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amberfocus
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A/N: Many revelations are made and the plot advances a fair bit. And there's smut.
Chapter Thirty-two
The alarm clock goes off and Jonathon groggily rolls over and whacks it off before turning back around and snuggling up again to Rose. She laughs as his hand begins taking a little tour but her laughter turns to a gasp as his fingers press between her thighs. He finds moisture there. Even if her mind has been occupied for the last hour her body knows what it’s been wanting the whole time she’s been lying there naked against him. He kisses the back of her neck, raises her thigh and lines himself up against her entrance. “Want you,” he whispers, his breath hot against her ear. “That all right?”
“Yes,” she says. He pushes forward and he moans as she sheathes him. He’s all the way inside her and then he withdraws, his movements long and slow as he sets a steady rhythm. It feels different, better, and then she realizes and her body tenses. “Jonathon. Condom,” she reminds him.
He groans but he pulls out again and moves away from her just enough to grab a condom. He’s been keeping a couple in his pillowcase because there are moments when letting her go long enough to move as far as the nightstand is too much. He slips it on. If they’re a little late for dinner she’s pretty sure Jonathon can come up with a convincing excuse. Although she’s also pretty sure Donna would happily accept it if he said ‘I was shagging Rose rotten.’ All thoughts of Donna flee her head as he enters her once more from behind.
His hand reaches around her hip and he lightly circles her clit in time to his gentle thrusts inside her body. He moves slowly, every stroke drawn out but certain. He’s quiet, his breath coming in soft pants against her hair. She tries not to think about those first few strokes of skin against skin or how it would feel to make love without that little piece of latex between them. It’s something that has to wait. She knows that. She pushes the thought from her mind and concentrates on here and now, and Jonathon’s movements within her.
His fingers move insistently against her clit now and she feels the tension building within her far more quickly than expected. She wonders if it’s the hour spent with a naked Jonathon pressed against her back or simply her wild responsiveness to his touch, but whatever it is, it has her clenching him hard and shuddering violently around him. When he’s sure she’s done he moves his hand to her hip and concentrates on achieving his own pleasure.
He keeps the pace gentle, slow and deep. A few more thrusts are all it takes and he’s groaning out her name, his orgasm making him grip her hip tightly. He quivers against her and then goes limp. A moment later he pulls out of her body and disposes of the condom before plopping down on his back. Rose rolls over and cuddles into his side. They only lay like that for a few minutes before she says, “We really need to get going, Jonathon. Donna and Mr. Lumin will be expecting us.”
“I suppose,” Jonathon says clearly reluctant to leave his bed and Rose’s embrace.
She pushes away from him and sits up. “We have the rest of the night to lay together. Come on, lazy bones.” She climbs out of bed and pulls on her clothes. “Did the nap help?” she asks him as he gets up and starts getting dressed.
“Yeah, a bit. So did the shag.” He grins at her and she blushes.
Rose heads into the bathroom to brush her hair and piles it up in a little twist on top of her head. “Donna said it was casual, yeah?” she asks.
“Sort of, yeah. They still have table service, though. Just this little place round the corner from Illuminate. Won’t take us but five minutes to walk there.”
“Right.” Rose emerges from the bathroom a moment later and then says. “You better brush your hair or something. You have major bed head.”
She laughs at the horrified look that comes over Jonathon’s face. He is not a particularly vain man, but he does have a bit of it over his hair. She smiles as she watches him dash into the bathroom. He should though. It really is great hair. She puts on her socks and shoes and pads into the kitchen to phone her mother and let her know she won’t be home tonight, then retrieves her purse. She sits on the bed and waits for him to finish up. She tries not to giggle when she realizes he’s taking longer to get ready than she did.
She glances at the clock. “Jonathon, it’s 6:58. If we don’t go now we’re going to be inexcusably late.”
“Coming.” He appears a moment later, shoves his feet into his shoes and waves Rose ahead of him into the living room. They retrieve their coats and head out to the lift. He stands behind her on the ride down, arms wrapped possessively about her middle, lips brushing kisses against her neck and whispering dark promises of what he plans to do to her when they come home later that night. His words make her want to skip out on the dinner date altogether and try to shag him again right there in the elevator.
She comes to her senses when the door opens and Jonathon lets go of her body in exchange for holding her hand. It takes the long walk across the lobby for her breathing to return to normal. A moment later they’re walking down the street hand in hand towards the little Greek restaurant where they are meeting the others. They arrive out of breath, eight minutes late, and just as Donna and Mr. Lumin are being seated in the back.
The hostess leads them to their table and they slide into the booth across from the other pair. “Evening,” Jonathon says and they exchange pleasantries all around before picking up their menus. Mr. Lumin insists they order whatever they want since this is technically a working dinner, even if they won’t actually discuss work until afterwards.
They start off with an appetizer tray for the table. Rose samples everything, having never eaten anything but the calamari before. She is quite fond of the fried tyropitakia, which is some kind of cheese-filled dough thing, and the saganaki, a breaded, seared cheese, and the pita wedges with tzatziki sauce. She doesn’t care for the dolmades at all.
After much debate Rose orders lamb souvlaki with vegetables and Jonathon chooses pasticcio, a cheesy pasta dish. Donna decides on moussakas, a layered meat sauce, cheese and eggplant dish and Lumin chooses arni me patates, which turns out to be lamb and potatoes when it comes. They finish off the meal with phoenikia and baklavas for dessert. Rose prefers the honeyed spice biscuits to the nutty pastry.
She’s enjoyed her meal immensely and she’s wildly curious about what this meeting is all about, but it seems Mr. Lumin does not wish to speak of it in public, instead sweeping them into a metallic silver limousine. It is the most expensive thing Rose has ever touched, and her nerves set her to shaking. Jonathon, next to her in the seat, takes her hand and strokes soothingly at the webbing between her thumb and forefinger until some semblance of calm returns to her.
Lumin offers her champagne but she refuses, citing an early class the next morning as excuse, but honestly, if she were to drink alcohol right now there’s no guaranteeing it wouldn’t end up on someone’s lap a few moments later. She forces the butterflies in her stomach back down and is relieved when Jonathon turns down the beverage as well. They drive along the waterfront and after a few moments Lumin begins to talk.
“I’m building something,” he tells them. “Something that is a very big secret. Something that may change the course of human history.”
“What?” asks Jonathon simply.
“We’re almost there. I think it’s better to show than to tell,” he says with a mysterious little smile.
Rose watches the scenery go by. “Isn’t--?” she starts and then stops herself.
Lumin looks at her with interest. “Isn’t what, Rose?”
“Well, we were underground before so I’m not really sure, but…isn’t this near where Yumi’s tank is?” she asks.
“You took her to meet Yumi?” Donna asks with a delighted grin at Jonathon.
“Yes, I did. We were running tests on the new device today,” Jonathon explains.
“Well, you’re correct Rose. We are near the rescue aquarium. There’s a warehouse very close by. Now, I’m sure I don’t have to remind any of you about the non-disclosure contracts you’ve signed, but nevertheless I will. You must regard this with utmost secrecy. No one, save one semi-secret shadowy government organization and the few people involved with the project know exactly what we’re doing there,” Lumin says.
The limousine pulls into a sparsely occupied lot and up to a non-descript steel and concrete warehouse. A corrugated metal, garage-style door rises up in front of them and the driver pulls the vehicle inside. Once it closes again behind them, Lumin indicates it’s time to exit the automobile. They emerge into a room that is empty and as gray and plain as the exterior of the building.
Lumin gestures to a heavy steel door and indicates that Jonathon and Rose should proceed them. Jonathon pulls the door open and they enter a small airlock. When all four of them are inside Lumin says, “It’s for decontamination purposes. Close your eyes,” he tells them. He types something into a key panel and a cold spray of disinfectant suddenly emerges from the walls and ceiling, peppering them and causing Rose and Donna both to squeal in startled alarm at the wet surprise.
A moment later they are blasted with hot air and the disinfectant quickly dries on their bodies. The air cycles through and they are released into the next room. Rose is shocked into silence at what she sees, a huge metal framework surrounded by scaffolding.
“Is that—what is that?” Donna asks.
“What do you think it is?” Lumin replies mysteriously.
Jonathon’s hands go into his pockets and he rocks back on his heels. “A submarine?” he hazards.
Lumin smiles. “It is an exploratory vessel of a sort, yes. I imagine you can liken it to a submarine. Come along.” He starts off in the direction of the vast steel structure and they tag along. Rose notices that Donna’s hand has crept into Lumin’s and she wishes Jonathon would take his hands out of his pockets so she could seek reassurance from him in the same way.
“Your cat, Rose?” Lumin begins. “Is she waterproof?”
Rose’s eyes widen and then slowly things begin to click over into her brain, as the puzzle of all his questions about her invention begin to slide together, interlocking into a whole of a jigsaw puzzle that suddenly makes sense.
“You want to use Kit-10 as a probe of some sort, don’t you? A data collector. Something that can get into nooks and crannies that other robots might not be agile enough to get into,” she surmises.
The smile Lumin turns on her is significant. “You are correct,” he says.
Rose muses. “Well, she’s not waterproof, but she is, after all, a mere prototype.”
“Your first order of business upon becoming a full-time employee at Illuminate will be to design a version of Kit-10 that is waterproof. She also needs to be able to withstand extremely high temperatures and corrosive elements as best as possible,” he tells her.
They step inside the scaffolding and then inside the vessel itself. Jonathon looks around at the clearly defined areas. There are sleeping quarters, the beds little more than berths, two to a compartment. There is a compact galley with a large table for dining in the next room. Through that room is a somewhat open area that is full of scientific equipment and is obviously a lab. Just off it appears to be a hydroponics chamber. Rose isn’t quite sure since it isn’t finished.
There is a small medical bay and then something that could possibly be an area for recreation with a few compact exercise machines and what looks like some games tables. Further forward they enter the control room, gadgets, gizmos, buttons, and levers filling almost every available surface. Lights and digital numbers blink from various corners and several computer monitors show various views of the outside of the vessel.
“And the bio-mask and the perception filter are to alter the outward appearance of all this?” Jonathon asks waving his hand expansively around him.
“Yes. Not just from human eyes either. Say for instance that you are coming up on some creatures you want to observe. Nice to be able to suddenly look like something that belongs in that habitat. Eventually we’ll want to be able to project the image of non-biological things as well. If the vessel looked like part of a coral reef or an underwater mountain or a trench, instead of a giant squid, which might be fine for fooling humans but would send most sea life skittering away from such a predator,” Lumin explains.
“The design, the shape, it doesn’t look like a standard submarine,” Donna comments.
“It’s not. There’s nothing standard about this ship,” Lumin says. “Nothing at all. The most advanced science on the planet is going into its manufacture. Dr. Smith, Miss Tyler,” he says formally. “I’m offering you both a place on the exploratory team at the completion of this vessel. It won’t be formally launched for nearly two years, but when it is I want scientists of your caliber on board. And of course, there will be testing before the official launch date.”
Rose feels her eyes get enormous, but she has the grace not to drop her jaw. “But I’m just a student,” she says dumbfounded.
“You’re the best student to come up the ranks that I’ve ever seen,” he says. “I’ve had you in mind for the most junior science position for this project since your second year at Uni,” Lumin informs her. “And when you started building Kit-10, when I saw the blueprints and realized what you could do, I was sure that you belonged here. The position is yours if you want it. Don’t decide now. I want you to take your time and think about it.”
He turns his eyes to Jonathon who hasn’t said a word, but his eyes glitter as he looks over the mechanics of the control room. He looks, Rose decides, like he belongs there. “You, of course, would be in charge of the exploratory missions. Think about it. You both have until, oh, let’s say Miss Tyler’s graduation, to formally accept or decline the offer.”
“What’s my part in this?” Donna asks. Her eyes fall over the equipment. “Are you just showing me everything to be open between us, or will I have some function here as well?”
“I want you acting as liaison between the people working on this project and myself. Frank, the centaurs, the Nereidians are all working on various stages of this project. And if, when all is said and done, and the ship is complete, you want a position on board, there will be one for you,” he tells Donna. “I can easily put you through the hydroponics course at the very least.”
“What about you? Will you be going on any of these missions?” Donna asks Lumin.
“Some. Not all,” he says. “I still have a company to run and a vault to protect.”
“Will…will the aliens be coming along on the missions?” Rose asks.
“Frank will. The Nereidians might if we can figure out the proper holding tank for them. It’s part of the filtration system they’re working on. You know, the one that is trying to eliminate pollution from the oceans as a whole? It can be scaled down for life support purposes in a confined area, but the smaller the volume the trickier it is. The centaurs will not be coming along. They’re too big and too awkward in such a confined area,” Lumin explains.
It is all so much to take in, and Rose finds her ability to ask intelligent questions suddenly deserting her. She looks around and takes in everything about the glistening and gleaming control room. A strange feeling, one that it takes her a while to recognize as covetousness, fills her. She wants this. Science and adventure and exploration all wrapped up in one big package. Yes. She knows her decision is already made.
Rose looks over at Jonathon. He is entranced by everything around them. His fingers are moving over keys and knobs and levers and buttons, stroking panels almost possessively. He wants this, too. It’s abundantly clear. Still, she won’t say yes now. She’ll take the time Lumin has offered them and truly think about what this will mean for her future. And of course, she and Jonathon will have a lot to talk about, because this opens up so much for them both that she wasn’t expecting.
The limousine ride back to Jonathon’s apartment building is quiet. Everyone seems lost in their own thoughts. They say their good-byes and watch as the limo slowly pulls away before going inside. Even in the lift they are silent. Once inside his flat they still say nothing. But once divested of coats and shoes Jonathon takes her hand and leads her to the bedroom. He holds both of her hands and looks her in the eyes.
“I want to do this project, Rose,” he tells her, a shining intensity in his eyes that seems to be looking straight into her mind.
“So do I!” she bursts out suddenly.
“Good.” He pulls her to him and his mouth descends on hers with a hunger she hasn’t seen since the morning he took her on the kitchen table. There is no gentle teasing apart of her lips. He’s pushing his way in, thrusting, taking. She battles against his tongue, fighting him for dominance of the kiss as want, need, desire surge violently through her system.
His hands are busy unbuttoning her blouse as he wins control of the kiss and swirls his tongue almost desperately against her own. He shoves the blouse roughly down her shoulders, reaches around quickly to divest her of her bra, then moves on just as swiftly to her trousers and knickers until she is standing in front of him naked.
He manages to get his shirt off him, undoing two buttons before giving up the effort and breaking the kiss just long enough to pull it over his head. His hands are busy at the opening to his trousers and he’s pushing down the confining garment as he thrusts impatiently into her mouth. She hears the tearing of foil and feels him kick off the remainder of his clothes.
Jonathon stops the kiss again to roll the condom onto his penis and Rose takes a step towards the bed but he reaches out and stops her, instead backing her into the wall. “Up,” he says and she makes a little jump into his arms, her legs wrapping around his waist and he lowers her down onto him, his shaft filling her completely. He holds her up and begins to move her body up and down, her back sliding against the wall.
Her breasts slide against his chest as he lowers her, her nipples hardening rapidly with each movement. His hands grip her bum firmly. Each thrust is forceful and deep and though she hates the cliché of a woman’s eyes rolling back into her head during sex, she feels it happening as she tilts her head back and gives in to the sensation of his penetration.
It’s not enough, though and he says gruffly, “Hold on.” Her hands, which are on his shoulders move to go around him as he takes her from the wall and carries her the last few feet to the bed. He drops them both down and they bounce on the give from the mattress. He is still inside her.
Jonathon pushes her knees up and loops them over his arms to help her hold them in place. His hands sink into the bedding as he supports himself and then he moves quickly. He plunges deeply into her, pulls out nearly completely and sets up a pistoning rhythm that has her gasping for breath. As he pounds into her she lets one hand creep down to her clitoris. She’s pretty sure that whatever’s gotten into him, he’s not thinking clearly enough to focus on anything but his own pleasure. Because he is such an attentive lover normally, she gives him this.
Rose is so turned on by his behavior, by his simple taking of her, that it takes very little time and very few strokes to bring herself to orgasm. As she clenches around him it interrupts his rhythm, his single-minded pursuit of his goal. He thrusts erratically through her spasms and when she is finished he returns to his desperate pounding and with a savage yell, he comes.
He drops down onto her, his body sweaty and hot, his breath coming in rapid pants. She brings one hand to his hair and holds him to her with the other while they both catch their breath. He finally pulls away when he begins to soften and quickly disposes of the condom. When he returns to her he enfolds her body with his, holding her possessively.
“What’s gotten into you?” she asks kissing his temple.
He looks at her a little sheepishly. “I just…wanted,” he says. “Sorry. I didn’t hurt you, did I?”
“I’m fine. More than fine. Just wondering what brought that on so I can remember to do it again,” she says blushing.
“Just…everything. You, me, together. The job, working together on something so important, so fascinating. The aliens. The research. My life…it couldn’t be more perfect,” he says. He kisses her again, this time slowly and thoroughly. “I love you, Rose.”
“I love you,” she replies. And he’s right. Since meeting him, nothing could be more perfect. She sighs and snuggles into him. She kisses his chest then smiles against his skin. “Let me know when you’re rested enough for another go.”
He pushes into her suddenly. “Oh, I think you don’t have long to wait at all,” he tells her. And he’s right.
Ch. 33: http://amberfocus.livejournal.com/200938.html
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Date: 2009-01-11 09:44 am (UTC)