It probably started when Inara got up from the mess table to get some more tea. He'd reached out for her and playfully pulled her into his lap. Next thing he knew, she was straddling him and he had himself a raging hard-on.

"Woman, yer gonna be the death of me," he groaned.

"Bette than being shot. Or stabbed."

He fumbled to undo the buttons on the front of her gown. Why did women's clothing have to have so many gorram buttons and clasps and zippers? Men's clothing was much simpler.

He finally managed to free her breasts and began paying careful attention to them with hs mouth, causing her to squirm even more against his already tight pants. Finally, he slapped her playfully on the backside so that she'd get up and he could free himself.

He smiled at the way she still turned her back to him to remove her panties, even after these past few weeks, as he made quick work of the buttons on his pants fly.

Yup. men's fits much easier.

And then she lifted up her skirts and was straddling him again. With his pants somewhere in the vicinity of his ankles. She was in a mood to tease him, as she rubbed herself against him. He'd never 'fess up, but he actually liked it better when she was in a mood for teasing.

Mal reached a hand up under her skirts until he found what he was aiming for and began to move his thumb in ever-more insistent circles. Inara arched her back and moaned, giving him even better access to her breasts.

Finally, she raised up slightly and lowered herself down onto him, causing him to groan and shudder. Sweet merciful Buddha, there was no other woman Mal had ever been with who came close to how she felt around him. She started to rock slowly up and down, eyes closed.

Mal never closed his eyes, not once. He was afraid he'd miss something about this amazing female currently destroying him. He grasped her more firmly about the hips to urge her on faster as he bucked up into her. Faster and harder until he couldn't take any more and damn near screamed his release into her mouth.

Afterward, she lay semi-conscious in his arms.

"Bao bei," he whispered.

"Mmmmm?"

"We'd best clean up, lest we present a spectacle for the crew in the morning."

Inara smiled, still gently amused by Mal's desire to not have the crew know right away.

The following morning at breakfast, Jayne grabbed for a chair.

River gave one of her patented spooky grins. "I wouldn't do that if I were you."

"Why the hell not, Moonbrain?"

"That's the Captain's chair."