53? 53! Fifty--I--what--how--geez...

~*~*~

    Lisa stared at him for a moment, and then a smile—the real smile—her smile came bursting across her lips as her free hand slid from his hip to his back, pressing his body closer to hers. Hugh’s eyes were dark and serious as he leaned down again, and there was nothing casual at all about this kiss. A squirming, writhing mass twisted and coiled low in her stomach as she ran her hand up his back, her lips busily occupied with a ridiculously enjoyable battle for dominance. Having just barely captured his lower lip with her teeth, she suddenly found herself being pulled even closer into his embrace—their hands still entwined, Hugh bent her right arm behind her back as he refused to release her fingers, but was adamant about having her as close as humanly possible. That sudden distraction was enough for him to be able to make his move—not that Lisa minded at all—as his tongue very slowly caressed her bottom lip before tangling with her own for a few delirious seconds.
    Breathless, flushed, and no longer shaking—or perhaps only shaking for different reasons—Lisa finally let her hand drift back down to his waist and lowered herself again to Earth.
    A sudden thud sent them jumping back away from each other, casting startled looks at the door.
~*~*~
    “Ladies, ladies, please…” Robert Sean Leonard’s back thumped against the closed door as he held up his hands to the crowd of females that had descended on the bathroom. “I told you, it’s out of order! You’ll have to use the one in the ballroom.”
    “The one in the ballroom is being cleaned,” Katie said, raising an eyebrow at him. “Because the ballroom is closed. The party is over.”
    “And now that the party is over, why should you subject yourself to a public bathroom?” He tried out what was meant to be a winning smile, but which came out as a grimace. “Wouldn’t you prefer the comfort of your bathrooms at home?”
    “I don’t know about these girls,” Sara Hess said as a few of the less desperate partygoers rolled their eyes and drifted away, “but the much-abused bathroom in the back of a Texaco station would be an improvement on mine.”
    “Funny you should mention,” Robert said, throwing an arm around her shoulders and herding the small remaining group of ladies back toward the lobby. “There happens to be a Texaco station just down the road!”
~*~*~
    Lisa gasped at the sensation of Hugh’s late-night stubble rasping against the sensitive skin of her throat and reached wildly for the back of his neck to hold him in place, all the while listening intently to the sound of Robert’s voice on the other side of the door Hugh had pinned her up against. As his tongue began to tentatively feel its way around, seeking a pulse point, Lisa let out an involuntary moan. Suddenly there was Hugh’s hand, covering her mouth—his eyes intense and just two inches from her own, his other arm circling her waist and anchoring her hips against his. Slowly, meaningfully, he moved his head until his lips brushed against the outside of her ear as he whispered.
    “Keep it down, woman,” he breathed into her ear, and then Lisa’s knees went rubbery under her as the talented Mr. Laurie redirected his tongue’s attentions to her ear canal.
    “Ohhhh…” Lisa’s lips moved against his palm and her arms tightened around his neck and waist, trying to keep herself upright. “Oh—Hugh…” When he didn’t move his hand, she nipped at it playfully, and he jerked it back, removing himself from her ear and pulling his head back enough to glare at her.
    “I was trying to hear if Robert successfully convinced the entire female contingent of late-drinking Houseians to go pee elsewhere. Now you’ve distracted me.”
    A short, rhythmic tattoo rapped out just to the side of Lisa’s head.
    “Ok, boys and girls, come out and face the music!” Robert’s voice rang out. Hugh narrowed his eyes and picked Lisa up in a bear hug, walking three steps backwards and putting her down again before walking around to stand in front of her, limbs akimbo, biceps displayed to great advantage. “Listen—I’m coming in!”
    The door squeaked open just enough for Robert’s head to poke inward and look, then do a double-take. Looking behind him carefully, he slid his way in and stood, a hand firmly pressed against the wood to prevent anyone else entering. Lisa put a hand on Hugh’s arm, coming out from behind him and smiling at their friend.
    “Thanks, Robert.”
    “I will be requiring some form of outrageously expensive gift for this,” he said, shaking his head. “They must think I’m a lunatic.”
    “And this is different how?” Hugh muttered. Lisa elbowed him in the ribs. “Sorry. Thank you.” He extended a hand for Robert to shake. “Really. For… looking after her. And—”
    Robert shook his head, taking a few steps into the room and grasping Hugh’s hand firmly. “I’m always going to look after her, Hugh, and you know it.”
    Lisa snaked an arm around Hugh’s waist and leaned into his side, smiling up at him. Hugh looked down at her and realized that his arm had found its way across her shoulders completely instinctively, without his even knowing it.
    This realization brought a sudden smile to his face as he absently noticed how well she fit just under his arm, how her body fit into the crook of his embrace, letting his side lean easily against her, his arm reaching just far enough past her shoulder to be able to stretch his fingers down and lightly brush her bicep. This he did, and was pleased to see an immediate response in her eyes and breathing.
    “Oh, it is just disgusting how happy you two look,” Robert said, but couldn’t stop himself from grinning at them both. “How are you going to explain your sudden onset of compulsive happiness to the general public?”
    “I will distract them by doing this,” said Hugh rakishly, and suddenly gripped Lisa’s upper arm with his fingers, dipping her backwards into his arm and leaning down to kiss her soundly on the mouth—just as the door swung open and a startled voice rang out, echoing through the empty stalls.
    “What the hell?”