"You've got to be kidding me," Lexie stated flatly as she stared back at a flustered looking Mark.
Less than an hour ago he couldn't get out fast enough and now he was back, standing in front of her and has the nerve to ask her of all people for a proposition of his own. Who the hell does this guy think he is? He made her look like an utter fool for crying out as she practically begged him to put on being a husband; her husband. She even offered him money for Pete's sake, like he was a slab of fresh meat that could be bought and used.
Man, Lexie mused, I might as well purchase my own ticket for the crazy train and ride it with the rest of my family for actually considering renting a husband in the form of Mark Sloan just to get them off my back.
Taking a step back, Lexie narrowed her eyes at the man standing before her.
"No—Thank you," she told him in a very calm and collected voice. It was a much different sounding voice than the desperate pleading tone she had used with him earlier. Not wanting to deal with him any longer than absolutely necessary, Lexie pasted a fake smile on her face. "Nice talking to you," she stated and promptly went to shut the door in his face, but Mark was quick on the draw and stuck his monster size foot in the way to block it.
She lifted her eyes to Mark and arched a brow. "Do you mind?" she asked, pointing at his foot which so obviously remained in her way.
Mark smirked. She was most certainly riled up something fierce and for some odd reason, he found her to be rather adorable in this state with her face set just so. It was the wrinkled forehead and the slightly curved mouth pouting into an almost perfectly shaped "O", neither of which went unnoticed by him. He could almost see himself kissing her succulent lips. That would have to wait until later though, he told himself. Right now he needed a wife and fast, preferably, Dr. Lexie Grey.
Crossing his hands over his chest, Mark stepped forward pushing his larger than life body into the skills lab. "As a matter of fact, I do mind," he said challengingly.
Lexie hesitated and took a few steps back. "Well...l," she stuttered and then stumbled backward awkwardly. "Well, get over it," she snapped. "I have things to do and patients to see," she added as she tried to shoulder past him. "None of which involves you."
Mark stuck his hands out and grasped her shoulders pulling her to a halt. "Not so fast, Dr. Grey, I patiently listened to your proposition. I think you should at least give me the same courtesy."
Mark Sloan is here just to rub her face in her own shame, didn't he; because that's what guys like him do. That was the exact reason she didn't want to get married. Men were imbeciles that only looked out for their number one; themselves. Well, Lexie was looking out for her now number one; herself.
Lexie lifted her head, cheeks flushed and nostrils flaring out wide. She looked like a baby wildcat ready to scratch his eyes out right about now. "Excuse me, Dr. Sloan; I don't have to do a damn th-,"
Mark wanted to grin but thought better of it considering the situation. Instead, he held his hands up, palms facing out in a surrender-like gesture cutting her off mid-sentence. "Will you please just shut up and hear out your future husband for a minute?"
Two words seemed to break through her fury at once. Future husband? Lexie stared up into the piercing eyes of Mark Sloan.
"What did you just say?"
This time Mark let the grin spread wide on his face. "I said your future husband," he clarified slower for her this time in a deep-toned voice.
Lexie froze; she must be dreaming. She shook her head in an effort to clear it and then starred back up at him. "You want to run that bit by me again?"
Mark tossed his head back and laughed at her dumbstruck expression. One minute she was a feisty little hellcat and the next she was as meek as a kitten.
"Listen, I will do this Hawaii thing for you and you won't have to pay me a dime. Instead, I need you to do me a favor."
Lexie's mind started to whirl about a hundred miles a minute. He did say that he wanted a favor in return. She could only imagine what type of favor a man like the cunning and resourceful Mark Sloan would want from her.
"What exactly is this favor?" she asked cautiously. Her mouth twitched a little at the corner bringing Mark's attention to how plump and tempting those pink lips of hers could really be.
Clearing his throat, Mark straightened himself and stared her in the eyes. "I need you to be my wife."
"O-Okay," she said slowly. There has to be more to it than that. Obviously, she would be his wife, all in pretend of course.
Mark cleared his throat again and this time looked a little more uncomfortable. "I mean, I need you to be my wife in front of my mother."
Lexie sat down in the chair that was just behind her. This was good. This was really good, she mused sarcastically. "Your mother, huh?" she asked chuckling to herself.
Mark averted his gaze. This part of the conversation was the part that made him a little more compromising. Rubbing his palms on the side of his legs, in an effort to dry them, he tried to smile.
"Yeah, she has it in her head now that she suddenly wants grand-babies, one boy and one girl to be exact." He snorted at the memory of her stating that little fact back in his office. "She had all but demanded that I should marry one of those stuck up debutantes back at home and there is no way that I can do that. No freaking way. So…" he reverted his mien and glanced up at Lexie with her immobilized gaze, "I sort of already told her that I was married and now…now I need a wife."
Lexie wanted to laugh at the sudden irony of the situation.
"You," she said pointing at him, "Need a wife?"
Mark nodded eagerly, thankful that she seemed to understand the situation.
Lexie sat in the chair for a moment drumming her fingers on the armrest and thought about it. This could be the perfect answer to both of their problems; they would ultimately hit two birds with one stone. One fake marriage equals two happy families. What could possibly go wrong?
Mark was sweating it out as he stood in front of Lexie. What could be so hard about making this decision? She wanted a pretend husband and here he was offering her one on a silver platter. They both could play the happily married couple and they both win by getting overzealous parents off their backs. What could possibly go wrong?
Standing up, Lexie held out her hand to Mark. "Alright, deal," she said, smiling sweetly.
Mark smiled back in return feeling like a lead weight had been lifted off his shoulders. "Alright," he agreed, taking her smaller hand in his much larger one. Being this close to Lexie he couldn't help but notice the bright shimmer of her lip gloss coating those tempting lips that had been taunting him all afternoon. "How about we seal the deal with a kiss?"
Before Lexie could protest a demanding mouth came crashing down on hers. At first, she was taken by surprise at his boldness but quickly succumbed to the tenderness as he coaxed her into sweet oblivion.
If felt so right even though Lexie knew in the back of her head it was so wrong. She knew that she should stop Mark from devouring her so wholly, but for the life of her, she couldn't find it in her to pull away. It was just too good.
"Am I interrupting something?"
Both Mark and Lexie jumped apart and stared at the door where April Kepner was frowning at the pair.
Mark was grinning away looking very much like a sly Cheshire cat and stated boldly, "Yes."
At the same time, Lexie looked like a petulant child being caught red-handed with her hand in the cookie jar squealing, "No!"
April lifted a questioning brow and then shook her head in disbelief. "Don't say I didn't warn you," she spoke directly to Lexie and then shuffled back out of the room closing the door behind her.
Lexie watched her friend leave and for a second wondered if she was making a terrible mistake. Lifting her fingers she touched her swollen lips that still tingled from his kiss. Nah, she told herself. She had this situation completely under control. It wouldn't be a problem at all whatsoever. 'I can handle Mark Sloan', she said to herself.
The sound of her beeper buzzing pulled Lexie's attention back to reality.
She was startled at the sound and turned to Mark who was staring at her intently. Blushing brighter than a ripened tomato she quickly turned away exiting the room leaving Mark alone.
Let me know what you think..