(The incident between Cole and Jess mentioned here happened in my short fic "Hot Water".)

Spoilers for "Love, Cirronian Style" are starting to creep in. Forewarned, forearmed, grasshopper.

Part 3 -- Underfoot

When the alarm went off the next morning, Mel was sorely tempted to simply throw it across the room and go back to sleep. She had not gotten much sleep the night before, thanks to Kitten's visit and everything that had followed afterwards between Cole and herself. She was exhausted, tense, on-edge, and in a generally grumpy mood.

This was a chocolate cake for breakfast day if ever there had been one. Of course, it would be just her luck that there was no chocolate cake. She would just have to find some other variety of comfort food to eat too much of. First things first, though. A nice, relaxing, incredibly hot shower to ease her sore, tense muscles.

"Morning, Cole. Morning, Kitten," she greeted them as she walked past the war-room.

She stopped in her tracks, staring at Kitten, wrapped like a weird Indian headdress around the model head she had given Cole, and wondering when her life had gotten more surreal than a Salvador Dali painting. Kitten smiled up at her, purring. Cole grinned and rose, joining her in the hall.

"Good morning, Mel. How are you?"

"Better." She smiled faintly, nodding. Not sure how much more of this my heart can take, but better for now.

"Sleep well?"

"Yeah," she lied.

"You still look tired."

Mel shook her head. "Just need a shower to clear my head."

"Would you like me to make breakfast this morning?" he offered.

"Oh, that's okay, Cole. I think I'll just forage in the fridge." Better still, there was an unopened bag of chocolate chips around somewhere. She smiled. "See you later."

"Yes, Mel." He nodded and returned to the war-room. "Kitten?" he asked, looking around. She had abandoned her perch on the model head. He smiled when she peered at him from behind a monitor. "Exploring?" he asked indulgently.

Kitten purred and nodded, her blue eyes twinkling.

"Okay." Cole nodded. "You have fun. I'm going to go make breakfast for Mel. Would you like to help?"

Kitten shook her head and returned to her scrutiny of the mass of wires behind his computers.

Cole shrugged. "Okay. I'll come get you when it's time to eat. Have fun." Giving her a final pet, he left the war-room. Walking past the bathroom door, he paused and knocked, calling, "Mel?"

"Yeah, Cole?" The door opened and Mel leaned out, wrapped in a towel.

Cole spent a few seconds admiring the view before speaking. "I'm going to make breakfast now. What would you like?"

"Oh, Cole, you don't have to do that," Mel assured him, smiling at how sweet he was.

"I know, Mel, but I would like to. I can make Belgian Waffles," he offered in a surprisingly enticing tone.

Mel took a deep breath and nodded slowly. That tone of voice was tempting her to do a lot more than just join Cole for breakfast. "Sounds nice," she managed, her voice trembling.

"Are you cold, Mel?" he asked, concerned.

"I'm fine," she assured him, shaking her head and chuckling softly. There were definitely times when the Cirronian's cluelessness was a good thing.

She took a step back into the bathroom, putting a little physical distance between them. Better. Or worse, depending on your view-point. Maybe it was talking to Cole wearing nothing but a towel, or a combination of that and sleep deprivation, but suddenly she could not get her mind off of the way Cole had interrupted one of Jess' showers a few months ago, assuming it to be Mel behind the curtain. Mel suddenly found herself wondering how hard it would have been to convince Cole to join her now.

Aware that her mind had wandered from dangerous territory to ground zero, Mel quickly said, "I'd better take my shower now."

"Okay, Mel." He nodded easily. "I'll be in the kitchen. See you in a few minutes."

"Yeah, Cole." She smiled and nodded, gratefully closing the door. "Maybe a cold shower instead," she muttered wryly, dropping the towel onto the floor and stepping into the bathtub.

She pulled the shower-curtain shut and turned on the hot water. She was proud of herself when she actually managed to keep her train of thought relatively innocuous as she stood under the hot jet of water. Definitely what the doctor ordered, she decided as she let the water pummel her. She started to feel better immediately, her muscles undoing themselves from the knots they had tied themselves into and the water washing away her anxiety.

She even managed to turn her thoughts away from Cole. Until she reached for a washcloth. Laughing and shaking her head, she decided that she was probably the only woman in history to have been reduced to giggles by the sight of one. Which just went to prove that life with Cole was not all bad, not by a long-shot. Too bad he didn't still need help with the whole hygiene concept, she reflected with a speculative grin.

"Stop it, Mel," she chuckled, shaking her head. "You're cracking up, sister…"

Her laughter died in mid-breath as she felt something warm rubbing against her ankle. She looked down with wide eyes and let out a muffled yelp. Kitten was curled around her ankles several times, staring up at her. At her shout, Kitten swiftly unwrapped herself. Taking a step back, Mel's feet became tangled in Kitten's long body and she went crashing to the floor of the tub. Mel let out a pained cry, then a series of shrieks as the clearly disgruntled K'kul cahn quickly made its way up her prone form. Kitten came nose to nose with her and let out a protracted hiss, her pretty feathers ruffled.

Mel whimpered and crawled backwards until she hit the other end of the tub. "Cole!"

"Mel?" Cole asked, hurrying into the bathroom. He stared with wide eyes at Mel, lying on the floor of the tub being menaced by his new pet. "Kitten!"

Angry, he reached down and gently lifted Mel out of the tub, standing her on the floor. Kitten peered out of the tub and Mel immediately clambered into Cole's arms. Cole stared down at the trembling human, bemused. Her fear was more than obvious, though, so he just hugged her to his chest and carried her from the bathroom, kicking the door shut as he left. Kitten liked hot showers and would be fine in there until he had Mel calmed down.

Mel wrapped her arms around his neck as he carried her down the hall and buried her face in his shoulder, crying and shaking. In her bedroom, he tried to set her down on the edge of the bed, but she continued to cling to him, refusing to loosen her hold. He sat down with her in his lap instead, cradling her against his chest. It was an awkward way to hold a grown woman, but he was large enough to mostly compensate for that. Besides, Mel needed comfort now, and he was going to give it to her.

"It's okay, Mel," he whispered, holding her close and not even noticing that she was still dripping wet and completely naked. "It's okay. You're going to be okay. What happened?"

Mel was torn between anger, humiliation, fear, and shy embarrassment. Angry at Kitten for joining her in the shower and tripping her up like that. Humiliated because she had overreacted. Fearful that the K'kul cahn really was out to get her after all. Embarrassed because… well, because she was naked in Cole's arms as he cradled her like a scared child.

Oh, yes, and grateful that Cole seemed completely oblivious to her nudity. Definitely grateful for that one because things could easily have spun completely out of control if he had not been. Mel sent up a quick prayer of thanks for the truly clueless nature of the Cirronian race, but knew that Cole was still a man and would notice once he was over his worry for her. One arm still securely around his back, she reached behind him and grabbed a blanket.

Cole immediately retrieved the blanket and wrapped it around her before securing her against his chest again. Holding her like this definitely felt nice, in spite of his damp shirt and her obvious distress.

"Are you okay?" he whispered, his concern obvious. "Are you hurt?"

"I'll be fine," she mumbled into his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Cole. Just freaked." She started to pull away, an attempt rendered futile by the fact that Cole refused to loosen his gently hold on her. She looked up uncertainly. "Cole?" she whispered.

"You're still upset, Mel. I should stay with you for a while longer," he told her gently, reaching up and brushing her hair out of her face. His expression was tender as he tucked her hair behind her ears and smoothed away her tears, still holding her against him with one arm. "Are you hurt?" he repeated tenderly.

"Nailed my shoulder pretty good on the way down," she admitted. "But it's nothing, really."

"This one?" he asked, gently touching it.

She nodded and did not protest as he slipped the blanket off of her left shoulder and slowly ran his hand over the bruised flesh. Black and blue or not, his hand felt good. She closed her eyes and leaned into him again as he healed the bruise with a pulse of warming energy. She rested her cheek against his shoulder and let out a contented sigh.

Cole smiled as she smiled, pleased that she made no attempt to pull away even after the healing was over. He let his hand linger on the smooth skin of her shoulder, absently playing his fingers along her bare skin as he admired her pretty freckled face and watched her anxiety slip away. He never wanted to move from this position again.

Mel seemed less than inclined to move herself, and the thought pleased him no end. He had been disappointed when she had stopped their kiss the night before, before it had really even become one. Perhaps, today, relaxing in his arms like this, she might be less inclined to want to put a stop to any gesture of his affection that he attempted. Only one way to find out, he supposed.

Dropping his head slightly, he brushed his lips against hers. Mel's eyes popped opened and she regarded him with wide eyes for a moment before shrugging and smiling up at him. Cole was smiling widely when he kissed her. His smile widened when Mel tightened her grip on him even more.

She pulled away long enough to whisper into his mouth, "We shouldn't be doing this…"

"Why not?" came his whispered reply. Smiling, her dropped his head and tenderly kissed her shoulder where it joined her so-sensitive neck.

Mel closed her eyes, no longer entirely sure why herself. "Never mind," she murmured.

"Yes, Mel." Cole nodded. "Should I kiss your shoulder again? Humans believe that kissing injuries causes them to heal faster."

"Oh, that's right. We do… Yeah, Cole. You can kiss it and make it all better if you want."

Cole eagerly complied, spending more time on the kiss this time, wanting to do it properly. Judging from the look on Mel's face, he had succeeded, too. He smiled as the blanket slipped a few inches, revealing her smooth white back and showing him more of her pretty chest than he had ever seen. Well, he had actually seen a lot more of it in the bathroom, but he had been too worried to absorb many details. He kissed her shoulder again, then her neck, before raising his lips to her ear.

"Are you hurt anywhere else, Mel?" he breathed tenderly, torn between wanting his Mel to be unharmed and wanting to kiss more of her soft, inviting skin.

Mel closed her eyes and shivered at the feel of his hot breath against her ear. Tell him about the bruise on my thigh? Another shiver followed the first, but she resisted that temptation, giving in to a different one instead. She turned her head slightly and opened her eyes, smiling adoringly at the sweet, gentle creature holding her in his arms.

"Oh, Cole, you do not need an excuse to kiss me…" she assured him tenderly.

His eyes widened and an eager smile lit his face. "I don't?"

"No…" She shook her head, biting her lip to keep from smiling too much. "You really don't."

"That's nice, Mel. I like kissing you."

"So I'd gathered." Mel chuckled softly, shaking her head. She brushed her lips across his forehead, then rested her own forehead against it. "Would you like to kiss me again?" she whispered, her lips brushing his.

"Yes, Mel."

Cole nodded quickly, before she could change her mind. Taking a deep breath to steady himself, he repositioned her slightly on his lap, deciding that he quite liked having her there after all, and leaned down to cover her mouth with his own. Mel's eager response was unexpected. And inviting. He matched her enthusiasm with a level of desire that was reserved for Mel alone. Attentive to Mel's every reaction, no matter how subtle, he was soon kissing her with the proficiency of any human male.

Neither noticed when the blanket slid the rest of the way off of her left shoulder, effectively leaving her completely exposed from the waist up. Cole might have been interested in this fact; Mel would not have cared in the least.

By the time Cole's seeking hands realized that her glorious back was bare, Mel was certain that he had surpassed every human ever born in his kissing skills. In spite of his obvious passion and desire, though, and in spite of his skill, the kiss remained strangely innocent. It was hard for Mel to quantify. The only thing she could say was that it made him ten times as desirable to her and made his kiss twenty times more unbelievable. When he pulled away to catch his breath, Mel felt a pang.

Knowing how modest and shy Mel was, Cole absently resettled the blanket around her shoulders, taking just enough time to have a good look at what it was no longer covering.

"Oh, thanks," she whispered breathlessly.

Her face was flush in a reaction that had absolutely nothing to do with embarrassment. For the first time in their association, she was entertaining thoughts of making love to this man. Not dreaming or fantasizing, but seriously speculating about such an act and its repercussions. Her hands reached up and cradled his face, her fingertips caressing his cheeks and reveling in the feel of his rough stubble. He was regarding her with wide-eyed wonder. The taste of what it was to kiss her that he had gotten at the seminar had obviously not prepared him for the real thing. The difference was clearly not lost on the stunned Cirronian.

Hesitant hands reached for her throat. "Mel?" he whispered, his voice uncertain.

"It's okay," she promised gently. "Just give yourself a second to adjust to what you're feeling."

Cole nodded. "I like these things you're making me feel," he confessed.

"Me, too." She smiled tenderly. "Would you like to kiss me some more, Cole?" she offered.

His nod was quick and eager.

Not quite able to believe what she was doing, Mel whispered, "You know, sometimes when people kiss, Cole, they… touch, too."

"Touch?" he repeated.

Mel bit her lip at his hopeful expression. "You like touching me, don't you, Cole?"

Nodding and wearing the same expression as a little boy on Christmas morning, Cole agreed, "Yes, Mel." After a few moments, he asked, "Where would you like me to touch you, Mel?"

Mel closed her eyes, wondering how far she could, in good conscience, take this. As far as she could tell, the answer was that she had already taken it too far and that this was her last chance to turn back. She hesitated, torn between her desire for the gentle man she loved and her desire to do right by him.

What the hell was she doing, taking advantage of him like this?

"Shit," she sighed, burying her face in his shoulder again.

"Mel?" he asked quietly, frowning at her sudden shift in behavior. "Is something wrong? Have I done something wrong?" he asked anxiously, his expression apologetic.

Her head shot up and she stared, surprised at the question. "Cole, of course you haven't." She shook her head and smiled tenderly at him, tears in her eyes. "No, no… It's the situation that's wrong."

"Mel, I'm deriving a lot of enjoyment from this situation," he told her, frowning in confusion. "Aren't you? If you aren't, just tell me what to do differently…"

The tears that had been threatening overflowed, spilling down her cheeks. "I'm sorry, Cole," she cried, shaking her head. "Not you. It's me…"

"Don't cry, Mel…" Cole's hands gently cupped her face, and he regarded her uncertainty, more concerned now than before. "Please, I don't like it when you cry."

Mel's restraint broke at the concerned, loving look he was giving her. "Kiss me?" she managed in a broken whisper.

Cole nodded and brushed his lips over hers again. Before he could deepen the kiss, though, he became aware of a third life-force in the apartment.

"Mel?" Jess' voice called. "You up here?"

Mel groaned and buried her face in Cole's shoulder, grateful to Jess for her timing. She had been on the verge of doing something stupid. More stupid…

Cole slid his arms around her again, sensing that she still needed comfort. "Here, Jess," he called to the young barmaid.

Jess paused at the threshold of Mel's room, a little startled by the scene before her. Cole was sitting on the edge of Mel's bed, holding Mel in his lap. She was wrapped in a blanket and not wearing much else judging by her bare legs and the bare arm around his neck. They had their arms around each other, and Mel's face was pressed into Cole's shoulder, her entire body trembling. She was either laughing or crying, and Jess badly suspected the latter.

Not looking at Jess, Mel lifted her head enough to speak. "I'll be downstairs in five minutes, Jess."

Jess hesitated, concerned. Mel's voice was shaky and she refused to turn her face in Jess' direction. "Mel, are you okay?"

"Fine. Five minutes. See you then."

When Jess still refused to budge, Cole spoke. "Mel has had a rough morning, Jess. She'll be down in just a few minutes, when she is calm again." When Jess reluctantly left, he whispered, "She's gone, Mel."

"Thank you." Mel sighed deeply and looked up at him. "I'm sorry, Cole. I am. I shouldn't have…" She rose and tugged the blanket more tightly around her, walking to the closet. "Thank you, Cole, for everything."

"I can tell Jess you won't be down today," he offered, troubled by how obviously upset she was.

She shook her head. "I'll be fine in a minute. Just… like you said. Rough morning."

He nodded slowly. "Mel, I'm sorry that Kitten has upset you so much."

"Not your fault," she whispered, tossing her clothes onto the bed and approaching him. She smiled tenderly up at him, shaking her head. "It's just taking us some time to get used to each other, Cole."

Cole nodded slowly. "Mel, if you need anything at all…" he offered.

She smiled and nodded. "Thank you, Cole."

"I hadn't started cooking breakfast yet, but the batter is done. I could cook some waffles while you dress."

"No." Mel shook her head. "Lost my appetite. Just put whatever you don't eat in the fridge."

"Okay, Mel." Reluctantly, Cole left her to dress.

End Part 3

Next up, Kitten wants to play fetch and Jess proves that not all blondes are complete airheads.