Mal was almost usually the first one up in the morning at six am. First up, last to bed, except possibly for River who kept to some sort of schedule only her genius brain could fathom.

He did not think that Inara was the sort to do mornings. Back on Sihnon, girl was prolly the sort to lounge abed on satin sheets until at least 10 am. Her job required night hours anyways. So he was surprised to see her leaning over the railing, staring down at the cargo bay just outside her shuttle. Even more so to see her in just a silk kimono and bare feet, hair loosely knotted atop her head.

Mal had a sudden desire to undo that knot of curls. He stood a mere two feet behind her, admiring how the silk flowed over her backside. “Hey there. You’re up early.”

She turned her head to smile a bit at him. “Learning to keep Serenity’s hours, I guess.”

“Don’t mean much out here in the black. Morning or night, I mean. So why are you up at the rooster crow of dawn anyway?”

“Waiting for you.”

Mal blushed and stammered a bit. “For…me?”

Inara turned to look back out at the cargo bay. “Yes, Mal. for you. I don’t get up this early for just anyone, you know.”

OK, Reynolds, now would be a good time to tell her she looks nice.

“Well, all things considered, you look a helluva lot better’n I do at this hour.”

She smiled again, a bit sadly. “And me not even in my working clothes.”

Mal shuffled his feet. “Like you better this way.”

“And why is that?” She stretched backward from the railing, making the fabric of her kimono do even more sinful things than it had before.

He stepped closer. “You look like you’re real and whole. Not some doll that might break.”

She laughed. “I assure you, I won’t break.”

Another step closer. He could smell the jasmine in her hair. “I’m the sort of man who likes to find these things out first hand.”

“You intend to see if I will break?”

Mal came up right behind her. He could feel her backside against him and it was having a definite effect on how his pants were fitt