The Dinner Party 4

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.

Luke knew he hadn't much time to either grovel an apology or take this situation a little further. In both cases, he had to move fast. She had seemed a little dazed as he escorted her swiftly from the dining room, his arm around her shoulders. Perhaps she hadn't disliked what he had done. He hoped not, otherwise it was the end of a beautiful friendship and a nice life. Leia's balcony wasn't exactly private but hell; he'd waited long enough to reach the point of no return with this woman. They'd gone through this stupid feud for years denying what they really felt about one another and he couldn't do that any longer. As for Mara – well, that was anyone's guess.

She hadn't slipped the tiny blaster from wherever she'd hidden it this time and let him have it. Polite company had never stopped her before. In the dress she was wearing he didn't want to dwell too much on where she'd stashed it but he would bet his lightsaber that it was on her delectable body somewhere.

She was his and he was going to try and show her that finally, they had to take a chance. Mara Jade had always felt like his but then, so had Callista until she had left him. No, he wasn't going to think about Callista. That relationship was long over and though he had loved her, he'd finally let her go from his heart and his mind. He wasn't the same man as he had been and he had to go forward and not back. He had a fondness for the time and the place and an occasional memory that made his smile but he didn't love the tall rangy woman from Chad any longer. No, there was another woman filling his thoughts and in ways that Callista never could. The way Luke felt about Mara was more real – more vital.

Luke took a deep breath and tightened his arm around Mara's shoulders. Strangely, she wasn't resisting him.

"What in Sith's name were you up to, Skywalker?" Mara snarled, coming to life as soon as they'd left the assembled company and wriggled from his grasp.

"Me?"

"Yes, you. You've never decided that you wanted to grope me in public before. In fact I can't recall seeing you groping any woman in public. Well, there was…" Mara made a face. "But she doesn't count."

Luke caught her in his arms again and turned her to face him, both hands on her shoulders. "I lacked the courage before," he told her earnestly, beginning to draw her closer. "But seeing Lando…I couldn't bear him touching you."

"So you decided to do it instead?"

"Yes." His voice was steady, his eyes serious. "Mara, what I did back there…I'm not sorry I did it, well I am but only because I couldn't continue. Touching you and yet not touching you…" his shoulders drooped. "It wasn't enough."

"What?" She raised her eyes to his, shock fully evident. She could never agree that he 'lacked courage'. He was known to be reserved with women but she could understand his caution. He was a public figure and could have any woman he chose any time he wanted her but after Callista had left him, he'd shied away from relationships. This was indeed different tactics for the Jedi Master.

Intending to moisten her dry lips, her tongue darted out nervously, but before she had a chance to withdraw it, his lips were on hers, his arms wrapped around her slender body drawing her against his firm length and she didn't resist him – she couldn't. He kissed her, his brandy flavoured lips hot against her receptive mouth until her world spun and then reluctantly, he let her go.

"Someone's coming," he said simply.

Mara just gaped at him, her mind a blank. She had to admit that she was rarely taken by surprise but the Jedi Master had just done that. What had happened? Who had replaced Luke Skywalker? She didn't think that the shape shifters of the galaxy were this good. He still felt like Luke. Her trembling fingers traced the outline of her own lips.

"It's Lando," he muttered. "Look ill."

"What!"

"Look ill." He wrapped his arm around her shoulders again.

Mara glared at him again but was starting to find the situation intriguing and unexpectedly arousing. If she'd realised that attending one of Leia's parties in the company of Calrissian would have such an inflammatory effect on the normally staid Jedi Master's libido, she might have tried it a long time ago. Placing her hand on her forehead, she moaned softly. "I feel strange," she murmured in a breathy voice.

Luke's hormones went off into hyperspace. That moan had been so earthy and downright sexual.

"Not like that," he hissed under his breath. "That didn't sound ill."

"I'm a trader not an actress," she replied snippily, her eyes flashing with a green fire that made Luke's heart leap inside his chest.

"You were the Emperor's Hand, trained to act undercover," he managed to squeeze out between clenched teeth.

"I was. Is this any better?" She sagged against him and fluttered her eyelashes provocatively and moaned again.

The sound went straight to Luke's groin which seemed to have developed a mind all of its own. "Sithspawn, Jade!" he whispered hoarsely staring down into her face, her lips just begging for his own to cover them. "Have you any idea what you sound like?"

"Like someone pretending to be ill?" She gave him an insolent smile, still letting him bear her weight. "You got us into this one Farmboy. You can get us out." The threat was there and she deliberately wasn't making his job any easier.

Luke found himself supporting her weight, one hand clasped across her bare midriff. He'd been right, her skin was soft. Soft, smooth, warm and sweetly scented - perfect for kissing. "No, you don't sound like that at all. You sound like someone…like someone…Hell, Mara!" His fingers splayed possessively across her stomach. "Forget being ill."

"You want Lando to catch us in a compromising position?"

"Yes…no…yes." Luke was beginning to breathe a little harder, his mind refusing to tackle anything more than how good she felt in his arms. He'd done some reckless stunts in the past but this may just be the most dangerous one of all.

Mara's eyes gleamed. "Which is it to be?" One hand clutched at his shoulder and the other wrapped around his waist moving towards his firm buttocks. Two could play at this game and it was proving to be quite enjoyable. She preferred the hands on approach herself, rather than from afar. She'd never had her 'hands' on the Jedi in quite this fashion before. She found his gluteus and squeezed.

Luke was in a dilemma. He was in a situation of his own making and had no idea what to do. "Force, Jade," he murmured as her hand began to knead his rear.

"Lando," Mara said warningly, with a final squeeze and jet propelled herself out of Skywalker's arms and stood casually against the balcony railing.

"I brought you a glass of water, Mara," Lando said.

"Thank you." But she made no move to take it from him.

"Are you all right?"

"I just felt a little hot…for a moment. I feel fine now."

"We were just coming back in," Luke said, trying to appear normal. It wouldn't do for him to be looking worse. "Everything's fine, Lando."

"I was just concerned."

"We know." Luke smiled genially at him and then turned his attention back to Mara, excluding the other man. "Do you think you might manage some training before I return to Yavin, Jade?"

"I…ah…suppose." He'd been very good and hadn't mentioned training all evening. She guessed that it had to surface at some point.

Luke walked over to Lando, plucked the glass from out of his hand and gave it to Mara. "I would drink some of it, just in case."

"Just in case of what?" Mara said suspiciously, staring at the Jedi. He was different tonight, as if he had made some life changing decision. He caught her gaze. He'd been doing this all evening. Carrying on a conversation with those around him in a supposedly normal manner but undressing her with his eyes every time he'd glanced in her direction, the flames flickering in his deep blue depths were there for only her. Mara assessed the man who had kissed her, pressed her against his firm length, touched her in a way that no other man had for a very long time. He desired her. Mara gazed at him and her own hunger began to grow to match his.

Luke grinned. "Oh, I don't know. Are you coming back inside? I've got that text that I wanted to show you. Remember we talked about it?" He arched an eyebrow and Mara frowned. Text! What text? "Oh, that text," she said, her voice full of sarcasm that passed right above Lando's head completely.

"Yes, it's got some very good ideas about some Jedi training methods. I wanted to run some of them past you, Mara. If you would excuse us, Lando?" Luke said politely and gripping Mara tightly by the elbow marched her back inside.

"What text?" she hissed at him. "I take it; there is actually a real one and not another excuse to get me away from Lando? How much alcohol have you had this evening, Skywalker? You're certainly acting strangely."

"It was discovered on the planet of Dayonn and mentions the early training of the Jedi."

"Why would I be interested in that?"

"Why not. You are a Force strong individual who has quite a lot of training under her belt and the potential to be one of the galaxy's greatest Jedi Knights. It would be remiss of me not to encourage you." Luke pressed the access pad to Leia's study and ushered Mara inside. "And I'm not drunk. I've had a couple of brandies…"

"More than a couple," Mara sniped.

"I feel slightly relaxed, Mara. That's all. I've had enough to perhaps lose some of my inhibitions."

"Really!"

"Really."

"Why are we in your sister's study?"

"The document," Luke said as if he was explaining something to one of his nephews.

"The real reason?" Mara queried dryly, her heart beginning to beat faster.

"It's private and the door locks."

"But won't we be missed?"

"Not at first." As soon as the door hissed shut behind them. Luke caught the red headed trader in his arms and began to kiss her.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx