Things go back to normal right before my eyes. Actual normal, not the sort of normal we had when Garrus and I were barely talking and only pretending to be friendly. Garrus spent a night and then most of the following day in my bed, all of which the crew was well aware of, and nothing has changed. I don't really know what I was so worried about.

Sure, Kaidan looks like he might cry, and he's been all over me with the flirting in the few days since Garrus recovered. But everything else is exactly the way things should be. Even Ashley hasn't had anything nasty to say, and she's started joining Wrex and Garrus in their nightly gun cleaning ritual.

Garrus has forgiven me. He's back to the guy I fell so hard for in the first place, though it seems to surprise him whenever I say something even a little flirtatious in front of the crew. We jab and joke like normal, but I kind of like being able to show him some favoritism when we're in a casual setting. I'm just not sure he's forgiven me completely since there's been nothing more than friendship and flirting between us.

Part of me can't help but wonder if it's because he's been with a Turian since; maybe he remembered why he never bothered with humans before. It makes me feel sick, so I try not to think about it too much, but spending time with Garrus again means all I can think about is having his hands on me. And with the stress of Virmir rapidly approaching tomorrow, that's getting even worse.

"Where did your head go, kid?" I jump a little when Garrus taps a talon on the back of my hand. He's sitting next to me at a table playing some complicated nerd game with Tali and Joker that I don't want to be able to understand.

"Dirty places, I hope," Joker quips, winking at me from under his hat.

"Do you ever think about anything other than sex?" Tali scoffs at him.

"I really do not want to hear the answer to that one," Garrus announces, rolling his eyes dramatically and then turning to face me, leaving Tali and Joker with the game. "What in the galaxy are you eating that smells so horrible?"

The question catches me off guard, but I have to laugh when I look down at my plate, my meal of a sandwich and pickles almost gone now. "Yeah, since they have a distinct smell to humans, I bet it probably is really strong to you, huh?"

"Putrid. It's disturbing that you can put that in your mouth."

"Hmm, and here I thought you liked the things I put in my mouth." I might say it quietly, but I'm feeling brave enough to meet his gaze while I take a bite of the spear. Garrus' blue eyes flash with a heat that I have missed desperately but can't seem to get to really ignite. "Try it."

He grimaces as much as a Turian can grimace and leans away from me when I hold the pickle toward him. "I don't want to."

"Oh, did we finally find something that the big bad Turian sniper is afraid of? A little green vegetable?" I tease. "Well...I actually don't know if it counts as a vegetable, but that's not the point. Be a Turian and take a bite."

"Don't tempt me." The growl in his voice does fantastic things to the muscles in my core. He hasn't been super suggestive lately, even playfully, so it surprises me, and I can see him read that on my voice. In what I can see is an effort to distract me from noticing, Garrus snags the pickle from my hand and bravely takes a bite.

I can see the regret all over him instantly.

"Oh, for Spirit's sake!" he snaps, shoving back from the table and closing his eyes shut in a burst of movement that I can't help but laugh at. It's the most upset I've ever seen him, and it's over a pickle. "What did you just give me? And why?"

"They're delicious!" I argue, still laughing at him and enjoying the ache in my ribs.

"That's not even edible, Shepard. Something is seriously wrong with humans, you know that?" He finally manages to open his eyes and look at me, a smile breaking out across his handsome features immediately though I can tell he doesn't want to laugh. "The Alliance would win more wars if you used those things for torture devices."

"I'll alert the Alliance that we've discovered the secret to taking down the Turian fleet immediately."

Garrus laughs and gets his revenge by throwing the remainder of the pickle at me, the slimy thing smacking off my cheek because, of course, his aim is perfect.

"Wow, you two are just disgusting these days," Joker grumbles while I wipe off my face. "Also, are there more pickles? Because now I really want one."

"Here, have the rest of mine," I offer, shoving my tray and the remainder of my dinner at him. The pilot grumbles his thanks and then makes some excuse about mining planets before heading back toward his hideout in the cockpit, just as he disappears. Liara and Ashley join us, and instantly I can tell that Garrus wants to leave. I'm not ready to just let him go. "What are you up to tonight, big guy?"

"Just last-minute prepping. Sparring Wrex. The Mako. You know, the usual."

I try not to let him see how that list hurts because I know that he only has one prepared to keep some distance between us. "You're never gonna be in a room alone with me again, huh?"

Garrus hears the question even though it's barely a whisper, and I almost jump when his hand lands on my thigh, the touch warm and firm even through my pants. "I don't want it to be never, Elle." His use of my first name gets my attention, crystal blue eyes looking right through me. "I'm just...prioritizing. You. Us."

"I like the sound of us, but...I just thought all of us was important." I force out a harsh laugh and straighten my shoulders. "Commander Shepard does not whine, I swear."

"Hey." He squeezes my leg and then takes a deep breath. "I really do have prep, but...can I come up later? In a couple hours, maybe?" My heart skips a beat, though I have a feeling the offer is a lot more innocent than I actually want it to be. Still, his eyes flash toward my lips before they dart toward our company, and then he's gone, leaning away from me. "Later."

"Later."

He flashes the sort of smile that should be illegal, and the word hangs heavily in the air while he disappears into the elevator. It takes me a moment to realize that I'm staring at the doors like an absolute smacked ass.

I recover too late. The three women at the table have all noticed, and they all have the same look on their face - despite being of three different species. The only attempt at distraction I can think of is lame, but since it's all I have, I go for it. "Everyone ready for Virmire?"

"Oh, Shepard, really?" Tali teases, openly laughing at me because she knows she can get away with it.

"That was a sad little effort, Skipper," Ashley chimes in. It surprises me that the human is able to find any humor in this, but she just rolls brown eyes at me. "Come on, Shepard. What woman doesn't have needs? All the stress you're under, you could do a lot worse than Vakarian."

"Wow. That was actually almost nice, Ash, you'd better watch that." I laugh when she flips me off with a smile. "And anyway...I'm not sure any needs are going to get met tonight."

"Still nothing?" Liara asks, raising her brow at me. I told Liara and Tali about my recent frustrations with Garrus. He's been sweet and funny and attentive, but...damn it, Ashley is right. I have needs.

"You know, he's under a lot of pressure too - we all are. Maybe Garrus just needs a...distraction."

I frown at the Quarian, but it's Ashley who jumps in to explain with a laugh. "She wants you to put your non-military skill set to use. My mother would call it your womanly guile." My cheeks heat quickly, and she just laughs at me.

"I cannot…"

"Seduce him?" Tali supplies. "Why not? It's obvious he finds you sexy."

I shake my head and argue, "I think most of what he finds sexy about me are my military skills. He's a Turian, after all."

"Shepard, there are just as many Turians at strip clubs as any other race." I turn to gawk at the demure and naive Asari professor at the same time Ashley and Tali do, all of us shocked that Liara has ever been anywhere near a strip club. The blue color of her skin deepens, and she clears her throat. "I mean...or so I've heard."

"You should take lessons on trying to cover your tracks from Shepard, T'Soni," Ashley teases. I throw a piece from the game board at her even while joining the others in carefree laughter. Fortunately for me, it breaks the moment, and they move on to talk about other things, including Virmire. I manage to participate in the conversation, but my mind is elsewhere.

Seduce Garrus? I've never seduced anyone, sex has always just been a casual and easy thing between acquaintances. And with Garrus, the physical draw I feel to him as always just been totally natural. Just thinking about him makes me feel the air around me spark to life, pushing and pulling with an energy I've never felt before.

So...seduce him. I don't know if I'm capable of that.

Worse, I wish I didn't have to try. Garrus has always been so into me, so hot for me. Now he barely touches me, and no matter what he says, part of me feels self-conscious about it. I could get naked for him, only to be rejected. Or...we could finally be together again.

The worst thing I can think of is missing the opportunity to try. I'm tired of missing him. If the effort blows up in my face, I can always brush all of it off as stress about our mission tomorrow - a momentary break in sanity. Garrus is too nice to hold it over my head.

If it goes well...I have to fight to suppress a shudder. Either way, it's time to find out if we still have a shot at things. If I'm ever going to have more with Garrus, it starts tonight.

I wonder how it's possible that Shepard still seems oblivious to how much she turns me on, how badly I want her...how crazy I am about her.

How could she think I don't desperately want to be alone with her when I want everything with her?

Short of really embarrassing myself and saying things that I reserve for my sister and mother - things that I know Shepard won't say back - I've tried my best to treat Shepard differently than any other lover. The rest of them, men or women or whatever, are good for sex. They're worth my attention for a few hours until I can cum, or they're good friends who get a casual lay from me. Nothing else and nothing more.

Elle Shepard is the first woman I have ever needed.

And somehow, she thinks I don't want her.

Clearly, I've screwed this up. I thought keeping sex out of the equation would make Shepard understand that she means more to me. When she called us off, she told me that she didn't know if sex was confusing our friendship or the other way around. I thought removing sex would let us focus on us. Instead, I've made the most amazing person I've ever known believe that every part of me doesn't ache for her.

It's time to resolve that. Tonight, I'm going to show Shepard how crazy I am about her and use it to prove to her that her insecurities about not being a Turian are ridiculous. She's exactly what I want, but if Shepard needs to be shown that she can be what extranet told her I like, I'll show her. I'm going to break down every damn one of those walls she has built up until she's screaming for more.

Then we'll see if she dares to doubt whether or not I want her.

**Cancel whatever plans or work you have for tonight. You and me. OK?**

Shepard's response comes quickly and makes me laugh, the sound echoing into the Cargo Bay.

**Hmm, I don't know. I can't go canceling asinine paperwork for just anyone.**

**The guy who nearly got killed for you is just anyone now? That hurts.**

**Depends. Does he have big plans for me?**

**Oh, he has something big for you.**

The smile remains since I'm feeling pretty proud of that last one. I can almost imagine the shock that will pass through her green eyes before she throws her head back to laugh. There's a short delay this time, but Shepard never disappoints, and my Omni-Tool dings within a few seconds.

**It's average.**

Now I'm the one who has to throw my head back to laugh. The human knows how to challenge me, that's for sure. It's no wonder I fell for her. If only I could figure out what I've done right to make her care for me at all, I'd do it again. Although I don't think it hurts that we both know I'm not average - can't blame a woman for wanting to get hers.

I try not to rush through a shower, even taking time to apply my plate oil, but my hands are almost shaking by the time I dress in casuals. The moment Wrex and Ashley Williams return to Cargo Bay after dinner, and I think I could get some privacy, I'm heading to Shepard's quarters in the elevator. I think about giving her a heads up that I'm on my way, but I like catching her off guard too much.

I'm so distracted that I nearly miss Joker and Alenko sitting in Mess Hall, until the human biotic calls my name. I'd rather just ignore him and run for her quarters, but I remember how proud Shepard was when she found out I made an effector with Ashley. So, I pause.

"Listen, I uh…" Alenko does that super annoying thing where he rubs the back of his neck and coughs like he's preparing to say something important. We all know that he never says anything important. I glance at Joker quickly, and he tries to hide a smirk, aware of what I'm thinking. "I just wanted to thank you for what you did the other night with Shepard."

"Thank me?" Well, he's managed to catch me off guard. Most of the crew has commended me, sure, but thank me...as if I helped him?

"Yeah. You know that Shepard is really important to me, and I'm grateful you were there." My hands fist and some of the arousal that's been coursing through me takes a slight detour, quickly simmering toward rage. The two emotions - turned on and pissed off - are closely related for a Turian, and I get a feeling that Alenko is about to get a glimpse into that.

Joker clears his throat, but I ignore his warning. "I didn't do it for you," I inform the annoyingly handsome human Lieutenant. "Don't pretend that you don't know she's important to me."

Vaguely I'm aware that the doors to Med Bay have opened, Liara and Tali joining us in Mess Hall, but then Alenko stands. All I can do is hope that he's actually going to threaten me, give me a reason to break his jaw, and keep his mouth from touching Shepard's ever again.

"It's a little different, Garrus," Alenko says, speaking like he's trying to explain something to a child. "You and Shepard are friends, you work really well together, sure. But at the end of the day…" He trails off into a shrug and makes a vague motion at me as if my body is his point.

I hate that he got me right where I'm most vulnerable.

"At the end of the day, Alenko...I'm the one she wants standing by her side. Have a good night."

I leave them with that, turning to resume my path toward our Commander's quarters. We have a major mission tomorrow, Alenko pissed me off, and I haven't been laid since Ilium. It's a miracle I don't explode on the way there, but I manage to reach the doors and throw caution to the wind, quickly hacking the lock before slipping inside, then locking it again behind me.

I really wanted to see Shepard immediately, probably just tackle her to the floor, but an empty room greets me. I can hear water running, and my cock stirs when I realize that Shepard is in the shower. For some reason, even though I just broke into her quarters in front of the whole crew, barging into the bathroom to get what we both need feels too intrusive.

Damn it.

I resign myself to wait but head for the bed, going so far as to kick off my boots and sit with my back to the headboard. I have to bend my knees to accommodate my spurs, but otherwise, this bed is surprisingly comfortable. I guess humans like them softer than Turians.

The wait is especially long because I know Shepard is naked in the bathroom, but then the shower stops, and I'm left waiting still for what feels like an eternity. I can hear her moving around in there but wouldn't dare to pretend to know enough about women or humans to get what she's doing. Spirits know my sister used to occupy our bathroom for hours.

Still, I'm about a second from going in there when the doors whoosh open.

I'm damn glad that I chose to sit, or I think I would fall right to my knees at the sight of the absolutely stunning woman who comes through the doors.

"Garrus!" she shrieks, jumping a little when she spots me on her bed. No longer able to be or appear calm, I push right to my feet and head for the human while she tries to cover her breasts.

"None of that," I growl, guiding her hands away. "This seems like something you'd wear because you want someone to see it.

I've seen Shepard naked, and I've seen her like this, in just a bra and her panties. This is different. The set she's wearing tonight does not seem like they'd be appropriate - or supportive - under armor. Black lace and very little coverage, I can't help but think about how easily my talons could rip right through these pretty things.

"Yeah, well...maybe that was the plan - but not by surprise," she notes, letting me pull her hands back down to her sides. "Stop staring at me."

"I can't," I confess. "You're...Spirits."

It might be embarrassing for me, but my reaction seems to give Shepard a little confidence, and she makes a soft humming noise. Her fingers squeeze mine where they're tangled together. "You know the whole plan was...more."

"I like the sound of more."

"I thought I might have to convince you to want to see it."

My eyes flash up to hers - admittedly for the first time since she came out almost naked - and I hate the vulnerability I see in the emerald green staring up at me. It hits me loud and clear that convincing me is not what this woman wants; she needs to be convinced that I'm already there, already interested in her.

Those eyes of her widen when I slide my hand all the way up her arm and across her shoulder to wrap around her throat. I fucking love how small her throat feels in my hand. I could break her, we both know it. Part of me expects her to panic, push my hand away. If she does, I won't fight. The last thing I want is to scare her.

Shepard never takes her eyes off mine, and then, after a beat, she tilts her head to give me more access. Perfect.

"I'm going to teach you to love this body as much as I do," I promise, totally unable to keep my eyes from scanning her body again. I need to see her, feel her, taste her in a way I've never needed anything before. The last time I was this starved for something was during a particularly brutal training exercise Saren put us through that involved shoving our faces into a tub of water.

I want this woman so badly that the only experience I can equate the feeling to is drowning, my every fiber desperate to make her mine in the way that all of my cells were once screaming for oxygen.

She's become lifeblood to me. It should scare me. I should be terrified, especially considering the distance that she's kept me emotionally. I'd give Shepard whatever she asked for, and I know that she couldn't give any of it back. But I don't care. If I can have some small part of her, just these moments and just her body, it's enough for now. I can wait for the rest until our work is done.

We have forever.

Tired of having only my eyes on her, I slide my hand from her throat and into her silken hair, tugging hard enough to force her to tilt her head back. I'm amazed that she doesn't seem fearful or anxious when I bring a mouth full of sharp teeth to her throat. The flesh here is so soft, so vulnerable...and damn do I want to sink my teeth in.

I use my tongue instead, finally getting a small taste of her salty-sweet skin. Shepard whimpers and tilts her head back even further on her own, granting me access and giving me faith.

Small hands come up to my waist, strong enough to knead with exactly the right amount of pressure. I think about how easily I could hurt her and know at the same time that Shepard is not weak; she could have me on the floor in seconds if she wanted to. She may be soft and small, but I wouldn't dare underestimate her, and it's the combination that is so insanely hot.

"I don't need you to seduce me, Shepard." I whisper it into her ear, keeping my voice low and soft. Instantly, I feel her heart rate soar, and the constant crackle of energy between us starts to buzz with a tangible pull. "Spirits, everything about you turns me on."

"Garrus."

"Mmm. Especially the way you say my name when you want me."

She gives a husky laugh and flexes her hands, sending sparks rushing straight to my cock. "I always want you. It makes working with you difficult at times." I laugh and nip her earlobe, continuing down her jaw and toward her mouth while she talks. "When I was in the bathroom, wearing this, I felt like a soldier in lingerie. I felt stupid. I was coming out here to change."

"That would have been very unfortunate." She gasps when I run the talons of my free hand down her back and to her lace-covered ass.

"The way you look at me, Garrus...I feel like a woman." Her voice cracks a little with vulnerability, and I pull away from her neck to look down at her, green eyes blazing and wet. "No one has made me feel like that before. I...I really like it. I don't want to lose it."

"I don't plan to stop."

Before she can say something pessimistic or - worse - logical, I kiss her. Shepard doesn't resist for a moment, her mouth opening to me and meeting mine with the desperate sort of eagerness that speaks to how long it's been for both of us.

Not so long since she was last kissed, though.

The image of her in Alenko's arms flashes unwelcome through my mind, and that rage threatens to emerge again. Shepard startles when a growl that can't be mistaken for anything other than anger rips from my throat, but I don't let her go, trapping her head by the hand in her hair and capturing her bottom lip between my teeth much harder than I would normally. She whimpers but doesn't fight me or try to get away.

"You don't know what it does to me," I tell her, swiping my tongue along her bottom lip now to soothe the pain. "The thought of someone else feeling your mouth." I can tell from the way she tenses that Shepard knows where my mind has gone, where the anger has come from.

"I do know," she argues, leaning into me now. She shifts suddenly, dodging my mouth and catching my mandible between her teeth for a sharp bite that makes me gasp and makes my cock jump. "I could tear the hull out thinking about someone else having you like this."

She startles when a harsh laugh leaves me and pulls back enough to look up at me. "You really don't get it at all, do you?" I ask.

I don't let her push, and I don't explain, choosing instead to move both my hands to her hips and draw her against me. Shepard isn't passive anymore, clinging to me and moving her hands everywhere at once while we exchange kisses and nips over each other's mouths and throats. When I move my hands to the back of her thighs, she obeys the unspoken command and jumps into my arms with her legs around my hips.

I move for her bed this time, finally prepared to claim her here if for no other reason that I can't hold back anymore. Before I can lay her down under me, Shepard pushes at my chest to make me release her and jumps down only to spin us and shove me onto the bed. I prop up onto my elbows because I can't lay flat on her bed but mostly for the view, enthralled as she plants a knee beside my hips.

"So...you like these?" she asks, her tone teasing while she runs her fingers over the lace covering her hips and brings the other hand up to her breasts. Fuck. Watching Shepard cup her own breasts gets my cock roaring to life, springing from inside me so fast it almost hurts.

I wonder how far I can push her and can't resist the urge to find out. "I do like those. Especially when you're touching them like that." Shepard pauses for a moment, realizing I'm not talking about lingerie anymore. The blush that comes to her cheeks sets my blood to simmer, and my hands itch to touch her. "I hope you didn't stop on my account, Shepard."

"God, Vakarian, that damn voice of yours. Makes me scared of what you could convince me to do."

I might laugh, but the growl building in my chest distracts both of us. "What do you want to hear, Shepard?" Her eyes meet mine again, and her pink lips part just slightly when she starts breathing heavier. "I'll tell you for the rest of our lives how beautiful, how sexy I think you are." Now her eyes squeeze closed, and she whispers my name, almost sounding like she's in pain.

I think back to the night I was injured, when I slept here and she told me that I feel like home to her. I understand her pain, the ache of knowing how much she cares when I can't have all of her, so I sit up, bringing our faces within inches. My hands gravitate to her, sliding slowly over her stomach and waist.

"Would you prefer that I touched you?"

"Please."

I don't make her beg, not tonight. Our positions and height difference have put me level with her breasts, and I take advantage of the nature of the lace, teasing her sensitive skin through the fabric with my tongue and teeth. She gasps and moans when I capture a nipple between my teeth, biting as gently as I can while running my hands slowly over her back and ass.

I have to groan at the pressure in my groin when her little hands take hold of my fringe, encouraging me. One of those hands drops to my shoulder, and she tugs at my shirt. "Off."

"So eloquent, you humans," I tease, even while pulling back to obey her. Shepard narrows her eyes, and I know I'm in trouble, but I'll take any punishment that involves her mouth and hands on my bare plates. Talented, wicked woman that she is, Shepard has learned exactly how to kiss and scratch and nip me to make me almost painfully aroused.

I jump in surprise when her hand cups my erection through my pants. She chuckles at the pathetic noise that escapes me. "Turians are just as eloquent, it seems."

"Keep running that mouth, Shepard, and I'll fill it." The warning comes with a tug of her hair, and I'm rewarded with her moan, her hand still squeezing me mercilessly. Spirits, she makes me crazy. "Is that what you want, Elle? My cock in your mouth, my cum on your tongue?"

"Jesus...Garrus," she pants, falling against me when her legs shake. "Yes, I want that."

"You want what?" I push, biting her shoulder gently while I catch her wrist to stop her hands. "Tell me, Shepard, tell me what you want."

She uses a hand on my shoulder to push back and straighten enough to look at me. I don't know what she can see on my face, and it scares the hell out of me to think about the possibilities, but whatever it is makes her bold. Shepard leans in to graze her soft lips over my mouth, just barely touching me, while she whispers, "When you think about my mouth, I want your only thought to be how it looks with your cock inside it."

"Oh, shit, Shepard." I feel my talons sink almost too far into her ass when I clench my hands, about ready to shove the redhead to her knees and fuck her mouth. "Get on your knees." She obeys my growled words, and I tear through the buckle on my belt, groaning when my cock springs free after she yanks my pants out of the way only to be captured by her skilled hands.

I lean back onto my elbows again, ensuring I have a view of this, and nearly combust when I catch sight of the hungry way she watches her own hand pump my dick.

Shepard looks up at me, almost like she's asking for permission. Like she doesn't know she owns me.

"I'm all yours, baby."

She flashes a smile I've only ever seen from her on the battlefield, a grin full of mischief and vast confidence that suggests she could take on the whole universe. Before I can get wise enough to be scared of it, she makes a dive to take my cock into her throat. I cry out and fist her sheets, my vision clouding for a moment from the intense bliss of wet heat. If she wasn't squeezing the base of my cock, I'd be shamelessly cumming down her throat already.

She pulls back after a beat that's long enough to kill me and gasps for air, face flushed and lips wet.

"Don't stop," I snarl, reaching forward with one hand to cup her head and pushing back through those perfect lips. She moans and welcomes both my cock and the aggression, tongue swirling while her head bobs, sucking and jerking me with both hands. "Fuck, yes, Elle. You suck me so good."

Her moan vibrates through me, and I swear I can feel the suction all the way at the back of my fringe. One hand leaves my dick so she can cup my quad, rolling them gently on her palm and sending shockwaves surging up my spine.

"Ah, Shepard. Fuck."

The sight of my cock slipping in and out of her mouth, the blue color bold and brash against her soft pink lips, is something that will be seared into my mind forever. The bastard human biotic has nothing from her, not her affection or her body or this incredible fucking mouth. I ache with the need to spill into her throat, over her tongue, cover her with me.

Let Kaidan Alenko taste that if he ever dares to kiss my Shepard again.

"Like that, baby, make me cum. Need you to taste me." I give her head a gentle push, never daring to hurt her - not this woman - and Shepard moans deeply, obeying and bringing me back into her throat. It shouldn't be possible for her to take so much of me, and then she swallows, the muscles surrounding the head of my cock squeezing hard enough to make me see stars.

I let go, giving myself over to her needs and mine, aware somewhere in my mind that I'm thrusting up into her throat, but Shepard doesn't release me. Her hand continues to pump, milking me through the orgasm while she drinks me down. I let go of her hair when I can see straight again, and she pulls off to catch her breath, only to return to kissing gently down my shaft.

"Spirits, Shepard. Why would I want anyone else knowing what you do to me?" Her head pops up suddenly, mouth gaping. I sit up and reach down to cup her chin in my hand, brushing her swollen lips with my thumb. "Come here."

She obeys, standing up and then moving forward like she's going to straddle my lap, but I catch her by the hips. Shepard frowns until I stand, and then she stares up at me, her head tilted back in the most inviting way. I catch her hands and tug her against me briefly before I move, slowly circling around her until I'm behind her, our arms crossed over her body so that I'm encasing her.

In an instant, Shepard takes a deep breath and sinks back into me. It makes me warm to know she feels safe, but it sets me ablaze to know I can use that to my advantage.

I release her hands and bend to give her ear a quick nip. "Knees up on the bed, Shepard." There's a soft gasp, but she never hesitates, scrambling forward as soon as I release her arms.

The first night we were together, I didn't fuck her this way. I wasn't sure a human could take it or like it, and I didn't want to hurt her - already then I cared too much for her. Now, I know what this woman is capable of. And I know what she needs from me.

"Slide forward."

She obeys on command, crawling into the middle of the bed and presenting an absolutely perfect image while she's on all fours and waiting for me. I can't help but take a moment to stare, running my hands over her round ass and strong thighs. She trembles when I sweep my fingers over her core, reveling in how wet she is just from getting me off.

"Do you have more of these pretty things?"

"No…" She gives the answer cautiously, almost like she can read my mind.

"I'll buy you some."

With that, I tear easily through the lace that was my final barrier to getting inside this perfect body. Shepard gives a husky laugh, but I see her hands clench the sheets in anticipation. I don't want to keep her waiting any longer, but I need a taste. I follow her onto the bed, leaning down to replace my fingers with a sweep of my tongue.

"Garrus, yes, please."

She doesn't have to beg. If the only thing I could taste for the rest of my life was this woman, I'd enjoy every damn minute. Devouring her is a joy, and listening to her moans while I fuck her with my tongue is enough to get me right back to the edge.

When I pull away, Shepard gives a soft and disappointed moan that makes me laugh. "Don't worry. I plan to make you cum until you can't take anymore."

"Oh, fuck me, Garrus."

"That's exactly what I was thinking."

She gives a drawn-out groan that sounds a lot like swearing with her face buried into the sheets. Her head pops back up, though when I kneel behind her, pulling her ass against me so that my dick slides between those perfect cheeks.

"I have something new for you in mind," I tell her, reaching forward to brush all of her hair into one shoulder. That way, the other side is all for me. Shepard tenses and pulls forward in a rapid jerk, hard enough to startle me. "What's wrong?"

"I...Garrus, I don't know if I'm ready for...that."

For a moment, I'm lost. When it hits me, what she thinks I'm suggesting, I can't help but laugh while I fold myself over her back. "Not that, Elle, I'm sorry."

"Don't laugh at me!"

"No, I'm not, I promise. That's just not where my mind was." I press my mouth to her shoulder in the closest thing I can manage to a kiss and then nip the skin softly, kissing it my way too. Shepard relaxes, and I slide my hands up to grope her breasts, grinding my hips lightly against her. "Don't get me wrong, baby. Someday, I'll claim this ass."

"Oh, fuck," she mutters, shivering with either anticipation or fear - I smell both, and I like it.

"For tonight, just remember that you're safe with me." I tweak her nipples in my fingers while nipping across the back of her shoulders until I feel her spine and then move down. She's a little tense again, probably wondering why she'd need that reminder. "Lean forward for me, onto your forearms."

She does, and I get her to relax into my touch with a few well-placed tugs and licks. "You're driving me crazy," she complains, pushing her ass back into me.

"Good." I straighten and shift my hands to her hips, my dick waiting proudly between us. "Put me inside you, Elle." Shepard gives a soft, intensely feminine little whimper that damn near kills me. Human flexibility will never cease to amaze me, and I watch her hand wrap around my dick before lining me up, pressing the head between her soft - so, so soft - lips. "Ready for me?"

I don't wait for her to respond, snapping my hips forward so that I sheathe completely inside her. I braced myself in preparation for this, but still have to hold my breath and fight like hell to keep from exploding right now. How are humans this tight?

Shepard cries out and falls forward, which was the plan all along, so I gather my senses enough to get to work. Her ankles fit perfectly around my leg spurs, maybe not exactly like a Turian would fit but certainly well enough to get the job done. Shepard whispers my name when she realizes what I've done, and I feel her pull her legs, trying to disentangle herself. She's trapped, unable to move her own legs - not to move, escape, or absorb any sensation.

"All you can do is take me."

To prove my point, I pull her off my cock and then back against me, holding myself still and fucking her on me. She rewards me with a deep moan when I grind my hips into her, angling for exactly the right place in the mental map I've created of this woman's body...all the places I need to make her mine. My hands shake against her hips with the effort to control myself, my dick throbbing with a need to pound into her.

"Tell me this is OK, Shepard."

Now instead of my voice being deep, I sound the way I feel. Like my control is slipping rapidly. I'd never hurt her, never want to scare her. As much as I want to fuck her senseless, it's not just my honor that keeps me from taking what I need but also a need for her to enjoy this.

I'd give Shepard any damn thing in the world, so she's going to get the best of me. Even if the best of me isn't good enough.

"Garrus," she gasps, trying to move her hips and groaning at her helplessness. "It's OK, God, it's so good. Please, come on, I need more.

"That's my girl."

And I give my girl exactly what she's asking for, yanking her onto me while I snap my hips forward to get as deep inside as her body will let me. She takes all of me, her perfect little body squeezing me hard like it never wants to let me go. Shepard moans and gasps and cries out my name while I pound with a driving need to be one with her. She's helpless, screaming, and all fucking mine.

I can feel the muscles deep inside her start to clench, and I up the stakes, wrapping my arm around her waist to hold her and sliding my now freed hand up to her breasts. Her gasps get higher pitched and breathier when I tug at her nipples and fuck her deep until she's begging me for release.

"I need you, Garrus."

Those words do things to me that she couldn't imagine, and instead of spilling my guts, I find a new level of stamina and drive harder into her. I'm holding her up now, Shepard boneless and crying into the mattress when she climaxes hard. The fierce grip of her sex around my dick turns the tables on me, making me the helpless one - helpless to do anything but follow her over the edge and fill her.

We fall forward together, panting and spent for at least the moment.

I slip her ankles back out from around my leg spurs and quickly check for injuries. It pleases me to find that her soft skin held up well, and it frees me to return to Shepard's body, kissing slowly up her spine until I reach her neck, and then I can stretch out over her back. She gives a happy little hum that makes me feel warm.

"How was that?" I check.

"A little intense, a lot amazing," she answers, voice muffled by the sheets. That makes me feel proud of both of us. Earning her trust like this isn't an effort wasted on me. Shepard reaches back over her shoulder and touches my cheek gently. "I know you were holding back until you thought I was OK. You're good to me, lover."

"Lover, hmm? I like that." I turn my head and kiss her hand. "Both my nicknames are sex-related."

Shepard barks out a laugh and moves to turn. I make room and grab a pillow to fold under my head so that we can lay facing each other. She snuggles back in close and hooks her knee over my hip while her hand sneaks under my fringe.

I'd kill to keep the peaceful look in her eyes and this sweet little smile on her face. I almost change my mind about what needs to be said, for fear that it'll ruin her happiness. Even if I know I have to say it, I wrap my arms around her to try and keep her here.

"I'm sorry that I let you believe I don't want you, kid. That was...really the opposite of what I was going for," I confess. A laugh escapes me, and I continue, "I'm not going to admit how many people I've slept with and then avoided. Finally, I want more from someone and…"

Nope, that is not where I was supposed to go.

I don't dare look at Shepard now, keeping my eyes down. She doesn't let me get away with that, ducking under my chin so that she can kiss my throat. It becomes clear quickly that Shepard doesn't intend to let me go, at least for now, and I happily succumb.

We spend hours reaffirming one another as the only person each of us is interested in - again, at least for now. I'm sore and exhausted in the best ways when we crash back down onto the pillow together, hours, and multiple rounds later. Shepard falls beside me doesn't keep a distance for more than a beat, curling against me and resting her head on my carapace.

"I can't imagine I feel comfortable to you," I admit, even while wrapping my arm around her to enjoy this while I can.

"Like home, remember?" Even muttered because the exhausted human is already falling asleep, the words make my heart skip a beat.

The last thing I want to do is move her, but I'm not going to have a choice. I press my mouth to her hair, inhaling the soft cinnamon and citrus scent now mingling with my scent all over and inside her. It's hard to get the words out, a lump in my throat like my body doesn't want the words to escape. Maybe if I don't say it, she'll forget.

"I should go."

Shepard's head pops up quickly enough that I have to dodge her or get headbutted. "Where? Why?"

"To bed and because you're falling asleep." I laugh and tuck her hair behind her ear before tugging gently on the lobe. She looks damn gorgeous, hair messy and framing her face while she looks down at me. "It's late. I should go before anyone else starts moving around the crew deck."

"You don't...you don't have to go."

I can't help a laugh. "Flattered as I am that you want more, I think it'll kill me." I drop my hand to her ass for a gentle squeeze and then shift to try and get my arm out from under her. Shepard doesn't budge, though, and then reaches her arm across my chest, holding me down.

She takes a breath, and I realize how vulnerable she sounds, even more than when she in lingerie earlier. My stomach nearly leaps into my throat when I realize what she's going to say, and I'm not fast enough to stop her. "I want you to stay here. Tonight. With me."

"Shepard." This time I push to sit up and don't let her stop me. She scrambles up as well, coming to her knees in front of me. Damn, it's hard to focus when she's naked. "Look at me." Shepard obeys, and I take her face between my hands. "I get why you need to keep this private, why you need to keep it casual. I respect your decisions. I can't make you want the same things that I do and - "

"No, Garrus, damn it!" she snaps, pushing my hands away only to scramble into my lap and wrap her legs around my waist. "That's not what this is. I do want the same things you do. I just...can't yet." She frowns a little at that but then shakes her head, and the determined look is back. "But don't say or think that I don't want it."

Her voice actually cracks, and it hurts my heart, so I quiet her with a soft kiss and my hands on her back. "OK, Shepard."

"You don't believe me." She says it very matter of factly, and that makes me laugh a little. It helps to hide some of my shame, anyway...or at least I can hope.

"I...I don't know. I find it hard to believe, to be honest. I'm an ex-cop, a thirty-year-old Turian with nothing to show for himself or to offer. You, Shepard, are…" I force out another laugh and shake my head, hoping that she can't read me as well as I fear.

If she can, she chooses not to respond with words and instead rains soft kisses all over my face. I have to close my eyes to absorb all the sensations, her soft, warm lips touching me gently while her hands brush back over my fringe. The touches make me feel...cherished. "You're my best friend," she whispers, making me shiver when her breath gusts over my face. "I trust you more than anyone. What you offer is more valuable than anything I could find anywhere else. And we're not thirty yet."

I crush her to me in a hug when I laugh, grateful that she saved me from having to get too emotional with a joke. Shepard laughs too and leans up to kiss my mouth one more time. I can see that she's searching my eyes when she pulls away. "Tell me you're OK."

"I'm OK," I promise, being honest. I won't tell her that I'd much prefer spending the night with her because she already knows that it doesn't help either of us. She smiles, stunning me, and then climbs off my lap so that we can both get up.

Shepard grabs a t-shirt and pulls it on while I get dressed; somehow, she manages to make baggy cotton look every bit as sexy as the lacy lingerie. She notices me staring and rolls her eyes, cheeks turning pink again.

"You'll learn," I promise, standing once my boots are on. "Maybe we can each get a couple minutes of sleep before Virmire."

"Maybe," she laughs. "Try your best - I'll need you on my six."

I lean down at the door and capture her mouth, slipping my tongue through her lips without waiting for her permission and kissing her deeply. She stumbles back into the wall and whimpers - almost enough to convince me that I could go another round. "You'll always have me there, kid. See ya soon."

"Night, big guy."

Dragging myself away from her is easier tonight. It's not because I don't want to be there, or that I don't feel every bit as at home in her arms as she does in mine. It's easier because, for once, I'm confident that I'll be back in her arms before long.

Shepard will be mine, that much I know. And it's much more than worth waiting for.