Post by do on Sept 1, 2009 0:08:24 GMT -5
Planetia Utopia Quarter
Gaia
Stardate: 23.09.65
Okay, so she hadn't been able to go back to see Derick last night, but not for lack of trying. Double... hell, triple shifts did that to people. She had anticipated things pretty accurately in the end. After working the day 'til sundown planetside, she had been scheduled for a rotation on the NX-01, which remained in orbit. Then after a four hour window for some sleep, she was back on Gaia using that other feather in her cap, electric and electronics engineering. There was this new guy in town, Mike Quinn, whom she had never met before but the gossip had filled in some of the gaps for her, enough to know he had managed to escape one hot pan for another, showing up on Gaia barely a couple of weeks before the Klingon attack. The man was a civil engineer, some sweet coincidence since right now they were desperately in need of one, the town needing rebuilding. Anyway, Quinn was quite a character, but he knew his stuff and Sloane had been happy to be taking her orders from him.
Now at home, kicking back in her tub, Sloane had classical music on, a couple of candles lit about the place and was resting her eyes and humming softly.
She had sent a message Derick Rickman's way, but wasn't sure she would hear from him. It was already late, and chances were he would be working 'til much later.
'MarsRat,' it said. 'I'm back if you can spare a moment or two, or just your body as a pillow if you're as dead on your feet as I am.'
Sloane grinned, thinking back on it now, and hoped he would recognise her humour in that and not take it literally, as if all she wanted was use him. What she had meant to say was that even if he thought he was too tired to be good company tonight, she would still appreciate him dropping by... so she could snuggle up to him. Even if they fell asleep before they could utter a word to each other, much less get any action in the sack. No, she wanted to see him, be near him. Of course, Sloane being Sloane, she couldn't say it, or write it. No matter how she had tried, she felt it came out wrong.
Clicking off his padd, Derick grinned as he leaned back. A pillow? He could definitely be her pillow. Hell, he'd be her packhorse if it meant time together. Eighteen hour days of manual labour and Derick was just as Sloane had put it. Dead on his feet. But, as it turned out...her place was only two blocks away. Without bothering to send a reply (or take a shower, lest he decide the maggots needed checking up on again), Derick dropped some clean clothes into a pack and headed for Sloane's. The back door of course and he rang the chime. Damn... he was dirty, wasn't he? Fine time to make a belated decision, big guy. Surely she wouldn't mind letting him clean up, would she?
The buzzing made her wince, as it clashed with the gorgeous cellos and guitar, but the realisation it was the back door turned her grimace into a smile. It could only be him. She rarely got visitors, and when she did, they used the front door, having no reason to hide their presence on her doorstep.
Chuckling lightly as she decided to stay in her bubble bath, Sloane unlocked the door using the remote. If it wasn't Rickman, well, her weapon was only one foot away, next to the tub.
The telltale click in the door made Derick grin and he entered quickly, hitting the controls behind him. Hopefully, she wouldn't mind that he was a bit dirty. Ooh... a quick glance at his boots said he was okay there. No mud. Must not track mud.
"Sloane?" he called out, as he took in the surroundings. A huge, oak table sat in the middle of the room and Derick grinned when he saw it. Where in hell did she find that thing?
Recognising his voice, Sloane immediately shivered though the water was still plenty hot. Rolling her eyes, she let herself slide to dunk her head underwater. Breaking the surface again, a hand brushed her long hair back. "In here."
Following her voice over the soft music, Derick was pretty sure where it was coming from and as he stopped in the door to the bathroom, a slow smile curling up the corner of his mouth. "Well, well.. Look what I found," he said, leaning against the door sill, blue eyes travelling what he could see of Sloane.
"I should say look what the cat dragged in..." Sloane replied with a relaxed but tired grin as she slowly looked him up and down.
Sheepishly, Derick glanced down at his uniform. "I wanted to get out of the house before I called back to the Barn for something," he replied, pushing off the door sill to enter the bathroom. As he approached the tub, Derick caught sight of the rest of her; his bedroom eyes following the line of a long leg in the water. Sloane was beautiful and sexy, the way her hair clung to damp skin until it fanned out in the water over her bare breasts. Despite being tired, Derick felt heated, electrified just being here. "Was hoping we could shower together," he said, voice going lower as he trailed a hand in the water.
Sloane watched him intently, following his the length of his arm as it reached out for the bath. Despite herself, the weight and heat of his gaze played with her heart rate as well as the rest of her body. It responded to him and there wasn't a damn thing she could do about it. Slightly flushed already by the hot water, she felt another kind of heat spread in her belly as her nipples pebbled tightly.
"Would a bath do?" She found herself asking, her eyes back on his. "We might need to ditch the water a couple of times, but we should be able to get you clean, eventually..." Amused, Sloane cocked her head to the side, already undressing him in her mind.
"A bath might," Derick replied, eyeing the tub as he reached for the other side so he could lean down and kiss her. "Think we'd fit?" he grinned.
"Tightly," she replied, her voice sultry. "Snuggly." Was that even a word?
"Good." Derick took her mouth then, his tongue demanding hers as lust got the better of him for a moment. One hand cupped the back of Sloane's head before Derick broke off the kiss to get undressed.
Whoa. Sloane fell back against the edge of the tub with a shuddering breath, her eyes seemingly closed, but not missing anything of his movements. Damn he was a handsome, sexy as hell man. Her insides throbbed and the corner of her mouth twitched, dying to smile wide.
Making short work of his uniform and boots, Derick let his pants go last, freeing his erection and trying to get a lid on the sense of urgency that was overcoming him. No one had ever had this power over him before; no one had ever made him feel the way Sloane did.
"You sure a shower wouldn't be better," he said, smiling at her.
"Get your ass in here, Rickman," Sloane fairly growled, suddenly impatient. She sat up and pulled her legs towards her chest to leave him some room. As he moved, she couldn't help glancing at his erect cock as it bobbed and preceded him.
"Yes ma'am," Derick chuckled, doing so and sighing as he sank in the hot water. The bath felt wonderful, amazingly wonderful as he cupped his hands to bring water to his face to scrub away any sweat. "This... feels good," he said.
Sloane kept quiet, her eyes studying him, how he moved. What was this... the fourth time they met? They barely knew each other, yet, this felt like a natural thing. It was easy, with none of those awkward moments. Well, at least for her. A lazy smile on her face, she slowly stretched her legs once more, making sure they brushed the length of his.
Derick closed a hand over her ankle and tugged on it. "Now you look like the cat with a bowl of milk," he teased, absently caressing her ankle and the top of her foot. "How many cats do you have around here?" he winked.
"Just the big cat in front of me." Sloane grinned, her other foot digging slightly in his side, trying to see if he had any ticklish spots. "Tell me, you a tiger or a kitten?"
"Hey... bad form," Derick chuckled, grabbing the roaming foot. "And what do you think?" he grinned, pinning her ankles together with one hand.
"Right now, I think a kitten covered in soot..." Leaning forward, her hand reached out to touch his cheek, fingers feeling the stubble. "Where the hell were you today, Tiger?"
"You answered your own question," Derick replied, eyes closing as he leaned into Sloane's hand. "We found two more on the missing list." Quietly, Derick raised his eyes to Sloane briefly and dropped them back to the water where he'd splayed his hand over his thigh. "Probably find more tomorrow."
"Sorry," she let out, sinking back again. The teasing all gone, she was engrossed once more in what was just outside her walls - and part of her kitchen. The aftermath and destruction left behind by the Klingons. Sloane had been lucky. Her place only suffered light damage compared to some others. The window and half the wall had been blown to bits and was now covered with temporary sheeting.
The shift in her demeanour echoed back to him and Derick swore inwardly. "Ahh.. hell. I'm sorry, Sloane," he said, holding out an arm for her. "I shouldn't be so... morose. Let's just say I'm glad I got your email. Would it be..." He frowned and offered her a half grin. "Would it be too much to ask to hold you for a minute?"
Sloane slowly shook her head 'no' and pulled her ankles out of his hold so she could shift position, advancing towards him on her hands. "I meant I'm sorry you're on that detail." But someone had to do it, and better the MACOs and Starfleet Security than the poor family members of the dead out there.
Pulling her into his lap, Derick wrapped a long arm around Sloane's waist and kissed her shoulder. "So what kind of pillow do you want?" he asked, lipping at her ear. "Mmm??
Pillow? She regarded him curiously and then finally caught on. The message she had sent him. Her own joke. Wow, she was tired. "Your kind," she replied, her hand mapping his chest lazily before she had to hide a yawn with the back of her hand. "Sorry," she let out, blinking. "It's been one of those fortnights. Oh, you want some wine? I got a glass here somewhere..." She started pulling back to look around the tub.
"Sure," Derick replied, lazy under her touch as his hand glided over the soft skin on Sloane's back as she moved. "How about you? Where were you today?"
"Ha!" Sloane found the glass and proudly presented it to Derick. "It's Andorian, I'm told. Not bad at all." She returned to her spot against him and started playing with the bubbles still floating on the water's surface. "Where was I... let me see... day shift here at Utopia yesterday, then back end of the the afternoon fixing some of the phase canons on the town limits, then night shift on Enterprise and day shift back down at Centauri Quarter and the school."
"Jesus," Derick muttered, shaking his head as he took a sip from the glass. "Did you get any sleep at all?" he said, stealing a kiss as he handed back the glass.
"Enough." Sloane smiled against him. "Managed to snatch about three hours. I wasn't kidding in my message, Derick," she added a bit more seriously. She drank some of the wine and offered him the rest. She had had enough. Her eyes were already closing on their own as it was.
Setting the wine glass down, a long arm easily reaching the floor over the edge of the tub, Derick let his hand trail over Sloane's stomach and across her leg. "Why don't you go to bed?" he suggested. "I'll get cleaned up and join you, if that's cool." Derick winked at her. "Can't have you falling asleep in the tub."
"Oh? And why not?" Giving him a mock pout, she rested her hand on his, her fingers lacing with his. "Might turn into a prune or something..."
Kissing her hand, Derick grinned. "No, because it would be -really- difficult to explain how I came to find you in your tub, buck ass nekkid," he chuckled, kissing that delicious lower lip of hers.
"Did you like that?" Sloane asked after returning the kiss. "I mean, I thought about getting out and into clothes for all but a second and gave up the idea. Way too much work... and wasted really for I never seem to keep my clothes on for very long when I'm with you." Another kiss and she pulled back, ready to get out as he had suggested.
"Well, I can't say I didn't like it," Derick replied with a grin. "Besides, clothes are overrated," he said. "Go on. I'll be there in a few minutes."
Standing up, Sloane grabbed a towel and dried herself a bit before stepping out of the tub. "You'll find your way?" It wasn't like Derick had ever been in her little house before. Moving to the cupboard, she got another towel out. "Here. And mind the kitchen. It's a mess; there's still glass everywhere."
"I saw it," Derick replied, getting to his feet. "I'm going to take a shower and I'll be there shortly," he said, kissing her shoulder.
"'Kay." Sloane wrapped her hair up in the towel and headed for her bedroom. Sitting on her bed, she made short work of detangling her hair and braided the damp locks for the night. Then crawling at the head of the bed, she wiggled her way under the covers and let out a heavy sigh when her head hit the pillow. Damn she was bushed.
Watching her go, Derick smiled and leaned down to let the water out. He made quick work of his shower, getting clean and washing his hair. A quick rinse of the tub to make sure it wasn't gritty and he was done. Wrapping the towel around his waist, he found her bedroom after a wrong door led him to a room filled with art supplies and her guitar. "Sloane?" he called, finally finding her bedroom.
Startled, Sloane opened her eyes, immediately focussing on Derick standing in the door jamb. "Yeah?," she let out sleepily. She hadn't meant to doze off like that. She spotted his spiky hair and the towel low on his hips and smiled. "Come in." She opened the bed and tapped the space next to her.
"Didn't mean to wake you up," Derick replied, coming forward and lowering himself onto the bed as he pulled the towel, thinking it was a bit awkward like this; that stripping your clothes was off and going hell for leather was better because you didn't care about where you threw your clothes. Or towels for that matter. Settling for leaving it over the footboard, Derick settled in beside her, holding an arm out. "Your pillow awaits," he grinned.
Sloane gave him an embarrassed smile but moved in anyway. Head soon nestled on his shoulder, she stayed on her side, pressed against his body. "You smell nice." Nothing particular as Sloane used the standard-issue soap and shampoo, but fresh and clean. The only fancy stuff she treated herself with was for the bath, and Derick had washed that right off when he went for a shower. Not that it was a bad thing, the delicately perfumed oil was a bit girly for the gunny.
"I smell clean," Derick replied gratefully as he pulled Sloane to him and buried his nose in her hair. "So do you....you smell like a girl. Finally," he teased.
"Finally, huh? I thought you'd already noticed I was a 'girl'..." she mimicked the last word and chuckled.
Sliding down against the pillows, Derick kissed her shoulder. "Yeah, I'd sort of noticed," he replied teasingly, just before a yawn over took him. "Geez...Are you as beat as I feel?" he asked, smiling at her.
Another light chuckle and she burrowed closer still. "Yeah. Close your eyes." The major had already dozed off twice before; she believed the third time wouldn't be far off. "You staying the night?" Sloane asked after a couple of seconds, suddenly thinking that him visiting her might not have meant that at all in his mind.
"I was hoping to," Derick replied, catching her eyes. He wanted to wake up to her, but yes, he would understand if she wanted him to go early. "What do you want?"
"I'd like you here... pillow." She gave him her trademark smirk but her eyes showed him she really meant it.
How the two could go from biting their heads off to an obvious feral one-night stand to something else entirely halfway through that first night, she didn't know, but sex or no sex, they had connected and sharing all they could while time permitted it was becoming important to them both. Even to sleep, sharing a bed. They didn't know each other but it was a start. And they knew enough already to recognise it felt right... familiar.
"You're still gonna have to slip out below the radar though..."
"Yeah," Derick nodded, his eyebrows knitted into seriousness. "I'll be careful." For both their sakes, he would be because deep down, Derick knew. They had clicked, snapped right into place with each other. "So if I have to leave before you wake up...?" He tilted her chin up to look into those deep eyes. "Don't take it personally." Another half grin because hell... that's what Derick had always done. Headed out before morning light and wouldn't you know it, the one woman he wanted to stay for, he really couldn't.
..
Gaia
Stardate: 23.09.65
Okay, so she hadn't been able to go back to see Derick last night, but not for lack of trying. Double... hell, triple shifts did that to people. She had anticipated things pretty accurately in the end. After working the day 'til sundown planetside, she had been scheduled for a rotation on the NX-01, which remained in orbit. Then after a four hour window for some sleep, she was back on Gaia using that other feather in her cap, electric and electronics engineering. There was this new guy in town, Mike Quinn, whom she had never met before but the gossip had filled in some of the gaps for her, enough to know he had managed to escape one hot pan for another, showing up on Gaia barely a couple of weeks before the Klingon attack. The man was a civil engineer, some sweet coincidence since right now they were desperately in need of one, the town needing rebuilding. Anyway, Quinn was quite a character, but he knew his stuff and Sloane had been happy to be taking her orders from him.
Now at home, kicking back in her tub, Sloane had classical music on, a couple of candles lit about the place and was resting her eyes and humming softly.
She had sent a message Derick Rickman's way, but wasn't sure she would hear from him. It was already late, and chances were he would be working 'til much later.
'MarsRat,' it said. 'I'm back if you can spare a moment or two, or just your body as a pillow if you're as dead on your feet as I am.'
Sloane grinned, thinking back on it now, and hoped he would recognise her humour in that and not take it literally, as if all she wanted was use him. What she had meant to say was that even if he thought he was too tired to be good company tonight, she would still appreciate him dropping by... so she could snuggle up to him. Even if they fell asleep before they could utter a word to each other, much less get any action in the sack. No, she wanted to see him, be near him. Of course, Sloane being Sloane, she couldn't say it, or write it. No matter how she had tried, she felt it came out wrong.
Clicking off his padd, Derick grinned as he leaned back. A pillow? He could definitely be her pillow. Hell, he'd be her packhorse if it meant time together. Eighteen hour days of manual labour and Derick was just as Sloane had put it. Dead on his feet. But, as it turned out...her place was only two blocks away. Without bothering to send a reply (or take a shower, lest he decide the maggots needed checking up on again), Derick dropped some clean clothes into a pack and headed for Sloane's. The back door of course and he rang the chime. Damn... he was dirty, wasn't he? Fine time to make a belated decision, big guy. Surely she wouldn't mind letting him clean up, would she?
The buzzing made her wince, as it clashed with the gorgeous cellos and guitar, but the realisation it was the back door turned her grimace into a smile. It could only be him. She rarely got visitors, and when she did, they used the front door, having no reason to hide their presence on her doorstep.
Chuckling lightly as she decided to stay in her bubble bath, Sloane unlocked the door using the remote. If it wasn't Rickman, well, her weapon was only one foot away, next to the tub.
The telltale click in the door made Derick grin and he entered quickly, hitting the controls behind him. Hopefully, she wouldn't mind that he was a bit dirty. Ooh... a quick glance at his boots said he was okay there. No mud. Must not track mud.
"Sloane?" he called out, as he took in the surroundings. A huge, oak table sat in the middle of the room and Derick grinned when he saw it. Where in hell did she find that thing?
Recognising his voice, Sloane immediately shivered though the water was still plenty hot. Rolling her eyes, she let herself slide to dunk her head underwater. Breaking the surface again, a hand brushed her long hair back. "In here."
Following her voice over the soft music, Derick was pretty sure where it was coming from and as he stopped in the door to the bathroom, a slow smile curling up the corner of his mouth. "Well, well.. Look what I found," he said, leaning against the door sill, blue eyes travelling what he could see of Sloane.
"I should say look what the cat dragged in..." Sloane replied with a relaxed but tired grin as she slowly looked him up and down.
Sheepishly, Derick glanced down at his uniform. "I wanted to get out of the house before I called back to the Barn for something," he replied, pushing off the door sill to enter the bathroom. As he approached the tub, Derick caught sight of the rest of her; his bedroom eyes following the line of a long leg in the water. Sloane was beautiful and sexy, the way her hair clung to damp skin until it fanned out in the water over her bare breasts. Despite being tired, Derick felt heated, electrified just being here. "Was hoping we could shower together," he said, voice going lower as he trailed a hand in the water.
Sloane watched him intently, following his the length of his arm as it reached out for the bath. Despite herself, the weight and heat of his gaze played with her heart rate as well as the rest of her body. It responded to him and there wasn't a damn thing she could do about it. Slightly flushed already by the hot water, she felt another kind of heat spread in her belly as her nipples pebbled tightly.
"Would a bath do?" She found herself asking, her eyes back on his. "We might need to ditch the water a couple of times, but we should be able to get you clean, eventually..." Amused, Sloane cocked her head to the side, already undressing him in her mind.
"A bath might," Derick replied, eyeing the tub as he reached for the other side so he could lean down and kiss her. "Think we'd fit?" he grinned.
"Tightly," she replied, her voice sultry. "Snuggly." Was that even a word?
"Good." Derick took her mouth then, his tongue demanding hers as lust got the better of him for a moment. One hand cupped the back of Sloane's head before Derick broke off the kiss to get undressed.
Whoa. Sloane fell back against the edge of the tub with a shuddering breath, her eyes seemingly closed, but not missing anything of his movements. Damn he was a handsome, sexy as hell man. Her insides throbbed and the corner of her mouth twitched, dying to smile wide.
Making short work of his uniform and boots, Derick let his pants go last, freeing his erection and trying to get a lid on the sense of urgency that was overcoming him. No one had ever had this power over him before; no one had ever made him feel the way Sloane did.
"You sure a shower wouldn't be better," he said, smiling at her.
"Get your ass in here, Rickman," Sloane fairly growled, suddenly impatient. She sat up and pulled her legs towards her chest to leave him some room. As he moved, she couldn't help glancing at his erect cock as it bobbed and preceded him.
"Yes ma'am," Derick chuckled, doing so and sighing as he sank in the hot water. The bath felt wonderful, amazingly wonderful as he cupped his hands to bring water to his face to scrub away any sweat. "This... feels good," he said.
Sloane kept quiet, her eyes studying him, how he moved. What was this... the fourth time they met? They barely knew each other, yet, this felt like a natural thing. It was easy, with none of those awkward moments. Well, at least for her. A lazy smile on her face, she slowly stretched her legs once more, making sure they brushed the length of his.
Derick closed a hand over her ankle and tugged on it. "Now you look like the cat with a bowl of milk," he teased, absently caressing her ankle and the top of her foot. "How many cats do you have around here?" he winked.
"Just the big cat in front of me." Sloane grinned, her other foot digging slightly in his side, trying to see if he had any ticklish spots. "Tell me, you a tiger or a kitten?"
"Hey... bad form," Derick chuckled, grabbing the roaming foot. "And what do you think?" he grinned, pinning her ankles together with one hand.
"Right now, I think a kitten covered in soot..." Leaning forward, her hand reached out to touch his cheek, fingers feeling the stubble. "Where the hell were you today, Tiger?"
"You answered your own question," Derick replied, eyes closing as he leaned into Sloane's hand. "We found two more on the missing list." Quietly, Derick raised his eyes to Sloane briefly and dropped them back to the water where he'd splayed his hand over his thigh. "Probably find more tomorrow."
"Sorry," she let out, sinking back again. The teasing all gone, she was engrossed once more in what was just outside her walls - and part of her kitchen. The aftermath and destruction left behind by the Klingons. Sloane had been lucky. Her place only suffered light damage compared to some others. The window and half the wall had been blown to bits and was now covered with temporary sheeting.
The shift in her demeanour echoed back to him and Derick swore inwardly. "Ahh.. hell. I'm sorry, Sloane," he said, holding out an arm for her. "I shouldn't be so... morose. Let's just say I'm glad I got your email. Would it be..." He frowned and offered her a half grin. "Would it be too much to ask to hold you for a minute?"
Sloane slowly shook her head 'no' and pulled her ankles out of his hold so she could shift position, advancing towards him on her hands. "I meant I'm sorry you're on that detail." But someone had to do it, and better the MACOs and Starfleet Security than the poor family members of the dead out there.
Pulling her into his lap, Derick wrapped a long arm around Sloane's waist and kissed her shoulder. "So what kind of pillow do you want?" he asked, lipping at her ear. "Mmm??
Pillow? She regarded him curiously and then finally caught on. The message she had sent him. Her own joke. Wow, she was tired. "Your kind," she replied, her hand mapping his chest lazily before she had to hide a yawn with the back of her hand. "Sorry," she let out, blinking. "It's been one of those fortnights. Oh, you want some wine? I got a glass here somewhere..." She started pulling back to look around the tub.
"Sure," Derick replied, lazy under her touch as his hand glided over the soft skin on Sloane's back as she moved. "How about you? Where were you today?"
"Ha!" Sloane found the glass and proudly presented it to Derick. "It's Andorian, I'm told. Not bad at all." She returned to her spot against him and started playing with the bubbles still floating on the water's surface. "Where was I... let me see... day shift here at Utopia yesterday, then back end of the the afternoon fixing some of the phase canons on the town limits, then night shift on Enterprise and day shift back down at Centauri Quarter and the school."
"Jesus," Derick muttered, shaking his head as he took a sip from the glass. "Did you get any sleep at all?" he said, stealing a kiss as he handed back the glass.
"Enough." Sloane smiled against him. "Managed to snatch about three hours. I wasn't kidding in my message, Derick," she added a bit more seriously. She drank some of the wine and offered him the rest. She had had enough. Her eyes were already closing on their own as it was.
Setting the wine glass down, a long arm easily reaching the floor over the edge of the tub, Derick let his hand trail over Sloane's stomach and across her leg. "Why don't you go to bed?" he suggested. "I'll get cleaned up and join you, if that's cool." Derick winked at her. "Can't have you falling asleep in the tub."
"Oh? And why not?" Giving him a mock pout, she rested her hand on his, her fingers lacing with his. "Might turn into a prune or something..."
Kissing her hand, Derick grinned. "No, because it would be -really- difficult to explain how I came to find you in your tub, buck ass nekkid," he chuckled, kissing that delicious lower lip of hers.
"Did you like that?" Sloane asked after returning the kiss. "I mean, I thought about getting out and into clothes for all but a second and gave up the idea. Way too much work... and wasted really for I never seem to keep my clothes on for very long when I'm with you." Another kiss and she pulled back, ready to get out as he had suggested.
"Well, I can't say I didn't like it," Derick replied with a grin. "Besides, clothes are overrated," he said. "Go on. I'll be there in a few minutes."
Standing up, Sloane grabbed a towel and dried herself a bit before stepping out of the tub. "You'll find your way?" It wasn't like Derick had ever been in her little house before. Moving to the cupboard, she got another towel out. "Here. And mind the kitchen. It's a mess; there's still glass everywhere."
"I saw it," Derick replied, getting to his feet. "I'm going to take a shower and I'll be there shortly," he said, kissing her shoulder.
"'Kay." Sloane wrapped her hair up in the towel and headed for her bedroom. Sitting on her bed, she made short work of detangling her hair and braided the damp locks for the night. Then crawling at the head of the bed, she wiggled her way under the covers and let out a heavy sigh when her head hit the pillow. Damn she was bushed.
Watching her go, Derick smiled and leaned down to let the water out. He made quick work of his shower, getting clean and washing his hair. A quick rinse of the tub to make sure it wasn't gritty and he was done. Wrapping the towel around his waist, he found her bedroom after a wrong door led him to a room filled with art supplies and her guitar. "Sloane?" he called, finally finding her bedroom.
Startled, Sloane opened her eyes, immediately focussing on Derick standing in the door jamb. "Yeah?," she let out sleepily. She hadn't meant to doze off like that. She spotted his spiky hair and the towel low on his hips and smiled. "Come in." She opened the bed and tapped the space next to her.
"Didn't mean to wake you up," Derick replied, coming forward and lowering himself onto the bed as he pulled the towel, thinking it was a bit awkward like this; that stripping your clothes was off and going hell for leather was better because you didn't care about where you threw your clothes. Or towels for that matter. Settling for leaving it over the footboard, Derick settled in beside her, holding an arm out. "Your pillow awaits," he grinned.
Sloane gave him an embarrassed smile but moved in anyway. Head soon nestled on his shoulder, she stayed on her side, pressed against his body. "You smell nice." Nothing particular as Sloane used the standard-issue soap and shampoo, but fresh and clean. The only fancy stuff she treated herself with was for the bath, and Derick had washed that right off when he went for a shower. Not that it was a bad thing, the delicately perfumed oil was a bit girly for the gunny.
"I smell clean," Derick replied gratefully as he pulled Sloane to him and buried his nose in her hair. "So do you....you smell like a girl. Finally," he teased.
"Finally, huh? I thought you'd already noticed I was a 'girl'..." she mimicked the last word and chuckled.
Sliding down against the pillows, Derick kissed her shoulder. "Yeah, I'd sort of noticed," he replied teasingly, just before a yawn over took him. "Geez...Are you as beat as I feel?" he asked, smiling at her.
Another light chuckle and she burrowed closer still. "Yeah. Close your eyes." The major had already dozed off twice before; she believed the third time wouldn't be far off. "You staying the night?" Sloane asked after a couple of seconds, suddenly thinking that him visiting her might not have meant that at all in his mind.
"I was hoping to," Derick replied, catching her eyes. He wanted to wake up to her, but yes, he would understand if she wanted him to go early. "What do you want?"
"I'd like you here... pillow." She gave him her trademark smirk but her eyes showed him she really meant it.
How the two could go from biting their heads off to an obvious feral one-night stand to something else entirely halfway through that first night, she didn't know, but sex or no sex, they had connected and sharing all they could while time permitted it was becoming important to them both. Even to sleep, sharing a bed. They didn't know each other but it was a start. And they knew enough already to recognise it felt right... familiar.
"You're still gonna have to slip out below the radar though..."
"Yeah," Derick nodded, his eyebrows knitted into seriousness. "I'll be careful." For both their sakes, he would be because deep down, Derick knew. They had clicked, snapped right into place with each other. "So if I have to leave before you wake up...?" He tilted her chin up to look into those deep eyes. "Don't take it personally." Another half grin because hell... that's what Derick had always done. Headed out before morning light and wouldn't you know it, the one woman he wanted to stay for, he really couldn't.
..