Naseema returned to their quarters after a long day in the captain's ready room, and upon entering, her sensitive ears picked up the faint sound of running water. She smiled to herself, and went towards the bedroom. She tossed the uniform shirt that had been discarded on the floor, onto the bed, and took a step into the bathroom. Wafts of steam were billowing from the shower, and a pair of Starfleet issue trousers lay in a crumpled heap near the door.

"Data? Are you in the shower?" she asked casually as Spot circled around her ankles, looking for attention. She picked the cat up, and held her against her chest, stroking her head.

"I am," was the reply. "I require your assistance. I suggest that you come over here."

"Is everything alright? I thought you would be on the bridge?"

"Remove your clothing," he said with the hard, commanding tone he only used when he gave orders to subordinates.

"Pardon?" Naseema's eyes widened with curiosity as she moved tentatively towards the shower, taking small, soft steps until she reached the shower's opening. She was just barely able to make out the blurred outline of his naked body through the steam. She was smiling now, almost laughing as she tried to peer into the cubicle. "Did you just order me to strip?" she asked.

Like lightning, his opalescent hands darted out from the steam, and a surprised gasp escaped her as he grabbed a hold of her wrists. She dropped Spot, who let out a startled squeak, and scampered off to get away from the flying drops of water. He yanked her into the shower, pinned her against the wall, pressed his body against hers, and moved his hand up to hold her throat. He pushed her head to one side, and began teasing her with kisses down her neck, soft and feather-light. She sighed sweetly as he nuzzled her, and then he whispered in her ear with the same stern forcefulness,

"Take your clothes off, Ambassador. That is an order." His tone was low and steady, and it turned her on immensely. Her dress was completely soaked now, and clung to every part of her. She breathed in the thick air surrounding them, and it made her feel more aroused and light-headed.

"You do not give me orders, Commander," she replied, her soft voice, raspy and seductive.

He raised an eyebrow, and gave her the devil's grin, running his finger along the inside of her neckline. "Well then, If you will not comply, I will be forced to do it for you," he growled. In the next instant he grabbed a hold of her dress, and tore it open, yanking it off of her, and letting it fall away, leaving her exposed for his taking. She gasped again, and looked up at him, her eyes wide with shock, and delight.

He stroked her shoulders, and down her arms, leaning in to kiss the soft curve of her neck. He took her wrists in his hands, pushed them up the wall, over her head, and held them there. He brought his mouth up the side of her slender neck, along her jaw, to her lips, and kissed her hard, and with determination, making her swell inside with desire.

Have your way with me, she thought, as he moved from her lips to trail more kissed down the other side of her throat.

"What did you say, my beauty?" he murmured.

She tilted her head back, stretched her neck up to make room for him, and sighed, "I did not say anything, my love."

He stopped what he was doing, and pulled away to look in her face, a puzzled expression on his own.

She blinked, and stared back at him, disappointed. "Is something wrong?" she asked. "Why did you stop?"

"Did you not just instruct me to have my way with you?" he asked, confused.

She shook her head. "No. I thought it, but I did not say it out loud," she replied.

He furrowed his brow, and glanced away for a second before returning his gaze to hers, still holding her against the shower wall. "I am positive I heard you say that aloud," he insisted.

Her eyes widened, and a small smile began to creep across her face. "Data," she began, with the delight of one who has just had a marvelous revelation, "you heard my thoughts."

He arched an eyebrow as he considered the possibility, and its implications, and then his own pleased smile spread out, taking the place of his confusion. "Shall we conduct an experiment?" he suggested with more than a hint of excitement in his voice.

Her smile grew bigger, and the flame in her eyes flared up. Naked experiments are the best kind. Come closer.

He pressed his body against hers, and leaned his face in until he was nuzzling his nose against her cheek.

Kiss me.

He moved his head around to brush his lips against hers. He glided his tongue across her full pout before pressing his mouth to hers in a delicate, gentle kiss.

Now, go ahead, and teach me a lesson, I sorely deserve.

He arched an eyebrow at her again. "What sort of lesson would you care to be taught?" he asked.

She gasped with delight. He could hear her thoughts! How wonderful! How miraculous! How...exciting! "I am so turned on right now, I do not even care," she said, pushing back against him.

"Mmm."

He took her mouth with his once more, hard and forcefully. He held her wrists with one hand, keeping them pinned over her head, while he pressed his other hand firmly into her soft flesh, and brought it slowly, purposefully down the length of her body pausing at her breast to run his thumb over her nipple, drawing a tight circle, and teasing it to a firm button. Goosebumps raced up her skin despite the hot water pouring down on them. She sucked in a sharp breath, and quivered, her feathers rising up, soaked and dripping. He kissed her forcefully again, his tongue exploring her mouth, and he felt her shudder, her skin growing warmer with every touch of his hands.

This new revelation was very exciting, and she was not the only one who was extremely turned on. Her thoughts were racing, and nearly incoherent. She wanted him all over her, all at once. His hands, his mouth. She wanted him inside her...now, but he wasn't finished working her into a frenzy yet. She was such an impatient creature sometimes, wanting him to take her immediately, seeking instant gratification, wanting him to fuck her, hard and fast. He preferred to make love to her, despite her insistence, despite her pleading. The pleasure for him was in the exploration, the experience of her body. He loved every inch of her, and wanted to touch her entirety with his hands and mouth. He wanted to taste her most intimate places. He wanted to bury his face in her flesh, and take in her wonderful scent. He wanted to feel her warm, inviting skin against his. He wanted to hear every moan, every sigh, every time she uttered his name. He wanted to see her eyes light up from within, and her heart glow as he literally, set her aflame. He could hear all her fantasies, she was unable to control where her thoughts carried her while she was under his spell. She wanted him to take her on his console in their livingroom, on the floor in engineering, in the turbo-lift, and on the captain's desk. That one shocked him a little. It was bold, and risky. She was a naughty girl indeed. He took each one in, logging it away, saving it for future reference. Several more involved elaborate holodeck simulations, including the beloved Sherlock Holmes one, Geordi had designed. He had a similar fantasy involving that particular holodeck program, but he'd been too self conscious to ask her to indulge him, and buried it deep in his mind hoping she would never hear it. Apparently, he no longer needed to concern himself with what she would think. She was by and large, more adventurous than he was. Perhaps he would also allow her to hear his Indiana Jones one, complete with bull whip.

His left hand continued it's journey down her body, winding it's way over her curves, eliciting more shivers of pleasure from her. He grazed his hand along the inner line of her hip, and down to her soft folds where he used his fingers to coax her open. She moaned, and leaned into him as he teased her towards climax. He slid two inside her, and letting out a cry, she arched her back, bracing her foot against the wall. He brought his mouth down to her breasts, encircling her nipples with his tongue, and she felt the scrape of his bottom teeth bringing her further still towards the point of no return.

She ached to feel him inside her, and begged him, Please, I need you. Do it now! He nestled his face in her neck, and nibbled her ear.

No, I am not finished yet, he growled, and she moaned loudly.

He was enjoying this. They were so deeply connected now that they no longer needed to speak. Her body told him what she wanted as easily as her thoughts did. She wouldn't have been able to form words now, even if she'd wanted to, but that didn't matter, he knew exactly what to do.

He continued working her up with his fingers, beginning with soft, gentle circles, and gradually pulling them tighter, and harder until she began to squirm against him as he drove her over the edge. She released a deep, gutteral cry as her flames engulfed her.

He smiled in satisfaction as he swept his hand back across her belly, around her waist, along the small of her back, and down her backside. Purring, she arched up to meet him, and he gripped her thigh, pulling her leg up to wrap around him as he compressed her against the wall with his hips, forcing her onto her toes. He traced his fingers along the sensitive under-side of her thigh, eliciting a soft moan from her, and released her hands so she could slide them across his shoulders, and wrap her arms around his neck.

He buried his face in her soft neck, and kissed his favourite spot, where it's curve met her shoulder. He gave her a gentle nip before he raised his head, and their eyes met. He gripped her other thigh, and with a single fluid movement, hoisted her off the ground to straddle him. She wrapped her legs around him as he entered her, and he ground his hips against hers, pushing deep into her. She let out a soft, breathless cry, and sank the fingers of one hand into his hair, tugging tightly, pulling him into her, and crushing her mouth on his. He drank her in with enthusiasm, feeling her tongue in his mouth, soft and warm, her full lips on his. She tasted sweet, and heady, and it made every single circuit tingle. He braced her back against the wall, and used strong, deep strokes to drive her to climax, her glowing heart pounding in her chest. She dug the nails of her other hand into his shoulder, and squeezed her thighs together. She tightened around him, making him groan with pleasure in her mouth, and she bit his lip in response.

He buried his face in her neck and shoulder, driving against her, as she arched her head back against the wall, her drenched hair clinging to both of them. Her cries grew more breathless as he pushed her closer to the brink, his movements flawless and fluid. She gripped his hair tighter, forcing his face into her flesh as she plunged over the edge, a long groan escaping her, and he quickly brought her back up again. She pressed her heels into him, pushing back against him, her breasts pressing into his chest with each deep, shattered breath.

She released her grip on his hair, and he brought his head up to bury his mouth on hers again. He held her firm as the second wave crashed in on her. Unable to cry out, she clawed at him, desperate to release the earth shattering pressure. He finally broke their kiss, and their eyes met. Hers were flooded with the force of her imminent climax, she was drowning in him.

Stay with me, he told her, and she brought both hands around to hold his face between them. The fire inside her engulfed her completely then, and she opened her mouth but no sound came out, only a sharp, nearly inaudible gasp. Her flames surged up, and steam hissed as the water from the shower hit her flaming skin, boiling on impact. She clutched him in even closer as one final orgasm shuddered through her. He finally allowed the growing tidal wave within him to break, and his body tensed as all the sensations flooded into his brain at once. He cried out himself as he released inside her, and she went limp in his arms. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and slid her fingers tenderly into his hair. She rested her forehead on his, taking deep breaths, her body still shivering, and her legs still around him. He waited there, keeping her pressed against him until his pulse stopped pounding, and slowed to a steady, rhythmic pace, then he eased himself out of her, and lowered her feet back to the floor. She laid her head on his chest. He was contented to stand there forever with the water pouring down on them while he held her, and stroked her hair but he had to report to the bridge.

"Naseema, I am afraid I must go. I am supposed to be on the bridge in four minutes and sixteen seconds," he said. She smiled, and laughed gently, releasing him from their embrace.

He dried himself off, and dressed quickly, then turned to face her. She was still naked, and glistening from the shower. She hadn't moved to dry herself or dress, she'd been to busy admiring him.

"You really should consider going naked more often," she commented. "You have such a beautiful body."

He ducked his eyes away from hers shyly. "Perhaps I will consider it," he replied. "If you consider the same."

She smiled at him. "I am not the one who is shy," she said with a wink, and turned to retrieve her kimono from its hook. He sighed as he watched her stretch up to grab it. The muscles in her long, dancer's legs flexing with her reach, and the lines of her perfect body taunting him as droplets of water rolled down them.

He moved towards her, smoothed away the wet hair clinging to her face, as she fastened the sash of her robe around her waist, and stroked her cheek.

I like that I can hear your intimate thoughts. They are very exciting, and I am eager to try some of your fantasies.

You heard those, did you?

Yes.

Did they entice you?

Yes, and then he arched an eyebrow at her, but you should not use such a word to describe our love-making. The way Ambassador Jagger uses it, it does not sound particularly warm or loving.

She smirked at him. It is a word with many implications, but in this context, sometimes I do not wish to make love, sometimes I just want you to fuck me.

His eyes widened. I did not realize there was a difference.

There is a rather big difference. I will show you...if you wish me to.

His eyes stayed wide, and lit up. He was astounded by her sauciness, and extremely intrigued. I believe I do wish for you to show me. He then tilted her face to meet his, kissing her softly at first, but then he grew forceful. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and ran her fingers into his hair, grabbing a handful, pulling him into a deeper kiss. He drew his hand up her inner thigh, and glided his fingers across her intimate place, teasing a soft moan from her.

Do not start something that you cannot finish, Commander, she warned.

Do you not want me to...fuck you?

That depends, can you do it in less than two minutes? Because that is how much time you have to make it to the bridge.

He thought about it for a split second. The idea was very enticing, but he knew she was right, he did not want to cut it so close. He let out a disappointed sigh. "You are correct, Naseema. I am not behaving myself, and I must report for duty," he said, and stroked her hair once more, then finally turned to leave.

"I will see you in awhile," she replied, and smiled at him as he left. The captain's ready room? 0300 hours perhaps?

He laughed, and rolled his eyes up to the ceiling. I am not sure I am ready for such an adventure.

"Than I shall think of some nice things to talk about tonight instead, as I get dressed, and dry my hair," she said with a lovely smile. "I love you."

He glanced over his shoulder at her once more before departing for duty. "And I love you."

He arrived on the bridge with seconds to spare. "Lieutenant Commander Data reporting for duty, sir," he said to Commander Riker.

Riker nodded in acknowledgement as the android descended the ramp, and asked with a knowing grin, "You're cutting it a little closer than usual Data. Were you detained? I hope it was nothing serious."

"I apologize, sir. There was a fire in our quarters that needed attending to, but do not worry, sir, I took care of it."

"The sensors didn't pick up any fire in that section," the tactical officer, who was new to the ship, stated from his position on the upper bridge as he searched the panel for any indication that he'd made a mistake.

Riker stifled a laugh behind his sleeve.

"I extinguished it, lieutenant. I am quite experienced in handling such matters." Data replied, an excessive level of innocence in his demeanor that only Riker picked up on.

"If you say so, sir," the young officer said, still unsure of what the android was talking about, and pretty sure there was something funny he wasn't getting.

Riker stood up from the command chair, straightened his uniform, and leaned towards Data. "You are one saucy devil, Mr. Data," he said quietly. "I do believe we should share a drink in Ten Forward soon."

The android's brow furrowed with fake confusion. "I am afraid I do not know what you are referring to, sir, but if you are requesting my company in Ten Forward, I would be happy to oblige you, tomorrow perhaps?" he replied.

Riker shook his head, and chuckled. "Sure you don't. I'll see you in the morning," he said, giving the android a wink. He kept his eyes on him, still wearing a knowing smirk as he boarded the turbo-lift. "Oh, and Data," he called out before the door closed. "Behave yourself tonight."

Data turned to look over his shoulder at Riker as he sat down in the command chair. "Always, sir," he replied, still feigning innocence.

Most of the other bridge officers looked at each other with confusion, but two of them gave a glance at the other with mild amusement. They were fairly certain they understood the strange exchange between the first and second officers, and they were also pretty convinced the android had just subtly revealed the truth to the most infamous rumor regarding the Feeonix ambassador.

When Naseema arrived on the bridge a short time later, those same two officers both glanced at her, and did their best to hide their smiles, but she was both an observant, and an intuitive creature, and she could instantly tell they were attempting to hide something. She caught the eye of one, and gave him a wink, which made the young man blush, and she knew for sure there had been a game afoot shortly before her arrival.

Commander Riker, she thought to herself. He would have been here when Data arrived. I wonder what they discussed? She glided down the ramp, and sat in the chair next to her android mate.

"How is Commander Riker this evening?" she asked, and her loaded tone didn't escape him.

"He appeared to be in excellent health, and good spirits," he replied, and she arched her eyebrow at him.

And what did the two of you discuss that has caused such amusement at my arrival?

He returned her inquisitive eyebrow. Nothing.

Do not attempt to feign innocence with me, my love. You are so very busted. A fire in our quarters?

Damn. He glanced at her sideways, embarrassed that he'd been caught.

Uh huh. A smile spread across her face as she reclined back in her seat, and pulled her feet up to sit cross-legged. You are in trouble, naughty boy, and I believe I will have to punish you later. She shot him a look, and its implication made a pleased grin appear on his lips.

Will you use your riding crop?

Perhaps.

I do believe I am looking forward to that.

His last thought made her laugh, eliciting another round of intrigued looks from the rest of the bridge crew, who were left out of their current conversation. They looked at each other, both of them smiling.

At the start of their romance, he'd worried that the feelings he experienced with her would fade, and that over time their bond would be diminished, but it was clear to him now that the opposite was true. His connection with her was deepening with every passing day, and he couldn't put into words how being able to communicate with her on this level made him feel, but that didn't matter. She knew how he felt, just as she'd always known, and now they had this wonderful, special secret, shared between only them. He wanted to keep this one just for them as long as possible. It was by far the most incredible development in their bond so far, and certainly counted as a true secret. They had so few of those left, each one eventually revealed to their friends, either by accident or necessity. All the senior staff knew that he had an off switch, and where it was located, just as they also knew that Naseema was capable of reading his thoughts prior to this new link between their minds. Her other abilities were a matter of record, and the persistent rumor regarding the flames she produced while they were intimate was not much of a secret, as nearly everyone on board the ship knew she was able to engulf herself with white, mystical flames, and a logical conclusion as to when she would do so, was not difficult to draw. It was more of a running joke that only continued because neither of them had ever come right out, and admitted the truth. The secrets they did manage to keep to themselves were merely personal quirks that no one else would have any interest in. The kinds of things that couples who'd been together awhile would know about each other. She was the only one who knew that he had a sensitive, ticklish spot on his body, located just behind his knee, and that he occasionally snored, although he was pretty sure she'd told Guinan about that. No one, but him, knew that she would speak to both Spot, and her fish in ridiculous, high pitched, baby talk, and that while she was fond of her, she thought Dr. Crusher was a bit of a twit. He liked that they shared those parts of each other. She'd allowed him to become closer than he'd ever imagined to the humanity he'd sought all his life, and he continued to move even closer to that goal, with the help of her energy, and her wise, gentle nature. She understood him, and accepted all his shortcomings, which he knew he had, despite her insistence that they didn't exist. She readily admitted to her own flaws more easily than she would admit to his, and that was a quality of hers he found very endearing, as he had equal difficulty accepting that she was not perfect, even when her temper got the better of her. It was never directed at him. They seldom argued, and when they did, it always ended in their bed, with the one exception being the argument that ended on the bathroom floor. Others seemed to think they were special, but to him, they were just as any other couple in love. Even being able to communicate telepathically was not particularly bizarre. He wondered what the reaction of the others would be when they eventually found out. Whatever it would be, for now, their new connection was just for them, and he liked that.