Callie's shoulder and then gave her a slight nudge. "Go," I encouraged my mouth to her ear. "Be fearless," I said.

Lexie

"Lexie!"

I was engulfed in a hug by Meredith as soon as I got there. I was easily able to understand why. I could smell tequila on her breath, and her eyes were a little glazed over. She didn't appear to be drunk, but she was tipsy.

"Hey, Meredith."

Meredith pulled back her hand resting on my hair for a second. She looked at me and for a moment I was wondering what she could be thinking in that mind of hers. "Your pretty. You look just like her, you know. Thank goodness," she laughed.

A knot of emotion filled my throat. "Uh, thanks." Was all I managed to get out.

Meredith turned. "Hey! My sister is in the house!" she yelled loudly causing another round of drunken cheers to follow.

I removed my jacket and purse and placed it on the hook with the others, before a glass of liquid was thrusted in my hand by another partygoer. I lowered my nose to smell, and immediately identified it as being tequila as well.

My eyes traveled around the room taking in all of the friends and guests that she had invited. I recognized that almost every attending was here. Callie was in the corner near the fireplace talking to Arizona Robbins. Even the Chief had been invited and as it looked, he seemed pretty close as he was laughing at something Cristina Yang had just said. The only person that I couldn't seem to locate…was Mark. I didn't know if that was good or bad.

Bad. Very bad, the voice in my head said.

"Lexipedia!" George slurred as he came over.

I laughed. "Hi, Dr. O'Malley and success resident," I said.

He broke into a smile. "That's right. I am a badass resident."

The room broke out in another loud roar. Jeez, was anyone even sober at this party? George placed his arm over my shoulder, almost causing me to spill some of the tequila in my glass. "How drunk are you?" I asked.

He made a Pfft sound before he stared up and to the left. "Probably a solid seven," he answered.

"Maybe you should slow down," I suggested.

"Have I ever told you what an amazing doctor you are? I mean, how lucky am I that they paired me with you. You make me look so good," he slurred.

Note to self: a drunk George was a happy George, that liked to spill his secrets. It was better than the alternative.

"You're welcome," I said to speak over the music.

"I have the best intern in the world!" He shouted, his arms in the air like he was some frat boy.

I shook my head as he turned away and started to talk to someone else in the room. It was nice to see him relaxed and let loose.

"Dr. Grey."

I turned; seeing both Chief Hunt and Cristina were both behind me.

"Chief Hunt. Dr. Yang," I greeted.

"You know, I never told you…and I am probably only saying it now because I have had a couple of drinks, but you were pretty impressive diagnosing Mr. Patmore's condition. Guess, I need to watch out for you," she said still eyeing me.

She pushed past me before I could even respond, heading over to where my sister was standing. I turned back to my Chief who unlike the rest didn't actually seem that drunk.

"She's had a couple," he said.

I laughed. "I think everyone here has."

"What she said is right though. I forgot to tell you, that what you did at the gala, we've had a ton of interest from donors taking notice at Seattle Grace. We've already secured fifty million and there's opportunity for more. You should be proud of yourself," he said with an appreciative nod.

"It was my pleasure."

"Keep up the good work, Dr. Grey. Enjoy the party."

I turned back to see that Meredith was waving me over to her small group of residents that she spent all of her time with. I managed to stand and listen and make a comment here and there for a couple of minutes before I decided I finally needed a minute away from all the loudness and drunkenness.

I didn't even need an excuse to step away, everyone being in various stages of drinking or dancing, or chatting, and found myself walking down the hallway that would take me towards the kitchen and away from the chaos.

When I turned the corner, and strode into the kitchen, my feet came to a halt. I had finally found the one person I hadn't been able to locate all night.

He turned in that moment and I came face to face with none other than Mark Sloan.

She's perfect.

Mark

I heard footsteps coming down the hall. Someone was coming and getting ready to interrupt my solitude. I was standing in the kitchen, looking out the window into Meredith's backyard. It was dark, but the moon was visible and the stars were lining the night sky.

I had been tense since the elevator. Since I had kissed Lexie, and since she had run away. Stupid me for thinking that when my control finally snapped, and I kissed her, it would be more like those stupid fairytales where our kiss would move heavens and earths—because it fucking did for me at least—and she would smile up at me and think the same thing I had been thinking: finally.

Instead, she bolted from me like she had realized she only got the big, fat, nasty toad out of the deal and not the handsome prince.

Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

I was a goner. There was no going back. Truth be told, I didn't want to go back. But as the night dragged on and the minutes passed, she hadn't showed up to the party. Maybe she decided not to come. Maybe she found out I was going to be here and because she so bad wanted to avoid me, she would actually give up a chance to get to know Meredith more on a personal level.

The footsteps reached the kitchen, and my solitude was gone. I was surprised I had as much time as I did get with a house full of drunk people. Then again, no one really came looking for me. Callie was enjoying her conversation with Arizona—and I was happy for her—she deserved it after everything she has been through these last few months. Our host was practically wasted with her friends, and I wasn't in the mood for mindless conversation just to talk.

The hair on the back of my neck stood up as a familiar scent reached me even from across the kitchen. That combination of honey and strawberry that seemed to haunt me of every minute of every day since the first moment I caught whiff of that scent many weeks ago.

I slowly turned, and came face to face with a stunned looking Lexie Grey. I have never been this enthralled about a woman before, so actually having to give myself a pep talk to keep it cool, was downright embarrassing. I was freaking Mark Sloan. I invented the panty dropping pickup lines and looks that made them melt. I was the creator behind Joey from Friends, who only had to say, how you doin' before it even became a thing.

Yet. One look, one gasp, one slight movement of those full, soft, pink lips of hers and I could be brought to my knees. She could ask anything, and I was sure I would give it to her. There wasn't anything I wouldn't want to do to make her happy.

She didn't know all this though. I had this carefully wrapped up tight, only giving the illusion that I was in control and aloof. I leaned back against the kitchen sink, crossing my right leg in front of my left at the ankle. I crossed my arms over my chest, aware that by doing this, I was stretching the fabric of my sweater even tighter than before.

I saw her eyes flicker down from my face to my chest and arms, a throaty little gasp escaped her lips. It took everything in me to stay where I was and not cross the room, gather her in my arms, slam her against the kitchen wall and kiss her like she deserved to be kissed.

While we sat there—silently appraising each other, I could see the battle raging on inside her about whatever feelings she was having for me. I could also sense she was reliving our kiss from earlier, just like I had done thousands of times since then. Only, now I was no gentlemen. I moved on from the kiss and imagined much, much, more with her.

I didn't know how much more I could take of her looking at me like that while still standing so far from me across the room. I was well aware where we were. We were in Meredith and Derek's home who were only just in the other room, and even knowing that, I couldn't give a damn. I would take the risk just to be closer to her or find how what it was that was happening between the two of us.

Her expression transformed. It was almost as if she had somehow come out of her trance. It was like a zap—fzzt. She blinked; her eyes slowly—at a torturous pace—moved upwards until she met my gaze.

I was so a goner for this woman.

She cleared her throat, her voice coming out raspy. "What are you doing all by yourself in here? The parties out there." She pointed in the direction behind her.

My own voice came out gruffly. "I needed a break from the festivities."

She took a step forward. Then another. And another. My entire body went on heightened alert with each step she made making our space more and more nonexistent.

Her expression turned to one of a knowing glance. "Too much George for you, huh?"

The corner of my mouth turned upwards. "A party to celebrate passing a test after a second attempt, is pretty ridiculous," I said.

Another step forward.

"His ex-fiancé seems to be ok to be here and celebrate his success."

"She's just here for the free booze," I retorted.

Lexie gave me a slight shake of her head the silent words that said, your impossible.

"Why are you in here instead of out there?" I asked.

Another step forward. I wondered if she realized she was doing it. Both of us being drawn together as if we didn't have any other choice.

"I needed a break from all the drunkenness," she said.

"And here you are…"

"And here I am…"

We were both staring at each other again. The air in the room was thick, the elephant in the room of what we had done earlier. Of what I wanted to do so bad, right now.

She looked away from me, her eyes casted down to her shoes. She was trying to work up the courage to say something about what happened between us. I should make it easier and bring it up instead, but I wasn't one to make things easy. I already knew what I wanted, I just had to make sure she wanted it to.

Lexie breaking the eye contact gave me the opportunity to appreciate her body even more. Not that I wouldn't do it with her eyes on me, but it was sexier, knowing that she knew I was looking but to timid to want to confirm it.

She was wearing a navy-blue sweater that was so skin tight it could be molded perfectly to her skin. It showed off the swells of her breasts and all of her curves that would make any man's mouth water. Her blue jeans, a nice contrast to the darkness of her navy-blue sweater were also just as tight and hugged her ass firmly. That was my favorite of her body parts. Most men were breast men—don't get me wrong, I loved just as much as the next—but something about the possessiveness you had with your partner when you had handfuls of their flesh pulled directly against you.

"We should probably talk about what happened earlier," she said, her words coming out so softly.

She took that moment to look up, her breath hitching as she knew exactly what was written on my face and in my eyes. Her. Always her.

I unfolded my arms. "Alright. Let's talk. Let's talk about why you ran away."

Her bottom jaw fell open, her eyes opening wide. "I didn't—" she started.

The words died on her lips when it was me that started to take a step towards her. We were almost arm's length to each other now. In that moment, she had finally realized that throughout our banter we had been slowly gravitating towards each other. Like either of us could ever help it.

"You ran away," I repeated.

"You kissed me."

I couldn't help but grin. "I did."

Her lips pressed into a hard line when I took another step forward. Enough now that I could reach out and touch her. "You shouldn't have done that."

I arched an eyebrow. "Oh. No, I shouldn't have?" She shook her head back and forth less confidently. "From where I was standing, from what I experienced, it didn't seem like you didn't want me not too," I explained."

She looked up into my eyes, and I could swear she could see the fire that I figured was blazing there. "I—I…"

I took another step forward. A step that if anyone were to walk in the kitchen right now and see us, they would know this was anything but a friendly chat. The air between us was palpable. Regardless of what Lexie was trying to tell me, her face and her movements were betraying her.

My voice turned low, deep, and throaty. I leaned in so I was closer towards her. "You want me to kiss you right now," I observed.

She couldn't say no. She couldn't even shake her head yes or no. The only thing she could do was make a little whimper that told me we both wanted this just as badly regardless of what rules, or reasons should tell us otherwise. The last of my control finally snapped. That rubber band that had been stretching and stretching these last few weeks had just given away.

My hands reached out and I grabbed her.

Everything my body had wanted for weeks, and specifically wanted in the last hours since our last kiss, knew I wanted it before she did. I didn't need to worry that she would immediately push me away and slap me across the cheek, or worse—run from me again. She came willingly to me and that made a primal growl escape from my own throat.

I had her pressed up against me so tightly there wasn't any possibility for anything to separate us. The only thing that was currently in the way was just the fabric of our clothes.

Her soft curves were met with the hard plains of my body and it was glorious. My hands fell to her waist and all I could think about was how easily she melted into my body. How perfectly made she was for my body. Her arms came up around my neck and even though we were already pressed together, it did nothing from stopping her from trying to push our bodies even closer.

A rumble started low in my chest and worked its way upwards. She let out another breathy moan, making it harder for me to want to try and keep this slow. To try and tame the beast that so badly wanted to escape its well-crafted cage.

My kiss started as a gentle caress. So soft and sweet, I could feel her melting more and more into my embrace. There was no longer a need to worry in this moment that she was going to take off. She was becoming more and more impatient as the seconds dragged on that I wasn't or hadn't escalated it further.

I could feel the softness of her breasts against my chest, and that was taking me over the edge. My hands on her waist found that little bit of separation from the hem of her jeans and sweater, my fingers digging into her creamy and silky fresh, pulling her up against me. There was no denying it at this point that she wouldn't know how much I wanted her. Needed her.

When I could no longer keep within reason for our kiss to stay the way it was, I pushed for more. I was going to kiss her like I had wanted to kiss her from the moment I saw her lying on her bathroom floor with her shower curtain draped over her nakedness. Her smile, her sass, her roll of her eyes during our entire first interaction had me itching even back then to want to grab her and kiss her senseless until she knew exactly what she did to me when she did those little things.

My hands drifted up from her waist towards her back, my right hand moving upwards so I could caress her cheek. Her head titled to the side, giving into my touch, all while neither of us broke the kiss. My left hand came up to slide past her cheek and into her hair. She no doubt knew what was coming next.

She gave into me willingly.

My kiss went from softness to a hardness that had our mouths twisting to a point where she had no other option but opening up for me. Her tongue welcomed me with open arms, the both of us entering into a well choreograph dance. It was as if we were a part of some Tango that was determining which of us would take leave.

I won—as I knew I would—taking over the rhythm, speed, and contact with ease. I was rewarded with another groan from her. Her tongue pushed back against mine, causing me to give her a satisfying growl, before both of my palms came back to her cheeks so I could hold her steady.

I could kiss Lexie Grey forever. She was the kind of woman that you could kiss forever and if that would be the only thing she would give you, it could be enough. Our lips continued to crush together, until I could feel both of our strengths starting to wean as the need for air was becoming apparent.

I broke the kiss so abruptly, that her eyes were still closed when I pulled back. Her lips were a shade deeper of pink, swollen, and clearly evident that she had been thoroughly kissed. She stood their silently, but I wanted to see those deep brown eyes of her. I used my thumbs to gently caress her cheek as I tilted her head back. The slight movement was all it took to get her to open her eyes and look back at me.

The brown of her eyes reminded me the color of a walnut, rich and nutty with gleams of desire surrounding them. She looked at me with those hooded eyes, and I was lost. I let out another groan. I waited to see if she was going to turn and run away from me. I didn't think I could handle it if she did. Not after that kiss.

"Don't you dare turn and run. Don't you dare tell me this is wrong," I panted.

She just looked at me as if I was speaking some foreign language before at last, she finally shook her head. "I won't," she breathed.

"Your so fucking beautiful," I whispered.

She whimpered, at my words and seeing that I was lowering my lips towards hers again. "What…" I stilled just at her lips as the word came out so breathlessly. If she didn't finish her thought in seconds, she wasn't going to get an opportunity. "Happens now…" she finally managed to get out.

I growled. "I'm going to kiss you again," I said.

My lips met hers again, making everything clear that this—for me—was just the beginning between us. There was no way that either of us could possibly walk away now when we knew this heat and feelings were shooting between the both of us.

I heard footsteps coming down the hall and fast approaching. I didn't want to let her go, but I needed to. Even if I managed in these few minutes between our kisses to convince her that we should give whatever this was happening between us a shot, it would be ruined if someone actually caught us.

I tried to convey how difficult it was to let her go and pull away, especially when she grunted in disapproval, but I managed to finally pry both our hands away as I lightly pushed her from me. It was just in time, before the steps reached the kitchen and in walked my brother.

Lexie

I wanted to protest.

I wanted to cry out.

How could he just so easily push me away when his kisses were setting me on fire. My whole body was burning and blazing, and the only thing that seemed to calm it down was more of his touches. It was a vicious cycle, because wherever he would touch, would then just leave another burn in it's wake until his fingers ended up touching somewhere else.

I understood a few seconds later when my mind finally caught up with the fact that there had been footsteps behind us. I didn't dare turn around to see who had stepped in. I wasn't ready. I could feel the heat in my cheeks from the kissing, my lips felt so swollen that anyone who looked at me would know that I had just been thoroughly kiss. I absentmindedly brought my hands up to smooth out my hair.

"Mark. Lexie," Derek said, walking into the room.

I stiffened, my eyes going wide at hearing his voice. Mark held my gaze for a second, his eyes telling me that everything was going to be ok, I just had to keep calm and not freak out. Easy for him to say. I was just an intern who not only seconds ago was making out with her attending—who also happened to be Derek's best friend—in their kitchen.

"Hey Derek," Mark said so casually and airy that you could have sworn he too had just walked in the room.

Had our kissing clearly not affected him like it had me?

I thought back to his hands in my hair, on my face. The way his lips crushed mine, taking control and demanding that I open up for him. I thought back to the way he groaned or growled every time I met him just as good as he gave, and couldn't for a second believe that he wasn't affected by that.

Which is why it was the absolute wrong thing to do by looking down to see the clear ever-present bulge in his pants. Oh. Oh. So, he had been just as affected by our kissing as I was. I felt a new wave of desire and flame of heat rise to my cheeks at thinking would could have been had we not been interrupted. I wouldn't have been able to resist and I was sure that I wouldn't want too either.

Ever since Mark Sloan had walked through my apartment door weeks ago to help my unfortunate slip in the shower, he had been rooted deep inside my subconscious patiently waiting for my guards to come down so he could strike. I was lost before there had even been an opportunity to guard myself.

I should have walked out of the kitchen the moment I had walked in and saw that he and I would be alone. I had told myself all afternoon since our first kiss that it could not happen again no matter how much I had wanted it too. He was the best friend of my potential new brother-in-law, and he was my boss. If anyone at the hospital found out that we were doing what we were just doing in this kitchen, I was sure that it would not be good. No matter how many donors I schmoozed, or how much undercover work I participated in to help the hospital.

I would forever now be known as the intern that slept—even though we weren't even there for that step—to get to the top. It wouldn't matter that I earned these opportunities because I was good and talented. My colleagues and even my friends would only think I probably got them because of who I opened my legs too.

"What are you two doing in here when the party is out there?" Derek asked, walking over to the fridge to grab a couple more beers off the shelf.

I shook the negative thoughts from my head and looked back up to Mark. I didn't know what to do here. I didn't know what to say. As it was, I was half-turned away from Derek, because I was sure that if he took one look at me, he would know right away exactly what had gone on in here and between Mark and I. I was so not cut out for undercover work. I would sing like a canary.

"Seems we both just needed a break from all of the craziness," Mark said, his response so breezy and cool sounding.

Derek laughed. "It's a party. Since when have you ever needed a break from a party?"

Derek looked in my direction as he turned and used the heel of his foot to shut the refrigerator door. His question was directed at Mark even though now his eyes were on me.

Mark shrugged. "Must be getting old," he said.

Derek's eyes narrowed a bit as he looked at me and then back at Mark. I was making this entire thing look suspicious by trying to hide myself from him. I was pretty much putting a target sign right at the both of us that said we had been doing something very wrong.

When Derek spoke again, the easy-going note in his voice was gone and he was now standing right next to his best friend. "Well, I need your help with carrying some of these beers. It's time you rejoined the party."

There was no mistaken in his words. He was challenging Mark to deny his request. If he did, then it would only raise suspicions. Mark's glance flickered my way for a split second before he took a bottle of beer from Derek's hand, twisted the top, and took a sip.

"I knew the party was going to be dull if I wasn't there every second," Mark said teasingly.

It did the trick, Derek instantly relaxing as he laughed again. Mark's hand rested on his shoulder for a moment before Derek started walking towards the exit of the kitchen making sure that Mark was directly behind him.

I did my best to put on the best smile for Derek as he passed, my eyes instantly going upwards as Mark was coming to pass. Unlike Derek, he made sure that when passing me, our upper arms were touching. I felt the quick graze of our fingers touching, Mark only having a split second to give me a slight squeeze before he started to walk out of the kitchen.

As he turned the corner, he dipped his head, his eyes sending me that one final message.

This isn't over.

A/N: Thank you for reading. Hope you enjoyed.