Leonard and Nora agreed to meet for lunch the next day in the campus cafeteria. Nora grabbed a tray and picked out her food, then scanned the faces for Leonard. When she finally found him, he looked at her with apologetic eyes. Jim was with him. Nora smiled at him, then walked over and sat next to her brother.
"Hey, guys," she said.
"Hey, Bitsy," Jim said. He kissed her cheek with a mouthful of food.
"Geez, Jim. That's kinda gross."
Jim just shrugged, and Leonard shook his head.
"Hi, Nora," Leonard said.
Nora smiled at him. "Wasn't expecting to see you two here," she said.
"Bones said he was coming, and I was hungry, so..." Jim shrugged and shoveled more food into his mouth. "Oh, Bones... What are you doing Thursday at 1300?"
"Well, I was planning on-"
"No," Jim said, cutting him off, "I'm taking the Kobayashi Maru. I want you there."
Leonard groaned. "Kobayashi Maru," he said in a whisper, as if it were something to be feared.
"You'll do great, Jim," Nora said.
"Look, Jim," Leonard said, "I'm sure you'll do your best, but let's not get your hopes up. No one has ever passed the Kobayashi Maru."
"Well, aren't you just a bundle of positivity," Nora said.
"I'm a realist, kid. I look at the facts and make my call. I'm not doubting Jim's ability, but no one... no one passes that test."
"There's a first time for everything," Jim said with a grin. "So, will you be there?"
"Sure," Bones said. "I'll be there."
They slipped into casual chit chat as they finished eating. Leonard and Nora exchanged glances when Jim was preoccupied as he talked. She tried to hide a blush when Leonard winked at her. Nora stretched her leg and slowly ran her foot along the back of Leonard's calf. Leonard straightened and cleared his throat.
"Well, I have to get to the library. I have my last two finals this week."
"That's all right," Jim said. "I've got a girl lined up for tonight, so I've gotta get my sleep now."
"Oh, geez," Nora said with an eye roll.
"What about you, Bitsy? Plans for tonight?"
"Toss up between the library and my room. If Amber keeps the men away, I can study in peace. I have three finals this week."
Jim wiped his mouth with his napkin and shook his head. "You two study too much."
"You don't study enough," Nora said.
"I study what I need to."
Jim kissed Nora's cheek before he stood. "See you two later." He slapped Leonard on the shoulder as he passed him on his way out.
Nora moved to Jim's vacated seat so she could sit directly across from Leonard. "So, you really have to study tonight?"
"Unfortunately, yes. You?"
"Yeah, but I could be persuaded to take a long break."
Nora smiled as she ran her foot along Leonard's leg again. She saw something in his eyes. A look she hadn't seen before. They grew dark. His lips were set in a tight line.
"How about you meet me in the library at nine?"
"Why so late?"
"Fewer people. And Jim will be with his... date."
"Okay. Nine o'clock."
They both stood, and Leonard watched as Nora walked away. He knew then, for sure, that he was a goner. Just sitting across the table from her was torture. He wanted to hold her. Kiss her. He knew he needed to tell Jim, but how could he?
Nora was out the door well before nine. She walked into the library and looked around for Leonard. She saw him at his usual table, hunched over his PADD, and decided to hang back a minute. She leaned back against a book case, watching him as he tapped a steady finger on the table. A moment passed before his head popped up and began searching the room. When their eyes met, they both smiled. Leonard stood and Nora walked over to him.
"You're right on time," he said.
"I probably shouldn't tell you this, but I was just a bit early."
"So, you're stalking me," Leonard said with a grin.
"I guess some people might call it that... if I hadn't been invited."
"Good point." Leonard took her hand. "Come here. I wanna show you something."
Leonard practically dragged her into the shelves of books. Most of them had long been untouched. A light layer of dust covered them. He took her deeper into the stacks than she had ever gone.
"This place is like a maze," Nora said. "Where are you taking me?"
Leonard smiled at her choice of words. He had dreamed of "taking her" the night before. His dreams were filled with images of her wrapped around him and beneath him.
"These books are almost obsolete, but the library keeps them since they have a ton of room. No one comes back here. This is the most privacy we'll get on campus."
They reached the end of a section, surrounded on three sides by book cases. Nora noticed something weird.
"There's no dust on these shelves," she said.
Leonard smiled and put his hands on Nora's waist. "I couldn't ask my girl to make out in filth, could I?"
Nora laughed. "You cleaned the shelves?"
"I needed to be alone with you, and this was the best thing I could think of. No one will come back here. There are no roommates to walk in on us. The only issue was the dust, and now it's gone."
"You, Leonard McCoy-"
A kiss cut her off. More than a kiss. Leonard's arms wrapped tight around her, almost lifting her off of her feet. His tongue teased at her lips, pulling a moan from her, which seemed to echo through the vacant area.
"You keep making those noises and you might draw attention," Leonard said.
"You keep doing that with your tongue and I'll keep making those noises."
"Well, then I guess we'll just draw attention to ourselves," Leonard said before his lips found her neck.
"Oh my gosh," Nora whispered. She closed her eyes and let out a quiet laugh, part nervousness, part excitement.
Leonard found the spot on her neck that he liked, and realized something was missing. He pulled back and rubbed the spot with his thumb.
"Didn't I leave a mark here?"
"Yeah, I covered it. Amber tried to grill me about it. I didn't want Jim to see it."
"Good job. I can't see it and I know it's there. Actually... it's a little upsetting."
"Why?"
"The evidence of my mouth being on you is gone."
A shiver ran through Nora's body. "Not gone," she said. "Hidden from the public."
Something seemed to flash in Leonard's eyes as he smiled, and Nora was almost worried.
"What are you thinking," she asked.
Leonard didn't answer. He covered her lips with his again, and made her forget her worries. They kissed for several minutes before he placed his hands firmly beneath her rear and lifted her completely off the ground.
"What are you doing," she asked with surprise.
"Wrap your legs around me."
Nora hesitated, but did as he said. This left her a good head higher than Leonard. He used the new height difference to easily kiss and lick at her neck. He pressed her back against the shelves to help support her as he moved one of his hands to the hem of her shirt and slipped it underneath. Nora gasped at the feel of his hand on her stomach.
"You like that?"
"Your hands on me? Yeah, I like it."
"Then you'll love this."
He slowly lifted her shirt until it was above her breasts, perfectly cradled in her bra. He kissed her lips once again before leaning down and running his tongue over the exposed, rounded flesh. He almost laughed when her hand flew over her mouth to stifle a moan. He worked his way to the crease where her breast met her chest, and he gently sucked and kissed at the skin there. The longer he stayed there, the tighter his pants became, and he soon realized that they had to stop. He kissed his way back to her lips as he put her on her feet again. His hands gently caressed her face as they kissed deeply.
Leonard finally pulled away and rested his forehead against hers as he righted her shirt. "I can't believe how much you affect me."
"What do you mean?"
"You're kidding, right?"
Nora just shook her head, so Leonard wrapped one arm around her waist and pulled her hips to his. One gentle roll of his hips, and Nora felt his arousal.
Despite her best effort, she giggled. "I did that to you?"
"It's not the first time, either."
Without taking her eyes from his, Nora ran a hand over the bulge, but Leonard grabbed her wrist.
"Don't do that," he said. His voice deep with desire.
"Why not?"
"I told you already. I don't wanna rush this."
"Really? I'd say there's evidence to the contrary," she said with a smile.
"I'm serious, Nora. I want to know everything about you. Obviously, I want you, but I want more than your body."
Nora's eyebrows furrowed as she looked up at him. "Who are you? Are you even real?"
"Let's just say that the 'sort of' talk I had with Jim the other night made an impression on me. I don't want to string you along."
"Okay," she said. "We'll take it slow. What will you do about that, though?" She motioned toward the bulge in his pants.
"Coldest shower of my life."
Nora grinned and kissed him. When she pulled away, she bit her bottom lip. "You know, I don't have a physically visible sign of arousal like you, so I guess I should let you know... I want you, too."
"Actually," Leonard said, "you do have visible signs. Maybe not quite as obvious as mine, but to the well trained medical officer..." He shrugged his shoulders and lightly bounced on the balls of his feet.
"Oh really? What signs?"
"You skin, for one. It became flushed. Your eyes were slightly dilated... and, not so much seen, but felt, your pulse was racing. I could feel it when I kissed your neck."
"Were you making out with me or giving me an examination?"
"Darlin', I could do both at the same time if necessary."
"I believe you could." She kissed him again. "I'll let you get back to studying."
They walked hand-in-hand back to his table. He leaned down and nibbled at her neck along the way. One final kiss, and she made her way back to her room. Nora decided to take a shower before getting back to studying. She removed her bra and caught her reflection in the mirror. She saw a rounded, purplish mark on her chest where it met her breast.
"Dammit, McCoy."
She wanted to be angry, but she laughed. She wouldn't have to hide this one, since it was already hidden. A place where only Leonard would see. She smiled at the idea. She was marked... just for him.