Lara sighed, leaning against the back of the uncomfortable blue chair in the vet's waiting room. She stretched and began massaging a painful crick from the back of her neck. Lara closed her burning eyes. She wanted to go home and go to sleep. Suddenly, a warm hand slid under hers and began massaging her neck.

"Alex." Lara murmured, she glanced at him.

"What?" Alex asked, innocently. He ran the pad of his thumb down the back of her neck.

"Do you mind?" Lara asked. She removed his hand, setting it back onto his lap.

"Oh. Sorry." Alex muttered.

The two had been sitting in her vet for several hours. Most of it was due to the fact Lara and Donnica weren't registered to that vet and Lara had to fill out a pile of paper work. Not to mention that she had to explain what happened to Donnica several times only to receive dirty looks from the girl at the desk who only twirled her over bleached hair and said all of the doctors were busy at that moment.

Donnica had wailed and bleed until the girl at the desk finally looked up from her romance novel and got a doctor. After that Lara and Alex were told that Donnica would have to have the piece of glass surgically removed since it was s deeply wedged into her paw. Lara already didn't like the doctor, who somehow blamed Lara for the receptionist making her wait.

Now Lara and Alex were in the waiting room bored out of their minds. Lara yawned. She was still tired and exhausted from the pervious night. Although she was still wondering about Alex. It seemed strange that he would stay with her and wait for her kitten to be treated. But he was sitting right beside her, staring off into space, combing through his bangs with his fingers and glancing at Lara every so often.

Alex leaned closer to Lara. "So, what do you want for dinner?" He asked.

"What do you mean?" Lara asked.

"Well, since you cooked for me last night, I thought I could return the favor tonight."

"You can cook?" Lara asked, amused.

"Of course. I won a cooking contest in college."

"Really? Well, that sounds very inviting, Alex." Lara yawned again.

"You still tired?"

"Yes. I only slept five hours last night." Lara murmured. The two sat in silence for several seconds. Lara glanced over at him. The last thing she remembered was his blue eyes, the friendly scent of his shirt and the warmth from his body.

***

"Lara? Baby, wake up." Lara slowly opened her eyes. She looked around, disoriented. Suddenly she realized that she had been asleep, resting her head on Alex's shoulder. His arm was around her waist, holding his close.

"Hmmm?" Lara murmured, running a hand through her hair.

"Donnica's ready." Alex murmured. "The doc is bringing her out now."

"Oh." Lara sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "What time is it?" She asked, glancing out one of the large windows of the waiting room into the dark night.

"It's about seven. Come on." Alex stood, pulling Lara to her feet.

A doctor entered the waiting room holding Donnica who was wrapped in a clean white towel. He glanced at Lara before talking over to her and handing her the buddle.

"Here you are Miss, if our receptionist has all of your paper work then you're free to go." The doctor said.

Alex glanced at the doctor's name tag. "Thanks, Dr. Willard." He shook his hand, politely.

Lara stroked Donnica behind her ears. Donnica didn't budge. Lara murmured her kitten's name and lifted her chin, however, as soon as Lara removed her finger Donnica's head lulled back onto Lara's arm.

"Bloody hell. What did you do to her?!" Lara demanded.

"It's just some painkillers that I gave her. They will wear off in a few hours. Besides, she stopped talking when I gave them to her." The doctor said. "Now, I'd like Donnica to come in for a check up in a week to see how she's doing. I also want you to try to keep her from strenuous physical exercise for several days and make sure her bandage stays tight. If you notice any excessive bleeding or anything like that then I want you to call me immediately." The doctor handed Alex a packet. "This has all the instructions you need to follow and also some tips on raising kittens. I'll see you next week then. Call and make an appointment anytime you like. Until then, I have another patient. Good evening."

"Evening." Lara muttered.

She and Alex walked out to Alex's jeep. He held open the door for Lara. She smiled at him, very amused at his stroke of chivalry. She slid into the jeep, holding Donnica against her.

"So, what did you want for dinner?" Alex asked.

***

Donnica gave the piece of steak one more tug with her small teeth. It from the serving plate and onto the floor. Donnica pounced on it and began dragging her prize into the living room.

Lara looked up from her glass of milk and saw the tiny kitten pulling the large piece of meat behind her. Instead of getting mad at her for stealing the food, she laughed. She took another sip of the milk, still chuckling. Alex glanced at the kitten and began to laugh as well.

After coming home from the vet Alex had made a delicious meal for the two. Lara was beyond impressed with his culinary abilities. Even though when Lara had declined wine, not wanting a repeat of the pervious night, and Alex had handed her a glass of milk. With tongue firmly in cheek, Lara took a sip and smiled at him.

Now they had eaten, talked and exchanged embossing stories with each other. Lara couldn't believe how much she was enjoying his company. When she looked past his obvious love of money and the rumors of his pervious relationships she found him to be a real person. A real person who was falling for. . .

Lara took another sip of the milk and glanced at him. Yes, Alex had his flaws, but there was something underneath the first impression you got from him that was practically magnetic. Lara glanced at the glass of milk. This had to be spiked. Her thoughts were never this incoherent.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Alex asked.

"My thoughts are worth much more then a penny, Alex." Lara answered.

"Come on, Lara. What are you thinking about?"

"Well, I was wondering why I feel like I'm falling for you."

"Hmmm, maybe because you are." Alex grinned his Cheshire cat grin.

"I doubt that, Alex. I never fall that easily."

"Maybe because you never met anyone like me before."

"You know what Alex? I have an idea." Lara said.

"Your room or do you just wanna drop on the floor and go for it right here?"

Lara laughed. "Not even close. How about a little night run on my assault course? If you're up to it, that is."

"Well, not as much fun as sex, but I'm game."

"Great! I'll go grab the flares." Lara practically skipped out of the room. She found a pack of flares in her storage closet next to Bryce's computer area. She walked back through the kitchen, pulling Alex from his chair by the kitchen table and walking him out to the assault course.

Once outside, Lara lit up a flare. Alex looked around the course then back at Lara.

"You know, you look really sexy in flare light." He grinned.

"Come along, Mr. West." Lara said, taking his arm and walking with him towards the beginning of the assault.

"By the way, I have a pack of condoms in my car. . . . Just incase you want to know."

"Alex!" Lara chided.

"What?" Alex asked, innocently.

"You need to cool off."

"Well, I know one way to solve that problem." Alex smiled, pulling Lara's hips against his.

"Hmm, I know another way." With that, Lara shoved Alex into one the waist deep pools that she used on her assault course. Alex screamed as he hit the icy cold water.

"Lara!" He shouted failing helplessly in the water.

She could bearly stop laughing to answer him. "What Alex?"

"I can't swim!" He screamed.

Lara walked over to the edge of the pool. "You can to, you part."

Suddenly, Lara felt a hand wrapped around her ankle and pulled her from dry land and into the water. Lara screamed as she joined Alex in the pool. He pulled her all the way in, making sure that she was as soaked as he was. After Alex was satisfied that she was as wet as he was he pulled her against he side of the pool, pinning her with his body. Lara stopped giggling when she felt the heat from him and could feel his warm breath against her face.

Suddenly, without warning, Alex kissed her. Not a sweet and modest kiss that Lara was used to receiving. Alex's kiss was something that Lara had never experienced. Full of a heat and passion that was foreign to her. But just when Lara didn't think this kiss could possibly get any better, Alex parted her lips and slipped his tongue into her mouth.

After the intoxicating kiss had come to an end Alex smiled at her and said; "Nope. Still not cooled off." With that he climbed out of the pool. Lara sat there for several seconds not realizing what had just happened. Then she looked down and realized that she was up to her shoulders in ice cold water.

Lara went in to find that Alex had already claimed one of the guest rooms and was taking a shower. Her teeth chattered. Lara padded up to her room and did the same. Afterwards she sat in front of her mirror, staring at he reflection. Now what was she supposed to do? She couldn't admit that she liked Alex. . . and his kisses for fear of this turning out to be a fling, or maybe he just wanted to kiss her, or maybe. . . Lara stopped herself. Her life had suddenly turned into an episode of "Sex And The City". But with that thought aside, what was she going to do?