Just Another Sheppard Tale

Disclaimer: This is a total work of fiction. Star Gate, Stargate Atlantis and it's characters are owned by MGM and their creators. I just like to play in their world for awhile.

“Teyla, where do you want me to put this?” Rae Bradley slung the heavy bag of seeds over her shoulder and headed out of the tent.

An arm shot out, one strong hand holding back the covering. She ducked under it, noting the muscular male forearm and the black band encircling the man's wrist.

“Sorry,” she grunted a little as she felt the bag trying to slip out of her grasp. Finally she gave up and set it on the ground between her feet. “Didn't mean to run you over.”

Gleaming hazel eyes met hers, a rakish smile. “No problem.”

Rae looked him over, she'd heard all about how good looking the infamous Colonel John Sheppard was but she'd never believed them. He'd sounded just a little too good to be true. Now that she was face to face with him she decided that she was going to have to change her opinion. Tall and lanky with a shock of messy sexy hair and Kiss-Me greenish eyes, he was extremely handsome.

“Have we met before?” John's lips quirked slightly. He liked to think that he knew every woman in Atlantis but how this vision in front of him had ever escaped his attention he didn't know.

He sensed a boldness about her, a little wild streak that caught his interest. She was attractive too in a gypsy kind of way. Tanned glowing skin slick with sweat and shining amber colored eyes, her dark curly hair pulled back in a loose braid. Tendrils of it had escaped from the braid and he resisted the urge to reach out and brush those curls back from her face.

He especially liked the way she returned his bold stare with those whiskey colored eyes, the way her gaze sidled over him, as if she were sizing him up. He felt a light twitch low in his belly and all of his hunting instincts suddenly went into high alert. She was one sexy woman.

“Rae Bradley.” She smiled slightly and held out her hand. “I'm an agriculturist's. I just came to Atlantis last year. I've seen you but our paths don't cross all that often.”

A year and he hadn't even noticed her before this? Damn! Was he starting to loose his touch? Maybe he should start taking some of those herbs and vitamins that Teyla was trying to push off on him.

“Rae...” He let go of the covering and wrapped his fingers around hers. “That's an unusual name for a woman.”

“Actually, it's short for Rhiannon.”

“Oh, from the Stevie Nicks song.”

“Sort of.”

She laughed and he felt a thrill at the sound of her husky voice.

“I'm not quite that young, Colonel. I'm actually named after the Welsh Horse Goddess.” Her eyes twinkled mischievously.

“A Goddess, huh?” His lips quirked slightly. “Your mother must have had a good sense of humor.”

“Or a warped one.” She grinned back.

“Oh, I wouldn't say that.”

Rae liked the way his eyes twinkled in amusement. They crinkled at the corners, the little laugh lines deepening ever so slightly. It was a good look on him but Rae decided that amusement wasn't exactly the look that she wanted from John Sheppard. She wanted that look that she'd first gotten when he'd looked at her. The look that said he was more than just a little interested.

He took a slight step toward her, his lips parted as if he was going to say something and then he stopped. They both started when a familiar head of reddish brown hair came into view and they each took a step back.

“Oh, there you are.” Teyla stopped and looked at them. Her eyes widened slightly and a small smile crossed her lips. “I was wondering where you had gotten too.” She glanced at Sheppard with a questioning look.

“I thought you were behind me.” Rae said with a grin and pointed at the bag between her feet. “Where do you want this?”

“In the cave with the others.” Teyla told her. “That's the last of them isn't it?”

“Thank goodness, yes.” Rae reached down and picked up the bag, hefting it up in her arms with a little grunt. “Your people should have more than enough to plant this spring.”

“Good.” She smiled slightly when Rae glanced at the Colonel, clearly hesitating. “The seeds are not going to walk themselves into the cave, Rae.”

Rae's face colored slightly then she smiled and stuck her tongue out at Teyla. “Yes, boss.” She turned to Sheppard and gave him a curt little nod of her head. “It was nice to meet you. Colonel.”

“Finally.” He drawled and gave Teyla a look as Rae turned and started off down the path toward the storage caves. John knew that Teyla was watching him but he couldn't keep himself from watching the other woman walk away. Her body was full and curvy and she moved with an easy grace and a sway of her hips that would make even a dead man sit up and take notice.

When she had disappeared from sight John whirled around, spearing Teyla with a stern look. “Why didn't you tell me about her?” he demanded.

Teyla's eyes widened slightly as she pushed past him. She pulled back the tent covering and stepped inside. “Excuse me, John, but I do not believe that I am responsible for introducing you to every woman to set foot in the city.”

“Oh, come on, Teyla. I thought you were my friend.”

“I am your friend.” She smirked. She set about setting up the tent for the night. Now that most of the harvest was done they would be heading back to Atlantis in the morning. “And I do not believe that you need my help with Rae. From the look she was giving you, you seemed to be doing very well on your own.”

“Think so?” John was standing in the door way, holding back the covering. His dark eyes scanned the path obviously watching for the object of his desire to come sauntering back up the path.

“Can you make yourself any more obvious?” Teyla laughed. “If you are so interested in her then talk to her. What is the worst that could happen? ”

John's lips quirked slightly. Teyla was right. What was the worst that could happen?

2.

Mist wafted up from the rain soaked ground, winding its way up through the black limbs of the trees, tangling in the slick grass and making it into a carpet of white. Rae looked down at her feet. The mist was so thick that she couldn't even see the tops of her boots anymore through the low level fog. She stepped carefully, wincing a little as she made her way back toward the settlement, the warmth of her bedroll and the gorgeous man she intended on getting to know a lot better once they were back in Atlantis.

A slight smile crossed her face as she thought about him. It wasn't just that John Sheppard was absolutely gorgeous. There was something else about him. Something about his eyes and the way he'd looked directly at her when he'd talked to her, centering his whole attention on her, that she found so fascinating. She wasn't attracted to him just because of his looks or the way her hands itched to just tear off his clothes and throw him on the floor so that she could have her way with him, either. Sure, lust had a whole lot to do with it but she was intrigued by him too. When she looked in those dark eyes she felt like she was looking into a deep dark pool of secrets.

She wondered if he knew that he wasn't the only one?

No time to think about that now. Rae sighed and rolled her shoulders, trying to ease the tension in her back. It was a Charley-horse in the back of her leg that had jerked her out of a deep sleep and sent her out into the rain soaked dawn to try and walk it out. She hadn't had one of those in years and the son of a bitch had hurt like hell. She shook her leg and winced slightly. The pain was still there but it wasn't the gut wrenching spasm that had nearly made her scream that it had been.

Suddenly, Rae stopped, turning to look toward the line of trees. She cocked her head slightly, listening. It was quiet. Almost too quiet. Then she heard it again.

Something was rustling in the trees. Fear washed over her like a cold wave. Shit!

A twig snapped behind her making her jump. In the quiet it sounded as loud as a gunshot. “Who's there?”

No answer The leaves rustled even louder this time. She could hear it moving around and from the sound of it, whatever it was lurking in the bushes, it was big.

She looked up at the sky. Gray light was beginning to brighten the horizon but the fog was still too thick for her to see anything. She fought down the urge to panic. She wasn't a passive woman and this was not the time to start acting like a ninny. She looked back toward the sleeping village. She could scream to try and get someone's attention but would anybody even hear her? Besides, it was probably just some animal that was going to be just as scared of her and she'd look like a complete idiot for scaring everybody else.

That didn't mean she shouldn't find something to whack the hell out of it with though.

She knelt down and ran her hands over the ground, searching for something, anything that she could use for protection. Her hand ran over something rough and she closed her fingers around it. She picked it up and looked at it. It was a stick and even if it wasn't that big, it was heavy enough to hurt when it hit it's target.

The leaves rustled again.

Her fingers tightened around the rough wood, the bark biting into her chilled fingers. Maybe if she threw it she could scare whatever was lurking in the bushes away. Or distract it long enough for her to haul ass back to the village.

Slowly she stood up, ready to run if something rushed out at her. She pulled back her arm and threw the stick as hard as she could.

“Ow! God damn it!”

The fog thinned just a bit and she saw a dark head with very familiar messy hair come popping up from behind the bushes. “Watch where you're throwing that damn thing, will ya?” John Sheppard staggered out of the curling mist, rubbing the side of his head.

“Oh, shit!” Her hand went to her chest. “Colonel! Are you okay?” She went to him. He grabbed her arm and she helped him to sit down on the wet ground. An ugly bump was already coming up on the side of his head and a little trickle of blood was running down the side of his face. “I'm so sorry.”

“Where did you learn to throw like that anyway?” He winced when her fingers touched a particularly sore spot.

“Played a lot of softball in school.” She shrugged. “Plus, I've got three brothers. Had to defend myself somehow.”

She made him lean over so that she could inspect the damage. Brushing her fingers through his thick dark hair she checked to make sure that he wasn't going to need stitches. Or at least that's what she told herself she was doing. This close she could smell the warm musky scent of his skin and she tried not to make it too obvious that she was sniffing him. Damn, but even after two days on the mainland in a village with no running water, he still smelled good.

He leaned against her, obviously enjoying the attention. If he had been a cat she just knew that he would have been purring by now. “You'll live.” She smiled slightly, pushed him away and was rewarded with a disappointed look.

Then she punched him in the arm.

“Ow! What did you do that for?” He narrowed his eyes at her, rubbing at the spot where she'd hit him.

“Why didn't you say that it was you in the first place? You scared the hell out of me!”

“I was kind of busy at the moment.” He cocked his head slightly and looked up at her. “But if you really want to know, I was taking care of some business.”

She rolled her eyes at him. “You were taking a pee? You still could have said something.”

“Maybe I didn't want you to hear me. And besides how did I know that you were out here? Or that you were going to crack me in the head?” He tilted his head and gave her a look. “What are you doing out here anyway?”

“Leg cramp.” The thought of what she could have hit popped into her mind and she had to bite back a grin. She kept her head down, hoping that he couldn't see the expression her face as she put her arm around his waist, helping him to stand up. The tail of his shirt pulled loose from the back of his pants and she felt the muscles in his back tense when her fingers brushed against his bare skin.

She blushed and dropped her hand, glad that he couldn't see the Icouldjustdie look on her face.

“Dammit!”

“What's the matter?” A chill at thinking that she'd really hurt him, washed over her and her eyes widened anxiously.

“My god damn pants are wet.” He growled, picking at the offending material, a disgusted look on his face.

Rae put her hand over her mouth and tried not to snicker but he heard her anyway. He just rolled his eyes. “Come on, I think I've got a dry pair in the Jumper.” He pointed an accusing finger at her. “You hit me so you have to help me with this...” He pointed at the sizable lump on the side of his head. “And you have to help me look for some dry clothes since you're the reason my ass is wet.”

Before she could protest, he wrapped strong fingers around her wrist and pulled her along after him, the ground squishing loudly under their feet as he walked sure footed across the rain slick grass. The Puddle Jumper wasn't much more than a dark shadow looming ahead and the sound of the rear hatch opening was loud in the quiet gray light of the morning.

The lights came on inside as he led her up the ramp and she blinked at the sudden brightness.

“Here. I think there's some antiseptic in there.”

Something cold and metallic was shoved into her hands. She looked down at it and saw that it was the Jumper's first aid kit. John was kneeling down on one knee, pulling a black bag out of one of the storage cabinets and digging through it. He gave a little grunt of satisfaction and pulled out a pair of gray pants and a pair of pale blue striped boxer shorts that he quickly tried to hide by rolling the pants around them. “Found 'em.”

“I thought that I was supposed to help you look.” John's face reddened slightly and he wouldn't look at her as he got to his feet. Rae smirked and tried to turn her attention back to the med kit as he disappeared into the Jumper's cockpit to change but she couldn't resist just a little peek at him. She looked up and caught a glimpse of his smooth tanned belly and the trail of dark hair that disappeared below his belt as he unsnapped his pants before the door closed. She sighed feeling more than a little disappointed at not getting to see a little bit more of him but she supposed that answered one little question that she had about him.

John Sheppard was definitely a boxer's man.

She was still digging through the kit when the door slid open and he stepped out. She looked up at him and her breath caught in her throat. Her eyes strayed to the gun belt around his waist and the way the straps were wrapped just tight enough around his thigh. A slight smile crossed his face and she knew that he knew exactly what she was looking at.

“What's the matter? Can't find anything?” He dropped the wet pants down on one of the empty seats and sat down beside her on the narrow bench. He reached over and took the kit out of her hands. He fished out the bottle of antiseptic and handed it to her. “How could you miss it? It's right here.”

“If you don't mind I think I'd like to use something else.” She reached down under the bench and pulled out her pack. She'd left it in the Jumper when they'd first arrived because she didn't think that she'd need it in the village but now she was glad that she'd brought it along.

“God!” His nose crinkled in disgust when she pulled out a small round container and unscrewed the top. “What is that stuff?”

“Just a little St. John's Wort, some lavender and a dash of witch hazel. Home remedy for bumps and bruises.” She dipped her fingers into the ointment and dabbed a little of the stuff on the swelling bruise before he could protest. “Don't worry, Colonel. It won't kill you and your bruise probably won't even turn green. You'll be just as cute as ever.”

“That's good.” He chuckled and then he turned those amazingly beautiful green eyes on her and grinned. “So...you think I'm cute.”

“I didn't say that.” Rae felt her face getting hot. She wiped her fingers on the leg of her pants, screwed the lid back on the jar and dropped it back into her pack.

“Yes, you did.” John grabbed her hand when she started to get up, pulling her back down on the seat and nearly into his lap.

“What do you think you're doing, Colonel?” She looked up at him, trying to give him a stern look and failing miserably.

“Well, I was going to try and kiss you but I don't know about that now.”

There was that look of amusement in his eyes again but for some reason Rae got the feeling that he meant what he said.

“Being a little bold aren't you, Colonel?” She tried not to think about the way his fingers were caressing her wrist, the rough callouses stroking over her skin, pressing down ever so slightly and making the veins in her hand throb.

“I don't have time to be anything else.” He grinned. “And I don't think that you do either.”

“Cheeky bastard.” Her lips curved up in a smile.

“A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do.” He said slowly as he leaned toward her. His lips quirked slightly and his eyes narrowed sexily. “Especially when it's something he really wants.”

“And what is it you really want, Colonel?” Rae liked the heat in his gaze, that enticing I'm-ready-to-ride-if-you-are look.

He hooked a finger in the vee of her shirt, tracing a finger over the top of her breast. “Oh, a little of this and a whole lot of that.”

She smacked his hand and pushed him back.“Try it and I'll beat you.”

“God, I hope so.” He ran his tongue over his full lips.

Her eyes widened in surprise and she stared at him for a second and then she started to laugh. “You are a brave man, Colonel. Maybe I didn't hit you hard enough the first time. You barely know me and if I didn't know better, I'd think that you were trying to seduce me.”

“Huh, I think I can fix that.” He grinned then wrapped his fingers around hers and gave her hand a firm shake. “Colonel John Sheppard, pleased to meet you.”

“I think we did that part already.” She laughed.

“Oh, good. Then I don't have to worry about the rest.” He gave her a smug smile of satisfaction and then before she could react, he grabbed her arms and pulled her against his chest. He brushed his lips across hers, tilting his head slightly. She felt a tingle in her belly. A delicious friction that caused her toes to curl and made every nerve in her body feel like it was on fire.

She parted her lips slightly and he deepened the kiss, his tongue darting into her mouth, tasting her.

Lord and Lady! She'd wondered what it would be like to kiss John Sheppard but she'd imagined it would be like this! If he could do this with just a kiss she could only imagine what would happen if she let him go any farther.

It felt like torture when he finally broke the kiss and sat back. He took hold of her hand and pulled her to her feet. He held her against him, she was breathing hard and she knew that if he let go of her she was going to melt into a puddle on the floor.

John leaned in ready to kiss her again when a slight movement outside the Jumper caught his attention.

“Shit!” He groaned low in his throat and reluctantly let her go.

Rae turned her head to see what he was looking at.

Teyla was standing just outside, peering in at them, a huge smile on her face.

3.

John stood in the door way and watching her as she bathed.

Slowly she rubbed the soap over her body, teasing him, making him watch her as she touched herself, knowing from the hungry look in his eyes that he was the one that wanted to be doing the touching. He licked his lips in anticipation his eyes hot with want and need. Keeping his eyes on her he slowly slipped out of his boots and kicked them across the floor. Next went the red flannel shirt. She watched his hands as he undid the buckle of his belt, slowly undoing the snap of his jeans, the rasp of the zipper as he slowly slid down like a voice whispering in her ear that he was doing all of this for her.

Slowly he pushed them down over his slim hips. Her breath caught in her throat and her heart jumped at the sight of him. Caught in his spell, she let her eyes travel over him. He was magnificent, his body dark and hard and lean and bigger than she'd imagined. The heat of her stare made him stiffen even more and he growled low in his throat.

He came toward her slowly, put his hand on the shower door and stepped under the steady stream of water. He let his eyes travel over her body, taking in every inch of her. He came close to her, his hands going to her shoulders, sliding down her smooth skin. He nuzzled her neck, drinking in the clean scent of her skin.

“God, you don't know how long I've wanted to do this.” He teased light kisses across her shoulders, his teeth nipping at the soft curve of her neck. His strong hands gently cupped her full and heavy breasts, his fingers gently caressing and teasing her until she felt her nipples getting hard. A sensuous smile touched his lips when she closed her eyes and whimpered softly. He pulled her to him, running his fingers through her wet hair as he brought his mouth down on hers.

Rae put her hands on his chest, her nails scraping through the dark curls and across his flat belly, her hands working between their bodies so that she could reach down and cup his hardness. He moaned against her mouth as her fingers gently stroked him. Her fingers were still slippery from the soap she'd been using and they slid across his hot skin like silk as she worked her magic on him.

But Sheppard had a little magic of his own. Turning her so that his back was to the rush of the water, he pushed her against the shower wall. He ran his hands over her, and her body trembled under his touch.

“John...” She looked up at him and he laughed softly at the pleading look in her eyes.

“Shh...I'm not going to just stop here, Rae.” He touched her face, taking a deep breath as he ran his thumb over her full lips. “I want to taste you...I want to taste all of you.”

He put his hand flat on her chest, his thumb slightly rubbing against the side of her breast as he pushed her back against the cold tile of the shower wall. His eyes were hot, hungry. He slid his hands over her hips and she had to bite her lip to keep from crying out as his fingers stroked over her. Slowly, he moved over her body, his lips leaving a trail of fire until he was on his knees in front of her and she felt the tips of his calloused fingers pushing her legs apart.

She looked down, curling her fingers in his dark hair. His head was between her legs, nuzzling at first. His stubble was rough against her thighs and then she felt his lips and she jerked and cried out as his tongue rasped sure and hard across her sensitive button.

“John!”

Rae woke up with a shout. She sprang up in the bed, her heart was pounding in her chest, her sweat soaked body tangled and hot in the sheets. The force of her cry still hung in the air and she looked around crazily.

His presence was so strong that she felt like if she reached out she would feel the touch of his hand but there was no one else there. Nothing but her own frazzled reflection staring back at her from the mirror

on the dresser.

“Damn it...” She muttered and collapsed back against the damp pillows. She ran her hands over her face and through her wet hair, growling in frustration at the images that still lingered in her mind. “Damn it...damn it...damn it!”

Two weeks...two weeks since they'd left the mainland and returned to Atlantis. Two weeks since he'd kissed her.

Two weeks since he'd started invading her dreams. He was driving her insane and he hadn't even laid a hand on her, at least not like that.

She rarely saw him by day. They were both busy and the few times they had met it had just been a murmured word, a promised look. The man was torturing her, pure and simple. He couldn't touch her by day but every night he came to her, driving her over the edge, fulfilling her every erotic fantasy.

She pushed back the sheets, untangled her legs and shakily got to her feet. The floor felt cold and she shivered slightly as she padded into the bathroom. She turned on the tap, leaning against the sink just to keep her balance. She dipped her head under the faucet, letting the cold water run over her head. She was so hot that she felt like she was going to explode.

Her heart was beating overtime and she pressed her cold hands against her face. It was an effort just to breathe. Hell, it was an effort to just think about breathing.

She cut off the water, raised her head and looked up at the clock on the wall. It was just a little after midnight and she still had hours before she had to report for duty. But she couldn't report for duty looking like this.

Going back into the bedroom she dug through her bedside drawer until she found a bottle of valerian root, Screwing the cap she popped a couple of the evil smelling capsules into her mouth and swallowed them dry, nearly gagging at the dirty gym sock taste they left in her mouth.

Crawling back under the covers, she pulled the blankets over head, prayed for sleep and no John Sheppard dreams.

4.

“Colonel!”

Teyla caught up with him just as he stepped out of the transporter. She had a computer pad in her hands and an anxious look on her face.

“Hey, what's up?” He asked casually then frowned slightly as her anxious look turned into a worried frown. “Something wrong?”

“I am not sure. Rae has not shown up for her shift and no one has seen her since last night. I even went by her quarters to check on her but there was no answer so I went to get this.” She held up the pad and smiled slightly. “Rodney is not the only one that knows how to break into someone's quarters.”

Now John looked worried. He hadn't really been able to get much time, hell, any, time with Rae, but the last time he had gotten a glimpse of her she'd looked pale and tired.

“Come on.” John stepped back into the transporter and Teyla followed him in. Thankfully there was another transporter just a floor below Rae's and it was no time before he and Teyla were standing outside the door to her quarters.

And after another couple of minutes of Teyla's tinkering with the controls, the doors slid open.

“Hello?” John poked his head into room, listening carefully. He took a step inside the room, Her quarters reminded him a little of Teyla's, light, airy and a little bit eccentric. A huge bed dominated one corner of the room. It must have been a queen size or better. A greenish gold curtain, the same color of the coverlet that was laying tangled in the sheets and blankets in the middle of the bed, fluttered in the breeze.

“Rae?” He half expected to see her dark eyes peering at him over the mass of mussed sheets but there was no answer.

Then a low sound caught his ear and he cocked his head slightly, listening. It sounded like someone humming and it was coming from the direction of the bathroom. Carefully he moved toward the bathroom door, pushed it open and his heart skipped a beat. Rae was in the shower.

John stood in the door way and watched her as she bathed. A wicked little idea came into his mind and then died just as quickly when he remembered that Teyla was with him.

Damn it!

Trying to be as quiet as he could, he started to back out of the room but as he put his hand on the door, something crashed with a loud bang in the bedroom and he froze.

Rae's head whipped around at the sound. She wiped the water out of her eyes and stood there staring at him. Her eyes went wide and her mouth opened in perfect little O of surprise at the sight of him standing there, then in the blink of an eye, all hell broke loose.

“Sheppard! How the hell did you get in here?” Rae screamed. She grabbed for the towel on the hamper, slipped and went sailing right out of the shower, catching her foot on the edge of the door.

“Ow! Ow! Ow!” Her face twisted in pain. She moaned clutching at her leg. “Damn, my foot!”

“Oh, crap! Rae, I'm sorry! Are you alright?” John went down on one knee beside her, not caring about the water soaking his pants.

“No.” She groaned. She tried to move her leg. She hissed in pain and her face turned whiter than the tile floor. “Oh, damn...I think I sprained it.”

“I'll take you to the infirmary.” He slipped his hands under her arms, trying to help her up but she slid out of his grasp. Rae yelped in pain and grabbed at him for support. Her fingers caught on the gun strap around his leg and she dug her nails into his thigh, trying to hang onto him. Now it was John's turn to yell in pain. He fell back,twisted his hips and scooted back, just barely avoiding a smack in the family jewels when her head snapped back and she slithered farther down between his legs.

He heard the door rattle behind him and he sat up fast. He grabbed the towel, draping it over Rae and trying not make her face turn any redder when Teyla suddenly burst into the room.

“John, what is it...” Teyla stopped short. Her eyes went wide and she bit back a giggle at the site of Rae on the floor between his legs, barely covered by a too short towel. “Would the two of you like some help or should I just give you some privacy?”

“Oh, damn! Not you too!” Rae groaned then she gave Teyla a dirty look and John's face turned as red as the blush creeping up the back of Rae's neck.

“Oh, shut up and get over here.” He growled and put his hands under Rae's shoulders trying to help her sit up. The towel slipped, John grabbed for it and ended up getting a handful of firm breast instead.

“John!” Rae started and smacked at his hand but not before he felt her nipple harden under his fingers.

“Sorry!” John snatched his hand back as if he'd been burned.

Teyla saw and burst into fresh gales of laughter. “Are you certain that you need my help, Colonel? You seem to have the situation well in hand.”

Rae put her hands over her face and her shoulders started to shake. At first John thought she was crying and then she fell back against him, laughing so hard that tears were running down her face.

He just stared at her for a minute, thinking that she'd totally lost her mind and then he wrapped his arms around her and soon all three of them were sitting on the wet floor laughing like idiots.

When Rae could finally talk she shook her finger at Teyla, warning her that if she told anybody about this, especially Carson or Rodney, she would hunt her down and kill her. Teyla promised that she wouldn't as she helped Rae to dress in something a little more decent than her wet towel, but from the look on her face John and Rae both knew that she wouldn't keep this incident to herself for very long.

After a limping Rae and a still snickering Teyla had left for the infirmary, John sat down on the edge of Rae's mussed bed and put his hands over his face. He knew that Teyla was never going to let either one of them live this down but he felt even worse for causing Rae to get hurt in the first place. He needed to do something to make it up to her and when he looked around her quarters, he decided that he was going to surprise her with something special. He got up from the bed, intending to head back to his own quarters for some dry clothes when his foot banged into something sticking slightly out from under the edge of the bed.

He started to push it back but as he looked at it, his curiosity got the better of him. He leaned down and pulled the thing from under the bed. He ran his hand over the lacquered surface of the black box. It was beautiful with some kind of silver Celtic designs, at least he thought they were Celtic, engraved along the sides and a silver star pattern on the top.

He ran his fingers lightly over the latch feeling a little guilty about snooping through her things. Then he made a decision. If the box was locked then he would just shove it back under the bed and ask her about it later but if it was open then he would take that as a sign that he should look inside.

He closed his eyes and turned his head away, not really thinking he'd heard the faint click of the latch when he pressed his thumb against it, but the lid popped up against his hand and he opened his eyes and looked down at it. He caught a glimpse of something silvery inside. He moved his hand and the lid fell all the way open, revealing what was inside.

John stared at what was inside the box for a minute, not really believing what he was seeing. He had gotten the feeling the first time he'd met her that there was something a little brazen and bold about Rae but he'd never really expected something like this.

A puckish grin crossed his face as he closed the lid on the box and shoved it back under the bed.

Now he had the perfect idea.

5.

“You're doing it again.”

“What?”

“Hovering.”

“I am not hovering.”

“Yes, you are.”

“No, I'm not.”

Rae glanced at the man sitting not more than a couple of inches away from her and smiled. “You know you're even more cute when you're mad.”

“I'm not mad either.” He gave her a stern look though a wicked grin played around his lips. “And when am I ever gonna get past the 'cute' stage. I am not a puppy you know.”

“No,” She leaned her head against his shoulder. He was a lot warmer than the sunlight spilling down on them as they rested on the East pier and smelled better than the sea wind blowing across their skin. “But you are kind of cuddly.”

John laughed and slipped an arm around her waist, pulling her a little closer. “You're certainly in a good mood considering what happened just a few hours ago.”

“I'm just glad to be out of that damned infirmary. And the way Teyla kept snickering and rolling her eyes every time he asked me how I hurt my ankle...” She sighed, looked down at her bandaged ankle and snuggled into his warmth. “Carson's sweet but he was really starting to look at me like I was completely nuts.”

“Kind of like me, huh?”

“Yeah,” she kissed the edge of his jaw and gently laid a hand high on his thigh, making him jump. “But your kind of nuts I don't mind.” She grinned impishly. “I'm just glad that I didn't do any permanent damage to you.”

John laughed, a deep, rich laugh. When he looked at her, his eyes were twinkling with amusement. “I gotta confess, though. From what I saw it was worth it.”

“You are a bad man, John Sheppard.” She playfully pinched the inside of his leg.

“Just how bad do you want me to be?”

She laughed at the sly look on his face. “Why do I get the feeling that you're up to something?”

He wriggled his eyebrows at her and gave her a leering grin.

“I don't mean that.”

“Then move your hand and it won't be.” He growled.

“You mean like this?”

Her fingers did a little dance on the inside of his thigh and more than just his back stiffened at her touch.

“I don't know what's gotten into you but I think I like it.” John said when he was finally able to catch his breath.

“Maybe it's what hasn't gotten into me.” She pinched him again. “You're nothing but a tease, John Sheppard and I don't like to be teased.” She pinched him again only higher this time. “One kiss and I don't see you for weeks and then you take it upon yourself to break into my quarters and nearly give me a heart attack.”

“Blame that one on Teyla.” John snorted with laughter. “But if nearly giving you a heart attack makes you this frisky then maybe I should do it a hell of a lot more often.”

“Frisky?” She snickered. “What the hell am I? A cat?”

He leaned closer, pressing his forehead against hers. He was so close that she could see the gold flecks in his eyes. “If I stroke you, will you purr?”

“Only if you promise to let me play with your bone.”

He looked at her and he chuckled deep in his throat. “You're impossible. I think Carson gave you too many pain killers.”

“ Are you complaining?” She had to admit, she was feeling pretty damn good but she wasn't sure if it was from the pain killers or because of after weeks of not seeing him, she finally had John Sheppard all to herself.

“Not if you keep doing that.”

“Well, I can do more than that, you know.” She leaned in close, nipping at his ear with her teeth.

“If there weren't other people on this pier...” He glanced around. There was another couple enjoying their rare day off farther off down the pier but other than that there was no one else. But to John that was just another couple too many.

“You'd what?” She scratched at the stubble on his cheek with her teeth.

A slight smile crossed his face and there was that snort of laughter again.

“Okay, Sheppard.” She leaned back slightly to look at him. “What is really up with you?” Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. “Has this got something to do with your insisting that I come out here first instead of going to my quarters?”

“Maybe.” He grinned.

“Oh, God!” Her eyes widened in mock horror. “You're gonna throw me off the pier!”

“You're gonna get wet, alright.” John chuckled. He leaned down and kissed her quick and hard. “But throwing you off the pier is not gonna have a damn thing to do with it.”

His tone of voice was low and seductive. He tightened his arm around her, pressing warm lips against her neck, causing a shiver to run up her spine.

She pulled back and he grinned down at her.

“Let's go for a walk.”

6.

“Keep your eyes closed.” John was pressed up against her back and she wriggled back against him. He laughed and put his hand over her face, covering her eyes. “Don't look until I tell you.”

“Gettin' a little bossy there, aren't you?” She wriggled against him again and he gave her a hard smack on the bottom, making her jump. “Ow! Oh, you are so gonna pay for that, you cocky little bastard!” She growled at him.

“I'm cocky alright...and it's all your fault.” He grabbed hold of her hips and nestled against her warm back, laughing low at the way she gasped when his erection nuzzled her in just the right place. He grabbed hold of her wrist, bringing her arm up and waving her hand over the door control.

When it slid open, he walked her into the room, being careful of her injured foot. When the door slid closed behind them he stopped and put his hands on her waist holding her steady in front of him.

“Okay, we're in. Now what?”

She turned her head slightly and started to open her eyes. He smacked her on the behind again. “Didn't I tell you not to look until I told you to?” He nuzzled her neck. “Besides, if you open your eyes it's gonna spoil the surprise and I will be very angry if that happens.”

“Is that a challenge?” She smirked.

“Patience, pretty lady. I'm just taking my time and trying to make it last.” His button hungry fingers danced feather light along the front of her shirt and he felt her nipples harden through the thin material. “Didn't your mother ever tell you that slow and steady wins the race?”

“Yeah, but hard and fast can get you there a hell of a lot quicker.”

“We'll save that for later.” He murmured softly and bent his head down, pressing his tongue to the soft spot behind her ear and making her shiver. From the way her ribs pressed against his arm he could tell that his touch was driving her crazy. “But since you won't listen I'm going to have to do something else to make sure you don't look.”

He dug into his back and pulled out a strip of black cloth. He hadn't really meant to bring it along but now he was glad that he had. She laughed when he tied the silky cloth around her dark hair making sure that her eyes were covered and the knot was tied securely at the back of her head.

“A blind fold?” A wily smile lurked at the corners of her mouth. “Are you planning on putting me in front of a firing squad now?”

“Only one gun is going to be shooting at you, sugar.” He laughed. “It's a big one too, with plenty enough bullets to take care of you.” He was in front of her now. He ran his hands down the front of her shirt and then back up again, making her quiver. “And believe me, I hit my target every time.”

“As long as you don't fire too soon.” She teased him.

“Doesn't matter.” He chuckled. “I've got all night to reload.”

Grinning he picked her up, carried her to the freshly made bed and set her down in the middle. He would have dropped her but he didn't want to ruin the moment by hurting her ankle even more.

“You're certainly being a gentleman.” She turned her head slightly in his direction.

“I'm always gentle with a lady.” He made quick work of losing his tee shirt, throwing it halfway across the room before he climbed up on the bed and straddled her.

“I'm not exactly a lady, Sheppard.”

“I know.” He leaned over her and brushed his lips over hers. “But hurting your ankle again is not the way I intend to make you squeal.”

“Do you say that to all your women?” She laughed low and let out a little gasp when his fingers went to work on the buttons, slowly undoing them one by one.

“Just the ones like you.” He nearly lost his breath at every inch of warm tanned skin that was exposed as he unfastened the damn things. When the last button was undone, he slipped the shirt off her shoulders, revealing a pale blue lacy bra. He brushed his fingers across the swell of her breasts and then laid his palm flat against her chest, feeling the rapid beating of her heart.

“And what does that mean?” She shivered when he slid his fingers along the lacy trim until they touched the front hook. With practiced hands he undid the thing and tugged it off her shoulders then he put his hands on her waist, sliding his palms up her sides to cup her full breasts. With a groan he bent his head and clamped his lips around a rigid nipple.

She moaned in pleasure, stiffening a little and twining her fingers in his hair when he bit down gently.

She arched her back as his mouth went from one lush breast to the other, licking and sucking until she was gasping and shaking. Her hands reached up to grasp his wrists but he only laughed and pushed them away.

“The ones with secrets.” He sat up, nestling his weight against her, making sure that she could feel how hard he was. He put his hand flat on her belly, trailing his fingers over her skin, lightly tracing over her belly button and down to the top of her pants.

“Secrets?” She laughed but he heard the little tremble in her voice. “What secrets? I don't have any secrets.”

“Liar.” He slid his fingers into the waist band of her pants. He wriggled them back and forth, scraping his knuckles across her soft skin. “But I've got to admit, your secret is a pretty good one.”

“Sheppard, what the hell are you talking about?” She reached up and pushed the blind fold off her face, blinking up at him.

“Mmmm...” he shook his head slightly, making a tsk tsk sound. “You really shouldn't have done that.” He slipped his hands around her back, pulled her up and held her tight against his chest with one hand. With his free hand, he tugged the blindfold off and dangled it in front of her. Then he frowned slightly and tossed it on the floor beside the bed. “I think I want your hands free tonight.”

“Oh, you think that there's going to be another night?” She chided him.

“I know there will.” John smirked. “You've got enough toys in that little box under your bed to keep us busy for a long, long time.”