Inara had left them wine and food, but that was ignored. River was more interested in the bed, bouncing on it and laughing.

“Comes up to your expectations, moonbrain?” Jayne asked.

She gazed at him. “I think so.” She loved it now when he called her that. It meant something more than it used to, and she revelled in it. “I wonder what Inara’s doing?”

“Prob’ly shoutin’ at Mal. Reckon she misses that.” He looked at her as she lay back on the bed, her dark hair spread out around her. “Not that I care.” He fell onto the covers next to her, watching her face. “Ain’t her I want.” He put his hand on her knee, ran it up her thigh towards …

“No,” she said, sliding away from him and standing up. “I want to see you.”

“Hell, I’m here, darlin’.”

“No. See you.”

Jayne understood. He stood up slowly and came around the end of the bed, stopping a dozen feet from her. “You wanna see me naked.”

She nodded, not daring to speak.

“Whatever my bao bei wants.” Jayne stripped, taking his time and for once folding his clothes before dropping them onto the chair. Finally he stood naked in front of her.

She examined him closely, taking in his strong legs, the dark hair on his calves and thighs, the mass across his wide, muscular chest, his arms, those arms that held her so gently when she needed it, and his face. Only afterwards did she look to the base of his belly.

“River, this ain't exactly manly, standin’ here like this,” Jayne complained, feeling a twitch in his nethers.

“You’re beautiful,” she breathed.

“No, I ain’t. I got tattoos and scars, and some places it’s difficult to tell where one ends and another starts.” He touched the still raised area where Simon had shot him. “Ain't no way anyone sane’d describe me as beautiful.”

She smiled. “It’s a good job I'm not sane, then.”

“Sometimes, I think you might be closer’n most of us.” He put his hands on his hips, but decided that looked wrong, and crossed his arms instead. “Look, this ain't fair. You’re still