Author's Note: Let me start, again, by thanking RBurger, Elissa Theirin, PillarofNormandy, Jules Hawk, spacecats, and the guest for your reviews. I know I've said it before, but it's worth repeating, I absolutely love hearing what you think.

To Vorcha Girl, a special thank you. For the review you left, of course, but also for the assistance you gave with this chapter. Decision making is not easy for me, and this chapter would have taken a lot longer if not for your help.

I got a second job that I start tomorrow, so the chapters may not be coming as fast. Have no fear, though, I'm not going anywhere. I'm having too much fun.

As always, Enjoy! - TLC

Chapter Thirty-Six

It was midafternoon on their last day of leave. It had been an amazing week in which they hadn't left the hotel room. Some days they didn't even leave the bedroom. It was a good thing the grocer down the road delivered. They'd watched old movies, and laughed over stories from their youth. Though, he had to admit, his favorite moments were spent in silence, just enjoying the tranquility. No demands, no pressures, no requirements except to just be. It was hard to believe that after almost a full week cooped up together, he didn't want to leave and she didn't seem to want him to leave.

Kaidan was lying on the couch with one leg thrown up over the back and one arm tucked up under his head. Shepard was lying on top of him, her back to his chest and her head on his shoulder. His other hand was resting on her bent knee as she watched the codes scrolling over his omni-tool. He was half paying attention to the hockey game on the vid screen, the other half watching Shepard as she considered the codes of the training program running on his 'tool.

She moved her hand to the screen to select a certain section of the coding, and Kaidan knew it was wrong and would reset the program. "Ah ah! Wait…" He said against her ear and she groaned pulling her hand back. He chuckled softly, and it rumbled low in his chest. "Watch it for another minute. Take your time," He coached, quietly. His lips brushed the shell of her ear as he spoke. "The pattern will develop and you'll see it," He instructed and she mumbled under her breath, and he turned his head and placed a gentle kiss to her cheek. He felt her sigh and he squeezed the knee he held.

He turned his attention back to the vid screen, and it was just under a minute later he noticed her hesitantly reaching towards the screen, he looked to the program and saw she'd found it. She pulled the code, and the screen flashed green and she threw her hands over her head and laughed. He laughed with her and she turned her head towards him and let him kiss her. "You're a good teacher," She praised him and he snorted and rolled his eyes. She turned over, placing her hands palm down and on top of each other on his chest as she rested her chin on them looking to his face. She watched him as he powered down the training program and his 'tool. He reached out and ran his hand through her hair and she leaned into his touch. He didn't think he'd get enough of that. The way she would close her eyes, smile, and enjoy the feel of him. It was almost feline, and he loved it.

She moved, placing her hands on the couch on either side of him, and lifted herself over him. Her hair fell around them and he dug his hands in, lifting it away, and cupping the back of her head. She kept her eyes on his as she lowered her head. Her nose nuzzled his and he was grinning as her lips ghosted over his, teasing. He followed her, anxious for her kiss. Their breath blended between them, and he groaned when her lips finally met his. He brought his leg down, and slid his hands down to her thighs, then the back of her knees. He pulled them so she was straddling him.

Her kiss was slow and he let her lead. His senses were full of her. His hands caressed her back as they slid up under her shirt. The scent of plum blossoms invaded the air and tugged at his insides. He could hear her quick, ragged breathing as her mouth danced with his. Though his eyes were closed, he could see her in his mind's eye. The way her eyelashes would lay on her reddened cheeks as her lips grew swollen from his kiss. She tasted sweet, always, and it drove him mad with want. She pulled away and pressed her forehead against his. His eyes opened and met hers as her tongue slid out to taste him on her lips.

She slithered down slightly, and laid her head against his chest with a deep sigh. He kept his arms around her and kissed the top of her head. His eyes moved back to the vid screen when she asked, "What are you watching?" He chuckled and her question led him to a brief explanation of hockey. She seemed vaguely interested as he ran his hand along her scalp and through her hair. He could feel her breathing growing deep, and her body relaxing and going limp on top of him.

"Do you have a dress?" He asked her quietly, his lips against the top of her head. He could feel her tense, and she lifted her head to look at him.

"What?" She asked him, question in her eyes and the firm set of her lips.

"We have reservations for dinner tonight, and I wanted to make sure you had something appropriate to wear," He explained and her eyebrows shot up. She placed her hands on his chest and sat up, still straddling him, and looked down at him.

"What?" She asked again, pure confusion on her face.

"I promised you a dinner date," He reminded her simply, as his hands slowly slid over her thighs. The long shirt she was wearing was bunched at her hips.

"You've made me dinner every day this week," She reminded him simply, and he laughed.

"And I have loved making you dinner every day this week, but that doesn't mean I don't want to take you out and buy you dinner," He explained and she cocked an eyebrow at him. "It will be fun," He promised but she still looked skeptical. Her eyes narrowed slightly and she leaned down. She kissed along his neck and promised him she knew a few fun things they could do. He laughed, "We will have plenty of time for that after," He said as his hands ran through her hair again. He coaxed her to lift her head and look at him. "Sloan, let me take you out," He asked, his eyes searching hers and she sighed.

"Fine," She agreed before lying her head back down on his chest. He grinned, and kissed the top of her head again. They hadn't left the hotel the past week, and it would be good for them to get out. Maybe even give housekeeping time to come in and freshen up the room for their last night. He felt her relaxing again, his hands moving along her back. He knew the exact moment she fell asleep, still wrapped around him. He checked the time before folding his arms around her and letting himself drift off.

It was a few hours later and Kaidan was standing in the bedroom of the suite buttoning his dress shirt. He glanced in the mirror and saw Shepard behind him as she slipped the dress down her slender frame. It was black and the hem was angled so it fell to her mid-thigh on the left side and down to mid-calf on the right. As it moved, the dim lighting of the room reflected a soft sparkle in the delicate fabric. The thin straps drew attention to her broad shoulders and defined arms. The zipper was open and his eyes trailed down the soft curve of her spine. He knew every inch of her body by now, and there was something sensual about the way her back moved. His eyes returned to her reflected face and he met her knowing stare. "Zip me up?" She asked. He smirked as he turned towards her. He crossed the room in a few steps and she watched him approach over her shoulder. She was holding her hair up off her back. He took the small zipper in his fingers and slowly slid it up. His fingers grazed her back as he did and he grinned at the gooseflesh that rose. She cleared her throat and dropped her hair. The plum blossom scent drifted up, and he chewed the inside of his cheek, "You know," She said as she turned around and looked to the buttons he hadn't finished with. She reached out and started closing them. He could feel the chill of her fingers through the shirt. He reached out and rested his hands on her hips, "We could just stay in," She reminded him as she secured the last button and adjusted his collar, finally meeting his eyes again.

She'd done her make-up differently tonight, and every time his eyes met hers his breath would catch. Her kohl-rimmed sapphire eyes simply sparkled, and the deep red color staining her lips drew his attention with every smile, every spoken word. Her hair was different, too. She'd left it down, and added something to define the natural curls. She looked stunning, and for a moment he was tempted to forego the reservations and help her back out of the dress, but his legendary control won out. He simply leaned forward and placed a kiss to the corner of her mouth. "We'll be back," He promised quietly and she huffed and shot him a quick glare before pulling away. He laughed and she shook her head as she pulled out a pair of black heels and slid them on. He watched her, and the way the dress clung to her, accentuating her curves and the strength she held perfectly. He tore his eyes away as he pulled on his black coat before helping her with hers. She sighed as his hands moved between her hair and her neck and pulled it out from inside the coat.

They left together, and once the door to their room closed behind them, he took her hand in his. Their fingers zipped together as they reached the elevator bay. Once they were inside the elevator, she looked to him, her heels giving her the height to meet his eyes without angling her head, "Are you sure going out so close to HQ is a good idea?" She asked, a last ditch effort to stay in.

"Who said we were staying downtown?" He asked her and she sighed loudly. He cocked his head at her, his eyes searching hers, "Why are you so against this?"

"I'm not, I just…" Her eyes were locked on his. He saw the moment she acquiesced, her face softened and she smiled, "It's our last night and I didn't want to share you," She admitted and he knew the surprise was clear on his face, "But you're right," She said and leaned forward, placing a chaste kiss to his lips. "We're going to have a good time." He grinned as the elevator opened in the lobby, glad he'd won. Their sky car was waiting and he helped her in before sliding in next to her and extending his arm along the back of the seat. The driver pulled away and started towards their restaurant. She asked the driver how long it would be, and when he answered twenty minutes she moved over and leaned her back into his side. She took his hand off the back of the seat and wrapped it around herself with a deep sigh.

He looked down at her, and watched as the street lights danced over her face. She opened her eyes and met his warm whiskey ones and she smiled. The cab ride passed in comfortable silence as she was pressed against his broad chest with his thick arm draped over her. They pulled in front of the bistro and the driver opened the car door. Shepard sat up and ran her hands through her hair as Kaidan stepped out of the car. He extended his hand for Shepard and she rolled her eyes as she slid her hand in his and he helped her out of the car. He led her to the front door with his hand on the small of her back. He opened the door for her and ushered her inside. He followed and gave his name to the hostess, who smiled at him. He failed to notice as the hostess's eyes trailed over his broad shoulders and down his torso before meeting his eyes again. Shepard raised an eyebrow as she noticed, and took his hand.

They reached the table and Kaidan helped Shepard out of her coat before pulling out her chair, he pushed it in once she sat and draped her coat over the back of the chair. He removed his coat and sat across from her. He didn't miss Shepard's eyes as they trailed over his chest, her lip pinched between her teeth, as he turned to place his coat on his chair. The waitress was standing to his right and he ordered a bottle of wine without looking at her and Shepard was grinning. When the waitress walked away, he asked her, "What?"

"You really don't see it, do you?" She asked him quietly before sipping her water. He waited for her to continue. The soft lighting of the restaurant made her eyes shine. "The way every woman watched you walk into the room just now," She accused and he blushed.

He reached out and took her hand, "What women?" She laughed, and he grinned.

"Seriously, I have never felt so hated by people I don't know. Considering my history, that's really saying something," She was teasing him, and his eyes moved across the restaurant. Instead of seeing women he only noticed the men whose eyes were trained on their table. He should have felt jealous, but the way she was looking at him only made him feel a sense of masculine pride as she linked her fingers with his.

"If they hate you, it has nothing to do with me. It's because you've distracted their dates," He countered and she laughed as the waitress brought their wine and appetizers.

"Agree to disagree, then?" She asked, he nodded and lifted his wine. He sipped without taking his eyes off her. They perused the menu and when the waitress returned they ordered. Once they were alone again, they picked at their appetizers in silence. He couldn't keep his eyes off her. The way her eyes trailed over his face, the way the tips of her fingers would disappear into her mouth to clean the butter from the bread off them and then she would smirk. He grinned and shook his head at her, "You insisted on going out," She reminded him simply. "We could be alone in the hotel right now," She added and he made a quiet noise of acknowledgement as she grinned.

The waitress returned with their meals, and Kaidan thanked her. They reluctantly separated their hands and started their meals. "So, when it's time to buy your farm, do you think you'll go back to Mindoir or another colony?" He asked her gently, and she looked up at him and considered his question.

"I always thought I would end up on another colony," She admitted, and he looked to her. She dropped her eyes to her plate. "Not Mindoir, I mean, they rebuilt but I couldn't go back, too many ghosts," He nodded but didn't say anything. After a minute, she looked and met his eyes, "I mean, it's a long way off but, these last two weeks make me think it might be nice to settle on Earth."

He couldn't help the grin that pulled at his mouth at her words, "Earth is a great place to live."

"Yeah, but I think any place would be great if you're with the right person," She countered and their eye contact intensified over the table. She cleared her throat and looked down to her plate. They finished their meal in a heated silence. He watched as her hand came up and scratched her neck, it drew his attention to the neckline of her dress and the rounded curve of her breasts. He was suddenly wishing they were back in the hotel. His eyes lifted to her face as she finished her wine. She set her glass down and shortly after, the waitress returned. Kaidan asked for the bill, then opened his 'tool to pay. He stood and pulled on his coat.

She watched the coat slide on his arms. He buttoned it closed. Her eyes flitted around the room before moving back to him. She was grinning. He looked around the restaurant, and much to his chagrin, did find a few sets of eyes on him. He looked back to her, and she was laughing silently, her hand over her mouth. He shook his head, lifted her coat from her chair and pulled it out from the table. He extended his hand for her, and she stood. He held her coat while she slid it on. He slowly closed the buttons on the jacket for her. He fixed the collar on her coat and, in the process, pulled her closer. Her hands went to his waist and, without releasing her coat, he leaned forward and kissed her.

He hadn't intended on the public display of affection, but there was something primal and satisfying in claiming her like this in front of a room of people. It was a simple kiss, respectable, short and sweet, but in the setting it said much more. He pulled back, releasing her coat, and taking her hand to lead her out of the restaurant. The ride back to the hotel was quiet, and comfortable.

When they finally reached their room, they kicked off their shoes once they were inside. He helped her out of her coat and hung it with his on the hooks as she continued inside. He met her in the bedroom. She was braiding her hair over one shoulder. He moved behind her and placed a kiss to her shoulder as he slowly lowered the zipper. She turned her head towards him and smiled. He moved to her spine and, starting from the back of her neck, he followed the path of the zipper with his teeth and tongue. She shivered and when he reached his knees behind her, her gripped her hips and turned her to face him. She looked down at him, her cheeks red and her eyes hooded. He tugged at the hem of her dress and it fell, pooling at her feet.

He pressed his face into her abdomen, and her hands went to his hair. His hands started at the back of her thighs, and slowly slid up as he kissed his way to standing. Her breathing was fast and shallow when he reached her mouth. She whimpered into his kiss as her hands ran up his solid chest to his neck. She pulled away and looked down to the buttons as she started undoing them, "You're severely overdressed," She muttered and when he took over the buttons, she moved her hands down to his belt. He pulled his shirt away and dropped it to the floor as she pushed his pants and boxers passed his hips. She pushed him back until he reached the bed and he sat.

She climbed onto his lap and pressed her body against his as his hands groped her thighs and rear. She kissed him deeply as her nails scratched along his chest and sides. She reached down between her legs and found him. She guided him into her and sighed as her hips met his and he filled her. She pressed her forehead to his and their eyes locked as she rolled her hips against him. She kept her pace slow. He watched her and as she struggled to maintain the almost casual grinding of her hips on his, she lost some of the control of her biotics and there was a wave of blue energy that raced over her body. He tingled and moved his hands to her hips, urging her to move faster without moving his eyes from hers. His fingers dug into her hips and thighs and she arched back, her hands moving to his knees for support. Her head fell back and he kissed along her chest as she gave in to him and moved faster.

With a shuddering moan, she climaxed and he wrapped his arms around her and spun them so she was beneath him. She was nearly boneless with gratification, but he continued taking his pleasure from her as she slowly came down. She gripped the bed sheets and met his movements with equal need. He gasped and groaned, her name like a prayer on his lips as he found his release. He met her eyes, and found that sated smile on her face. It was oddly satisfying, knowing he was the reason she looked so fulfilled.

He kissed her, long and deep, before rolling off her and onto his back. She moved closer and laid her head on his chest. He pulled the blanket up over them, and she wrapped herself around him. She sighed, and, surprisingly, it sounded sad. He looked down at her, "Are you okay?" He asked and his hands brushed her hair back off her face.

"I'm perfect and that's the problem," She whispered, looking up to meet his eyes before she continued. "I don't want this to end," He kissed her forehead and pulled her closer as her fingers traced an invisible pattern on his chest.

"Who said it has to end?" He asked quietly, feeling the nerves he'd been ignoring ignite in his chest. She lifted her head and rested her chin on his chest so she could see his face. She lifted her eyebrow at him. "We have to go back to work, but if that didn't stop me from…" He paused and again pushed the hairs from her face. "It's not going to change the way I feel about you. We'll just have to set boundaries," He stated simply. She leaned up and kissed him softly. He was grateful she let the comment about his feelings go.

"So, when I'm your Commander again, you'll be able to follow my orders, without question?" She asked. The desperation with which she wanted to believe him was clear in her voice.

"Of course," He promised. "I couldn't live with the alternative," He declared and her eyes softened, she believed him. They both knew the alternative was reassignment; he wouldn't be able to stand not serving with her, not watching her back. He shifted so he was hovering over her. "Want to practice?" He asked and she laughed, that bright, rich laugh that made his heart pound.

"Kiss me," She ordered her eyes running over his face, drinking in his features; his golden eyes, his firm lips, and square jaw.

He lowered his mouth to hers, "Yes, Ma'am," He whispered as his mouth took hers. She giggled into his kiss and he pulled away abruptly. "Did Commander Shepard just giggle?" He asked her, his eyes wide and his face split in a grin.

"No," She shook her head and he raised an eyebrow at her, "Commander Shepard doesn't giggle. However, Sloan Shepard does, but only when she's really, really happy," She said as she shifted beneath him.

"Are you?" He asked quietly, as his nose brushed against hers.

"Yeah, I am," She declared and he kissed her again. He was, too. Happy they had this time alone together. Happy they had agreed to continue to work together. The details would be worked out the next day on their long flight back to Arcturus. For right now, Kaidan was with Sloan; and they were happy.