A/N
Okay, so as this story is classed as a lemon, before you read on I feel obliged to point out that this chapter contains descriptions of a sexually explicit nature (otherwise it wouldn't be a lemon, right?)  However, if you're reading this but you're not a fan of steamy scenes, then you might be in for a bit of a rough ride ~ no pun intended. Sorry!
To the rest of you who dig it....hope you enjoy, and bless your perverted little hearts for wanting to read on. xD

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"This is so unlike you Sif..."
Loki was saying now, his voice irritatingly calm considering her bold declaration and actions,
" ...since when have you ever been one for throwing caution to the wind, and disobeying orders?"

"Since having spent too much time with you trickster, you're a bad influence!"
She shot back, the playful smile tugging at her mouth was completely at odds with her serious tone.
She still had her arms around him, her palms placed firmly against his shoulder blades, as though she daren't let him go for fear of losing him.

"And what exactly do you propose we do about our....mutual, um, attraction? Given that circumstances aren't exactly in our favour. All would oppose such a union-"

"And this is so unlike you Loki.."
She interrupted, feeling somewhat disappointed that he'd suddenly decided to act responsibly. Had he grown a conscience overnight?
"...I thought you do what you want, with no concern for the consequences. Why are you reluctant to take a risk all of a sudden?"

Raising a pointed eyebrow at her, he eyed her steadily,
"Let's just say, it's all come as a bit of a shock. And being cautious isn't necessarily a bad thing;"

"There is no one more shocked than I, Loki. Do you think for one moment that I expected this to happen? Never would I have dared think it. And whilst you undoubtedly horrify me at times with your behaviour, you also continue to throw me into turmoil with unexpected acts of kindness. So why would you truly wish for me to leave, especially now?"

"Because I....I care for you..."
He admitted in a small voice, somewhat reluctantly,
"....it's not that I don't want you to remain here, of course I do. But keeping you against your will no longer sits easy with me. Which is why I disposed of the pendant."

His words simultaneously caused her stomach to flip, and her racing heart to skip a beat.
"And it is because I care for you also, that I'm choosing to stay..."
She exclaimed, her tone determined,
"...now for once, just shut up and kiss me. You talk far too much!"

For a split second his expression wasn't dissimilar to that of a deer caught in the headlights of a car. But his wide eyes shone as his gaping mouth quickly became a wide grin.
His large hands went to her lower back, pulling her into him as he lowered his head in order to meet her luscious lips.
Locked in a passionate yet gentle embrace, the electrifying affect his kiss caused reassured her that for once in her life she needed to live for the moment. She needed to be a woman first, rather than just a warrior. She needed to follow her heart and not her head...

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After having returned the boat to the dockside, the ever-sly trickster had the forethought to chant the runes, wielding his sorcery in order to cloak Sif from the detection of Heimdall's gaze.
But for once he had no ulterior motive, he merely wished to preserve Sif's modesty and reputation. Should the guardian of the Bifrost turn his eyes to the earth and see her walking arm-in-arm with his wicked self, no doubt the gate keepers heart would fail.

As they rounded the corner and approached the wharf they were both equally startled when they were met by Lorelei, standing idly outside the front entrance.
Halting in their tracks, Loki's arm instinctively tightened protectively around Sif's shoulder.

Surveying the pair contemptuously, she spoke with a malicious tone,
"Well if it isn't the star-crossed lovers....how endearing and pathetic-"

"What do you want,Lorelei?"
Sif cut in sharply,
"Whatever hold you have over Loki, I am prepared to fight for him!"

"Well aren't you just full of surprises, Sif? After years of pining after the mighty Thor, what has suddenly driven you into the arms of his disgraced younger brother?.."
She taunted, her voice syrupy-smooth and patronising,
"...is it a way of seeking revenge on Thor for rejecting you? Or a way of rebelling against Odin? Surely Loki is nothing other than an eccentric curiosity to you, and the risk that comes with his embrace must make a thrilling change after having lived such a mundane existence-"

"You know nothing, so do not attempt to make a mockery of us-"

"Oh, 'us' now is it?"
Lorelei interjected, causing Sif to fall silent.
"Such a united front....and what precisely are you? A couple? Because you cannot be, the Allfather will never permit it."

"Look, when I want your opinion Lorelei....oh no wait, I don't want it."
Loki chimed in, his tone firm but not threatening,
"But if and when I do want it, then I shall give it to you. Understand? For now, Sif and I are just going to...'be'..and leave it at that. Not that it's any of your business, but thank you for your concern."

"And what in the nine worlds is that supposed to mean?"
She persisted, edging nearer to him as he distractedly began unlocking the entrance door.

"It is what it is. We've yet to discuss any future plans, and for the moment we're just....forgetting about the rest."
He replied with a wry smile, and darted a poignant look at Sif, who couldn't help smiling back at him in return.

But Lorelei was not smiling; on the contrary her expression was thunderous.
If Loki noticed, then he certainly wasn't perturbed by it.
He just proceeded to hold the door ajar for Sif; who stepped inside, shooting Lorelei one last contemptuous look.

Just before Loki disappeared inside behind her, Lorelei gripped hold of his arm, and whispered into his ear,
"Have a care trickster, I'm willing to overlook you going off-script to a certain extent, but your rash actions are beginning to draw unwanted attention. So, have your fun with your shield maiden if you must, but do not mistake lust for emotions, and do not allow sentiment to cloud your judgement. You cannot afford to forget who you are!"

Promptly he pulled away from her, his jaw perceptibly tightening. But then he paused, allowing the full gravity of her warning to sink in. Nodding slowly, he watched her turn to walk away, before catching up with Sif on the stairs.

Curse Lorelei, she always did have the worst timing. She really had a knack for ruining the moment. He should've told her to stay the fuck out of his bubble.....for the time being at least.
He wouldn't allow her to darken his mood. Whatever was to happen, he might as well just enjoy whatever this thing was that had developed between himself and Sif whilst it lasted.
And by mutual agreement, neither of them were anxious to examine their feelings more closely at present. Th situation was far too complex to define their somewhat complicated, unorthodox relationship. So sitting down for a heart-to-heart wasn't an option. Not right now. That could wait for another day.

Once back inside the apartment, Loki immediately set about making a pot of hot tea and urged her to remove her wet clothing.
She couldn't resist shooting him a look, to which he rolled his eyes in response as he went into the kitchen area,
"It is not a feeble attempt to get you naked.."
He called over his shoulder,
"...that river is filthy, and I could feel you shivering as we walked back."

"Oh? Perhaps it was merely due to having your arm around me Loki, you make me shiver."
She half-joked, as there was undoubtedly an element of truth in what she said.

"Ah. Touché!"
He chortled, seemingly mistaking her flirtatious banter for sass.

She was about to speak again but faltered as he came out of the kitchen with the tea; his wet shirt was now open, exposing his toned torso, which still bore the scratch marks from where her fingernails had raked against his smooth skin.
Subconsciously she licked her lips and felt a sudden familiar heat begin to rise in her belly.

"Here drink this, it'll warm you."
He handed her one of the cups, and she had to resist the urge to inform him that she didn't need a hot drink to warm her up....the sight of his abdominal muscles, etched like sculptured marble, set her aflame.

She brought the cup to her lips but was too distracted to take a sip, as she watched him peeling his wet clothes off.
The shirt was one thing, but when he swiftly unbuckled his belt and began to remove his trousers, she had to suppress a gasp.

What on earth was wrong with her?
It wasn't as if she'd never seen him semi-naked before. So why the sight of him in his black, snug-fitting underwear made her swoon like an adolescent, was totally beyond her. She was after all, a grown woman. A fierce warrior. Not a schoolgirl.
But oh, sweet Niflheim ...he was a sight to behold.

"I'm going to jump in the shower....figuratively speaking that is, unless you'd rather go first, you being a lady and all that?"
He was saying now as he swooped down to retrieve his discarded clothing, whilst inadvertently affording her a good view of his glorious behind.

"Umm, that is a gentlemanly offer Loki....however, I would rather choose a far less lady-like option.."
She teased, unable to resist the maddening temptation,
"...such as maybe, showering together."

His head snapped up so quickly for a moment she worried he might've given himself whiplash, a slow smile spreading across his handsome face.
She held his gaze and saw his expression change, hie smile fading.
"You're being serious?"
He sounded almost shocked, which was comical to hear.
A verbal response was not required though, as he took in the longing look now visible in her beautiful brown eyes.
Hot damn. She wasn't speaking in jest.

But then she lost her nerve. She wasn't that brazen. As much as she craved the sight of him naked, she wasn't completely comfortable with exposing her own body again. It made her feel vulnerable.
Smiling gently, she quickly back-tracked
"I'm toying with you, Loki."
She lied grossly.

He raised his dark brows and looked slightly disappointed for a brief moment,
"Tease! For a moment there I thought you were offering to share the shower as a way of initiating make-up sex..."
He grinned, and headed for the stairs,
"...now my hopes are dashed, I'll leave you to finish your tea, you saucy minx!"

Chuckling at his response and still wrapped in the foil blanket, she took a seat at the table.
She sat for several minutes drinking her tea, whilst attempting to flip through the newspaper but she was too distracted by the thought of him upstairs...showering. Showering that body.
The body which she was yet still to see in all its disrobed-glory.

Whatever had gotten into her both excited and appalled her in equal measures. She had never felt such maddening desire for anyone before.
Her two previous love affairs had been borderline disastrous.
Her first lover Tyr, was a captain of the Einherjar warriors. His first love had always been battle.
Then there was Holdur, the only other lover she'd ever had. He had betrayed her, spurning  her affections in favour of Lorelei.

After suffering that pain and humiliation, she'd chosen to live a life of celibacy, which did not bother her, due to her firm belief that sex was seriously overrated.
But now thanks to her dalliance with Loki, she felt like an absolute fool for having believed that all men were alike in prowess.
Unlike Holdur and Tyr, he had made her feel alive. Coupling with him had been, for want of a better phrase, a life changing experience.

Perhaps it was merely due to the tension that had been simmering between them, and when they'd given into their primal urges it had reached boiling point. Surely now they'd got it out of their system, it wasn't possible to recapture feelings as intense as that, was it?

There was only one way to find out if the chemistry between them had the capacity to extend beyond just one passionate encounter.
Being a warrior meant having to be bold, and at the risk of feeling like a wanton harlot, she forced her doubts aside and rose decisively to her feet and began making her way up the stairs, shedding her clothes as she went.

Boldly she approached the door to the wet room, grasping the handle with shaking hands, and bravely stepped inside.
The sound of the water bouncing off the tiles did not prevent him from hearing her enter.
He turned, clearly stunned by her sudden presence, but in spite of her nerves and embarrassment she did not miss the way he gaped openly at the sight of her nude form before him. And she saw his expression of disbelief quickly transforming to lust.

Likewise, her own eyes drunk in the spectacular sight of his nakedness, of him all glistening and wet. The water bounced off his gleaming body, sending up small rainbows in the mist.
Chewing on her lower lip as her eyes wandered over his impressive physique, she felt the weight of his intense gaze on her too, which was surprisingly arousing.

Moving slowly and silently she approached him, the hot water streaming onto her.
His dark wet lashes flickered shut as she glided her hands over his soap-slicked shoulders and pressed herself to him, forcing their bodies closer.
He felt the soft push of her wet breasts against his chest, and the breath caught in his throat.
Gods, how was it she had the ability to stir such raging desire within him?

Their arms tightly encircled each other's bodies as the water cascaded over them like a curtain of warm rain. She could feel his shaft hardening against her thigh, which caused her own arousal to deepen.
He lowered his head to kiss her and she clung to him as her mouth pressed against his. As he parted his lips, she darted her tongue inside, eager to taste the sweetness of him. He tasted as delectable as he looked and smelt. Which was an intoxicating combination.
Mouths tightening, tongues twining, she was completely lost in the moment. Revelling in the dual erotic sensations caused by their intimate embrace and the steam-filled wet, warm, confines of the room.

Similarly, Loki felt as if he was being swept away on a tidal wave of pleasure, Lorelei's words resounding in his head;
         "Do not mistake lust for emotions..."
And yes, he was drowning in his own lust, though he desperately tried to swim against the tide because he knew deep down there was more to it than just mere lust...but damn, what a way to go.

Fighting against the temptation to ravage her on the spot, for fear of becoming a slave to his carnal urges, he attempted to show some self-restraint. Unsure of whether he wanted to prove to her or himself that he still possessed a fraction of self control, he prompted her to turn around so she was facing away from him, then sliding his soapy hands up and over her back, he began squeezing and massaging the muscles of her slender shoulders and neck.

Oblivious to the inner-battle that was raging within him, Sif closed her eyes, her head lolling back as she leaned into his sensual touch, the slippery feel of wet skin-on-skin contact caused her passions to heighten further still, now reaching fever-pitch.

As he pushed his long fingers through her soaked hair, tracing circles on her scalp, he cast his glittering eyes downwards and saw the delicate nub of her nipples hardening.
No longer able to resist gliding a large hand over the swell of her breast, he was more than aware of how the innocent intention of getting clean; soaping and massaging her, was quickly escalating to intimate touching.
So much for remaining in control.

She may have stopped breathing, because she could no longer feel anything but his sweet caresses. The fever burned, starting in her stomach then spreading down to her loins. And as his other hand slowly glided in that direction, causing tingling down her spine, she willed his hand to keep roaming further downwards...until...

"Oh...Gods!"
She gasped, almost jumping out of her own skin, unable to suppress the intensity of what she felt as his deft fingers met with their most intimate target.

Stroking and rubbing her for a few moments before carefully dipping inside, his touch was unlike that of her former lovers.
He was skilled. His impressive technique was gentle but firm, not rough, hurried and clumsy. He was certainly no novice, and it didn't take long before she felt the familiar delicious pleasure mounting within her, causing her to rock her pelvis back and forth eagerly, desperate for release.

His hot mouth placed slow, gentle kisses along the back of her neck, whilst his other hand simultaneously caressed her breasts.
She was on fire, completely at his mercy as he continued his tantalising assault on her erogenous senses. She felt the sensitive pressure building, reaching almost breaking point, and she bit her bottom lip hard in an attempt to stifle a moan.

Suddenly his lips were against her ear, kissing as he whispered,
"Don't do that! Let me hear you, I want to hear you come undone."
No sooner had the words left his mouth when her climax suddenly ripped through her tingling body, letting out a strangled cry as she thought she might shatter into a million pieces.
The corner of his mouth curled into a sinful smile,
"That's my girl."
He rasped, his voice dripping with satisfaction.

For a moment she wanted to kill him for his smugness. There was no doubt the sexual power he had over her was masterful, and she needed to know if she was able to have the same earth-shattering effect on him.

Reaching behind her she took hold of him firmly, causing him to surge against her, growling into her shoulder as sparks shot through his body.
He was hot and hard, and as she began to move her wrist back and forth rhythmically, his erection throbbed against her palm, stirring her amorous craving for him once more.
"Oh how I want you Loki..."
She breathed, whilst continuing to work him in her hand, rendering him almost incapacitated,
"....take me."

Needing no persuading and barely able to contain his ardent passion, he shifted her hips and positioned himself behind her.
Instinctively she arched her pelvis backwards, parting her thighs by means of an invitation and standing on tip-toes whilst resting her hands against the tiled wall in order to balance herself. 
Whimpering at the sensation of him ranking his groin against the smooth mounds of her buttocks, she braced herself for his imminent penetration.
Clasping his large hands over her own, she felt the head of his length probing at her slick entrance....before finally, after what felt like an agonising eternity......he slid himself into her inch by inch, like an eel into oil.

A breathless moan escaped her lips and when she was sure he was as deeply implanted as the upright angle of their bodies would allow, she began to grind herself against him, urging his pelvis to move in a tight circle, matching the rhythm of her rotation.

"Oh, fuck!"
Not knowing if he'd thought or said the words, he forced their bodies even closer, pushing into her deeper.

Encouraged by his excitable outburst, she allowed herself to completely let go.
He felt so utterly divine, she could no longer refrain from expressing her feelings vocally;
"Ohh, Loki...Loki....Loki....."
She begged with ragged breath, as if his name was the only thing she was capable of uttering,
"...don't stop...y-you feel so...."
She wasn't able to finish her sentence, as the inimitable sweetness began again, the onset of the height of all pleasures.

But she did not have to, he sensed what she had tried to say, because he felt it too and willingly obliged her in reciprocating her expression of honest, pleasurable appreciation.
"Oh gods Sif....you feel so fucking good."
He growled huskily, his pace quickening and motion changing.

Now altering her circular rhythm to his pumping rhythm, she rocked her hips, moving back and forth to match his thrusts. His strong arms were either side of her, pinning her in place, trapping her between the wall and his slippery chest. Impaling her.
Turning her face to the side, feeling the coolness of the tiles against her flushed cheek, she could barely catch her breath due to the sensuous cascade of water, warm mist and his relentless thrusting.

Their panting and inarticulate moaning was drowned out slightly by the constant flow of the water hitting the stone, coupled with the sound of their wet skin slapping together lusciously.
It was then that through the shrouds of steam, she caught sight of their reflection in the mirror; adding to the sensory overload.
She'd never felt so exposed, and erotic, being able to see his actions, as well as feel them.....
...Push... retract... push... retract... push...

She yelped, working up to another orgasm. Nearing...nearing....as he ploughed into her faster, harder, jerking forward....jerking backward.

By the Norns she had been an utter fool to doubt that any further lovemaking between them wouldn't be as passionate as their first encounter.

The chemistry between them was unmistakable, she could feel it like static electricity crackling around them and she sensed that he felt it also, as their bodies moved together in perfect sync; like two parts of well-oiled machinery that had been made to conjoin, moving as one, gaining momentum as the sweet friction escalated and sparks flew and danced before her eyes each time they edged further towards ecstasy.

She watched the muscles of his lean legs tense and his perfect buttocks clench with each movement. Feeling the contraction as he drove himself into her, hitting just the right spot once again to send her into sweet oblivion.
Her moans turned into cries of euphoria as the surging heat that had been building deep within, erupted. Exploding outwards like a tsunami.
Her entire body shuddered, the sensation almost too much for her to bear.
Pleasure coursed through her veins, and she saw bright dots of light despite her eyes being tightly closed. She was so overwhelmed, it felt as though her heart and soul were being ripped wide open.

Holding her writhing body firmly against the wall so that she couldn't escape the pleasure. So that she couldn't escape him, the irresistible quivering wetness that sheathed him sent Loki hurtling passed the limits of his endurance.
Convulsing with the intensity of his own release, the pulsing almost tore him in two.
His whole body spasmed and shook with the ferocity of it, his muscles turning to jelly as he came inside her; and she trembled against him as she felt the liquid heat surge through her throbbing core. 

Hearts pounding, their breathing slowly steadied as he involuntarily sagged against her. Similarly, her legs were shaking uncontrollably
"Holy shit, Sif....What the fuck was that? Have you any idea what you do to me?"
He gasped weakly, his endorphin-fuelled mind unable to prevent the words from leaving his mouth.

"I doubt there are words enough to define it, but rest assured you have the same effect on me, Loki..."
She responded quietly, barely coherent,
"....and gods help me, I love it."

"And I love you."
He replied drowsily, without thought or hesitation.

But then the penny dropped, it was a somewhat slow and long descent, but it dropped.

Wait, what?! What the hell had he just said?
Oh dear.
What on earth was happening to him?