CH 1-10

Summary

Nova is a brilliant scientist whose job is to ‘awaken’ people preserved in cryogenic sleep. One day, she awakens a man with an intense appetite-for food…and sex. Their connection quickly turns intimate. The encounter leaves Nova shaken and she soon discovers the man is Alexander Black. A legendary tech prodigy and multi-billionaire who was frozen forty years earlier, at the height of his career. As Alexander struggles to adapt to a future that moved on without him, Nova becomes his only anchor in a world he no longer recognizes. 🌶️🌶️

Chapter 1

Dr. Finkle walked quickly for a man his age.

His white coat flapped behind him as we moved down the rows of cryogenic chambers. I inhaled deeply. I loved it. The faint scent of antiseptic and cold metal. I matched his pace, my tablet tucked neatly under my arm.

“This one’s special,” he said without looking at me.

We stopped in front of a reinforced glass chamber. Thin veins of frost rimmed the edges, curling across the surface. Inside, suspended in translucent blue liquid, was Specimen #67589.

I smiled. I loved seeing the specimens in their chambers.

My name is Nova Saintclair. I’m a scientist at Cryo Futures, where thousands of people lay frozen in cryogenic sleep, caught between the lives they left behind and the cures that might one day let them wake up again.

I love what I do, more than anything else in the world. And when I’m not in the lab, I’m home with my cat, Meatball. I’m not the most social person around and prefer my alone time.

The day started as it always did, with Dr. Finkle giving me a rundown on the specimen assigned for awakening. My job was to wake them. Very carefully and very gently. We did this once we believed medical science could finally save them.

I gazed at Specimen #67589.

He was… intact. More than intact. His body was perfect. And what a body it was.

Broad shoulders, defined muscular arms, one of those perfectly chiseled faces you only ever saw on magazine covers. His features were relaxed in stasis, his lashes dark against his pale skin. His dark brown hair floated gracefully in the liquid, creating a halo above his head.

He looked like a model.

I reminded myself to stay professional when my eyes drifted lower.

I had never thought much about the fact that the specimens were naked. But for some reason, my gaze betrayed me and I found myself looking at his penis.

It was… impressive.

“Male,” Dr. Finkle said, tapping the glass with one finger.

No shit.

“Frozen forty years ago. Voluntary cryostasis following diagnosis of a congenital heart defect. Prognosis at the time was terminal.”

I nodded, pulling up the file as he spoke. I wasn’t allowed to know all the personal details about the specimens I awakened. Only what I needed to do my job. Complete confidentiality was part of the process. In fact, I didn’t even now the names of my specimens.

I glanced back at the man in the chamber.

“Are we bringing in any family for his awakening?” I asked. It was protocol. Familiar faces could help ease the shock, though it didn’t always work. Forty years changed a face. Sometimes it caused panic, but we were armed and ready, with sedatives in hand.

“His brother is still alive,” Dr. Finkle said. “Managed his interests while he was gone.”

I nodded.

“A cure was finalized last year,” he continued. “Surgical correction combined with regenerative therapy. We notified the brother immediately.”

“And?” I asked. Timing mattered. I wanted his awakening to be perfect, with a family member at his side.

Dr. Finkle snorted. “He said there was no rush.”

I raised a brow. “No rush?”

“Precisely.” He studied the specimen for a moment. “Strange thing to say.”

Oddities mattered in this line of work. And that… was very odd.

“But,” he went on, “the specimen’s wishes were explicit. Full revival upon the availability of a cure. He’ll have surgery immediately following his thaw.”

He turned to me. “I’d like you to handle the awakening by yourself this time.”

My stomach dropped.

“M—me?” I croaked.

“You’re more than qualified,” Dr. Finkle said with a smile. “You don’t need supervision anymore.”

His eyes lit up. “Congratulations, Nova.”

Before I could respond, he turned and walked away.

“Wow,” I murmured under my breath. I had never done one alone before, but I had been waiting for this moment for a long time.

I stepped closer, scanning his body again. Up close, I noticed a faint scar near his hairline. I wondered what had caused it. Here he was, a man who went to sleep forty years ago believing the world would wait for him.

“I’m not sure that it did,” I whispered, though he couldn’t hear me.

Not yet.

---

The specimen’s vault was transferred overnight into Awakening Lab Three. His chamber was now lying horizontal and flat on the floor. The specimens always looked like futuristic aliens lying in their caskets.

I scrubbed in by putting on gloves, a gown, and a mask. My movements were careful but well-practiced. I had done this a hundred times.

I smiled down at him, as he floated in the cold liquid. “You’re the first patient that I will complete this procedure on without supervision.”

I was about to awaken a man who had been frozen since before my parents even met. The thrill of it was what had made me love my job so much.

I initiated the sequence. It usually took five days to fully awaken someone and bring them back to full consciousness.

Day one began.

The thaw was gradual. Preserving tissue integrity required patience. I had to lower the temperature by fractions, then raise it just enough to induce circulation without shocking his system.

I checked on him every few hours. Day one passed smoothly. So did day two. By day three, the ice and water was gone.

What remained was only him.

He lay naked on the examination bed in the temperature-controlled chamber. His skin was no longer blue and was slowly regaining color. Oxygen fed gently into his lungs, his chest rising and falling at a steady pace. Wires monitored his heart rhythm, neural activity, and muscle response.

He looked more human now.

More… vulnerable.

I lingered longer than necessary that evening. I wasn’t sure why. But I examined him carefully. I saw the typical aftereffects of preservation. He had slight muscle loss, though he was still undeniably strong. He must have been incredibly fit before he was frozen.

“I might go home and make lasagna,” I told him quietly. “Not that anyone will be there to eat it with me. Except my cat, Meatball.”

Somehow, over the past few days, I took it upon myself to tell him everything. My life, my routines, even my weekly dinner menu.

Maybe I was lonely.

I lowered the temperature by another degree before sealing the chamber for the night. His vitals were exactly where they should be.

As I stepped away, I thought I saw movement.

A flicker of his finger.

“No way,” I whispered. “It’s too early.”

I turned toward the door.

But the feeling didn’t leave me. I was certain that I had seen it.

Or maybe I was just really tired.

---

The next morning, I was in the lab again. I’d woken up in an exceptionally good mood today.

I started by putting on my favorite lab coat. Then I’d swept my blonde hair into a neat bun and popped a pair of black glasses over my blue eyes.

It was time to begin day four. The specimen was on the examination table now and no longer required his chamber. He was looking exceptionally well today.

“Hmm,” I shook my head. “You look like you are thawing much faster than you are meant to. In fact… you could almost wake up.”

I circled him, walking around the exam table as I observed him. “Surely not. But I can run some tests to see. You look… very thawed. Too thawed.”

I turned away from the table. My tablet was already in my hands, my thumb hovering over the call button. I needed to let Dr. Finkle know what had happened. I sent a quick message to let him know that I wanted a second opinion on the specimen’s current status, as it appeared that he might wake up earlier than expected.

A hand settled on my shoulder.

Heavy. Icy cold.

I screamed and spun around, the room blurring as my back slammed against the wall.

He was standing.

Right in front of me.

What the fuck?

Perfectly upright. Close enough that I could feel the cold radiating from his skin.

And he was naked.

My eyes flicked downward.

And fully erect.

They always woke up like that.

“You,” he said, his voice cracking.

My body was so tense I felt the room spin.

“You shouldn’t be out of the chamber,” I managed.

He didn’t answer, just stared, his eyes slowly tracing my body. That’s when I noticed his breathing, it was choppy and uneven.

“I’m cold,” he stuttered.

Of course he was. His mind was awake, but his body hadn’t caught up. I forced myself to breathe, to think like a scientist. “You’re not supposed to be mobile yet.”

He didn’t move.

“How long?” he asked.

I hesitated.

“Tell me,” he said.

“Forty years.” I croaked.

He blinked, then stepped closer.

“Cold,” he murmured. “Hungry.”

I reached for his wrist instinctively. His skin was frozen against mine. “Come on,” I said softly. “Let’s get you warmed up. I’ll also grab some food for you.”

But instead, he pressed closer, his cold body flush against mine.

Then I felt it. His cold, hard erection, pressing into my hip bone.

“Oh,” I laughed nervously.

“Sex,” he muttered.

Then he lowered his mouth to my neck.

And for reasons I didn’t understand yet…

I let him.

Chapter 2

“So warm,” he whispered. I felt a shiver run up my spine. This was so inappropriate, but I couldn’t seem to budge. I shouldn’t even be turned on right now.

He was a specimen. This was wrong.

Then his hands found my waist, and he leaned upward again, peering down at me. I gasped as his hands slid under my lab coat and tugged at the button of my slacks.

“Patients awaken with a heightened sex drive,” I said, watching as he pulled the zipper down. “This is a normal reaction, and it will pass after a few hours.”

He didn’t answer. He just pulled at my pants, and they fell to the ground, revealing my red, lacy thong. He trailed his fingers down the front of them. I was soaking wet now, and my pussy ached for something hard and thick.

And perhaps…cold.

Then he slid my panties downward and slipped his fingers underneath. He dragged them up my slick petals, as my back arched.

“Awakening,” I swallowed as two of his cold fingers slid into my vagina, “can cause some dizziness and confusion-”

I gasped as he began working his fingers in and out of me. The coldness of his skin caused goosebumps to litter my arms.

“Warm,” he repeated, his eyes on my face.

“It will pass,” I gasped as he increased his speed. My tablet slipped from my hands and clattered onto the floor. Then, he pulled his fingers out.

Next, he knelt in front of me and gently pried my legs apart. I should have stopped him, but I didn’t. He leaned forward, and buried his face between my thighs. He licked along my labia and then his tongue found my clit, circling around it before landing on the hood. I let out a moan as he sucked on it hungrily, desperately.

Then he licked it. He sucked and licked—sucked and licked. My clit swelled, and moisture dripped from my opening. The next thing I knew, I was grinding my hips against his face, my hands gripping onto his hair. His licking motions were purposeful…sensual. He was enjoying it just as much as I was.

“Keep going!” I cried out.

Then the orgasm crashed into me. Long and hard. He licked me until I finished and when he leaned back, my thighs were left shaking.

Then I felt his hands move to my waist as he lifted me, bringing me back to the exam table. He set me on top with a soft thud, and slid my thighs apart gently.

“Specimen-I mean-” I began.

His cock was at my entrance, he was dragging the tip along the wet opening. He looked at me, his expression dark. “Warm.”

He pulled on my legs and wrapped them around him. For some reason, I tightened my grip on him with my thighs.

My body was doing one thing…but my mouth was saying something different.

“I-we-” I began.

Then he pushed inside me, and I gasped. It was just an inch. But he was rock hard, cold but so fucking thick. It was by far the biggest cock I had ever taken. Damnit, this was wrong.

Thankfully, I was wet and warm from my orgasm, so it slid in more easily than I expected. He slowly sunk into me. Inch by thick inch. His cold cock stretched me out perfectly.

I began to moan as he moved in and out of me slowly. Our eyes met, and we held each other’s gaze as he continued, slow and purposeful.

“So warm,” he said, his voice still raspy. Then he pushed me backward so I was lying flat on the exam table. He lifted my legs and brought my ankles to his shoulders, gripping them tightly.

That was when the real fucking began.

He started stretching my pussy out like I was a ragdoll. Like he needed a release.

He grunted as he pounded into me with all his strength. I heard the sound of the metal table legs scraping against the tiled floor beneath us. He was fucking my pussy so hard that the table was shifting out of place.

“Ahh!” I screamed as he continued. My eyes were rolling into the back of my head, I was being fucked so good.

It was the best sex of my life.

Animalistic. Raw.

I heard the sound of his skin slapping against mine.

My hair fell out of its bun, and my glasses slid halfway down my face. He was fucking the absolute life out of me, and I loved it. His cock filled me in all the right ways.

I looked down to see his ab muscles rippling as he continued. His eyes were closed, his mouth slightly open as he moaned.

He was using me-using my pussy-and I loved it. I wanted it.

“Warm,” he moaned as he pounded into me, ripping my pussy apart in the best way possible.

I closed my eyes, my mouth hanging open as deep moans continued to escape me. I felt his cold fingers find my clit and he began to rub it. My hips bucked.

“Fuck me!” I cried desperately. I didn’t want him to stop.

A shiver ran down my spine as my second orgasm flooded me and pleasure took over my body. I moaned, loud and deep.

I didn’t care if anyone heard. I’d never been fucked so well in my life.

I heard him grunting and opened my eyes to see him watching himself as he pumped into me. Then I felt it-his hot cum shooting into me, flooding my vagina. He fucked me hard and deep as he finished, pushing fully inside me as the last of his cum shot inside.

He held himself there for a few moments, our gazes locked. I began to wonder what the hell I’d just done. Then he stepped away from me and blinked, standing still like a statue. I sat up and evened out my breathing. A faint beeping sound reached my ears. I turned toward the tablet on the floor-the screen lighting up.

“Shit,” I hissed. I jumped from the table and lunged for it, opening the messages app.

I’ll be up shortly.

“Dr. Finkle!” I whispered urgently. I turned to look at the specimen as if he might help me. I set the tablet aside quickly and frantically pulled on my slacks, fixing my hair and straightening my glasses. Then I turned back to him.

“Don’t tell anyone that happened,” I hissed. “Lay back down.”

He smiled-no, he smirked.

“Come on,” I hissed. “I’ll get fired.”

He nodded and lay back on the table just as the doors whirled open and Dr. Finkle walked in.

He looked at the exam table. “Already awake, are we?” Then he looked at me and raised a brow. “Did you rearrange the exam table?”

“I moved the table a bit,” I said quickly, wiping my nervous, sweaty hands on my lab coat. Little did he know that it had been literally fucked out of place when the specimen had decided to pound me so hard that I was pretty sure my vagina would never recover.

And he had given me the best sex of my life.

I watched as the specimen sat up and looked at Dr. Finkle. The doctor was at his side already, reaching out to check the screens around him.

“Remarkable,” he said, shaking his head. “I have never seen someone wake up a full day early.”

Dr. Finkle turned to look at me. “We will need to conduct a case study. To figure out what has happened.”

The specimen blinked a few times and turned to the doctor. “Forty years?”

“Forty-two, to be precise,” Dr. Finkle replied. “Welcome back, Alexander.”

I sucked in. It was my first time learning a patient’s name.

“Marcus,” he said slowly.

“I will contact him now,” Dr. Finkle smiled. “You woke up earlier than expected, so he had planned to arrive tomorrow.”

“Typical,” Alexander said, bringing his hands up to rub his eyes.

“We have psychology support available now,” Dr. Finkle said, gently patting one of Alexander’s hands. “But you should also know-they found a cure for your heart condition. Surgery will begin as soon as you are cleared.”

Dr. Finkle left him at the table and made his way over to me. He leaned forward and whispered, “Also, take a quick note around his erection. He’s woken up without one. Remarkable.”

I could only nod numbly in response. If only Dr. Finkle knew that he no longer had an erection because he’d shot his cum inside of me.

Dr. Finkle returned to Alexander’s side. “I am sorry that your awakening was not what had been planned. Normally you would be dressed and be in the presence of your family and a psychologist. I hope this has not caused any concerns about your state. You appear very healthy.”

He pointed toward me. I stood on the other side of the room, pretending to be hyper-focused on the tablet in my hand.

“Nova is our best scientist,” he smiled. “Her awakening success rate is perfect. I believe you woke up early due to some other factor, which we will explore.”

I could feel Alexander’s eyes on me as he replied, but I didn’t dare look up. Instead, I continued to mindlessly tap on the tablet screen.

“I have no concerns,” Alexander said slowly. “Your staff member was…very attentive.”

My stomach sank, and I felt my cheeks grow red.

“Incredible,” Dr. Finkle said warmly. “That works out wonderfully. As Nova will be keeping a careful eye on you while I contact your brother. In the meantime, let’s get you dressed.”

Keep an eye on him?

Chapter 3

“Sir,” I said quickly, placing the tablet on the nearest table. I walked over to where he stood. I could see Alexander’s eyes raking over my body.

I swallowed. “Keeping an eye on him?”

Dr. Finkle nodded. “Yes. We’ve never had this before. I need blood work. Full panels. The whole nine yards. Then you can call it a day. Alexander will then move to our hotel suite.”

Once our patients awakened, they stayed in a luxury hotel attached to the lab while they were caught up on life outside or met with family members.

“Right,” I said numbly as Dr. Finkle made his way toward the exit.

Then the specimen broke the silence.

“That’s a relief,” he said. “I’d hate to be left unsupervised.”

I stood there for a few minutes, while he looked at me, as if there was not a care in the world. Maybe he still felt confused from the freezing. He should be panicking or asking a million questions. Yet, he was calm, cool and collected.

“I need to take your blood,” I said flatly, avoiding eye contact. I was still slightly unsure about whether or not he remembered the sex. When patients first awaken, they often lose some of their first memories.

From the corner of my eye, I watched as he held his arm out.

“Go for it,” he replied.

I walked over to him, my hands gloved. I held his arm. He wasn’t so cold anymore. The new warmth from his arm, was radiating through the latex of my glove. I pushed the needle inside and extracted the blood. He didn’t even flinch.

“All done with that one,” I said quickly. I placed the vile in a container and labelled it. “I just need to take one more.” I prepped the next needle and held onto his other arm.

“You know, most people draw the blood first-and then they have sex,” he said with amusement. “I think we did it out of order.”

I jabbed the needle in a little harder than necessary and he winced.

“Are you aware that you just woke up after being cyrogenically frozen?” I scoffed. “You missed forty years of wars, cultural shifts and technological advancements. Shouldn’t you be more concerned with that?”

He went silent for a moment before he responded, “I am. I just haven’t processed it yet.”

I finished extracting his blood and placed it into it’s container and marked it.

I turned and gave him a polite smile, “You’re all sorted on my end. I’ll head off once the team arrives.”

“The team?” he asked.

“The arrival team,” I replied. “A psychologist, Dr. Finkle, a neurologist and your family members. But your family won’t be here until tomorrow due to you awakening so early.”

“When are you back again?” he asked.

“I’m not,” I replied evenly, ignoring the sinking feeling in my stomach. “My work with you is done.”

“If this is standard care, I’d like to request an extension.” he said, tilting his head.

Just then, the lab doors whirled open. Dr. Finkle had arrived with the neurologist and psychologist.

“That’s my cue to leave,” I said quickly.

He began to stand to his feet but I walked away quickly. I nodded and waved at the team as I passed them.

I left the room and I didn’t look back.

---

Weeks passed and I did everything in my power to forget about the specimen. To forget about his icy cold hands. His green eyes and the way they went dark as we fucked.

I was lying in my bed, my eyes on the ceiling. My vibrator was in one hand, buzzing away. I was holding it against my clit as images of the specimen flooded my mind.

“God damnit!” I hissed. The vibrator buzzed and then went silent. It had died and I was out of batteries. I flung it to the side and groaned.

Our intense sex in the lab had caused me to masturbate a few times a week, while I replayed it in my head. But a vibrator just didn’t cut it. It wasn’t even close.

I had checked in with Dr. Finkle about the specimen and I’d also run a variety of tests on his blood. Nothing meaningful had come back from it. Dr. Finkle had informed me that the specimen’s brother had made an appearance.

His brother had left without him. But the specimen had signed himself out and gone home. Wherever that was.

I felt something warm nudging my hand and looked over. It was Meatball. He was a fluffy orange furball who was most definitely overweight. The only time he ever gave me attention, was when he wanted food.

I sighed and stood to my feet. I walked to my kitchen and filled up his bowl. He ran over to it eagerly, nudging impatiently at my foot in an attempt to move it away.

“Fat ass,” I scolded him. I made my way over to my couch and sunk in, pulling out my phone.

I held it up and it projected a holographic image onto the wall in front of me. I wondered what Alexander felt when he saw how much phones had advanced. He’d still be used to flat, glass screens.

I began wandering aimlessly through my social media accounts. As my finger dragged across the controls, I froze on a video.

A familiar anchor stared back at me.

“In yet another historic medical breakthrough, Cryo Futures has confirmed the successful awakening of Alexander Black, the tech prodigy who froze himself in 2020 due to a congenital heart condition.”

My stomach dropped.

Alexander Black? From the Black family?

“No way,” I whispered to myself.

“Black became a multi-billionaire by the age of twenty-eight after founding several technology platforms. Most of which are still widespread and popular today. Despite spending over forty years in cryogenic stasis, he remains one of the wealthiest individuals in the world today.”

Photos appeared. Old photos of a man on magazine covers with headlines from decades ago. It was him.

“After his awakening, Alexander received surgery to treat his heart condition, and it has been reported that he is doing well.”

I swallowed hard and swiped the controls again.

A video filled the screen with loud music and bright captions.

“Okay, but WHY is nobody talking about the fact that Alexander Black just woke up after forty years?”

Text flashed on the screen:

HOT BILLIONAIRE IS BACK

“This man slept through AI wars, climate collapse-and still woke up richer than all of us combined.”

The creator leaned closer.

“Anyway, welcome back, sexy.”

I locked my screen and leaned back on the couch.

Alexander Black.

The man I had touched.

The man I had fucked.

---

I didn’t want to go and I had made that very clear to Dr. Finkle.

“This is not optional,” Dr. Finkle said, straightening his tie in the reflection of his office window. “Cryo Futures is being honored, and you are part of the awakening team.”

“I wake people up,” I said flatly. “It’s not like I invented all of the tech.”

“You’ve made history,” he replied. “Put on a dress.”

That was how I found myself standing in a giant ballroom wearing a black evening gown, as the sales lady had called it. My white-blonde hair curled into an updo, makeup fully done, contact lenses in my eyes and jewellery on each hand.

It was a large ballroom with red-velvet curtains, polished wooden floors and tech logos projected onto the walls. Scientists, investors, executives. All the big names in the world of tech. I immediately felt out of place.

I hovered near the edge of the room, a champagne glass clutched in one hand. People were mingling, eating and dancing. Robot servers rolled along the dance floor, passing out drinks to the guests. I was already ready to get the hell out of here. I had been here for an hour and was already planning my exit.

“Fuck it,” I shrugged. I gulped down the remainder of the champagne as my eyes searched for somewhere else to go. I looked over to make sure my group was not watching me and then made my way up the stairs.

I wandered past old paintings of rich people doing rich people things. Then down long narrow hallways. I finally found my freedom as I walked through an open door that led to a balcony.

I walked to the edge and looked out at the garden, letting out a sigh of relief.

I hadn’t heard him follow me.

“Nova.” His voice broke the silence and threw my body into overdrive. It couldn’t be.

I turned slowly.

He stood a few feet away, hands in his pockets. And damnit, he looked…unearthly.

The black tuxedo fit him perfectly, emphasising his wide muscular shoulders. His brown hair was neatly styled now, no longer floating in blue liquid, and his green eyes burned through me like emeralds.

He didn’t look like a specimen anymore.

Chapter 4

“You followed me,” I said, my voice shaking slightly.

He smiled faintly. “So what?”

I laughed nervously. “I didn’t realize you were following me.”

He shrugged.

I bit my lower lip, “Why did you do that?”

“Because I wanted to,” he said.

I shook my head. “You woke up to a new world. You’re famous and rich again.” I said it because I was confused. Confused about why he bothered to follow after me.

He stepped closer. I could feel the warmth of him now, so different from the cold I remembered. The silence was thick. I could barely hear distant music and laughter from the ballroom.

His fingers brushed the side of my cheek. I sucked in as the electricity burned between us. “You look incredible,” he muttered.

I should have stepped away. Instead, I leaned in.

Our lips met.

No-they crashed into each other.

My hands were around the back of his neck. His hands were on my waist. Before I knew it, he had pulled me away from the entrance and towards a set of chairs and a table at the end of the balcony.

His mouth opened. My mouth opened. Our tongues were in each other’s mouths. There was something delicious about him. Something that made me want him so bad it burned.

We had reached the table now. He turned me, my back pressing against his chest. He brought his mouth to my neck, planting gentle kisses along the side of it.

I sighed and relaxed, leaning back against him. His mouth was at my ear now.

“I remember everything,” he said, his voice raspy and his breath warm. “I know many patients don’t remember the first moments, but I do.”

He pulled his head back and then gently nudged me forward, bending me over the balcony table. I held myself up on the table, my palms flat along the top.

“I remember how you felt,” he said, his voice low and dark as he lifted my dress.

My pussy was already throbbing, aching for him to fuck me. I felt the cool air brush along my ass as he pulled the dress up. He slid my thong to the side. I felt his hands sliding up and down my cheeks.

“I didn’t have the privilege of this view though,” he murmured. I felt his hand slide between my thighs, prying them apart. Then his finger was on the hood of my clit, making small motions.

I let out a soft, desperate whimper. It was like he had cast a spell on me. My pussy was already clenching and wet, ready to be ripped apart again. I felt him rub the tip of his thick cock along the entrance to my pussy. Just as he was placing it in line, I pushed back desperately, causing part of his cock to slide in.

We groaned in unison.

“Eager, are we?” he chuckled from behind me.

He moved his hips, sinking into me fully. I whimpered and leaned further forward, now pressing my cheek along the top of the table. My nerve endings were on fire as he pulled back and pushed back in again. Slowly.

“You’re so wet,” he muttered, his hips continuing their motions. I could only moan in response. Then his movements increased in speed. My pussy tightened and clenched around him, desperate for a good fucking.

“Please,” I begged, my voice cracking. I’d had enough nights of daydreaming and masturbating.

He listened.

He went absolutely feral, pounding into my pussy like it was his last day on Earth. He grunted and moaned as he plunged into me over and over again. The table was knocking into the stone wall, a small vase falling from the top and crashing to the ground.

“Oh God,” I cried. I wanted him to stop. Not because it didn’t feel good-because it felt too good. I couldn’t handle it.

I felt my moisture dripping down the side of my leg as he pumped into my slick opening. It felt like he was ripping my vagina wide open and I loved it. He was so thick and so big, and I wanted all of him.

I felt completely full as he began to pulse inside of me. Just as my orgasm approached.

We came together, his hot fluid shooting through me. Warm and welcome. Just as my pussy clamped down on his big cock.

He stretched me out just a few more times as we both finished.

When he was done, he pulled back, his cum oozing from me. I stayed bent over the table for a few moments, to catch my breathe.

I stood and turned towards him, shuffling my dress back into it’s place. I tried to ignore the liquid that dripped down my inner thigh.

“I..” I tried to muster up the courage to say something. Anything.

What was I meant to say?

He was straightening out his tie. I stood still for a moment watching him.

Waiting for him to say something.

Finally…he spoke.

“We need to get going,” he said gently, tugging on my hand, leading me towards the balcony door. “Your team is about to accept their award.”

I nodded like some sort of helpless child and simply allowed him to lead me off the balcony, down the winding halls and to the top of the stairs.

He let go of my hand then and smiled down at me. God he was handsome.

We descended.

Several pairs of eyes were on us, once we came into view.

“Shit,” I whispered under my breath.

“Don’t worry about it,” he muttered next to me.

We got to the bottom of the stairs and I took off in the opposite direction, without so much as a goodbye. I made my way over to my team. They didn’t seem to have noticed that I’d come down the stairs with Alexander.

Miki, the psychologist, handed me another glass of champagne. I took it with a smile and turned towards the band, pretending to listen.

Miki nudged me gently and pointed at Alexander, who was now walking towards the stage.

“Did you hear about him? What he discovered after he woke up?” she whispered.

I shrugged as if I didn’t care. I did.

“His brother married the fiancé that Alexander left behind,” she raised a brow.

I almost spit out my champagne, “Really?”

She shook her head, “Yup. Alexander proposed to her and she accepted. He offered to freeze her along with him but she refused. A few years after he was frozen, all of a sudden she is married to the brother.”

“Wow,” I whispered. My eyes were on Alexander. He was now on the stage, as if he were preparing to step up to the microphone.

“Apparently, they’d been having an affair,” she continued. “It was their opportunity to be together-without causing a scandal. His brother Marcus though cryogenic freezing was a load of bullshit. He even held a funeral for Alexander.”

“He really thought he’d never wake up…” I said. Alexander was now holding the mic.

“Exactly,” she said, shaking her head.

Alexander stood with the mic in one hand, his emerald eyes scanning the crowd, a bright smile on his face. You would never think he was a man who had just awakened.

He stood at the podium as if it were second nature. Casually, effortlessly. He held the mic up and spoke, “Good Evening. My name is Alexander Black.”

“I’ll admit, I wasn’t sure if I was ready yet to return to public speaking. Mostly because I’m still figuring out how half the appliances in my house work,” he continued. “I spent twenty minutes arguing with a coffee machine this morning. It won.”

Laughter rumbled around me. Damn, he was good. In that rich, charming guy sort of way.

“Forty-two years ago, I froze myself with the hope that science would one day catch up. That the people responsible for bringing me back would know what they were doing.”

His gaze drifted over the crowd, as if searching for someone.

“They didn’t just meet that expectation,” he said. “They exceeded it.”

The screen behind him lit up with the Cryo Futures logo.

“I’m honored to present this award to the Awakening Team at Cryo Futures”

The applause surged, and I felt Dr. Finkle tug on my arm. But Alexander wasn’t done yet.

“And,” he added, his voice smooth, “I’d like to personally thank the beautiful woman who woke me up.”

My eyes widened. Oh no. Not me.

“Nova Saintclair.”

The sound of my name echoed through the room and I felt several pairs of eyes land on me.

Alexander’s eyes were on me too. That bastard. Then I saw it. The smirk on his face.

I felt my face go red.

My legs felt like led as I followed my team onto the stage. I didn’t look at him until I reached the steps. He extended a hand to help me up. The instant our hands touched, I felt my core tighten.

Get a hold of yourself. I must be ovulating.

To anyone watching, we were just two professionals sharing a stage. Not Alexander Black and the woman he just fucked against a balcony table.

And judging by the look in his eyes…

He wasn’t done yet.

Chapter 5

After we received the award, I was sure to run to the nearest exit and made a beeline for the train station.

Of course Miki saw me and chased after me. That led to a thirty minute conversation about absolutely nothing. Finally, I made it out of there.

The best part about Boston? I could catch a train at all hours of the day. Train stations were now self-automated. That meant no drivers or station attendants. Instead, robots assisted you when you needed it, roaming around the station and beeping softly as they rolled by.

I slowed as I entered, my heels clicking against the concrete floor. Holographic departure boards floated overhead, updating in real time.

“Ticket?” a robotic voice chirped beside me.

I flinched. The unit hovered at shoulder height. Numbers with ticket prices flittered across it’s screen. I swiped my wrist along the top and it’s screen went green.

“Thank you,” It beeped.

It rolled away and I made my way towards my platform. And like some sort of insane curse.

There he was.

Again.

“Is this real life?” I groaned. “Is he stalking me?”

Alexander was a few feet away-but he hadn’t noticed me. Instead he stood in front of a holographic ad. Every time he moved his eyes, the ad followed. He was growing frustrated. I could see it in the way he scrunched his brows together.

He tried to swipe it away with his hand, but the ad only grew bigger.

“What the hell is this thing?” I heard him mutter to himself.

I should have left him there, right? But I couldn’t. Instead, I let out a deep sigh and walked towards him, stopping at his side.

“You need to blink twice to make it disappear,” I said gently.

He didn’t turn towards me. Instead, his body went rigid. Then, he blinked twice and the ad disappeared. He pivoted in my direction and gave me a small smile.

“Hello Nova,” he said. His green eyes lit up and I felt my stomach melt into a puddle.

“Following me again?” I said, raising an eyebrow at him.

He chuckled, “Yes.”

I hadn’t expected him to say that. I had expected him to say that it had been a coincidence.

“Where do you live?” he said, a hand reaching outwards to tuck a stray hair behind my ear.

“W-why…?” I said uncertainly. Yet, the feeling of his fingers brushing along my skin was intoxicating.

“Because,” he said simply, “I’m starving. And because I don’t know where anything is anymore.”

“You’re meant to have an assistant with you for the first year,” I said in confusion. “Where are they?”

“I fired them,” he said matter-of-factly. Now he was playing with one of the buttons on my coat.

“Right…” I said slowly.

“I tried to order food earlier,” he said quietly. “The restaurant didn’t have menus or iPads with menus. Or QR codes.”

I laughed, “You have to tap it a certain way and the menus appear on the table top.”

“It asked for my emotional preference when I was ordering-I don’t even know what that means,” he sighed.

“You know what?” I said encouragingly. “There’s actually a vintage restaurant two corners down. They have paper menus or you can order with a QR code.”

“Paper menus and QR codes are vintage?” he said, raising a brow.

I smiled, “Welcome to the future.”

---

We stepped into the dimly lit restaurant. It was a millennial’s dream. A place for mostly elderly people who wanted a taste of what their past was like. Or for those who were interested in a more unique dining experience.

We sat ourselves down at a booth. Thankfully, a human waitress appeared. I saw Alexander’s shoulder’s relax as she approached us. She had a vintage device in her hand-an iPad.

She tapped at the glass and I watched as Alexander’s face lit up. She took our order. Two greasy burgers and fries to share.

Alexander leaned back against the booth, exhaling. “Earlier today, my fridge suggested a meal plan based on my cortisol levels.”

“Wow, that sounds like a pretty fancy fridge,” I said. “Mine only sings good morning to me and asks what temperature I want my ice to be.”

He smiled, but he didn’t respond. His gaze moved to look out the window. We sat like that for awhile, in silence. It was odd watching him. He had the demeanour of a powerful man and a confident aura-but couldn’t order his own dinner.

I finally broke the silence, “You don’t have to understand it all at the same time.”

Alexander turned his head and looked into my eyes. He leaned forward.

“Everyone keeps congratulating me for surviving,” he said, his voice low. “Giving me a gold star for cheating death.”

His eyes grew darker as he continued, “But no one has ever asked me about what I’ve lost.” Then he sat back up again and his eyes drifted to the window once again.

The server appeared, a tray of food in her hand. She set our burgers in front of us. I watched as Alexander dived into his meal.

“Still have the increased appetite?” I asked. “That should have worn off.”

He laughed as he dipped a fry into his ketchup, “No. I just haven’t eaten a normal meal in weeks. Everything is…”

“Dried up or frozen?” I asked. “Wrapped in a package?”

He smiled at me and nodded.

We continued into the night until we had finished our meals. As we walked from the restaurant, I peered up at him.

“I’ll help you get onto the right train,” I smiled.

“Or,” he grinned, as he tugged on my arm. I let out a squeal as I face planted against his hard chest.

“You could take me home with you,” he said lowly. He brought his mouth to my neck and I sighed as his skin brushed against my skin.

“I-I,” I struggled to get the words out. “My apartment is nothing special. It’s quite crammed actually.”

“We don’t need much space,” he whispered.

Before I knew it, we were on a train, heading towards my apartment.

---

When we arrived, Alexander stood at the entrance to the apartment building. His eyes moved quickly from one area to the next. It was obvious that the robot security and sustainability gardens were new to him.

“Have you not been outside of your home much? Since I awakened you?” I asked, tilting my head at him in confusion. Surely he had seen robots like these by now.

He shook his head, “No. The gala was my first time leaving.”

I sighed, “No wonder you fired your assistant.”

“That’s not why,” he said flatly. “I fired him because he continuously bugged me about leaving the house. I have work to catch up on. Forty years worth, to be exact.”

I waved towards a large cluster of gardens, as we walked inside, “That’s a community garden. We aim as a complex to be fully sustainable.”

“So you never buy…?” he asked slowly.

“Fruits, vegetables or herbs,” I smiled.

A robot stopped in front of us. It scanned my face and then beeped before zooming away.

“Security checks,” I said as we stepped into the elevator. I swiped my wrist over the control panel and it whizzed to life. A few moments later, the doors flew open and we stepped out.

I walked towards my door and swiped my wrist. The door beeped after a quick scan of my face and unlocked. We stepped into my tiny apartment. It was modest.

A worn out blue couch sat slumped against my living room wall and sat across from a small wooden coffee table. My kitchen was fairly plain with outdated tiles and old appliances.

But it was home.

I heard a faint meow and Meatball appeared. I looked down at him and he rubbed against my leg.

“Hey, I fed you before I left,” I laughed. I watched as he walked over to Alexander. He bent down and scratched the top of his head, his eyes bright.

“I hear that cats are a bit rare now,” he said, his voice low and sad.

I sighed, “Yeah. That’s the result of a poorly planned birth control system that was created for the cats in the city. Instead of managing the population of stray cats-they’ve almost completely wiped them out. It’s a widespread problem throughout the country.”

Alexander shook his head, “I never thought I’d see the day when stray cats were almost wiped out of existence.” He stood to his feet and peered around.

“It’s not the fanciest place, but I like it,” I said with a smile.

He turned to look at me and then his phone buzzed. He pulled it out and tapped the screen.

“I can’t get this damn thing to work properly,” he hissed.

Suddenly, a random holographic video appeared. He’d accidentally accessed the internet. It was now playing a video from he news.

A voice boomed out at us.

“Tech billionaire Alexander has made his first public appearance since his awakening. Today he-“

I reached out and swiped at the video, causing it to disappear.

“You have to swipe it with-” I began to explain.

“I need to go,” he said quickly. He looked at me and nodded, “Good night.”

I turned and watched in confusion as he walked from my apartment, shutting the door behind him.

Chapter 6

The lab was quiet except for the sound of the machines humming softly. I’d somehow managed to get Alexander off my mind, get back to work, and refocus. But that didn’t last long. Because now I was examining some of his blood samples, at Dr. Finkle’s request.

I stood at my workstation, eyes locked on the bloodwork displayed on the holographic image in front of me. I’d already run the numbers several times.

Alexander Black’s blood still didn’t make sense.

Most of his results were exactly what we’d expect after an awakening. But there was a small anomaly I’d been trying to understand-a protein marker sitting just outside the normal range.

I zoomed in on it, deep in concentration.

I had no clue what it was, but it was abnormal after an awakening.

And I definitely didn’t let myself think about the other reason his awakening had been abnormal.

My mind betrayed me, flashing back to that moment in the lab. His cold skin. His heavy hands. The exam table scraping against the floor.

I groaned and sighed, trying to push the memory out of my head.

“Anything new yet?”

I jumped slightly, then spun around.

Dr. Finkle stood a few feet away, his cane in one hand and his eyes on the holographic image.

“I didn’t hear you come in,” I said, smiling politely.

“That’s because you’re lost in your work,” he replied. “Which is only a good sign. I’m sure we’re going to find answers.”

I exhaled slowly. “I haven’t made much progress.”

“But there is one minor anomaly,” I added. “A protein marker that’s elevated beyond expected levels. But there’s no clear cause.”

Dr. Finkle looked thoughtful. “So, nothing that explains why he woke up early.”

He nodded. “All right. I trust you’ll solve the mystery, Nova.”

I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding.

“So,” he said slowly, as if he knew I wouldn’t like it, “something has come up.”

Of course.

“Black Technologies reached out this morning,” he said. “They’ve requested a joint news interview.”

My stomach dropped.

“W-what do you mean?” I stuttered. “With who? I—”

“They’re under pressure,” he said, stepping toward me. “The media is harassing Alexander. They want information. It’s celebrity nonsense. They want us to help feed the wolves so they’ll back off.”

“No,” I said immediately. “Absolutely not. I’m a scientist, and I’m not contractually obligated to do that. Sorry, Dr. Finkle, but I won’t be participating.”

He sighed. “I know. But… they’ve offered to provide us with funding if we help.”

I dragged a hand down my face. Of course they had. Just when we needed the money as well.

“They’ve already submitted the questions,” he said. “Five for you. Five for me.”

I narrowed my eyes. “You trust them to stick to those?”

A thin smile crossed his face. “I’m sure it’ll be fine.”

I groaned.

“Nova…” he said gently. “I’ll allow you to use half of the funding to begin that project you pitched to me last year.”

My heart stopped. “The one you said we didn’t have the money for?”

He nodded.

“Damnit,” I sighed. “Count me in, I guess.”

---

I already hated this place. I wanted to climb back into my cold lab where I could be alone again.

It had been a few days since Dr. Finkle had propositioned me to do the interview, and now here I was. I was sitting in a chair across from him while someone powdered my face. They’d asked me to wear my contacts as well.

A stylist tugged at my long blonde hair, smoothing it into a neat ponytail.

People were staring at me as if I were Alexander Black. As if I had awakened after forty years of sleep.

The stylist sprayed a mist of hairspray over my head, her lips smacking together as she chewed on a bright pink wad of bubble gum.

“So,” she said as she smoothed her hands over my hair, “what was it like meeting Alexander Black?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know. He just woke up.”

My stomach tightened when I thought of what really happened.

She peered at me through the mirror, her eyebrows lifted. “It wasn’t exciting?”

“Nope,” I said quickly.

“Hmm.” She had pale blue hair cut into a bob at her shoulders, streaks of purple woven throughout. Her eyeliner was a bright neon green. She was a walking highlighter.

She tucked one last strand into place and sprayed it before smiling. “You’re all done, love.”

“Thanks,” I smiled. The makeup artist had already left.

“So I heard Alexander is coming today too,” she said, her voice dropping low.

I shook my head. “No, it’s just Dr. Finkle and me.”

She giggled lightly. “Nope. Alexander’s coming. I was meant to do his hair, but he declined. But don’t tell anyone. Apparently, they kept it as low-key as possible.”

My eyes widened.

This was sabotage.

My eyes fell on Dr. Finkle, who had been listening. He shrugged, as if to say, I don’t know what she’s talking about.

Just moments later, we were whisked away and seated in chairs in front of a holographic background depicting the Cryo Futures logo. Hovering robots with cameras surrounded us. One robot in the center flashed a message across its panel that read, Look this way.

I turned toward the camera, staring into its dark lens.

There were still no signs of Alexander.

The red light blinked on.

We were live.

I sat up straighter in my chair, hands folded neatly in my lap as lights flooded the studio. I looked at the interviewer and pretended I wasn’t being broadcast to millions of people on live TV.

She was a young woman with perfect white teeth, bright green eyes, and black hair styled into perfect waves. She wore a tight red dress.

“Good evening,” she said brightly, turning to the camera and flashing a million-dollar smile. “Tonight, we’re joined by Dr. Bernard Finkle and Dr. Nova Saintclair of Cryo Futures. They are two team members responsible for the awakening of Alexander Black-the very successful tech prodigy who was awakened after forty years while waiting for science to find a cure for his heart condition.”

She turned to us. “Thank you both for being here.”

“Of course,” Dr. Finkle said politely.

I nodded. “Our pleasure.”

I wanted to vomit.

The first question went exactly as planned.

She asked Dr. Finkle about the process of placing someone into cryonic sleep. He answered excitedly. It wasn’t often that a scientist got to speak to the world about their contributions.

Then she turned to me, grinning and leaning forward as if we were best friends.

“Dr. Saintclair, you were responsible for Alexander Black’s awakening. Can you walk us through what that was like?”

I’d rehearsed this several times in my mirror the night before. Thankfully, the words came easily.

“The awakening process is gradual,” I said evenly. “We focus on tissue preservation and minimizing shock to the system.”

I went on to explain the process in more detail.

She smiled and nodded. “And you’ve done this many times before?”

“Yes,” I replied. “Alexander’s case was a standard procedure.”

She asked about recovery timelines, and whether I believed cryogenic sleep would become more common now that a celebrity had reappeared unchanged.

Then her tone shifted.

Then came the unexpected twist.

“There’s been a lot of speculation,” she said, tilting her head slightly, “about Alexander Black’s early awakening.”

How did they know he had awakened earlier than normal? My head snapped toward Dr. Finkle. His face was tight now, as if he were trying to figure it out too.

“Some people have wondered whether psychological factors played a role,” she continued. “What are your thoughts?”

My stomach tightened as I turned back to her.

“I am unable to discuss the specific details of Mr. Black’s awakening,” I said carefully. “But for your understanding, awakening timelines are influenced by biological factors.”

She tilted her head. “So it was just gossip?”

“Correct,” I replied evenly.

She nodded. “Did you feel any… pressure? Knowing who he was?”

My throat went dry.

“My role was strictly clinical,” I said. “I’m not given personal details about my patients. Mr Black’s identity was made known to me later on when I saw reports about him online and recognized him. Cryo Futures has a strict confidentiality policy.”

She didn’t look convinced.

“And what about the rumors surrounding his brother?” she pressed. “His brother Marcus, his former fiancée-”

Dr. Finkle leaned forward, his face serious. “We’re unable to comment on-”

“That’s okay,” she interrupted quickly, eyes still on me. “I was actually hoping to hear Dr. Saintclair’s perspective. After all, she was the one who awakened him.”

My mouth opened. Then closed.

I sat there frozen, waiting for Dr Finkle to rescue me again.

I saw her expression shift from polite to smug. She probably loved my silence-I was sure it added drama to her interview.

“So, Dr. Saintclair,” she repeated, “what is your perspective on the fact that Marcus Black and-”

“Well,” a familiar voice said from behind the cameras, cutting her off mid-sentence, “this is where I come in.”

My heart slammed against my ribs.

The camera pulled back slightly as Alexander Black stepped into frame.

He was already smiling, his eyes resting on my face for a few moments before he took the chair beside me.

Chapter 7

The camera pulled back slightly as Alexander stepped into frame.

So, he was making an appearance.

I felt a familiar shiver run up my spine as he stepped forward.

Of course, he looked like a model. He was wearing a white button-up that was rolled to his elbows and styled over a pair of…jeans. I hadn’t seen jeans being worn by a young person before. It was something that elderly people usually wore.

But he made them seem stylish rather than outdated. Although, a potato sack would probably still look perfect on him.

He was already smiling, his green eyes resting on my face for a few moments before he took the chair beside me.

There was a long pause-just long enough for confusion to cross the interviewer’s face.

Then she laughed lightly, blinking once before she suddenly reset herself.

“Well…” she said, glancing between the camera and Alexander, “it appears Mr. Black is joining us a little earlier than expected.”

Alexander nodded politely, flashing his row of perfect teeth. I swear I saw her starting to sweat at the sight of him. “I hope it’s not a problem that I just jumped right in, Alisa.”

Alisa? I didn’t even know the lady’s name.

“Not at all,” she said with a giggle. She sounded like a schoolgirl laughing with her crush. “I was planning to bring you into the interview toward the end, Mr. Black.”

He smiled, relaxed and easy. “Call me Alexander, please.”

Alisa looked like she might melt right into her chair. She tossed her hair back and straightened out her dress.

I didn’t dare look over at him, but I could feel his arm now pressing against mine as he laid it down on the armrest of his chair. I kept my eyes straight, only looking at the interviewer.

Now she leaned toward him. “Welcome, Alexander.”

“Thank you,” he said smoothly. “It’s good to be here. And to be awake.”

Alisa broke out into laughter, and so did some of the people watching in the studio. It was like he had walked in and cast a spell on all of them.

She gestured at me. “We were just discussing your awakening.”

He smiled. “I figured you would.”

She raised a brow. “Did you?”

He looked over at me pointedly. I swallowed, my head still frozen in place, staring straight ahead.

“Miss Saintclair is an incredibly talented scientist, and I am sure that both she and Dr. Finkle could explain awakenings to you in great detail,” he said calmly. “But you’re asking the wrong person the hard questions.”

She leaned back and smiled. She was flirting with him-I could tell. “Oh?” she purred.

“Yes,” he continued. “If there are rumors about my family, my past, or my relationships, those questions belong to me. Not to the scientist who brought me back to life.”

I felt a shift in the studio. I noticed the interviewer’s expression change. She looked more serious now.

Then, she smiled again, her mouth tight. “Fair enough.”

She continued, “Then let me ask you-how does it feel to awaken to a world that has changed and evolved?”

Alexander leaned back in his chair as if he were in his own home, without a care in the world. His hands rested loosely folded in his lap.

He smiled as he answered. “Forty-two years ago, I chose cryostasis because I trusted science. I trusted people like Dr. Saintclair and Dr. Finkle.”

“Awakening,” he continued, “was a far more… enjoyable experience than I had imagined it would be.”

He glanced toward me again, just for a second. A wave of nausea passed through me. I wanted to slap him in that moment.

“I was lucky,” he added. “I woke up under the care of Dr. Saintclair.”

She nodded, satisfied with his answer.

Then she smiled and straightened her back. I knew what was coming next.

She turned fully toward him. “There’s been a lot of public curiosity about your brother Marcus and your former fiancée.”

I felt my shoulders tense, but he appeared oddly calm.

“Yes,” he said coolly. “I am aware.”

She leaned forward slightly. “What’s it been like waking up to that situation?”

He continued evenly. “Forty-two years ago, I was engaged to a woman, and it is true that when I awakened, I discovered she had married my brother.”

He shrugged lightly. “They are still happily married. That is the end of the story.”

The interviewer nodded, hanging onto every word.

“I’ve lost decades,” he continued, “but I’ve gained the ability to move forward without becoming bitter.”

He glanced briefly toward me, and I felt my palms grow sweaty.

“I’d rather focus on the people who helped me survive,” he said, “than the people who couldn’t wait.”

The interviewer smiled, clearly satisfied. “Incredible.”

The interview continued, with the remainder of the questions directed at Alexander. He maneuvered around them like a pro, as if he had played this game many times before. It was impressive. He gave just enough to satisfy her, but not enough for her to learn anything he didn’t want her to.

The red light blinked off moments later.

We were done.

As the studio lights dimmed and the cameras powered down, Alexander leaned slightly toward me.

“See?” he murmured. “Easy.”

I finally turned to look at him.

“Thanks,” I said quickly, hopping to my feet.

I dashed off, avoiding both Dr. Finkle and Alexander. I needed to get the hell out of there. I wanted to be back in the lab.

I managed to make my way out of the studio and was now standing outside the news station in the alley beside it. I tapped at a holographic app projected above my phone.

I attempted to call an automated car to take me back to the lab. I didn’t feel like waiting for the train.

Once I managed to schedule one, I sighed with relief and leaned back against the alley wall.

“Why do you do that?” a voice said beside me. I jumped.

Alexander stood there, staring at me.

I shook my head. “You weren’t even supposed to be there.”

“I was,” he said, stepping closer, “but I thought you might not come if you knew.”

I opened my mouth to argue, but nothing came out.

We were standing far too close now. His green eyes were as calm as ever, and as he inched closer, I caught the scent of soap from his morning shower-like fresh linen.

“This is a bad idea,” I whispered, my voice hoarse. I already knew where this was going.

He tilted his head slightly. “You’ve said that before.”

We were standing in an alley next to a news station. We were in public.

That should have stopped me, right?

It didn’t.

His hand lifted, his fingers brushing my cheek. I shivered at the warmth of his skin.

I didn’t pull away. I didn’t want to.

He leaned forward, and when he kissed me, my body lit on fire. It was slow and soft. Gentle.

My hand came up without thinking, curling into the fabric of his shirt. I could feel his solid, muscular shoulder beneath my palm.

His tongue slipped into my mouth, and his hand found my waist.

Then I heard it.

A faint sound. A soft beep.

I pulled back quickly, my head snapping to the side.

“What was that?” I whispered.

Alexander turned to where I was looking. “I didn’t hear anything.”

I stepped back, forcing distance between us. “It was probably nothing. But I have to go back to the lab.”

I saw my automated taxi pull up to the curb nearby.

His expression hardened. “I’ll see you soon,” he said flatly.

I slipped into the taxi. It gave a confirmation beep and hummed as it pulled away.

I turned to look behind me and saw Alexander standing at the edge of the curb, watching as I rode away until he became a dot in the distance.

---

I woke to the sound of my phone ringing. Then buzzing.

I groaned and reached for it on my nightstand. I checked the time.

5:30 a.m.

“What the hell?” I hissed.

I tapped the screen and saw hundreds of notifications stacked on top of each other.

Missed calls from unknown numbers.

Text messages from Dr. Finkle.

I sat up too fast, my vision blurring as I unlocked my phone.

The first thing that loaded was a photograph.

“No!” I screamed.

Alexander and-

Me.

His hand was on my waist, my fingers curled into his shirt. Our mouths were locked together in a passionate kiss. My face was unmistakable—and so was his.

My hands started shaking, and it became difficult to breathe.

I scrolled, my fingers numb.

The news was everywhere.

CRYO SCIENTIST CAUGHT ‘AWAKENING’ TECH BILLIONAIRE

IS IT SCIENCE… OR SPARKS?

“No!” I wailed again.

ICE-COLD SCIENCE, HEATED MOMENT: CRYO SCIENTIST AND TECH PRODIGY CAUGHT IN THE ACT

An AI verification banner sat beneath the photos.

AUTHENTICITY CONFIRMED. NO DIGITAL MANIPULATION DETECTED.

“What am I going to do?” I whispered hoarsely.

My phone buzzed again. I opened my texts, and a holographic image appeared above my phone.

Nova. Please come to my office as soon as you arrive at work.

Chapter 8

Paid leave. Integrity board review.

I felt sick. I’d never even gotten so much as a detention or a parking ticket.

When Dr. Finkle told me that I needed to leave the facility and wait for him to contact me, I thought I might faint in his office.

He’d been disappointed. Shocked. Concerned. Yet somehow, he was not angry.

He’d waffled on about how everyone makes mistakes, but that the company’s reputation was important. That mistakes like this cost funding.

He’d sighed and said, “This is Cryo Futures, not Cosmopolitan. We don’t need that type of publicity.”

I was standing in front of the receptionist’s desk now at Cryo Futures, hoping to get Alexander Black’s address, seeing as how I had no way to reach out to him.

I wanted to give him a piece of my mind.

“I need Alexander Black’s contact details,” I said.

The receptionist didn’t even look up. “You’re not permitted access to personal records.”

She was tapping along the top of her desk as holographic screens floated around her, her long nails clacking loudly.

“I awakened him,” I said desperately.

“Oh, I bet you did,” she said slowly. Now her eyes were on me, and she was smirking.

She’d seen the photo online.

I groaned and walked away.

Just as I was turning the corner, I heard her speaking to someone on a call.

“Lunch now?” she said. “I forgot! I’m coming right away.”

I held my breath and peered around the corner. I watched as she quickly fumbled for her purse and made a beeline for the front door of the building.

I quickly made my way toward her desk, praying that she had been in a rush and hadn’t logged out.

“Thank God,” I whispered. She’d been in too much of a rush to log out.

I tapped along the surface of the desk, typing his name into her profile search engine.

I grinned.

There it was.

An address.

His address.

I flew toward the door as I called an automated taxi. A few minutes later, a pod slid to a stop in front of me, its doors whizzing open before I stepped inside.

The ride was short, but the demographic change was shocking. We’d moved past tall city buildings and old apartment complexes to a much posher area.

Sleek, modern, curved buildings shone under the sun. Tall, laser-beam-protected gates guarded their entrances.

Then we slid to a stop. I turned to look.

Now this house… it was out of place.

It was all brick, like the old historically protected buildings and museums, with tall arched windows, a wraparound front porch, a second-story balcony, and intricate wood moulding. The front yard had real grass, something that most people had opted not to keep when global warming worsened and the sun began frying it to a crisp.

It was contained by a wooden picket fence, like the ones from old sitcoms that I had seen on TV.

I stepped onto the porch and approached the door.

“Wow,” I said under my breath. The doorbell was a small button on a black panel, and there was a physical key slot beneath the handle. Vastly different from automated doors that you could open with the wave of your hand or by using face scanners.

I lifted my hand to press the button. A soft chiming sound played, and a few minutes later, the wooden door creaked open.

An elderly woman with a cane eyed me suspiciously, a single eye peering at me through the crack.

“No press. No cameras. No photos,” she said quickly.

Then the door shut in my face with a heavy thud. I sighed and pressed the doorbell again.

“I said no press allowed!” she bellowed from behind the door. “Go away!”

“I’m not press,” I replied.

I saw the handle jiggle, and she opened the door again. Now her entire face appeared. She was an elderly woman with wispy grey curls tucked behind her ears in a loose bun.

“Then who are you?” she said, her eyes narrowed.

“I’m Nova Saintclair. The scientist who awakened Mr. Black,” I said quickly, hoping she wouldn’t shut the door in my face again.

She blinked and then swung the door open wide. Then, surprisingly, she smiled.

She waved her hand at me. “Come in. Come in.”

I stepped inside, and she shut the door behind us. I turned to see her pushing several metal latches into place.

I walked forward, peering around as I followed the woman.

The living room was frozen in time, with furniture in warm neutrals and a modular sofa resting in the centre. It was styled in a mid-2020s way, before furniture learned to move itself and came with built-in computer systems. Even the coffee table had a stack of physical books.

On one wall, framed prints were aligned in perfect rows next to a lamp with an actual screw-in light bulb.

“I’m the house manager,” she said, looking over her shoulder as she led me to a massive kitchen. “My name is Caroline.”

She reached out toward a drawer and pulled on a handle-a real one. She didn’t press a button or wave her hand in front of it.

I ran my hand along the top of a real marble countertop, the sort of material that was now banned due to the government placing stops on certain non-essential materials being made, part of their last-ditch effort to reverse pollution.

Of course, there were old homes just like these, but you didn’t see them preserved in a time capsule. Typically, they had been modernised and renovated to suit the current time period.

Caroline pulled out a mug and turned to look at me. “Tea or coffee?”

Intrigued, I turned to her to reply. “Coffee. Thank you.”

There was a smart panel embedded near the fridge, but it was an older model. It didn’t speak to her as she approached, nor when she pulled out a jug of milk.

“Milk and sugar?” she asked over her shoulder.

“Yes, please,” I replied.

She slid a mug across the marble toward me, then poured one for herself.

“Sit with me,” she said sweetly, gesturing to the kitchen table.

We sat together in silence for a moment while I wondered how coffee could taste so damn good.

“Mr. Black only eats non-synthesised foods,” she said to me, as if reading my mind. “He won’t eat or drink anything freeze-dried or lab-grown.”

“That has to cost a fortune,” I chuckled. No average person could afford to eat only un-synthesised food. Most of what people ate was grown in a lab under artificial lights. Eating a meal with real meat-that was a luxury.

She smiled. “It does. But Mr. Black likes to be comfortable.”

“Have you been his house manager for long?” I asked, sipping my coffee.

“Yes,” she replied. “Fifty-two years.”

My mouth dropped open.

“I was his house manager for ten years,” she said. “Then I maintained his household while he was in stasis.”

“So,” I said in confusion, “who lived here all these years?”

“No one,” she shrugged. “Unless you count myself and my husband, the groundsmen. We lived in the pool house since we started here. His brother asked us to remain living here to maintain the house-to keep it preserved. Alexander requested that nothing be changed, not one item.”

“So he walked right back into his last memory?” I gasped.

She nodded. “Except everyone was older.”

“And…” I stopped myself from finishing my sentence.

“Yup,” she sighed. “And his fiancée was married to his brother-and they had children.”

I was halfway through my next sip when I heard a sound.

The front door.

Caroline didn’t flinch, but I felt my spine straighten instantly.

Alexander Black.

He was standing in the doorway of the kitchen, his eyes on me. I felt my heart stutter for a moment, but I quickly composed myself.

“Hi,” I managed to squeak out. My grip tightened on the mug in my hand.

“Good afternoon,” he said calmly.

“Afternoon,” Caroline replied, pushing her chair back and standing to her feet with a wide smile. She gave him a look that told me she was fond of him, like a grandmother staring at her grandson.

“I’ll give you two some space,” she said, already grabbing her cane and heading toward the doorway. “Your coffee is ready, Alexander.”

She didn’t wait for one of us to protest or try to stop her.

Caroline moved past him, patting his arm as she went, before she disappeared.

Alexander stepped closer, his vivid green eyes flickering across my face. He was dressed casually, wearing a tight white T-shirt that accentuated his defined muscles. It was soaked with sweat and clung to his body in all the right places. He wore a pair of black sweat shorts. I willed myself not to keep looking.

But I saw it-the slight bulge of his…

I took a deep breath, trying to maintain my composure. The man looked like a god.

He sauntered over to the seat that Caroline had just left and sat down, reaching for the coffee she had prepared for him. He took a long sip before he spoke.

“So,” he said flatly, “this must be about the photo that was leaked online.”

I nodded.

“It went viral,” I said. “And now I am on paid leave.”

He tilted his head and studied me for a moment before responding. “Try not to think too much about it. I’ll sort it out.”

I let out a short, incredulous laugh.

Was he insane?

“Great,” I said. “I’ll just pretend I am on holiday and cancel my meeting with the integrity board.”

The corner of his mouth twitched into a smile. God, it was a perfect smile.

“It’s going to be okay,” he said softly. “I am taking care of it.”

Then he set his mug down gently, stood to his feet and made his way towards me.

Chapter 9

He stopped mere inches from me, his hands now moving towards my waist.

I immediately held up my hands, palms facing him.

“Stop,” I said.

His hands fell to his sides, “Why?”

“Why?” I laughed. “Why? A photo of us kissing made it on the fucking internet. I am going to lose my job. I need to stop doing whatever this is-and get back to reality.”

He rolled his eyes and sighed, “I told you I would handle it.”

I stepped back, “How? How do you plan to fix this disaster?”

He shrugged, “I know a thing or two about how to twist a story around. Or how to discredit one.”

I groaned, “That was forty-two years ago! Get a grip!”

He shook his head, “But people. They’re not that different Nova. Same old story-there’s just more tech involved now.”

I just stared at him and sighed.

“Come on,” he said, reaching for one of my hands. “Let me show you around.”

I pulled my hand back, “I’ll see you later.”

His face dropped. He looked…sad.

“Wait-” he began. But I didn’t turn back. I left and headed home.

---

Meatball was curled up in my lap as I tapped at the hologram in front of me. I sighed as I read the headlines. The news was still buzzing about the photo of Alexander and I. I couldn’t escape it.

It was on my phone. On the holographic billboards that floated above the train station. I felt like everyone had seen it.

I couldn’t even step outside anymore.

It had been a few days since I had last seen him. But I hadn’t forgotten the look on his face when I had left. The sadness in his eyes.

I groaned and waved at the hologram that had been linked to my phone. I was sick of seeing his face. His rather perfect face. His perfect green eyes and-

I heard a beeping sound. Someone was at my door. I sighed and stood to my feet. If this was someone else from the press, I was going to lose it on them.

I’d had reporters and randoms showing up at my door for the last few days. They had become pests.

I walked to the door and waved my hand in front of the door panel. It whizzed open and I mentally prepared myself to emotionally abuse some stranger.

“Fuck off!” I screamed, as the door slid open.

A man stood there, sunglasses on his face and a dark hood pulled over his head. I narrowed my eyes at him.

“Go away!” I barked. I reached for the door panel to close it.

“Nova,” the man said. Wait… I knew that voice.

“Alexander?” I said, leaning forward.

The man smiled and pulled off the sunglasses, revealing a pair of vivid green eyes.

“Going to let me in?” he said, his eyes darting from side to side.

I sighed and waved him inside and then shut the door.

“Why are you here?” I said, my voice laced with irritation.

Meatball decided to make an appearance at that moment and I watched as Alexander kneeled down to pet him. Meatball rubbed his furry orange head against his hand.

“I missed the cat,” Alexander said, looking up at me and flashing a bright smile.

He stood to his feet, “I can not tell you just how difficult it was to get here.”

I raised a brow at him, “Have you not figured out how to order an automated taxi?”

He shook his head, “I’m still trying to master the train station.”

“Aren’t you incredibly wealthy?” I laughed. “Hire a private driver.”

“I wanted to be secretive,” he said. “I had to sneak out of my own backyard just to get past the press. Besides, just because I’m rich, doesn’t mean I am too good to take a train.”

“Well,” I said, gesturing towards my kitchen. “I was going to make some dinner, if you want to join.”

He peered over at the packages of synthesized food that sat on the top of my counter and winced. As if the sight of it was painful.

“Sorry,” I shrugged. “I only buy food that is synthesized.”

He turned back towards me, “How about we order in? I know a place that delivers real food.”

Several minutes later, we were sitting on my couch, digging into bowls of curry. I had to admit, it was one of the best meals I had ever eaten. I couldn’t remember the last time I had eaten food that wasn’t grown in a lab.

During my childhood, it had been common, but by my teen years, it was almost obsolete.

“Wow,” I said, standing with my empty bowl. I sat it down in the sink. “That was incredible.”

He stood and walked over to me, setting his bowl in beside mine. I could feel his arm brushing against mine as I washed my hands. He held out one hand and I squeezed a dollop of soap into it while I dried my own. When he was done, he turned towards me.

“Thanks for that,” he smiled. “It felt…normal.”

I nodded, “No problem. But I really should go to bed. I haven’t been getting much sleep.”

Alexander didn’t say anything. Instead, he closed the distance between us, lifting me by my waist and placing me on the top of the kitchen counter.

I squealed in surprise, “We shouldn’t.”

But there was something about the way his green eyes looked at me. Like he wanted to fuck me until I screamed. Like that day in the lab.

I felt my panties grow wet, my clit already throbbing. My hands slid around his large shoulders as he slipped his hand under my dress. I was gripping his arms, then his shoulders. Instinctively, my legs wrapped around his waist.

I could see it now. That look. Like he had just awakened. His expression was full of lust. His hand slid higher, the warmth of his skin making my head spin. He was slipping his fingers under my lace thong. Then, without warning, he inserted two fingers into my vagina.

I moaned, my eyes looking downward. His forearm muscles rippled as he moved in and out of me, fast and hard,

I leaned back, my mouth falling open as the pleasure consumed me.

“God,” I moaned.

“There she is,” he muttered. “The woman who likes it when I play with her pussy.”

I sat back up and leaned forward, my mouth now on his neck. I sucked on his salty skin.

Then I bit down, and he groaned. I grabbed desperately at his pants and belt. They soon fell to the ground, along with his boxers. Then I tugged at his shirt and he pulled back long enough for me to take it off of him.

Then he slid his fingers back inside of me and I began sucking on his neck again. He smelt incredible. Like fresh soap.

He continued his movements, “Do you like it Miss Saintclair?”

I pulled away from his neck and my eyes met his.

I managed to whimper, “Yes.”

Of course I liked it when this perfect specimen of a human was standing in front of me naked, with his fingers in my pussy.

He smirked, “You’re so wet. Are you ready for my cock?”

I moaned and nodded.

I wanted every hard inch of him. I looked down at his exposed erection. It was hard and thick.

“It’s so big.” I breathed, my hand reaching for it. I moved my hand along the shaft and felt him instantly grow harder.

He positioned himself between my legs, slid my panties out of the way and ran his finger between my wet pussy lips. I sighed.

God I loved it.

Then, he slid into my vagina, as he held tightly to my hips. I placed the palms of both hands, on either side of me and then gripped the edge of the countertop. Then, I tightened my legs around him. I moaned as he plunged into me greedily.

“Ah…god…fuck,” I said, taking his big hard cock.

“Take it,” he said. “All of me.” I looked downward to see his ab muscles rippling as his cock slid in and out of me.

He stopped momentarily and jerked on the sleeves of my dress, revealing my bra. I heard a rip but I didn’t care. Then he pulled at the back of my bra and threw it to the side.

“God, look at those perfect tits,” he said, now beginning to thrust his hips again. His eyes were glued on this as they began to bounce in time with his fucking.

“God, I needed this so badly.” he groaned. “Do you like to be used Nova? For my pleasure?”

“Yes.” I moaned. “Please! Fuck me however you want.”

His dick was stretching me out perfectly, the skin of my ass cheeks burning as they rubbed along the top of the counter.

“God, those tits,” he moaned. He leaned forward and sucked one nipple into his mouth. I moaned and then he bit down. Hard.

I gasped and he laughed, my nipple muffling the sound.

He leaned up again, his forearm muscles flexing as he held me in place. He began to slow his motions but I gripped onto him.

“Don’t stop,” I pleaded.

He grinned and pulled me from the counter. He bent me over it and started pumping into me like it was his last day on earth.

“G…go…god,” I managed to stutter in between his thrusts.

I let out a long hard scream as I felt my moisture pouring down the side of my leg. I was going to orgasm at any moment now. My ass cheeks bounced as he continued to fuck me. Use me. Fill me to the brim.

Suddenly, he stopped and leaned forward, his mouth at my ear, “Oh no, not yet sweetheart.” He nipped at the lobe of my ear. “I can feel it. You want to orgasm.”

His hand came around my stomach and in between my legs. He rubbed at my clit and laughed when I moaned.

“This is so fun,” he murmured.

Chapter 10

He slid out of me and pulled me to the floor. I squealed as we tumbled down together. Then, he grabbed my waist and pulled me into his lap, facing away from him.

“Down you go,” he murmured in my ear. “Sit on my lap. Bring that perfect ass down. Let me slide my cock into that tight pussy.”

I nodded, then squatted above his waist. He gripped onto my waist to hold me steady. I slid downwards.

“Alexander,” I moaned. “Fuck…I..God…”

“Good girl, let me put all of it in,” he muttered. “Nice and slow.” He pulled me downward, his cock stretched me out as he completely filled me.

My mouth dropped open as the pleasure coursed through me, followed by a short burst of pain.

I felt him reach around and rub at my clit, “I plan to make you mine Nova. This…what’s happening right now…”

I could only moan as he rubbed at my clit and I squatted up and down on his thick erection.

“This…” he moaned. “Is a dream come true. I don’t think either of us will ever be able to stop.”

I moved up, then down, my movements picking up speed as my breasts bounced with each motion.

“I want this body to be mine,” he moaned, his other hand now moving to grope one of my breasts. He twisted my nipple and I cried out.

I picked up speed, reaching up towards the kitchen counter to hold onto the edge, to maintain my balance. I was bouncing on his cock now. Dripping on his dick as my ass cheeks smacked his thighs.

“Oh baby,” he moaned. “Just like that. Let me see your ass bounce.”

He gripped onto my waist again and the next time I moved upward, he jerked me back down onto him.

My mouth fell open and I screamed, the pleasure was so intense.

He pulled me down, over and over again. When he released his grip on me I sank all the way down, allowing him to fully fill me. Then, I began rocking my hips back and forth.

Then I felt his cock pulsating. Within seconds, he exploded inside of me. I moaned as his warm liquid filled me. Then I felt my own orgasm crash over me, my pussy walls clamping around his massive cock as he groaned and dug his fingernails into the skin of my waist.

I rocked a few more times as our orgasms finished. Then I felt him gently lift me off of his lap. I sat next to him on the floor for a few moments while I caught my breathe.

He stood to his feet and smiled down at me, extending one hand out. I took it and he helped me up.

Alexander tugged on my hand and I cried out in surprise as I landed against his chest. He was dripping in sweat, but I didn’t mind it.

He looked down at me and tucked a strand of hair out of my face.

“I could do that every night,” he murmured. “And I still wouldn’t grow tired of it.”

He slid a hand down between my thighs and I gasped as he dragged a finger down my soaking labia.

“You’re perfect,” he whispered.

I stepped back, breaking our contact, “We shouldn’t have.”

He chuckled, “Bit late sweetheart. Can I hop in your shower?”

I blinked, “Um, sure.” I pointed towards my room where my conjoining bathroom was.

“Thanks,” he grinned. Then, he reached behind me and gripped tightly to one of my ass cheeks.

He let go of me and disappeared into my bedroom. A few moments later, I heard the water turn on. I made my way to my bedroom, my head spinning from what had just happened.

What the hell was I thinking? I was going to lose my job over this man. Yet, I had let him fuck me like a ragdoll on my kitchen floor.

Now he was using my shampoo and conditioner. The ones I got on sale last week.

I found a clean pair of pajamas and sat on the edge of my bed, waiting for him to finish. Finally, I heard him turn the shower off. He emerged, along with a cloud of steam, only a towel wrapped around his waist.

“All yours beautiful,” he smiled.

“Uh, thanks,” I smiled. I walked towards the bathroom and he was sure to slap my ass as I walked in.

I turned back to see him wink at me before I shut the bathroom door. I took a shower, dried off, combed my hair and slipped into my clean pajamas. I walked from the bathroom and…there he was.

In my bed, tucked under my blanket with Meatball curled up on his chest. He was scratching the top of his head.

“You like me right?” he whispered to him.

“Aren’t you going home?” I asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

“I like it here more,” he said, turning to look at me.

“I didn’t say you could stay,” I replied, walking up to the bed and sliding in next to him.

He reached over and pulled on me, tugging my body towards his, “Just shut up and go to sleep Nova.”

I laid my head on his bare chest, closing my eyes before drifting off to sleep.

---

I was deep in sleep when I felt it. Something…warm.

My eyes sprung open and I gasped.

What was on…my…?

I looked down and saw the top of someone’s head bobbing up and down between my legs. Then I felt the sensation of something warm and wet on the hood of my clit.

Alexander.

He was licking and sucking on it.

I blinked in momentary confusion before letting out a soft moan.

This was all kinds of wrong. He was still a patient. We’d just been exposed all over the internet.

Yet here I was. Again.

I felt his velvet tongue lapping at my now swollen clit, sending vibrations coursing through my body.

No-we couldn’t.

I reached down and pulled on his head to stop his motions. I felt his body stiffen and he propped himself up on his elbows and looked up and into my eyes.

“We shouldn’t,” I said, even though my body was begging me to let him continue.

“I want to taste you,’ he said, his eyes dark as he stared at me.

“I don’t think-” I began.

He didn’t let me finish, instead he buried himself between my legs again, his tongue finding my clit once more.

I reached down instinctively, my hands now tangled in his hair. Then I felt his thumb slid into my vagina. I moaned again and at that moment I knew I had lost control.

His tongue flicked along the hood of my clit as he thrust two fingers inside of me. I moaned as my pussy clenched around his fingers.

“Fuck,” I hissed, my mouth falling open as my eyes closed shut.

His fingers were gliding in and out of my soaking vagina with ease. I gripped tightly to two fistfuls of his hair as I felt it coming. My orgasm.

Then I felt myself tightening around his fingers. Soon, the orgasm washed over me and I let out a long, deep moan of pleasure.

“Alexander!” I screamed as the sensations took over my body.

He continued to push his fingers inside of me until I finished. Until I was lying there, my legs spread open, fully exposed and soaking wet. I opened my eyes to see him propped up on his knees, looking down at me, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

“You’re beautiful,” he said softly.

Then, as if he owned the place, he stood and pulled on his pants. Then he made his way to my kitchen where I soon heard the clinking of pots and pans.

I wasn’t sure what he was doing in there, I didn’t have real food. I sat up, my head still reeling from my unexpected orgasm. I sighed and made my way to my shower. When I was done, I quickly got dressed and entered the kitchen.

There he stood, bare chest, smooth skin, wearing only his pants. His body looked like it had been carved from stone. He looked at me as I walked in, flashing me a sexy smile. God he looked good in that ‘just rolled out of bed’ sort of way. I glanced down at the counter top.

“Where did all of this come from?” I gasped. He had somehow managed to cook an entire feast. Pancakes. Eggs. Bacon. Fruit. Two piping hot cups of coffee.

And not one thing was synthesized.

He grinned, “I had it delivered here today. I made it while you were sleeping. I just needed to wake you up, so you could come and enjoy it.”

He winked at me and I felt my cheeks burn.

Soon, we were sitting atop stools at the counter, our plates piled with the food he had made. I was halfway through my pancakes when he turned to me.

“So Nova,” he said, tilting his head at me. “Does this mean that you’ll be my girlfriend?”

I coughed, a piece of pancake sticking in the back of my throat. I reached for my mug of coffee and took a big swig-but it was too hot. Out of desperation, I spat it back out into the mug, bits of pancake now floating along the top.

I turned to look at him but he was only smiling.

“What?” I managed to croak out.

“You heard me,” he repeated.

“I…I don’t think that is something that we can do,” I shook my head. “You shouldn’t even be here right now.”