James felt his arms starting to get just a tiny bit sore. Only a little. He was tense, flexing as Elara rocked back and forth on her heels in front of him. Amusement was clear on her face as she watched the artist work. Sweat was also beginning to bead on his brow, just one more tell tale sign to his weakening resolve around his insufferable commander. Insufferable in all the right ways, of course.
The excitement of the moment, proclaiming his 'official' acceptance into the N7 program, had faded away into an awkward silence. James, himself, was at a loss for words. Eager for her to leave so he could relax his tense body, yet also craving her to sway just a bit closer. Only a little. Just enough. Dammit.
"You know that's gonna sting for a few days," she drawled out. Her lips quirked upward in a smirk. "You gonna be ready for duty, Lieutenant?"
The way she said his rank nearly pushed him over the edge. He tamped down on the shiver that threatened to rack his body. He swallowed the forming lump in his throat, pushing himself toward a calmer place.
"Always." Good start, he told himself. And, before he could censor his brain to keep up the trend, he added: "Hey, maybe we should get matching?" Well, shit.
Two brows shot up as Elara paused in her idle rocking. "You want me to get an N7 tattoo?" She was incredulous, that much was clear in her voice. More sweat beaded against his brow as he played it off, a smug grin turning the corners of his mouth upward.
"N7… sure. Or," he started, slowly. His heart began to race, thumping loudly against his chest as he swallowed yet another lump forming in his throat. No time for thoughts now, only words. "You could get my name done… somewhere special."
The look of incredulity on Elara's beautiful face changed, morphing into something he could not quite identify. Not at first, not until the smirk returned. She set her hands on her hips, chuckling and shaking her head.
"You are such a tease, Vega."
He inhaled a slow, deep breath and blinked away the sweat that was beginning to roll into his eyes.
"Who me?"
His eyes had landed on her lips, watching and staring as the smug grin on her face wavered with each bout of laughter. Goddamn did he want to know what those lips felt like, what that mouth of hers tasted like. But she was speaking again, words spilling out with a chuckle.
"You ever gonna make good on all this flirting?"
The husky undertone in her voice drove him mad and if not for the art being done across his back, James was not certain he could contain his urge to lunge for her. To pin her against the nearest wall and explore every inch of her gorgeous body. Fuck, she's expecting you to say something. Say anything!
"Uhh… I was just," he stammered. His arms began to relax as he lost what little composure he'd possessed. "I didn't mean to… you know, I was just…" Of course, he did mean it, but he also knew better. Knew her preference, knew he could just paint a target on his back now for Garrus to hit on the next mission if he ever let it slip he was serious.
Elara let out one more short laugh, shaking her head. "Uh-huh. That's what I thought." The smugness in her tone drove him crazy, almost as much as the teasing. "Later, Lieutenant."
He swallowed thickly, his voice heavy and difficult to find in his embarrassment. "Later…"
