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"So what's stopping you from taking your sweet little ass down there and I don't know, surprising her?"

"Well, I don't know. I've never done that before, what if she doesn't want me there?"

"Pfft, she's probably more annoyed about missing tonight than you are. Take her some food and I don't know be with her?" I look at him thoughtfully, my teeth begin chewing at the corner of my bottom lip "look, it's your choice to make at the end of the day, but you're doing neither of you any good by sitting here sulking." With those parting words my demure boss brushes down his pants before standing and leaving me alone again. Picking up a pencil I tap it against the desk, he's makes a good point. What is stopping me from just going to the hospital and seeing her? Would she want to see me whilst she was at work? It's something I've never done before, I've never had a reason to. But, a year after we first bumped into each other in the Emergency Room, it almost seems fitting.

Mind made up I check my watch, our table was booked for seven and it's a little after five now. I make a mental plan and quickly gather my belongings before I can lose face and make my way out of the theatre.

***

"No, I don't have an appointment. I just need to see her for five minutes, can you tell me where I can find her?" I ask the receptionist for what feels like the twentieth time.

"I'm sorry, but without an appointment I can't allow you through." The receptionists tone is clipped as her eyes take in my frazzled appearance, I roll my eyes and am about to pull out my cell phone when a familiar voice sounds from behind me.

"Camila, what are you doing here?" I turn to see Lauren walking across the lobby, I forgot how good she looks in scrubs. The pale grey material hangs loosely over her body, but with her white coat and stethoscope hanging around her neck she looks every bit like something from my dirtiest fantasies. I clear my throat and step forward to kiss her cheek, the nerves thick in my stomach.

Why am I so nervous? Lauren looks confused as I stand before her, take out bag in hand and a small smile on my lips "well, I er, I figured since you're not in surgery and said you're going to be signing charts all night. You'd need to eat? And since you couldn't make it to dinner I figured..." I trail off, my eyes fixed on the floor, too scared to look at her and face the rejection I know is coming.

I feel Lauren’s fingers curl under my chin as she forces my eyes up to meet hers "so you figured you bring dinner to me?" I nod and watch as she smiles brightly at me and takes my hand "that's brilliant. Come on" I follow her dutifully as she leads me through the winding corridors of the hospital to one of the elevators. Pressing the call button, we stand side by side whilst we wait. I'm disappointed to see it's almost full when it opens, but this doesn't deter Lauren, she pulls me in by the hand guiding me towards the back where she situates me in front of her whilst she holds me by the hips.

I gasp when I feel her wayward fingers travel underneath my shirt, tracing the sensitive skin just above the waistband of my jeans setting my skin on fire. Lauren’s nose is buried in my hair, her breasts press against my back and even though I can't see her face, I know she's smiling. Tucked away in the corner of the crowded lift, it feels as though there's a static charged bubble surrounding us.

All to soon the lift stops at our floor and Lauren’s fingers shift from that soft patch of skin to the small of my back as she guides me out and back through another set of corridors until she brings me to a stop in front of a door "it's nothing special, but it's the only place in this bloody hospital that you can get anything done" she explains as she fumbles with the door handle before opening it and showing me into a dim room with a set of bunk beds and an untidy and cluttered desk.

Lauren moves quickly and begins pushing paperwork around the desk, organising them into piles. The disorganisation makes me smile a little, it's so unlike the neat freak I live with that I quirk an eyebrow and nod at the desk "so, it appears you're actually a little messy?" Lauren laughs and rubs the back of her neck, all the while looking at me with a sheepish smile.

"Something like that, sit. What did you bring me?" She eyes the bag greedily as I sit at the spare seat at the desk and begin emptying it. Containers fill the desk along with plastic cutlery and two bottles of beer.

"Well, I went to La Scala and told them we weren't going to be needing our reservation" Lauren’s sad look stops my words and I roll my eyes at her guilt ridden expression, leaning forward I kiss her nose and shake my head "don't look at me like that, it's fine I get it. Anyway, I ordered some take out. All your favourite dishes. I figured we could eat and then I could help you get through some of these so you may have a chance to actually come home for a few hours."

Lauren’s smile makes my heart flutter, even now I don't think I'll ever get used to her smiling for me like that. It never fails to turn me mushy on the inside, she takes my hand and brings it to her lips, placing soft kisses on the back of each of my fingers before kissing me firmly on the back of my hand. "You," she pauses to kiss my wrist "are the most wonderful," another pause as her lips press against the top of my arm "thoughtful," her lips ghost across my shoulder and I shiver under the caress "and kind woman I've ever met" her lips are on my cheek and make slow moves until they find their way to my waiting my mouth where she kisses me slowly, stoking the slow burning fire that's building in my gut.

It takes every inch of willpower I possess not to push her onto one of the beds behind us and show her just how much I love her, instead I return her kiss for a moment before pulling away and setting her with a smile of my own "shall we eat?"

***

"I still can't believe you can forge my signature" she says as we walk through the door of our shared apartment "I mean I can, but you do it so well!" I laugh at this and shrug my coat off before hanging it up in the closet and moving to the kitchen where Lauren’s already opening us each a beer.

Leaning against the doorway I watch her move around the kitchen with the same easy grace I've always admired, she pauses to pull her sneakers and socks off, throwing the socks into the hamper kept by the washer before turning around and spotting me watching her "like what you see?" She asks with a wink, I laugh and shrug my shoulders.

"It's ok I guess" I walk closer so I can wrap my arms around her waist and nuzzle her neck "much better up close" I finish before nipping at her ear. Lauren’s arms are soon around my own waist as she gazes down at me lovingly, her lips tugged up into a small smile "what are you smiling at?" I murmur, tightening my grip on her.

Her hands raise up to my face, pushing away stray hairs before the backs of her fingers trail down my cheeks "you, us. One year together, I never thought it would happen. Thankfully, you're inability to avoid knocking people on their arses..."

"I was the one being knocked down that time" I argue feebly causing Lauren to laugh loudly at me, kissing my nose as she shakes her head.

"Details, I'm glad it gave me the chance to make up for lost time." She waggles her eyebrows suggestively at me and I giggle "in more ways than one if you catch my drift" taking the hint I push her against the counter before melting my lips against hers. When I pull away her eyes are burning down into mine, lust filled and bright making my legs go weak.

"Laur?" I ask quietly.

"Yes my love?"

"Take me to bed." Before the last word has even left my mouth she lifts me up into her arms and begins making her way towards our bedroom, pausing only to press her lips firmly against mine. I waited a long time for this, but it was worth every second. Because now, with her, I'm where I belong. I'm home