Fic: Spinning Silk, K/L, AU, R, very mild BDSM

[lanalucy]

Belongs in the same verse as Paid in Full.

Many fervent thanks to newnumbertwo and laura_mayfair for their beta and friendship.

“Kara, have you seen my -” Lee stopped in the bedroom doorway. Kara was curled up on the bed, clad only in one of his dress shirts, with the skinny end of one of his ties wrapped around her wrist. She was soft with sleep, the tiniest suggestion of a smile on her lips. He watched her for a few minutes, thoughts spinning through his head, and he made a mental note to buy some extra shirts and ties. A deep burgundy would look good on her. Emerald. Did they make men’s shirts in emerald? Shopping wasn’t one of his favorite things, but if he got to imagine how each shirt would look on Kara, he’d make time for it.

He stepped away, padding back down the hall to his office. He found the file he’d forgotten that morning, and with a lighter step, left the house, locking the door as silently as possible.

No wonder his shirts always took longer at the cleaners when he left the chore for Kara.

When he brought the new shirts and ties home, he left them in the front hallway. At dinner, he said, “Hey, I bought some new shirts and ties today. Would you mind dropping the shirts at the cleaners for me?”

“Sure. Special occasion? You hate shopping.” She speared a large mouthful of green beans.

“Nah. Just decided to add more color to my wardrobe. Make my days less boring.”

He wasn’t surprised when those shirts were back within a couple of days. He made sure to wear new shirts every day the week after, and was equally unsurprised when it took nearly a week to get them cleaned. He’d been testing a theory: Kara wore the shirts only after he’d worn them. He wasn’t sure what the appeal was of wearing a shirt after he’d sweated all day in it, but if it made her happy, he was perfectly willing to play along. And buy more shirts.

It took him a month to work up to using a tie in bed, and the first time, he couldn’t make himself tie her wrist - just one, in case he was wrong - until after she was asleep. He kissed her awake.

She moved her arm, and her wrist jerked when she got too far from the headboard. She looked up, looked back at him. “Lee?”

Her eyes were wide, pupils taking over the gorgeous green-gold color he loved. He whispered. “I wanted to try something new, but I wasn’t sure if you would like it.”

She was all but panting, her chest rising and falling rapidly. She didn’t say anything, though, just stared at him wide-eyed, and he tried to backtrack. He reached for the knot on her wrist as he said, “Sorry. It was just -”

“Lee,” she rasped. She waited until he was looking at her. “Tie the other one.”

Oh.

He started to get up and Kara stopped him. “Check my drawer.”

He reached over, pulled the nightstand drawer open, and next to all the regular nightstand things, there were several of his old ties, neatly rolled in the corner. Gods. How long had she been hiding this part of herself? Why? He shoved the questions aside for later, grabbed a tie, and made quick work of knotting it around her other wrist.

She yanked at them when he was done. She didn’t quite whimper, but her lips parted and she wrapped her legs around his body, pulling him closer. “Need you now, Lee. Gods. Now.”

There hadn’t been any foreplay. She’d been asleep, after all. But when he pulled her panties off, he had to drop his head to her chest and get control of himself. Sweet Lords of Kobol, she was wet. When he felt like he could speak without embarrassing himself, he told her, “You and I are going to have a serious talk about the things that turn us on.” A slow smile lit up her face, and he was gone again. “Later. We’re going to talk about that much later.”

He raised her leg against his hip and slid in. Every place their skin touched, he felt like he was on fire. He kissed her mouth, her jaw, her ear. “I promise, I’ll make it up to you, Kara. I’m not gonna last.”

A chuckle rumbled in her chest, then she gasped. “It’s okay, Lee. Neither am I.”

He tried to watch - he was fascinated by the way she pulled at the ties, her biceps curling into bulges under her silky skin. Every time she did that, her eyes got a little bit blacker. He could practically see her arousal increasing by the second.

She whimpered, “Lee, Lee,” and the energy he’d felt coiling up inside him spread out from his middle in an almost painful wave of sensation.

He collapsed onto her, then tried to slide over to his side. Kara clamped her legs around him. “No. I love the way you feel right after. Let me hold you.”

He nuzzled his nose into her neck and relaxed. Even though she was the one tied up, it was oddly like giving her control. He wondered what that might really feel like.

Time warped in that strange way it does; hours or seconds later, she rubbed her thigh on his hip and kissed the corner of his mouth. “I love you, you know.”

He froze. She’d never said it. Not that he said it often, because it always seemed to make her uncomfortable, but when he had, she’d never said the words to him. Something deep inside him cracked open, and he kissed her tenderly, carefully. He’d never doubted that she loved him, yet it was a little scary how much of himself he’d been subconsciously holding in check, waiting for the words.

“I love you, too. I don’t think I knew how much until now.”

She tilted her chin up and gave him a peck on the tip of his nose, then an odd smile. “How about you untie me now. I want waffles.”

He pulled his head back and stared at her, then laughed. “I’m never going to figure you out, am I?”

She shrugged. “You’ve got the rest of our lives to try.”

His mouth hung open for a moment. “Is that a proposal?”

For a split-second, the mask was back, the one she’d been wearing when he’d first met her, so he cradled her face in his hands, and added, “If it is, I’m saying yes.” He kissed her again, and when he opened his eyes, her lashes were spiky with unshed tears. Her lips trembled when she smiled. He reached to untie her wrists, kissing each one in turn. “Waffles, you said?”

Kara laughed and nodded. “Waffles.” He walked toward the bedroom door, and she said, “Wear an apron. Don’t want you damaging anything...important.”

He grinned over his shoulder. “So you’re marrying me for my body?”

“I am. If you get fat, I’m leaving you.”

“Guess I’ll have to get plenty of exercise, then, huh?”

Kara giggled. “Gods. I hope so. I look forward to spotting you. As often as possible.”