Bioware's Sandbox, not mine. This one is dedicated to the KAST.

Chapter 18

She Said

My stomach woke me up. Growling. Of course, I hadn't had dinner and then fought and then…. I looked down at the golden skinned arms wrapped around me tightly, my fingers entwined with one of his hands, the other was cupping one of my breasts. I snuggled back into his embrace, feeling the light fuzz of hair on his chest and running down his abdomen tickle my back. I didn't care how hungry I was, I wasn't getting out of this bed. However, the growling apparently woke him up. He kissed my ear and asked, "Do you need to eat something?"

I twisted my head around to look at him, "I probably should, or I'll be utterly useless in the morning."

I felt him grin against my cheek, "Who says you're leaving this room tomorrow, Spectre?"

I laughed, "I'm pretty sure my team would break in to be certain I'm all right."

He pulled me tighter against him, "They can live without you for a day."

"They might, but your crew is a different story."

He released my hand and rubbed his forehead, turning over partially onto his back. "You're right. How the hell do you do it, Shepard?"

I turned over in his arms, "Do what, command a battleship? Balance a professional relationship with a private one?"

He looked at me, "Either, or both."

I lay my head on his chest, "We weren't doing a lot balancing, Kaidan. I can't tell you how much I regret that."

"I couldn't see a way around the regs, either, Shepard. We were stuck." We both quietly paused for a moment.

I raise my head to look at him, "As far as the ship goes, if everyone's doing their job, the ship pretty much runs itself. All you really have to do is sign a lot of paperwork. Hell, Pressley ran the ship more than I did. I was too busy being a Spectre to be a Commander."

He gave a short laugh, "And I was too busy watching your ass. Literally and figuratively."

"Did you like the view?" I asked.

His hand slid down to cup the body part in question. He turned his head to me, "Do you really need to ask? Tell me, do you wear those things under your armor?"

I cuddled closer to him, sliding my leg between his, "The thongs? Yes."

He groaned and rolled over, burying his face in the crook of my neck, "I shouldn't have asked. Now that's all I'm going to be thinking about in a fight."

Both his hands were cupping my ass, now. Electric shocks tingled through me as he kissed my neck. I felt him move his hips closer to me and that he was very happy to be there. My stomach growled again and he stopped, freezing in place. "I'm sorry to kill the mood, if I don't get food soon, though…"

Reluctantly, he pulled himself away from me and got up to throw on his BDUs. "What do you want?"

"A sandwich is fine. Maybe some fruit?"

He leaned over and kissed me quickly. "Just don't move. I'll be right back." He got to the door and turned to look at me again, "Just stay there."

I grinned, "I'm not going anywhere!" I sat up and clutched the sheet to my chest, "Go, please?"

He left the room. I got out of bed. I refused to eat while nude. I also refused to eat in bed. I walked over and looked at my dress. Yeah, there was no way I was putting that back on yet. The stays had started to stab me before Kaidan took it off me. I walked over and picked up his discarded dress shirt. It would be too big, but at least I wouldn't have to eat naked. I put it on and buttoned it up, belatedly realizing it had no buttons from about mid-chest up. The shirt hit me mid-thigh, though, so I shrugged and rolled up the sleeves. I was hunting around for my underwear when he came back in, locking the door again behind him.

I turned to look at him since he froze in place and didn't say anything. "What?"

"You are a walking wet dream. Are you sure you have to eat? Because that's really not fair." He set the tray down on his desk and crossed to me. Before I could protest, he pulled me to him and kissed me, his hands cupping my face.

I slid my hands up to his wrists, pulling away, "Kaidan, please?" My stomach growled its agreement.

"Ok, ok, but eat fast," he all but begged.

I grinned and walked over to the tray. A turkey sandwich with everything on it, an energy drink, and a half-dozen strawberries with the green tops cut off. My grin widened. I'd almost forgotten his strawberry, well, I don't know if fetish was the right word, but he'd really enjoyed watching me eat them. I doubt their inclusion on my tray had anything to do with them being my favorite fruit. I decided to save them for last, or I'd never get my sandwich. He sat down in the other chair and I noticed there was a second tray with two sandwiches and an energy drink on it for him. I handed it to him and sat down, my legs crossed. He froze, staring at my legs, the sandwich halfway to his mouth. I hadn't found my underwear, so I was a little uncomfortable in the chair, "What?"

"You're killing me, Shepard."

My stomach gave a nervous little flip at how frankly those whiskey-brown eyes were regarding me. I've seen lust in a man's eyes before; hell, I've seen lust in this man's eyes before. But knowing I had no intention of giving in immediately made it infinitely more amusing. "And you're wearing too many clothes," I retorted, taking a bite of my sandwich. He started to eat his sandwiches as quickly as he could, as if the fate of the galaxy rested on how many calories he could ingest in as little time as possible. I leaned over my tray and just ate normally. By the time I hit the halfway point on my sandwich, he was completely done with one of his and starting on the next. I sat up straighter and uncrossed my legs, relaxing them. His eyes flew down to where my open thighs were hidden by his shirt. I heard him inhale sharply. I drank my energy drink and picked up a strawberry, watching him. His half eaten sandwich stopped on its way to his mouth and he froze, staring at me.

I bit into the red fruit. It didn't taste like a real strawberry, those were hard to come by out here, but it was close enough and the appearance was what was important. He shuddered and closed his eyes and sat his sandwich down on his tray. I went back to eating my sandwich.

When I finally finished, he was watching me, his head resting on one hand, his forefinger stretched along his temple, his thumb under his chin and the other fingers curled over his mouth. I glanced down and could see the effect I was having on him through the tight pants of his BDUs. I picked up another strawberry. He twitched through the fabric of his pants. My mouth went dry when I remembered he hadn't taken time to put boxers on under his pants. He must've seen me swallow hard because he sat up and pulled his shirt over his head, and threw it somewhere. I didn't look. The sight of his chiseled, uncovered pectorals and abdominal muscles, lightly furred with dark hair, made me light-headed with my own surge of lust.

"Is that few enough clothes for you, Shepard?" he drawled, going back to his previous slouched position.

I bit into the strawberry in reply. I heard his breath catch in his throat and smiled. I picked up another piece of fruit and stood up, my eyes locked with his. I climbed onto his lap, straddling him, pushing my crotch against his, with only the thin fabric of his pants between us. His hands went to the outside of my legs, his fingers digging into my thighs as he watched me, still holding my eyes with his. I held up the strawberry for him and his even white teeth cut into the fruit. Not breaking my gaze, he licked the juice from my fingers and I shivered against him. He took the last little bit from my fingers after licking them clean and I lowered my mouth to his, kissing him, tasting the sweetness of the berry on his lips.

It didn't take us long to end up back on his Alliance issue sheets.