As the meal progressed, they shared a few details about their younger lives. Zelup revealed he’d had a housecat as a pet when he was a boy, and the cat had gone everywhere with him, riding on his shoulders. Of course, he didn’t tell her that it was a Vartik billycat, with six legs and a tongue that could stretch out to a half meter.
“I was never allowed a real pet,” she replied, cracking the crust on the brûlée. “So I made my own pets. The first robot I built was out of one of my stuffed animals, and after that, I just kept making more furry friends.”
Zelup felt a small wave of sadness cover him. He could imagine her as a little girl, likely with few friends. Her genius would have put the other children off, and she would have spent many hours alone, working, just like she did now.
Suddenly, he thought about carrying the little doctor off somewhere exotic and private. Somewhere she could take a real vacation, where she could relax and unwind, where they could have endless conversations and learn to know one another. Somewhere he could undress her in the sultry heat and lick every inch of her body.
His intent must have shone in his eyes because she blushed. Taking a big swallow of wine, she licked her lips afterward, causing a lightning bolt to hit his dick. Dessert was a nearly silent affair as he tried to get his libido under control.
When they’d finished, he rose to begin clearing the dishes, expecting her to return to the lab. Instead, she refilled her glass to the brim with the last of the wine. It had done little to him, but she could see the alcohol’s effect on her. The tops of her ears were red, and a faint flush stained her cheeks.
Zelup watched her out of the corner of his eye while he cleaned up. He was surprised to find that she was staring at him while slowly draining her glass. When she finished, she patted a napkin against her lips and rose.
He stood still as she approached him, afraid to startle her like a wild creature in the woods. When she got within touching distance, he could feel his hands begin to shake, so he stuck them in his pockets.
“Thank you for another delicious meal,” she murmured up at him, her eyes overly bright behind the tinted lenses. “I’ve appreciated your help over the last few days, even if I haven’t exactly expressed it.”
“It was my pleasure. I enjoy cooking and contributing in some small way to your project. As I said, I’m ready to move onto something a little more complex, if you’ll allow—”
“Shh,” she whispered, putting a finger over his lips to stop his words. “Enough about work. Let’s enjoy an evening off, shall we?”
Those were words he wasn’t sure he’d ever expected to hear from her. Although he’d seen her outside work at the Double V, it seemed like her leaving the lab was the very rare exception rather than the rule.
Zelup nodded, not sure how to respond. He’d been working hard to keep things professional between them, but it seemed like she was ready to cross the border between colleagues and something more tonight. Wondering fleetingly if he should put a stop to the conversation before it veered into more dangerous territory, he decided to let it ride.
If she decided to invite him into her bed tonight, there was no way he would refuse the offer. Already, his dick was straining against his pants, eager for attention from the beautiful doll in front of him. Still, he wouldn’t rush her. She would have to make the first move.
“Where did you learn to cook?” she asked.
“My mother,” he said. “Where did you get your interest in science, Doctor?”
She grinned sheepishly. “Call me Dawn already,” she said.
A secret thrill rushed through him. He’d been waiting for her to break down the wall of formality between them. This was a hole big enough to stride through.
“And I don’t know. I was always interested in how things worked, why things behaved the way they did. I guess I was just naturally curious about the worlds and what made them tick.” Her expression told him that this wasn’t really the topic she wanted to address, and yet she made no move otherwise.
The tension between them was nearly unbearable. They were wedged between the counters, their bodies mere inches apart, sharing the same space, breathing the same air, but not touching, not speaking.
Something had to give and soon, or he thought he might explode from the anticipation.
