**Thanks for the reviews! I have been playing with ideas and hope that this works… I can't help it- is it wrong to say that I want more Grace and James! Enjoy! Ideas and thoughts as always are welcome- just don't make me cry ; ) May change this later but for right now I am just kind of getting to "know" the characters in my head : )

Tangled Webs

Chapter 1

She wasn't sure how it happened.

One minute she was trying to back up the COB against some of Serrat's thugs and the next minute she was trying to killing a man.

Only this time, it wasn't from a distance with her firearm. Instead, she had been staring the man in eyes as she stabbed him. Shooting from a distance was one thing, but feeling the man's body falling into her and warm blood pouring from his wound made it so much worse somehow.

"Shepard!"

Pushing the groaning man off of her she turned to stare into the Prosser's eyes, he was talking but the words weren't making much sense.

"Shepard, get it together! Let's get back to the village…" He grabbed her arm and pulled her to her feet.

Staring at her hands and the blood that covered her, she fought back nausea, "What the hell just happened?"

The COB glanced at her as he pulled her to the village, "You shouldn't have tried to help me. Now you are going to be a target too."

Laughing bitterly, she pulled away, "Going to be? I already am… we all already are. But this is different, this was personal."

Quietly and with a serious tone, Prosser explained about the drugs and the situation between him and Serrat. When she tried to get him to go to the XO, he stalled. He agreed to think about it, but that was all she could get him to agree to.

Separating from him she headed toward the beach. What in the fuck was going on? Her commanding officer and her XO were lying to her, keeping her out of the loop and now she had just stepped into something by stabbing one of Serrat's men… something she knew she didn't have any choice in.

Looking down at the blood on her hands, she sank to the beach. Her airway became tight and she began to gasp for air.

"Hey… we have got to stop meeting like this."

James had seen Grace heading to the beach and no matter how hard he tried to go the other way he just couldn't manage it.

Walking up beside her he glanced down to her crouched position when she didn't respond. It was then that he saw the blood on her.

Dropping to his knees, James grabbed her arms, "Where are you hurt!? What's bleeding?"

Shaking her head, she pulled away and grabbed his hands, Grace met his eyes, "It's not mine… King… James? I'm ok. The blood isn't mine."

Her voice trembling at the end finally broke through his whirling mind. His next instinct was to try and find the bastard that had tried to hurt him and kill him… slowly.

"What in the hell happened?" He asked briskly.

"Nothing… nothing happened. Not to me anyway." She whispered and her hands shook in h

It was hard to admit it, but watching this strong woman trying not to break in front of him got to him in a big way. Not good.

He could see the tears in her eyes and knew that she was fighting so hard to not show any emotion, but it was costing her.

"It's ok to lose it. You don't have to be so strong all the time." He whispered tugging her into his arms.

Grace gulped back a sob and surprised herself by going into his arms without any resistance.

Here was this man- so tough, so hard, a trained killer- and he was offering her comfort.

Allowing herself a moment to regain control, she listened to the steady beat of his heart and breathed in the somehow comforting scent of him. It was manly and earthy, yet somehow nice… maybe she WAS losing it.

Pulling away she tried to laugh it off, "Guess I should go get cleaned up, huh? What I wouldn't kill for a bath tub and some bubbles, right about now!"

James chuckled and held onto her hand for a moment, "I got a better idea. You up for it?"

"Wow!" Grace looked around the tropical paradise in awe. The sound of a waterfall and the smell of undisturbed vegetation made the scene before her into a secluded have.

"It's not a bath tub, but the water is clean and not too cold." James tried to hide the pleasure he found in her expression.

A twinge of jealousy intruded as a thought came into her head and before she could control her mouth she blurted, "Tani showed you this?"

Rubbing the back of his neck with an uncomfortable expression, James grimaced, "Actually no. I found this pool the other day."

Embarrassed she tried to reassure him, "Sorry. I just assumed."

"No problem…" James arched an eyebrow and taunted her, "Last one in belongs in the air force…"

For a moment, Grace froze as she watched him peel his shirt off and found herself enjoying the sight of his tanned, muscular skin.

Shaking her head she quickly got into the spirit of the game and ripped off her boots, quickly stripping down to her underwear. Not pausing to see if he was going commando or not nearly killed her, but she did it. To her surprise she made it into the water before he did.

So maybe this was a bad idea, he thought as he nearly swallowed his tongue at the sight of Grace's beautiful body moving into the water. The thought of losing didn't even bother him as he watched the look of pleasure on her face as she submerged herself.

Leaving his boxers on for "safety" sake, James dove into the water. He hoped it would be cool enough to take the edge of his arousal, but somehow he didn't think it would help in the slightest.

They paddled around in silence for a few minutes until Grace glanced at her watch, "Damn it. I have to go. I need to report to the XO in thirty minutes.

Making her way to the shore, she tried to ignore the gorgeous man moving silently beside her, but her heart refused to cooperate and took off in a crazy race. Trying to act nonchalant, she grabbed her shirt, dunked it in the water and tried to wash out the blood.

"You gonna tell me what happened?" James asked quietly.

"Nope… I just want to forget about it for the moment, ok?" She answered softly before looking at him.

"Ok. I can work with that." He stood in the water, his skin glistening in the sunlight and looking way too tempting. And she couldn't have moved if her life depended on it.

"I have to report soon…"Her voice trailed off as her eyes and body communicated what she couldn't.

James hesitated for a second and then gave up the fight, "I can work with that…"

Moving so fast it took her breath away, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her as if he were starving and she was the only food around.

Quickly they peeled away their remaining clothes and James pulled her back into the water. His arms slid around her sleek body and pulled her into him. The feel of her firm, yet soft and perfectly rounded breasts pressed against his chest sent a groan of pure pleasure rising from his chest.

Grace wrapped her long legs around him and quickly lowered herself onto his throbbing arousal. They never seemed to have time for any foreplay and at that moment she couldn't care less.

Their joining was hot, hard and fast. Thorough but not nearly enough for either of them and over way too soon.

Pulling in deep breaths of oxygen, Grace tried to act in control of herself, "Wow…"

James snorted as he lowered her to her feet, "Yeah, wow."

Moving on shaking legs, she grabbed her clothes and quickly began to pull them on. She knew that if she looked at him she might do something she would regret later so she tried to play tough and unaffected. And if he hadn't noticed the shaking hands and trembling smile, she might have pulled it off and he might have believed her.

Clearing her throat she looked over her shoulder quickly at him, "Uh, two time thing?"

"Sure." He managed to choke out, not liking the feeling of being dismissed- AGAIN.

"And- thanks for this. For bringing me here." She smiled slightly as she finished dressing and turned to leave him standing butt ass naked with a disgruntled look on his face.

He didn't know what else to say, but in his head he knew that it would happen again. And again and again if he had anything to say about it. But for now he let her think she was in control and watched her rush off as if her deliciously hot ass was on fire.