She found him in the war room that night, right where she had expected him to be. He leaned over the table, his fists resting on the surface, as he stared at the map. She wondered if he was attempting to will a victory just by thinking of it hard enough. He always seemed to get this way when a large force of his soldiers was deployed. She couldn’t imagine anyone being able to care more.
He didn’t notice her at first, such was the dedication of his focus. It was a perfect, quiet moment. Her eyes traced the lines of his tired face and she smiled secretively to herself. She had kissed the corner of that mouth so many times now, and each time it felt different. Then, seemingly without reason, he looked up and directly at her. The spell broke, and something thrummed within her chest as their eyes met.
She shut the door and rested against it, both of her hands behind her back as though she held something secret there. He straightened and stepped back from the table, the serious focus of his gaze sharpening as it moved over her shape. She felt his stare intensely enough that he might has well have actually been touching her, and she could feel heat rising to her cheeks.
“Inquisitor,” he said, as always formal until she indicated it was time to be otherwise. She could feel her lips curving into a teasing, catlike smile and she saw his pause in reaction, the question forming in his eyes. His voice was deeper and more husky when he spoke again, “How can I help?”
She moved away from the door, to the opposite side of the table from him. “Nothing official, Commander,” she said as her fingertips traced the the edge of the table and she slowly, and languidly, began to move towards his side. “I did wonder if it wasn’t time for you to take a moment to breathe, however.” she reached him, but she didn’t get too near. She stood just behind his shoulder, so that he had to turn his head to look at her.
“Inquisitor, if anything takes my breath away—” he stopped speaking and look down, “Maker, I’m not good at this.” his hand touched the pommel of his sword thoughtfully, then he turned to face her. He bent his head toward hers so that their brows were inches from touching. She watched a slow smile transform his face. He looked rueful, yet not much less serious than before. “You’d think I’d have gotten used to being around you this way, to teasing, by now…but—”
She closed the distance between them silently and considered how much she loved that she could see his mind working behind his eyes as they searched her face. He was so open, so earnest, and suddenly vulnerable enough to make her heart ache. She wanted to comfort him, to run her hands through his hair and kiss each part of his face. Instead, she just barely brushed her lips against his ear and whispered, “Cullen, I never need you to tell me. I want you to show me.”
His head drew back just slightly, just enough for him to study her face again. She nodded with another teasing smile. “Here and now, Cullen. I’ll only keep teasing until you do.”
To illustrate her point, she reached up and ran a hand through his hair, and touched her lips softly to his jaw line. The scent of him! She wanted to tremble and wrap her arms around him, to let him hold her. Instead, she continued to silently brush her lips against his chin and then his neck. She felt his shaky exhale, and smiled coyly when she looked up at him.
He moved when she least expected him to. His hands were around her wrists before she even felt them lift from his sides, and she was pushed back, against the wall. Then he lifted her hands above her head and held them there. His other hand moved to her thigh, and pulled her up. She was suspended, all of her weight supported by him. Vibrations raced along her spine. He kissed her, a fierce and furious longing in the touch. She sighed into the kiss, and it transformed briefly into something gentle and aching before his lips left hers.
“You’re sure?” he asked, his voice husky, his gaze still searching hers, now more intensity than ever. “Right here?”
“Quite sure, Commander,” she murmured. She tried to kiss him again, but he stopped her by renewing his grip on her wrists and lifting her up higher against the wall. His expression was determined suddenly, but she could still make out a ferocious joy behind his eyes.
“In that case…my love,” he paused and grinned, drawing her attention to the little scar above his lip. It was torturous being unable to nibble on that scar in response. “It’s my turn to tease you for a while.”
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I will make sure to side with the mages so I can get his extra quest.
