The Dinner Party 3

By Ash Darklighter

Disclaimer – The characters in this story are the property of Lucasfilm Ltd. I am making no credits from this either Imperial or Republican. This fic is for Sienn. Just for her encouragement, lovely nature and her willingness to give feedback to absolutely everybody. This is a PWP and if you are looking for a plot, it really isn't there.

Han noted Luke and Mara entering together and the disgruntled look cross Lando's face. But Leia had placed Mara next to Lando as he was officially her escort for the evening. Luke was seated directly opposite the red headed trader and between Iella Antilles and Leia. Luke smiled to the two ladies on either side of him, sat down and checked his place settings to see if he could remember which piece of cutlery was used for which course and breathed a sigh of relief. They weren't dining in the high Alderaanian style tonight, thank the Force. He breathed a sigh of relief as he'd never got to grips with that way of dining no matter how many banquets Leia had made him and Han sit through.

He could feel that he was being watched, lifted his head and met Mara's eyes.

Mara stifled a gasp. Something in the way Skywalker had just stared at her was very different – very different indeed. Had she imagined the suddenly banked flames in his eyes?

"More wine, Mara?" Lando leant closely against her, his arm brushing hers intimately.

"I have quite enough for the moment, thank you," she said politely but dismissively and pointedly moved her seat a fraction further away.

Five minutes later, Luke lifted his eyes from his meal to hear Mara say in an undertone. "Get your hand off my thigh Calrissian or lose it." And an idea was born. It sprung on him with the immediacy of one of his old childish mischievous escapades but with a far higher tariff. He hadn't done anything with the high risk factor of annihilating a Death Star for many years.

"Master Luke?" The golden protocol droid shuffled forward. "Which beverage would you prefer?"

"Thanks for asking, Threepio," Luke said, warmth in his voice. "I'll have a caf…and a Savareen Brandy."

Mara leaned her elbows on the table. Things had got to the stage where everyone was nicely relaxed from good company and a little too much wine. Luke had turned his head and was whispering something to Leia. Han was arguing about the merits of some sports game with Wedge and then she felt something…something strange. It almost felt like delicate fingers on her thigh underneath her gown, approaching up towards the curve of her hip.

"Calrissian," she muttered.

Lando had been chatting to one of Leia's aide's from her office about certain business ventures he was currently investigating and was a little surprised at Mara addressing him as she'd been ignoring him for most of the evening.

"What?"

"Your hands?"

Lando brought them up from underneath the table and placed them upon the white damask tablecloth. "What?"

"I would like it I didn't find them on my leg again."

"But I wasn't…they weren't…it must have been an accident."

"An accident?" Mara's face showed her patent disbelief. "See that it doesn't happen again."

Lando blinked. He hadn't touched Mara that time. He'd been thinking about it but hadn't actually touched her. For all her passion and fire, she had a reputation as an ice-maiden, but Lando was still convinced that he was the man who could thaw her out. Time would prove him wrong.

Mara sat for another minute and then she felt the fingers sliding over her knee and caressing gently up the sensitive part of her inner thigh underneath the soft folds of her dress. She turned her head ready to open her mouth to blast Calrissian to Hoth and back when the movement abruptly ceased. She had to admit that Lando had very clever fingers. But she couldn't allow this to continue not when several members of the New Republic Inner Council were seated around the table. Feeling rather warm, Mara glanced across the table wriggled slightly, trying to dislodge Lando's hands.

The Jedi Master seated opposite her, swallowed the last of his brandy. Luke was drinking far more heavily than he usually did at these occasions. Granted, he was among friends but he was usually more cautious with his alcohol intake. She couldn't remember the last time she'd seen Skywalker drunk. Suddenly a delicate touch was felt on her knee, rotating in lazy circles higher and higher. With a now shaky breath, Mara prepared to cause a scene. But when she looked at Lando, she found that he wasn't even paying attention to her and that he had both of his hands wrapped around his glass of best Corellian whisky that Han was serving to those with a taste for the spirit. Mara's rose painted mouth dropped open in a soft 'oh' as the fingers reached the edge of her panties. The fingers hadn't stopped their teasing movements. Lando wasn't the culprit.

There was only one man that could do that without even touching her and he was the last man in the room she would have suspected of doing such a thing to her. How much brandy had Skywalker consumed?

Stifling a moan of pleasure, Mara swallowed. Lifting her head with difficulty, she stared straight across the table at the Jedi Master, who was still conversing with Iella and Leia. He must have felt her eyes upon him because he turned and their eyes locked together. In their deep blue depths, Mara could see the flames begin to dance and Force help her; she wanted him to continue with what he was doing. However, the middle of his sister's dinner party was not the most opportune time to seduce a fellow guest.

Her legs relaxed allowing the phantom fingers greater access. Mar picked up her wine glass and almost buried her nose in it, her teeth gripping the rim to stop the moan she felt sure would explode into the sexually charged atmosphere. No one else seemed to be picking it up but it could only be a matter of time. Leia was a Force sensitive and should be aware of heightened emotions.

"More wine, Mistress Jade?"

"Wha…what?" she looked blankly up at the golden protocol droid as the sensations continued to intensify.

"I asked if you required more wine," the droid repeated patiently. "Are you well, Mistress Jade? You seem to be a little flushed?"

"No…ah!" Mara fidgeted in her seat whether to encourage or repel she wasn't quite certain. Was there ever such a sweet dilemma? He had to stop this…sublime torture.

Luke wondered what his sister would say if she knew what he was up to? He could see Mara's eyes begin to darken with passion, her breathing quicken and her face flush with the gentle hue of someone approaching a climax. She wasn't the only one so visibly affected. His pants were becoming rather tight. Thankfully his over-tunic was quite long and hid the evidence.

"I say, Mistress Leia. Mistress Jade appears to be unwell."

Threepio's prissy interruption had the effect of the bucket and the iced water. Luke abruptly stopped what he was doing. The passion left Mara's green eyes and anger rapidly took its place instead. It was time for a little fast damage limitation. Otherwise he was a dead man and he knew it. He sat up straighter in his chair. "She is looking a little flushed. Are you feeling all right, Mara. It is very warm in here tonight even with all the doors and windows open." He stood up, hoping that his own body was behaving itself. It was time to see if he could get Mara to repeat the way she just looked - but this time, for him alone. He cursed himself for the stupidity of attempting such a stunt in such a public situation. Mara would bury him somewhere once she was back in control. It was a pity that he would have to die so young, just when he'd decided to take a hand in controlling his own destiny.

"I can easily help…" Lando was saying, but Luke was quicker. Almost running around the table, he dragged Mara out onto the balcony leaving the rest of the guests looking bemused.

"No…no…You stay where you are." Luke called. "She probably just needs some fresh air."

"I'd better go and see if I can be of assistance," Threepio said stiffly and clattered after the two Jedi.

"No!" Han ordered abruptly. "Leave them. Luke will take care of her." She had looked a little strange and the Kid had moved pretty fast. "If he needs anything, he'll give you a shout. I think he has the situation under control." Perhaps a little time together would help Luke pluck up his courage to ask Mara out or something. It was as clear as the exoskeleton on a Givin that the Jedi was more than fond of the red haired trader and Han thought that Mara had appeared more startled than ill. "Now, who would like a top up? Wedge, your glass is looking empty."

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