Prompt: Taylor/Wash - Linger
Fill for: bellakitse
Word Count: 407
Rating: PG-15
Genre: Romance
Summary: Suddenly Taylor's behavior starts to make sense to Wash.
Author's Note: Written for the prompt Linger in the Friday's One Word Fic Challenge - Week 1. No spoilers.
Disclaimer: I own neither the show nor the characters. I don't earn any money with this piece. I just do it for fun.


Alicia cannot pinpoint the exact moment he started it but she will forever remember the day she finally notices something was going on that had nothing to do with them as commander and subordinate but everything as man and woman. It's the first time in over a decade she actually blushes, no matter how hard she tries to suppress her body's reaction, and she will never forget the sensation of skin on skin, calloused fingers sliding along her waist before slipping underneath her shirt, lingering for just a split second but long enough to send her mind reeling.

In that moment she realizes that Taylor has slowly but surely stepped up their physical contact in recent weeks, from a feather-light caress when he handed her a plexpad to a probing yet gentle touch when her OTG missions ended with cuts and bruises for her to standing much closer than regulation dictated, so close his bare arms brushed hers and sent a shiver down her spine. He hasn't even tried to be subtle about it, hasn't shown a care in the world who saw their encounters.

Here now, in the Command Center, with Taylor moving behind her, his hand leaving a trail of fire in its wake before settling low on her hip as he leans over her shoulder to take a look at the data displayed in front of them, Alicia feels her cheeks flare, blood thundering in her ears, the tiny hairs on her nape raising as his breath ghosts over the sensitive skin there. The dual sensation sizzles along her nerves and the shudder running through her body doesn't go unnoticed by Taylor.

He reaches around her, shuts down the head display and suddenly the only sound in the room is their heavy breathing as the two of them seem to be frozen in time. Slowly, as if not to scare her, he places his hand on the table, palm up, an offer, a plea, a hopeful gesture, and she understands now that he's been testing the waters, analyzing her reactions, trying (and hoping) to find hints that she feels the same way about him. Without hesitation she relaxes back into him and entwines their fingers, soft skin gliding against rough, and when the tension leaves his body in a rush as he wraps his arm around her to pull her even closer, she knows this day is going to be her most treasured memory.