Bedlam: Part 9

By Kaynara

***

Inara woke up to find the sheets pooled on the floor and Mal clutching her like a life-sized teddy bear. She tried to move but found herself stuck, vice-like in his arms, his breath warm and steady on the back of her neck.

In Inara’s experience, the male morning-after response pattern tended to follow one of two trends. Embarassment was the first. Men who acted like animals the night before became shy, shameful, as though the morning sun revealed their sins. They turned aloof and stammering, hurrying into their trousers, rushing to show her the door. Then there were the sweet ones, the clients who pampered her first, pouring her wine, filling the bath with rose petals. After the act, they turned confident, arrogant. They’d had her once and believed themselves mighty, entitled. They turned into bastards. Inara knew she couldn’t handle either response from Mal.

She lifted a hand to touch her hair, felt the wild waves stream out in all directions. She needed a shower, lots of hot water. She imagined slipping into a robe, lighting incense. And coffee, coffee was a must. She started to wiggle down, slide through the space between his arms.

And found herself pinned underneath him.

Oh, yes. He was up now, no mistaking it.

“Where you think you’re goin’?” he murmured sleepily into the curve of her neck.

“I was planning on getting dressed,” she answered, amused.

“I get a say in this?” He was starting to wake up. Hell, this wasn’t half bad, finding her in his bed, all warm and sleep-tousled. A fella could get used to this sorta thing. He moved his head down her chest, trailing lazy, open-mouthed kisses over her skin.

“I hardly thought you were one for lying around in the nude all day.” She felt his tongue slide around her nipple, his mouth a warm contrast to the cool morning air.

“Nude, no. Naked, though....” He slid down her body, nibbling at her hip bone. “Naked’s got all sorts of possibilities.”

“I--what about the crew?” What was wrong wi