MC-125 Ch. 13

John put away the last of the beakers and stood back to admire the day's work. He had finished moving into the new next-door facility. The newly delivered PCR machines and electrophoresis scanners were set in their respective stations, the autoclave was humming away on a set of dishes and pipettes, and the CRAY computer in his lab was humming by the far wall. Samantha had spared very little expense in giving him what he needed to run his experiments by himself. There would be no lab assistants, understandable considering the delicacy of the research.

Done with the days work, John's mind was now free to wander. Naturally, he thought of Samantha and their time together the night before last. The sex was intense, more that he had ever experienced. She was a force of nature in bed. Even now, the thought of it made his heart hammer. But there were two things that he took away from that night that stuck to him besides the experience. First, the effect she had on him was different from anything that he had ever counted with other women. It almost seemed like she was using his own abilities in her favor, a sort of feedback loop. Where the other women that he bedded gave themselves generously Samantha took. She took until he was drained and couldn't help falling asleep for an hour before he left. He wasn't sure about what she did to him. That was a scientific observation that he would have to study. Perhaps it was linked to the reason why she wouldn't let him run any tests on her.

It was the second point that disappointed him. It was great sex, but that was all it seemed to be. John had had plenty of sex in the past couple of years. And for a while he thought it was the best thing in the world, to have access to women at his fingertips. But then he met Cassandra and everything changed. Love was so much more. John saw the potential for that with Samantha. She was a strong and brilliant woman. She was witty, smart, and sexy. She had a hidden untapped sensuality about her that she kept closely guarded. Granted, that made getting close to her more difficult but it certainly made being with her more worthwhile. He'd planned on their first time in bed as something intimate and romantic but instead she made it clear that night that that wasn't what she was looking for. Even afterwards, when he tried holding her and cuddling, she shuffled away from him under the sheets.

John didn't know what to make of the situation. Perhaps he should talk to her about it.

Speaking of whom, the door opened and Samantha strode in. She looked at the laboratory, inspecting the placement of equipment and the streamlined design of the room. Her eyes finally rested on John himself and the corners of her mouth curled up. "Hello, John. Enjoying your new toys?"

"You flatter me with the facilities you've granted me."

"Does it get me anywhere?"

John returned her smile. "Maybe."

Samantha stepped boldly up to him and teased his lips with her own. John moved his hands along her ribs until they gently cupped the sides of her breasts. He felt her murmur in approval before he pulled away. There was a time and place for courtship and the worksite definitely shouldn't be one of them. Samantha's eyes silently agreed in his tact and he sensed that he had earned another nugget of her respect.

"So, any idea when we can go out again?" he asked. "You owe me, after all."

"How about tomorrow evening?" she offered. "We could go out for dinner then come back to my place, put Brianna to bed early, and..." Her sentence trailed off but the sensual twinkle in her eyes spoke volumes of what they could do to conclude the evening.

"I have a better idea," John counter-offered. "How about I pick you up tomorrow night and surprise you with whatever I've cooked up."

Samantha's eyes sparkled in curiosity as she circled him, measuring him. "Surprises, John? Very well. Pick me up tomorrow night at seven."

John watched her statuesque figure as she exited and his mind whirled with possibilities. He had come to the conclusion that a woman as proud as her would not appreciate direct criticism about their previous tryst. He would just have to show her what their first time should have been like. He went home and planned for the next evening.

***

John showed up on Samantha's front doorstep promptly at six. He smiled at the bewildered look on her face when she opened the door. "John. What are you doing here?"

"Why, to take you out tonight."

"I said seven; you're an hour early. The babysitter isn't even here."

"Cancel," John stated simply.

"What?"

"Cancel," John reiterated. "Brianna's coming with us."

"But..."

"No 'buts'. I told you I'd surprise you so, 'Surprise!'"

Samantha stepped back as a bouquet of handpicked carnations attacked her face. A single bloom bent over as a stem broke from the violent introduction and she couldn't help but laugh at the charming simplicity of it all. "All right. Come in and you can explain yourself."

John entered her home and gave her a friendly peck on the lips. So far so good, he thought. She seemed to be off balance, and he planned on keeping it that way tonight. He followed her into the kitchen as he explained himself. "I heard that a circus and carnival was in town so I thought it would be nice to take you and Brianna."

"I don't know..."

"Come on, it'll be fun. When was the last time you took Brianna out? You know she'll enjoy herself. I'll buy you cotton candy."

"Alright. Fine," she huffed. "But I'm only in it for the cotton candy." The wings of her lips tilted upwards in a gentle smile.

"Great. Go get dressed and I'll break the news to Brianna."

Samantha sprinted for the stairs and John couldn't help but smile. He had done the impossible. He was able to touch a part of her that wasn't as serious as the rest of her. Tonight she was going to have fun.

John found Brianna in her room coloring a book. "Hey there."

Brianna looked up and stepped into a hug. John pulled back and looked at her as he handed her another carnation he had tucked away. Her smile was the very image of her mothers. "Tonight you and I have a mission. It's very important so listen up." Brianna's eyes sharpened in attention. John was beginning to wonder just how precocious the little girl was. "Your mom doesn't have all that much fun, does she?" Brianna shook her head. "Well, I'm sure she used to know but she's forgotten. So tonight we are going to the carnival and the circus to see if we can jog her memory. How does that sound?"

Brianna's eyes said it all as her cupid's mouth broadened into a grin. "That's what I though," he said. "So, tonight I want you to have as much fun as you can so you can show her how it's done. Think you can do that?"

Brianna's grin turned sly, a peculiar thing to see on a five year old. She winked.

"That's what I thought. I'll go get your mom to help you get dressed." He mussed her hair on his way out, earning him a scowl.

John slipped into Samantha's bedroom without knocking and took his gloves off as he went in. The sight that greeted him took his breath away. Her back was turned to him so she didn't notice his admiring gaze as she slipped into a comfortable pair of jeans that hugged her hips deliciously. Her graceful neck was tantalizingly exposed with her hair pinned up and John could just make out the firm swell of the sides of her breasts cradled in a black bra. Quietly, he crept up to her until he could feel the heat of her body on his face. He noticed her stiffen in shock as he inhaled the womanly scent of jasmine shampoo and apricot lotion. He raised his hands and left them poised inches from her skin. They hovered down her bare shoulders and arms, the electric heat tantalizing them both.

"What are you doing?" she asked, hints of curiosity and nervousness threaded her voice.

John hummed in approval. "Admiring a work of art. You've probably heard it a million times but you are a beautiful woman." He noticed how the back of her neck flushed and wondered if it reached the front. He caught another delicious whiff of her and stepped back, the creases in his palms regretting the departure. John took a seat on the edge of her bed and waited.

Samantha stood still for another moment before fishing into her large closet for a shirt and sweater. She made her way to her make-up table and began to touch-up her face.

John sat and watched her during her feminine ritual. "Wait," he called out as she reached for a slender bottle of perfume. "There's no need for that. I like the way you smell." He saw her eyebrow arch in intrigue in the mirror before she set the bottle down.

"You're a very peculiar man sometimes, John," she said as she turned around.

"I like to keep you guessing," he answered. "Keeps you interested in me."

"Oh, I find you interesting enough."

John stood up and walked toward his date. He stood in front of her with some witty retort on the cusp of his lips but lost them as he looked deeply in her eyes. God, she had beautiful eyes. "You know..."

"I should go help Brianna get dressed," Samantha blurted out as she stepped back and rushed out the door.

John smirked. That was his fault. He should have stuck to his plan. If he had then he wouldn't have let himself get lost in those warm emerald orbs. John slipped his gloves back on and went after his dates.

John could tell that if Brianna could talk she would be all atwitter. The mute girl was simply bubbling with enough excitement to pop. Her attitude was infectious and soon Samantha and himself were smiling broadly as they hopped into his car and sped off for the carnival.

They arrived none too soon or else Brianna would have combusted in John's backseat from anticipation. John was simply enjoying himself. Samantha seemed at ease, knowing that her daughter was enjoying herself, and John couldn't have asked for more. They made their rounds going on carnival rides and had unhealthy levels of junk food. As promised, John bought each of them fat pink clouds of cotton candy. Brianna even shared some of hers. Samantha didn't. The circus was a brightly lighted affair that was humid with animals and hay. Brianna enjoyed the trick horse riders while Samantha watched the trained bears. After the performance, John spent nearly fifty dollars trying to win a large stuffed pony and bear in a balloon from various stalls. The look on Brianna and Samantha's faces made it all worth it.

Later in the evening they came around to a competitive water aiming game where you aimed a small hose at a target to send a monkey climbing to the top. Brianna wanted to play and John and Samantha joined her. Within seconds of the starting alarm John was taking two solid streams of water in the face. He whipped his hose on the two girls to retaliate but was outgunned. Growling, he resorted to other tactics and charged Samantha, hose in hand. He wrapped an arm about her narrow waist and pointed the hose straight down her sweater. She fought back bravely as cold water sluiced through the layers of clothing, her laughter and screams filling his ears. Samantha squirmed delightfully in his arms as John enjoyed the moment. It was short lived when he found a little hand sticking a hose down the front of his pants. He howled in surprise and abandoned the woman in his arms only to get doused again by twin hoses. Thankfully someone else won the game and the water was turned off.

Samantha picked up her daughter and gave her a peck on the cheek. "You get something nice for helping out Mom." Brianna grinned broadly while John stuck his tongue out at her. Samantha turned on her date. "And you have to buy me something dry to wear until we get back."

"What about me? You two started it."

"I'll let you buy something dry for yourself."

Flabbergasted, John stood amazed at the whole situation while his date and her daughter walked off into the crowd. "Something's not right about this picture," he grumbled.

They found a small gift stall and soon John and Samantha were sporting a pair of matching circus t-shirts after changing in the port-o-potties. They had time for one last ride on the carousel before Samantha decided it was close to Brianna's bedtime. John remembered that last time on the merry-go-round as Samantha rode on a white mare with flowery reins while he bobbed up and down beside her on his own black destrier. She was carefree and happy, the former an expression that he'd never seen on her face. She was breathtaking.

The trip back to Samantha's house was uneventful as she and John talked quietly about the laboratory work John was just starting. By the time they got back Brianna was dozing in the back seat. John scooped her up and helped her to bed. Samantha helped her into pajamas and her daughter was asleep before her head hit the pillow, a stuffed pony tucked neatly in her arms.

John encircled his arm about Samantha's waist and she pulled in closer. The house was quiet and John was suddenly very aware of the gentle sound of Samantha's breath as she rested her head on his collarbone. They watched Brianna sleep for a moment before heading down the stairs for some tea and conversation.

"Have a good time tonight?"

"Mmm, wonderful," Samantha replied as she sipped from the delicate cup. "I haven't had that much fun in a long time. And I think that was the best time Brianna's ever had." A stretch of silence opened between them but John sensed she had more to say. "I'm a busy woman and when I find the time to spend with my daughter I don't know what to do with her. My parents were separate from my life. I was sent to boarding school since as early as I could remember. When I was home they didn't pay much attention to me, busy with their own lives. Truth be told, I was more of a guest in their house than what people usually consider as a part of a family. And now that I have a daughter of my own I just don't know how to be a parent."

"You're doing all right."

"Am I? Sometimes I'm not so sure."

"You try. Brianna knows that." John drank from his cup. "She's very precocious, like you mentioned. I can tell she knows that you love her and that's all that really counts." Samantha sighed as John absent-mindedly stroked her hair. He loved the rich red curls as they tangled in his fingers.

"What was your family like?"

"Mine?" John thought about that one. "Well, for starters I have two brothers, Aron and Danny. I'm the youngest. My mom was a homemaker and my dad a lawyer. Both my brothers followed my father's footsteps and became lawyers themselves. I was sort of the black sheep of the family. My brothers were sporty and I was kind of bookish. I know Mom really wanted a girl but since she never got one she sort of raised me to be a little more sensitive than my brothers. Oh, they're good guys. They just like being boneheads every once in a while, though. They really knew how to pick on me. I'll never forgive them for putting the garden snakes in my bed and tape recording when I screamed."

Samantha laughed at that. "Aw, poor little John."

"I was seven," he shrugged, "they were fourteen and twelve."

"I always got them back, though."

"Really?"

"I pulled the same snake bit on them except I did it when Aron had a girl over. As for Danny, he never saw it coming when I slipped it in his underwear drawer."

"Oh, dear."

John smiled at the fond memories. "Yeah, we had a good time."

"Do you talk to them much?"

"My family? On occasion. I hear from my mother quite often. By the way, she's dying to meet you."

"You talked to her about me?"

"Definitely. I go to her for advice sometimes when you're being particularly stubborn."

"I recall someone once saying that my strong-headedness was attractive," she jibed.

"He must be some sort of fool," John shot back.

John felt Samantha's laugh down to his bones. "Must be," she whispered before pulling him into a soft kiss. John felt her hand caressing his cheek as she brought him in closer. Her tongue searched for his hungrily and he was more than happy to oblige. Slowly, they parted and looked at one another, their eyes searching for that elusive unknown not found anywhere else. But it was there, between them.

Abruptly, Samantha backed away. "I...I need to get to work early tomorrow," said in a panicked voice as she stood up from the couch. "And Brianna needs my help with some things before school."

John's hand snapped out and tightened around her wrist. "Samantha, I'm going to wait for you whether you like it or not." His eyes locked with hers until he felt her falter beneath his gaze.

"You've already had me, John," she replied in an uncharacteristically small voice, a forced smile pasted to her face. "Or had you forgotten what happened two nights ago."

John got up, his eyes never leaving Samantha's. "Let's be honest. You had me. I have yet to have you." He kissed her forehead and let her go. "Goodnight, Samantha."

Samantha stood in the empty shadow of her house as she watched John leave through the front door.