Deceptive Kisses

Disclaimer: Nope, still don't own Star Wars. Pity, that.

Author's Note: Finally, a follow-up! I wanted to write a new scene from this world, and I just couldn't figure out how to approach it…until Han told me to start with him.

Han paused at the top of the stairs, unable to contain a grin as his wife's low voice cut through the other women's soft, polite tones.

"I think this new government will probably fail within the year," she said disdainfully. "Fey'la and his cadre don't strike me as being particularly capable of the diplomatic maneuvering needed to hang on to the Hapes Cluster, and that's where most of the strength of the New Republic lies. They'll either have to start reacting very differently to the Hapan Ambassador, or they'll see their support fade."

She can sound so…aristocratic when she needs to, Han thought with just a touch of glee. Those quasi-politicians won't know what hit them. He knew that if there was one thing Leia enjoyed more than anything, it was the chance to show up self-important people at their own game.

He felt a twinge of guilt as he thought about how their lives left little opportunity for her to be the diplomat she was trained to be, but dismissed it with the thought of another conversation.

"Do you regret not sticking around?"

The answer was short and definite. "Gods, no. Can you imagine the boredom, the power struggles, the sheer amount of work? Besides, we've done enough; we're doing enough."

And that was before they'd signed on to be ghosts for the NRI. He resumed his stroll through the second story of the mansion, letting a smile turn up one corner of his mouth. He took a left at the end of the short central hallway, practiced feigned surprise. My room's to the right at the top of the stairs? You don't say!

He paused at the third door down. Everything up to this point was easy, but if he was caught in the office…

Han shrugged and opened the door, using the elaborate lock pick he'd listened to C-3PO drone on about for entirely too long. He was in and rifling through papers as quickly as he could. Leia would make sure no one missed him as long as she could, but even her talents had limits. He lock-picked the bottom drawer and brushed the bottom, grinning when he pulled up the false panel and found what he was looking for. He listened for the sounds of footsteps as he copied the data f rom the memory chip to his own, slightly smaller, version. It took longer to copy than to steal, but the last thing he and Leia needed in this particular venture was a blown cover.

Finished, he put everything back just so, and ducked out into the hall. He just passed the second door when someone grabbed him f rom behind. He smelled her perfume just in time to avoid hitting her, instead overbalancing and ending up against the wall just inside an alcove also home to a very ugly nude statue.

"Don't do that to me!" he complained.

"Sorry," she said. She didn't look particularly remorseful, especially not when she smiled and stretched up to kiss him, twining her arms around his neck to make him bend down a little to accommodate her.

A couple of breathless minutes later, she asked against his lips, "Did you get it?"

It took a moment to realize what she was asking. "Uh…yeah! Yes, I did. I thought you were supposed to bore everyone while I was away."

She shrugged. "They served dinner early. Said I'd come looking for you."

"Not that I'm complaining, but why are we up here?"

She leaned closer again. "There are many good answers to that question." She kissed him, opening her lips to let him taste her.

When she pulled back, he whispered, "So what you're really saying is you wanted to accost me."

"Mmmm. Pretty much."

He put his hands on her hips to draw her closer, wondering if she used to wear silky fabrics like this one all the time. There hadn't been a lot of time lately for formal dresses. He was pretty sure the low neckline was a fairly recent phenomenon, not remembering her wearing anything quite as low before they were married.

Again, not complaining, he thought as he kissed her and subtly slid the thin fabric up a little, wondering how much he could get away with before Leia noticed.

"Oh, I can't believe this," said a voice f rom the hallway in tones of disgust. "You simply cannot be making out at my party with your husband."

Han and Leia broke apart, Leia looking a little flushed—to Han's satisfaction.

Yske stood just down the hall, shaking her head. "You're making my poor cook frantic with worry that the food will be cold, and we're not even going to get a scandal out of it."

Han grinned. "It's her fault," he said, pointing to Leia, who tried her best to look innocently offended.

"Don't look at me. He's the scoundrel."

She gave them a measuring look. "I'm sure. Now are you ready to come downstairs and eat amazingly expensive food or not?"

Han gestured to Leia to go first. He followed her, both of them gently tugging clothes back into their proper places.

Yske rolled her eyes. "Just imagine if I'd been two minutes slower!"