A/N: This is a bit um...spicy. Nothing that I think is M-rated but to be safe just be aware of spicy things ahead. It'll be obvious as the chapter progresses but this is set during Shadow of the Hawk.

Her heart jumped to her throat when his hand settled against her cheek. A blush immediately rose to her face and she couldn't stop herself from melting into his touch.

Her head was spinning.

Her heart felt as though it had burst into a million pieces.

She was with Carter.

Lying on top of his bed.

She couldn't believe what was happening. She couldn't believe it was even possible. Shayera couldn't quite comprehend her current situation. Yet here Carter was with her. Touching her, kissing her, loving her. His touches set her system aflame and left her stomach twisted up. She wasn't going to last at this rate.

Shayera felt her body give an involuntary shudder as she felt Carter's hand slowly travel up her right inner thigh. Suddenly his hand was off of her thigh and trailing over her right shoulder and down arm, slipping the strap of the dress off. Within seconds she felt his other hand just as gently slide the other strap off.

She felt guilty that she liked it when Carter touched her. It was like a breath of air after being choked or like a drink of water in a desert. It filled Shayera's body with a warmth she hadn't felt yet craved. Something she hadn't felt in nearly three years.

Shayera placed her hands on Carter's chest, momentarily stopping him from removing the dress any further. She let her hands glide over his body. His bare chest felt so right under her touch. She allowed herself to touch him more. Her hands slid down his chest and over his ribs. She allowed her hands, hands that have been yearning to touch another person, to feel the muscles of his abdomen. She let her palms to gently brush over his skin. Then she felt his hand was on her thigh again. His lips on her neck. She felt like she was on fire.

Shayera knew she shouldn't like it. She should have just left. Yet she didn't want to so she didn't.

"I want you. I want all of you Shayera," he quietly murmured as his lips brushed against her ear. "You're so beautiful."

Shayera bit her bottom lip to stop herself from releasing the groan that had settled in her throat. Instead she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled his body a bit closer to hers. She'd now given him the green light and Carter knew it. The next thing Shayera knew the dress had finally been pulled off and their lips were locked.

She felt his hand move up the side of her neck and, before she knew it, Carter's fingers found their way through her hair. Shayera swallowed hard. Her pulse was hammering away, making her lightheaded. Carter then dipped his head down and his lips found the soft flesh of her neck where the rapid beat of her heart fluttered just under the surface. It's too much yet still not enough for her.

Eventually she felt Carter pull away as his body hovered over hers. She noticed that her back was starting to hurt. She was not used to being submissive. John knew to let her be on top. She then noticed that Carter's right hand was pinning her left wing to the bed. John had always been careful with her whenever she allowed him to be on top.

Shayera felt her fingers slip into his hair as he kissed her navel and then over her ribs. At least Carter was gentle and tender in his own way. He kissed the sensitive flesh of her chest and then collarbone. Her fingers curled into his hair and he bit down on her neck somewhat roughly. She felt shocks of pure ecstasy course through her body. Her eyes closed, loving his attention.

"Your skin is so soft Shayera," Carter mumbled, lust dripping from his voice. He ran his hands up Shayera's chest, finally drawing a subtle groan from the Thanagarian. She was too sensitive, starved of touch for far too long. She wasn't going to last long at all and she was a little worried that once wouldn't be enough. A pulse of heat rushed through her, pooling right in her gut. Shayera's next breath caught in her throat. She could hardly make sense of anything that was happening.

Shayera knew that she shouldn't be allowing this. She shouldn't but she was. He was her stalker. She didn't even have feelings for Carter. Yet he was willing to love her. She shouldn't do this. She shouldn't be letting him touch her like this but she wanted it and she was letting him.

"Jo-" In that very moment Shayera thanked whatever deities that possibly existed that Carter hadn't heard her. She had to remind herself that this wasn't John.

"Carter," her voice was gentle as she spoke but it was enough for him to pause and pull away from her slightly. "Do you love me?"

"More than anything on this world," he answered. "You don't understand how much I love you Shayera."

That was all she needed to hear.

With that his hands were all over her; throat, shoulders, arms, breasts, back, hips and ass. She couldn't remember when they both had lost their underwear. She then felt one hand slip around her back and settle directly between her wings. His hand lightly squeezed the area and Shayera couldn't stop the gasp that left her mouth. She felt his desire. He was just as desperate as she was. His lips were once again on hers, pulling her so close to him there was not a millimeter of space between them. Her body pressed into his and she could feel the heat coming from him.

Their kiss was deep and passionate. Carter finally broke the kiss to catch his breath, looking at her to see if she was indeed real and that he wasn't dreaming. That he was holding her and she was holding onto him.

Within five seconds of Carter pulling away, Shayera pulled him in and engaged in another deep, lust-filled kiss as his hands freely roamed up her thighs, hips, and sides. Neither of them ever felt desperation like this before.

Shayera never thought it could feel this satisfying to be so close to another person. It was as if every cell in her body had laid dormant and finally were brought back to life.

"You're so beautiful. You're so unbelievably beautiful," he breathed before trailing kisses down Shayera's chest and stomach.

Suddenly Carter let out a grunt as Shayera forcibly flipped them over and pinned him to the bed. These small doses were not enough to quench her thirst. She was utterly desperate and she couldn't seem to contain herself any longer.

She held nothing back and neither did he.

Shayera woke feeling pleasantly sated and rather warm. Her skin no longer buzzed and she no longer felt a burning need to seek out contact. Maybe it was because she was already in contact with somebody. A whole lot of contact as her body was intertwined with Carter's. His arms wrapped around her body, keeping it tightly against his. Then every memory of the night before came crashing back to her and the Thanagarian didn't think she had ever blushed so hard in her life. There was a light chuckle from Carter that Shayera felt though her whole body. She looked up sheepishly, eyes immediately locking onto Carter's.

"Good morning Shayera," Carter said with a smile.

"Carter," she mumbled, her voice shaking with nerves. Carter noticed and frowned, rubbing his hand soothingly up and down Shayera's back.

"What's wrong Shayera?" He asked, worry on his face.

The Thanagarian swallowed dryly and looked away from Carter's face, "I...I'm sorry Carter. I thought I could control myself but I couldn't and you were..."

"I'm not exactly complaining Shayera," Carter cut her off. "I would gladly do this again with you. I would do anything for you my love."

Shayera nearly blurted out that she didn't love him yet she found that she couldn't say the words to his face. She knew that she couldn't after she had just spent the night with him. It wasn't right. The Thanagarian let out a deep sigh before forcing a light smile onto her face, "Thank you."

She then nestled herself against him as she closed her eyes and breathed, deep and slow. As long as she didn't look up at him, she could pretend this was John. She knew it was wrong for her to unknowingly do this to Carter. He didn't deserve this yet she didn't care.

All that mattered in that moment was feeling those arms wrapped around her body and her mind bringing itself back to that apartment in Detroit. A piece of Shayera hoped that this moment would never end and that she wouldn't be forced back into reality.

As wrong as it was...it just felt right.