She was beautiful. God, so gorram beautiful, even with his child inside her. Or maybe especially so. Mal stared at her as she moved around the bedroom, closing the curtains against the cold night air, picking up her robe from the bed and tossing it onto the chair. Leaning on the mantle over the fireplace, she used the poker to encourage the logs into more flame …

She gasped slightly as his arms went around her waist, pulling her back into him. She could feel his body all down her back, his arousal pressing into her buttocks. One hand held her belly, caressing her, while the other moved up to her breast, squeezing. She gasped again, but this time with pain.

He stopped moving immediately, knowing the difference. “Frey?”

“No, it’s all right.” She straightened up and turned to look at him. “My breasts … they’re tender.”

“This little one?” He touched her stomach.

“Mmn. I don’t know why – I mean, I didn’t get this with Ethan – but they’re so tight.” She shrugged. “They just hurt.”

“Oh, honey.” He leaned forward to kiss her, just ghosting his lips over hers. “Does that mean you don’t want to –“ he breathed into her mouth.

“Malcolm Reynolds.” She pulled back so she could look into his blue eyes. “Don’t you dare say things like that.”

He smiled. “Then I’ll be careful.” His voice had already deepened. “Only, not sure I could keep my hands off you even if you’d said you didn’t want to.” He realised what he’d said. “Not that I’d … I mean, I’d try my best to persuade you -”

Her own hands ran up his chest, touching his face before clasping behind his neck. “I want to. So badly.”

“Won’t hurt you, xin gan ,” he promised. He began undoing the buttons on her shirt.

“No,” she said, staying his hands. “Let me.” She pushed him back into the chair, and began to peel her clothes from her skin.

Watching the impromptu strip, he could feel his body tightening, his erection thrusting painfully at his pants. By the time she stood naked in front of him, unashamed, displa