Sitting on the beach, River closed her eyes and just absorbed the sensations surrounding her: the feel of the sand between the toes; the caress of the gentle breeze across her face and bare shoulders; the taste of salt from the sea in the air; the sound of the waves gently lapping against the shore.

And there was a different set of sensations to feel: emotional ones. She felt Inara and the Captain enjoying their newly acknowledged relationship; Kaylee and her brother completely absorbed in one another; Zoe and Wash appreciating the chance of a second honeymoon; and Jayne, who was feeling a tangle of emotions.

River felt waves of excitement and anticipation radiating off the ship’s Merc, as well as feelings of fear and regret. She knew deep down that he was scared of not living up to her expectations, of letting her down. But she also knew that that wasn’t possible. These romantic feelings they had for each other were so new and exciting, any touch would be extremely pleasurable.

Walking slowly down the beach with a blanket in his hands, Jayne approached his girl. Ai ya, she looked so beautiful with the moonlight bathing her in a soft glow.

River felt shivers go through her as her man approached. She criss-crossed her arms, running her hands up and down her arms.

“Ya cold, baby girl?” he asked, wrapping the blanket around her shoulders.

River turned and shook her head. Smiling at her soon-to-be lover she said, “Come sit with me.”

A smiled played around Jayne’s lips. “S’ what I was planning,” he answered, settling down behind her, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her back against his chest.

“Mmmm, this feels so good,” she murmured, snuggling into his embrace.

“Sure does. An’ we ain’t got nothin’ ta distract us.” He nuzzled her hair.

They sat together in silence, just enjoying the closeness of each other.

River shivered again.

“River,” he growled, “Ya are cold.”

“I’m not. Just sitting here with you….” she stopped and flushed.

“I’m listenin’, bao-bei.”

“Just sitting so close like this, gives me chills.”

Jayne grinned. “Chills, huh?”

“Uh huh.”

“Good chills?”

River nodded.

“Ya want some more?”

River nodded again.

Jayne moved the blanket and brushed the hair from her neck. He planted soft, open-mouth kisses against her neck. He felt her sigh with pleasure.

Turning in his arms River slid an arm around his neck, pulling his lips to hers.

Jayne responded hungrily, letting the blanket slip to the ground before holding her close.

River gasped as his hands slipped beneath her loose fitting top. The feel of his capable hands caressing her tender skin made her tremble in anticipation.

Jayne pulled back. “Ya want me ta stop, bao-bei?” he asked, concern in his eyes.

River shook her head, tugging him close against her body, kissing him with every ounce of passion in she had.

“Slow down, Darlin’,” he whispered as she nuzzled his neck.

Pulling back, she stroked his cheek, whispering, “I thought this was what you wanted.”

“It is, River Darlin’, it is,” he growled.

“Then why?”

“I wanna be sure this is what ya really want.”

“I do, Jayne. I want you to be my first lover.”

“First lover, huh?” he repeated with a grin slowly spreading across his handsome face.

River nodded. “You will teach me well. You have the most experience on the boat, apart from Inara.”

Jayne leant back and laughed. It was a deep belly laugh, full of joy and amusement. It made River grin from ear to ear to think it was she who was making him so happy. “Ya not wrong there, River girl,” he said, then stoked her cheek seriously. “Is that the only reason ya picked me?”

River shook her head. “Only suitable mate on the boat. Captain Daddy is taken, as is Wash, Book is celibate and Simon is my brother.”

“Well, when ya put it like that…” Jayne slid River into his lap, and kissed her tenderly.

Running her hands over the muscles of his arms and back, she eased his t-shirt off.

“Hey, no fair. Can’t do the same ta you.” Jayne whispered, nuzzling her neck.

“Sex me, Jayne. Right here, right now.”

Jayne looked into her eyes and saw her was serious. He pressed a soft kiss to her lips and slipped her top off, shielding her body from prying eyes with his own.

River, in her lack of experience, pressed her body as close to his as possible, tantalisingly brushing her breasts against his chest, and rocking her hips against his suddenly too tight pants.

Jayne stilled her over-eager movements with the touch of his hands on her hips.

“If’n ya want this ta last more’n a few seconds, ya better let me show ya what ta do.”

River nodded as she lifted her eyes to his, filled with all the passion she felt for him.

Jayne slowly ran his hands down her thighs, pulling her legs round his waist. Smiling, he heard her gasp as she felt the bulge in his pants press against her panties.

He teased his fingers up and down her back and arms. She trembled in anticipation.

“Now, you do the same to me,” Jayne suggested.

River tentatively ran her fingers along the bulging muscles of his arms, over his shoulders and down his back to his trim waist.

Jayne groaned at River’s tender touch, and his response encouraged her to explore some more. Running her hand up his back, she delved her fingers into his hair, pulling his lips to hers.

With her arms raised, her deliciously rounding breasts were just begging him to caress them. He grazed his fingers lightly across her tender nipples, teasing them round and under her exquisitely soft skin.

River moved her hands to cup his stubbled cheeks as they explored each others mouths with their tongues.

Jayne continued caressing her breasts with the tender touch of his fingers.

River gently pushed him away, her fingers resting against his bare chest.

Brown eyes looked into blue, breathing slowed a little, but then Jayne bent his head and began to plant kisses from her ear, down her neck to her breasts, still tingling from the ministrations of his expert fingers.

River tried to catch her breath as waves of exquisite pleasure flowed through her body. The feel of his lips and tongue as they teased, licked and sucked on her breasts and nipples was something she had never felt before. But when he moved his fingers down her belly, undoing her sarong, teasing the skin at the edge of her panties then gently brushing across the soft cotton covering her core, she couldn’t understand why her hips rose to meet these tender touches.

“Ya want me ta touch ya there?” Jayne whispered in her ear.

“Uh huh,” River nodded, a blush rising on her cheeks.

He moved his fingers back across her panties. She couldn’t stop herself from lifting her body towards his again.

“What d’ya want me ta do?” he asked.

“More,” she moaned, “I don’t know. I just want more.”

Jayne grinned as he pressed more firmly against her panties.

River moaned sexily against his mouth as they kissed.

Jayne moved his fingers up and slipped them inside her panties. She gasped as he pressed against her core.

“Ya want more?” he asked.

She nodded.

He moved his fingers along the elastic at the top and slid her panties down her hips. River lifted her hips so Jayne could slip them all the way down, then stood and stepped out of them.

Jayne ran his hands around her waist, resting them in the small of her back. He kissed her belly button and then slowly pressed kisses all the way down till he reached her clit. As he breathed against her most tender spot, she felt ripples of pleasure pooling between her legs before his lips even touched her there.

“Ya ready, baby girl?”

River bit her lower lip and nodded. Jayne grinned and pressed a soft kiss quickly to her lips, then he settled back down between her legs, nuzzling her before running his tongue along her clit.

Jayne felt her spasm, and just breathed against her whilst she groaned in pleasure. Then he delved his tongue inside her, savouring the taste of her. He expertly moved his tongue, sending her into wave after wave of pleasure.

River moaned his name as she shivered through each climax.

Jayne held her close as she rested against his chest and caught her breath.

River giggled as she felt the bulge still pressing through his pants into her side. “You need some release too,” she smiled at Jayne.

“Don’t ya worry ‘bout me, baby girl,” he whispered, “Tonight it’s all ‘bout you.”

“Thank you, Jayne,” River pressed a soft kiss to his lips, “But you won’t get any sleep with all that tension,” she teased, a blush creeping up her cheeks.

Jayne ran a finger under her chin, gently lifting her gaze until her eyes met his. “What ya suggestin’?” he asked, his eyebrow raised.

“I want you inside me,” she whispered.

“Ya sure?” he asked, unable to keep a grin from sneaking around his lips.

She nodded. “And I’m sure I couldn’t sleep with this digging into my side all night long,” she teased, brushing her hand against his John Thomas.

“Why you….” Jayne started.

“Yes, Jayne? What am I?”

Jayne breathed deep, and answered, “My Darlin’ girl.”

River hands moved to his waist, undoing his belt and loosening the fastenings of his pants. Eager with anticipation, her hands shook as tried to help him take off his pants.

“Let me,” he whispered, guiding her hands with his, slipping his pants off and leaving him standing in his boxers. “Lie back,” he told her, easing her back onto the sarong that she had been wearing.

Easing her legs apart, he lowered himself between her legs, keeping his weight off her by leaning on his elbows. They began kissing again passionately.

Jayne eased his hand between her legs. “Are ya ready?” he asked.

“Mmm huh,” she nodded, her hands reaching down to help him out of his boxers.

Jayne eased himself inside her as gently as he could. River gasped as her body got used to him inside her.

Jayne pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. “Ya okay, baby girl?”

She nodded.

“I’m gonna move now. Tell me if I hurt ya. ‘M gonna try ta be gentle.”

As he pulled in and out, he could feel the pleasure rising in her, and the muscles relaxing and contracting as the waves of orgasm rippled through her. Jayne rode the waves with her until the last one pulled him crashing over the edge with her.

Jayne collapsed by River’s side, resting his head on her shoulder as they both caught their breath.

River began to giggle and Jayne, unable to contain his joy at finally sexing this beautiful woman, laughed along with her.

“Wo ai lian ni, honey,” whispered Jayne into her ear. “Ya ma woman now, an’ no one, not even the Captain or Simon, can keep us apart.”

River cupped her hands round his face and looked deep into his clear blue eyes. “Wo ai lian ni, bao-bei!” she whispered back, her brown eyes glowing with happiness as she kissed him. “And no power in the ‘verse can stop us.”