A Candle in the Darkness (A Dragon Age: Inquisition fanfiction)

Well Played

7 Drakonis, 9:42

"Commander, I believe it's your move."

She was purring at him again, her voice sliding over the syllables of his title. Which made it very difficult to think, much less to predict her next move. "Yes, I know it is. Don't rush me."

"I'm just pointing out that it's been your move for the last five minutes."

"I'm sorry, is there some hurry that I'm not aware of?" The garden was practically empty, the last golden rays of sunlight streaming across it, most of Skyhold just finishing dinner. The evening stretched out before them, and Cullen intended to make the most of it.

"I just worry that if it takes you this long to make a move, you might make a mistake."

"Hasty moves are more likely to be mistakes," he pointed out, moving a piece.

Antonia moved one of her own almost instantly, and Cullen frowned at the board.

"What are you thinking?" And then, as he realized the tricky situation coming up in another couple of moves if he chose the obvious path, "Oh. That's what. You're really too good at this."

He avoided the trap and moved a different piece, and she sat forward, studying the board.

"Are you ready for your trip to the Storm Coast?" he asked.

"Yes."

"I worry about you; this Qunari alliance sounds too good to be true. Have you considered the possibility that it's a trap?"

"I think it's your job to be worried." She smiled at him. "And the Iron Bull seems okay with it. I'm trusting that if it's a trap, he'll know before I do."

"For what it's worth, I don't worry about you professionally. Just personally."

"I know." She moved a piece, capturing one of his that he hadn't even realized was in jeopardy, and Cullen groaned.

"Did you really have to do that?"

"I am so sorry." She laid her fingers on the back of his hand, the fingertips drawing little patterns there.

Cullen shivered in response, turning his hand over to catch those wicked little fingers and stop them in their tracks. "That's cheating."

"Only if it distracts you. Is it distracting you?" she asked in wide-eyed innocence, knowing perfectly well that it was.

"It's going to make me take longer. Is that the goal?" he asked with exaggerated patience.

Antonia disentangled her fingers from his, running them instead along the edge of her collar, along the slender white throat that he loved to kiss, and lick, and suck on, and bite ...

"Maker's breath, woman."

"What? I was just thinking it's awfully warm out here." It wasn't. "And how glad I am that I don't have anything on under this jacket."

Cullen shifted in his chair, that particular bit of information making his pants begin to feel uncomfortably tight. He moved a piece and instantly regretted the decision.

Antonia's eyes glowed in triumph as she captured the piece. Leaning back in her chair, she unbuttoned the top button of her collar, looking at him with heavy-lidded eyes.

All he could think of was how much he wanted to drag her out of that chair and undo each and every button until her beautiful breasts were bare for him. Cullen closed his eyes, drawing on all his control, and opening them again, focused on the board. He moved another piece, this one a better choice, and Antonia raised her eyebrows.