Catching Stardust

by Heather Thurmeier

  Maia came back and stood beside Zander, handing him a fresh drink. “I stopped to pick up refills on my way back. But virgin this time since I wasn’t sure how much longer we’d be here before driving back to the city.”

  “Thanks. That was really sweet of you.”

  “So what conversation did I just walk in on? It looked intense and interesting.”

  “It was just some results that Jude got back from the lab today, but I’m afraid the results were rather inconclusive and disappointing. Isn’t that right, Jude?”

  Jude’s gaze flittered between the two of them. “That’s right. So disappointing in fact, I’m going to go grab another drink, fully loaded.”

  “You’re not driving home tonight are you?” Maia asked. Zander admired her concern for someone she barely knew.

  “No, I’m taking the train with a few other colleagues. If you’ll excuse me.” Jude wandered off leaving Zander and Maia alone again.

  Zander couldn’t help but sigh with relief that Jude had been considerate enough not to bring up his crazy accusations about Maia to Maia. It was hard enough trying to impress someone without having to make excuses for crazy friends at the same time.

  And yet, Jude’s words lingered in his head. Stardust.

  He eyed Maia as she sipped her drink and smiled up at him. True, she was different than any other woman he’d met, but wasn’t that sort of a true sentiment for every person when they met someone they really liked? And true, she did have the most unusual eyes he’d ever had the privilege of gazing into, but that was because of the contacts. Well, and because of the emotion he saw coming from somewhere deeper inside her.

  But was she so different he could entertain the idea she might be an alien?

  Nope. Not a chance. He’d kissed her lips. He’d caressed her skin. Nope. The only thing otherworldly about her was how stunningly beautiful she was.

  “You okay?” she asked, bringing him out of his thoughts.

  “Better than okay. I’m here with you.”

  She smiled and looked at her feet coyly. “You’re too sweet.”

  “You wanna get out of here?”

  “You’re ready to end our date already?”

  He cocked an eyebrow. “I didn’t say that.”

  “So what did you have in mind then?” She set her drink down on a nearby table. Zander did the same, placing his hands on her arms instead.

  He shrugged. “Head back to the city. Maybe a little night cap at my place on the rooftop.” He rubbed his hand along the exposed skin of her arm. He could think of a lot of things he’d like to do with Maia tonight, but he wasn’t about to get his hopes up. Bringing her back to his place, getting a chance to relax in the comfort of his home, talking, finding out more about her and spending more time with her—alone, that would be more than enough for tonight.

  “Sounds good to me.”

  Zander led the way back to his car, stopping briefly to say a few quick goodbyes as they went. They passed Jude with a curt nod and were back at the car moments later. Jude’s assumptions filled Zander’s thoughts again.

  He didn’t want to think about Jude or the results that didn’t really prove anything. But they couldn’t be completely ignored either. Jude was right about one thing. If Maia really was an alien, it would be the biggest discovery of their careers. This one finding alone could set them up for life in the scientific community. Not to mention what it would do for the Arius Industries personal space travel line.

  But did he want that if it affected Maia negatively?

  He didn’t want to think about that right now. What he wanted to think about was the beautiful woman sitting next to him in the car. He pulled the car onto the highway heading back toward the city. Her dainty, warm hand on his thigh…

  Chapter Fifteen

  The drive back to the city had been uneventful. Unless Maia counted the sideways glances from Zander that made her tingle in places she didn’t know could tingle.

  The trip back had seemed longer than the trip to get out to the party. Maybe because the party hadn’t even started until ten and now it was almost one. Maia could feel the exhaustion from the day setting in, but being with Zander made her want to stay awake as long as she could. She didn’t want the night to end.

  Maia wasn’t sure how many more nights she’d even be on Earth, let alone how many she’d get to spend with Zander. She planned to enjoy this one as much as she could since she knew it would all come to an end soon enough.

  Being with Zander, enjoying his company—none of it would be enough to change the inevitable end coming. Nothing would change the fact they could never be together long-term. Even if they tried to have a future together, Zander would never survive on Pleiades and she couldn’t imagine herself spending the rest of her days on Earth.

  “What are you thinking about?” Zander asked from beside her.

  They set out a blanket on the roof near the telescope when they’d gotten back to his apartment. The sky was still clear and even without the telescope they could see millions of stars twinkling above them. The view of the sky was breathtaking. The view beside her wasn’t too shabby either.

  “I wasn’t really thinking of anything important. Just sort of day dreaming I guess.”

  “More wine?” When she nodded, he reached for the bottle and filled her glass. “It’s nice to have another drink without worrying about driving anywhere again.”

  “It is. And it’s nice not to have to mingle and chat with people.” She could feel her cheeks turn hot. That sounded bad. “Not that I didn’t enjoy your party. I did. It’s just I’m not comfortable when I’m surrounded by a group of people I don’t know. I guess I felt a little out of my league with your colleagues.”

  “Really? You seemed to handle yourself so well.”

  “Thanks.”

  “You know,” he reached for her hand and squeezed it, “and please don’t take this the wrong way, but I am really impressed by your knowledge of the stars and space. Most of the women I’ve dated have a little common knowledge about everything, but you seem to know a heck of a lot more than I expected. You could hold a conversation with almost anyone I know and not come off as flustered. How is that?”

  “I grew up around the stars,” Maia said without thinking.

  Damn it to Hades! He’s too easy to talk to.

  Maia cleared her throat and took a sip of her wine. “What I meant to say was that my parents were both sort of star enthusiasts, so I grew up around a lot of talk about the stars and planets and the universe. I didn’t literally grow up around the stars.” She laughed nervously.

  “Of course not because that would be impossible, wouldn’t it?”

  Even in the low light of the rooftop, Maia could see the suspicion and curiosity in his eyes. She’d love nothing more than to tell him the truth, but she couldn’t. He could never know about where she was from.

  She forced herself to meet his inquiring gaze. “Of course that would be impossible.”

  “You’re a very interesting and intriguing woman, Maia. I wish I could learn everything there was to know about you.”

  “I don’t know, I think we’re doing pretty well getting to know each other. Considering I’ve only been in town a couple of days and we’ve spend almost every night together so far, we have to be learning something about each other.”

  “I do like spending my nights with you. I hate when they have to end.”

  Zander’s eyes appeared to grow heavier by the minute and Maia was pretty sure it had nothing to do with the late hour or the alcohol they’d consumed. Nope. Those were bedroom eyes, not tired eyes.

  “I hate when they end too.”

  Zander set his glass down beside him and took Maia’s glass from her hand, setting it next to his. He inched closer and Maia found herself leaning in to meet him halfway, as if he had some kind of magnetic pull on her body.

  “You know, no one says our night has to end.” He almost whispered the words as he crept closer to her.
<
br />   Her heart fluttered in her chest with his closeness. She studied his face in an instant. His cute wire-rimmed glasses, his caring eyes, his supple lips. She wanted to remember all of him. Something inside her warned that this night might be more memorable than she intended.

  “You’re right, it doesn’t. I don’t want to go back to my hotel room.”

  Zander cupped her jaw with his hand, the heat of his touch penetrating through her skin and sending bolts of fire straight to her blood stream. He brought his lips to hers, so gently she wondered if she only imagined them. But as the pressure of his kiss increased, she knew it was real.

  She kissed him back, harder, trying to get closer to him. His pull on her was irresistible and even if she wanted to break the kiss she didn’t think it would be possible. Good thing she had no intension of pulling away.

  Nope. She was content to stay right where she was, as long as he stayed there too.

  Zander pulled back enough to let his lips form words instead of kisses. “How about you stay here with me tonight?”

  The sound of his voice, lower than usual, filled with hunger for her, made her entire body tingle. “I like that idea. A lot.”

  “Good, because if you said you wanted me to take you back to your hotel right now, I might actually weep.”

  Maia giggled. She couldn’t help herself. He laughed too. “Pathetic, right? But true. I’ve never wanted to spend the night with anyone as much as I want to spend it with you.”

  “Then stop talking and kiss me.”

  He did and Maia wanted to melt right into him, become one with him. She opened her mouth against his, finding his tongue with hers. He tasted so good.

  His hand traveled down her neck from where it had been resting on her jaw and she involuntarily arched her back into him. She wanted him to touch her. No, needed him to touch her.

  Maia rolled onto her back, bringing him with her. His hand caressed her breast over her dress and she instantly wished she’d worn something easier to remove. Slipping his hand around her side, she arched her back again so he could maneuver the zipper down to her waist. Maybe this dress wasn’t so hard to get out of after all.

  He kissed a path down her neck to her collarbone as he pulled the strap of her dress over the curve of her shoulder, exposing more of her skin to the cool night air and the heat of his mouth. The combination of the two sensations made her head swim with desire.

  He paused from his kisses long enough to pull the other strap down too and she carefully pulled her arms free of the dress. She wrapped her arms around his neck and tangled her fingers in his hair as he continued kissing along her body.

  When he reached her bra he sighed. “You’re wearing too many clothes.” The frustration in his voice was cute.

  “I’m wearing the appropriate amount. You’re just impatient.” She grinned. “For a intellectual guy, I would have expected you to be more aware of every little detail.”

  She reached in between her breasts to the center clasp and quickly unfastened it for him. The two cups of her bra opened slightly, revealing a sensitive patch of skin. He kissed it gently before slowly moving each end of her bra to the side, as if he were opening a Christmas gift.

  “Not the tear off the wrapping paper with his teeth kind of guy, I guess,” she said as he took in the sight of her splayed out before him. Pity.

  “Oh, I am. I just wanted to enjoy you for a moment first.” He grinned before dipping his head to suck one of her nipples into his mouth.

  She squirmed with delight as his mouth sucked her breast and his hands caressed her rounded flesh. His mouth was so hot on her taut skin that she thought she might faint from the heat of him. Just when she thought she couldn’t take any more, he’d move to the other nipple and the one he’d left behind was exposed to the cold air, sending a shiver rippling through her body. The back and forth of hot and cold was amazing. She could only imagine what the two sensations would feel like when the rest of her body was explored.

  As if reading her mind, Zander pushed her dress down past her hips. She lifted her butt off the blanket so he could slip the dress to her ankles where she happily kicked it aside. He traced the edge of her panties with a single finger and she wiggled under his touch. How as it possible for one little touch to create such an overwhelming need in her?

  Hooking his fingers under the satiny material of her panties, he slipped them down to join her dress, not needing her to lift her hips for him to accomplish the task in one quick pull. So maybe he was an “unwrap it quickly” kind of guy after all.

  Maia felt more naked and exposed than she ever had. But she also felt more desired and wanted than ever too. She couldn’t remember an instance when any man had taken the time to simply look at her when they’d been intimate. To take in her body as it was before him like Zander was. The experience made her even more turned on.

  When he brought his lips to her skin again, it was to press kisses against her inner thighs. She gasped as he explored her with his mouth and hands. Quicker than she expected, she tumbled over the edge of ecstasy, trembling under his touch.

  He rolled onto his back as she lay there catching her breath. “You are amazing.”

  “You haven’t even sampled my best work yet,” he said with a huge grin. “I’ll give you a minute to recover before I really impress you.”

  She laughed. “You think pretty highly of yourself, don’t you?”

  “I’m only kidding. I don’t want to inflate your expectations too much and then disappoint you.”

  “Somehow I don’t think that’s possible.” She knelt beside him—still naked and thoroughly enjoying it—and began unbuttoning his shirt. How was it possible she was already completely naked and temporarily satisfied, and the man hadn’t even removed a single item of his own clothing yet?

  Time to fix that now.

  His shirt fell open to his sides and she bent her head to press kisses to his chest. He groaned quietly as she flickered her tongue across his abs, tasting his salty skin. She pulled back from him enough to quickly unfasten his belt buckle and unzipped his pants. Sliding his pants and boxers off of him at the same time, she couldn’t wait to see him just as naked as she was.

  She wasn’t disappointed.

  Zander peered up at her from his prone position with need in his eyes, begging her for release without asking. She wasn’t about to deny his request.

  Maia dipped her head to taste him, slipping her mouth around his length. He groaned again. She enjoyed hearing his sounds as she brought him closer and closer to the edge. She liked having this kind of control over his pleasure.

  “Stop,” he whispered, pushing on her shoulders. “Stop. I need you.”

  She obeyed. Kissing a trail back up his abdomen to his chest, then neck, then lips. She kissed him hard on the mouth as she straddled his hips.

  “Wait.” He reached a shaky hand out for his pants and retrieved a condom from his pocket. Thank Gaia men always seem to have one handy when needed. He rolled the condom onto his length with a sure-handed proficiency, then gripped her hips and guided her into position.

  A deep, rasping moan escaped her as he thrust into her. She rocked her hips to match his pace, her breath quickening with every movement. She pressed her hands against his chest to give her more balance as her head swam, intoxicated by the wine and lust.

  Zander wrapped his arms around her and pulled her flat against his chest, rolling until she lay pinned beneath him. His weight on her body made her feel tiny and delicate. She laced her legs around his waist and swiveled her hips, daring him to enter her further. He did and she was lost in a world of dizzying colors again, her body trembling around him as he found his own release.

  Zander groaned long and hard, nibbling her shoulder gently as he stilled. He nuzzled her neck, his breath hot and shaky against her skin. He propped himself on his elbows again, staying on top of her but letting the tiniest bit of air rush between their bodies.

  He hovered over her and when she opened
her eyes, she saw him with Pleiades in the background, shimmering in the clear night sky. Seeing the two things together made her feel at peace, like somehow, some way, the two things were meant to come together in her life. If only she knew how to make that true.

  Zander kissed her gently on the lips. “Let’s go inside where it’s warm.”

  She nodded and took one last look at Pleiades before gathering her clothes and following him back down the stairs into his living room. Figuring out how to make the two things come together wasn’t something likely to happen tonight. Nope. Tonight was for simply being with Zander in this moment, not worrying about the future they may never have. As he slipped his arms around her waist and pulled her flush against his body, she could feel he was as ready for another moment as she was.

  ***

  Zander rolled onto his back, panting and delirious after being with Maia again once they’d made their way to his bed. Being with her was better than any fantasy he could have dreamed up.

  Maia rolled over with him, snuggling her body against his side, tucking herself into the crook of his arm. Her warm lips brushed a soft kiss onto his chest before laying her head down. Feeling her body next to him, naked, warm, and silky smooth, it was almost enough to stir the fires inside him again.

  If only exhaustion would stop pulling him into his pillow.

  Maia’s breathing began to slow. The rhythmic sensation of her breath caused his eyes to close against his will. It would be so easy to drift away right now, but he wanted to make sure she was settled before he did.

  “Do you need to take out your contacts or anything before we get too comfortable?” he asked, yawning.