So, I used Melanie Shepard from Long Way Home, Home Life, and Taste for this story because there were elements of her relationship with Liara that I thought would work well here and I haven't written her in a while. Despite that, this story is non-cannonical with those other ones. Among other things, this is because Sam is actually with Jack in this time frame but is unattached here. For those who haven't read those stories, don't worry, the only thing you need to know is that Shepard and Liara didn't get together until ME3.

"Are you sure you're okay with this, my love?"

As she asked the question, Melanie Shepard ran her hand along the back of Liara's neck. The muscles there were hard beneath her touch and she rubbed them with her fingers, trying to ease whatever tension it was that her bondmate was feeling.

Liara leaned over, planting a kiss on the tan skin of her wife's cheek. "You are sweet to worry over me, Melanie, but there is no need. It was my idea that we experiment with a third person, not yours."

"That doesn't mean you can't be having second thoughts or be worried about who we asked to join us." She moved her hand up Liara's neck to the base of her crest, and started stroking the sensitive ridges there. A low purr escaped the asari's lips, and Shepard continued, "You know that nothing we do tonight will change how I feel about you, right? You're the one I picked, not her. You're the only person I want to spend my life with."

"I know." Liara arched her neck with pleasure as Shepard's hand made its way up her crest, lovingly tracing all of the sensitive folds there that her bondmate knew so well. "There is nothing I have ever been more sure of in my life than our love for each other. This is an opportunity for us to enjoy some variety and allow the three of us to explore some roads not taken, not a threat to our relationship."

Shepard released Liara's crest and took the archeologist into her arms, kissing the blue lips that she loved so well. The asari moaned into her mouth, clearly aroused, and Melanie felt her own desire building right alongside her wife's, only the thought of their guest arriving giving her the strength to stop. "One question, though," she asked, reluctantly ending the kiss, "If it's not second thoughts, what exactly are you worried about then?"

Liara blushed slightly, her face turning a darker shade of blue. "It is only, I've never been with anyone but you before. I'm a little bit nervous about my performance." She had some fairly specific thoughts in mind about what she wanted to do with their guest, and she was concerned that she'd wouldn't quite know how to do it right.

Shepard smiled reassuringly. "You were great our first time, and you didn't have any experience at all then. Just go with your instincts and it should be fine. Besides," she added with a laugh, "You're so hot that I'm sure we'll be too distracted to notice any mistakes you make."

"Flatterer." Liara grinned. Melanie always knew how to make her feel better.

The commander's smile broadened. "I try."

Liara kissed the tip of Shepard's nose. "You succeed."

Samantha Traynor took a deep breath, collecting her thoughts before ringing the doorbell. Honestly, she was still having a hard time believing that this was actually going to happen. She'd had the strongest crush on Shepard back when she served under her on the Normandy. The commander possessed this mix of beauty and strength that she found absolutely intoxicating, and for a while, she'd thought Shepard might be interested in her as well. It was not to be. Shepard had been kind to her, but she'd also brushed off Sam's advances and picked Liara instead, leaving the specialist resigned to the fact that her crush was destined to remain unrequited.

Afterward, when the war was won and the crew of the Normandy went their separate ways, Samantha found herself back on earth helping to rebuild. In time, she got a job running a successful communications company, made new friends, and built a new life for herself. Still, the bonds forged in war were not easily broken, and she'd stayed in touch with many of her former comrades in arms.

Given that Shepard and Liara as well as Garrus and Tali had all settled down on the reestablished colony world of Sanves, Sam had decided that she should really pay them a visit, and it was in the planning stages for that trip that things had gotten interesting. When she first wrote Shepard, her old commander had immediately been receptive to Sam coming and staying with her, but just how receptive had changed over time. At first, Shepard had just proffered an invitation to stay in her guest room, but over the course of a series of messages, that offer had evolved into something considerably more.

When she'd read that message, Sam's eyes had practically fallen out of their head and she'd spent the next ten minutes double-checking her medications to make sure she hadn't accidentally drugged herself into some sort of pleasantly delusional state. Once she'd concluded this was for real though, she'd accepted as fast as she could type her reply into her communications terminal. Sure, she'd never been with two people before, but this was Commander Bloody Shepard and the Shadow Broker offering to let her share their bed, and she knew she'd spend the rest of her life regretting it if she turned THAT offer down.

That didn't mean she wasn't nervous though. The idea of having this chance and screwing it up was only slightly less mortifying than the thought of missing out entirely. Indeed, just to be on the safe side she'd made sure she had an open-ended ticket back to Earth so that if she made a fool of herself, she could slink back there with all due haste.

No! She shook her head clear of such pessimistic thoughts before ringing the bell. She was Samantha Traynor damn it, finder of Sanctuary, Kepesh-Yakshi champion, and the owner of the finest collection of toothbrushes in the sector. She was going to make a success of this if it was the last thing she did.

At the sound of the doorbell, Liara swiftly hopped up off the couch. Melanie moved to join her, but her bondmate stopped the commander with a firm "No."

"I should take the lead here," she told Shepard. "It is important Samantha knows that I am as interested in this as you are."

"Sure," Melanie agreed before adding with a smirk, "Of course, you'll get plenty more chances to show her that later on."

Shooting a last smoldering look back at her wife, Liara turned and made her way to the front door. Opening it, she saw that the five years since the war ended had been good to the former communications specialist. Dressed in a pair of black slacks and blazer worn over a blue dress shirt, she looked very much like the successful businesswoman she had become since leaving the Alliance.

Samantha had never really given much thought to Liara's looks when she was on the Normandy. Sure, she could tell that the asari was pretty, but Shepard had been the one she was interested in and she saw Liara as more of a rival than a potential girlfriend.

That was a decision she was rapidly re-evaluating. Wearing a sleeveless blue and white dress cut low enough to show off the tops of her full breasts and giving Sam a look that could best be described as enthusiastic, the asari was definitely making her reconsider viewing Shepard as the main attraction tonight.

Her mouth went dry and she released her hold on her suitcase as Liara stepped forward and give her a hug that lingered just a bit longer than a strictly friendly one would have. "Samantha," she said pleasantly, "It is so good to see you again. I trust that your flight was a pleasant one."

"Uh, yes. Yes, it was," she stammered, completely forgetting all of the suave things she had planned to say.

"Very good. Come in." Liara led her into the house, and Sam left her suitcase and shoes in the entranceway. It was certainly nice, with large windows and high ceilings, but less expensive than Sam was sure they could afford. Her eye however was drawn to the decorations. Along with a sample of Shepard's veritable ocean of medals and awards, there were a number of prothean artifacts on display and she paused in front of a ceremonial statue preserved inside a miniature stasis field.

"Do you like that?", Liara asked, noting Samantha's interest. "Shepard and I found it on Melion." Between her bondmate's prothean visions and Javik's help, her transition back to her career as an archeologist had gone very well indeed.

"It's beautiful. A little violent, maybe," she reflected, noticing the miniature weapons all over the figure's body.

Suddenly, she felt a gentle hand run through her short, black hair. "Samantha, I want to tell you how much I appreciate your agreeing to do this. Shepard and I have never been with another person, and we wanted it to be someone we can trust." Her other hand came to rest on Samantha's shoulder. "And someone we both find attractive."

Liara's words helped to relax her, and Sam turned, smiling at the lovely asari. "Well, I'm attracted to both of you too, so that works out pretty well."

The archeologist grinned back at her. "That is certainly my hope."

Reaching the living room, Samantha found Shepard sitting down on a large, black leather sofa, a glass of wine in her hand. Her dark hair was a little longer than it had been when she was on active duty while her blue eyes seemed free of the tensions that used to live there. As per Samantha's request, the commander was wearing her old Alliance uniform. Though Shepard had been retired from the military for a few years now, that particular outfit had played a vivid role in a lot of Samantha's fantasies and seeing her old CO in it again caused a pulse of arousal to shoot straight between her legs.

"Sam," Shepard smiled, taking a sip from her wine. "I'm very glad you're here. You look good."

"You too," she stammered out. The sight of her crush was stripping away the composure she'd managed to find with Liara. "Both of you look great. I mean, really great."

"Calm down, Sam," Shepard said soothingly. There was something about her voice that always settled the communications specialist down. Even in the worst moments of the Reaper War, she'd been able to persuade Sam that things would turn out for the best, and it was welcome right then. "It's new ground for all of us, so we'll just take it slow and figure things out together."

Samantha settled into an armchair facing the couch and Liara poured her a glass of wine before sitting down next to Shepard.

"So, how are Garrus and Tali," Sam asked, not sure how to start and figuring that a little small talk couldn't hurt.

"They're good," Shepard nodded. "You know Garrus. We may be at peace but that doesn't stop him from insisting that the planetary defenses here be able to repel anything short of a full-scale Reaper invasion."

Sam laughed a little and Liara smiled, taking a drink. It was a good vintage, a 120 year old Thessian red. Getting decent asari wines out here in the Athena Nebula was difficult but this was definitely a special occasion.

"So," Sam asked, sampling her own glass of wine and finding it excellent, "How, um, exactly do we do this?"

"Well," Shepard started, "There are a few ground rules if you're still interested."

"I am," Samantha answered quickly, hoping that she didn't sound too eager.

"Excellent," Liara said. Her lovely blue eyes sparkled with affection accompanied by the promise of something more. "First of all, I am only going to meld with Shepard. It is difficult to put into words, but it is not an experience I am comfortable sharing with anyone else." Sam nodded. She was curious about the meld, but given how intimate it was supposed to be, that made sense.

"Secondly, if any of us has a problem with anything that's happening, they can just say the word you selected and we'll all stop what we're doing. I am told you picked 'krogan.'"

Shepard chuckled. "Good call, Sam. That image should be enough to dampen anyone's interest in sex."

"Oh, I don't know about that," Liara replied coyly. "I used to find Wrex rather handsome."

Sam nearly chocked on her wine but Shepard just shook her head. "You asari and your catholic tastes." There was no telling who their species might find attractive, even if this particular asari's love was reserved for the commander, a preference that Liara explained had helped to shape her other attractions.

"Don't worry," Liara smiled at Samantha. "My primary interests are definitely elsewhere."

"Glad to hear it." Shepard gave her wife a passionate kiss and Sam couldn't deny that there was something exciting about watching the two of them together. They had such chemistry, the heat between them obvious even from this simple act, and the thought of getting to join in was raising goose bumps all along her skin.

Before she could get too into their show however, Liara stood up from the couch and starting making her way towards Samantha's chair. The asari moved slowly and deliberately and Sam couldn't take her eyes off of her. "Is there anything else that you wanted to add?", she asked, her voice low and sultry. "Any other conditions to set?"

Right then, Sam couldn't think of anything else to say, or indeed much of anything at all. "Nope," was all she could manage, "I'm good."

"Excellent." Liara circled around the back of her chair, and Sam felt the asari's hands settle along her back. "In that case, I have just one more request."

"What's that?", Sam asked, swallowing hard. Liara voice was a hungry purr, and the specialist was practically soaking her panties with anticipation.

Liara bent down, her breasts brushing lightly against the back of Sam's head. "To get started, I want a chance to play with you."

Hope you enjoyed the set-up chapter. Next time, actual smut.