Sara Clemens was thrilled when she was assigned as a Yeoman on the Enterprise. Five years in space as the assistant to the Captain, as well as regular clerical and administrative duties. The thrill wore off as the months went on and Captain James T. Kirk flirted with her shamelessly. Every time she was on the bridge, his eyes would roam, or a comment would be made. Nothing that would border on harassment, but it was annoying. She just wanted to do her job. Until the flirting stopped.

The day it stopped often replayed in her mind as she tried to figure out what she did wrong. He had become beyond professional toward her, but she still saw him flirting with others.

That day was a standard procedure, observe and report mission on an unexplored planet. Kirk asked Sara to go along to record the events. They were deep into a forest area when they crossed a long stone bridge. As Sara walked behind Kirk, a section beneath her feet gave way, and she fell. She let out a scream and just barely caught onto the edge before her fingers slipped. Kirk had just enough time to turn and grab her arm before she would have plummeted to her death. He lay flat on his stomach holding her dangling body.

"I've got you. Don't let go."

The recorder was strapped over her shoulder, so she grabbed onto Kirk with both hands as the others in the party rushed to help pull her up. Sara fell straight into Kirk's arms once she was on solid ground again, trembling. Kirk ordered her to be beamed back onto the ship and sent straight to med bay so Doctor McCoy could look her over.

It wasn't until later, as she lay in bed reliving the events, that she thought of being in his arms. They were comforting. Strong, but gentle. She had never really imagined Captain Kirk to be gentle.

She reported to the bridge the next day to find that Kirk was all business.

"Yeoman Clemens, how are you doing?"

"I'm fine, Captain."

"Are you sure you don't want a day off? That was a close call."

"No, sir, I'm fine. And I want to thank you for saving my life."

Kirk waved his hand and gave her a bright smile. "I couldn't let my best administrative officer go falling off of a bridge, could I?"

"No, I guess not," she said, returning his smile.

The rest of the day was business as usual, and Sara was relieved at the lack of flirting. That day.

The next day the flirting was still missing, but only with her. She noticed that Kirk was still flirting with some of the other women, and she felt a strange twinge of jealousy and hurt. Had she made him angry that day? Did he see her as weak now?

For more than a month he was all business toward her, and it was making her miserable. This wasn't his normal behavior, and it was only directed toward her. Why?

Kirk took a day to do some administrative work while Spock took charge of the ship. He called for Yeoman Clemens to assist him in his quarters where his computer was located, and he could have some quiet. They worked for several hours, alone, and he never once made a flirtatious remark. He never once let his eyes roam over her body. At least, not that she saw.

Kirk sat back in his chair and rubbed at his eyes.

"How about we take a break," he said.

"Yes, sir."

Sara stood and walked toward the door, but stopped before it opened. Kirk saw her pause out of the corner of his eye, and he looked up.

"Everything okay, Yeoman?"

"Fine, sir..." She hesitated before pushing the issue. "Actually, no, sir."

"What's wrong?"

"Have I done something to make you angry with me?"

"Angry?"

"You haven't been... your usual self around me in a while."

"And what is my 'usual self?'"

Sara took a deep breath. "The flirting, and smiling..."

Kirk sat up and folded his hands on top of the table. "I often got the impression that you didn't like my flirting."

"I don't... I didn't... but you just stopped without mentioning it, and it was right after I fell..."

"What does that have to do with it?"

"I don't know," she said. "I thought maybe you saw me as a screw up, or that I'd made you angry in some way by falling."

Kirk stood and walked toward her. "You thought I was angry at you for almost falling to your death?"

She nodded. "The thought crossed my mind."

Kirk ran his hands over his face and turned away from her. He paced a moment before stepping back in front of her, just inches between them.

"You want the truth," he asked.

Sara swallowed a lump in her throat, and nodded.

"I flirt with everyone. That's just who I am, but I always flirted with you more than any other woman on this ship. Do you know why?"

"Just because I was there?"

"No. I noticed you back at the academy, but I'd seen you turn down guy after guy, so I never asked. I thought maybe if I flirted with you enough, you'd come around... but you never did."

"So you finally decide to stop when I almost die?"

"I stopped because you almost died. I didn't realize until you fell, and I was holding onto you over the edge, that the flirting I'd been doing was more than flirting. It wasn't until you landed in my arms, practically on top of me, shaking, that I realized..."

"Realized what?"

"That I... I could easily fall in love with you."

Sara could feel the surprised look on her face. Her mouth hung open, her brow furrowed together.

"Captain-"

"I panicked," he said, cutting her off, "and I acted as professional as I could around you." He put a hand to Sara's face. "You've gotten under my skin."

Kirk leaned in to kiss her, but stopped as she barely whispered, "Captain..."

"Call me Jim," he said, his lips just a breath away from hers.

"Jim."

He took that as her consent and pressed his lips to hers. When she moved her fingers into the hair at the nape of his neck, he deepened the kiss. He locked the door and pulled Sara closer. His lips made their way down her jaw to her neck. When he kissed the spot just below her ear, she moaned and her hands sank more into his short hair.

"Jim," she whispered again.

Kirk slid his hands down her sides, then gripped just beneath her rear, lifting her off the ground. She wrapped her legs around him and kissed his neck as he carried her to his bed. He placed her gently on it and she knelt there in front of him, pushing his shirt up. He grabbed the hem and pulled it off with one quick motion before his lips were back on hers. He eased down the zipper on the back of her dress until she slipped her arms out of it and it pooled at her knees on the bed.

Jim lay her gently onto her back and pulled the dress from her before removing his pants. He crawled over her as she scooted up toward the pillows, then he pressed his weight on top of her, his hips grinding against hers. Jim smiled when Sara let out a load moan. He grabbed her hands, lacing their fingers together, pressing her hands into the mattress. He kissed her slowly, pressing his hips into hers, letting her feel just how much he wanted her.

When he finally pulled his hands from hers, he pulled the straps of her bra down her arms. He kissed the swell of her breasts and she arched her back, giving him room to release the clasp. With her bra gone, he took her breast into his mouth. She rewarded him with another moan, and her legs clenched around his hips.

"Jim, please."

Her fingers dug lightly into his shoulder as his mouth moved lower. When he reached the top of her panties, he sat up and pulled them from her. He then moved to her side and removed his own underwear before hovering over her again. He brushed his thumb over her cheek and she looked into his crystal blue eyes.

"I should be the one begging you," he said.

He thrust against her, and they both sucked in a breath.

"You don't have to beg," she said. "I'm yours." She lifted her head so that her lips barely brushed against his. "Take me, Jim."

His lips crashed into her, forcing her head back onto the pillow. He circled an arm around her hips and pushed his way into her. The angle allowed him to fill her completely with one long stroke, and he quickly found a rhythm.

Their bodies moved together as they kissed and hands roamed. Moans and grunts filled the air, mixed with the whispering of each other's names. His thrusts came faster and faster until Sara was trembling beneath him. A few more strokes and he collapsed on top of her.

They kissed, lazy and deep, until Jim could no longer keep his weigh off of her. He rolled to her side and pulled her close. Her hand slid over his damp chest as she captured his lips again, and they kissed for what seemed like hours.

Sara finally pulled away and buried her face in Jim's neck.

"That was amazing," she said.

"Better than amazing." He ran his fingers through her hair and smiled to himself. "So, should I start flirting with you again?"

She chuckled. "Maybe just on the days you want to do this."

"Every day, then?"

Sara lifted herself up onto her elbow and stared down at Jim's grinning face. She smiled and said, "That works for me."