Hearbeats
By Kodiak Sage
Note: This is written for a prompt on the Mass Effect Kinkmeme on LJ, part XVI, p. 12. Also, some of the tech I use in this story is inspired by the sci-fi novel Cordelia's Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold and makes sense with Mass Effect's level of technological advancement. Rating is for sexual themes.
Prologue
Shepard loved the feeling of Kaidan's skin under her hands, the wiry hairs over his chest, the feel of his military buzz on the back of his neck, the smell of his aftershave. She trailed her lips over his neck and clenched her legs around his waist as he pumped his hips against her over and over. She gasped and tilted her hips back to feel the friction of him against her core, almost…almost…a ragged shout announced her orgasm, followed by Kaidan's shivering release. He ground out her name and slowed his movements, turning instead to kiss her softly on the lips.
Kaidan rolled off and cuddled up, her head on his shoulder. When Shepard laid her hand over his chest, she could feel his heart beating, steady, alive, real. There was always a passion and urgency with Kaidan that Shepard had never had with any other lover. The little moments seemed to last forever while they were happening, and stick in her mind for days afterwards. She could feel aroused just thinking about the way he looked at her when he wanted sex. Those bottomless brown eyes full of love and passion could draw her in and drown her if she looked too long.
This moment was especially poignant; it was the last time they would see each other for a while. Shepard was due to report to Earth for her Court Martial the following day, after almost a month on the Citadel reporting on her attack on the collector base and saying goodbye to her surviving squadmates who were going their separate ways. But while she was saying goodbye to Tali and Mordin and the others, she was also making amends with Kaidan. "Funny how it takes surviving a suicide mission and saving the galaxy to impress you these days." Shepard had said when she first saw him. He'd responded by taking her into his arms and kissing her passionately, much to the chagrin of the innocent onlookers in the presidium.
From there they had made their way to her cabin on the Normandy, and made all night and most of the next day, making up for lost time, past and future.