5. Finishing Touches

He knew it was beyond wrong, but he just couldn't hold back any longer. Sandra was everything he'd ever dreamed of and more. And now that he could see that she was as crazy about him as he was about her, he threw all caution to the wind, helpless to resist the urge to do what he'd been longing to from the very first moment.

And holy smokes! That woman, this almost timid girl who blushed so adorably at the smallest compliment, was one helluva kisser! Wrapping her arms around his waist, her incredible body moulding against his, she made him lose all rational thought. He just wanted, no, needed, to hold her, feel her, wrap himself around her, and lose himself in her warm and gentle presence that filled every space in his heart and did things to his groin that he seemed to have no control over.

Pulling back a bit, when they needed to come up for air, he caught her gaze, still a little doubtful, but clouded with the same desire he felt.

"Not attracted to you in that way?" he chuckled, shaking his head incredulously. "Are you kidding? I was practically going insane holding back every time we so much as touched. It took superhuman strength of will, not to be all over you right after our first dinner. And I can't even begin to describe what I'm feeling right now, holding your delicate body in my arms after this spectacular kiss."

Sandra was shivering, albeit almost certainly not from cold, and he pulled her closer again, wrapping his arms around her, wanting her to feel safe and comfortable, even though he'd probably just overstepped a line. What had he done?

Burying his face in her soft hair, as he tightened his arms around her a little more, still processing the incredible sensation of holding her so close, he tried to explain, needing her to know exactly how he felt about her.

"It's so much more than just physical desire, Sandra. I hope you know that. We've only just met, have been seeing each other for only a few days now, but you've already got under my skin and into my heart and my soul. Barely a week, and yet I've shared more about myself with you than I ever have with anyone before."

He paused, distracted by her snuggling closer with a soft sigh.

"But I'm going back to space after the conference. That's why I've been holding off. The only reason why. I tried to avoid getting in too deep, which is ridiculous, really, because I couldn't be in any deeper. However, I'm in the middle of a five-year deep space mission I've signed up for. And you're an amazing woman! The last thing I'd want is for you to feel like just a shore leave romance. Because you mean so much more to me than that. You have no idea. What I've found with you is wonderful beyond words!"

He didn't add that, for the first time, he thought he might heal emotionally after all. That with her, he felt he could actually allow himself to fall in love again without necessarily getting hurt. And he certainly didn't add what had been on the tip of his tongue so many times in the past few days. Because it was way too soon to say it, even though he wanted to say it with all his heart.

I love you, Sandra!

Instead he pointed towards the sky and told her, "I'll be out there for at least three more years, Sandra. That's no way to start a relationship of any sorts, least the one I'd love for us to have. And I certainly couldn't expect you to wait for me that long."

x-x-x-x-x

"But maybe I'd want to," she said, when she'd finally found her voice again, reaching up to tenderly touch his face while still processing all the wonderful things he'd just said. "Because I feel exactly the same way about you, Leonard. I really think that we have something special here and I wouldn't want to just throw it away. I've certainly never felt like this before."

"Neither have I," he murmured, drawing her in for another mind-blowing kiss, and she just melted into him, his inviting arms, his alluring body, his seductive lips.

"I don't know where this is going, or if it's going anywhere at all," she said softly, turning around in his arms to watch the stunning sunset, her voice trembling with a yearning for something she couldn't even clearly identify, "but I just couldn't live with myself, if we didn't at least give it a chance. And who knows? I might consider giving space a try after all. Maybe even join Starfleet Sciences."

"Or I might finally return to Earth, if I had someone to come home to," Leonard whispered into her hair, the feeling of his hot breath on her neck sending shivers down her spine. "I have no idea where this is going to take us, either. All I know is that you are far more than a shore leave romance for me. I haven't felt connected like this to anyone in … forever really."

"See? Life's full of options, let's keep ours open for now," she all but giggled, suddenly feeling bold and fearless, standing here, in her favourite spot in the whole world, watching a magnificent sunset with this amazing man straight out of her dreams, wonderfully protected in his strong and tender arms, wrapped in love and happiness and a future full of promise.

"I'd love that very much!" Leonard murmured, his voice even softer, his embrace even gentler now. And when he tenderly added, "You're as precious as your art, Sandra. I've never met anyone more beautiful, inside or out!" she found that, maybe for the first time in her life, she actually felt beautiful.

A perfect moment, she thought, forever etched on my heart.

And it really was. So perfect, she felt she might burst with happiness. With her back snuggled against his chest, feeling all his love, and warmth, and kindness engulfing her, life seemed like a dream. A dream come true.

And when she suddenly noticed his growing desire pressing against the small of her back, and he nervously chuckled and drawled, "I hope you don't get the wrong impression, I'm usually all for taking it slow, but we don't have that luxury, do we? And I feel I really have to show you just how attracted I am to you in "that way" before I have to go back to the Enterprise," she eagerly took his hand and pulled him along towards her hotel.

She didn't remember ever wanting anyone more than she wanted Leonard, she just couldn't get to feel him, all of him, soon enough. And when she woke up the next morning, turning towards the wonderful man still peacefully asleep beside her, even more adorable now with his tousled hair and content little smile, she gently touched his face to reassure herself that he was real, that she wasn't still dreaming.

Last night had been amazing, mind-blowing, magical, out-of-this-world, a true revelation. It had certainly taught her that there were even more perfect moments than watching the sunset with Leonard McCoy. More perfect, in fact, than she could ever have imagined. The selfless tenderness he'd shown her, the intense pleasure he'd given her, were beyond anything she'd ever known.

And the thrill that ran through her still tingling body when Leonard's eyes slowly blinked open, a thrill of excitement at what was lying ahead of her, not just this morning here in bed – although that was certainly going to be spectacular again, too – but a whole new, bright and promising future, was beyond words.

Only matched, perhaps, by Leonard's delighted smile that spread across his handsome face and lit up his whole being, when he found himself waking up to Sandra's loving face tenderly gazing down at him.

Disclaimer:
Nothing of or associated with Star Trek is mine – it all belongs to Paramount / ViacomCBS (or whoever else is currently holding the rights). This is a work of fanfiction, no infringement intended.