Author Note: Chapters 4 and 5 go together; I split them up because otherwise it seemed too long.
The evening of the Therum mission found Ashley cleaning her rifle, marveling that not only did she have the balls to come on to the commander (while wearing her most decidedly un-sexy tighty whiteys, no less), but that Shepard responded favorably.
The downside was that the invitation was so open-ended. For this to work out, Williams would need to prowl a few areas of the ship each night, hoping to manage to find Shepard at the right place and the right time. Assuming Shepard followed through, that is.
But tonight would not be that night. Therum had left Williams tired and a little sore, so rack time was a must.
The next few nights found Williams alternating between the weapons bench and the gym in the wee hours of the morning. All she managed to get out of it were sleep deprivation, some very well maintained weapons, and sore abs and arms from all the crunches and pull-ups she did in the gym to stave off boredom while waiting for a possible appearance by Shepard.
Late in the night before they were scheduled to arrive at the Citadel, Ashley put on a snug black tank, adding spandex capris. The combination served the dual purposes of emphasizing her physique in a way that would hopefully catch Shepard's eye while plausibly passing for workout gear in the gym, if she ended up doing more crunches and pull-ups.
First stop tonight would be the gym. Williams took a deep breath and opened the door. She was actually surprised (and not a little relieved) to see Shepard sitting in the only lit area of the room, glass in hand. She paused for a moment at the door, taking in the sight of the commander in her white tank and admiring the swell of her breasts under the thin fabric. Shepard's leather jacket was sexy as hell, but couldn't hold a candle the present view.
Williams walked purposefully into the room towards Shepard, who teased her about working out in the middle of the night. Ashley saw the second glass on the floor near Shepard's bottle of bourbon, and the implication sent a flood of warmth to her chest. And maybe elsewhere.
The two settled in, drinking and talking together comfortably. At some point, Shepard gently chided Ashley for calling her ma'am while she was drinking her good bourbon, breaking down the barrier of discipline between them. It wasn't easy to let go of the automatic honorific, but Ashley did her best.
A couple of Shepard's inquiries hit a bit too close to Williams' family shame, and she didn't feel quite ready to broach that subject with the commander. Tonight was for getting to know each other better, not airing the Williams' family dirty laundry. Ashley made a mental note to clear the air with Shepard later, if things progressed much further.
Two glasses of bourbon later, she could see Shepard reluctantly make a move to leave. Blaming an early morning, the commander leaned over to gather her bottle and glass. Ashley picked up her own empty tumbler, handing it over to Shepard. Whether by design or by accident she couldn't say, but as she transferred the glass over, her hand lingered long enough to graze Shepard's own fingers. Williams was surprised at the heat the minor contact generated, and found herself looking hungrily at Shepard.
The commander met her intense gaze, then suddenly shifted close enough to reach out to place a gentle hand on Ashley's jaw. With a fluttering in her chest, Williams leaned into Shepard's touch and brought her own hand up to encircle Shepard's wrist, almost to reassure herself that this was actually happening. Without further thought, she placed her other hand on the back of Shepard's neck to pull the redhead forward, stopping just short of kissing her.
Williams could see her desire reflected back in Shepard's eyes, but needed to let Shepard initiate the final contact. The commander did not disappoint, moving forward and claiming Ashley's lips with her own, gently at first, and losing her hands in Ashley's hair. Williams moved a hand to Shepard's waist, feeling the firm muscles beneath her hand. Ashley pressed her lips more firmly on Shepard's, her tongue moving against Shepard's lips wanting - no, needing - to deepen the kiss. Shepard opened her mouth, responding in kind. Williams was aware of nothing but Shepard - the way she smelled of leather and musk, the taste of bourbon on her tongue, the feel of her hands on the back of Ashley's head.
So she was surprised when Shepard abruptly pulled away and untangled her fingers from Ashley's hair. She looked searchingly at Shepard, wondering if she'd misunderstood something. Her fears dissolved when the commander cupped her face with both hands, calloused thumbs brushing her cheeks.
"That was. . . breathtaking. I didn't think. . . I wasn't sure if you. . . I - " A breath. "Ashley, I want you - oh god, how I want you - but I want something more than just a one-time bang. If you think you'd be interested in more, I'd like to do this right. Have it mean something. I'm not even sure what, because this is new territory for me, and I don't know what the hell I'm saying right now and I'm pretty sure I'm babbling like some goddamn idiot."
That was. . . unexpected. Up until that moment, Ashley hadn't been sure what to expect from her flirting with the commander. She had assumed that Shepard might want to shag a few times and move on, but didn't dare hope for anything else, no matter how much she wanted more than just that. For Shepard to want something beyond just an easy lay sent a thrill through her. And Shepard's rushed and uncertain delivery of her thoughts spoke to an earnestness that Ashley found incredibly sexy.
She responded with a kiss that she hoped would convey her desire and intent, and said, "Shepard, I am very interested in more." Taking both of Shepard's hands in her own, she brought them down between them, grounding herself in the contact. "Just say the word."
Williams heard Shepard say something, but couldn't quite make out what.
"What was that, Shepard?"
Shepard had been looking down at their hands, but now her eyes sought out Ashley's. "My name is Sloane. I think I'd like it if you called me Sloane."
"Sloane." It tasted good on her tongue. Williams had never heard anyone use the commander's given name. Hell, she hadn't even sure she had one. She realized that this might be more intimate for Shepard than their kiss, and the significance was not lost on her. "Alright, Sloane. If we're going to do this, maybe you can start by buying a girl a drink tomorrow night on shore leave. I'll be at Flux."
With one final kiss, Williams stood up and left the gym.
