Warning! SPOILERS AHEAD! Do Not read if you have not completed all of the Kadara missions.

Okay, you've been warned! Please review and let me know what you think of my fic so far. Thanks!

Reyes

Reyes knew where this was leading and he needed to stop it. Ryder was pressed into the mattress below him, their legs tangled together. He wanted her, and bad. It had been awhile since Reyes had wanted a woman as much as he wanted Ryder. The last woman he was with, Zia, never made him feel so intensely. I can't make love to Ryder. Not without her knowing I'm the Charlatan. Reyes knew he was falling in love with her, and her rejection would crush him if he continued this path tonight. The alcohol they had consumed was not helping matters.

"Ryder," Reyes almost groaned, his voice rough with desire.

"Hmmm?" Ryder responded softly, kissing him softly before tenderly biting his lower lip. Reyes felt it in his groin and his cock ached. This is literally the hardest thing I've ever done. Reyes thought to himself.

"We have to stop," he said, wincing.

"Why?" Ryder whispered in his ear before nibbling his earlobe. Reyes closed his eyes and shivered, literally on the verge of ripping off their clothes and taking her.

"There are some things I need to take care of before we go further, and I don't want to rush things with us." He didn't want to lie, but he was terrified of telling her the truth. Reyes was convinced that Ryder would want nothing to do with him. She'd nearly refused to work with him to solve the Roekar murders because she knew he was a smuggler. A criminal. How would she feel knowing he was the Charlatan? He didn't want to find out.

"Gotta break up with your other side chick?" Ryder teased and he laughed softly. He loved the fact that they could give each other a hard time. It was what first drew him to her. Her sarcastic comments and frequent innuendos kept him on his toes.

"Something like that," he joked and she rolled her eyes.

"Are you sure?" She asked, rolling her hips and grinding herself against his groin. Reyes closed his eyes and groaned, becoming hard as steel.

"You are evil," he stated when he opened his eyes, desire swirling within his irises.

"I try," she smirked and he rolled off of her, laying on his back. His erection ached against the tightness of his pants. He adjusted his pants and let out a deep breath, attempting to regain his composure. He scrubbed his hands over his face before looking at Ryder laying beside him. She was biting her bottom lip, a concerned look on her face.

"What is it?" He asked her softly.

"Nothing," she said softly and looked up at the ceiling. They laid there in silence for a minute before Ryder got up.

"Where are you going?" Reyes sat up, watching Ryder sit to put her boots on.

"Back to the Tempest," she stated matter-of-factly.

"Ryder," he touched her arm gently. "You've been drinking and it's late. Kadara isn't so safe this time of night." He was concerned for her safety because many Kadarans hated her. She was Nexus, and the exiles on Kadara didn't care that she wasn't there for the uprising. She represented everything that they hate.

"I can handle it," she claimed and attempted to get up. Reyes grabbed her hand and she turned to look at him.

"Stay the night," he pleaded. "You go back to the Tempest and I won't see you for a few weeks, if not months." Ryder seemed hesitant to answer. "I'll be a perfect gentleman," he teased.

Ryder leaned over and whispered in Reyes ear, "I'd rather you weren't." Reyes heard Ryder giggle softly following the quiet groan he let out. She was well aware of the effect she had on him and he knew it. Sleeping in a bed with her would be near torture, but he was sure it would be worth every second.

Reyes sat up on the bed, wearing some grey cotton shorts. He scrolled through the messages from his associates on his omni-tool while he waited for Ryder to change. He had given her a t-shirt and some shorts before she had disappeared into his bathroom. He sent out some orders quickly as he heard Ryder open the door. Closing his omni-tool, he glanced up at Ryder and his jaw nearly dropped. Ryder's dark blonde hair was no longer in her signature ponytail. Her hair had a slight waviness to it that he'd never noticed before. Trailing his eyes down her body, he noted the lack of a bra. A faint outline of her nipples was visible. Continuing his assessment, Reyes noted that she had forgone the shorts he had provided and instead the t-shirt barely covered her ass. When his eyes met hers, he noted that she was assessing him in the same way.

"You're making this no-sex thing hard," Ryder commented, biting her lower lip before lifting her eyes from his bare chest and meeting his eyes. In that moment, Reyes began to question his sanity.

"I'm not the only one," he replied with a soft chuckle before Ryder climbed onto the bed and laid down. Reyes slid down in the bed and pulled Ryder close, spooning her from behind. The scent of vanilla and rose petals filled his nose and he inhaled deeply, taking as much of her in as he could. Ryder wiggled her hips, scooting back into his embrace.

"Good night Reyes," Ryder said softly, turning her head to meet his eyes. Reyes responded by pressing his lips to hers, giving her a short and passionate kiss. Her lips were soft and warm, and she gently sucked his bottom lip before pulling away.

"Good night, Ryder," Reyes said before kissing her temple and laying his head down.

He held her in his arms all night. When he woke in the morning, she had turned and was curled into his chest, her face nuzzled at the base of his neck. Reyes could have laid there with her all morning if it hadn't been for the need to pee. Reluctantly, Reyes decided to stay up and check his messages. Keema had sent him a message requesting to meet with him regarding Sloane. He sent a quick reply stating that he would once the Tempest had let Kadara Port. Keema was well aware of Reyes' feelings for Ryder, and she had given him a hard time on more than one occasion about telling her the truth.

Reyes made himself a cup of coffee and returned to the bedroom to check on Ryder. She laid curled up to a pillow in his absence. He let his eyes wander over her toned frame. The t-shirt was pulled tight, accentuating the curve of her large breasts. The bottom of the t-shirt had ridden up, exposing her bottom. The underwear she wore barely covered her ass, and Reyes let his eyes wander over the exposed curves. Rather than giving in to his desire to run his hand up Ryder's legs and cup her ass, he took a sip of his coffee, gripping the cup tightly. She was absolutely beautiful, and in this moment he knew that he was definitely in love. He had slept better that night than he could ever remember, and she had fit perfectly in his arms.

Ryder stirred before stretching and looking up at Reyes with a sleepy grin. "Morning," she spoke softly, sleep tainting her voice.

"Good morning," Reyes replied softly, sitting on the edge of the bed and cupping her cheek. Ryder leaned into his hand and his heart swelled as she kissed his palm. Reyes leaned down and planted a soft kiss, letting his lips linger on hers for a moment. "Would you like coffee?"

"I'd love some," she answered, smiling back at him before leaning up slightly to kiss him again. Ryder sighed contentedly into the kiss and Reyes parted his lips, his tongue seeking entrance to her mouth. Ryder obliged and opened her mouth, her tongue briefly massaging his before pulling away. "Unfortunately I'll need to drink my coffee and get back."

"One cup of black coffee coming right up." Reyes smiled before getting up and heading for the kitchen to make another cup.