The 95 Degrees Destiny
Chapter 2
"Dr. Lorvis what are you doing here?" Penny exclaimed.
Dr. Lorvis gave an odd sideways smile and took in the whole group. "Penny and you guys. Funny meeting you here. You're not following me are you?"
The two couples gave each other uneasy stares. Leonard shook his head. "Nobody is following you. At least we aren't." Leonard chuckled, but Dr. Lorvis acted like the suggestion that someone else could be tracking him was disturbing. He nervously glanced around.
Howard gave him a friendly smile. "I didn't know there was a Urology convention in Aspen."
"There isn't normally, but because of increased prescriptions of the latest erectile dysfunction drug, Dixaflopin, the convention committee was able to afford a better venue this year. And it's all thanks to Penny." He smiled at Penny, who looked a bit uncomfortable.
"I'm glad you and your colleagues are pleased with our product." Penny smiled, turning on the sales woman charm. She forgot what had gotten her in trouble with him before and slightly touched his arm out of habit.
"One Mississippi, two Mississippi…"
"No, Dr. Lorvis, no Mississippi's!" Leonard moved his towering 5'5" height between Penny and Dr. Lorvis. "Now it was nice seeing you again, but we need to check in and get to our rooms. Have a good evening." Leonard steered Penny back to the front desk and started speaking to the person behind the counter.
"I'll see you around." Dr. Lorvis seemed nonplussed by Leonard's act of possessiveness. He turned and headed towards the elevators.
Penny was a bit surprised by it though and whispered in Leonard's ear. "Once we get upstairs, I'm going to show you how hot take charge Leonard makes me."
Leonard grinned at her. "Aspen's going to experience a heat wave."
Penny gave him a playful grin in return. "Let's see if we can melt all this snow."
After the two couples checked in they started to walk towards the elevators, bags in hand. "So Howie and I decided to take a nap." Bernadette gave Howard a smoldering look. "Should we meet up for dinner around seven?"
"That sounds good. We'll meet you in the lobby then." Penny grasped Leonard's free hand in her own and squeezed it as the elevator climbed to the 8th floor.
Penny and Leonard tumbled into their room, hands roaming over each other and tongues mingling. "So you liked take charge Leonard, huh?" Leonard was panting in between words. "Well you should take that top off right now."
Penny gave him a saucy look. "Yes, sir." She pulled her sweater over her head and gave him a look that could have steamed his glasses.
Leonard's top was off in an instant too. He kissed her bare shoulder, working his way to her neck, electing small moans from her. "I was just about to tell that guy off for good. He needs to leave you alone." He returned to attacking her tender neck.
Penny stopped moaning. "Well, I'm glad you didn't Sweetie. Even though he's annoying, he is my biggest client. I don't want you to make him mad."
Leonard stopped kissing her and pulled away. "Wait. You are still trying to keep on his good side after all that he has put us through? He locked us up to try to get you for himself. He has hit on all three of you girls and you don't want me to get him mad?"
"Well, no. Sweetie, that man buys three times as many pharmaceuticals than the next biggest client. I need to stay on his good side."
"Well heaven forbid I defend my girlfriend from some creepy urologist." Leonard stood up pulled on his shirt and grabbed a key card.
"Where are you going?" Penny questioned.
"For a walk." Leonard muttered.
"There's a blizzard outside."
"Well then I'll walk in the lobby." Leonard left, the door slamming behind him.
That evening at seven Howard and Bernadette were in the lobby snuggled up by a roaring fire, waiting for Leonard and Penny. They had a wonderful afternoon and had not one, but two very nice naps. They both had relaxed smiles as they took in the scene. The lobby was full of physicians talking shop and laughing. They were a boisterous bunch, but seemed quite friendly. Nobody seemed to mind being snowed in too much.
Leonard showed up first. Bernadette greeted him. "Hey, did you have a nice afternoon? Where's Penny?" She looked around behind Leonard.
"She's probably still in the room. We had a fight." Leonard looked grim.
"What were you two lovebirds fighting about now?" Howard asked.
"Penny said I still needed to be nice to Dr. Lorvis even though he was hitting on her, because he is her biggest client." Leonard shook his head.
"He isn't that bad of a guy, he's just socially awkward. Think about it, he makes Sheldon look smooth." Howard chuckled. "I think as long as he doesn't go over the line you should just tolerate him for Penny."
"He is making our company a butt load of money." Bernie nodded. "And he's harmless. You just have to avoid him for two days and you'll never have to see him again."
Penny joined them at this time and made a beeline to Leonard. "Sweetie, I'm sorry. I know it's asking a lot, but it's just a few days. I'm not even supposed to be talking to him outside of work, so we'll do our best to avoid him. It's a big hotel, it shouldn't be that difficult." She kissed his cheek.
Leonard always seemed to give in to Penny, and this time was no exception. "OK. But we avoid that man like the plague."
Penny flashed him a million watt smile. "Deal."
Dinner was uneventful with no sign of Dr. Lorvis. They sat in the bar afterwards listening to a piano player while outside the wind howled and moaned. Finally it was time to turn in and they waited for the elevator. A little too much wine and a bit too tall of a heel finally got the better of Bernadette and she staggered backwards. Luckily for her she was caught by the man who had just walked up behind her. Her hand clutched at his arm.
Unluckily for everyone it was Oliver Lorvis.
"One Mississippi, two Mississippi, three Mississippi." Dr. Lorvis righted the fallen biologist.
"Don't be Mississipping her, she's a married woman!" Howard yelped. He put a supportive arm around Bernadette's swaying form.
Leonard looked at Howard and said sarcastically, "Don't worry Howard; he's not that bad of a guy, just socially awkward. As long as he doesn't go over the line it should be fine. You should tolerate him." He rolled his eyes at Howard.
Howard looked at Leonard with his mouth hanging open. "OK I guess I owe you an apology."
"I try not to get involved with married ladies, unless they really insist on it." He looked at Bernadette with a gleam in his eye.
Bernadette was tipsy, but sober enough to see the danger of what was happening. "NO!"
The elevator came then and they all got in. Penny pressed eight for their floor, Dr. Lorvis joining them in the elevator car.
"So are you two still engaged?" Oliver looked at Leonard and Penny.
"Yes." Leonard answered curtly, raising Penny's left hand and showing him her engagement ring.
"Oh. You still weren't wearing it last time you came into the office so I wasn't sure." He grinned looking at Penny again. "You know a man can always hope."
Penny gave a nervous laugh as the elevator doors opened. Leonard shot Penny a look of disapproval, before walking out of the elevator and down the corridor. "Leonard wait up." She turned back to Dr. Lorvis. "Good night Dr. Lorvis." She held the door open to allow for Howard to escort Bernie out. Dr. Lorvis also exited.
"You're on the eighth floor too? How great is that?" Dr. Lorvis beamed.
"Yeah, pretty great." Penny replied through a strained smile.
Sheldon had been pacing the length of the living room since he called Amy. He was getting more and more anxious by the minute. He kept checking his phone for messages from Leonard and his computer to check for news on airline disasters and weather updates. He was standing up to pace again when he heard a rapid knock on his door. Sheldon opened the door to find Amy with a wide smile on her face.
"Hello Sheldon." Amy dipped her eyes down the length of Sheldon's body then back up to his eyes. His eyes were darting about and his brow was furrowed, but when she captured his gaze she could see relief wash over his face.
"I'm so glad you're here. I need you!" Sheldon began to breathe more rapidly.
Amy's mouth hung open. This is it, this is it, this is it! "You do?"
Sheldon ran a hand through his hair, making it stick up in a way that made Amy's mouth water. "I do! Amy, dear Lord, I feel like I'm about ready to burst!" He fidgeted in place and looked like he was about to jump out of his skin.
Amy was starting to breathe raggedly and leaned against the doorframe for support, her knees failing her. "Oh Sheldon!"
Sheldon was too agitated to notice his girlfriend swooning in his doorway. "Before I called you, I tried to take the matter into my own hands. I tried to take care of it myself sitting here in front of the computer, but I just got more and more wound up until I had to call you." He took a step closer to her and put his hand on her arm, his touch like a bolt of lightning. "I know only you can help me. Please, Amy."
Amy was surprised about him admitting doing things like that, especially in front of a computer. Although she was very nervous, flames of desire were building deep down inside her belly. She brought her hand up and stroked the hand he had placed on her shoulder. Her voice was husky and tremulous. "I'm here now. Let me take care of you Sheldon. Let me help you." She reached her head up and placed a tender kiss on his lips. She saw his tense posture relax immediately.
Sheldon wasn't expecting a kiss, but it did calm him more than he thought it would. It was remarkable how just a little kiss or word from Amy made things better. He actually looked at Amy now that a few layers of anxiety had been removed and noticed her leaning against the door jamb as if exhausted or weak. Sheldon wondered why she was so fatigued and did what any gracious host would do. "Amy, let's get you out of the doorway. You look like you need to lie down on the couch." He slid the hand on her shoulder down the length of her arm to her hand and led a very willing, if not wobbly legged Amy to his couch.
She sat down on the middle cushion and patted his spot to encourage him to sit down. He sat but frowned. "Didn't you want to lie down?"
She smiled in a way that made his heart skip. "We can work our way up to that, we have all night." She traced a lazy circle on his thigh with her finger.
Sheldon's frown deepened and his eyes followed the pattern Amy made on his leg. "O- O- OK. Thanks for coming over. So here's the problem. Leonard told me not to call him at all while he is gone. There is a blizzard that is arriving in Aspen at the same time that his airplane is and I would be unable to find out if he dies in a fiery plane crash if I can't call him. I am beside myself with worry and needed you to come over because AMY! What are you doing?!" Sheldon leapt from the couch as if burned. Amy's meandering finger had traveled a little farther north than he had expected.
Amy's hands rolled over each other in her lap. Her cheeks were bright embers. "Sorry, sorry got carried away." She looked up at Sheldon, and then realized what he had told her as her fingers got carried away. "One minute, let me get this straight. So you called me over because you were worried about Leonard and not because you wanted to engage in coitus?" Amy should have known it was too good to be true. But this is what happens when your boyfriend sends you a naughty text message after a glass of wine and several hours of reading premium Highland smut.
Sheldon's eyes were wild. "Coitus! What gave you that idea?" He knew that Amy was a logical woman, which in itself is an oxymoron, but was he accidentally sending off signals that was making her hormones crazy?
Amy was not doing a good job hiding her disappointment. "You're the one with the eidetic memory, you tell me." Amy was shaking her head, some of it was because of Sheldon, but most of it was because of her assumptions.
Sheldon could still feel her finger on his thigh as he reviewed the conversation from earlier. Amy watched his eyes as he recalled the evening. He then looked at her and shrugged. "I've got nothing. I don't know what you're talking about."
Amy opened her mouth to protest, but instead just sighed heavily. "Never mind then Sheldon. What can I do to make you feel better about not knowing how Leonard is?" She readied herself for some nonsense about watching some science fiction show.
Sheldon looked down to the floor and shuffled his feet. It's just that I am very worried about him and I think I need some… um physical...contact."
Amy's interest was piqued, but she had just been burned and wanted to clarify. You had to with Sheldon. "See and then you say things like that and I get confused. What do you mean by physical contact? A hearty handshake? A pat on the head? A hug?"
Sheldon could not meet her eyes. "I was hoping that you wouldn't mind perhaps… um… cuddling with me."
Amy couldn't believe her ears. An actual cuddle session initiated by Sheldon? With nary a mention of stars or wars or treks. "Sheldon, I would love to cuddle with you." She patted his spot again, smiling invitingly.
Sheldon still seemed embarrassed at how the mighty had fallen and wanted to cuddle, but gave her a weak smile. "Good. Now let me pop in Firefly to watch while we...um cuddle." He dashed to the DVD's while Amy hung her head. He put the disc in the machine and made his way back to the couch. He slowly sat down and draped an arm over Amy's shoulders. She leaned into him, a little spark igniting her tummy. She placed an arm around his midsection and felt him tense up slightly, remembering her wandering finger from earlier. "Keep your hands above the equator, missy." He growled.
"Sheldon!"
"I mean it. No hanky panky. I can guarantee that I will not get handsy with you, as I am a gentleman of the south."
"I only touched your thigh!"
"That may be true, but you were getting close to being out of bounds."
"Fine, I'll keep it 'above the equator.'"
Sheldon nodded his head. "As will I."
Amy sat there for a second and then started grinning. "You know that not everything in the northern hemisphere is totally innocent. At least on me."
Sheldon sat there for a moment and as it dawned on him what she meant, he began to turn beet red and sputter. "When I said… I didn't mean I would...never touch."
"Don't worry Sheldon. I know I am in the hands of a perfect gentleman who would not try to cop a feel without my permission." She gave him a smile laced with a bit of regret. "Let's just watch the show. How are you feeling? Am I helping you to relax?"
Sheldon was feeling calm, except for the talk of the northern hemisphere. It always surprised him that Amy could make him feel so secure. He could feel her warm body pressed into his and smell the clean scent of her hair. "I'm doing much better Amy, thank you."
Sheldon was so relaxed in fact with Amy curled into his side that he became very drowsy and shortly before the last episode of Firefly, fell asleep against his already sleeping girlfriend.
Next chapter, Valentine's Day. Feel free to review.