Disclaimer: I do not own nor do I claim to own any characters or concepts related to The Princess and the Frog. This is a nonprofit work of fanfiction.

So I'm packing to go on a trip and it occurs to me, Hey! I should probably update before I hit the road! So, here you go. Thank you as ever to everyone: to those who've read this collection of stories and to those who've reviewed as well. Thank you for your kindnesses, your insights, and your continuing support. Thank you. :)

This story is set after the film.

Distracting

A touch, light upon the small of her back, now traveling up the long arch of her spine. Tiana marked her place in the ledger and twisted about.

"What do you think you're doing?"

Naveen looked at her, politely confused, his dark eyes rounded. "I am distracting you," he said, as if it were the most obvious thing. To demonstrate, he walked his fingers across her shoulders.

She rolled her shoulders, her nape prickling. "And why are you trying to distract me?"

"Well," he said pensively, "I suppose that would be because I am so bored."

For a moment, silence. Then:

"You can't think of anything better to do?" she said, so dryly her throat hurt.

"Yes, it's so tragic. I possess a limited imagination." He did not appear terribly bothered by this. He leaned near to her, his hand stilling upon her back. "But perhaps," he said, his voice deepening, "you could give me something to do." His eyes were dark, his gaze steady, the line of his mouth suggestive, soft, eminently kissable.

"You want me to tell you what to do," she said.

He pressed his hand to his chest and said, "I am yours to command. Anything you ask of me." His hand slid back down her spine, his palm heavy, his fingers spreading wide. "You need only say the word, my princess, and I obey."

Tiana considered him: his mouth, the line of his jaw, the nearness of him. She reached out to him, covered the hand he'd pressed to his breast with her own, leaned in real close, close enough she could feel his breath ghosting across her cheek.

"There is this one thing you could do," she said, "now that I think about it."

"Please," said Naveen, "tell me. Whatever it is, I will do it."

She pressed her lips to his ear, felt his jaw tremble beneath her touch, his fingers tighten upon her back. She said, "Let me do my work," and she turned back to the ledger.

"What," said Naveen, indignant. "What was that? That was horrible! I can't, I cannot believe you did that. You misled me. Shamelessly. You abused my intentions."

"Excuse me," said Tiana, so sweetly, "I don't mean to interrupt this, but I think I remember something about just saying the word and you obeying? Something like that."

Naveen drew himself upright. "Very well," he said. "As you have made your wishes clear. I leave you to your work."

"I love you, sweetheart!" she called after him, to which Naveen said darkly, "So you claim," before he vanished down the hall.

Tiana picked up her pen, neatly twirled it twice between her fingers, and set to work.

This story was originally posted at livejournal on 01/22/2010, for livejournal user grlnamedlucifer, who purchased fic from me at help_haiti, a fandom auction to raise donations for Haiti in the wake of the earthquake disaster.