The NOVA Trilogy Boxed Set

by Jayce, Aven

I pour a fourth glass of wine, swirling it around before taking a sip. I was feeling tipsy after my second glass, but now I’ve approached my raging drunk stage. Mera takes her final sip and pours herself another.

  “We’ll need to take a cab home. There’s no way I’ll be able to drive.”

  Mera nods, her cheeks flush from the alcohol. We polish off our first bottle and our server leaves us with a second that I don’t believe we could ever finish without passing out.

  We’re finally able to relax once again as friends. It’s a rare evening out that we’re not prowling for men. The environment inside The Dark Scarlett is part of the reason for that, with customers staying within their circles and not much mingling going on outside of the bar area. Mera smiles a lot as I continue to drink. I recount my experience with the sex addicts group, and my evening of modeling at the university to her. She’s not surprised by either one, but rather happy to report that ass smoothies were nowhere to be found in her employee contract. My father mentioned that his clients are sophisticated people, as are his employees, so I will continue to believe that what she’s getting herself into is not much different than things we’ve already done in our past. She’ll just make a shitload of money doing it.

  “I met my neighbor.”

  “Oh yeah, what’s he or she like?”

  “He. I think I’m interested in him.”

  “Sophia Jameson? Interested in someone? What do you mean by that?”

  “I don’t know yet. He’s beautiful, and kind, and made me some milk and honey the other evening.”

  “Wow, milk and honey. Sexy and smooth, right?”

  “Yeah, how’d you know?”

  “I had a boyfriend who used to make it for me every time he wanted some nooky. He liked how relaxed I got after drinking it. It was easier for him to take advantage of me.”

  “Ah, I see. Well that definitely wasn’t his plan because I showed him my breast and he didn’t even flinch. He never looked down at it, or anything.”

  “Maybe he’s gay.”

  “Oh, I’m so tired of people saying shit like that. Just because he didn’t fuck me doesn’t mean he’s gay.”

  “Alright, maybe he just jerked off and couldn’t get it up again so quickly. What’s his name, anyway?”

  “Cove Everton.”

  “Cove Everton? Sounds like he has money.”

  “For sure. His place is beautiful and elegant. His voice is deep and his body is… wow. I can’t imagine him not coming from a wealthy family. And it’s Cove Ambrose Everton the third, by the way.”

  “Whoa. Did you look up the meaning yet?” Mera asks, taking out her phone. I shake my head no as she types in a search for his first name. This is something we’ve been doing since we were freshmen in college. It’s amazing how people’s personalities fit the meaning behind their names so perfectly.

  “Okay, Cove means inlet or shelter.”

  “Yes, that’s fitting. What about Everton?”

  Mera checks her phone. “Everton means wild boar, or boar settlement. You like someone who could possibly be sheltering wild boars.”

  I laugh, trying to decipher that meaning.

  “Well, I didn’t see any wild boars in his place, but then again, I was only on the first floor. Oh, and his mother owns the third penthouse.”

  “Wait, what?” she asks, inquisitively. “He lives with his mother?”

  “No, she lives next to us, in the other penthouse.”

  “Yeah, like I said, he lives with his mother. Since when do you like men who are kind and live with mommy?”

  “No, it’s not like that. I haven’t even seen her in the building yet, so I’m sure he doesn’t have issues with privacy. The three of us share a hallway and an elevator, but that’s it. It’s not like they hang out together or anything.”

  “How do you know?”

  “Good point. I don’t. Now stop raining on my parade and let me enjoy the crush I’ve developed.”

  “Alright. Is this one sharable?”

  “God Mera. Let’s not get into that just yet. Besides, you’ll be getting plenty of action soon enough.”

  She laughs as I pour us each a final glass of wine for the evening. I wink and clink my glass to hers.

  “To Cove,” she says.

  “To your new career,” I say. “Hey, are you going to be with women, or just men?”

  “Both.”

  “Really?”

  Mera shoots me a warm smile, as she places her hand on my leg. “Yes, but don’t worry, I’ll be thinking about you.”

  “God, you’re so corny sometimes.”

  “No. I’m not horny, I’m drunk.”

  “I said corny, not horny.”

  “What does corn have to do with sex?”

  I let out a big drunken laugh, spilling some of my wine on my dress as Mera dribbles down her chin and onto her chest. We look like babbling fools.

  “Better get home before we pass out,” I say, slurring my speech. “And I can tell you’re worse off than me.”

  “Yeah, I want to be in my own place when the room starts to spin. I haven’t been this trashed in years. Good wine.”

  “Miss Jameson?”

  I look up, seeing the mob character that escorted us in earlier hovering over me. He’s a blur, but I recognize his voice.

  “Yes, Mr. Big. Biggy. Mr. Biggles.” I laugh at the name I’ve created for him.

  “Miss Jameson,” he says with a smile. “You can call me Haverty. I was asked to take you and your guest to the front door. We’ve arranged for one of the club drivers to take the two of you home.”

  “What? Who are we? Who are you again?”

  “I work for the owners. Please, we’ve arranged for you to have a safe ride home. And Miss, here is your playlist from our DJ.”

  Mera stands, taking the sheet of paper, and then falls back onto the sofa. She laughs, tries again and is successful with the help of Haverty. She reaches out to me and I latch onto her hand, allowing her to help me to my feet. I stumble for a moment, but regain my composure, standing straight with my shoulders back. We walk quietly out of the club, arm in arm, following Haverty who leads us to an Escalade. A driver opens the back door and we climb in, settling into the warm seats.

  “Wait,” I say. “I didn’t pay for that second bottle.”

  “Enjoy the rest of your evening, ladies,” Haverty says with a wink, as he walks back into the club without taking our money. The driver closes the door, and takes his place in the front seat.

  “So this is the company car?” I ask, as we pull away from the curb.

  “Yes, this is one of five vehicles for guests of The Dark Scarlett.”

  “Holy shit, Soph, that’s like four hundred grand just in cars. Hey, guy in the front seat. Who owns this club anyway?” Mera asks.

  He looks back at us in the mirror and grins from ear to ear. “The owners are Leondra and Cove Everton. I assume you’ve met them since you’re allowed to be in one of the Escalades. It’s not like they let just anyone get free rides home you know.”

  Mera turns and looks at me, her eyes wide with delight. She places her head on my shoulder and we sit in silence, her hand in mine the entire way home.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  I arrive home at one in the morning, after making sure Mera was safe in her apartment and her water was back on. The driver walks me to my building, and I wish him a good night. Now, as I ride the elevator to the top floor, I wonder if Cove was at the club. How did he know that we were standing out in the cold? He must have security cameras outside the building.

  The elevators open and I stumble out, still slightly drunk but no longer wasted like I was at the Scarlett. A soft hand wraps around my wrist, as I reach for the wall for support. Turning, I see a woman with dark, very full, shoulder length hair. She smiles, a few wrinkles showing around her eyes and along the corners of her mouth.

  “Sophia, sweetie. My name is Leondra. Leondra Everton. I believe you’ve met my son?” She releases my
wrist and her gold bracelets clang against one another, as her arm comes to rest by her side. She’s wearing a silk, golden colored robe that hangs off of her slim body. Her fingernails are painted to match the gold robe, and as my eyes follow her body downward, I’m shocked to see that her entire right leg is covered in tattoos. Classic tattoos, ones you might see on a biker in the 1950’s. There’s a ship, an anchor, a bird, horseshoe, a heart with an arrow piercing it, and another heart with the word MOM written across it.

  “Do you like tattoos, honey? I’ve had these for at least twenty years,” she says, placing her leg out for me to get a better look. She lifts her robe to reveal a pair of dice that have landed on snake eyes, and at the highest point on her leg, an ace of spades.

  She lets her robe fall over the artwork and steps back, her face suddenly embarrassed. “I’m sorry, sweetie. I didn’t mean to be so forward, or to scare you.”

  “No worries. I’m just a little tipsy right now. You didn’t scare me,” I reply, my mind still processing the beautiful woman standing before me. She reminds me of a fairy tale queen with pale white skin, dressed in gold, and wrapped in expensive jewels. I want to tell her she’s a knockout, but I’ll wait until I’m sober. I may have goggle eyes right now.

  “Did you enjoy your evening at the club?”

  “Yes, it was incredible. I couldn’t believe how calm and elegant everything was, and the wine…oh, the wine. I can’t wait to go there again.”

  “Thank you sweetie, I’m glad you enjoyed yourself. You’re welcome there anytime. And you’ll never have to wait in line either, we’ll make sure of that.”

  “Mrs. Everton? How did you know my friend and I were outside?”

  “Mother, let me help Sophia. Please, go back to bed, it’s been a long day for you.” Cove’s voice echoes down the hall, as he approaches us. She turns and sends a motherly smile his way, then takes my hand in hers, giving it a light squeeze.

  “Sophia, darling, it was such a pleasure meeting you. Please come and visit me anytime. I’m just down the hall and around the corner.” She turns her head and waits for a kiss. He responds immediately, giving her a gentle peck on the cheek, wishing her a good night. She strolls back to her place, her robe flowing behind her. “Good night sweethearts,” she calls back to us, as she rounds the corner of the hallway.

  I look up at Cove. He blushes, his dark eyes peering directly into mine.

  “Sophia,” he says in a gentle and calm voice. “Do you need any help this evening?”

  I have no idea how to respond to that question. Yeah Cove, you could help me get naked. I think I might need some help with the orgasm I’d love to have right now.

  “I’m sorry Sophia, let me rephrase that. Would you like to go for a swim?”

  “A swim? Where? How? Wait, what? It’s freezing outside, and its past midnight,” I respond, a little shocked. “Do we have a pool in our building?”

  “I know of a place, but I’ll understand if you say no, especially if you’ve had too much to drink. I don’t want you to pass out in the water.”

  “No, I’m fine. I mean, I’ve had a lot to drink, and I’m still kind of drunk, but I’m starting to sober up. Yeah, I’d love to,” I say, my insides tingling with delight. Oh my God, I get to see this man wet and half naked. Yes sir, I’ll go for a swim.

  “Great. Why don’t you go inside and get your suit, and I’ll wait here for you.”

  “You’re welcome to come inside.”

  “No, I’m fine. Go ahead, just come out when you’re ready.”

  I enter my place; fling off my heels as quickly as I can and race up the two flights of stairs to my bedroom. Where is my suit? Frantically, I pull open every drawer; clothing flies everywhere as I search for the garment. My heart pounds with excitement as I run to my closet, opening plastic bins, throwing more clothes into the air, still staggering from the alcohol. Where the fuck is it? Finally, my hand touches a nylon fabric, pulling it free from the pile beneath my feet. I grab a towel from the bathroom and head back downstairs.

  I stop in my foyer, catch my breath and smooth my hair behind my ears before opening the door.

  “I’m ready, I think. Do I need anything besides a suit and towel?” I ask, stepping toward him.

  “No, just a suit is enough. I have plenty of towels.”

  I throw my towel onto the floor of my place, and lock the door, placing my keys and phone into a small purse.

  Cove sets his hand on the small of my back, directing me down the hallway. “Follow me, Sophia.”

  “Where are we going?”

  “My place.”

  “You have a pool?” I explode with delight, wanting to skip down the corridor. I’m not sure how long I can contain my ecstasy for this man.

  Cove opens his door and I follow him inside, the familiar scent of vanilla still fills the air. The lights are low and a few candles are lit on the first floor. We walk up the stairs in silence, stopping on the middle level of his loft.

  He pulls me closer to him and reaches for the doorknob directly to our left.

  “In my place, this is just a small storage room with a concrete floor,” I say, suddenly worried that this person who I barely know may have other plans besides a swim. What if he’s a psycho and locks me in this room?

  He opens the door and I immediately feel a rush of warm air. Steam rises from the water of a sparkling blue pool that fills most of the room. The space is large, probably twenty feet in length and fifteen feet wide, with floor to ceiling windows along one side. I follow Cove inside. He pushes a button on the wall, turning on the surround sound that plays a tranquil and meditative serenade.

  “Our penthouses are slightly different,” he says, pleased by my excitement.

  “I’ll say.”

  “I use the pool late at night to relax before I go to sleep. I rarely swim in it; it’s more of a serene retreat for me, a place to unwind and reflect. After the other evening, I thought it might help you do the same.”

  He must be referring to my sleepwalking. I nod as he reaches his hand out to mine and walks me over to two tri-fold screens.

  “You can change here. I’ll use the other one.”

  There’s a wooden bench and a row of hooks along the wall behind the screen. It reminds me of the changing area at the university that’s set up for the nude models. That’s about all one needs to change out of clothing. I unzip my black dress and slide it over my head. The suit I found is my one-piece, I think Mera borrowed my bikini years ago and never returned it. I wonder if he’s expecting me to come out in something sexy. It’s black, and low cut…

  “Cove?”

  “Yes, Sophia?” he says over his screen.

  “I only have a one-piece.”

  “A one-piece what?”

  “Suit. I don’t have a bikini with me. Is that okay?”

  He laughs. I can see his bare feet below my screen, and his jeans and a pair of black boxers drop to the floor. He steps out of the clothing and picks everything up before he speaks. “Don’t worry, it’s not like I’ll be wearing a skimpy Speedo.”

  I smile at that thought and wish I could just walk out naked. Wouldn’t it be great to jump out from behind the screen and say, “Surprise, look at me, I’m ready for ya.”

  There’s a light splash in the pool as I hear him walk down the steps and into the water. Damn it, I missed seeing his body before he got in the water.

  He’s floating on his back when I walk out from behind the screen. He looks directly into my eyes and not at all at my body. What gives? Come on, my suit isn’t that ugly.

  My foot drops into the water, landing on the first step. It’s warm, and without delay I slide the rest of the way in, my muscles loosening while my mind relaxes. This is nice. I look over at Cove who’s easing toward me. He smiles and I smile back.

  “Nice isn’t it?”

  “Yes. It’s wonderful,” I say, moving closer to him. I reach out and he glides away, not allowing me to touch him.

 
“Float, Sophia. Enjoy yourself. Let go and relax.”

  I follow his request and turn onto my back, looking up at the ceiling. There’s a large glass dome above me that I didn’t notice when we walked in. I can see the stars in the night sky, as I float around the pool. My hands make small circular motions at my sides, steering through the water from one end to the other. I brush against Cove every so often, aching for skin-to-skin contact with him this evening.

  It’s a good twenty minutes before I flip back onto my stomach, moseying up to the side of the pool. With my back against the wall, I place my arms over the edge, holding myself slightly out of the water. My feet rise up as I kick; creating small splashes and waves in the pool.

  Cove swims underwater and reappears next to me. His face dripping and hair slicked back.

  “Enjoying yourself?”

  “I feel like a little kid,” I reply, descending back in next to him.

  “You have a beautiful face, Sophia. I love having you here, watching your eyes light up and your lips when they part ever so slightly.”

  “Cove,” I whisper, moving closer to him, as he once again backs away.

  “Don’t.” He turns from me, walks up the steps, and out of the pool. A row of chairs line the window side of the room and he pulls a towel from one, wrapping it around his waist. His skin is perfect from behind, with not a blemish in site, and his entire body radiates well-defined muscle tone. His lack of interest confuses the hell out of me, and for once in my life I’m actually angry that a guy won’t take advantage of a good fuck. Maybe he has a girlfriend, or he’s married.

  I follow him out of the water, placing a towel over my shoulders. He stands by the window looking out at a few flickering lights in the distance, as one lonely car drives along Locust Street. His view is nicer than mine, overlooking the Gateway Arch and the Mississippi River.

  “Cove?”

  “Sophia, stand next to me,” he says in a quiet voice.

  I walk over and his arm extends, allowing me to curl in next to his body. He lowers his hand onto my shoulder as he continues staring out into the darkness.

  “Do you see it?”

  I look out the window and see large flakes of beautiful, soft, snow falling onto the city. The first snow of the season. It’s one of the prettiest snowfalls I’ve ever experienced. Something you read about in a book, or see in a movie; the kind of scene that never occurs in real life. Each snowflake spirals down; it’s like a feather pillow has been split open and the contents released to the earth. The lights on the building dim behind the quiet flakes, as a white dusting covers the terrace.