Sutures and Secrets || Mark Sloan

31 | Dancing It Out

04x09

The morning sunlight filtered through the curtains of Charlie's bedroom, casting a soft glow over the messy sheets. Mark stirred first, his arms tightening around her waist as she lay nestled against him. He kissed the back of her neck, murmuring something about not wanting to get out of bed.

Charlie turned over, her face inches from his, a sleepy smile tugging at her lips. "You know we can't stay here all day.", she teased, her voice soft and husky from sleep.

"Why not?" Mark smirked, his hand slipping under the hem of her oversized t-shirt, tracing lazy circles on her hip. "I can think of a dozen reasons to stay right here."

Charlie let out a quiet laugh, her cheeks flushing as she felt his lips brush against her collarbone. "We have to go to work.", she reminded him, though her resolve was already weakening.

Mark didn't respond with words. Instead, he pulled her closer, his lips capturing hers in a slow, teasing kiss. It was the kind of kiss that made her forget about the world outside her bedroom.

"Fine.", she said, breathless, pulling away just enough to look at him. "But if we're going to be late, we should at least make it worthwhile."

Mark raised an eyebrow, his grin devilish. "Worthwhile, huh? I think I can handle that."

Charlie slipped out of bed, pulling him along by the hand. "Shower.", she said simply, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

Mark didn't need to be told twice. He followed her into the bathroom, his hands already slipping under the hem of her shirt again, this time lifting it over her head and tossing it to the floor.

The warm water cascaded down as they stepped into the shower and Mark immediately pulled her into his arms, pressing her back against the cool tiles.

His lips were everywhere - her neck, her shoulders, the hollow of her throat - leaving a trail of heat in their wake.

Charlie let out a soft gasp, her fingers tangling in his wet hair as his hands roamed over her body, their closeness electrified by the steam curling around them.

"You're impossible.", she murmured, her voice barely audible over the sound of the water.

"I'm dedicated.", Mark corrected, his tone low and filled with promise.

She couldn't help but laugh, but her laughter quickly turned into a quiet moan as his lips found her ear, whispering things that made her cheeks burn.

Time seemed to melt away as they lost themselves in each other, their morning routine forgotten. By the time they finally emerged from the shower, the bathroom was filled with steam and Charlie's heart was racing for reasons that had nothing to do with the hot water.

"We're definitely going to be late.", she said with a grin, wrapping herself in a towel.

Mark leaned against the counter, a smug look on his face. "Yeah, but it was totally worth it.", he said, winking.

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Charlie adjusted her jacket as she walked down the hall to Meredith's room, her hair still damp from her shower with Mark. She pushed open the door to find Cristina, earbuds in, spinning and shaking in the middle of the room. Meredith was perched on the edge of her bed, arms crossed, mid-rant.

"- and it's not just that he's dating other women.", Meredith complained. "It's that he has the nerve to flirt with me and kiss me."

Cristina ignored her completely, shimmying to whatever song was playing in her ears. Charlie leaned against the doorway, raising an eyebrow. "Am I interrupting something?"