It was just past three in the morning when the door opens. Light spills into the small bedroom before shutting close with a click and plunging everything back into soothing darkness. Muffled groan sounds off from the figure before they flop haphazardly onto the queen sized bed. A startled gasps escapes the sleeping occupant who rolls over, as much as she could, to face the other individual.

"Cowboy...?" Her voice was thick with sleep as she fights back against a yawn.

"Mhmm..." His response almost sounded a like a sigh as he wrapped the comforter around himself.

"What... what time is it? Fuck... It's three thirty. Where-? I didn't see you leave the gala. I got your message but... Did you get what we needed?" She yawns again.

The Pilot lets out a low laugh and props himself up his elbows to look at her. "Yup. Took the... prick four extra drinks but... I got it. Memory's good but I, uh, recorded it just to be safe."

Four extra-? He typically had maybe a six drink rule or so when they were out working. "You're drunk." It was more a statement than question. Which was confirmed by his slurred speech and breath that smelled of scotch.

"Just... a bit." He gives her a lopsided grin that she barely makes out in the darkness then feels him shift a bit to plant a kiss on the side of her neck, his beard brushing up against her there. His arms wrap gently around her waist for the moment. Idra stiffens in surprise.

Did that... Did that just happen?

"Cowboy...?"

His lips then ghost a kiss across hers and she leans back a few inches. She could still taste a bit of the alcohol. Shit. This definitely wasn't like the time she'd used him to hide from Viper back at the trading port but...

"Yeah?"

"What're you...? You're drunk." He makes an amused noise in the back of his throat and goes to kiss her again when she places a hand on his mouth.

"I know." He smiles against her hand and kisses it as well. "You wanna know... what that... ambassador told me 'fore I managed to get outta there?"

Her head tilts a fraction and her brows furrow together in question and he kisses her on the nose as one of his hands goes under her shirt, drawing slow and lazy circles on her side. Her pulse spikes just slightly in response.

"He said that as a... politician's son who recently inherited a... shit ton of stock and clients and all crap that goes with it... I better enjoy the time I got... with my new fiancée..." In between pauses he began peppering her with soft kisses much to her surprise.

Now she was awake.

"Make the most of... the time we got..."

Oh, fucking hell...

Her eyes had fluttered shut for a few seconds and she swallows past the dryness in her throat. So that's what had gotten into him.

"Cowboy... Merrick. Wait... We can't..." Fuck, why was her voice getting all breathy and shit?

He continued drawing more lazy patterns on her skin, palms coarse and touch from years of use. Hands that could bring down a massive Legion or snap a man's neck in one fluid motion could also be startlingly gentle.

She was certainly admiring that quality whether she meant to or not.

"It's supposed to be... a cover," she manages to get out and breathes heavily. "We aren't-"

"Actually together?" he finishes for her. "Yeah... I know. But we're supposed to be... newly engaged. Lovers. Trying to sell this. Weren't you... Weren't you the one who said you were supposed to try an' keep me from... my job long as you could 'cause you couldn't bear to away from me?"

Crap... Had she said that? Couldn't remember... She was starting to have some trouble focusing on other things right at the moment. And why did his voice sound a little further away-?

His other hand started to steadily massage a part on her lower back... and it was just in the right spot. How'd he know?

Her breath hitches and he places a kiss on her stomach. In middle of all this, one of them must've tossed the comforter off; it was getting a hot. Idra had grabbed the pillow by the side of her head to try and keep herself anchored. Mentally, she was arguing with herself. Fuck, did she want this but... there was also an issue of a drunk Merrick currently... planning something... She wanted it to be something they'd -both- remember. Damn it, she was starting to feel really warm now much to her own embarrassment. Her cheek flush a deep scarlet with the implications running through her mind. Thank god it was too dark to see much of anything. One hand hooked into her waistband brought her back to reality and she opens her eyes, sitting up a little.

"Merrick. Wait. We-"

Wait a god damn fucking second... Was that snoring? Was that... Was he...? Her mouth drops into an "o" of disbelief. The other Pilot had knocked completely out on her stomach. He was gone from reality and would be for the next few hours. Idra flops back onto her pillow in a huff and runs a hand over her face, willing her heart rate to calm the hell down. Talk about not finishing the job. Getting someone all riled up and then knocking out right at the end...

Least nothing really happened or else there'd be some major explaining to do in the morning. She knew he respected her and her reasonings. Hell, the first damn time they'd ended up sleeping together, completely unintentional, mind you, he'd thought he'd taken advantage of her but he hadn't and here... She wasn't exactly saying no but she wanted it to be something enjoyable and memorable for them both. Thank god he fell asleep when he did.

Well, shit. She was gonna have a helluva time trying to explain this to him in the morning.