Thank you to everyone still hanging in with me for this story :) You guys are the BEST!
OOOOOOOOO
Han didn't know what to make of the change in the Princess' demeanor. Lately, he didn't see her often, but when he did, if he made some outrageous, flirtatious remark, she gave it right back to him. He almost thought she was flirting with him.
Was she flirting with him?
On one level, it seemed inconceivable. On another, how else could it possibly be interpreted?
'Hey, Your Worship,' he had said quietly near her ear earlier that morning at the start of a briefing they both attended. 'That uniform looks kinda tight. Let me know if you need help squeezing out of it later.'
Without turning towards him, she retorted in a low voice audible only to him. 'I don't think you have the skills to get me out of my clothes.'
Her voice had lacked the hardness and anger of days past, had instead been playful and challenging. Before he could respond, she had glided away, leaving a buzz of excitement in her wake.
The thought of it still sent a rush of heat through him. He was at the point where the sight of her viciously aroused him. He wanted her now more than ever, felt almost desperate for her. They hadn't been alone together since Hoth. Han found himself avoiding such a situation, uncertain what he might do and how she might respond. He didn't relish the idea of being slapped with indignant outrage if he were to make any sort of unwanted advance.
But, was it unwanted? Han honestly couldn't be sure. Never before had he been so hesitant about a woman he wanted to take to bed.
There was still the issue of her youth and inexperience. He simply didn't want to get into a situation where a naïve virgin might have unrealistic expectations. And he wasn't even certain that she had any actual intention towards any type of physical relationship. She might just be trying to get back at him for his taunting remarks. Did she have any idea how profoundly she affected him?
He heard Luke's voice call out to him and his gaze rose from the central lifter he should have been focusing on. Instead, his mind had been solely fixed on Leia.
From his vantage point on top of the Falcon, he saw Luke approaching. He was wearing his orange flight suit and had his helmet held beneath his arm.
"What's up, Kid?" Han shouted down to his friend. "How was Kuat?"
"It was good! Pulled it off without a hitch." He smiled up at Solo.
"Great. Good to have you back," Han said and meant it. Things always seemed somehow brighter with Luke around. It seemed a foolish thought, but it was true.
"When are you shipping out next?"
"Two days," Han replied.
"I'll come by later and tell you all about Kuat."
A pleased smile tainted the older man's lips. "I'll be here. With drinks!" His smile spread to a grin.
"I'm counting on it!" He chucked his head in Han's direction, turned away, and disappeared, still smiling.
As Han prepared to return his attention to the lifter, his eye caught sight of the Princess marching purposely through the hangar. His gaze followed her automatically. He watched her approach the Duty Officer and have a brief conversation. She seemed irritated.
The man was clearly, instantly chagrined. Han grinned wickedly to himself. It even turned him on to watch her intimidate grown men who stood a foot taller than her. She was one hell of a woman.
It occurred to him that, over time, he had grown to appreciate more than just her looks. Her steadfast strength against any and all obstacles was admirable. Did anything ever daunt or dispirit this woman?
He mentally shook himself, displacing the thought from his mind. It was unlike him to find an attractive woman so commendable. It was best to keep his mind on her physical attributes. As his eyes ran over those assets, she turned away from the Officer and their gazes met.
The brief moment seemed to last an eternity, although in reality, she only eyed him long enough to turn, raise an eyebrow in his direction, and stride away.
Vexed at being caught in such an open stare, he grunted to himself in frustration and watched her fade into the corridor beyond. This entire situation was making him crazy. He took a long, deep breath and let it out very slowly.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Leia's first instinct had been to decline Luke's invitation. Defensiveness was still what initially sparked at the thought of Han Solo. But, when Luke asked her to join them for an evening on the Falcon, she belayed that impulse.
Lately, she and Han had been deftly dancing around this flirtation with expert, synchronized steps. It left her with a keen sense of longing, an electricity buzzing through her almost constantly. She had spent too many tortured nights wondering how his hands would feel on her skin, the way his tongue might caress hers…
She knew she was a damned fool. She was playing with fire, inviting trouble. Thus far, she had been careful to remain in a public setting with Han. But, at some point, they would end up alone. And he just might call her bluff. What might happen then?
He was altogether wrong for her. For some time now, she had pondered his words in the galley that night, the last time she had been alone in his company. He hadn't been wrong. Their differences did make her uncomfortable. Yet, at the same time, they pulled her into his orbit, circling endlessly, unable to yank free.
Han truly was unlike anyone she had ever known. She had crossed paths with many diverse life forms, and yet, no one had ever treated her the way he did. Nor had anyone ever made her feel with such intensity.
Whether rooted in excitement or anger, her responses to him were always overblown with passion and impossible to ignore. Since Alderaan…
Her insides dulled and dimmed for a moment, but she thrust it aside, unwilling to allow the feelings to overtake her.
That was the thing about Han. For better or worse, he vanquished her sorrows with his presence. He revived something inside her, something that had been buried so deep that Leia thought it might never surface again. It was difficult to ignore it and becoming almost impossible not to seek it out.
But, if she allowed him to pursue her—because it would be impossible for her to be the pursuant—what might she be getting herself into?
An affair…it was difficult to even place herself in the context of that word. An affair, especially with a man like Han Solo, might drive her to distraction, which was something she could not afford during such a vital time. She needed to maintain her unrelenting focus on the Rebellion. Then again, she found herself fairly distracted by that impossible man even without succumbing to desire.
Then there was Han's reputation as a womanizer. Did she really want to be just another notch on his well-worn belt? And if others discovered that something was going on between them, the gossip would fly through the Alliance faster than lightspeed. Leia loathed the idea of being the subject of such scandal. There were already enough rumors about her. She didn't need to add fuel to the fire. And she needed to maintain her dignity as an officer.
However, in spite of all this, she still ended up at Luke's side, destined for the Millennium Falcon. Her skin seemed to tingle, mind buzzing with possibilities as they ascended the ramp in silence. Luke seemed to sense her pensive state and had not interrupted her thoughts during the journey to the hangar.
Upon entering the main hold, Han looked up from where he was placing three glasses filled with amber liquid on the game table. Leia was peripherally aware of Chewie sitting at the engineering station, but her attention was fully fixed on Han.
She saw the surprise in his eyes, the way the lids rose slightly, brow mildly furrowed for just an instant. He gave nothing else away.
"Hey," Luke called simply.
"Didn't know Her Highnessness was joining us," Han replied smoothly. Chewie barked a greeting.
Her eyes remained on Han but she couldn't determine his feelings one way or the other.
"I always thought you liked surprises," she countered, voice cool.
His gaze settled firmly on her. "Only good ones."
A rush of warmth ran through her and she resisted the urge to question if this surprise was good or bad. She decided on a cocky, Solo-like response. "Well, then, you should be thrilled."
One side of his mouth rose for a breath. Had she not been watching him so closely, she would have missed it. "Guess I'll need another glass." He turned into the corridor with a breezy air.
Leia and Luke sat down at the table and Luke spoke quietly near her ear.
"You and Han seem to be getting along better."
A spurt of laughter almost passed her lips but she bit the inside of her cheek and held it back. "Sometimes he can be agreeable."
Chewie barked and grunted quietly then chuckled to himself. Neither human could catch his meaning.
Han swaggered back into the hold with a fourth glass in hand and approached the table as Chewie called to him. This time Leia understood his request for the Captain to hand him a beverage.
"Don't be so lazy, furball," Han retorted as he sat down next to Leia. Her heart did a sudden double thump. "I'm not your Godsdamn serving droid. Or your wife."
From the engineering station chair, Chewie grunted and grumbled and Leia was able to pick out only the curse words. She smiled and glanced up at Han, utterly aware of everything about his presence. She noticed a faint, musky smell and wondered if he were wearing cologne. The scent was masculine and pleasant.
Luke rose from her other side, grabbed a glass, and crossed the hold to hand it to Chewie. The Wookiee hooted a thank you and Han rolled his eyes.
"He's no weakling. He can get up and get it himself," Han growled.
As the younger man seated himself back at Leia's side, he smiled patiently. "It's called kindness."
Han's eyes turned to the heavens again but he just took a sip of his drink.
It struck Leia again for perhaps the hundredth time that, of the two choices, Luke was the more appropriate, the saner option. He was gracious, compassionate, one of the best hearted men she had ever known.
What did it say about her that it was only Solo who sent her stomach into a lurching free-fall? He seemed almost proud of his callous nature, wore it like a badge of honor.
Was it true what was said about women being attracted to 'bad boys?' She hated the idea of being just another cliché.
"You gonna drink that?" he asked suddenly.
Leia realized he had scooted a bit closer to her on the couch and it flung all questions from her mind.
"I will. Just not as fast as you." She took a small sip, aware that he was watching her. She met his eyes over the glass. "Not everyone has a drinking problem." One eyebrow arched upwards.
He grinned, eyes glimmering. "It's only a problem if you fall on your face."
There was an intimacy flowing between them. Leia could feel the warmth of his breath on her brow and seemed to forget there were others observing their interactions. The realization broke the spell and when she glanced at Luke he was frowning at her.
"Tell us about Kuat, Kid." Han's voice seemed a deeper timbre than usual. Or was it merely that he sat so close to her?
Luke's eyes lit up with a smile. "Every fighter we have came out of hyperspace just close enough to Kuat to take them by surprise."
"Nice," Han drawled while Chewie echoed the sentiment. Leia found it hard to focus on Luke's words.
"We got off several shots before they could launch a defense, and blew up a big part of the construction ring. You should've seen the explosion!"
Han leaned back and his shoulder brushed against Leia's, sending electricity shooting through her. She took a deep breath and another sip of her whiskey.
"Would've been even bigger if I'd been there," was the Corellian's typical, cocky reply.
Luke rolled his eyes with a derisive huff of breath. Chewie roared a question.
"Well, yeah," Luke replied. "Their fighters came at us, probably triple our forces. We got off a few more shots before their planetary defenses kicked in. They took out two of our fighters and we managed to blow another quadrant of the ring before we retreated."
"Short and sweet," Han quipped. He threw back the rest of his whiskey, grabbed the bottle from the middle of the table, and refilled his glass. With a glance at the others, his brow drew down. "C'mon, ya amateurs, drink up." He aimed his gaze at Luke first, who winced, downed the contents of his glass then placed it near Han for a refill. When he thrust his head in Chewie's direction, the big Wookiee lumbered to the table for a refill and sat beside Luke. H
Han's expectant gaze fell to Leia.
She raised her glass to her lips and took a tiny sip. "I think I'll maintain my amateur status, thank you very much."
His lips quirked to one side in barely suppressed amusement. He replaced the bottle on the table.
"So," he continued loudly. "What the run down on the damage?"
Luke grimaced and looked to Leia.
"Not as great as we had hoped for," she replied, trying to keep the disappointment from her voice. She noticed Luke's gaze fall to the table. "Their defenses responded more quickly than we anticipated and they greatly outnumbered us. They should recoup their losses in two to three weeks."
Han gestured to Luke. "See, that was your mistake. If you'd have invited me along, I could've done double the damage."
Luke sat up straighter, expression defensive and indignant. "How do you figure?"
"Falcon's faster than any of your fighters. And I'd have run circles around their defenses. Add in my concussion missiles." He let out a low whistle. "See ya around, Kuati Shipyards."
His arrogance in the face of Luke's quasi-failure irritated Leia. "Oh, please," she declared. "One more ship wouldn't have made a difference."
He sat up fully so that he was looking down his nose at her. "My ship woulda."
These were the moments in which she questioned her attraction to him. "You would've made a negligible impact."
He stared down at her with hard eyes and she wondered if he knew what the word 'negligible' meant. Finally, he snorted derisively.
"Whadda you know about ship-to-ship combat?" he mumbled as he brought his glass to his lips.
She narrowed her eyes at him. "I've spent over a year strategizing battles, in space and on land."
He sputtered a disdainful breath. "Strategizing." His eyes rolled to the ceiling. "That's all theory. You don't know what you're doing unless you get out there yourself."
Luke groaned from her other side as resentment built in Leia's chest. "If you'll recall, I did quite well with the quad gun on that bucket you like to call a ship."
He leaned back, placing an arm casually across the back of the couch. "All right. You can shoot. Knew that in the corridor of the Death Star. But, you've gotta know how to fly, too."
Why was he being so obnoxious? Silly question. It's Han.
"You'd be surprised at how well I can fly."
His brow rose in mock surprise. "Oh, really?" He leaned forward and folded his hands together in front of him on the table. "So, when're you gonna show me these flying skills of yours?"
She met the challenge in his eyes unflinchingly. "Whenever you're ready to let me fly this bucket of bolts."
He laughed heartily. "Oh, no, Sweetheart. I don't trust this baby with anyone. Least of all you."
For some reason, that stung. "Why least of all me?"
"I've never seen you fly."
Chewie barked with disgust.
"Yeah," Luke chimed in. "I didn't come tonight to listen to you two argue."
With a sigh, Han finished his drink and poured another. "So, tell me more, Kid."
Luke launched into a more detailed account of the battle and Leia tuned him out, stewing in her own annoyance. This vexatious man never failed to yank her back and forth between desire and fury. She remained silent, arms crossed at her chest, while Han regaled Luke with some tale of past adventure.
Her ears perked up suddenly.
"So, then, this woman Trista I knew jumped down from the railing and took them all by surprise." Han laughed as Luke sat in wide-eyed wonder.
Han had never mentioned a woman from his past before and she was now extremely curious. Before she could stop herself, she asked the question impulsively. "Who's Trista?"
His eyes turned to her as if he suddenly recalled her presence. A small smile tugged at his lips and his eyes softened. "You jealous, Princess?"
She felt her cheeks grow warm but maintained her regal bearing. "Hardly. You never mention anyone from your past."
He shrugged and turned back to Luke.
"Yeah, so Trista mowed them down with her blaster and we took off runnin.'"
Chewie interrupted with a string of growls and barks.
"I'm getting to that." Han waved off-handedly.
Leia swallowed the last of her drink with a bitter grimace.
"Before we knew it, there were fifty more guards chasing after us." Without missing a beat, Han procured the bottle from the table, refilled Leia's glass, and put in back down. "But, we ran back to the Falcon and just made it inside. Blaster bolt almost singed my hair."
Crinkling her brow, she wondered how he had managed that particular maneuver without taking his eyes off Luke.
Chewbacca boisterously accused Solo of embellishment.
"It was too fifty guards!"
Chewie snarled a response.
"Imagine that," Leia said with a breezy air. "Han Solo inflating the truth."
He leaned back and crossed his arms. "Okay, Your Worshipfulness. Your turn."
"For what?"
"An exciting story. From your past."
It was the last thing she had expected him to say. "I don't have any stories that would interest you."
"Oh yeah. Probably all about blabbering on and on in the Senate. Or about how the valet droid folded your clothes wrong. Or how about the one where your nanny forgot to cut the crusts off your kwashi bread. Must've been heartbreaking." He made a clucking noise of mock pity with his tongue.
Her jaw tightened to an almost painful degree. It was time to shut this overweening grashnaw up. Eyes bright with anger, she turned on him.
"How about when I was sixteen and stole three Hammerhead Corvettes from the Empire?"
Her statement was greeted with dead silence, and all three beings seated around her were staring in dumb shock.
"You stole three Hammerheads…from the Empire?" Luke's voice had raised in pitch.
Brimming with pride now, she allowed herself a smug smile. "I don't know why you are all looking at me like that. Did you really think my first assignment for the Rebellion was the transmission of the Death Star plans? Would they truly have entrusted me with something of such dire importance had I not proven to be capable in the past?"
The silence lingered until Luke finally spoke. "I just…thought you would've mentioned something like this before."
"It's not in my nature to brag." She shot a pointed look in Han's direction.
Chewie growled, urging her to share her story.
They were all watching her expectantly, and Leia found herself enjoying this particular spotlight; especially the fact that she had rendered Han mute.
She told the tale in sharp detail, glancing often at Han to gauge his reaction. For the most part, he remained aloof, but near the end, she did catch the raise of his eyebrows. It pleased her more than she wished to admit that she had impressed him.
When she was finished, Chewie barked appreciatively and Luke grinned with delight.
"Wow. I had no idea you did all that when you were sixteen." His eyes shone with admiration.
Han grinned at Luke with a sneer. "What were you doin' at sixteen, Junior? Playing hide an' seek behind the sand dunes?"
A mix of a glower and a smile crossed the younger man's face and he sighed with exasperation. "I was flying around in my T-16, if you must know."
Feeling more confident, Leia raised her chin in Han's direction. "What were you doing at sixteen?"
"You don't wanna know." His eyes whirled around the room before he emptied his glass.
The rest of the evening passed uneventfully, with Han filling each glass as it emptied. Leia remained several glasses behind the others. When it was clear that Luke had drank too much, Han had Chewie carry him back to the crew quarters. He protested all the way, claiming he was not drunk at all.
"Kid can't hold his liquor," Han muttered as they both watched him be carried away.
Leaving Han and Leia alone.
They both seemed to realize it at the same moment and the air grew warm and heavy. She could think of nothing to say and no reason to stay. Hadn't she been waiting for this? It seemed suddenly too real and she rose from the couch and slid to safety.
"Well, Captain, thank you for a pleasant evening. For the most part." Her smile was teasing.
"Why you in such a rush?" He leaned back and Leia couldn't deny that his cavalier posture was enticing. "Scared to be alone with me?" He was clearly serious beneath the mocking tone.
Her mouth went dry. "Should I be?"
He stood and his eyes raked over her. "Only if you think you need to be scared."
Her heart was thundering in her chest and she took a breath, hoping her sudden nervousness was not obvious. Play it cool. Give it right back to him.
"You're not as threatening as you think you are." Her voice came out low and breathy.
Something in his eyes deepened and darkened. "Threatening? You think I'd hurt you?"
Were they having the same conversation? "Well…you've protected me and saved my life enough times…no…I know you wouldn't hurt me."
His eyes smoldered and their gazes held for a long, intense moment.
"Only if you want me to." The corners of his mouth curled up and his eyes had turned teasing.
It was more than she could handle and her gaze fell to the floor, her cheeks flushed darker.
A soft sigh escaped him but it seemed loud in the deathly quiet surrounding them. "Never mind," he muttered just loud enough for Leia to catch it. "Too much for you." He turned away, one foot poised to flee the hold.
A flutter caught in her chest and she realized that she desperately wanted him to stay. "You think I'm so innocent?"
He ambled slowly towards the corridor, sparing her one last glance. "You're not?" he called in a knowing tone.
Breathing too quickly, words tumbled from her lips before she could think to stop them. "You probably think I'm a virgin."
That caught his attention. He halted mid-stride, jaw falling slack. With a quick about-face, he was staring at her with widened eyes.
A small glow of satisfaction powered through her. But, now that she had his attention, she had no idea what to say next. He swallowed visibly and she just waited for a response.
"So…" The word came out hoarse and he cleared his throat before continuing in a slow, cautious cadence. "So, you're not as innocent as you look, huh, Princess?"
He was so tentative, it emboldened her just a bit. "Wouldn't you like to know?" She arched an eyebrow at him, trying to hide her internal quivering. It felt as if she were dangling from a precipice above an unknown void; one that might hold either untold pleasures or demons beyond imagining. And she ached to find out. There was no denying it now that they stood here, face-to-face, unspoken desire flooding between them.
He swallowed again and his eyes grew smaller, lashes lowered. "And what about you, Sweetheart?"
The normally sarcasm-laden moniker held a rough timbre she hadn't heard before, all taunting cast aside now.
"What about me?" she asked far more smoothly than she felt.
"Whadda you wanna know?"
A lightness of being came over her, bringing a slightly panicked edge. She had laid practically all her cards on the table, while he still played his close to the chest. That was Han; that was how he operated. Leia felt as if her heart might bound from her chest.
Here they were, on his ship, in his domain, and he had all the power. She needed distance now. If anything were to happen, he had to be the one to reach out to her. She couldn't throw herself at him.
With a coy smile, she laid down the gauntlet. "Whatever you would like to show me. I'll be in my quarters. Let's see how serious you are."
She was trembling as she turned and forced her legs to carry her from the hold, through the corridor, and down the ramp. At the bottom, she grabbed onto the strut and leaned against it, knees weak. She could feel the blush of heat over her entire body.
What am I getting myself into?