Chapter Twenty-Eight

Following the council meeting, I escorted the senator home, along with her personal assistant. It was a quiet ride to her apartment inside the vehicle, although the morning traffic lanes outside were becoming rather congested. I had planned on taking them home safely and then returning to the Temple to pack, but once I had pulled up to the balcony landing on the second floor, I completely changed my mind. I couldn't leave her like this; agonizing over our future when we'd just re-discovered our past.

I stepped out of the shuttle, assisting Dorme and Padme out of the speeder, onto the surface of her home, but instead of joining my Padawan on his return to the Temple, I turned to him and smiled.

"Take the speeder back and prepare my duffel. I'll return this evening and fly out at dusk."

Anakin looked at me funny from inside the vehicle. "You mean, we'll fly out."

"No, Anakin," I confirmed, hoping I wasn't going to have to remind him who the Master was. "I need you to stay and guard the Senator. Someone very dangerous is interfering with her life, and when they discover their plan to change her upcoming vote has failed, they may come after her again. While I'm on Tosuna, I need you to protect her here."

"But I should be with you!" the youth insisted. "Who's going to watch your back and make sure you aren't decieved again?"

"Anakin." I said his name low and firm, my hands firmly grasped behind my back as I carefully regarded him. The little scene he had put on in our apartment earlier had better been a one-time occurrence, I'd already decided.

"Yes, Master. I'll watch over her and keep her safe. I know how much she means to you," the young man finally, though hesitantly agreed, as he scooted over behind the controls.

Was it that obvious? I wondered sometimes if I wasn't glowing like a lightsaber whenever Padme was near. "You know you're the only one I trust to do this, don't you?"

My admission brought a smile to my Padawan's face. "I'll keep her safe, Master. Promise."

"I'll see you tonight."

I watched Anakin fly the speeder back in the direction of the Temple and then turned to locate Padme, although I didn't have to go far. She'd been standing just beyond the balcony opening, listening to the entire conversation.

"You're not taking Anakin with you? Obi-Wan, I'm not sure that's such a good idea."

I grinned and placed my arm about her as we entered her home, hoping I hadn't overstepped my bounds. "And what about my spending the day here before I leave?" I asked her playfully, "is that a bad idea as well?"

She bumped against me as we walked across the smooth floors of her living space, apparently enjoying the lightness of my mood. "I'm not sure. I'll have to take that under advisement and let you know when I've come to a decision."

I squeezed her gently as we passed by a fountain and sat, facing each other on the plush sofa located in the center of the room.

"Mi'Lady, I'm going to go lie down for a while. I'm exhausted." Dorme mentioned upon passing. "If there's anything you need..."

"That's fine," Padme hurriedly replied before the young woman could continue and possibly embarrass her, thus proving she might be a suitable match for my Padawan after all! "I'll see you later. Have a pleasant rest, Dorme."

Once the handmaiden had left the room, I turned my attention back to Padme, reaching out to take her hands in mine, rubbing the soft skin of her wrists with my thumbs. "Seriously, would you mind if I spend the day here with you? I would prefer going into battle with my loins fully girded."

A tiny laugh escaped apparently due to my choice of words, and then she leaned forward to draw closer to me. I matched her posture, our foreheads coming together lightly. "Of course I don't mind," she answered my question, although not quite cooperating with my change of subject. "But there's still this matter of you going alone. I would much rather..."

"Ssssh," I hushed her with a finger placed upon her lips. "Let's save that argument for later." There were a few other things I wished to do with our time together than debate my decision.

I leaned forward and brushed my lips against her ear, sucking the lobe into my mouth, while my hands began the tedious task of undoing the clasps on the back of her gown - all 47 of them. I sure was missing those Tosuna resort outfits right about now.

"Don't think making love with you is going to make me forget this conversation," I heard Padme say as I continued my explorations, my lips moving from her ear down along the column of her throat.

"I don't think that," I murmured as I finally managed to loosen the bodice of the tight-fitting garment, nuzzling the sweet swell of her breast before moving up to capture her lips. "But I can't seem to control myself when I'm around you." I said between kisses, still struggling with the fastenings.

"Who's asking you to?" Padme sighed, shoving my hands away to speed up the process. "Here, let me."

The expensive gown was left in a puddle on the floor when I lifted Padme from her seat and carried her in the direction she pointed to; up some steps, down a hallway, and into a dimly lit room painted purple, very similar to the color of her life force I'd encountered.

I was going to lay her on the bed, but she squirmed in my grasp and I lowered her to the floor instead, where she commenced to unwrap me herself. First, off came my cloak, followed by lightsaber and utility belt, which she lay on the table next to her bed. Next, came the tabbards, obi, and overtunic, which brought forward a huff of exasperation as she blew a lock of hair off her forehead and murmured some complaint about Jedi having too many layers. Finally, she pulled the undertunic over my head, at which point, I lost my patience and lifted her up and onto the bed. Two high clips undone in a timely manner removed my boots, and a lift of my hips, aided the removal of my leggings - smallclothes included, until I lay beside her completely undressed and began pulling the ties to her chemise, finally exposing her body to my sight and touch.

I had lay with a few women in my lifetime, but never had I been so overwhelmed by the depth of feelings I held for Padme, as well as the sense of possessiveness. The few one-night stands I had participated in consisted of quickly undressing, rapidly going through the motions of a somewhat abridged version of foreplay, with the solitary goal of achieving fulfillment.

But this was no one-night stand. This was a commitment I was willing to make for life, and the awareness of that caused our lovemaking to slow down significantly, as we studied one another, discovering erotic zones and ticklish spots, while she seemed to become somewhat fascinated with my beard.

"I've never kissed a man with a beard before you," she explained the allure, as her fingers trailed through my whiskers.

"I'll shave it off if you'd like," I volunteered, finding my own obsession with her collarbone.

"No you won't," she joked. "And besides, I'm getting used to it. I like it."

To confirm her declaration, I eased up and rubbed my bearded cheek against her face before beginning a study of the interior recesses of her mouth, enticing her tongue to play an erotic game with my own. The longer we kissed, the more our passion inflamed, until a firestorm had erupted between my thighs, and all self control turned to ash.

Afterward, we both lay on our backs, gasping for air and perspiring profusely. I hadn't had that intense of a work-out in months!

"I'm famished," Padme said after she'd caught her breath.

"Eggs?"

"With Tandorian fries and shredded nerf?"

I chuckled and twisted sideways to apply my fingers to Padme's ribs until I had her squealing and begging me to stop. "You're not allowed to hang out with my Padawan any more," I teased, holding her hostage beneath me.

"All right, all right!" she struggled, catching her breath and staring intently into my eyes.

It was amazing how even the most innocent touch was so easily and quickly transformed into a romantic gesture, but my stomach was rebelling as well, and interrupted any further thought.

"Kitchen," she announced with a grin.

"Right behind you."