[SH] The First Time - Part the Second (NC-17)

[shepcrew]

[We uh...we kinda broke the customized comment pages comment buffer. And I like having the custom comment pages because they look better. So, um, yes. Continued from here.]


He's beaming at her until she catches the slight slip of the tongue and the smile turns into an 'aw shucks/so busted look'.

Oops.

He can't lie to her now. It was easy to pretend when she had first arrived, since she had no reason to believe otherwise, and he was nervous enough that his body language masked the lie.

But now..."You, uh. You weren't supposed to find out until I took you back there. To uh...to check on the status of the paint drying."



She may or may not be suppressing a giggle; since she does it successfully it's hard to tell. But she is grinning. "Well, since you've managed to keep me out of your room, the surprise is still intact, even if the knowledge that there is a surprise isn't."

And he's being adorable again. Although, really, he's almost always adorable now, so it sort of goes without saying. So she smiles softly, brilliantly.



"Well, I hope it doesn't lose too much of its impact, now that you know there's another surprise," he says, grinning sheepishly.

And that's about the time when the music being played turns into a fair rendition of the song they first danced to. It's also when he stands and moves to her side of the table.

"May I have this dance?" he asks, holding a hand out to her.



"I can't imagine it..." Oh. Oh. "... would."

Oh.

So she stands and takes his hand, because the answer is "Of course." but it comes out in barely a whisper between smiles and shy blushing. She was way more poised when they first danced.

And then again, when they first danced, she had no idea with whom she was dancing, or what it would turn into. Knowing, now, she wonders what it will turn into this time. If she could possibly love him any more than she does at this moment, as she keeps her eyes on his and she smiles, blissfully happy.



He returns the smile as his fingers close round hers, and he tugs her away from the table. She may or may not notice Lorne call someone over so they can remove the chairs, along with the table and its contents so the couple can have the entire balcony to move around. And that marks the end of Lorne's part in tonight's festivities.

John's eyes never leave Inara's as he pulls her into the opening steps of the dance, holding her slightly closer than he had the first time.

Comments

[sevenvirtues.livejournal.com]

It's doubtful whether or not she notices Lorne's movements. It's highly doubtful that she notices anything at all beyond the way they fit together, move together.

She does pay attention to a thousand little things that she hadn't the first time. The way the light catches his eyes, shifting shades of color. The way he smiles and how it brings to mind all sorts of thoughts of that shape, nothing definite, just an imagining of soft kisses. The step of his movement, somewhere between military formal and a gentleman's seduction. The way his hand holds hers almost a caress in and of itself. The rhythm of his breath, the rise and fall of his chest.

All sorts of little details imprinting on her senses and spinning her till she's almost dizzy with the wonder he's created in this night.

[shepcrew.livejournal.com]

He'll feel sorry for Lorne in the morning, because he knows that the poor guy is going to be accosted by a dozen different people as soon as he shows his face.

Right now it's just Inara, though, and he's just as deeply entrenched in her now as he had been the day they had met. The feelings coursing through him are slightly different, though. When they had met, it was all intense and somewhat sexually charged, but now - though still intense - was warm and comforting.

He rests his cheek against hers, moving through the dance a little slower than usual, wanting to drag the moment and this closeness out. If he didn't know what he had planned for afterwards, he'd be terribly inclined to not let her go after the song was over. Actually, he might not be terribly inclined, either way.

[sevenvirtues.livejournal.com]

It's almost like drifting but not quite, there's no sense of being away from the moment. She's very much in the moment, hyper-aware of him and her and the way their bodies move.

She smiles a little, eyes fluttering closed for a moment as she moves on physical reflex and emotional instinct. If he has many more surprises in store for the night, she might not survive. Metaphorically speaking. Although excitement is giving way to blissful contentment.

And along those lines her fingertips lightly caress over his fingers for a moment, a breath, and her thumb brushes lightly over the side of his hand. She rests her cheek against his as he does, words pressing against her lips again but with less urgency this time, having been spoken once before. And still, a little part of her that retains her courtesan's timing says it might be better if she waits.

[shepcrew.livejournal.com]

He closes his eyes, letting the sensations of the moment take him away to a very happy place. He's not sure how the rest of tonight is going to live up to this because, quite frankly, he thinks he's manages to achieve perfection right here and now. Maybe it'll just be icing on this very, very sweet cake?

He has a hundred comments he could make right now, all of them flattering and meant to make her flush with pleasure, but he doesn't say them. He knows he doesn't need to.

When the final bars play out, he doesn't move them in the traditional finish, as he did the first time they danced to this song. Instead, he just holds her close, pressing a kiss to the spot just below her ear.

[sevenvirtues.livejournal.com]

There's a happy little sigh on that kiss that's almost those words in and of itself. She melts against him, into his arms, lifting her head lightly in a movemet that half nuzzles her cheek against his, before turning her head to kiss his cheek.

She'll find breath to say something shortly, but this doesn't need words, and carries on the tone of non-verbal communication that they started with. And the thought flits through her mind that it almost makes it easier, in some ways.

The way she smiles against his cheek says that she's pleased. The way she rests in his arms says that she loves him. The way she's slightly flushed and yet breathing calm and evenly says what an impact all these surprises and treats and preparations he's made have had on her. The way her fingertips lightly trace the curve of his shoulder, back and forth, after a moment, suggest a quiet familiarity and contentment; that, with or without golden sunsets and marble halls, she's just as surely his.

[shepcrew.livejournal.com]

In response to all the little gestures, the touches, the breaths, the kiss, is his own little speech. The way his arm cradles her speaks to how he'll always support her and carry her; his fingers, which he threads with hers, says he sees them as one.

That he will never knowingly harm her, physically or emotionally, is communicated through the brush of his cheek against hers, that she is special and priceless falls from the soft kisses he places delicately on her skin.

He's just as much hers as she is his.

[sevenvirtues.livejournal.com]

Her eyes, when she does open them briefly to blink at the first stars, are glittering. Her lips form his name but she still can't quite give breath to make any sound, and that's all right. Everything's all right, now.

The world's narrowed to just this, just them, just this moment of happiness and it's hard to think outside of it, to even imagine that there's anything that follows.

[shepcrew.livejournal.com]

He allows the moment to play out to its fullest extent before pulling away to look at her. The look he gives her says I love you, there's a slight hesitation, and then he's leaning in to kiss her, and it's slow and chaste and filled with how much he adores and cherishes her.

[sevenvirtues.livejournal.com]

There's a word beyond melty but we're not sure what that is.

Her breath catches on the kiss and then she's kissing him back, almost trembling with it. Devotion and affection, simple and as pure as anything she could have imagined. How simple it is; one kiss can make her world turn. One kiss that has nothing to do with artifice or lust or sex or anything, but love. That she loves him.

[shepcrew.livejournal.com]

He lets go of her hand so he can hold her properly, snug in his embrace. He keeps the kiss chaste, but lets it linger for a bit. He's sure neither of them notices when he finally deigns to move them towards the door, so he can lead them - half blindly, since he can't bear to break the kisses - down the hallways towards his room.

[sevenvirtues.livejournal.com]

She doesn't so much notice as take account of the fact that they're in motion and accomodate the whole holding the kiss and embrace without falling over bit. As has been remarked upon before, she is a woman of singular grace. That includes passionate smooching in the hall while making her way to someone's bedroom.

Really, they'd get there quicker if they broke contact for a moment. But she's not willing to, either.

[shepcrew.livejournal.com]

They pass a startled Carson, who's on his way to his room for the night (see, he leaves the infirmary sometimes!), and he barely jumps out of their way in time. He watches them go off, brow raised at the public display and how incongruous it is for the Sheppard he knows. Hell, if Inara's normal visits were good for morale...he was definitely curious to see what tomorrow would bring.

We're sure neither of them notice the poor doctor, though, as John slowly but surely leads them closer to his room.

[sevenvirtues.livejournal.com]

She definitely doesn't notice the poor doctor. Doesn't notice anything except that they're moving; doesn't even notice the direction or that they're down familiar corridors by now.

Somewhere in the back of her mind she does notice that they're acting like teenagers, which almost makes her laugh, but. Kissing. Touching. Is more important. She'll giggle breathlessly later, or something.

[sevenvirtues.livejournal.com]

She lets out a soft little whimper at the little nibbling touches, one hand coming up to slide her fingers through his adorably always-messy hair.

It's ... nice. She can feel him against her, feel how much he wants her and she's certain he can feel her wanting him and yet. No rush. No mad frantic movements, nothing but touching each other, savoring each other.

It's the sort of thing that she's been around enough to recognize as infinitely precious, and it makes her hold on just a little tighter.

[shepcrew.livejournal.com]

No. No rush whatsoever. He relaxes a very tiny bit, but not quite completely. Instead, he shifts carefully, moving his hips against her slowly, teasingly.

Oh, he wants her, but he's waited this long, so he figures he can wait a tad more.

[sevenvirtues.livejournal.com]

The words are on her lips again and she lets them pass without being spoken. Instead she traces a little heart shape at the nape of his neck, because she is indeed just that sappy.

She feels him move, takes in the flow of his movement, and shifts her hips back against him in an equally slow, matching and opposing movement. The simplicity of this feels so good...

[shepcrew.livejournal.com]

He moans softly, his mouth somewhere around her ear. He has to admit that, as a prelude to the actual act, this comes damned close to actually replacing it.

However, he knows that as much as he wants to keep this up, he probably can't, despite popular belief. So he allows them to indulge for as along as he dares, and he nibbles back down her jawline until he can prop himself up on his elbows while still keeping their bodies as close as possible as they move. He shifts a little further down than he has been, hips rocking to reposition their bodies once more.

He pauses before completing the move and truly joining them, and gives her a searching, permission-asking look...

[sevenvirtues.livejournal.com]

She just slides her hand through his hair, strokes the backs of her fingers down his cheek, smiling. He is welcome, her smile seems to say, in her life and in her bed and in this, now and always.

[shepcrew.livejournal.com]

He smiles back and slides into her carefully, eyes closing as he savours the sensation of her body enveloping him. His head dips so he can kiss her chastely on the lips, and with a certain amount of reverence.

"'Nara," he breathes softly against her lips, holding them together for a moment as he tries to wrap his head around the fact that they've actually made it to this moment.

[sevenvirtues.livejournal.com]

There's a sound that escapes, something between a sigh and a soft little cry, feeling him inside her. Feeling them joined so deeply, feeling his body so intimate with hers was a joy.

It's overwhelming for her, too, enough that she has to anchor herself with another kiss, with sliding her palm down his chest to feel his heartbeat and whispering, shaping his name on her lips through the smile. "John." Oh, John. And, "My love..."

[shepcrew.livejournal.com]

"Always yours, my Inara," he replies softly. "My soul."

And he kisses her deeply as he begins to move, keeping the same rhythm and momentum they had just before this.

[sevenvirtues.livejournal.com]

It's so, so easy to find that rhythm and match it. Almost effortless. Which just seems to underscore how they belong together.

She kisses him back and even if she's unwilling to break the kiss long enough to speak the words the My heart, my love. I love you. is still there in every little gesture. Her hand cradles the back of his head and his slight curls tangle around her fingers and it takes no effort at all to move her body with his; it seems only natural, as though what's happening is now out of their control but something guided by greater powers.

[shepcrew.livejournal.com]

He honestly never remembered it ever being like this, and he supposed he was quickly re-learning the differences between having sex and making love. God, it'd been a long time since he had had the reason to indulge in the latter rather than the former.

He breaks the kiss, breathing deeply, and after several moments he drops a kiss on her cheek before resting his own against it.

[sevenvirtues.livejournal.com]

She brushes her cheek against his, halfway nuzzling, partially just moving to feel him and catch his scent. Everything about him, them, this, is beautiful.

[shepcrew.livejournal.com]

He returns the affectionate nuzzling, taking that as his cue to drop kisses along her jaw, her neck, her throat...any place that he can reach without moving too far.

That hand that was hook around her knee runs up and down her thigh before re-hooking and pulling her into him on his next thrust.