Dark Matter: SCIENCE FICTION ROMANCE

by Jessica Loft

  Chapter 7

  Nikki awoke in her own home on Monday morning and she couldn’t remember ever even coming home. After that night in Sean’s bed, they’d spent all weekend in various states of undress. It felt natural, too natural really. She’d gotten too comfortable too quickly. She couldn’t let that cloud her judgement. Sean was off limits. After mediation ended, they would cut ties completely and Nikki would go back to the regular humdrum routine of her life.

  Quickly she went through her morning routine. The soreness she felt in her body as she showered was a sweet reminder of what she’d experienced in Sean’s bed. It had been transcendent with him, unlike anything she’d ever had before, and yet Nikki couldn’t convince herself that it meant anything. It was fool’s luck that they were good together in bed. Sean had his share of lovers, so of course he was that good, but it had been more than that. Nikki wouldn’t let herself think of that now. It was just a brief fling and nothing more. Yet, Nikki couldn’t get it out of her mind.

  She made her way to work and waited for Sean, Jordan, and her team to arrive. As she entered her office, Margaret handed her a package. She waited until she was alone in her office to open it. Nikki unwrapped the package and pulled out an exquisite Louis Vuitton travel bag. The supple leather melted underneath her fingers and Nikki didn’t want to know what it must have cost. There was a note attached, scribbled in Sean’s handwriting.

  Free this weekend? There’s a little island I would like to take you to.

  Nikki smiled at the note, but quickly boxed everything back up and placed it under her desk. She would have to deal with that later. She briefly entertained the thought that maybe she was being a little closed-minded when it came to Sean. Even if what they had only lasted a little while, it could be worth the exploration. She enjoyed Sean and, from the looks of things, Sean enjoyed her as well. But getting involved with someone like Sean could also be a mistake. She knew it.

  “Ms. Hunter, Mr. Thomas is here for his meeting,” said Margaret over the intercom.

  “Send him in.” She tried to keep the excitement from her voice, but there was definitely something different in the way she felt when she thought of Sean now.

  Margaret opened the door and let Sean inside. They greeted each other professionally and once Margaret closed the door tightly behind them, Sean pulled Nikki into his arms and kissed her deeply. Nikki allowed herself a moment to revel in the feel of Sean’s mouth and the passion surging between them before pulling away. She walked to the safety of her desk and sat down. They had a meeting in less than five minutes and she didn’t need to be flustered when she went in there.

  “Did you get the bag?” Sean asked, as he looked around the office.

  “Yes, thank you. It’s very nice. You didn’t have to do that.”

  “I know, but I thought you would like it. Besides, I wanted you to know that last weekend didn’t have to be the end for us. Unless you want it to be…”

  “We really shouldn’t see each other anymore,” said Nikki reluctantly.

  “Why?” asked Sean, confused. His beautiful features were marred with concern.

  “I just don’t want to get confused about my place in your life. I’m here to do a job,” said Nikki.

  “You’ve done that job, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t have a personal relationship. Did I read this wrong? I thought we had something here,” said Sean.

  “We did,” responded Nikki.

  She stared at Sean, watching his blue eyes fill with even more confusion. Nikki took a deep breath.

  “Sean, I’m a hardworking woman who likes simple things and my peaceful life. We had something, we could probably have something more. But for how long? I don't want you to become just someone else I have to get over,” said Nikki honestly.

  “You think I want another heartbreak? Listen Nikki, in spite of what it looks like, you and I want the same thing. I can’t promise we will last forever, but I can promise that I’m not the type who gets bored. All I want is one good woman to read the paper with, to travel the world with. Let’s just start there and see where it goes.” Sean’s voice had begun pleadingly, and ended with a confidence that surprised and charmed Nikki.

  “Ms. Hunter, the other party is here and waiting in the conference room,” said Margaret over the intercom.

  “We’ll be right there,” said Nikki.

  She and Sean would have to table the conversation until later. Sean’s words rolled through her head as they entered the conference room. It was what Nikki wanted to hear, but could she trust the billionaire to be sincere?

  They entered the room, and as soon as they walked in Nikki knew something was off. She looked at Sean, and their nonverbal communication said he noticed it too. They took their seats opposite Jordan and her lawyer cautiously. The opposing lawyer, who was usually well groomed and organized, seemed nervous and disheveled. Nikki ignored the red flags and began her pitch.

  “My client is willing to pay $1.2 million for Jordan’s separation. It comes with the stipulations of a gag order and does not include returning to her job,” said Nikki firmly.

  Jordan’s laughter was alarming. Nikki’s eyes narrowed as she looked at her.

  “Is that all? You must think I’m joking, Sean. I have enough dirt on you to level your empire, and all you are willing to do is give me a measly 1.2 million?” Jordan’s words were full of disdain.

  “It's a more than generous offer. I shouldn’t give you anything. You were using me the whole time for money, and now you want me to pay you even more,” said Sean.

  Nikki could see Sean was on the verge of losing it, and something protective surged in her. She didn’t like the idea of Sean being upset and it made her want to be impulsive, reactionary. Nikki doubled down.

  “That’s all we are willing to offer,” said Nikki firmly. “If your client wants to go to court over this alleged ‘wrongful termination,’ we are willing to do so, but the offer will only go down from here.”

  Jordan’s face was contorted with rage. “I was hoping you would be a little more generous, Sean. It would have been so much better if you had been. This only makes what I have to do easier.” Jordan reached under the table and then stood, pointing a Ruger at Sean’s face.

  Nikki suddenly understood why Jordan’s lawyer had been so nervous. She watched the man dart under the table.

  “We could have been good together, but you didn’t see that. We could have been partners,” said a deranged Jordan.

  Sean attempted to reason with her. “You didn’t love me, Jordan. You didn’t want me, you just wanted my lifestyle.”

  “Oh, and she doesn’t?” asked Jordan, as she turned accusingly to face Nikki, “I know you are messing around. I could tell y’all were seeing each other from the onset. What does love matter anyway? I was willing to pretend I loved you.”

  “That’s not what I want,” said Sean.

  Jordan swung back around to face Sean. “Too bad. It should have been.” She clutched the trigger.

  Nikki took advantage of the angle she had and quickly lurched across the table toward Jordan. She felt the sting of something in her shoulder as she tackled Jordan to the floor. Hearing the commotion, someone barged in and she heard Sean yelling to call 9-1-1. Nikki held Jordan down, unaware that the sting had been the bullet she’d blocked from taking Sean’s life. She stayed in that position while security made its way up, eventually followed by the cops and emergency personnel. They wrapped her arm to stop the bleeding. On the way to the hospital, Sean took her hand.

  “You little fool, you could have gotten yourself killed,” said Sean.

  “That would have been bad. Then I wouldn’t have gotten to see where this goes,” said Nikki with a half grin. As the adrenaline began to wear off, she was sure that line made her sound tougher than she felt.

  When Sean kissed her openly and with as much passion as they’d shared all weekend, Nikki forgot about the ache.

  “I’m following you wherever you go. Don’t
die,” said Sean with a grin.

  “And miss out on this? Never,” said Nikki with a smile. All that she wanted was at her fingertips and the world opened like a field of wild flowers to treasures she’d never let herself believe in. Whatever could come to them, Nikki wanted it all.

  Now Enjoy The Next Story Below Or Choose One From The Table of Contents

  Coming Out of Hibernation

  CHAPTER 1

  “Amber, can you come in here please?” Lucy asked, her green eyes darting from the paperwork in her hand, to the door. A moment later she watched as Amber, a meek younger woman who was way too skinny prance into her office, looking as scared as a baby bunny.

  “Yes ma’am?” She asked, fidgeting with the bow at the collar of her shirt.

  “Amber, honey, for the last time please don’t call me ma’am, it’s dreadfully annoying. Call me Lucy or Miss Mahoney, please,” Lucy sighed, running an agitated hand through her long red curls.

  “Sorry, Miss Mahoney,” Amber apologized, looking as if she was going to tremble right out of her too-high heels. “What can I do for you?”

  Standing up, Lucy held out the papers she’d just signed as she reached into her top drawer for her tube of lipstick.

  “These are signed and ready to be scanned back to The Purple House Foundation, okay? Now my car will be here in ten minutes to take me to the airport. Is there anything else I need to sign or explain before I go?”

  Amber nervously shook her head no, and wished Lucy a good vacation before she exited her large corner office. As soon as she was gone, Lucy let out a breath of relief and continued applying her lipstick. As the owner of her company, she was expected to handle everything at any time and anywhere. But, after building her business from the ground up, for four long years, she was finally going to go on vacation.

  Two years ago she’d bought a luxury cabin up in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. She had only visited the mountains once since then and it had been a short weekend. Jokes aside with all of the hustle and bustle of starting her business, she had barely had time to make it to her actual home, let alone her vacation home. Going into her private bathroom, Lucy changed out of her professional looking navy blue dress and put on a pair of loose, comfortable jeans, a pair of dark brown two inch boots. She had her jacket with her, but with the summer heat she knew she wouldn’t need it until the plane ride.

  After using the bathroom she looked in the mirror to quickly study her makeup. Everything still looked to be in place, though the dusting of her freckles was now visible through her foundation. Shrugging her shoulders, she left the bathroom. After all she was going on vacation to have some alone time and she had no one to please but herself.

  A few minutes later her car was ready for her so she headed towards the elevator. She was only taking her purse, she didn’t have to worry about any luggage. This would be her first vacation since she was practically a child, and she had decided that she was going to take some of her hard earned money and buy herself a summer wardrobe for the mountains once she got there. After all, what’s the point of being a billionaire if you can’t throw a little money around?

  ~

  Lucy let out a squeal of happiness as she stretched and sprawled out on the large, cushioned bed covered in down comforters. She had never slept so soundly in her life, and for the first time in over a year, she woke up without the need for an alarm clock. Opening her eyes, she stared up through the skylight and took in the view. Rich hues of green shone through the fecund leaves of the nearby trees and into her room. The sun, bright and clear, shone through a blue sky while the wind pushed the leaves gaily back and forth.

  It was late last night by the time she drove her rented Mercedes up the dirt road path to her cabin, and she had all but poured herself into bed when she arrived. Now that she was well rested, she was excited to explore her cabin and the land it sat on. Her bed sat on a large red and white oval rug, but the rest of the floors were a light, well-shined pine. It brought the light in from the floor to ceiling windows and made the room bright and beautiful, showing off all the rustic decorations of the room.

  Downstairs she found the coffee pot easily and sighed in relief when she opened her fridge and found all of the groceries she had requested. A few days before she left, she had called the property’s maid service and had requested that the place be spruced up and stocked with groceries and necessities. As her coffee brewed, Lucy pulled out a bagel from the breadbox and popped it into the toaster. While her breakfast readied itself, she took a quick tour of the cabin.

  There was the kitchen and dining room, the large front room, and downstairs bath and in the basement a wine room. Upstairs there was a master bedroom and bath and then another bedroom and small bath for guests. The cleaning staff had done a wonderful job, and had even filled the house with lush plants, small trees, and vases of wildflowers. It was the perfect vacation home, and she was falling in love with it already.

  After grabbing her coffee and smearing strawberry cream cheese on her bagel, Lucy opened the French doors at the side of the kitchen and took her breakfast out on the deck. Even from her picnic table she could see that the forest was alive and full of creatures. Squirrels ran freely through the tree limbs, jumping from one to another lackadaisically. On the ground, there were a few rabbits snacking in the flowerbed, eating the brightly colored blooms.

  As she sipped her coffee and nibbled on her bagel, she looked deeper through the woods. Between the trees she could see a large, round figure moving, though she couldn’t quite make out what it was. Leaning forward, she squinted and focused on it, intrigue filling her. Then, as clear as day, she suddenly recognized the shape. The brown bear was large, furry, and rooting over the ground. Lucy watched in fascination as it ambled its giant body through the forest. For something so big, she thought that it would be a little clumsier. But it wasn’t. Instead, it moved like a ripple effect, it’s large paws and shoulder blades moving the body in an almost hypnotizing motion through the trees.

  In the back of her mind, Lucy could hear warning bells go off. She should be afraid; concerned even that such a large predator was headed steadily her way. But she wasn’t. Instead, she was calm and open.

  The bear had meandered into her cleared lawn now and stopped to look at her. They made eye contact. His large dark brown eyes had met her green ones and they captured one another in their gazes. Even when the large animal continued to approach the porch, Lucy still didn’t feel afraid or intimidated. The massive muzzle of the beast lifted into the air as he stepped forward, and a low growl came from his throat.

  Taking a chance on nature’s kindness, Lucy held her half eaten bagel out to the bear, wondering what was about to happen. She smiled as his long tongue licked her fingers, as if to taste her. He swept his large, teeth filled mouth over her hand, making the bagel disappear in one bite. Lucy could feel the saliva and the hot breath from the animal, but not once did any teeth graze her skin. As if saying thank you, the bear grumbled again before rambling back into the forest.

  CHAPTER 2

  For the next two mornings Lucy and her bear repeated their breakfast ritual. Lucy would make them each a bagel, spread thickly with cream cheese, and then she would feed it to him when he would appear. Like always, he would be very careful in taking the food out of her hand, making sure not to harm her.

  “You’re a pretty amazing creature, you know that?” Lucy said aloud one morning. They were both eating their bagels. He had hauled his large body up onto the porch, and was lying in a massive spread of fur across the wooden boards. As if to answer, the bear huffed, and began licking his massive claws. Lucy wondered what it would be like to run her fingers through the thick expanse of the bear’s fur, but she didn’t want to risk pushing their boundaries. Instead, she talked to him until he decided to ramble off.

  After he disappeared, Lucy would go about enjoying her day. She would shower and get ready before heading into the town of Aspen. Shopping in the mountain town was a highlight,
especially the hot springs. On the third day of her vacation though, she decided to go back to her cabin a little early and was surprised to find a man, albeit handsome and rugged, standing on her porch.

  Gripping her Taser in her purse, she calmly stepped out of her car and approached the man. To her he looked harmless enough. She laughed to herself, with his red flannel shirt, worn jeans, and suspenders he looked a lot like the Brawny man on the paper towels, except with hair, lots of it. His shaggy brown hair covered his eyes, but as she got closer she could see that they were a startling blue.

  “Can I help you?” Lucy asked, making sure to keep her voice calm. The man smiled and reached out a hand to her.

  “Howdy ma’am,” he greeted, his voice rousingly deep. “My name’s Jasper, Jasper Stevens. I’m your groundskeeper.”

  “Oh!” Lucy exclaimed. Suddenly she was feeling relaxed. She remembered the name from the email she’d received from the cleaning company, and knew then that he meant no harm to her.

  “I apologize if I startled you ma’am, I try to get my work done before you come back, you’re a little early today,” Jasper explained. Looking down, he saw her hands were full with bags, and he bent to take them from her. “Here, allow me,” he insisted.