Mike Ayala stared at the ceiling and sighed.
"What?" he heard a tender whisper in his right ear. "You didn't start to regret this, did you?"
"No", Ayala told without hesitation and kissed the gorgeous woman who was lying comfortably in his arms. Her naked body against his own reminded of the burning passion between them, which had been something he had not even dared to dream experiencing after all the lonely years he had spent in the Delta Quadrant. But now he felt like he had been reborn; like he was a young man again in his prime.
"Then what?" she asked. "I know there is something in your mind."
"I can't help but wonder what Chakotay would think about this", he finally confessed.
"Don't", she asked. "Please don't bring him into this bed. This night belongs to you and me."
"I have served with the man for years and I respect him", he explained. "I don't want to step on his toes. So his opinion matters, always has, and I'm sure he would have an opinion about this; about us."
"I'm sure he would", she whispered. "But frankly; this is not any of his business. And besides, he has something else in his mind at the moment or haven't you seen how hopelessly in love he is?"
"I really didn't see that relationship coming", Mike said then. "I guess I should have had, but they obviously concealed it well."
"Well heart wants what the heart wants", she told. "And what other people might think about the will of your heart is not important. What matters is love."
"Right", he said and kissed her forehead again.
They held each other for a moment, enjoying the sensation of being close and leaving the rest of the galaxy outside of the bedroom. Both of them had been waiting for this night for quite some time now, wondering if the other was thinking about it too. And when it had finally happened, it had been so much more than either one of them had even dared to dream.
"What are you thinking now?" she asked then.
"You."
"What about me?"
"I was thinking why I didn't see this between us before", he told.
"I guess some things take time", she suggested.
"And just yesterday I thought I was alone with this; that I was the only one wanting this to happen."
"Well you were not. And you are not. I want this Mike. And if Chakotay has any kind of problem with this, he will come around. I want only the best for him and I'm sure he wants the same for me. So once he sees that this is the best thing that has ever happened to me, he will be happy for us."
"You sound confident", he told.
"Well, I know him. But in the mean time, we can continue sneaking around."
Mike's smile widened.
"I knew it", she laughed. "You love to sneak around."
"And you don't?" he asked amused.
"I do", she admitted. "Forbidden fruit always tastes the sweetest."
"Are you forbidden fruit?" he asked.
"I am whatever you want me to be", she told with a mischievous smile.
Mike Ayala kissed her lips and whispered: "I love you Sekaya, daughter of Kolopak."
"I love you too…" she told softly. "And now; we have whole night ahead of us. So no more talk about my brother. Let Kathryn keep him in her bed instead and let's keep this bed to ourselves."