Girls' Night 2: Girls' Night Out
By Chibi-Kaz
Ships: R/S, very vague T/T, M/C
Features O.C.s, random made-up alien beefcake…..
Spoilers: Seasons 1 & 2. AU thanks to season 3.
MATCH
Five minutes later, Hoshi was breathing hard, covered in a fine sheen of sweat, and so turned on she could scream. When they danced, Malcolm had this way of looking into her eyes that made her want to drag him off and find a bed right away. In fact, forget the bed! She'd take even a semi secluded corner right now.
Around them, the X'ynthns were in paroxysms of delight, clicking their claws together madly in their unique form of applause.
Malcolm led her back to their table, his expression once again calm and slightly grave. During the dance, however, he'd seemed to smirk a bit as he moved her body around the floor. It started to irritate Hoshi how he could be so, so -- she didn't have a word for it. Sexy. Loose. Relaxed. HOT! Not one seemed adequate – different on the dance floor, and then go right back to his usual rigidly polite and calm self immediately after.
She sat down and promptly slammed back the rest of her drink.
"You ok?" Liz whispered.
"She looks a little shell shocked." Jessica, who'd rejoined the group with Amani, observed.
Malcolm stood nearby, patiently listening to Trip's ribbing about his 'dancin' shoes.'" Hoshi just stared at Malcolm. Every day, he did something to screw with her mental paradigm. It was both fascinating and frustrating, and all it did was make her want him more.
"Uh oh," Amani muttered. "I don't think that was the wisest move. She looks like a pissed-off lioness."
Eelani reached across the table to tap Hoshi's hand. "Huntress? Or Hunted?"
The other three human women blinked in confusion while Hoshi grimaced. "I'm about to find out." She rose, snatching up her shoulder wrap from the chair, and announced loudly, "That's enough for me. I'm for bed."
Everyone around immediately protested, urging her to stay. All except one. Malcolm's eyes met hers, his expression one of concern, but he stayed silent.
"No, no, I'm beat, and I want to be awake enough to sightsee tomorrow. Goodnight, everyone." She strode towards the exit. Just as she reached the cool air of the street outside, she felt a light touch on her elbow. She stopped and turned her head to find Malcolm standing beside her.
"Ensign? May I escort you back to your hotel?" His expression still seemed concerned.
"Sure Malcolm." They walked along in silence for a few minutes, until, unable to bear it, Hoshi asked, "So, are you guys staying in the same hotel or elsewhere?"
"The same. It seemed the best course, in case of emergencies."
"How pragmatic of you," Hoshi commented dryly, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
Malcolm stopped suddenly. "Ensign-" he paused, hesitant.
She whirled on him. "Hoshi! My name is Hoshi!" Her frustration was starting to drive her nuts.
Flushing, he nodded. "Of course. I just, I wanted. .. That is, I hope you are not upset with me in any way over the dance."
She bit her lip a moment. She could blow off the evening, or push the issue. Deciding that her hormones couldn't take much more, she chose to push the issue. "Just tell me one thing: Was it the dance, or was it me?"
"Pardon?"
Stepping forward, Hoshi got just inside Malcolm's 'personal space'. Surprisingly, he held his ground. "I said, was it the dance or was it me? No-one dances like that unless they're deliberately performing, or they're dancing with a lover. So, you tell me which it was." He stood only a few inches taller than her. She only had to tilt her head up the tiniest bit to meet his eyes.
An incredible range of emotions crossed his face so rapidly, she couldn't pick a single one to define. In a slightly strangled voice, he began, "I certainly hope you're not insinuating that I intended to toy with your emotions in any way, Ensign. It was a simply a –"
"Don't give me that horseshit!" Hoshi exclaimed. "God, just once, could you say what you really think?"
His eyes narrowed at the challenge, and her profanity. "Now who's doing the insinuating here, Ensign?"
Hoshi reached up and grabbed his collar. Malcolm froze as she put herself squarely inside his comfort zone. They were practically nose to nose, staring at each other fiercely, her hand clenched on his shirt. "I want to know what's going on between us!" she demanded in a low intense tone.
"You want to know what I'm thinking?" he growled.
"Yes!"
He paused. His eyes, so close, bore into her own. "That you are the most amazing woman I've ever met."
Hoshi sighed. "Well, then kiss me, you idiot!"
Always obedient to an order, Malcolm's lips crashed down on her mouth. His arms wrapped tightly around her body as she pushed herself against him. Lips progressed quickly to tongues, to sucking and nibbling, and there were still people on the street around them, X'ynthns who smiled indulgently, and catcalled in a friendly manner.
"Showoffs!" someone nearby called, garnering laughter as Hoshi and Malcolm pried themselves apart. They both tried to catch their breath, clinging to each other.
"The hotel." Hoshi gasped.
"Your room. First floor or second?"
"First." She gasped again as he nibbled on her ear.
"Good. Closer." He began to pull her along. They were practically running as they reached the hotel. She was pulling his shirt out of his pants with one hand as she fumbled with the key to her room with the other. He pulled her up and nearly carried her into the room, kicking the door closed behind them. She raked her nails down his chest and he grinned, really and truly all-teeth-visible grinned at her. "Hoshi," he whispered, his accent giving her shivers, "you look absolutely stunning in red, luv." He brought her hand to his lips and licked her fingertips.
That was the last coherent thing either said for the next few hours.
Hoshi woke the next morning to two sounds, one the gentle hissing of a shower, the other a quiet, insistent knocking on the door. She stretched, feeling pleasantly sore and aching. "Well used" was the term Jessica liked to use to describe morning-after aches. She wrapped the velvety sheet around her and rose as whoever stood on the other side of her door knocked again. Sunshine streamed through the windows, illuminating the clothing strewn all over the room, giving a particular blue shirt a rather glorious sheen. She grinned foolishly, picked her way through the mess, and cracked open the door.
"Hosh!" Gasped Liz. "We weren't sure you'd be up yet!" Jessica and Amani peered over her shoulder, giving Hoshi identical leers.
"What time is it?" Hoshi asked.
"Almost noon, local time," Jessica whispered. She craned her neck to see into the room. "Oi! Is that himself in the shower?!?"
"SSSHHH!" Hoshi hissed. "Don't you guys start on me!"
"Wait till we tell T'Pol!" Amani giggled.
"I will personally kill every one of you if this gets out on the grapevine, you hear me?"
Jessica's jaw dropped. "What, you think we want Mr. Dark and Dangerous glaring at us all day?"
"Just be cool, OK?" Hoshi flinched as she heard the shower cease. "Now get outta here. I'll catch up later. Oh," she paused, "Before you ask – bloody fantastic." And she shut the door on their gleeful giggles.
She scrambled back through the room, so that when Malcolm emerged from the bathroom, pants on and towel around his neck, she stood composed and calm next to the bed.
Malcolm stopped when he saw her. "Ah. You're up. Good morning."
"Good morning."
They looked at each other for a moment. Finally, Hoshi sighed. "Well, come here!" He stepped closer as she let the sheet fall and wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him soundly. He relaxed in her arms, drawing her closer and deepening the kiss.
Finally they broke apart. Hoshi leaned her head against his bare shoulder and inhaled his scent blissfully. "How much time have we wasted?" she wondered out loud.
He chuckled. "I don't know about you, but for me – eleven months and twenty seven days."
"What?" She jerked back to stare at him, amazed. Her mind worked frantically, trying to remember any significant event nearly a year ago. "What was that?"
"The Klingon wreck."
Her jaw dropped open as he smirked at her. "Damn," she breathed, "and all this time I was wondering what it would take to get you to notice me!"
He laughed. "So that's what all the manicures were about." When she stuck her tongue out at him, he kissed her again. "Now what?" he asked minutes later.
"I should shower. Then breakfast. Or lunch. Food, at any rate." She extricated herself from his embrace and looked for her robe. "You want to sight-see with me?"
When he didn't answer, she stopped and looked at him. His expression was grave again.
"There are regulations about officers fraternization…"
"Oh Malcolm!" She giggled. "Why do you think T'Pol told you and Trip about our plans?"
He grimaced. "So, it was a set up. How many people were in on this?"
"Just the Girls."
He rolled his eyes. "God help us if the five of you ever decide to take over the ship." He picked up his shirt, pulled it on, and strode over to give her a fast hard kiss. "Let me run up to my room to change and I'll meet you back here."
"Good." She smiled as he left the room. Let the fun begin.