She settled her fingers against his, letting them linger just a second longer than usual to graze lightly over the smooth skin, relishing the way the twilight blue eyes changed their expression.
"Brute strength… yes, I gathered as much."
Finally the smile she had been fighting lit up Sakarra's face, but with an air of mischief about her she turned and walked over to the desk, neat as the one in Brent's quarters, to leave him studying the PADD. "You are aware you just informed the ship's second officer that the Marines are producing what is commonly referred to as 'moonshine' with the intent to consume said beverage, presumably in quantities that are hazardous to the health of a Rigelian Ox?"
Her slender hand traced the edges of the polished desk as she circled it with slow, languid steps "How fortunate my shift ended precisely eleven point three minutes ago. Not to mention I can credibly claim my hearing was impaired after the considerable noise in the Marine barracks."
Brent watched her move over and especially to the finger that she ran over his desk. A few ideas began to rattle around in his head but he shook them out of his head after a few moments. No way she'd be interested in doing that, especially since they had just made such a big scene. "Yeah I did. But if you were going to do something about it then I'm sure I'd have to report to the XO about how I'm fairly certain I saw the Engineers doing the same thing along with the deck crew," he said.
"But... As you said," Brent said as he put the PADD on his desk as one of his hands slipped around her waist. "It's a good thing you couldn't hear things straight what with all the racket that those apes and other unevolved species were making in there," he said looking down directly into her eyes.
"Hmm." The low, deep chuckle emerged the very second he finally pulled her close, and Sakarra briefly tweaked the tip of one ear a bit to indicate she most certainly had not heard a thing concerning engineers and deck crew either.
There was a sweet, familiar tension in the body pressed against hers, echoed in the gaze that held her near spellbound. Without regard for the very real possibility one of the Marines might walk through the doors at any moment, Sakarra slung her arms around Brent's neck and pulled herself up, offering her lips for the kiss she craved.
He did not hold back either. Brent leaned down kissing her there in his office as his arms wrapped around her and pulled her against him. He held her there close to him for several moments until finally he broke the embrace letting out a breath as he shook his head. "We need to be careful," he said as he leaned against her. "Otherwise we're going to get in trouble here."
"Indeed." Sakarra's hands rested lightly against the uniform covering his chest, and she briefly pressed her face into the rough fabric. Immediately she realized that had been unwise because his scent, familiar and yet so subtly different in these surroundings, rather undermined the entire 'careful' idea. Ah, to hell with it. Just one more kiss and then she'd be a good little Vulcan and leave him to his paperwork.
Still, she was quietly curious why Brent had looked at her in this silent, interesting way of his when she had circled his desk. "I must assume then you are still on duty?"
Slender fingers traveled up towards his shoulders, carefully avoiding a too enticing touch but that, too, was rather ruined by the fact she was still leaning against his tall frame and her face was still lifted as if to ask for another kiss – which in truth, it was.
"For another half an hour yeah I'm still on duty I'm afraid," he said as he moved his arms around her, his hands at the small of her back. "So yes I'm afraid that we must behave a little while longer. Are we still on for dinner tonight beloved," he said using his new nickname for her. When she drew herself up towards him he responded immediately kissing her softly there in his office. Unfortunately the previous ideas on just what they could do in here surfaced to his mind while he held her close and lingered for a few seconds longer after he had finally broken the embrace.
"Behave for another half hour. Hm." not that he was making that any easier with his tender, teasing kisses and the skillful touch right where he should know – and probably did – the young Vulcan would respond … most favorably.
When he released her from his arms, Sakarra decided that she would not let this truly impossible male get away with it – especially not after she had seen the glint in his eye and sensed the effort to hide a thought from her that echoed with enough mischief to make an Efrosian blush.
Still, there was such a thing as Vulcan stubbornness, and Sakarra strolled towards the small replicator tucked away in the office corner, outwardly as unperturbed as a monk arranging flowers in the temple gardens. "And yes, we are 'on' for dinner. Is there anything specific you would like me to order? Miss Betty had been kind enough to arrange for a delivery in return for the promise I will visit the lounge at the earliest opportunity."
She ordered herself a glass of tea, throwing a questioning glance over her shoulder just as the inevitable happened and the doors opened to admit a broad shouldered NCO, quite possibly torn between discomfort over intruding and wanting to know about his orders. Well, at least the man had the good graces to not stare at his Commander's guest as if he had expected to find her in a compromising position and was disappointed it was not so.
Brent looked over at her as she mentioned the idea that they would be going back to her place instead of like they had planned. He wondered just what she had in mind that she wanted to go back to her quarters instead of the lounge. "Indeed," he replied at her but was stopped from making any further comment when the NCO came in. He did look positively perturbed at the idea that he had not caught his CO and the Helmswoman in some compromising position. Brent would have to give the man extra PT for his disappointed look later on.
"Ah yes Sergeant," Brent said as he transferred his orders into a nearby PADD and gave the NCO the relevant portions that he needed to know and see. The NCO looked at them and offered Brent a crisp salute which was returned neatly before he smiled as the man left the office and again he and Sakarra were alone. "Something for dinner. How about a big steak, baked potato and some mushrooms. Shall I bring the wine?" he asked her.
"Seeing as you have proven to have impeccable taste in that regard … I would certainly appreciate it." Sakarra returned to the desk at a leisurely pace, tea in hand, and picked up one of the reports still waiting to be filed. With the efficiency of her race she dove into the paperwork, clearing one PADD after the other off her Companion's desk, and she would have looked like the perfect image of a Vulcan had she remained standing where she was. Instead, she was perched on the polished surface, close enough for Brent to feel the heat radiating off her even through the uniform and pick up the subtle, warm scent emanating from coppery golden skin.
Her back half turned to the Marine in the chair; she slid the last PADD towards his waiting hands so he could add his digital signature and took a sip of the tea.
Silently, she canted her head to the side and double checked her internal clock.
"Computer, lock doors."
Although the answering chirp came immediately, Sakarra did not move but rather remained sitting on the desk, presenting her bare neck and still silhouette to the man seated behind her.
"It would seem you have been off duty for seven point six minutes now, Brent Warren."
=/\= To be continued … =/\=
Brevet 1st Lieutenant Brent Warren
Marine Commander
Lt Cmdr Sakarra Tyrax
Chief Helm
USS Charon
