Ross Hardwick took another sip of champagne and managed to avoid making eye contact with Julia Christianson across the rather crowded art gallery, despite her efforts to attract his attention. He supported the charity wholeheartedly, but here was a reason he hated these galas. It seemed that many people had forgotten the reason for the gala and were more focused on trying to get him on a date.

Not that Ross was above taking someone home, but he was only interested in one night of pleasure, and they inevitably wanted more. It came with having a relatively large price tag attached to his name, he supposed. At times like these he wished he was still poor and anonymous. But he couldn’t regret his success for long, not when he could throw his financial weight and medical expertise behind organizations like Hearts in Hands.

Hearts in Hands was his favorite of the few charities that he supported. Most charities, such as World Wildlife Fund, he donated to every year around Christmas. A select few, usually those with a medical bent such as local cancer foundations, received more frequent donations from him, along with his occasional presence at a fundraiser. But Hearts in Hands dealt specifically with funding research into heart diseases and the life-saving medical care that heart patients couldn’t otherwise afford. Ross had done extensive research into their board of directors, founders, history, budget, and spending when he’d considered donating to them, and he had yet to be disappointed. He may have chosen to be a surgeon, but heart disease was an issue that meant a lot to him, and he was glad to be able to fund efforts to ensure that heart patients received the care they desperately needed regardless of their financial situation.

He supposed that getting hit on by women (and the occasional man) was worth suffering through if it meant that he got to throw his weight behind such a good cause.

Ross turned towards one of the paintings on the wall and pretended to be avidly studying it. Normally his interest in the painting would be genuine, seeing as it was an exhibition on the Cubists and he was a fan, but for the moment his mind was occupied with plans to escape Julia.

He turned to survey the exits, and found his gaze snagging on someone he’d never seen before. Being a huge contributor to Hearts in Hands, he generally knew who their biggest donors were. He was friends with everyone on the board, and he tended to see the same people at these galas. But this woman was new, and intriguing. She was tall, and her hair was a cascading mess of light red ringlets. She had somehow arranged those tight bouncing curls in such a way that they looked wild while still retaining a lovely shape around her heart-shaped face. It was her eyes that kept him looking, though. Not merely for their lovely light blue-green coloring, but the unmistakable look of trepidation in them. The poor woman looked out of her element. In fact, she looked rather like Ross felt.

Well, never let it be said that he didn’t come to a woman’s rescue when needed.

Ross crossed the room, surprised that, despite his rather obvious beeline for her, the woman didn’t seem to notice him until he was right at her elbow. “Excuse me.”

The woman jumped and turned to look at him, her hand tightening on her glass of champagne. “Can I help you?” Her voice was light and airy, but in a false way, as if she were forcing it to sound helpful. Ross had heard that tone plenty of times from workers in customer service. Hell, he’d heard it in his own voice back when he’d been working as a waiter.

“Actually, I was wondering if I could help you.” He smiled in what he hoped was a reassuring fashion.

The woman smiled back at him, but her eyebrows drew together in confusion. “I’m sorry?”

“You seemed a little lost,” Ross explained. “And I’m in dire need of a conversation partner.”

“Oh, no, I’m…” Her voice trailed off and she looked around the room, as if looking for something. Her gaze slid back to him. “Sorry, I’m being rude. I’m Sharon Talcott, new head of PR for Hearts in Hands.”

Come to think of it, he did vaguely recall someone mentioning that the charity had hired someone new. Hard worker, first big gig, something like that.

Sharon held out her hand for him to shake. Ross took it, noting how much smaller her hands were than his. Her grip was strong, though. Small but strong. He liked that. He held Sharon’s hand and gaze a little longer than strictly necessary, noting with pleasure how her breath seemed to catch in her throat. She really was lovely. Her dark green dress brought out the color of her eyes and complimented the fire of her hair. If only he could smooth away the tightness in her shoulders and the tense set of her jaw. Then again, perhaps he could.

“I thought I heard that H-I-H was hiring someone new. Congratulations.”

Sharon snorted and dropped his hand. “Congratulate me after this gala goes well.”

“First time organizing one of these?” Ross snagged some hors d’oeuvres and offered one to Sharon. She smiled up at him, her entire face lighting up, and Ross felt warmth spread in his chest. Sappy, of course, but his pleasure in helping people was part of why he’d become a surgeon.

“My first time with this organization. Everything’s on a much… more expensive scale than I’m used to.” Sharon gave him a small smile, one that seemed surprisingly self-deprecating. “This was practically my first task once I took on the position and I haven’t really had time to get used to anything yet.”

“I’ve been to a lot of these things,” Ross said, “And I can promise you that you did well. I appreciate the choice of gallery.”

Sharon’s smile grew, lighting up her entire face again. She really was attractive. And in she appeared to be in need of de-stressing. Ross smiled. “Are you a fan of Cubist art?”

“I’m afraid I’m more of an Impressionist girl.” Sharon sounded like she was under valuing herself again, her voice dipping down. “Renoir, Monet, that sort.”

“You don’t have to sound ashamed of it.” Ross offered his arm. “I can talk to you about it, if you’d like. You’d be saving my ass, anyway.”

“I’d be saving you?” Sharon laughed. “Sounds like it’s the other way around.”

She took his arm, and Ross began to lead her around the room. “So why do you need rescuing?” She asked.

Ross swallowed. It seemed silly to say it out loud. “At these gatherings people tend to… take it as an opportunity to try and solicit me for dates.”

“Oh no, you’re handsome and rich, how awful,” Sharon teased. Her eyes widened as soon as she said it, like she was a little horrified at herself. Ross didn’t know if she was horrified for teasing him so soon or for admitting that she thought he was handsome, but either way he liked that she’d said it.

He gave her arm a light squeeze. “You think I’m handsome?”

“I suspect you know that, since you have all these people clamoring to be your date.”

“I’m not saying I was unaware of my looks, I’m asking if you like them.”

“Maybe.” Sharon looked up at him through her lashes, a little coy, and Ross felt his grin turn wolfish. “What’s so bad about going on a date? You might be surprised at how much you like the person.”

“I’m not interested in dating at the moment. I’ve got too much else on my plate.” And I’m not making the mistake of dating again, he thought but didn’t add. That was far too long a story to get into right now, and far too personal to discuss with someone he’d just met, no matter how pretty she was.

Sharon nodded. “I understand that. I’ve got a lot going on too, adjusting to this new job. Nobody has time.”

“Especially if the date doesn’t work out, then it’s hours wasted.”

Sharon gave a little shudder. “Or they turn out to be creeps.”

“I hope I’m not giving you that impression.”

Sharon looked up at him through her lashes again. “So far you’re doing well.”

“So far?”

“Well you haven’t compared me to previous exes or talked to me like I'm a doll that's just supposed to nod and agree with everything you say."

Ross chuckled. He'd observed more than a few dates going that way, seeing the man go on and on while the woman was forced to just nod and smile in a pained sort of way. "Isn't nodding and smiling a big part of PR?"

Sharon snorted. "Some people seem to think so. It pisses them off when I put my foot down. PR is about taking care of your company and your company's image, and sometimes that means going to bat for your company. It means being willing to take the heat when some big shot at the company gets drunk and appears in the tabloids, or a celebrity that worked with you goes to rehab, or somebody embezzles. I mean, yeah, there's a lot of making nice and more ass kissing than I'd like, but it doesn't mean I don't have a backbone."

Her voice took on a firmer tone as she spoke. If this was how she acted in the office and with clients, Ross could see why HiH had hired her. "I like your conviction."

Sharon blushed faintly, and Ross filed that observation away for use later. Good at her job, sure of her abilities, but stressed out by the gala. Firm in her stance, yet easily embarrassed by compliments. What a lovely set of contradictions.

"Dating can be a risk, of course," he went on, "I've always preferred skipping right to the end of the night, if both parties are interested." He let his gaze travel down her body, taking in her lithe frame and long legs.

Sharon's blush deepened, but after a moment she raised her head to meet his gaze. "And are you interested?"

"I think that I'd be flattered to take a beautiful woman like you home for the night."

"You'd be flattered?" Sharon laughed. "The guy that everyone else is clamoring to date would be the flattered one if we hooked up."

"Sharon." Ross tipped his head at the room around them. "Do me a favor and take a look around. I'd say there are at least five men in here glaring at me because I got to you before they did."

In fact, he gave one of those men a level stare as they passed by. The man in question was Lewis Malchire, another one of HiH's big donors. Ross ordinarily didn't have anything against Lewis who was a big football fan and had a good sense of humor but he wanted to make it clear that nobody else would be muscling in on Sharon. Not tonight, anyway. Although, if things went well tonight, she could become a regular hookup. It would make these galas easier to endure, anyway.

Hold on, what? He hadn't even gotten the woman into bed with him yet and he was considering making this a regular thing? Ross clenched his jaw and cleared his thoughts.

"You're exaggerating." Sharon glanced hurriedly around the room, as if afraid everyone would know what she was thinking as she did it.

"You're stressed," Ross noted, taking in how her shoulders stiffened.

Sharon nodded. "As I said, first big gala."

"Let me help you ease some of that. Get that tension out of your body."

Sharon looked over at him. "I can't tell if you're serious or not. Men don't usually... just come up like this."

"I believe in cutting right to the chase." He reached up, tucking one of her tight curls behind her ear. He let his fingers trail along her jaw as he did so, and he saw her inhale shakily. He lowered his voice. "I'm sure no one would mind if you ducked out just a little early."

Sharon glanced around again, this time a little guiltily. "I don't want anyone to think I'm skipping out."

"You set this whole thing up. And I'm betting you've got an assistant who can handle closing duties."

Sharon ran her teeth over her lower lip. Ross wanted to lean in and bite into it - turn that stress into something exciting and erotic. He turned her until they were both facing a painting, ostensibly to discuss it, but really so that he had an excuse to slip his arm around her waist. He leaned in close enough for his lips to brush the shell of her ear as he murmured, "Let's turn something boring and stressful into something fun, shall we?"

Sharon shivered. Ross let his thumb swipe slowly along the fabric encircling her waist. "I'll admit it's... tempting," Sharon said.

"You're tempting."

She inhaled again at that, a shaky breath that made her pulse flutter in her throat. Ross wanted to put his lips there, his tongue, maybe even his teeth, scraping lightly along the column of her neck...

"Okay." Sharon nodded. "O-okay. Sure. Let's go back to your place."

Ross grinned, baring his teeth in a way that he knew made him look rather predatory. Sharon turned her head just in time to see it, and Ross had the pleasure of seeing her pupils dilate in response.

He took a small step back, putting some space between them, and pointed to the exit. Sharon let out a breath, her eyes a bit wide. Oh, he was going to have fun taking her apart. Maybe he could even get her to scream.

She disappeared into the crowd for a moment, undoubtedly to talk to her assistant. Ross waited near the door. Hopefully some guest wouldn’t suck Sharon into a conversation, or Sharon’s assistant wouldn’t be upset about being asked to take over. It reminded him of when he was with Amanda, always waiting on her, always playing second fiddle to her latest possible scoop or story. Sometimes she’d stand him up because she was ‘tracking down a lead.’ At the time, he hadn’t wanted to complain, knowing how much her career meant to her. After all, his job as a surgeon meant that there were times he had to drop everything to rush in and help a patient. But that sick, restless feeling, that feeling of being left behind like a toy or a pet to just wait until Amanda returned…

He shook himself a little. It amazed him, really, how the memories still rose up and clung to him after all of this time. It wasn’t PTSD he would never presume to call it that but in moments like these, the feeling of being used and manipulated was still fresh and raw.

Thank God he didn’t have to deal with any of that anymore. Now he had simplicity. And for tonight he had Sharon, who was making her way back to him through the crowd. She looked a little flushed, and there was a gleam in her eye that Ross recognized from his previous hook-ups: the thrill of doing something bad.

“She said she’s fine with it,” Sharon said. She smiled tentatively up at Ross, the edges of her mouth wavering around it like she was still unsure that this was the right thing.

“See? Told you,” Ross said. “You deserve to duck out a little early. Trust me, there’s going to be plenty of nights where you’ll be stuck here for hours. HiH might not be too well known outside of Pittsburgh, but this is a big city and they host a lot of events.”

“They’re not too well known outside of Pittsburgh yet,” Sharon corrected. Ambitious then. Ross bit hard on the inside of his cheek to keep from smiling, sure that Sharon would mistake his delight for condescension. HiH needed someone with ambition like hers to get them onto the national stage.

Not to mention that Ross had found that ambition and confidence translated well into the bedroom. He was definitely looking forward to this encounter. Good thing he didn’t live far.

They gathered their coats and Ross let Sharon lead him to her car. He'd taken a taxi to the gala since he never knew when he'd be too tipsy to drive home. Better safe than sorry.

The car ride was quiet, broken only by Ross giving Sharon directions to his apartment just a couple of blocks away, but it wasn’t without tension. He put his hand on her leg once they'd buckled themselves in, and when Sharon hadn't moved it, he'd slowly slid it higher as she drove. He could feel the heat radiating off of her, her hands gripping the steering wheel so tightly that her knuckles were white. By the time they parked he could brush his fingertips along the lace of her underwear, her dress hiked up around her creamy legs. He could feel the minute tremble in her body every time he moved his hand up, her tremors fueling the heat inside him. He wanted to see if she was wet yet, and wondered if, had the drive only been longer, she'd have spread her thighs and let him move his hand higher, perhaps even letting him slip his fingers underneath the hem of her underwear...

Sharon threw the car into park. "Th-this is it, 254, like you said."

Ross glanced out the window. It was, in fact, his apartment complex. "Excellent parking skills."

He noticed that Sharon's mouth twitched in response, almost as though she were trying to hide a pleased smile. So, she liked praise. Useful information.

Ross got out and hurried around the car to open the door for her, offering a hand to help her stand. Sharon took it, but he didn't let go once the car door was closed, intertwining their fingers so he could lead her. The night doorman, Jose, was working on a crossword as they passed. "Gala went well, Dr. H?"

"Better than usual," Ross replied, giving Sharon's hand a squeeze. She kept her eyes on the ground, as though she thought Jose would judge them. Jose had seen plenty of Ross's hookups over the years, though, and if he did judge Ross for it he'd managed to do an excellent job of pretending otherwise. "Jose, this is Sharon. It's okay if she leaves her car outside, right?"

"Should be fine, but I'll get her a guest pass." Jose began rifling through the drawers for one. As he did so, Sharon raised her eyes and glanced at the crossword.

"Nasturtium."

Jose and Ross both looked at her. "What?"

"Nasturtium. 6 across, ten letter word for a low growing, edible, and brightly colored flower, often used in salads."

Ross stared at her. PR for a major charity, understood art, and good at crossword puzzles. He couldn't wait to get his hands on her. "Has anyone told you that you're quite intelligent?"

There it was again, the twist to her lips like she was hiding a smile. This time she blushed slightly as well. She definitely liked praise, then. Ross fully planned on taking advantage of that.

Jose emerged with the guest pass. "I'll put this on your windshield, if you'd like."

"Thanks, Jose." Ross gently led Sharon towards the elevator. "Have a good night."

"You too, Dr. H."

Once they got into the elevator, Ross wasted no time in crowding her up against the wall, his hands on her hips. He paused just for a moment, his face an inch from hers, just in case. To his pleasure, Sharon didn't pull away or stiffen, but rather she arched up into his touch, pressing her body up against his.

"I could devour you," he admitted. He ducked his head and ran his lips lightly over her pulse point before scattering a few kisses along her jaw.

Sharon's hands came up to grip his shoulders and she pressed herself closer to him, tilting her head so she could give him better access to her sweet-smelling skin. "Ross..." her voice sounded shaky and breathy. He loved it. "Ross, the... the elevator's stopped."

He pulled back a little and realized that it had. A second later, the doors opened. "I can't help it if you're distracting."

"I could argue that you were the one doing the distracting," Sharon replied, a teasing note in her voice. She darted past him into the hallway and crooked a finger at him.

Ross gave her another devilish grin and advanced on her, pleased with how her eyes went wide again. She let him grab her by the waist and pull her in. "I could argue that it’s time I kissed you properly."

He ducked down, pressing their mouths together in a crushing kiss. Sharon's lips opened on a small gasp and he ran his tongue over her bottom lip. Sharon opened her mouth wider in response and let him slip his tongue inside. His tongue tangled with hers, and then he slowly moved in and out of her mouth, imitating what he wanted to do with her body. Sharon pulled back for a moment, gasping, but then pressed back in, letting him kiss her as deeply as he wanted. He kept at it, diving in again and again. He loved how pliant she was, how she pressed up against him and wound her arms around his neck, how she shuddered when he palmed her ass and hiked her up against his body. Her responsiveness drove him wild.

He needed to get her into his bed right now, or they might never make it that far. But he remembered how she'd let him take the lead, and her reaction to his praise, and he knew that if he could only hold onto his patience he'd have plenty of fun with her tonight.

Which actually reminded him... "Sharon." He pulled back. "I'm sorry I'm just now remembering to mention this. I usually ask right away. But I'm going to have to ask that you not stay the night."

Sharon blinked. Her gaze was hazy with lust, but then it cleared. Fortunately, she didn't seem put out. "No problem. Is it okay if I shower before I leave?"

"Yes, of course."

She nodded. "If that's all..." She moved her hands up to cradle his jaw, gently tilting his head so that she could press a kiss to the corner of his mouth. "How about you show me this apartment you keep swearing you have? I don't think your neighbors will be too happy if we give them a show."

"You never know, they might applaud." Ross grinned, then turned his head so he could intercept her next kiss and gently suck her bottom lip into his mouth. Finally, he forced himself to pull away. "C'mon."

He led her down the hallway to his apartment. Hastily he unlatched the door and ushered her in.

Sharon turned around delightedly in his entryway. "I'd love a tour!"

He stared at her blankly for a moment. Then a sly smile crept over her face and he realized that she was kidding. "You're a bit of a minx, you know."

"So I've been told." She winked at him.

Ross growled and advanced on her, ducking low to catch her around the legs and scoop her up. Sharon shrieked in delighted surprise, clutching his shoulders and laughing wildly as he carried her into the bedroom.

"What am I supposed to do with a minx like you?" He asked, depositing her on the bed.

Sharon bit her lip, trying to hold in her smile, but he could see it nonetheless. "I suppose you'll just have to make me behave, won't you?"

Ross was all for that idea.

"Move back." Sharon obligingly scooted back against the pillows so that Ross had room to crawl up the bed. He settled between her legs, before taking an ankle in each hand and pulling gently. Soon she was settled on her back below him, her legs spread wide.

Slowly, keeping eye contact with him, Sharon took the hem of her dress and raised it up. "I'll bet you'll want to see how wet you made me," she whispered, “teasing me in the car and then in the elevator."

Ross gripped her ankles and tried not to rip her dress off of her. It looked so lovely on her that it'd be a shame to rip it, but he was sorely tempted.

"Who's being the tease now?" he asked when Sharon stopped just before exposing herself completely.

“Maybe I want to see what you'll do.”

Ahhh. She was baiting him, trying to get him to take control. Ross could do that. He'd do it and enjoy it.

"Take the dress off," he growled, lowering his voice. Sharon gave a delicious full-body shiver and followed his orders, raising the dress over her head and tossing it to the floor.

Ross hungrily took in the sight before him. Oh, she was gorgeous, with small breasts and creamy skin and underwear stained dark from her arousal. He was going to kiss every inch of that skin before the night was over.

“Nice bra,” he remarked, raising an eyebrow before he reached down and dragged a thumb over her nipple. Sharon trembled and her eyelids fluttered.

“I couldn’t wear one with this dress,” she said, sounding slightly petulant.

Ross leaned closer and tugged lightly on her earlobe with his teeth. “Give yourself whatever excuse you want, Miss Talcott. I think it’s rather scandalous.”

Sharon made a delightful gasping, helpless noise at that. Ross kneaded her breast with one hand, swiping his thumb over it again. “All I had to do in that gala was slide my hand in and I could have touched you, just like this. What if we’d just found a dark corner and done it there, hmm? Would you have let me just hike up your dress and put you up against the wall?”

He could feel Sharon shaking, either with arousal or with the effort to remain still. Possibly both. Ross nuzzled into her neck. “You would let me, wouldn’t you? You’d be a good girl for me, do whatever I told you to do?”

“Y-yes,” Sharon whispered, and he could see her neck and chest flush with embarrassment. Now, that simply wouldn’t do.

“I like that,” he assured her. “Will you do what I ask you to do now?”

Ross pulled back a little so he could see her, and Sharon nodded. Ross smiled. Excellent.

He slid his hands up her legs, stopping just short of her lacy emerald green panties. His thumbs rubbed lazy circles into her skin. Sharon spread her legs even wider, her nails digging into the blankets on either side of her. "Now put your hands on the headboard," Ross instructed, gentling his voice but keeping it sultry.

Sharon's breath hitched and she reached up, gripping the slats in the headboard as tightly as she'd gripped the steering wheel earlier. Ross smiled down at her. “Good girl.”

Sharon bit her lip hard, apparently to smother a gasp or smile. Ross leaned down and began to kiss along her stomach.

“You should get undressed,” Sharon said. She still sounded a little wobbly but her voice was lower, like she was struggling to get it back under control. That wouldn’t do.

“Not yet.”

He kissed his way up her stomach, then took one of her breasts into his mouth, sucking at her nipple and then tugging at it lightly with his teeth. He delighted in the high whine that Sharon let out almost involuntarily. He swept up and kissed her on the mouth. “Keep holding on.”

Sharon nodded, her hands gripping the slats more firmly. Ross ducked his head down to kiss along her thighs, pulling her silky underwear down as he did so. Christ, he could smell her, heady and intoxicating. He wasted no time in tasting her, tracing his tongue around her clit. Sharon keened again, arching up into his mouth. Ross gently placed his hands on her hips to hold her down. He could feel her trembling as he dove in, again and again. He added his fingers into the mix, first one, then two and moved them in counterpoint to his mouth. He listened carefully for the escalation of her soft cries, felt it when her legs drew back and stiffened, and realized that her body was bracing for orgasm.

He pulled back and looked up at her face.

Sharon was covered in sweat, her hair frizzing and sticking to her face, her eyes shining and glazed with lust. She looked absolutely beautiful.

She also looked a little confused. “Why… did you stop?”

Ross flashed his predatory grin and was rewarded by the sight of Sharon’s hands flexing against the slats and the sound of her swallowed gasp. “Because I want you to come while I’m inside you.”

Sharon gave a delicious full-body shiver. “Then why don’t you get up here?”

Ross obliged her, sliding up her body and taking himself in hand. Sharon reached down and wrapped her hand around him, stroking him slowly. Ross closed his eyes and swallowed a groan. She moved slowly but surely, teasing him still. “Condoms?”

Ross forced himself to breathe evenly and reached over to the nightstand drawer, fishing out a condom and the small bottle of lube. “Okay, okay,” he said, moving to prepare. “You sure you’re good?”

Sharon gave him a look that would have melted a wall of concrete. “Dr. Ross I’ve-actually-forgotten-your-last-name, if you don’t stop teasing and—”

He kissed her, lining himself up as he did so. “Feisty, aren’t we?” He didn’t give her a chance to respond. He was starting to enter her even as he finished the question.

Sharon gasped, her hands tightening on the slats. “Can I—please can I touch you?”

Ross waited until he was completely inside her. He bit his lip as he mastered the impulse to pull back and slam into her. She was so tight and hot, and he wanted to bury himself in her again and again. But first…

“Since you asked nicely.”

Sharon let go of the headboard. She grabbed his shoulders and hauled him even closer, hooking one of her legs around his back as she arched up against him. Ross began to move, trying to go slowly at first, then faster as Sharon urged him on, whispering ‘please, please, please’ in his ear like it was the only thing she could remember how to say. God, she was so beautiful, arching up under him again and again and responding beautifully to his every move—especially when he found the angle that made her scream. Ross buried his face in her soft hair and kept moving inside her until she gave one last scream. Her nails dug into his back and he could feel her shuddering around him. He couldn’t hold back then, thrusting wildly until he tipped over the edge. He nearly collapsed on her, his gasps almost matching hers.