Open Heart One Shots (Choices)

Private Celebrations

Summary: Aftera major team win, Cassie's in the mood to celebrate. When the drinks startflowing, Ethan discovers a new side to his girlfriend's personality. Set in my somewhat AU where Ethan and Cassie are keeping their relationship private in the first few months of year 2.

Rating: Mature (implied sexual content and language)

It was times like these that Cassie Valentine knew she had made the right decision to become a doctor. The long hours, early morning starts and occasional brush with rude and inconsiderate people could all be forgotten as long as she had a handful of cases where she made a true difference to someone's life.

"It feels good, doesn't it?"

Cassie watched her mentor Ethan Ramsey step up to stand beside her outside the hospital entrance and wave good-bye to their latest patient.

The little girl, not quite six yet, had suffered through a gamut of tests and scans ordered by various specialists over a period of several months before she was finally referred to Edenbrook's Diagnostics team. The team had worked tirelessly to identify the cause of her illness and prepare a treatment plan that would significantly improve her quality of life.

"The best," replied Cassie, a smile breaking across her face as she gazed up at him. "This is exactly why I became a doctor."

"I thought you became a doctor because you read my book," teased Ethan.

They walked back inside, crossing the busy atrium to reach the elevator bank, careful to keep a respectable distance between them.

"And what did you write about in your book, Dr. Ramsey? Helping patients, solving medicine's mysteries, that's what!" exclaimed Cassie, not giving him a chance to respond.

As the elevator doors closed behind them, she was finally free to lace her fingers through his, enjoying the sensation as he stroked her hand with his thumb. It was their silent way of saying, "I want you. I need you."

All too soon, the elevator stopped at their floor, and they broke apart. Ethan moved back as the doors opened, waving his hand to have her proceed him as they exited the car.

June and Baz were still sitting around the conference table, discussing the case, when Ethan and Cassie came back to the office.

"...it's definitely worth a write-up for medical journals," June was saying as Cassie took her place next to Baz.

"What is?" asked Cassie, reaching for the last donut in the box, pleased to find when she bit into it that it was the custard one.

"Kelsey's case," said Baz, referencing their young patient. "Majority of CVID cases manifest in adults, but most patients likely experience symptoms at a young age. What we uncovered with Kelsey and the plan we've developed for managing her condition could help others."

"I agree," said Ethan. "I have a good relationship with the editor of NEJM. Let's see what he says, but we did something good today, Team."

"You guys, we did more than good. We helped a little girl who would have likely spent months and months being treated as a pin cushion," declared Cassie. "This is huge ─ we need to celebrate!"

"I agree with Cassie," said Baz, catching her enthusiasm. "Drinks at Donahue's tonight. First round is on me!"

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That night Ethan learned that Cassie turned playful after three drinks and flirtatious after five. After seven, she thought she was being sexy. Ethan couldn't help silently laughing at her attempts to seduce him in the booth they'd commandeered at the back of the bar.

Luckily, June had left after one drink and Baz after three. Otherwise, Ethan wasn't sure how he would have explained to others why Cassie thought it was acceptable to nip her boss's ear as she whispered loudly how hot he looked in his green leather jacket.

Surprisingly, alcohol hadn't slurred her speech, but did loosen her inhibitions and her sense of depth, not to mention turned her voice husky in a way that was turning him on.

Her hands roamed over his chest, slowly angling down past his belt as she tried to rub him between his legs but missing completely when her hands landed on his thighs instead.

Given Donahue's was a favorite among the staff at Edenbrook, Ethan considered themselves lucky that it was a relatively slow weeknight. That and the muted lighting (Reggie's way of keeping the electric bill low) coupled with the high booth kept them relatively hidden from the other patrons.

"I wanted you from the first moment you held my hand," she whispered, leaning in to trace his jaw with her tongue.

"Is that right?" he responded, unable to keep the amusement from his voice. "Do emergency thoracotomies in the middle of a waiting room make you horny, Dr. Valentine?"

"You make me horny, Dr. Ramsey," she cried out, her voice rising so that Ethan had to turn his head to check that no one was nearby.

"I get wet just thinking about your blue eyes and how your hands feel on my body. And when you're moving inside me, pounding into me," her voice dropped to a whisper as she moved to straddle him. "I want to scream so loud that everyone in your building knows exactly how hard you fucked me."

"Jesus, Rookie," he said, his voice strangled as he felt the flush cover his face. "Are you trying to kill me?"

"You couldn't fuck me then and I really want you to, right now," she said, trailing kisses down his throat and sucking the skin on his exposed collarbone.

"We're getting out of here before you have us arrested," he said, setting her aside to exit the booth.

He reached for her hand, helping her slide out of the tight space. He tightened the arm he slid around her lower back, tucking her to his side when she stumbled.

"Oops," she laughed when she crashed into him, her fingers digging into his side as she tried to hold on. "I've got you now, Dr. Ramsey," she giggled.

Glancing around to make sure no one was paying attention to them, he led her outside through the back entrance. Using the semi-lit pathway behind the building, they cut across to the hospital parking lot where he'd left his car.

He held her up against the car as he unlocked the passenger door. Making sure she was buckled in tight, he walked around the front to enter the driver's side and felt a wave of tenderness rise when he saw how she was holding her head.

She was so going to regret this tomorrow, he thought with a smirk.

As he drove back them back to his apartment, he laughed remembering how handsy she'd gotten. She was always teasing him, but he finally had something to hold over her. And it was a good one too.

Dr. Valentine was a flirty drunk and she was all his.