Summary: Planning a perfect Valentine's Day dinner for your girlfriend should be commended, unless you're dating Cassie Valentine.
Rating: Mature with light NSFW.
Dr. Ethan Ramsey had never seen the point of Valentine's Day. It was a made-up holiday (not even a holiday truth be told), designed by retailers to sell more greeting cards, chocolates and flowers.
Not that he begrudged anyone their ability to make money, the economy being what it was. He just didn't participate in perpetuating the fallacy of expressing one's devotion through mass-produced platitudes.
And yet, here he was on the phone trying to reserve a table last minute at Cassie's favorite Italian restaurant and failing miserably.
Ever since he'd declared his love for her in front of the entire hospital two weeks ago, he'd felt he ought to make an effort for Valentine's Day. It was what one did when they were in a committed relationship, he supposed. Cassie loved romantic gestures and would be expecting something, even if she hadn't said anything all week.
At least he'd been able to order the flowers online much faster. And he'd managed to grab the last box of passion fruit-raspberry artisan chocolates from the store she liked in Back Bay.
"I see," he said tuning back into the conversation on the phone. "I understand. I'll figure something out, Armand. Thanks for trying."
Disappointed, he ended the call with the restaurant manager. Looks like going out tonight was a non-starter unless they wanted to spend half the night waiting in line with no guarantee of a table at the end of it. Time for Plan B.
He checked his calendar to see if he could leave early to go grocery shopping. He could pick up the ingredients for a traditional lasagna and just make it at home. If he doctored the jar tomato sauce with the right herbs and spices, it should be good enough. He had an excellent cabernet at home that would suit the occasion and would add body to the sauce.
Candles, some music to set the mood, dancing with the living room lights turned down low against the view of the Bay outside. All that followed by a slow seduction in the bedroom was guaranteed to make their first Valentine's Day memorable.
It could work, he thought, inwardly pleased with the revised plan.
He blocked out his calendar and was about to text Cassie to invite her to his place after shift when the glass doors slid open and she and Baz Mirani walked in.
"I'm telling you, Baz, it was a very near thing," Cassie was saying, her arms gesticulating as she narrated her story, throwing Ethan a quick smile. "If my friends and I hadn't figured out the meds were amplifying each other, the team would not have made it to the World Series let alone win it."
"Why haven't I heard this before?" he asked excitedly, sending a nod to Ethan by way of greeting as they both took their seats at the conference table.
June Hirata arrived shortly after as Cassie finished her tale with how Jake Sandburg, who had also testified at her ethics hearing last year, had invited her and her friends to the team's spring training in Florida later this month.
"If we're done reminiscing, let's get to work," said Ethan, keeping his tone neutral as he walked over to stand at the head of the table.
Straightening his coat, he switched on the LCD screen and pulled up their patient's latest scans. As they discussed the results and brainstormed ideas, he didn't like the way June watched him or Cassie out of the corner of her eyes, as if wanting to call them out for any signs of impropriety.
She was going to be disappointed. Dr. Cassie Valentine wasn't one to let anything or anyone get in the way of work, especially not her boyfriend.
And wasn't that a strange word to apply to himself, he thought, after all these years of non-commitment. And yet, he who hated grand gestures had stood in the middle of a busy atrium making the grandest gesture of all for the woman he loved as if they were starring in a damn Hallmark movie.
"Valentine, take another pass at the patient, find out everything you can about his lifestyle," he said at the end of the meeting, divvying up the work. "Mirani, I want you to check the journals for similar symptoms and case studies. Hirata, you're on point for a team regroup later today. I'm taking some personal time in the afternoon and will be away from the hospital."
"Is everything okay, Dr. Ramsey?" Cassie asked, watching him with a worried look in her eyes.
Baz repeated the question in much the same manner and June's gaze ping-ponged between him and Cassie, eyebrows rising when it became obvious Cassie was in the dark too.
"Ethan Ramsey taking personal time. Did the world turn on its axis?" June sneered a touch too nastily.
Clearly, the world was ending if him taking a few hours for himself caused such a reaction in his team.
"Yes, yes, everything is fine," he huffed impatiently, eyebrows snapping in annoyance at the questions and June's tone. "Just do what I asked, please. Team dismissed."
June was going to be a problem, thought Ethan once he was alone, and he would need to address it sooner rather than later. He made a note to speak to Naveen about it, get his guidance, and then shelved the entire matter as he headed out to see his patients.
Later that evening, Cassie pressed the buzzer outside Ethan's building and waited for him to let her in. He had texted her earlier asking her to meet him at this apartment after shift. She had sighed in relief upon hearing from him, still worried about his earlier announcement.
He never left early or took personal time unless it had to do with his mother Louise. Cassie knew she was still in rehab, but maybe something had happened. A relapse or worse.
If that was the case, Cassie wasn't sure how Ethan would handle it. He had reluctantly agreed to give his mother a second chance, but those scars ran too deep and would take years to heal.
When the elevator stopped at his floor, she shook away her grim thoughts. Clutching the strap of her purse, she marched determinedly towards his door and rang the doorbell.
What she saw when he opened the door had her going still as if she'd walked into a wall. The living room lighting was subdued, soft music echoed behind him and the most delicious smells permeated the air.
"What's all this?" asked Cassie, walking past him to stop in the middle of the room.
The kitchen island was set for a candle-lit dinner, the flames flickering gently. Two wine glasses and a bottle of red wine stood next to a beautiful bouquet of red roses.
"Happy Valentine's Day, love," said Ethan, entwining their fingers together and bending to brush his lips against her in a tender kiss.
Cassie closed her eyes and let out a short scream of frustration causing Ethan's hand in hers to jump before she dropped it.
"Are you fucking kidding me right now?" she griped, stepping back and folding her arms across her chest. "Is this why you left work early today?"
"Yes," he said, his face and tone showing his confusion at her contrary reaction. "I tried to get us a table at La Roma, but I thought of it too late and nothing was available. It's not the same thing, but hopefully the lasagna comes close to what you like. For dessert, I picked up gelato from..."
His voice trailed off when her eyes went wide at the litany of things he'd done.
"Ethan..." she began, stabbing her fingers into her hair like she did when she was frustrated. And then she took a deep breath to center herself.
"I appreciate all this," she spread her arms to indicate the romantic setting, "but I hate this day. I wasn't kidding last year when I told you that. I know you don't believe in it too, so I'm just lost as to why you went to all this trouble."
Ethan flipped through his brain for the conversation they'd had after a visit to Naveen's hospital room on Valentine's Day and how his mentor had teased them about it. When they stepped out into the hall, she told him to never mention this day to her. Something to do with being teased for it all her life because of her last name.
Given what had happened in Miami and their conversation in the lab about inevitability, Ethan had thought she was trying to save face and prevent any more awkwardness between them.
Looking at her now and the deadly serious expression on her face, he realized she hadn't been doing anything of the sort. No wonder she didn't say anything all week or even this morning during their coffee break at Derry's.
As far as she was concerned, it really was just another day but sadly one where her family name was used as a greeting or a punch line. No wonder she hated it.
"I'm sorry, Cassie. I guess I got our signals mixed," he said sheepishly, scratching the back of his head before. "I love you?"
"Nice try," she countered, "but that won't get you off the hook. I do love that you did all this for me even though I know you hated it. But I'd rather celebrate another way."
"What way is that?" he grinned, sensing the tension ease.
She leered and then nodded towards the windows. "Remember our first time? I want you to take me up like you did then, make it last as long as you can. Do what only you can do to me and make my world go black with desire. All night long."
He stepped into her space. His hands framed her face, his thumbs stroking her cheeks as his blue eyes locked with her green ones. He swooped down to cover her mouth, his tongue darting inside to tangle with hers, capturing her moans.
Her hands gripped his hips, pulling him close, pressing her body against his. He broke off the explosive kiss, panting as he tried to catch his breath.
She reached for his belt, undoing the buckle before unbuttoning and unzipping his pants. Her hand slipped inside the opening to stroke him through his boxer briefs and he groaned, pushing himself into her eager fingers.
"Take them off," she growled, pushing him back on to the couch.
She climbed on top of him, her thighs straddling his. He lifted his hips as she pulled his pants down and then off, throwing them somewhere in the distance.
His shirt was next as she unbuttoned it and spread it open, raking her fingers down his chest. She peppered kisses along his collarbone before drifting below to swirl her tongue over his nipples.
"I thought I was the one supposed to be seducing you," he teased, head thrown back as she trailed kisses down his torso and slipped her fingers below the band of his underwear.
"You'll get your chance," she said, looking up at him with a wicked grin, her slumberous eyes half hidden beneath long lashes. "First I need to thank you properly for the lasagna, the wine, the gelato. Consider this the appetizer round."
Before she could go further, he reached down to pull her back up and kissed her deeply. Keeping her locked against him, his lips moved urgently against hers, not letting up until they were both aching with want.
"If it's the first time you're after, Rookie," he smirked, "I believe we need to change the scene."
With that, he grasped her hips, holding tight as he stood up from the couch and carried her into the bedroom, setting her down in front of the wall-to-ceiling windows.
"Now, what did you say about dessert?" he said, gazing into her eyes, the smile curving her lips all too familiar.
"I believe you're supposed to show me the view," she challenged, leaning back against the glass and spreading her legs open.
"You're wearing too many clothes," he said, reaching for the hem of her dress and tugging it over her head, dropping it to the floor.
"Now that you've solved that pesky problem," she teased, "what's next?"
He pressed his body along her front, feeling the cold glass as he clasped her hands and raised her arms above her head, holding them against the window. His lips cruised over her jaw before tracing the shell of her ear with his tongue, enjoying the shivers that ran through her as he suckled one breast, then the other.
By the time he knelt in front her, her thighs were quivering from anticipation, her core glistening from desire. Impatient, she clutched the back of his head and tugged him close, offering herself. His mouth closed over her center, his tongue swirling the nub, stabbing inside as her moans rose.
He glanced up, his grip on her hands tightening so that she was forced to open her eyes and meet his gaze. Eyes locked together, he took her over the edge, catching her in his arms when she melted and her world went black.
Later, he lay in bed staring at the ceiling, his arms wrapped around Cassie who was asleep, her head nestled into his shoulder. He thought back to the grand plans he'd made for today and silently laughed when he realized that only one thing had gone according to plan.
If this was how she preferred to celebrate Valentine's Day from now on, or not celebrate it as the case may be, then he was very much along for the ride.
He had finally found someone who challenged him in every way possible; someone he didn't have to pretend with. And nothing said inevitable better than that.