Six

Patrick walked further into the lab. He had knocked softly at the door, but there had been no answer so he let himself in. Once inside he saw why she wasn't answering. A small smile made his dimple peep out as he watched her. She was manipulating a microscope with one hand and typing data into a computer with the other. Her concentration was total. As little as a year ago the sight would have made him snort dismissively at someone purporting to have an M.D. who hid out in a lab. Not because he didn't think research was necessary to medicine, but because he thought the people who did it only chose it because they were too cowardly to face patients and particularly the challenge of surgery. Robin had proven an exception to the rule. She was just as good with patients as she was with brain cells. And, he rubbed his side absently, she wielded a scalpel just as ably.

She also proved that researchers could be sexy. He grinned and walked forward past the rows of lab tables until he reached hers. As he moved closer she dropped her hand from the laptop and began to rub the back of her neck. He walked up behind her and slid his fingers over the skin of her neck. "It's me," he said when she startled and then began massaging the stiff muscles.

"Oh god, that feels good." Robin moaned and closed her eyes.

Her words went straight to his groin. He cleared his throat, massaged a bit longer and then stepped to the side so he could look into her face. "Better?"

"If you ever decide to give up surgery you could open a massage parlor," Robin tilted her head and smiled at him.

"My happy endings would be the stuff of legends." He grinned.

Robin closed her eyes and shook her head. A pretty blush stained her cheeks. Then she opened her eyes and looked at Patrick who was still grinning winningly at her. "Are you really here to talk?" she asked.

"Would you rather have that happy ending?"

Robin burst into laughter. "Do you ever stop?" Actually, she was glad he didn't. It was the polite, well-behaved Patrick of that past few days that was freaking her out. This Patrick was the one she was used to. He was also the one she couldn't resist.

"It's late, have you had dinner?" he asked instead of answering her rhetorical question.

"No. You?" Her answer was hesitant.

"I just got out of surgery. Are you game?"

Robin thought for a moment. "Actually, I'm kind of tired. I was planning to finish up here and go home."

"You have to eat. How about we go back to my room and get room service. You can relax and I can regale you with the story of how I mistreated my poor father and listen avidly to your lecture."

She said nothing, just looked at him curiously.

"I'll be a perfect gentleman." He spread his hands and showed her his palms. "Come on. Finish up and I'll meet you downstairs in fifteen?" He deliberately pushed it so she wouldn't have time to think or ask questions.

"All right." Robin watched him walk out for a moment before turning back to her work.

"I'm really sorry about kicking the track last time," Robin said.

She and Patrick were sitting on the floor playing with his race car set again. Around them was litter from the dinner they had ordered and eaten. Salads, corn dogs and water – a compromise of the junk food he preferred and the healthy food she preferred. Over dinner they had talked about Patrick's ongoing conflict with Noah and Patrick's frustration that he couldn't say anything right to his father and visa versa, though he didn't divulge exactly what Noah had said to Patrick except to say Noah was being protective of her. She hesitantly offered advice and he didn't bite her head off. The entire evening was surreal.

Patrick grunted, keeping his eyes on his car, his entire body was fairly trembling with the excitement of competition. "Yes!" He dropped the controller and threw his arms into the air. "I win!"

"Congratulations." Robin rolled her eyes and put her controller down. It was getting late and true to his word Patrick had been the perfect host – meaning that he hadn't made a single move on her. She was totally confused and thinking about going home.

"Since I win I get to choose my prize." He turned and looked at her.

And Patrick Drake was back again. "I didn't agree to that." She narrowed her eyes at him.

"It's house rules." He shrugged.

"This isn't a house, it's a hotel room." She sighed when he just looked at her stubbornly. "Fine, what do you think I'm going to reward you with? Does it involve one of us removing our clothes?"

"In a way. You're going to watch a movie with me now."

"I'm going to watch a movie with you?" she parroted stupidly.

"Yup. My choice."

"What's your choice?" She smirked at him, expecting the title of a porn.

"Speed."

Robin shook her head as if to clear her ears. "Speed as in Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock and a bus?" Her voice was high with shock.

Patrick grinned. He was thoroughly enjoying keeping Robin Scorpio unbalanced. "I did. Come on." He stood up and held a hand out to her. She hesitated a moment and then put her hand in his. He pulled her up. "You still have some things here, do you want to change?" He pushed the hair that had fallen on her face behind her ears.

"Patrick," Robin began.

"Shhh." Patrick put a finger on her lips. "You're tired. Let's watch the movie. We can talk later."

Patrick took his eyes off the television and looked down at Robin. They were lying in his bed, on top of the covers, watching the television that was in the armoire across from the bed. Before the movie had begun, Robin had changed into shorts and a t-shirt and put her hair into a pony tail. It wasn't easy, but he'd kept his hands and lips off her when she emerged from his bathroom and warily got on the bed and settled in front of him. The movie was almost over, but she had fallen asleep not thirty minutes in to it. She was on the pillow closest to the television, in front of him, and in her sleep she had moved back seeking out his heat. Her nearness was driving him wild, he could he knew, seduce her, but he was trying to show her and himself that he could be the man she needed and could rely on. He was trying to show her that he had feelings for her without actually having to say it, not just because the words were hard, but because he was afraid she wouldn't believe them unless he backed them up with action.

He trailed his fingers lightly over her hip and leaned down and pressed a kiss to her cheek. He froze when she shifted, but when she didn't awaken he reached in front of her and grabbed the remote and turned the movie off. Then he reached down to the end of the bed and covered her with an extra blanket.

TBC