Disclaimer: All characters are from Battlestar Galactica, and I don't own them. Yet.

Kara turned over in her bunk and grinned. Not that she made a habit out of turning in her bunk and grinning, but because of the view the crack in her curtains provided. It was no later than 0300 hours and Lee was already up, getting ready for his early morning routine. The light fell on him like a spotlight, highlighting his facial features and the contours of his body.

Oh, did it highlight the contours!

Now don't get it wrong. Kara wasn't in love or in lust. But she was a self-confessed admirer of an attractive body and attractive looks. And if both were combined, it was even better.

Kara's breath hitched as Lee turned his front to her side and pulled off his tanks. 'Attractive body' was an understatement. Even as Kara greedily devoured Lee's finely built chest with her eyes, he reached down to pull off his shorts. As soon as they came off, Kara snapped her eyes shut. No doubt, the unsuspecting CAG had a frakking amazing body; but there were some boundaries you didn't cross: and this was one of them.

Kara let out a deep breath silently at the thought of what she was missing. But the fact that she'd already seen his ass (by far, the best on the ship) – by accident, was a worthy compensation.

Yeah, it was definitely worthy.

She grinned again, and this time rather lustily.

Lee was back from duty and wanted to take a quick shower before he returned to his office. As he approached the booths, he heard a raspy voice singing. It sounded rather familiar.

Even closer, it sounded very known.

"I'm in the middle of a breakdown, watching you scream."

Three feet away, Lee was in two minds – whether to tell this woman to shut up and be able to take his bath in peace, or to let it go.

"In the middle of a breakdown, screaming at me."

Lee was decided. She wasn't exactly in tune, and very hoarse; obviously under the impression that she was alone. Well, she was about to be rudely interrupted. He stepped forward…

"And, by the way. By the way."

…And stopped. Kara. That was exactly the way she said "by". There was no mistake. He grinned. Now he was more than intent on making his presence known and embarrassing her.

"What made you think you'd have it your way?"

With that, he stepped directly in front of the stall. And froze; mouth agape. The door was wide open, and, Kara was nude dancing under the water.

"And, by the way. By the way."

Lee couldn't avert his gaze – from some reason other than surprise or shock. And he was having a hard time figuring it out.

"Don't say I didn't warn you that I'll always stay the same."

Kara flipped her hair and waggled her hips in an obvious attempt to be sexy. Lee smirked and nodded in agreement.

Kara took a drag on her cigar. She'd felt she'd deserved it after a particularly tiring session with the nuggets. So here she was de-stressing the best way she know how to – drinking the Chief's poison, smoking and 'stealing' from others by means of cards.

"I don't know why we even try to beat Starbuck. The only way she'd lose if she were ordered to do so by a superior," groaned Karl.

"I know! Let's play a round of Truth and Dare." Sharon declared.

Kara looked at her unblinkingly, genuinely astonished.

"Yes, please!" clamoured her companions quite tired of losing to her.

"Sissies," murmured Kara, throwing back her drink.

Sharon grabbed an empty bottle, placed it in the centre and spun it.

"This is so childish," grumbled Kara and then groaned as the bottle came to a stop pointing at her.

"Right." Helo rubbed his hands gleefully. He leaned forward and whispered in Kara's ear.

"Has the tylium finally got to your frakking head? I'm not doing it." She said crossing her arms.

Sharon looked over at Karl who winked. She said, "This thing … is it 'do-able' on the ship?"

"Yeah, so?"

"Does it involve murder or intentional assault?" "It's intentional, for sure."

"Does it violate any written laws?"

Kara kept silent, and the rest of them grinned smugly.

Lee stared at the paperwork that should have been finished by now, but seemed to be leering at him tauntingly.

Kara's fault, really. She shouldn't have occupied his thoughts. She really should have known better.

No matter how hard he tried, though, he couldn't rid his mind of the image of Kara under the shower. It affected him in so many ways. Unspeakable ones, of course. And undecipherable ones, too. And then there was the fact that al, of this bothered him so much.

A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. "Come in."

Kara's head appeared. "I needed to talk to you, sir."

Lee nodded slowly. "Okay. Come on in." Something was wrong and he didn't know what. Or maybe it was his emotions in overdrive.

Shutting the door, Kara had stepped forward – bag in one hand. Lee looked up at her expectantly.

Five seconds passed. "Starbuck?"

Kara came nearer, standing beside the desk and much closer than protocol permitted.

Kara moved even closer, and Lee had to look up to see her face, because if he looked straight ahead…

Hang protocol. Lee's head was hurting against his ribcage as Kara leaned. Closer and closer.

And then there was a stunningly icy feel on his back as Kara leapt backwards, leaving him 'frozen'.

Kara could have slapped herself. So, Lee was her friend. The best she had. Putting ice in your CAG's shirt just smelt of the brig, and she should have caught the whiff earlier. Honestly, Lee's expression was hilarious, but if it meant she was landing in the hack, she'd rather not have seen it.

Slowly, Lee stood up and untucked his shirt. A dozen ice cubes fell onto the floor. But Kara barely noticed. She'd been drawn in by the intense blue eyes right in front of her. For some reason, her pulse was racing and her heartbeat fluctuating. She drew in her breath as Lee leaned closer – his lips some 3 inches from hers.

"Would you like to explain that, Lieutenant?" his voice was husky and low.

"It was … a dare, sir." Even if she was thrown into the brig, this moment would be worth it all.

"Does this mean you won?" his gaze had wandered … lower.

"Yes, sir." Her voice fell, as her breathing quickened.

"Will you be celebrating?" His eyes were back to hold hers in a visual combat.

"Not for something so trivial. Sir." Trivial, my frakking ass.

"Trivial, is it? How's the shirt going to get dry?"

You could take it off now.

Lee moved closer – the ghost of a smirk playing on his lips. "Should we try body heat?"

Kara gulped. "If you say so, sir"

"Frak it." Muttered Lee and closed the distance between them to pull her into a searing kiss. Kara, instinctively responded, tumultuous emotions evoking new thoughts in her mind. Thirty seconds later, Lee pulled back and grinned rakishly. 'It's dryer now."

Kara blinked. She missed the warmth of his body and the taste of his lips. And she wanted it back.

So she reached out and pushing him up against the desk, recommenced kissing him. Her arms went over his shoulders and around his neck, pulling them closer together. His arms were around her waist, gripping her with a gentle firmness. She continued her assault on him even as he swung them around. Now she was propped up against the desk. He hoisted her up onto the edge of the table and resumed kissing her with renewed drive and energy.

She threw head back as he made his way down her jaw line to the curve of her neck, sucking and nibbling. Pausing, he looked up, his eyes glazed. Kara made a noise at the back of her throat and said hoarsely, "Lee … "

Lee smirked. "By the way, what made you think you'd have it your way?"

Kara's eyes widened as he resumed his work on the sensitive spot on her neck.

-fin-

By the way belongs to Hinder.