The turian had stood behind his best friend and she hadn't noticed him. That was unusual; Shepard always knew when someone was close-the sixth sense had kept her alive during the war, but now, it had apparently short-circuited. It was obvious what had her distracted. He didn't even need to follow her gaze, the heavy scent of her pheromones in the air gave it away. After he did the Turian equivalent of rolling his eyes, Garrus stepped closer to her shoulder.
"You do realize," he whispered into her ear, "You no longer need to moon at him from across the room like a lovesick school girl."
"Sorry Shepard, but even a blind man could tell how you feel about Kaidan."
"What do you mean?" Shepard dusted the imaginary lint from the skirt of her dress. "I haven't been watching anyone."
Garrus's mouth opened in a Turian equivalent of a smile and started to laugh at her again.
Shepard rolled her eyes and said, "Fine. I may have looked in Kaidan's direction."
This time her friend tilted his head in disbelief.
Before he could say anything, she stopped him, "Ok, so I may have glanced at him once or twice."
"Once or twice?" Garrus said incredulously. "You haven't taken your eyes off him all night."
"Did you need something, Garrus?" Shepard asked, "Or did you just come over here to harass me?"
"Harass you, no," he grasped the back of the other chair at the small table, "May I?" Shepard nodded. He spun the chair around, straddled it and sat down. "Offer some advice to a friend, yes."
Feeling exposed and vulnerable Shepard crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back in the chair, putting some distance between them. "What advice would that be?"
"Take a chance on love."
"It's not that simple," she sighed.
"It really is," he held up a hand to forestall the argument, he knew she'd make and touched his nose. "It's that simple. You don't need a turian sense of smell to know the pair of you are physically attracted to one another."
"Maybe," Shepard reluctantly admitted-she couldn't exactly deny it. "But there are other reasons."
"Such as?" Garrus asked, curiosity piqued.
"Fraternization regulations," she started.
"No longer apply," Garrus finished. "You're retired from active duty and you're both Spectres too."
"True," she allowed with a sigh and bit her lower lip nervously. She didn't want to have this conversation but she most especially didn't want to have it here, in public...at a party...where anyone could overhear. "It's just," but she faltered unable to say the words.
When it became obvious that she may not continue, he prompted, "It's what Shepard?" She was so wrapped in her nerves, she missed his quick glance at something just over her shoulder.
"Garrus, so many things have changed, so much has happened. Horizon happened." She looked up and met Garrus's eyes, her eyes filling with unshed tears. "What if Kaidan doesn't feel the same way about me anymore?"
Pulling out the chair next to her, Garus turned it around, straddled it, and sat down. He rested his forearms on the chair top, met Shepard's eyes. "Horizon was bad," he allowed, "Kaidan was angry and I'm sure he said some things he regretted."
A single tear streaked down one cheek, as Shepard gave him a sharp nod of agreement. "He sent me a message later."
"That day on Horizon we sprang a lot on Kaidan," Garrus admitted, "You were alive and saved by Cerberus. And against all reason you were working for them." Reaching out, he grasped her hand with his clawed one. "We asked him to give up everything he knew, violate every ethic he held dear to follow us...to follow you into the unknown with Cerberus, a known enemy."
"You did it," she whispered, the withheld tears evident in her voice.
"I did," he allowed, "But we were in very different points in our lives. I had nothing left to lose and he stood to lose everything if he followed you into enemy hands." Another tear streaked down Shepard's cheek as she nodded her understanding. "I'll admit," Garrus continued, "At the time, I was angry with him, turning his back on us...on you."
"Garrus," Shepard started but he waved her off.
"After I calmed down, let go of the anger," the Turian said, "I understood."
"I forgave Kaidan for Horizon a long time ago."
"Ok," Garrus said, drawing the word, "Then what's holding you back.?"
He tried to look into her eyes but she glanced away.
"You're physically attracted to one another," he tapped the side of his nose knowingly and Shepard blushed, "And it isn't your history. What's stopping you from chasing what you want and grabbing a little bit of happy for yourself?" Garrus saw the sad smile on his friend's face. " After all you've done, the universe owes it to you."
"Garrus," Shepard sighed, shaking her head, "It's just," but the words trailed off.
"It's what Shepard?"
They sat in their chairs, a silent battle of wills going while the party continued around them. Finally Shepard relented with a soft huff. She broke eye contact and stared at the ceiling as she admitted, "What if Kaidan's moved on? What if he doesn't feel the same way anymore? What if he got tired of waiting for me?"
An unexpected tingle ran down the back of her neck. "For you," a deep honeyed voice whispered in her ear, "I'd wait forever."
"Kaidan."
"Dance with me Shepard," Kaidan said, voice husky with desire as he offered her a hand.
Covering her mouth with one hand, Shepard cleared her throat so her voice wouldn't give away just what having him close was doing to her before she said, "Excuse me Garrus," she took the proffered hand and stood up.
Before she could say more, Garrus shooed them away. "Go, dance, and have fun. You've earned it Shepard."
"Thanks Garrus," she leaned in a gave him a quick kiss to one plated cheek, "For everything."
"You're welcome," the turian answered with a smile, "Now go, have fun, and take a chance," he reminded her.
"I'll try," Shepard replied with a small smile smile.
Holding on to her hand, Kaidan walked toward the dance floor. He could feel the eyes on them, on her, as they slowly made their way through the crowd. She was the most beautiful woman in the room and she was holding his hand. The thought made him stand a little straighter. He wasn't sure how he got this lucky. He had opportunities in the past to act on his feelings, tell her how he felt, but it never seemed to be the right moment, some emergency always hanging over their heads. But now the war was over and they'd lived through it. There were no rules or regs to stop him. He wouldn't waste the chance. Not this time…
As they stepped on to the dance floor, Kaidan held on to her hand as he gently wrapped his other arm around her waist and rested his hand in the small of her back. The heat of her body pressed against his, the feeling of her breath against his neck, and her scent threatened to overwhelm his senses. He was drowning in her and loved every moment.
She drew in a shuddering breath, Shepard wrapped her free arm around Kaidan's shoulders and played with the short hair on the back of his neck, sending a shiver through his body. At the same time, the touch of Kaidan's hand on the small of her back felt like it was burning her skin and sent a shot of heat straight to her womanhood. Her heart was racing in her chest and the feel of his body pressed against hers was making her lightheaded. The feel of him surrounded her, caressed her and protected her from everything around them. In that moment it was just the two of them.
He pulled her body close to his and their bodies molded together perfectly from chest to hip. Their gaze locked and he smirked, "It's easy, just follow my lead."
"Just lead, smart guy," Shepard rolled her eyes at the insinuation of her lack of dancing skills.
"Yes ma'am," he teased as he confidently took their first dance step.
He could feel every curve of her body as they moved to the beat, in perfect sync with one another. They twirled and swayed, never missing a step, every movement was magical.
As they focused on each other, the rest of the room disappeared. The only thing that mattered was this one single moment. As the tide of passion grew and threatened to drag them under, "Kaidan," Shepard whispered, voice expressing everything she'd never put into words, her love, desire and wanton need.
Without a word, he gently caressed her cheek with one hand before he crashed his lips down against hers. He poured all the pent up fire in his soul and years of unexpressed passion into it. As his hunger grew, Kaidan deepened the kiss and lost himself in Shepard, in this moment until finally the need for air forced them to break the kiss. He rested his forehead against hers as he tried to catch his breath, "We have forever for us."
"What if I don't want forever?"
Kaidan pulled back, shocked, surprise and hurt etched on his face.
"What if I'm done with waiting," she continued with a saucy grin, "We've put everything and everyone else first. It's time for us." Shepard pressed herself tightly against him so he could feel every luscious curve. She nipped his ear lobe and whispered into his ear huskily, "I need you."
"God Shepard," he groaned, nuzzling his nose into her neck, "What you do to me woman," he pressed his hard, aching member against her.
"Kaidan," she whined as she pressed back against him and internally cursed the layers of clothing between them."Your room or mine?"
"Either," he mumbled against her neck as he ground himself into her again, "Just," he took a ragged breath, "want you," he drew in another breath and finished, "now."
The feeling of his length pressed against her stomach nearly overwhelmed Shepard's senses and all she could manage was a small noise of agreement in the back of her throat.
After one last kiss to her neck, Kaidan took a step back and grasped her hand in his. He held on as he turned and made his way across the dance floor toward the nearby bank of elevators. "Excuse me," he muttered impatiently when someone didn't move out of his way fast enough.
They arrived at the elevators just as a car arrived and the door opened. They stepped in and Kaidan pushed the button for his floor. The moment the doors closed, Kaidan let go of Shepard's hand and turned towards her. He gave her an almost wicked smile as he backed her into the corner of the elevator. He used his body to block her from view of any cameras that may be watching them. Leaning in to her slightly, Kaidan pressed a gentle kiss to her lips.
Hungry for more, Shepard wrapped one leg around the back Kaidan's leg and pulled him closer as she reached up and played with the hair on the back of his neck. She pulled his head down and took charge of the kiss. As he moaned in pleasure, Shepard's tongue slipped into his mouth and she savored the taste of him as she plundered and explored.
All of Kaidan's senses were being overwhelmed by her. Nothing else mattered. He desperately wanted….needed more. One hand gently caressed her side, his fingertips ghosting across the side of her breast, down her hip to the hem of her dress and caressed the skin underneath. Kaidan's hand drifted up her hip and cupped her bare butt. The need for air finally forced them to break the kiss.
"No panties?" He purred as he massaged her flesh.
"Thong," she moaned, tipping her head back against the wall behind her, "No panty lines."
"God," Kaidan groaned, "What you do to me."
"And what is it I do to you?"
"This," he pressed his rock hard cock hungrily against her.
"K," was all she managed as a jolt of heat flashed through her body pooling between her thighs and she made small wanton noises in the back of her throat. Without conscious thought her body kept pace, pushing back and meeting him stroke for stroke.
Both of them had waited way too long for this moment and they were going to make the most of it. They were so focused on each other, they almost missed the sound of the lift door opening and the sharp intake of breath.
"Oh my!" a shocked voice said.
Luckily for Kira she was shielded from view by Kaidan's body. Just as Kaidan's hand slipped out from under her dress, she let her leg slip to the ground and stood straighter. She rested her head against his shoulder and drew in a few slow deep breaths in hopes of regaining some self control before facing whomever stood in the lift doors. Finally she whispered to Kaidan, "Ready?"
"No," he was still very aroused and rock hard, making it obvious what they had been doing, "But I don't have much choice." It was his turn to take a breath and straighten his jacket.
As he started to turn around, Shepard stepped around him and stood directly in front of him. This time she used her body to shield Kaidan and his arousal from prying eyes. "What floor?" she asked the older couple standing in the doorway, prompting them to either get on or allow the doors to close and the lift continue without them.
The pair stepped in and the older gentlemen answered, "87, please."
Shepard nodded, pushed the button, and the doors closed. They stood in an awkward silence before Shepard finally decided to break the ice. "Enjoying your stay at the hotel?"
"Yes," the older lady gushed with a smile, "Michael and I are celebrating our 45th anniversary. The kids gave us our stay at this beautiful hotel stay as a present."
"Congratulations," Shepard replied, truly happy for the older couple.
"Thank you," the other woman's eyes filled with a few tears. "After all we've been through, the war and everything, we're blessed to still have each other."
Kaidan gently pulled Shepard back so she was resting against his chest and wrapped his arms around her. "We're all blessed." He gently kissed her temple as she snuggled into his embrace.
"How long have you been together?" the older lady asked with a smile.
"As an official couple," Shepard tipped her head and met Kaidan's eyes, "About thirty minutes."
"That's all?"
"Aidan," her husband admonished her.
"I just meant they seem so comfortable together, so right," Hannah explained, "as if they'd been together for years."
"He's my best friend and rock through thick and thin," Shepard told the other woman. "We're just figuring the rest out now."
"Well I'm happy for you too." Hannah smiled, "Someone who sticks by your side through everything life can throw at you is rare. Don't let that slip away," she advised.
"I won't," Shepard assured her as Kaidan kissed the top of her head. The door pinged and the number 84 lit up. "This is our floor."
As they held hands, Kaidan and Shepard stepped towards the door. After it opened they started to step out when the older man laid a hand on Kaidan's shoulder stopping him. "Thank you for everything," he said in a soft meaningful tone and Kadian realized the man had recognized them. "Take care of her, she deserves it."
"Yes sir," Kaidan agreed, "For the rest of my life if she'll have me."
Michael gave him a sharp nod of acknowledgement as the door closed between them.
"What did he say?" Shepard stopped in front of a door just down the short hall.
"He thanked us and told me to take care of you." Kaidan stopped behind her and wrapped her in his arms again, her back pressed to his front. "Told him for the rest of my life, if you'd have me."
"Forever."
They stood together for a minute, enjoying the feel of having the other close. Finally, Shepard reached out and keyed a code into the door pad and the doors opened. As she stepped inside her room, Shepard held onto Kaidan's hand tugging him in behind her and allowing it to shut behind them. Turning to him, she wrapped hand around the back of his neck, pulled his head down to her and pressed her lips to his in a searing kiss. She played with the hair on the back of his neck as she nipped and sucked, tasted and explored his mouth until she was finally forced to break the kiss.
Losing himself in the moment, Kaidan was overwhelmed by his need for this woman. He'd literally waited years for her and now even one more minute seemed to long. Using his larger size to his advantage, Kaidan turned them and pinned Shepard between his body and the wall. "Need you."
"Let's see," Shepard said as one hand drifted down between them, "how badly." She slipped her fingers under the waistband of his pants and the boxers underneath and she wrapped them around Kaidan's already erect cock. She slowly began to stroke the velvety hard flesh.
"God Shepard," Kaidan moaned as he tipped his head back and his eyes closed.
He was so engrossed in the feelings she was creating in his body, that Kaidan missed his only warning, the wicked grin she shot him. Before he knew it, they'd swapped places and he was pinned against the wall by Shepard.
"What now, Shepard?" He breathed out, watching her now.
"This," her hand slipped out of his pants.
"What." he started, not wanting her to stop.
The rest of his words died on his lips when Shepard pushed off his jacket off his shoulders and down his arms and allowed it to drop to the floor. Next, she grasped the front of his shirt in both hands and yanked it open. Buttons flew off, scattered across the floor and the damaged shirt joined his jacket. Shepard drew her hands down the gorgeous exposed skin of Kaidan's chest down to his washboard abs. It was perfect.
Kaidan's eyes were locked on her as she carefully knelt in front of Kaidan. He watched her lick her lips before reaching out and unfastening his belt, unsnapping the snap, and pushing down the zipper. Reaching up with both hands, Shepard ran her fingers along the waistband of his pants to the small of his back. Sliding her fingers under the fabric, she pushed the fabric down his hips and cupped his ass in her hands. She relished the feeling of his flesh in her hands. With a fissure of disappointment, she slid her hands around front, pushing the fabric down and freeing his cock.
She reached out to grasp it and hesitated, slowly pulling her hand back."I ummm," she started, glancing away for a second, "Is this…" before looking up and meeting his eyes. "Is this okay?"
"Kira?" He reached out and stroked her cheek with a thumb.
"Is this okay?" She turned into his gentle touch. "It's not to fast. You want this too?"
"Okay," he continued the gentle motion, "This is more than okay. This is everything I've dreamed of, everything I've wanted for years. And it's definitely not too slow, it's been years in the making," he empathized the last part, "I want this."
That was all the reassurance Shepard needed. She bit her lower lip in anticipation as she reached out and wrapped her hand around the base of his cock and stroked it gently.
Kaidan's head thumped back against the wall and he made needy sounding noises in the back of his throat. Seemingly of their own accord, his hips started thrusting into her own hold, meeting her stroke for stroke.
Shepard leaned in and licked Kaidan's cock from base to tip and back like a lollipop. After tasting him a few times, she was unable to wait any longer. All the blood in his brain headed south when she sucked his length into her hot mouth. He was incapable of any thought as she wrapped her hand around the part she couldn't take into her mouth and began working his cock in and out of her mouth, setting a steady pace. She sucked and tasted every part of him. He was thrusting into her heated mouth, meeting her stroke for stroke. He finally bottomed out, hitting the back of her throat.
"Shep…," the word trailed off as his need for her built. He wrapped his fingers in her long, beautiful hair, just trying to hold on as he came ever closer to the edge.
Any control he had left snapped when she plunged down and deep throated his length. "Stop, stop, stop," he moaned trying to still her actions, "I'm close."
She just hummed her understanding but kept working his cock, not stopping but ramping up her actions, harder and faster each time.
"No, our first time together," Kaidan mumbled as he tried to stop her again, "Inside of you," he breathed out as she finally stopped and released him with a pop.
He stood still, gasping for air and trying desperately to regain some control over his aching, needy body. He literally hurt with his want for her but he wanted the first time he came with Shepard to be with her and inside of her hot body. He was still rock hard and ready but with one last deep breath, Kaidan was able to offer a hand up to her. Shepard took his hand and slowly stood, pressing her lithe body to his, so she could feel the hard angles of his body against her luscious curves. Once on her feet, she leaned against his broad chest and pressed open mouth kisses to his neck down to his pulse point. She licked and lavished attention to the spot until she drew a bit of flesh into her mouth, bit down and marked him.
"Fuck" he moaned as she lathed her mark with the flat of her tongue, soothing the bruised flesh.
She licked his neck back up to his ear, nipped his earlobe and breathed out, "I need you so bad."
In one movement, Kaidan picked her up, spun them around, and pinned her against the wall. Shepard's dress bunched up over her thighs and her heels hooked around his waist as he pressed himself against her. He ran a hand up her bare thigh and cupped her ass. This time, he nipped her ear lobe and whispered into it, "My turn."
With his free hand, he grasped a handful of hair and pulled, exposing her neck. He trailed kisses down the curve of her long neck to hollow where he neck met her shoulder. He licked and sucked on the flesh, savoring the taste of her on his tongue, before he bit down and marked her. "Mine."
"Yours," Shepard readily agreed as she ground her overheated womanhood against him. "K, please."
Ignoring her pleas for the moment, Kaidan continued his explorations of the beautiful body he's dreamed of for years, pressing kisses along her clavicle. She'd occupied his fantasies in life and in death. Back on Horizon, after he'd accepted that Shepard was really whole and alive, he believed he'd lost any chance to make her his. To get a second chance with the love of his life was unfathomable. He wasn't going to waste one moment of it.
He reached into the deep v-neckline of her black dress, cupped a breast with one hand and pulled it out from under the fabric. He played with her nipple, tweaking it before he leaned in and sucked it into his mouth. He used just the tip of his tongue, circling the sensitive flesh and making it pebble.
"Kaidan." Shepard's hips bucked unconsciously into her lover.
He grinned at her before turning his attention to her other breast. He pulled it out from her dress and repeated the process. After he finished, Kadian crashed his lips against Shepard's in a desperate, needy kiss. As his hunger grew, Kaidan deepened the kiss, his tongue slipping between her lips. Their tongues touched, caressed and explored each other.
As one kiss turned to two, Kaidan's hand slipped between them. He slid a hand under her skirt and up her thigh, making Shepard moan against his lips. He nipped her bottom lip as he pushed aside the small strip of fabric of her thong and slipped a finger between her folds and across her clit.
Breaking the kiss, Shepard cried out, "Oh god," she closed her eyes in bliss and threw her head against the wall.
"So hot," Kaidan swept a finger across the the small, hard ball. "Fuck," he slipped a finger into her heated womanhood. "So wet," he slowly began to work it in and out, "So ready."
"Kaidan," Shepard nearly whined as her hips unconsciously bucked against him, "Need you."
"What do you," Kaidan managed between panting breaths. He pushed a second and a third finger in, "need?"
"You," her need spiraling out of control, she demanded, "now." She ground her core wantonly against his rock hard cock, desperately needing more.
Unable and unwilling to resist her, Kaidan was teetering on the edge himself and he ached with desire for the woman in his arms. He thrust his fingers into her as deeply as possible one last time before pulling them out of her body. She whined at the loss and nipped his lower lip. He would give her anything within his power, his love and need for her all consuming.
"Please," Shepard desperately needed to feel his length stretching and filling her.
Reaching between them, Kaidan pushed down his pants and boxer briefs down a bit more. He shoved the scrap of fabric out of his way again and lined his erection up with her over-heated core.
"There," Shepard moaned as she tried to force him into her hot body.
Resting his hands on the outside of her thighs, Kaidan sheathed himself fully inside her heat with one powerful snap of his hips.
"Yes," she cried out as the feeling of him filling and stretching her consumed her.
Gasping for air, Kaidan rested his head against her shoulder and stilled inside of her as he gave her body a moment to adjust to his size. When he could feel her beginning to squirm, he pulled his cock out, leaving just his tip inside of her heat. He rocked back and forth a few times before slamming himself back into her.
"Kaidan," she cried out in pleasure, digging her nails into his shoulders.
He hissed in pleasurable pain, thrusting into her again. He set a steady pace, in and out, harder and deeper with each powerful stroke. Shepard met him thrust for thrust.
"Need," Shepard closed her eyes and arched her back into the wall, forcing her hips closer to his. "Fuck-harder K."
He couldn't resist her-he never could. If it was within his power he'd give her anything she asked for. If it was outside of his power, he'd move heaven and earth to make it happen or die trying. She was his universe and he'd do absolutely anything for her. Kaidan already had.
He pulled out of her, before in one powerful move, snapping his hips forward and slamming back into her willing body. Kaidan repeated the movement a second, third, and fourth time, bottoming out with each stroke. He was quickly driving them closer and closer to the edge until he finally felt the telltale tightening in his balls.
"Cum with me," Kaidan ordered her as he reached between them and ghosted a finger across her engorged clit. A second swipe was all it took.
Shepard felt the warmth pooling in her belly and flooding into her womanhood before exploding in pleasure. "Yes!" she screamed as she tipped over the edge of ecstasy.
The feeling of her velvety walls clamping down hard on his cock was all it took. With one last shuddering stroke, Kaidan came deep inside of her body with a shout of euphoria.
They rode out the waves of pleasure together, holding tight to each other. Once they were spent, Kaidan's strength gave out, they sunk to the floor together. Shepards's legs still wrapped around his waist and Kaidan's cock still buried deep inside of her as they sat together and tried to catch their breath.
Finally able to breath again, Kaidan gave her a crooked little smile and started, "That was…"
"Amazing," Shepard finished, pressing an innocent kiss to his lips.
"How do we top that?" Kaidan teased her as he nipped her neck.
"Not sure," she tipped her head to the side, baring more skin to him. "But we have a lifetime to try."
"Forever," he whispered.
"Forever," she agreed….
The End….