Chapter 3

Inara had caught up with Mal, took his arm to turn him over and had kissed him right on his lips.

Kaylee's mouth hung open and she got a confused look on her face. She raised an eyebrow as she looked back at the spot Inara had just came from and then to the spot where she was kissing… the captain?!!

She fluttered a few times with her eye-lids. Nope, they were still kissing, and the captain's hands were in her hair. Kaylee shook her head. She must be dreaming. And then looked again. Inara's hands were all over his back and that kiss…. Woow…!! Kaylee swallowed as she felt her cheeks getting red, that is one hell of a kiss! She felt like some sort of intruder…. It sure is taking long, that kiss. Aren't they suffocating by now? Kaylee pinched herself. Auch, that hurt! Nope, that really is them kissing. And she really isn't dreaming this..

Well, this is nice. Kaylee thought after a short moment, when she was ready to accept that she was not dreaming but wide awake. And given the fact they are in the hallway she is allowed to watch isn't she? And pick some of that sweet-loving atmosphere with her. Kaylee thought as she leaned herself comfortably against the wall and took a sip of her tea without her big, curious eyes ever leaving them. This would be her own show. She was actually lucky that she couldn't sleep and wanted Inara's tea! Otherwise she would have missed ALL of this! What a surprise!!

Inara pushed Mal against the wall passionately and Kaylee raised her brows in surprise at that. Wow, pushing the big, strong captain to a wall like that, that sure takes some strenght. She reminded herself that she had to ask Inara once how she did that. Might be easy to know for future situations she herself could get in. Nice situations ofcourse…Woow, the captain sure knows where to put his hands....

Mal opened his eyes when he felt someone looking, he stopped kissing Inara instantlyand made such an unmanly shocked sound that Inara jumped away from him in shock. Inara felt hurt instantly, her eyes grew big at his reaction when she noticed that he wasn't looking at her but at something else. She turned and noticed Kaylee and jumped again in shock.

'Uh, thu… Kaylee…' Mal uttered.

'Kaylee… We were just…' Inara stammered clumsily.

'Yeeeesss?' Kaylee said in a slurred voice as she smiled widely behind her mug of tea.

'Inara was…' Mal started as he pointed at Inara and then at the ground.

'I, yes…I…ahh..' Inara laughed nervously.

'She forgot something.' Mal filled in quickly.

'Yes.' Inara quickly agreed.

'O okay, I understand. That can happen.' Kaylee said casually as she nodded. What were they thinking?! That her eyes were somewhere in her pocket or something?? She had to hold her laugh in. To see her captain like a little schoolboy and to see her trained Companion friend, the one who knew EVERYTHING about men and was miss charming and elegance herself flush and act clumsy all of a sudden, was priceless!

Kaylee waited a few seconds and then suddenly looked confused and got a deep wrinkle above her nose.

'And she had to go look for it in your mouth?' Kaylee said confused. Teasing them surely was fun!

'Wha- huh?' Mal uttered.

'Find anything interesting there?' Kaylee asked Inara. Okay, now she was pushing it, but this was so much fun! Seeing those two strong, adult persons squirm like two little children who were found with their hands in the cooky jar.

Inara's mouth dropped open as she turned redder then she already was.

'Hmmm..' Kaylee said as she loosened herself dreamily from the wall. 'I should use that line on Simon.' She mumbled loudly as she walked towards her bunk, not looking at them. 'Thanks for the show.' She said as she smiled widely now and gave them a cheeky grin. Even Mal was red now. 'Simon, I forgot something, please open your mouth and place your lips on mine…Maybe I'll find it then…' Kaylee closed her mouth and smiled even wider. Would that work? She squaled enthusiastic the moment her door was shut. Inara and the captain kissed! Yaaaaayyy!!! FINALLY, that took them long! Pfff….. And them being red and all! How cute is that??!

Inara and Mal both looked at Kaylee's closed door and then looked back at each other. They both opened their mouths to say something at the exact same time when they both jumped again when Zoe walked past them.

'Weren't able to sleep too?' Zoe asked as she looked at Mal and Inara as she passed them towards the kitchen.

'I was..' Inara began feeling more and more uncomfortable by the second.

'She, I…. Yes I couldn't sle-..' Mal mumbled but Zoe had already dissapeared around the corner.

'S…ss….O.' Inara stuttered. She felt her cheeks were flushed red, she must look like a tomatoe. Since when did she stutter?! That was awful!

Mal swallowed and scraped his throat. 'Uh….S…So….' He scratched his head.

'Maybe we should… Go to….'

'..B…Bed.' Inara filled in quickly as she swallowed too. This was too much for her to process, everything that had happened this night. She would be glad to be in her bed.

'Yes, things will be more clearly when we'll go to bed.' Mal uttered and then mentally hit himself for what he just said. 'I meant- I don't mean…Not with you in bed… Not together, I mean… Not that I wouldn't want t-'

'O, I-…I didn't mean either…Yes, I-' Inara nodded quickly. 'I know what you mean.' She said as she fluttered her eyeslids quickly.

'Sss..so.' She said as she took a step into the other direction. 'I'll be going then.'

'Yes, yes… That way.' Mal said clumsily, "That way?" How stupid could he be? She knew the way to her own shuttle! Way to go Mal!

He could still feel her warm, passionate lips on his. He swallowed quickly.

'Yes, okay, uhm, b..bye.'

'Yes.' Mal muttered as he nodded and turned around slowly. 'Bye.' He said slowly as he walked towards his bunk.

He turned around to look at her, she turned around too and smiled nervously.

She kissed him. She actually kissed him! He thought as he opened his door. And how?! That sure was a kiss. His lips were still tingling. And her touch… His breath caught in his throat. Calm down Mal. Calm down.

Inara almost ran back towards her shuttle. I kissed him! Again. This time he cooperated, it was… Yes how was it really? It was nice. Very nice. She smiled as she felt herself getting warm. Very nice!! It had felt different then she had expected. Even better. He had been rough and sweet at the same time, wanting, passionate.

If only… If only they hadn't been interrupted. After that… She had felt so clumsy. So stupid. Like a little schoolgirl again!

Kaylee fell asleep very quickly with a very big smile on her face. She hadn't even touched her tea!

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This was it for now! Hope you liked it!! I first thought about if it would be out of character if Mal and Inara would react all clumsy, but

then I remembered the way they talked on the wave in the movie Serenity and I could see this happening. Please let me know what you thought!

Thanks!!