That evening, Lexie finished work around six. She quickly left the hospital before she could be roped into anything else, and made her way home. In the small, dingy apartment, she took a shower and packed a bag for that night and the next day. George was thankfully absent, leaving Lexie to ponder what she was about to do.

It was like going into the lion's den. Mark Sloan was like no other man that Lexie had ever encountered. He was rough and quick and acerbic, but underneath all that, he was like a lost puppy. He was plastic surgeon who 'fixed' women's breasts and faces for a living, but more than anything, he loved to do pro-bono work that would really make a difference in the life of somebody. Like giving a woman back her voice, or helping a child who was born with a disfigurement.

Confusing, yes.

He was also an extremely attentive and caring lover, and he had seemed upset that she had crawled out that morning without waking him up. Of course, had she woken him up, there was every indication that she would have been very late for work.

Even after their conversation that day in the gallery, Lexie wasn't sure what was going on. All she knew was that she had agreed to have sex very often, for an indeterminable amount of time, with Mark Sloan.

And, to be honest, she was good with that.

For now.

--
When Lexie arrived at The Archfield, she knocked on the door to his room, and waited patiently for him to open it.

And when he did, she could have cried. Literally cried.

Mark opened the door, naked except for the white towel wrapped low around his waist, his skin still wet from the shower. He grinned as Lexie's eyes went wide, and he moved to allow her through.

"Sorry. I was in the shower."

"I can see."

Smiling, he gestured to the chairs and the mini bar.

"Make yourself comfortable. I'll be right out."

She nodded, watching him walk back into the bathroom shutting the door behind him. Swallowing deeply, she went to the mini bar, and poured herself a scotch. It seemed like the appropriate thing to do.

"Lexie?"

He was yelling from the bathroom, and she walked a little closer.

"Have you eaten?"

"Uh, no. I just went home to take a shower."

"The room service menu is by the phone. Call in whatever you want."

"What about you?"

"I'll have the lobster."

Her eyebrows shot up, and she went to retrieve the menu. Not even daring to glance at the prices, she scanned the list, before picking up the phone.

"Hi. I'm in Room 323. I wanted to order dinner? Yes. The lobster. Two orders, please. With all the sides. Uh-huh. Oh, sure. Yeah. That would be great."

She was just hanging up as Mark walked out of the bathroom, the steam emitting right along with him. He had put on jeans and a gray Columbia t-shirt that hugged his muscles beautifully. Lexie felt better about her own outfit; jeans and a green cashmere sweater. She had unzipped her heeled leather boots already, and was standing there, barefoot, with pink toenails.

"They said it would be here in half an hour."

Mark nodded, and sat on the couch, gesturing for her to join him. Hesitantly, she went to sit next to him, curling up at his side.

"I know this is weird, and we don't have rules or agreements or have talked or anything, but before we do that, I need to do something."

Nodding, and not really expecting anything, Lexie was surprised when he brought a hand to the back of her neck and gently directed her head in for a kiss.

It started softly, and lightly, but before she knew it, Mark was kissing her with a slow passion that lit her soul on fire and had her aching for a couple of hours with him between the sheets.

They were both panting when they broke apart, and Mark rested his forehead against hers.

"I know I don't have a good track record. I'm not the relationship guy and I don't really know what I want. But...I haven't been able to get you out of my head for weeks. And last night only showed me how much more I want to spend time with you."

"Really? I didn't even know until Sadie said something."

"Well, the crazy chick might know something then."

Lexie just grinned, and sweetly kissed him, pulling back before he could get a hand to the back of her head.

"I like being here."

"In my hotel room?"

"In your arms."

It was such an honest answer that it knocked the breath out of him, and he just gazed at her.

"I like it too."

"You said something about rules and agreements?"

He had put his attention to kissing her neck, and Lexie had to fight to get her words out.

"I did?"

"You did."

Regretfully pulling back, he looked into her eyes and leaned his head on his hand, elbow on the top of the couch. He had seen her reaction when he had opened the door in his towel, but he had been equally blown away. Lexie's sweater was about as soft as something could get, he thought, and it hugged her in all the perfect places.

She had been sitting with her legs curled under her, but he adjusted them so that she sat as close to him as possible, her legs across his lap. It allowed him to have an arm somewhat around her, and her an his other hand up and down her leg, from the tip of her big toe to her knee.

"So. Rules."

She just smiled, the area around her eyes crinkling. She had put on a little bit of make up, and some lip gloss, though that had been rubbed off during their kiss.

"What are we doing?"

The one question he wasn't really sure of. "You weren't really here during the era of Addison."

Lexie shook her head. "No. Not really."

"What do you know?"

Lexie avoided looking at him, and instead focused on her hands, lightly tracing the tshirt he wore.
"I know that she was married to Dr. Shepherd. And that you...had an affair with her. And then, when they got divorced, you and Dr. Montgomery were together for a little bit, before she went to L.A."

Mark nodded, and gripped her leg just a little bit tighter. Her toenails were painted a delightful shade of pink. Addison had never had pink nails. They were always red, or some dark shade of another color. Never the kind of pink that would be found on candy.

"Addison and I tried to make it work. And it didn't because of both of us. I didn't cheat on her when we were in Seattle- it just didn't work out."

"Okay."

"Lexie. Look at me."

She jerked her head up and met his eyes, instantly locking in on their bond. His eyes were gray. She'd noticed the night before, but hadn't really been in the right capacity to study them. They were a spectacular shade of gray, with hints of blue and green. They were also like magnets, and she couldn't look away.

"I...loved what happened last night. I don't think I've ever had a connection like that with anyone else."

She nodded, still transfixed by his gaze. His fingers had begun to trace little circles on her hip, just under the sweater, and it was making her body aware of every single place where they touched.

"I can't offer you any kind of long, future plans. I'm not a good guy, I never have been."

"I think you're a good guy."

"Lexie, I know-"

"I know you think you're some kind of awful person, but it's just not true. I know you have a big heart. You love healing people. I think you really resent all the impersonal cosmetic surgeries that you do. You love doing surgeries that really help people."

Mark smiled at her innocent admiration of him. "Be that as it may, I've always been crap with relationships. And, I couldn't even say that we're in a relationship because as drawn as I am to you - as aware of you as I am, …I really know nothing about you."

"I want to get to know you."

"I want to get to know you too...How about this then. I promise you that I"m devoted to you. For all purposes, I'm committed to you for as long as we both want, in the hopes that we can get to know each other more."

"So we're dating."

He nodded. "I think we could call it that."

Lexie smiled. "Dating seems so...kindergarten for how I feel about you. When you're in a room, it's like I'm in sync with you. Like you're an extension of me."

He stared at her for a moment, and she blushed. "I shouldn't have said that. That's too deep, and like you said, we don't even know each other, -and"

"Lexie."

"Yes?"

"I feel the same way. It's been bothering me for weeks because I knew I shouldn't feel like this."

She gave him a smile that was so beautiful, it was almost beatific. "I thought it was just me."

"I promise, it wasn't just you."

He kissed her again, and Lexie wholeheartedly returned the gesture. Before she knew it, she had

climbed onto his lap, straddling him as they attempted to pull each other closer. When he put his mouth to her ear and neck, she moaned and wrapped her arms around his head.

"I thought about this all day."

"Trust me, I did too."

"When I was doing charts for Dr. Yang, all I could think about was last night, on the table."

"Lexie."

He started to suck on her neck even harder, and she started to pant a little bit. "And that last time, in the bed. That was amazing."

"For me too. I think that was my favorite time."

She nodded, slightly distracted. "It was perfect. God, I love having you inside of me."

Mark just groaned, completely infatuated with the minx straddling him, rubbing all of his self control and rational thought away.

"The food-"

"We can be quick."

And they were. Right there on the couch, without even taking off most of their clothes, they joined. It was intense and rough and passionate. Their faces were either cheek to cheek, or touching at the forehead as they looked at each other. It wasn't pretty or delicate; they were sweaty and grunting and holding onto each other for dear life.

When Lexie finally toppled over the edge, holding Mark's head to hers, she let out a long moan and froze. He followed only seconds later, gripping her hips with one hand and her neck with the other.

For long moments, they stayed there, panting and holding each other. When Lexie finally raised her head, he kissed the tip of her nose, and pulled her head into his neck.

"The food will be here soon."

Mark grunted, but stayed still for another minute. Then, he nudged her a little and she sat up again. "Get into bed. Get naked and then get into bed."

Without complaint, Lexie got up and stripped, to Mark's pleasure and amusement. She was just getting into the bed as someone knocked on the door, and he smirked as he stood up and zipped up his jeans. At the door, he took the cart from the bellboy, and tipped him, refusing to let the poor kid set the table like he had been instructed. Instead, he closed the door and wheeled he cart to the bed, where he uncovered the steel dishes.

Lexie had certainly ordered them a feast. There were two beautifully done lobsters, absolutely soaked in butter, as well as steamed vegetables and potatoes and several other sides. There was also a chilled bottle of champagne. Quirking one eyebrow, Mark held up the bottle, and Lexie colored a little.

"It was that or the Chardonnay."

"Chardonnay is what one drinks with lobster."

She nodded, and shrugged. "I thought it felt like a celebration of sorts. And I wanted to be able to drink a little bit liberally. Wine is too delicate."

Mark just smiled at her, all wrapped up in the bed sheets and grinning like a child. He put the platters on the bed, took off the t-shirt and jeans, and attempted to climb in with her.

"Ah-ah-ah." She shook her index finger at him. "Naked."

He gave her another smirk, and pushed his boxers down, climbing into the bed and pulling the sheet up to his waist.

"I see you ordered the lobster for yourself."

Lexie just shrugged. I'm not a picky eater."

"Somehow, I very much doubt that."

Scrunching up her nose, Lexie accepted the long flute of champagne that Mark handed her. "Well, it sounded good."

She sat cross legged, the sheets pulled up to her armpits, and her hair tucked behind her ears. The smell of the food was mouthwatering, and she eagerly began to eat, sucking the butter off the lobster like it was her job to make Mark's life as uncomfortable as possible. He ate as well, though he was more concerned with watching her.

"Did you grow up in Seattle?"

She nodded as she chewed, and washed the mouthful down with champagne.

"Yeah. On the north side."

"Was it a rumor I heard, or were you really prom queen?"

She blushed again- the shade was quickly becoming Mark's favorite color- and nodded.

"Yeah. I was. It's kind of embarrassing now."

"It shouldn't be. I was Prom King."

Her eyes went wide, and her mouth made a perfect 'o'. "You're kidding!"

It was true. Of course it was true. Mark had been the most popular guy in high school; everyone wanted to be him, every girl had wanted to…date him.

"Did you play football too?"

"Please. Football is for chumps. Soccer and baseball."

Baseball had always been a favorite growing up; Derek's dad had taken him to baseball games with Derek from the ripe age of six. They'd watched the Yankee's play so many times a season it had been a little bit weird to watch them play at home if they weren't actually at the game.

Soccer had come slightly later. He and Derek had played kiddie soccer, of course, with the neighborhood gang, but it wasn't until junior high that he really took a love for the sport. And not until his freshman year of high school that he'd gotten serious.

"Why soccer?"

"It's a smart game. It's not about strength. It's about skill and precision. But it's fun."

It had also pushed him physically. The football guys had lifted and eaten like there was no tomorrow. Mark had developed the lean muscularity that he carried to present day. It was all about the combination of running and lifting and doing other activities.

"I played sports in high school."

Laughing, Mark had some more of the champagne. "Please tell me you played softball."

"Thank you very much, I actually played basketball."

"Ooh. Hardcore."

She grinned. "Oh yeah. I was the pointguard. But, not to completely bust your bubble, I also did Swimming and Diving."

"Which one?"

"Both. Sprints for swimming, and I could do lots of very complicated dives."

"Do you have any siblings? Other than Meredith?"

Lexie nodded. "I have a sister. Molly. She's perfect."

He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her closer to him, and she curled into his side. It amazed him how perfectly she fit. Just against his side, and right under his chin. Mark topped off his champagne flute, and put hers on the bedside table. She fed him with her fingers, and tipped the champagne from his glass into her mouth whenever she wanted it.

"Nobody's perfect."

"Molly comes pretty close. Everything she does is kind of accepted and loved. She got married way to young. To a guy in the military. She was like, twenty at the time. And she had a baby last year. Laura…my mom was crazy about the whole situation. She loved Eric. That's Molly's husband."

"Tell me about your mother."

Having never been that close to his parents, Mark loved to hear people talk about their parents. He hadn't really been around mentally for the death of Susan Grey, but he had a feeling that Lexie had been close to her mother.

"My mom was great. She was the best mom in the world."

"Why?"

Lexie paused as she put some more lobster in her mouth, and then forked a bit of baked potato into his.

"Because she listened. She was always…she always listened. She used bake cookies. A lot of them. For every holiday. Christmas, New Year, Valentines Day. Easter. Fourth of July. Arbor Day."

"You baked Arbor Day cookies?"

"And there was green frosting because they were in tree cut outs."

"What else?"

She rested her head into his neck, and Mark leaned over just a bit to put the champagne glass next to hers on the side table. Then he stroked her arm slowly with two of his fingers, and began to feed her.

"She was there for me when I needed it. I would call home sometimes at one or two am during med school and she would just talk me down from whatever I was freaking out about."

"And Molly?"

"I love my sister. I just can't seem to live up to her standards. She does all these things that aren't important but that everybody loves. I can't bake. I have no sense of decoration. I get parking tickets- a lot of them, actually. And I drink too much sometimes. "

"That doesn't make you a bad person."

"No. But. I don't know. It's always been like that. School was a breeze for me- you know? Photographic memory and all. I didn't have to do anything really."

"So there was a lot of time for other stuff."

Lexie nodded, her mind lost in her high school days.

"Nothing terrible. Just stupid stuff. What about you?"

Mark shrugged, skimming his lips over her hairline.

"My high school years- hell, my entire childhood revolves around the Shepherd family."

"Really?"

"Oh yeah. My parents moved onto the block when I was seven. They weren't really into the whole neighborhood thing, but they wanted some sense of normalcy for me since they sure as hell couldn't give it to me themselves. They weren't really around. They liked the life they had in New York."

"So they bought a house in the suburbs?"

"My mom liked to come play house every once in a while. They kept an apartment in the city that they used, but they bought the family three bedroom in the suburbs. A nice one- beautiful neighborhood. The nanny had a good room."

"So that's how you met Derek?"

"It was natural. He's the only boy. Three sisters, but it's just him. And I had a host of new toys and the coolest stuff. I loved his family. His mom took me in immediately. She used to send desert for me in Derek's lunches because my mom was strict about what the nanny was supposed to give me. And Derek's Dad was great. He just came home from work one day and there I was at the dinner table."

"And you're still close with them?"

"Yeah. Even after everything. The Shepherds threw us joint graduation parties from high school, college and med school. His mom gave us the same gifts. Same everything. Two of Derek's sisters have been like my sisters. I lusted after their friends and pulled their hair."

"Only two of his sisters?"

Mark looked a little sheepish as he pulled Lexie close again.

"Yeah, I slept with Nancy."

Lexie giggled and kissed his cheek, running her finger over his lip. "Have you ever been able to resist a beautiful woman?"

"Hey. In my defense, Nancy came to me…but that was growing up…The Shepherds were great."

"I'm glad that you had that then."

"Me too."

They continued to eat, until Lexie had absolutely had her fill, and Mark put all the food back on the tray. When everything was all taken care of, he put the lights off, and joined her in bed. It was barely eleven, but both of them had the urgency to go to bed.

The drapes were open, letting all of the moonlight through, and their bed was glazed in a bluish sort of glow. Mark rolled onto his side, resting his head on his elbow, and pulled the sheet down from Lexie's shoulders. She stretched, gently, and reached a finger up to trace the contours of his face.

"Thank you for dinner."

"I should really thank you. I'm never going to look at lobster the same way again."

She blushed a little, and he slowly leaned in to kiss her.

And that was all it took. They didn't talk much for the next several hours.

----

Please review!!!