Dark Matter: SCIENCE FICTION ROMANCE

by Jessica Loft

  He smiled admiring at Katherine's blue midi-length dress. It was a good choice with her auburn hair. Aaron had been elated when she had accepted his date. That meant she was single. He knew from seeing her at the seminar that she was part of Hendrickson’s crew but he was hopeful that she and he weren’t together. She was gorgeous and she hadn't balked at his request to go out to dinner for their first date. He knew it was a little forward of him but he didn't have time to pussyfoot around asking for what he wanted.

  They went to a modern French restaurant where Katherine immediately felt like an interloper. Aaron pulled a chair out for her before sitting down himself. Feeling out of her depth even more she took a healthier than necessary glug of her wine that was poured out into a glass in front of her. Aaron watched her with a mix of amusement and worry.

  "Thirsty?" he asked. She smiled bashfully and apologized.

  "I'm sorry. I'm just nervous," she replied. She kept her hands on her lap where he couldn’t see them. They would shake like she was going through withdrawal whenever she was anxious. There was no way she would be able to hold and operate a knife and fork with her hands quaking the way they were. She didn't want to make an ass of herself, not here. She balled her hands into fists and tried to breathe slowly through her nose. Aaron didn't try to make her any more nervous than she already was. He was an easy conversationalist and asked her only first-date appropriate questions. It seemed like a running joke with the business types that seminars were just company footed weekends off.

  "I can't stand them. It's like going to class with the people you work with and then trying very hard not to get drunk after." Aaron said shaking his head.

  "I can't say I have much experience. I work in IT." Katherine responded. Aaron raised his eyebrows.

  "Really?"

  "I do, did you think you were at dinner with the CFO?" she asked. He laughed.

  "Guess Hendrickson's just intent on subjecting all his employees to corporate boredom," Katherine smiled wryly.

  "Yeah. I guess you could say that."

  By the time she was cracking into her mille feuille dessert, she and Aaron had covered all the basics. He was the 2nd of 4 children and his father had been married once for every child. His mother had been the first and was remarried in Europe. He had grown up on Park Avenue and had been groomed to take up the family business since his older sister rebelled against her birthright and pursued professional ballet.

  "Do you have any siblings?" he asked.

  "No, it was always just my parents and I. My mother was a 20-year-old Polish immigrant when she met my dad and he was a 25-year-old German immigrant. Please don't make any World War II jokes, I have heard them all. He changed his last name from 'Hunsberger' to 'Hunter' when he got here. They say they only wanted me but I think they probably just couldn't have any more kids after getting lucky with me. They are both still alive and married; still living in the city."

  They contrasted their family lives. He had a big American family and hers a small immigrant one. He was one of 4 children whereas barrenness had robbed her parents of the chance to have a big family. His parents hadn't been together for years while her parents were all the support the each other had; besides her. Her hands had completely stopped shaking throughout the evening of talking to Aaron. After agreeing to see each other again and exchanging phone numbers Katherine was ready to admit that the seminar hadn’t been all bad.

  ~

  Aaron certainly wasn’t like the other guys Katherine had dated. He was kind and generous, but he also was out of her league. That’s why when he called to ask her to accompany him to a black tie event for their second date, she had only said yes because she hadn’t stalled long enough to get herself to refuse.

  "Is there a reason why you are so lucky and I have to take finals?" Heather asked from Katherine's bed. Katherine was trying to paint on her eyeliner without ruining her foundation.

  "You should be more grateful for the opportunity you have been given to get an education," Katherine said.

  "I know but you are going to a freaking ball tonight and I have to stay in studying the goddamn Krebs cycle!"

  "It isn't a ball, it is a benefit dinner for women and youth centers in the city," she clarified.

  "Who goes to a benefit dinner for women and youth centers in the city on their second date?!"

  Katherine laughed as Heather complained. She got it. It was kind of a big deal. She never imagined herself attending a benefit dinner for women and youth centers at the governor’s mansion, but then again, she had never been in a position to ever go for one. Aaron was the only one of her suitors that ran in the governor’s circles.

  "Stop pretending that I'm overreacting here, Kath, this is a big deal. You are going to have dinner with the closest people New York has to royalty!"

  "Okay, I guess it is kind of cool," Katherine admitted, giggling. She was trying to play it cool in order to keep her chaotic nervous energy in check. The restaurant felt like nothing compared to this. She didn't even know whether she was the kind of girl that you could take to a benefit dinner. One thing for sure was Aaron sure thought she was. He also thought of everything else, sending a dress over to her apartment and telling her to expect the limousine at 6:45. The dress was breath-taking. It was a strapless, periwinkle blue number that touched the floor but featured a thigh high slit on the right side. Heather helped her slide into it with 5 minutes to spare before Aaron rang their doorbell.

  Her hands shook in the limousine as Aaron explained what was going to happen and what to expect. Her mind was racing. She wondered how he would introduce her to the people they met. Would they be nice? When would they be able to leave? How much alcohol could she consume without becoming drunk in order to calm her rattled nerves? She felt his cool hand cover hers.

  "Stop doing that, it's distracting." He said calmly.

  "If you don't want me to be nervous you need to stop taking me to places like the governor's mansion."

  "You need to relax. It's just a dinner. There will be some dancing, a speech, and that's it. You'll be fine."

  When they arrived at the ball, Katherine kept both her hands clasped around Aaron's arm as they milled around the room meeting people in a gesture she later realized was incredibly possessive-looking. Either Aaron had many friends or the number of people you had to engage in small talk with at these events was shockingly high. He introduced her as his date, which Katherine thought was a good way to describe what she was to him without being presumptuous or dismissive.

  She had almost laughed when Alexander Hendrickson and Lorraine Jasper came into view. Politeness or the desire to say something brought them up to her and Aaron.

  "Katherine, what a pleasant surprise. You look beautiful," Lorraine said smiling. Her arm was looped around Alexander's. The two men shook hands.

  "I don't suppose I need to introduce Katherine to you."

  "No, you don't. We work together very closely." Alex said curtly.

  Katherine prickled and waited for them to finish whatever the polite amount of time one had to spend on small talk was. She had only told Heather about what had happened with Lorraine and Alexander during the seminar. The seminar had only come into conversation briefly at her and Aaron’s first dinner together but she had avoided going into depth about it and she was avoiding it again. She definitely didn’t want it to be discussed here, of all places. Especially since Aaron seemed like a very good man. A good man who was interested in her. There was no way she could tell him what happened, even though nothing really happened. Aaron was dreamy. He was polite, funny, accomplished, tall, broad-shouldered, handsome, educated, the list went on and on. She didn’t want to risk losing him if he found out, what kind of, sort of, almost, happened that night.

  Katherine was relieved when the event was finally finished. Alexander and Lorraine had left them alone pretty much the whole time. And nothing was mentioned about the seminar “incident”. Aaron had been so sweet to her, trying to help her enjoy herself. B
ut although he didn’t leave her side the entire night, it definitely wasn’t a scene Katherine felt comfortable. She would prefer not to attend another governor’s ball for a long time.

  ~

  Having no reason to refuse his advances, Katherine didn't. Sitting in the limousine as they rode to her apartment, she heard him raise the partition and looked over at him.

  "I had my doubts but it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be," she said. He smiled. He placed his hand on the sliver of skin that was revealed by the slit on her knee. He slowly ran it up her smooth thigh through the part in the fabric.

  "Everyone loved you," he said. He fingered the seam from which the slit parted. His hand rose, resting on her waist.

  "The dinner was good," she said trying to make small talk. He inched closer to her, his hand touching her face.

  "Mmhmm." He cupped her cheek and put his hands on either side of her neck, his fingers getting lost in her hair.

  "I'm glad you liked it," he said covering her mouth with his. Katherine kissed back flattening her hands on his chest. Deepening the kiss, she let his tongue into her mouth. He unbuttoned his tuxedo jacket while he sat allowing Katherine's hands to roam. His body was unyielding under his shirt. He sucked her tongue into his mouth feeling her respond to him. He was certainly responding to her. Aaron had thought she was going to shoot him down politely when he made his move. She was amazing and he wanted to demonstrate exactly how amazing he thought she was.

  Unfortunately the car jerking to a stop hard enough to jostle them in their seat stopped their progress. They were home; she turned to him, and shyly thanked him for a great night. He kissed her again at her door before solemnly letting her go. Fielding questions from Heather when she entered the kitchen, Katherine admitted to herself that she had fallen for Aaron Grant. Hard.

  Katherine sat with her head resting on Aaron's chest. His arm rested on her shoulders as they watched television together. A sudden business trip had rescheduled their third date and she had suggested dinner and a movie at his place to make up for it. Dinner was takeaway pizza and the movie was old sitcom reruns. They kept it classy however with a Sauvignon Blanc. She was certain the mahogany coffee table in front of them had never held the cheap cardboard of a pizza box. His television had certainly never transmitted 'I Love Lucy' reruns. She worried that his elevator didn't go that low but he hadn't complained the entire night. She looked up at him. He sensed her gaze and looked down at her after a few seconds.

  "Is something wrong?" He asked.

  "Can I tell you something?" She replied.

  "Of course." Katherine shifted sitting next to him on the sofa, facing him so that both her feet were off the ground.

  "I didn't want to tell you this before because I thought you'd think it was gross and you wouldn't want to go out with me," Katherine admitted.

  "O-kay...what is it?" Katherine inhaled deeply.

  "I am only telling you this because I believe, you have led me to believe, that you like me and want to continue seeing me."

  "My God, Katherine, what is it? Are you married? Do you have kids? Are you a felon? What?"

  "At the seminar where you saw me. I was there at the request of my CEO, Alexander Hendrickson. He came on to me on the first night. He asked me to sleep with him..."

  "And... you did?"

  "No, I didn't. But it wasn't a normal proposition. His girlfriend, Lorraine, she was there too. They wanted me to... you know." Aaron did know. That didn't mean he found Katherine's attempt at breaking the news to him delicately any less amusing. He laughed. Katherine looked at him shocked.

  "What is so funny?"

  "You are. Lorraine and Alexander propositioned you for a threesome. You can say it," he laughed. She rolled her eyes.

  "So you aren't mad?"

  "Why would I be mad at an indecent proposal from someone else, before we met, that you refused anyway?"

  "I was afraid you would be mad that it was him. I know you guys aren't friendly."

  "Whatever you did or didn't do with him or anyone else doesn't matter to me, Katherine."

  "I was embarrassed. I didn't want you to think I was the sort of girl that slept with her boss." Seeing the obvious distress the situation had caused her, Aaron took her hand and squeezed it reassuringly.

  "The two of them… that was the whole reason they even invited me to the seminar. I didn't attend the lectures that first day, I just hung out. They were keeping me on ice until they could close in for the kill."

  "I've heard rumors but I didn’t know it was true," Aaron said.

  "What did you say to them? How does one gracefully decline a threesome with her boss and his girlfriend?"

  "Not very gracefully. I sort of just told them I was leaving, mumbled my goodbyes, and ran away without looking back." He laughed again.

  "You should have done it."

  "What?"

  "You should have done it. You should have fucked them. Sounds like a fun time. I know I would have loved to watch." Katherine laughed swatting him on the arm. He blocked her attack and wrestled her onto her back on the couch, pinning her hands on either side of her with his.

  "Have you ever done it before?"

  "Done what?" she asked.

  "Been part of a threesome?" She shifted underneath him.

  "Mmhmm."

  His eyes widened.

  "With two guys?" She nodded. He smiled like a horny frat boy.

  "With two girls?" He laughed when she nodded again.

  "So if I called my buddy and asked him to come over..."

  "Is it someone I've met? That Robert from the benefit the other night..." He raised his eyebrows excited to hear what she would say.

  "I wouldn't mind being in the middle of that man sandwich; you and him. The right amount of wine and sweet talking and you never know what I might agree to."

  Katherine never slept with guys on the first date, just as a matter of principle. Heather had told her to jump Aaron after the benefit but she hadn't, asking him to take her home before they got carried away in the limousine. She didn't think that the infamous third date was in any way significant but she did know that if Aaron tried anything that night, she wouldn't stop him. She felt that he was a generous lover simply because his list of good qualities seemed to have no end.

  Kissing her, he hoisted her up around his body. He carried her to his room and laid her out on the bed. She leaned on her elbows watching him strip. His sweater and sweatpants were easy to get out of. He wasn't wearing any underwear. Katherine was in awe, he was a sight to behold in and out of his clothing. His chest, muscled, and firm was covered in a light smattering of hair that thinned coming down his abdomen. He started on her, pulling her shirt up over her head discarding her bra and sucking a nipple into his mouth. She undid her jeans, kicking them off so she could let him lay between her legs. She raised them on either side of him, linking them at his ass to hold him close to her. He used his teeth to graze her sensitive nipples making her arch her back, pushing her chest up to him.

  "Do you have condoms?" she whispered. He stood to walk to the bathroom. He came back with three linked together making Katherine smirk. Aaron separated one from the others and knelt on the bed in front of her to put it on.

  "Here, let me," Katherine said quietly. She urged him to lie on the bed and straddled his thighs. He watched as she carefully sheathed his penis. She leaned over him and kissed him. He ran his hands over her ass and legs, feeling her unclothed, smooth skin. Katherine's preferred position was on top. In college, reverse cowgirl was her signature move but Aaron was looking at her with a mix of reverence and hunger, a view she wanted to keep. While she rubbed his penis back and forth he slid his fingers between them and began probing her soft lips. He used his fingers to pull slow, small circles around her clitoris. Then traced her opening which was gushing with her juices.

  Holding his cock and lining it up with her waiting vagina, she hovered over him bathing the head in the arousal that was seeping out of her.
He was rapt, watching as she penetrated herself with him, only as far as the head, disengaging completely and rubbing his length between her lips. He groaned as she ground herself on him.

  "That's right. All the way, baby," he said breathlessly. She lowered herself onto him slowly. He held her hips as his entire length disappeared into her. Not many of the women he had been with in the past had wanted to ride him. The relinquished control was almost made up by the beautiful view. Katherine was lush. Her big, round breasts were topped by light colored nipples. Her body tapered gracefully into a small waist. His dick was thick, filling her up. She placed her hands on his chest rocking her hips. Reaching up, he filled his hands with her soft breasts. He tweaked her nipples, earning soft whimpers from her lips.