It was Wednesday before Nora saw Leonard again. She knew he would be at the library, studying. She had to study, too. So, she decided to go just to be near him. She smiled when she walked in and saw him at his usual table, but the smile began to fade when she saw that Jim was sitting at the next one. She walked over to Jim and put a hand on his shoulder.
"What are you doing here," she asked.
"Studying."
"Don't you usually make fun of me and Leonard for studying too much."
"Yeah, 'too much' being the key phrase. I do study, you know."
"What are you studying?"
"Defense strategies. I have the Kobayashi Maru tomorrow."
"I'll leave you to it, then."
Nora found a table to sit where she would be able to face Leonard. If he noticed her presence, he hadn't acknowledged it. She arranged her things then sent a quick message to Leonard on her PADD.
"I miss you," it said.
Leonard tapped on his PADD and looked up. When his eyes met Nora's they both smiled. A moment later, she got a message.
"I miss your lips."
"I miss your hands," she sent back.
"Go to our spot."
"Not sure I can find it alone."
"Head that way. I'll be there in a minute."
Nora made her way into the rows of bookcases and kept going until just before they turned into a maze with seemingly endless dead ends. Leonard was there a moment later. Without a word, his hands went to her face and hip, and pulled her into a deep kiss. He let out a grunt as he pulled away.
"Come on," he said.
He took her hand and led the way to their spot. Once there, Nora took Leonard's face in her hands and pulled it toward her own, but they didn't kiss. Leonard let his lips hover just beyond Nora's, with his hands on her waist.
"Leonard..."
"Yeah?"
"I think about this a lot. Probably way more than I should."
"No complaints here, darlin'."
"Do you ever think about me?"
"Sweetheart, if you knew some of the thoughts I've had about you..."
"Yeah?"
"You wouldn't think I was such a gentleman."
Nora felt her body shudder. Leonard felt it, too. He smiled and leaned down to kiss her neck.
"What, uh... what kind of thoughts?"
Leonard's lips traveled to her ear where he whispered in a deep voice, "You in my bed. Beneath me. Wrapped around me."
Nora let out a shaky breath. "Keep going."
Leonard flicked his tongue over her skin. "Naked and writhing, and moaning my name." He felt her quick, shallow breaths and pulled back. "And unless you want all this to play out right here, I think we should get back to our tables."
"I'll be needing the cold shower tonight," she said. Leonard brushed a thumb over her cheek and smiled. "Len... what are your plans for the break?"
"I really don't have any," he said.
"Amber is going home for the two weeks. She leaves Friday. I was thinking you could come over, and we could be alone."
"Really alone."
"Yeah," she said. "Maybe you could even spend the night?"
"You sure? I thought we were taking it slow?"
"I'm not saying we have to do anything."
"That's a big temptation, darlin'."
"I know, but I want to be near you."
"What would I tell Jim? If I don't come home at night, he'll question me."
"Maybe we can tell him the truth."
"Yeah, right. I'm gonna say, 'hey, Jim, I've been secretly seeing your little sister and we're gonna be shacking up for two weeks.'"
"Good point."
Nora sighed and leaned up to kiss Leonard. He pulled her tight against him and they both groaned when he pulled away.
"I'll think of something," he said. "Come on."
He took her hand and led her back to where they had met up amongst the shelves.
"You go back to the table. I came in a different way. I'll be out in a few minutes."
The Kobayashi Maru turned out to be just as formidable as Leonard predicted. Jim failed. The three of them went out for drinks, even though Nora and Leonard both had exams the next day.
They sat in a booth at a bar. Jim sat on one side, while Leonard and Nora sat on the other. It was actually Jim's suggestion.
"I don't want women thinking we're together, Bitsy," Jim said.
"That's okay," she said, "I don't want guys thinking we're together."
Jim sat back and took a sip of his drink. "No more exams."
"Speak for yourself, kid," Leonard said. "I still have an exam tomorrow."
"Same here," Nora said.
"Well, then," I'm said, "you two won't be upset if I leave town tomorrow?"
"To go where," Nora asked.
"A little town up the coast. A couple of guys came and talked to me after the simulation. They said they went to this place to unwind after they tried and failed the Kobayashi Maru. On the beach, lots of girls. They said I'd have a good time."
"That's great, Jim," Nora said.
"You two won't feel like I'm leaving you behind?"
"We'll manage, kid," Leonard said.
"Awesome."
Leonard had one hand wrapped around his drink, and his other hand had been resting on the seat between him and Nora. He moved his hand to her knee while Jim spoke, and Nora knew he was thinking the same as she was. They wouldn't have to worry about what to tell Jim. The problem was, his hand stayed there, and began to gently massage the joint. It felt so nice that she almost moaned. She put her hand on top of his and tried to move it, but he swatted her away. His hand landed higher on her thigh, and she mentally cursed her decision not to change out of her cadet uniform skirt when Leonard's fingertips slipped beneath the hem. Goosebumps rose up over her entire body as his hand slid down the inside of her thigh and finally rested on her knee again. She slid from the seat and went to sit next to Jim.
"I'm going to head back to the dorm," she said.
"It's only ten thirty," Jim said.
"Yeah, and I have an exam at nine. I still need to shower and I want to go over my notes."
"You're hopeless," Jim said.
"You love me anyway."
"That I do."
She kissed his cheek and stood. So did Leonard.
"I'll go with you," he said.
"You, too, Bones?"
"I have an exam at eight. I need my sleep."
"I'll come by after my exam to see you off. I'll even help you pack, if you want."
"I'd love it. I hate packing."
"I don't even consider what you do packing."
Jim laughed. "You're probably right."
"See you tomorrow."
Leonard and Nora exited the bar and hailed a cab. The ride was quiet. Leonard leaned against the door, and Nora leaned against him, with her hand on his chest. Leonard wrapped his arms around her and combed his fingers through her hair.
Once they were out of the cab, they slowly strolled over the campus grounds toward Nora's dorm building. Just before they reached the main entrance, Leonard grabbed her wrist and turned her to face him.
"You still want us to spend the night together?"
"Yeah, but, like I said, not necessarily to-"
"I know. Look, I know I've kind of been attacking you lately..."
"Have you? I hadn't noticed," she said with a grin.
Leonard smiled, but it faded as he spoke again. "It's just that I haven't felt this way about a woman in a long time. And that includes my ex-wife."
Nora smiled. "I know I haven't shown it like you have, but I want you, too."
"I know. I can see it when you look at me, and I feel it when you touch me. Your hands tremble."
Leonard took her hand and held it to his chest.
"When I'm around you, I can't think straight," she said. "And when I'm not around you, I think about you... like you think about me."
"Pack a bag."
"What?"
"You're still planning on seeing Jim off tomorrow, right?"
"Right."
"Go upstairs, pack a bag with anything you might need for a couple of days, and bring it back to me. I'll put it under my bed and you won't have to leave once you're there tomorrow. We'll be together as soon as Jim leaves."
"You're a planner, McCoy."
"I am."
"I like that. Be back in a few minutes."
Nora ran upstairs, put some essentials and two changes of clothes in a bag, then headed back down to Leonard. She handed it to him and he put it on his shoulder, freeing his arms.
"Was your roommate up there?"
"No."
"Good," Leonard said. He pulled her into an embrace. "No one to question why I'm kissing you."
Nora sank into his body as he kissed her. This man was more than she ever imagined wanting. Leonard slowly pulled away and let her go.
"See you tomorrow, sweetheart."
"See you tonight," she said. Leonard gave her a confused look, so she added, "in my dreams."
Leonard chuckled. "Well, if we're counting dreams, I'll definitely see you tonight."