A/N: Oaky, so here's the follow up to Cuddle, with some Mal and Inara thrown in because I really do love their relationship! Best to read Threesome, Proposition, and then Cuddle, links to the first two found in Cuddle. Thanks to Leiasky for beta-ing and then Tamsibling for doing the same over some new stuff I added to the story! You are girls are awesome!

Disclaimer: Not mine, just writing for fun!

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#66 Wrong

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Kaylee kept her eyes averted, focused on wrapping Simon’s wrist just the way he instructed her and never straying to look up into his face. She longed to, but the guilt that played across her own kept her head down, concentrating on the task at hand. “Just a... little less tight, Kaylee.” His words were even but the purple hue of his fingers showed her that she had been a bit too focused. “Oh, I’m sorry Simon!” She quickly unwrapped the last folds of the bandage, taking a moment to glance up at him and plastering a smile there to show her apology. His own wan smile greeted hers as she returned her gaze to his wrist, her knees jittering at the shot of desire that smile always produced. “Guess I’d fail nursing school, huh?” Scooting the stool a little closer to the exam table as she tried to secure the bandage in place, she found herself blushing at her own inept medical skills. Simon touched her shoulder and replied, “You’re doing a fine job, Kaylee.” He found himself not wanting to remove his hand from her shoulder. In fact, he truly wanted to move that hand up to cup her cheek, maybe pull her face closer to his own, press those soft lips to- “Now there must be a story to this.” Both Kaylee and Simon turned to the entrance of the infirmary as Mal leaned against the side of the hatch, his annoyance well intoned in his words. Simon’s mouth opened to explain, “I well, I..” “He just fell is all, Cap’n. Sprained his wrist. He‘ll be shiny by the end of the week,” Kaylee smiled up at Simon, her quick words saving him from probably a lengthy and awkward explanation of how he injured himself, “Right, Simon?” He cleared his throat and nodded his agreement. Mal scowled at them both, his eyes finally settling on Simon. “Is it proper medical procedure to have your shirt open? For a sprained wrist, that is.” Kaylee’s eyes widened at the captain’s implication, her cheeks turning almost as bright a red as Simon’s own before Mal turned on his heel to find the cause for all this fuss, her shuttle just a moments walk away. ~~ He infuriated her to no end. At every turn, in any situation. He nettled her nerves and sent her cool, calm demeanor spiraling. She had spent so many years training her emotions, learning to keep them at the back of her mind, and opening herself to others without getting lost in them. She could mirror in her eyes the need and want that they desired, exacting release while keeping her own sentiments tucked away, fostering a reserved detachment. Yet he could slice through those barriers that she had erected with just a word or gesture, breaking the dam and spilling forth all the tension and wrath that he so easily stirred up within her. She fumed at his ability to unsettle her, to breach her fortress. She took a deep breath to calm herself, counting back from ten before she opened her eyes. Inara turned on Mal and tried to keep the fury at bay, “It’s of no consequence what transpired last night Mal, and it certainly is none of your business!” “When my medic ends up all broken and battered after a night in your shuttle, makes a man wonder what goes on in these hallowed walls!” “We had some drinks Mal, that’s all, are you satisfied?” “Seems that would be your department, ‘Nara.” Mal wasn’t backing down, and to add insult to injury, he was now manhandling her possessions as he roamed about her shuttle, his tirade interrupted by his own curious fascination. As he picked up a particularly expensive piece, Inara chastised, "Please put that down, Mal." "What? I was just looking, I mean I never seen-” His beguiling nature left much to be desired and she sneered at his naivety, “I do not think you realize what that’s used for, and it is very expensive. So if you could-” “C’mon ‘Nara, can’t be that expensive.“ “It is and I really think you would not be handling it if you knew it’s true function-“ He turned the object in his hand around and wondered aloud, cutting off Inara again, “I don’t rightly know what....wait...is it...OH GOD! That's just WRONG!” He released the object and threw it on the bed , wiping his hands on the sides of his pants before turning shocked eyes to Inara, “You know, you should warn a body about things like...that, lying about for any decent folk to come and touch... I mean, hell ’Nara-” She crossed her arms over her chest and cocked an eyebrow at his stuttering tirade, interrupting him, “You came into my shuttle uninvited, ranting and raving, and then began pilfering through my personal belongings- “It was in plain sight! I just picked it up ‘cause it looked all-” His shoulders shook as a shiver ran down his spine. He looked completely mortified, which sent a jolt of satisfaction through Inara, though her exterior remained placid. He turned around and headed for the shuttle’s hatch without another word, his strides quick and determined. She called out to him as he was just slamming the hatch door closed, “I thought you wanted to talk, Mal? Are we done so soon?” His words, muffled by the steel door, were practically inaudible, but she could make out the faint cursing that fell from his lips as he stormed down the catwalk, his heavy boots clomping against the metal. She smiled, content with the peace that now permeated her shuttle. She may have not liked the way the Captain made her feel, but she certainly enjoyed the way she could stir up his emotions so thoroughly that it left him speechless. Now if she could only formulate a plan to make that a permanent condition...

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Kaylee cracked the ice pad against her knee and then gingerly placed it on Simon’s elevated wrist, positioning the pillows one more time underneath his hand before stepping back from the couch where he was to remain for at least another twenty minutes while he iced his injury. Kaylee shuffled her feet in front of her, not wanting to look at Simon, his still gaping shirt a constant reminder of her wanton actions earlier that morning. Turning quickly, Kaylee headed towards the stairs leading up to the engine room and galley before calling back, “I’ll go make ya some breakfast. I’m sure you’re hungry by now.” “Uh, Kaylee?” She whirled around quickly, too quickly for her pounding skull, but she tried to ignore it as she smiled brightly at Simon, “Yeah?” Simon grabbed the edges of his collar and a slight blush crept up his neck as he stammered out the words that hung in the back of his throat, “I..uh..that is, if you could possibly...well, I would appreciate it if you could, maybe button my shirt for me? I just would feel more... comfortable, that is, if any of the other crew came about. I would do it myself but, I think-” “Oh! ‘Course, Simon.” She rushed back over and knelt in front of him, her nimble fingers working the buttons through the holes quickly, her eyes never leaving his chest as she watched the fabric of his shirt veil the lithe muscles in front of her. She was just thinking to herself that this was the exact opposite of how she had wanted their morning to go when River floated out of her dorm room, smiling at the sight before her. “Wrong way, swimming upstream, not down.” Simon looked at his sister, puzzled by her incoherent ramblings so early in the morning. River just rolled her eyes at her brother and reached out to pull on Kaylee’s shoulder, “Breakfast?” Her wide brown, innocent eyes made Kaylee smile, the meaning of her words not lost on the blushing mechanic, “Sure, sweetie.” She turned to look at Simon one last time, then sprung up, her head aching at the quick movement. River took a hold of her hand and drug her away as Simon watched the two girls leave him, his hand subconsciously rubbing the spot where Kaylee’s fingers had brushed against his skin. Still wondering how his shirt could possibly have unbuttoned itself, Simon sighed heavily and leaned his head back against the couch. Maybe if he went back to sleep, he'd have that dream again ...

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TBC... There is at least another story to come out of this one! Hope you liked it and please comment!