Into Temptation

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She wants to take things further. He wants to stop wanting her. Shepard/Grant (OC), post Mindoir attack.

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Disclaimer: This author in no way profits from the writing of this story. All characters, dialogue, or other referenced material from the Mass Effect trilogy belongs to Bioware.

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"You've been avoiding me," came a familiar voice from behind.

She knew. Of course she knew. With a sigh, I turned to face my accuser. She had cornered me; we were alone, and I couldn't escape.

"Why?" she demanded. "Why are you avoiding me?" Her face was set in a determined expression, the one I found so hard to defy.

I glanced away. "You know why, Kate," I told her, silently begging her to understand.

"You're wasting your time," she responded, her fingers making their way up my arm. "There are rumors already. What does it matter now?" she asked in an impassioned whisper.

I ripped my arm away, looking back at her. "That's why it matters," I told her, my voice shaking slightly. "We can't do this, Kate, and you know that."

She shook her head at me, those unwavering blue eyes looking directly into mine. "Yes, we can," she said softly. Her fingers were back, creeping their way up my arms, around my neck. My resolve was waning.

I did nothing as her face hovered closer to mine. How long could one man fight against his own desires?

"We can't—" I began, my voice breaking. I wanted this, longed for it. Dreamed of it.

Her words were just a whisper, her lips inches from mine. "No one has to know."

Before I knew it, my lips were crashing into hers with a passion I'd never known, lightning coursing through my veins as I pulled her to me, her body against mine.

I wanted her.

My hands slipped under the hem of her shirt, feeling her warm, soft skin against my palms. She writhed against me, unable or unwilling to hide her desire. She was perfection made flesh, a lithe body that curved into mine, fingers that trailed over my skin sensuously, eyes that spoke of deep passions and secrets unknown.

Unable to hold back, I lifted her shirt over her head. She made no protest, pushing me back against the wall to unfasten the top of my uniform. My body revealed to her, she traced her fingers and lips down my chest, inflicting pleasure as she went, holding me under her spell.

Wishing her lips on mine again, I pulled her up, her mouth crashing against mine once more. My head was filled only with thoughts of desire, until she took my hand to place on her breast.

Just as suddenly as it had begun, it ended. It was as if I had been woken from a dream, doused with cold water. The spell was broken.

I pushed her away, realizing what I'd done. Her eyes were filled with confusion and then anger. "Why stop now?" she demanded softly, closing the space I'd made between us. Her blue eyes looked up at me fiercely as I clothed myself, ashamed. Afraid.

"You want this," she said, and it wasn't a question.

I didn't answer. I couldn't encourage this. "No one can know what happened here," I told her, in a voice that I hoped was firm enough.

Her eyes were piercing, as if she understood my deepest thoughts and feelings better than I understood them myself. "They won't," she said simply, and stepped away.

I stared after her as she composed herself, giving me only a cursory glance as she went out the door, speaking to me over her shoulder.

"We'll meet again, Captain," were her parting words, and I couldn't deny the truth in them. I was swimming against a tidal wave, slowly being pulled under.

I was falling into temptation, and there was no way out.

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