Eva & Jack (closed for MistressOfAlaok)

[JckHmmr_2000]

Eva is 22, recently got out of the relationship with her high school sweetheart. Failed career as a mounted police officer. A nasty fall injuring her so that it'd not be possible to pursue that career path. She now has a marketing job, working mostly from home. Or rather, her father's home, as that is where she is staying at the moment.

Jack is in his late 40's and lives alone in the house next door. He is 175 cm tall and weighs around 85 kg. He stays in reasonable shape by running 10 km before going through a 30-minute set of calisthenics in the morning every weekday before work. He usually ties his long, straight black hair (the gray would come in sometime in his early 50's, but not yet) in a top-knot pony-tail that highlights his Asian/Pacific Islander features. He works from home 3 days out of the week (Tuesdays through Thursdays) as a recruiter for a human resources outsourcing firm.

---------------

EVENT: NEW YEAR'S EVE PARTY
LOCATION: Eva's Father's House

Jack usually went out for New Year's eve. He much preferred the adventure of going to a night club or other event where he could choose from a selection of new strangers to spend the rest of the night with. The selection varied from a seemingly endless number of stereotypical tropes: the fresh young university graduate, the recently-divorced young mom, the resentful and bored young housewife... They all ended up the same after a drunken night of revelry. The next morning would begin with the woman waking up in his hotel room -- perhaps with a hangover, some confusion over an apparent lapse in judgment and at times, even severe regret.

Tonight however, he decided to accept his neighbor's invitation to spend New Year's Eve next door. Why not save the money of an evening out and get to know the neighbors? He figured he'd text a booty call to show up afterwards.

He brought over a keg of beer and a variety of liquor, and then played bartender for the night. It was his way of reciprocating for the invitation. He also thought it would be a great way to say hello to everyone without having to approach anyone -- after all, people spoke to him first before they got their drinks.

It was near the end of the night when he finally got to chat with his neighbor's daughter.

"I hear you're in marketing," Jack handed Eva a cold beer bottle. "How do you like it? If you are ever in the market for another job, I'm a recruiter so please let me know."

 

[MistressOfAlaok]

Eva had felt immensely out of place the whole night. Her father had offered for her to invite some friends or coworkers too, but after her divorce and move, she'd lost most of her circle of friends and as she'd only recently taken the new job - which she mostly did from home anyway - she didn't really have a relationship with coworkers either. The young woman had had short chats with Jack, the neighbour, as he supplied everyone with their drinks. Those brief and shallow conversations had been the most interesting part of the night and Eva was sick of all the females in the room trying to show their sympathies for the divorce.

She approached the make shift bar to ask Jack for a final Espresso Martini, which she would take with her somewhere more quiet, waiting until the last of the guests had either disappeared or past out. Even before she could ask him, Jack started a conversation about her work. Eva was pleasantly surprised, as it was a nice change from the endless 'How are you doing after the divorce?'

"Thanks for the offer!" she said, with a genuine smile, about to dismiss it. For some reason she didn't and instead of asking for her drink, she asked him something else. "Do you recruit for my industry too? I mean, I really enjoy the work and the possibilities, but I don't think the current company is really doing me any favours. I feel," she looked for words, suddenly a bit hesitant at pouring her heart out and actually asking him for the favour. He probably had just been polite by mentioning it. "Oh, what am I on about, sorry, never mind me! Probably time I get out of this party," she finished, apologetically.

 

[JckHmmr_2000]

"I recruit for any industry I can get my filthy, money-grubbing mitts on, to be honest," Jack replied with a wry grin. And then, "I'm actually serious about that -- I hope it didn't come across like I was making light of anything. Unless, of course, that kind of thing scores points with you. In which case, I am."

Jack paused to give Eve a deer-in-the-headlights look. He knew he probably had to change the subject as quickly as possible before she left.

"So, thank you for being my first ever," he said, failing purposefully at faking solemnity. "Espresso Martini, that is. I'm used to serving beer and I had to look your drink up. Thank goodness for this internet-on-your-phone thing that you young folk have nowadays..."

Eva started to mention her feelings about her current employer, and then caught herself and tried to make a quit exit. The instinctive and somewhat predatory sales part of being a recruiter triggered Jack into doing everything he could to reel her back in; she sounded like someone who was serious about her work, and that was always a double major plus-plus for any employer -- which meant commission for him, if he could get her into a better job.

But was it just that? Or was it that he found her... enticing? As the night wore on, she was literally the only woman he kept an eye out for amidst a veritable sea of neighborhood guests. He knew who she was before the party, and perhaps even exchanged a friendly, neighborhood wave every so often, but prior to tonight she was just the neighbor's kid. Tonight was literally the first time Jack saw Eva as a WOMAN.

And again, there were other women in the house -- most of them closer to Jack's age than this suddenly magnetic and obviously younger woman. Jack noted with some puzzlement that his usual New Year's eve shark-like hunting behavior for someone to bed wasn't... ON.

Or was it? Perhaps it was, but just working differently. Jack was more than a little disconcerted that he was NOT scoping out any of the other women in the building. Jack only had eyes for EVA.

Be professional, man. Jack shook his head, as if mentally slapping himself for allowing his instincts to hone in on his neighbor's daughter -- who was now doing her best to escape his evil clutches. Jack woke up as Eva caught herself revealing information she deemed too personal to share with him.

"Well, you can't leave me hanging with that kind of information," Jack said, trying to say it light-heartedly, as if to say Don't worry, I'm harmless -- No, really...

"Actually, for me to help you, I need to know as much as possible: what you are looking for, what you want, what you don't want, the extent of your experiences," Jack said, now resuming a business-level of seriousness. "I'm talking about your next career opportunity of course. I mean, it wouldn't make sense for you to leave a job you're not completely satisfied with for another job that isn't actually better -- right?"

"Also, if you leave me, I'll be alone on New Year's Eve surrounded by an ocean of people," Jack stated flatly. "But if you stay and talk with me, then you will be gifting me with the added benefit of talking to someone attractive on New Year's Eve."

"Also, I just made an Espresso Martini for the second time in my life, and it is all yours. So, thank you for the education and allowing me to practice on you," Jack placed the chilled glass in front of Eva. "You might as well drink it.
Everyone else here drinks beer."

 

[MistressOfAlaok]

Eva bit her lip and was just contemplating whether she should or should not continue her explanation about her work situation. Then Jack hit her with the bomb that she was his first. His first? But he had been a recruiter for ages?

"Espresso Martini, that is." Jack then clarified. Eva giggled, for what felt like the first time in a while. Seemingly Jack had an ability to turn her mood around in a second. "Well, I think that you made a delicious one, right off the bat, then!" she complimented him cheerfully.

However, thoughts of her job quickly returned. Especially as she thought about the pile of work that had to be finished by the 4th of January. Worst, she was still on probation - even after nearly 5 months! The young woman couldn't afford to not turn in the work on time, if she wanted to keep the job. Not that she particularly wanted...

Just then Jack started to push her again to tell him more. He explained to her he needed to know what she was looking for, what she wanted... Well, maybe a nice attentive guy to date? A new car wouldn't hurt either and oh, it had been ages since she'd had s... "I'm talking about your next career opportunity of course." Ah. Yes. Of course that was what he was talking about!

Eva sighed and fumbled for words. "I... I guess I feel like I could do more, could do better. They currently just have me crunching data. Don't get me wrong, I like it, but I end up passing the data on to the next person and never see the result. I want to be the one to present the data to the client. To be the one to convince them what to do with their product or advertisement, based on the data... I want to be the one to show a board of directors what they need to change to increase sales. I want to get out there and talk to real people to gather the data..." The girl's words came faster and faster, as her excitement build, talking of something that was clearly a passion. She finally caught herself and forced herself to stop talking. Then her mood turned a bit sour again.

"But no, instead it's just passed on to one of the guys to go and smooch with the client and shake hands and take the glory!" Her emphasis on 'guys' was spoken with utter disgust and the girl blushed when she realised. "Nothing against guys. I mean, I'm not one of those feminists and I know it's not their fault. As in, because they're male. Or males in general. Or... Well, I just want a fair go... Oh I'm rambling on! I'm sorry," she awkwardly apologised.

Jack then made a comment about her being attractive and Eva felt her cheeks warm. "Would you make yourself a drink and... I don't know, come outside for a bit?" she asked, shyly, as she accepted her drink.

 

[JckHmmr_2000]

Eva bit her lip.

Something about that subconscious nonverbal expression did something to Jack. For one lingering moment, time slowed down and the only thing Jack could see was Eva's mouth. The entire world faded into nothing; the sounds of the party -- people talking, music thumping, drink glasses clinking -- all blended into one and drained away like dirty water in a bathtub.

Jack snapped back from his hypnotized reverie in time to hear Eva describe the usual, absolutely galling male-chauvinist work situation that apparently pervaded Eva's workplace. Jack suspected the company's culture held Eva back.

"Who stays on probation for 5 months?" Jack blurted out incredulously. "I've heard of 90-day probations and even year-long Temp-to-Hire agreements, but that just sounds... Highly irregular. And now, I need to hear more."

Jack listened and nodded as Eva described her ideal career opportunity -- and she seemed like someone who was not in a situation that made best use of her talents, or at minimum, her aspirations. Perhaps she would do best with a career opportunity that led more directly to her career goal, with a mentor to guide her during the initial days -- instead of forcing her to slog through mindless data crunching as some kind of corporate worker drone. She should be the one DOING something with the data, instead of merely getting it ready for someone else to show it off and take all the money and glory -- with HER hard work. It would be an easy sell: businesses are started to make money, and Eva sounds like someone who could make a lot of money for the CORRECT business environment.

"I'd like to see your resume or curriculum vitae -- whatever you have -- as soon as possible," Jack said, his brow furrowed in deep thought. He pulled a draught beer for one of the guests absently. "And you probably have a LinkedIn account -- yes?"

Jack blinked when Eva asked him to get himself a drink and walk outside with her. Jack looked around and saw no one was at the bar.

"Great idea," Jack said as he took off his apron and grabbed a bottle of water. "It's New Year's Eve and it's not like I'm the hired help."

Jack smiled broadly at Eva as he stepped out from behind the bar.

"Since it's your house, I'll follow you," Jack said as he gestured for Eva to precede him. Besides, I want to see what you look like from behind, Jack thought to himself. He smiled, smugly satisfied with his self-perceived slyness.

 

[MistressOfAlaok]

Eva had to smile at Jacks reaction to her probation. "I know, it's a long time. Legally then can do a maximum of 6 months and that is exactly what they have done! If you make it through, they promise you all these grand things, such as insurance benefits and travel allowance. But if I have learned anything about this company, there will be another catch at the end of it too..." she explained, a little bitterly. But what was a girl to do? She didn't want to live in her father's house forever and out of all the work options she had been able to find, this had been one of the better ones...

Eva studied Jack's face as he pondered what she had told him. She noticed the way his brow angled and a strange feeling grew inside her. The girl felt flattered that he even held a conversation with her, about her work situation and now he seemed to put actual thought in how to change it. "Truly, you don't have to bother yourself with it..." she started to say, but then Jack asked her about her resume.

"And you probably have a LinkedIn account -- yes?" Eva blushed. She hadn't updated her resume since job hunting 5 months ago and... LinkedIn? She knew what it was, or rather, someone had explained it to her, ages ago. Probably in one of the free workshops she'd attended that are meant to help find people a job. It had been explained to her as "the Facebook for business people" and the social worker leading the workshop didn't waste much time on the topic, dismissing it as unnecessary. But now Jack mentioned it, it must be important, he was good at his job!

"I have heard of it... But not... Uh... Not gotten around to making a profile or signing up..." Eva started, then she shook her head. "Who am I kidding? I've heard of it, but that's it. I wouldn't have a clue how it worked!" The girl was already running a list in her head, putting on and crossing off names of people that might be able to help her make sense of something like... LinkedIn. Maybe someone at the office would, if she bought the guy a beer?

Jack made himself a drink and asked her to lead the way. She gestured to the open back doors and led them into the yard. As they passed the sun room at the back of the house, Eva started talking. The words just seemed to come out of nowhere. "In high school my friends and I used to joke that tonight, New Years Eve, should be my evening. You know, because Eve and Eva... Only 1 letter difference. It should be a night for me to have fun and do whatever I wanted." Eva smiled at the silly memory, then blushed as she realised who she was talking to. The neighbour! Her dad's neighbour!

Eva's cheeks reddened. Why did she now feel like a silly school girl, in Jack's presence?! "Sorry, just a bit of useless information," she said, as they walked off the path, onto the grass that covered the back half of the yard.

 

[JckHmmr_2000]

Jack sat still, wordless for a moment, as he simply looked at Eva's face. He marveled at her concise wording. She said so much with so few words. This woman is on the absolute wrong end of the corporate data stream; she belongs in board rooms pitching sales, strategies and ideas -- and not languishing away in some cubicle.

Three, four seconds or so passed. Jack had so much to say, so much reaction to what Eva said.

"I like your face," Jack blurted out. "I like looking at your face a lot, Eva. And perhaps more importantly, I like listening to the words that come out of your mouth. There is not a thing that you can say that I would consider useless -- not to me."

Jack smiled. Something about being in Eva's presence made him... HAPPY. He then decided to tell her so.

"I agree with your apparently VERY smart and discerning friends that New Year's Eve SHOULD be your night, Eva," Jack announced, trying to sound as official as possible. "I would further add that every night should be yours. Because why not? You're smart, you work hard, you're ambitious, I believe you are a go-getter and I think your future holds a lot of promise. And I'm not just saying that simply because being in your presence makes me HAPPY. I think it's because I am learning that I like you a lot. Also, I could swear I was drinking water, and apparently, my taste buds are off because I think I am now kind of drunk and WAY too forward and verbose -- for which I apologize profusely."

Jack looked incredulously at the bottle of vodka in his hand. He could have sworn he grabbed a bottle of water -- purposefully so he could have his wits about him while talking to this really cool, capable young woman who he really really likes now and whose presence makes him HAPPY.

"By the way, forget LinkedIn," Jack said, trying not to slur. "You don't need LinkedIn. You have me."

Jack blinked as he smelled his own vodka-laden breath.

"Oh, dear," Jack said. "I reek of alcohol. And here I was hoping to ask you to kiss me at midnight."

On that note, Jack jerked his wrist almost to his face as he squinted at his watch.

"What time is it?"

 

[MistressOfAlaok]

Eva studied Jack's face in the silence that followed after she poured her heart out about her work related frustrations. She noticed the little lines that formed around his eyes when he was clearly in thought. The way his brow furrowed and the way he swiftly licked his lips after each drink from his bottle.

The young woman felt her heart race a bit. Had she talked too much? Perhaps complained too much? Was Jack loosing interest in her? Annoyed with herself, she mentally told herself to snap out of it. For goodness sake, she had left high school years ago and should have left the teenage insecurities with it!

Then Jack went on a drunken... Rant. Except it wasn't a rant. He talked about her work, just a little, mostly he complimented her, in a stream of words that was so fast, Eva couldn't get anything in between. She did feel her cheeks redden throughout, however, as Jack was most flattering. He ended on the note he must be kind of drunk.

"Thank you, for... The nice stuff you said. But yes, probably it's the booze speaking," Eva laughed, a bit shyly. She had so told herself to not compare guys to her ex, but she couldn't help do so now. Her ex had never, not even when dating, complimented her abilities or personality. Whilst it was nice to be told you were pretty or looked sexy, Eva now realised it was even better to be told you were smart and an achiever and... That she made Jack happy? That surely was the alcohol talking!

"You don't need LinkedIn. You have me." Eva could see that Jack tried his best to speak as if not having chugged a bottle of vodka and it made her relax a bit too. "No, if you say LinkedIn is good to have... Would you help me set up an account?" she asked him, stepping a bit closer, partly to let someone pass and partly so she simply was closer to him. "Not now of course... But maybe in a couple of days?" she hastened to say. "After you nursed tonight's hangover!" Eva added, with good humour.

Then Jack started talking about kissing her. Or her kissing him. Eva nearly stumbled back, but then she took a deep breath - filled slightly with the alcohol fumes - and steadied herself. He probably didn't mean anything by it, just a New Years kiss.
The woman couldn't help laugh at his clumsy attempt to find out the time. "It's about 1AM now... The fireworks went off already, don't you remember? You're an hour too late!" she giggled. All of a sudden, she felt a strange hurt in her chest. Tiny, but it was there. It was.... Disappointment? Disappointment there was no reason for that kiss now, or so the girl thought.

 

[JckHmmr_2000]

"My super-human mutant power makes me immune to hangovers-- A couple of days?" Jack said. He struggled about which topic to address first. Perhaps it was the alcohol, perhaps it was old habit -- in the end, it was ALWAYS business first. "Tell you what -- we'll do it right after your January 4th deadline. The last thing I want to do is add any kind of stress that we can avoid. How about you swing by my place right after work on the 4th? I will make you dinner, you will suffer through my cooking and in exchange, I will help you get LinkedIn."

Jack furrowed his brow in delayed disappointment at hearing the time.

"You know, it's midnight on New year's Eve somewhere in the world right now -- just one, single, solitary time zone away, as a matter of fact," Jack said resolutely. "And I don't want to kiss anyone tonight or the foreseeable future other than you. So please take my hand, come over here and let's wish each other a Happy New Year -- shall we?"

Jack winked, nodded once, and offered his hand to Eva. After all, it would just not be appropriate to snake his arm around her and simply pull her in. That would be rude, and Jack draws the line at being rude to a woman he really likes on New Year's Eve while visiting as a guest at her father's home. Also, he hoped to save that for another time...

 

[MistressOfAlaok]

Eva laughed and cheekily raised an eyebrow. "That is one hell of a super power... If I had the choice, I'd rather learn to fly though. Did you pick this super power or were you born with it?" she teased Jack. Then she felt her cheeks flush, as she remember who he was... Her father's neighbour! Only a couple years younger than her old man himself! She was happy that Jack was not entirely sober anymore and she hoped he'd take no offence to her teasing.

The young woman felt relief as Jack agreed to help her with the LinkedIn account. Maybe it would help her land a better job! "You make me dinner and help me with LinkedIn?" she gasped, the alcohol nearly adding a giggle fit, she was just able to stop. "I will have to bring some wine then, because it sounds like I will owe you big time, after that!" Eva smiled.

Jack offered his hand to her, commenting on New Years Eve and timezones. For a moment, Eva hesitated, but then she accepted his hand and stepped closer, until one of her feet was in between Jack's and she could smell his cologne - or was it aftershave? - as well as the alcohol on her breath. The latter really didn't bother her anymore, as she felt heat rise throughout her body.

The alcohol treathened to bring on another giggle fit, but Eva instead reached forward and kissed Jack on the corner of his mouth. The girl was too shy to kiss him outright on the mouth, but wanted more than a chaste kiss on the cheek.

After taking a lot longer than necessary, to plant the kiss on the corner of his mouth, so close she could almost taste his lips, Eva pulled her head back a bit. She didn't step away however, her body still close to Jack.

 

[JckHmmr_2000]

Eva's kiss at the corner of his mouth produced a low, almost-menacing rumbling growl from Jack's chest, tempered with a soft, slight and quick moan. Jack looked intently into Eva's eyes -- at her face -- perhaps as a hungry wolf might narrow its eyes at a deer frozen in its tracks. From this close distance, Jack snaked his arm around Eva's waist and hip, as if making sure she didn't escape -- no, not NOW.

Jack breathed deeply as he drew Eva into him, pulling her towards himself to close whatever gap remained between them -- all the while looking at her face.

I really like her face, Jack thought to himself. Something about her and this moment... I desperately want to etch EVERYTHING about this moment in my mind forever.

Jack closed the gap between her face and his. He didn't return the kiss on the corner of her mouth, but instead escalated by kissing her lightly on her lips, their faces hidden from everyone by the length of his hair as it fell like a jet, black privacy curtain.

Jack held the kiss for a brief moment, then pulled back to open his eyes and look at Eva's face again. There it is, Jack thought to himself. I really like Eva's face.

"Neither," Jack whispered as he closed his eyes and kissed Eva again. He kissed her lightly, but held the kiss for a longer time. His kiss switched to short, soft, gentle pecks that invited more but didn't push for it.

His arm held her closer, tighter to his body as his other hand traced the side of her face and chin, grazing the skin softly, then made its way to the back of her neck where he gently stroked with his thumb and forefinger.

 

[MistressOfAlaok]

Eva was taken aback by the sounds that seemed to come from deep within Jack's body. Of course she'd heard men moan before, but never from a simple kiss. She herself felt something too, almost as if the primal growl had brought a feeling of comfort. It made her knees weak, so weak, but the kind of weak that made her want to be in his arms.

Just then, that is exactly what happened, as Jack snaked his arm around her waist. Eva leaned against him slightly, feeling as if she might melt. It brought confusion to her mind. This feeling of instant comfort was the stuff you read about in romance novels, the stuff they tried to portray in movies, not a feeling the young woman was familiar with. And then that look in his eyes... A nearly pitiful whimper escaped her lips. Perhaps it was a whimper of need? Eva couldn't even put words to it herself.

She sighed as their lips met, if only lightly and briefly. Her lips seemed to tingle even after Jack had pulled away. "More," she whispered breathlessly. And even before she was able to regain her breath, his lips were back on hers. His fingers touched her skin and Eva's head swam.

The girl had told herself that after the divorce, she wouldn't be ready for anything, for ages! And man sucked, maybe she'd just swear them off. The divorce was still fresh and despite the world being full of eye candy and having no more obligation to not enjoy life, Eva stubbornly said she wouldn't.

Until now, as Jack's fingers stroked the back of her neck and her body felt hot and cold and shakey all at the same time. Her tongue with a will of its own, licking at his lips.

 

[JckHmmr_2000]

Jack heard Eva's whisper and felt her tongue on his lips, and he responded immediately. He pressed his lips closer, tighter onto Eva's then opened them to engulf her tongue, sucking it into his mouth. His touch on the back of her neck became a firm massage with his entire hand, while the arm that went around her hips and waist cinched Eva's body tightly against his. His body tightened around hers, much like a boa constrictor after it spent an agonizing eternity slowly, languidly and painstakingly making its way and coiling itself around its unsuspecting prey. His movements weren't sudden or disturbing. He was deliberate and certain, moving in the way of a man who was taking what rightfully belonged to him right then and there.

Eva felt so... GOOD in his arms. There was something about the way she melded into him, fitting herself so perfectly within his python embrace. Her body, her kiss was not like any other in that she wasn't merely a turn-on -- something about Eva made this close, intimate moment so MUCH closer, so comfortable, so satisfying, so EVERYTHING.

Jack didn't merely want Eva -- not just for sex, not just for romance. No. Jack wanted something more from this young woman: Jack wanted ALL of her.

Jack consciously held back his instinct to fully give in to his growing frenzy before it overtook him. But kissing -- yes, we can do that. Jack would like to keep doing that.

I want to ravish you, Jack thought. I want to kiss you all over, and I want to make you mine -- all mine. I want to be able to look upon you anytime I want, for as long as I want. I want to hear your voice, and let it comfort me, amuse me, make me happy. I want you to sing to me, and then moan softly into my ear when I hold you close and kiss you, softly, deeply, meaningfully. And I want to TOUCH you -- ALL of you, all over you.

I want to own you.

He wanted to articulate those thoughts out loud, and instead conveyed them with his kiss and with the way he held Eva so close.

I have to calm the fuck down, Jack thought, mildly alarmed as the adrenaline surge within him burned up the alcohol from his brain. Sudden clarity engulfed him, reminding him of the time, place and manner of his current existence.

He slowly broke the deep kiss and opened his eyes as he disengaged without letting her escape his embrace. He wanted to see Eva's face, but from this close distance, all he could see were her eyes.

"Happy New Year..." Jack breathed, his voice catching slightly in his throat as he gulped in some air after realizing he held his breath this entire time. "Happy New Year, Eva."

It took a monumental effort on his part to loosen his grip on Eva, but Jack's sense of propriety demanded he give his neighbor's grown-up baby girl an opportunity to escape his clutches -- even if only so he could chase her down later.

 

[MistressOfAlaok]

Eva felt Jack's arm slowly tighten around her body, a sense of belonging growing inside her, as well as... Her whole body seemed to heat up, but especially in her lower stomach to groin, a lump in her throat and her head dizzy and she felt like jumping Jack. With her body taking over from her mind, she pressed her leg between his, as she tasted his tongue and felt his hand in her neck.

He pulled back slightly and wished her a happy New Year. It made her smile, a genuine, big smile. "Happy New Year to you too... And what a start!" she said breathlessly, before bringing her face back to his and kissing him again, her shyness gone.

Something about the way he held her, made her feel as if she was now his, no escaping possible. That idea normally would disgust her, especially since she didn't want to belong to anyone after the divorce. However, it now had quite the opposite effect, turning her drunk. Lust drunk. Or love drunk. Or both. Her head swam from it, that much was clear, as Eva wrapped one arm around Jack's neck, as much for closeness and intimacy as stability on her wobbly legs.

Just then a crash, splash and the shatter of glass sounded from inside, followed by a slightly delayed squeal and an even more delayed groan. It broke the spell and Eva's head snapped up. "Eeeeev? Sweets?" came her father's not so sober voice from inside the house. "Oh fuck," she muttered softly, words dripping with disappointment. It felt as if the moment shared with Jack had been shattered like the glass inside had...

"I'm coming, dad!" she called out, with an apologetic look at Jack. Or was it more a look of regret at having to snake out of his arms? Inside she noticed it hadn't just been one bottle. And... Was that vomit?! Eva muttered another few curses, surveying the mess, her father standing in between it all, with a blind drunk woman next to him. The girl vaguely remembered being introduced to her as a colleague of her dad and with just one look at her, it was clear she was the culprit, having caused the broken bottles and glasses.

"I better get this cleaned up, considering it seems I'm the most sober in this household..." she said, turning back to Jack apologetically, although she ended her sentence with a glare at her father. "Perhaps it's time to call it a night, before more drunkards decide to decorate the house."

___

**4th of February**

It was nearly 6.30PM and Eva had just stepped out of a shower, now stood in front of the mirror in her bedroom. She had taken the time to blow-dry her hair, something she normally never did, but the young woman was convinced she looked better with her brown waves of hair dry, bouncy and slightly fluffy. She sighed as she tried to pick what to wear. A dress? Some shorts? Jeans? No, too warm. She ended up picking out some white denim-like shorts and a bright red top - slightly on the short side - with some funky text on it. I saw that! Sincerely, Karma

Out of her underwear draw she dug up a set of underwear, a simple bra and thong, but still a set. Wearing good and even sexy underwear always made her feel more confident. She felt nearly silly, to feel the need for 'special' underwear, but Jack hadn't left her mind for a single moment since that kiss on New Years...

The young woman had thought of him nearly every waking moment and after a particularly... Steamy night alone in bed, she'd even dreamt of him! Now she was going over for a dinner date. No! Not a dinner date, she told herself. Just dinner. Dinner and LinkedIn!

Putting on her favourite pair of heels, Eva grabbed the bottle of red wine from the kitchen bench. She'd selected it a couple days ago, after following some unsolicited wine advice she had received a while ago. Thanks, Greg from cubicle 12! The girl hoped it was as good as it was made out to be.

With her laptop bag over her shoulder and the wine in her hands, she walked over to next door. With a flutter or nerves - or were they butterflies? - in her stomach, she rang the bell...

 

[JckHmmr_2000]

New Year’s Day. Noon.

Jack awakens to the unnecessarily loud blaring of his home’s centralized air conditioning as it kicks in, telling him it is around noon -- and regrets it immediately. He never used to notice his home’s air conditioning but for some reason, the noise he once thought as low and barely noticeable seemed like a rumbling herd of charging rhinos. Jack's head explodes in a round of pulse-pounding pain and his whole body aches. He doesn’t remember sleeping, and wonder if he slept enough. His mouth feels like he havsa wad of cotton held together with old, decaying spider webs, and he is so very thirsty. He labors to get up, but feels so very tired and weak.

EhrMehGerd, I’m old now, he whines to himself. He tries to pry open his eyes, and squints at the sudden, flash blinding light inside his room. The curtains are closed and the lights are off. What’s wrong with my eyezzz??

Again, he tries to get up from bed. He makes it to his feet, and just then, a spell of dizziness washes over him. The room spins -- WHY? A beat later, the wash of dizziness is replaced by a wave of nausea, and Jack suddenly panics, knowing that he needs to make it to the toilet before he spews vomit all over his bedroom.

Success. He rests his clammy, sweaty forehead on the cool, comforting toilet bowl rim. His stomach hurts from all the sudden heaving and retching that lasted fore-fucking-ever.

Jack eventually stands up, his entire body shaking, and he makes it into the shower to clean himself up.

Maybe I need to hydrate, Jack thinks to himself as he lets the ritual of body washing begin to work its psychosomatic healing on whatever he had left after last night. Then, the memory of last night dawned on his slightly-less painfully throbbing brain.

LAST NIGHT.

NEW YEAR’S EVE.

With Eva.

Yes, last night. That kiss. Eva’s kiss. That kiss was well worth the suffering today, Jack smiled at his thoughts. Happy thoughts.

And then vomited in the shower.

----

Jack threw himself into his work the next three days. He broke his own record when he signed over two dozen recruits by the end of January 4th -- all of them high commission positions. He literally made enough money in the first three days of the work year to pay for an entire year’s worth of living expenses plus some extra spending money besides.

I'm good, he thought smugly to himself. He glanced at the office clock he mounted in the middle of his "office" -- he converted what would have been the living room area of his 2-bedroom condominum into an office, complete with desk, workstation computer, printer/scanner/fax/copier, a couch, an office chair and another chair on the other side of his desk. He never brought clients into the "office" but he liked having a space where he could work from home effectively and efficiently. He also felt that the psychological impact of an office environment would help him focus and be more productive. The clock on the wall said 6:30 PM.

HOLY MOTHERFUCKING SHIT! Jack bolted from his chair and ran to his small kitchen. He threw some fresh vegetables into the sink to wash and prepare, then placed them onto a roasting tray before he drizzled them with his own blend of avocado, sesame and walnut oil, and then some balsamic vinegar as well. He heated up the oven as he grabbed the bread dough that he had rising in the refrigerator and divided it equally between three separate bread loaf pans. He threw the bread pans into the larger bottom oven, then started working on the guacamole and hummus dips that he hoped would substitute for butter in the vegan dinner he planned to prepare for his date night -- NO, Jack, this is NOT a date -- for his DINNER and LinkedIn (that's really not a thing, Jack admitted to himself). Jack was working on the marinated Portabello and cauliflower "steaks" when the slight beeping noise alerted him that the broiler was now hot enough for for the vegetables (asparagus, brussel sprouts, zucchini & yellow crookneck squashes, etc.) to go in.

He almost slammed the broiler when he slid the two trays of vegetables in -- he cursed himself for not having the time to put one of the trays at a time.

The door bell.

Jack almost drops the bread pans in his rush to take his apron off while trying not to burn himself. He pauses, focuses on getting the bread loaves out of the pans so they can rest on the wooden cutting/serving board, then takes of his apron, THEN he heads to the door.

He grabs the door, pauses to take a breath, then opens it.

And there she is, wearing a cute red top -- what does it say on it? never mind that now, Jack -- and equally cute white shorts. And by CUTE, Jack knew he meant SEXY.

"As I was saying, I was neither born with my mutant super-human powers nor did I choose them," Jack stated matter-of-factly as a way of greeting Eva. "As it turns out, I was selected by a secret government research project so they could perform their atrocious experiments on me."

Jack smiled, as if pleased with himself.

"Also, your hair looks AWESOME! Please, come in!" Jack says, then grabs Eva and kisses her deeply right while still standing in the doorway.

Oh, how I miss this, Jack's brain screams in sheer jubilation and delight. I WANT THIS FOREVARRR!

Jack breaks off the kiss to usher her inside.

"My apologies, I'm addicted," Jack says as he closes the door behind Eva after she enters. "Welcome to my humble home. Is that wine you have there?"

Jack smiled slightly as he envisioned a collar on Eva's neck; and then imagined her naked, with her forearms tied to the inside of her lower legs and ankles...

Woah, Jack, we're not there yet, Jack chided himself. He knew there was something about Eva he needed to discover first. Jack had to figure out EXACTLY what Eva's unique effect was on him.

She was definitely NOT like anyone else. Eva seemed like every woman in many ways, and yet, perhaps in THAT, she was perfect. Something about the way she smiled, that playful, teasing little kiss on the corner of his mouth, the way she felt against him when he held her -- all soft, and cuddly yet... with substance.

Jack had an ISSUE with women who starved themselves until they looked like flat-chested 10-year-old boys. He always preferred women who looked like, well, WOMEN. So, yes, Eva had that looked that Jack ALWAYS found attractive -- but there was something MORE than that with this woman that drove him to a frenzy. She was like a fisherman's lure, and he a frustrated salmon swimming as fast as he could to catch up with this pretty, shining, attractive thing that was engineered to drive him absolutely nuts with WANT.

And it was so good to see her here, inside his home.

"Welcome to my parlor..." he said.

 

[MistressOfAlaok]

As Eva waits on the path to the front door, she double checks her watch. 6.38PM and it really was the 4th. Her nerves were through the roof, feeling like a high school girl, about to be paired up with her crush for a project counting for her final grades. She checked her watch again, still 6.38PM, but... What if Jack had forgotten? Or didn't feel like helping her anymore? No! Don't be silly, she told herself.

Then the door opened and Jack greeted her by making a joke referring to New Years Eve. Eva laughed, feeling relieved he clearly hasn't forgotten, as well as feeling excited. She'd be spending the evening with him! Dinner and LinkedIn. Perhaps not as good as the famous Dinner and Dick, but pretty close, closer than she'd been in a while! The girl felt like a kid on Christmas. Or maybe moreso like a hormonal teenager at prom?

"I am glad to hear the hangover wasn't too bad," she laughed. "Thank..." she started, after the compliment, before Jack scooped her inside and crushed her mouth with his. Eva's hearted began to race and she so, so wished her hands had been free. However, she didn't need hands to return his kiss and enthusiasm and so her tongue snaked out to taste his lips, before she sucked softly on his lower lip.

As they break apart and Jack guides her inside, he apologises, saying he is addicted. Addicted to kissing her? Kissing in general? Eva blushed, sincerely hoping it was the former... "Oh. Yes. The wine," she said and half turned in the hallway, trying to offer him the bottle of red. As she handed it to him, she briefly met his eyes, but then looked down, her cheeks warming even more, if that was possible. There was something in Jack's look that made her knees weak. The way he looked at her, observed her, seemed to look straight through her, made her question her own sanity.

With the way he looked at her, would Jack know how many times she'd spent thinking about him, the last few days? Eva wondered, adding to her nerves, as parts of her fantasies flashed through her mind. Sex with her ex had always been very... Plain. About as spiced up as dry white toast - and about as sexy too! - and nothing you'd whisper to your girlfriends about on a drunken night. Towards the end of the marriage, before the divorce Eva had started to read up on... On sex. On different kinds of sex and different activities. She had always kept it to herself and even at times felt as if she shouldn't be interested in expanding her sexual horizons. However, the last few nights she'd thrown that feeling out the window, as her fingers worked over time and her mind burned with fantasies involving Jack. What had come over her? Just... Dinner and LinkedIn tonight!

Jack welcomed her in his home and Eva smiled. "Thank you! And... What is that smell? It smells delicious!" Eva turned to him, an excited glint in her eyes. Excitement about more than just the food... "I hope the wine will go well with it," she all of a sudden worried. "If not, you'll have to keep it and drink it with something more suitable! Can I help you with anything?" she asked, as she eased the laptop bag off her shoulder, onto a table in the hallway.

 

[JckHmmr_2000]

"I can think of no one more suitable than you to drink it with," Jack grinned with a silly, Cheshire Cat-like satisfaction as he guided Eva to his desk. He pulled the office chair backward to allow her to sit in front of his computer. "I took the liberty of starting your LinkedIn account. How about you fill out the rest of the information while I putter in the kitchen? My home is small and Hobbit-like, so we can still talk."

Jack took the wine from Eva and made his way back to the kitchen where he uncorked the wine and grabbed a couple of wine glasses. He didn't bother with a decanter, and instead set the opened wine bottle and both glasses on the dining room table.

"I have been looking forward to this evening with you since New Year's Eve," Jack stated as he finished setting the table. He strode back to the kitchen to check on the food, then placed a bottle of Gewurtzraminer and Johannesburg Riesling in the chiller, just in case Eva might prefer a lighter, sweeter white wine to go with dinner.

Jack tried to avoid talking too much while Eva worked. He wanted her to finish filling out her online account sooner than later, so he could focus on getting to know her better -- MUCH better. Jack wanted to know EVERYTHING about her: what she liked to eat, drink; her favorite forms of entertainment; how she preferred to be pleased in bed; was she more submissive or dominant (he fervently hoped the former); her sexual pain tolerances--

Oh, shut the fuck up, stupid lizard brain, Jack scolded himself. FOCUS. Fer fuck's sake.

He sidled up next to her and gently squeezed the muscles on her neck and shoulders in a slight massage, as if to let her know, I don't want to distract you but I am here to help.

Jack marveled at Eva's hair. He liked the way she had it tonight, with so much body and bounce, and then stopped himself as he started thinking about how it would look with her hair tousled after a few hours of frenzied coupling, or how she might react if he gripped her hair while he ravaged her from this position or that...

He sighed inwardly as he realized that perhaps it wasn't him who was to blame for his thoughts around Eva -- was it really his responsibility that she had such an effect on him? Being around Eva, looking at her, smelling her scent from so close was... well, her effect on him was both multi-layered and instantaneous and so many things all at once: thrilling, enchanting, intoxicating, exciting, and definitely a huge turn-on. Maybe it wasn't Jack's reaction that was to blame; perhaps the way he reacted to Eva's presence -- and sometimes the mere thought of her -- was simply inevitable and unavoidable, because... He paused his train of thought. Because why?

Again, that question formed in his mind: What is it about this woman that so fascinates him, that so entrances and captivates Jack? Was it her looks, her body, the way she carries her self, her build? Certainly, her face -- that face, with those eyes in which Jack could lose himself for such a long, long time.

You make me feel young again -- REALLY young, Jack thought, wishing he could tell Eva. I haven't felt this way with a woman since I was in my teens. Of course, I know so much more about what do with a woman than I did back then...

"So, how are we doing?" Jack said instead, his voice low and soft as he spoke with his mouth a few inches away from her ear. He wanted desperately to nuzzle the back of her neck and ears with his mouth, to trail sucking, nibbling kisses all over her jawline, neck and ears -- but as always, business first. "Dinner will be ready as soon as we finish setting up your account. You don't need to finish EVERYTHING, by the way -- I can do the rest for you if you email me your resume.
It would also help me very much if I got to know you better. Perhaps we can proactively schedule an interview prep because I am very confident we can get you interviewing for a better job in the next month or so."

 

[MistressOfAlaok]

Eva smiled broadly and took her place on the desk chair, in front of the computer. "Thank you so much for this!" she exclaimed, musing to herself she didn't even need her laptop. Seated in front of the computer, Eva looked at Jack's handy work. He had filled out some of the things he had been able to and when the young woman read over it, it really was a help. Mostly because it set an example of the tone and kind of wording she'd have to use throughout the rest of her profile.

Eva blushed so fiercely, when Jack mentioned he'd been looking forward to this, that she was happy she was facing the screen! "Me too," she muttered, near whisper, then busied herself with the profile again. First she filled out the easy details, like D.O.B. and former education.

After a while she turned around, to ask Jack a question. However, she forgot what she wanted to ask, as she observed him whilst he worked busily in the kitchen. The smells were intoxicating, but that was not the thing that captivated her. She watched Jack, watched the way he moved, his efficiency and calculation while cooking. The way his eyes shone, Eva was certain that there were a thousand thoughts running through his head, at a million miles an hour. They were all worth more than a penny too...

Mostly however, she noticed his hair. It was black, real black, not dark brown and had a healthy - not oily - shine to it. Eva sighed as she wondered how it would feel to have her fingers through it, softly stroking it, playing through it, grabbing it in the throws of passion... Her daydreams took over and she could picture them in bed, naked, after a steamy session of love making. Or fucking. Big difference, according to the erotic stories. Yes, their naked, hot bodies cooling off after a good fucking, where she'd been underneath him most of the time, but now they were cuddled up, his head on her stomach, her fingers in his hair, maybe even putting silly little braids in it, as they came down from their sexual high...

Eva bit her lip so hard, whilst daydreaming, that she brought herself back to reality with the pain. She cleared her throat, swallowing hard and trying to ignore the heat between her legs. "Jack? Sorry to interrupt you... I think I need some advice on how to formulate and word my expectations. I want them to of course know straight away what I want from my job and take me serious, but I don't want to sound like a brat either," she said unsure.

He came to sit next to her and as they both stared at the screen, his hand found her neck, softly massaging. It took all her mental strength to get on with the job ahead, instead of leaning into his touch. By the time she'd finished the current section she was working on, her body was more tense - although her neck felt so good! - and she was near desperate to jump Jack. Her fingers itched to touch him, rather than the keyboard.

"So, how are we doing?" Jack asked after a while. His face close enough for her to feel this breath on her ear. Eva's voice was a little hoarse as she answered and she hoped he wouldn't pick up on it, she was embarrassed enough as it was, feeling like a teenage girl with raging hormones. It was like the sinful sex-ED stories they had to read at high school...

"I think this is it," she said, gesturing to the screen. "It's everything I can think of at the moment. I think I'll need to adjust the wording of some things later, but indeed, maybe with an interview later on, I'll have a better idea of my own answers. Oh! And I'll need to get an appropriate photo taken!" she listed off. Eva stared at her hands, in her lap now. She took a deep breath, pushed aside her nerves and turned to Jack.

She placed a hand on his thigh as she looked at him. "Thank you for your help!" she said, before leaning forwards and kissing him on the jaw. The kiss lingered for longer than usual, as she appreciated the firmness of his jaw against her lips. The girl pulled back, her cheeks quite red, her whole body hot. Unconsciously she squeezed his leg with her hand, which she hadn't pulled back. "Really, thank you for all your help. And for dinner... It smells amazing!"

 

[JckHmmr_2000]

"For expectations, let's put down something that sounds like a wish list. We can always alter it later," Jack replied thoughtfully, trying to pry his mental focus from Eva's hair by staring at the monitor. " After all, we want you in a leadership position and you should never be afraid of asking for what you want. Otherwise, how would you ever expect to close a deal or finalize a sale ? Let's try to get you into a company run by women -- for women. You deserve a fair shot at upward mobility, and perhaps the only way to guarantee that environment is to get you away from the sexist, misogynist boys club."

Eva kisses Jack on his jaw, and it takes all of his willpower to NOT say, Fuck it, and kiss her deeply while carrying her over to the couch. No, we're going to eat first, dammit.

"I seek a fair yet competitive environment where my work ethic, experience and education will lead to career advancement and opportunity," Jack shrugged at his generic suggestion. "I hate to sound run-of-the-mill, but the great thing about LinkedIn is you can change it later when inspiration strikes. And you don't have to make it viewable to the general public until you are ready..."

Eva finished rather quickly, and Jack marveled at her efficiency and speed at getting things done. She finished in mere minutes what would have taken him more than an hour. Where Jack would have spent time going over his work repeatedly in a seemingly never-ending quest to find errors and tweak the language, Eva efficiently went through the document once, making zero errors, thus reducing any need to keep going back to review her work.

"That's impressive," Jack commented when Eva stated she was done. "You're executive material, Eva. No wonder you want out from where you are now. Your talent is wasted at your position."

Jack got up, took Eva's hand and maneuvered himself so she would stand straight into him. His face moved into hers for a kiss on her lips as his hands went to her back, lightly stroking it as he guided her into his embrace.

Jack disengaged quickly and started leading her to the dining area nearby -- three or four steps away in this very small home.

"I hope you're hungry," Jack said as he handed Eva her wine glass and pulled her chair for her at the dining table. He strode quickly to the kitchen, and brought over fresh-baked bread and homemade guacamole and hummus dips. He left the various vegetables in the oven to stay warm. The few gray strands in his beard had none to match on the hair on his head -- maybe in a few years, but not yet. He refilled her wine glass before seating himself opposite her. He breathed in deeply and smiled broadly. He took his wine glass and raised it in a toast towards his guest. "Thank you for being here, Eva."

Something about this moment seems to perfect, Jack mused. Then again, maybe it wasn't the moment that made it perfect. It wasn't the food or the wine or the intimacy with the younger woman, made somewhat more titillating by the privacy of his own home. Jack allowed himself one more quick thought, perhaps to simply complete the moment. No, what makes this moment perfect is you, Eva...

"So, I will try not to interrogate you while we eat," Jack said, smiling as he offered Eva some warm bread. "But please understand I would really like to get to know you a lot more.

Yeah, I would like to get to know you in the Biblical sense as well, Jack thought as he watched Eva from across the table. He imagined her naked and face down on his bed, his scented oil-lubricated hands gliding up and down her entire body as he gave her a soothing, relaxing massage. He looked forward to talking with her as he squeezed all of the stress from different points in her body, and being satisfied at the sounds of her moans and groans of pleasure and relief. The thought of seeing her naked on his bed, giving herself to him -- trusting him (almost?) completely -- made him catch his breath. He thrilled at the idea of control -- the kind that came from pleasing her while feeling the satisfaction of accomplishment and being the direct, kinetic source of that pleasure. Yes, it might be painful at times -- but you'll see it as a GOOD pain.

"So, please tell me about yourself. I want to know EVERYTHING about you," Jack verbalized as he spread hummus dip on his own chunk of bread. "Make no mistake: now that you have slain the LinkedIn beast, my goal is to know as much as I can about you before you go home -- your favorite foods, drink, movies, entertainment. I would like to know what you usually order at restaurants and bars. I'd love to hear stories from your childhood and your recent past. I want to know how you think, what you hate, or what bothers and annoys you -- I want to know everything there is to know about Eva."

More than that, I want to hear you talking with me, Jack silently added. Your voice is like music to me, it sings to me, it makes me happy. YOU make me happy, Eva.

 

[MistressOfAlaok]

Eva typed away, as Jack talked, nodding along as her fingers raced over the keyboard. She would have never figured herself to turn out anything good with computers, but once she started trying, she discovered there were parts of it she liked and was good at. She probably liked it because she was good at it, like typing. It hadn't taken her long to learn and now she was easily the fastest typer at the company.

As Eva worked, part of her was disappointed that Jack didn't respond to her kiss much. But what had she expected? To have him carry her off, forget all about dinner? Maybe even fuck on the kitchen table? No, she had come here for LinkedIn and dinner and that was what was happening. Then Jack threw some compliments her way. "executive material" It was not the standard compliment a woman would hear or even be one on the list of ones she wished to hear. But to Eva, it was one of the best ones she'd received. It made her feel valuable, a worthy person. More than a pretty face.

Jack seemed eager to get up once they were done and as soon as Eva was up too, it was clear to her why, as she suddenly stood so very close to him. Her breath caught in her throat as his lips met hers and she felt her heart race and knees wobble. She was glad Jack's arms were around her body, supporting her, as well as making her feel good. It near scared her a little how Jack made her feel so good, so fast. Too soon the kiss ended and they drifted apart, with him taking her to the table.

But with Jack's next move, Eva nearly forgot the kiss! "Such a gentleman!" she exclaimed appreciatively, as he drew back the chair for her, assisting her. She knew many a woman who would have rolled her eyes at this, thinking it old fashioned and a breach of their dignity, to be assisted to sit down. But Eva felt like a princess, as Jack handed her the wine and got their food on the table.

The girl's eyes widened at the display he put before them. "Oh Jack, if I wasn't hungry before, I'd be now! It looks magnificent..." she said, her mouth watering. She quickly mimicked the raise of his glass, softly clinking hers to it. "Thank you, for having me, for the help with LinkedIn, for what's to come..." her eyes widened at her own words. "You know, with the job and all!" she quickly added, blushing fiercely as her mind already went to other places - mostly the bedroom - and she took a big sip of her wine to mask it.

They enjoyed the food for a while, with Eva using the freshly baked bread as fingers to dip in the different sauces Jack had prepared. She marvelled at his skills. Not only was he good at his job, he was helpful and generous, he was an intelligent and amusing guy, patient and - to hell with it - handsome too. And now he turned out to be a fantastic cook.

Eva's tongue darted out, licking her fingers, with half closed eyes, as she enjoyed the delicious tastes of the best hummus she'd ever tried! As she opened her eyes, to listen to Jack's words, she noticed Jack looking straight at her. A bit embarrassed, she dropped her hands down to her lap, as her brain slowly processed what he had said. He wanted to get to know her, listing all he wanted to learn. Some she could understand, some things... Not so much. What she ordered at a restaurant? Really? Why? Not that it was a secret...

She gestured at the food in front of them. "Well, this certainly is now listed amongst my favourite foods! Right there with Peking duck and good fish and chips..." she started, smiling broadly. Was it the wine that was starting to make her feel looser and a little giggly? Or the company?

"If I have to tell you all these things... You'll have to tell me about yourself too! Fair is fair, after all. Deal?" she said, cheekily.

 

[JckHmmr_2000]

"I thank you for your compliments," Jack laughed. "I would say the same about you and how you look tonight."

He liked that Eva thanked him and asked him to tell her about himself. In that, he saw the young woman wasn't self-absorbed or selfish, unlike too many of her generation -- and he hoped she would be the same way if their seemingly promising new relationship would get more intimate.

"What kind of an agent would I be if I agreed to the first proposal?" Jack grinned playfully at Eva. "So, here's my counter: I want tonight to be about you, Eva. I want to know all about you -- I want to know YOU, Eva."

Jack paused to let his words sink in. He then continued, his words soft and somewhat hurried.

"In exchange, I promise full disclosure in the immediate and foreseeable future -- with the understanding that I am more than twice your age and therefore will require more than a couple of occasions to cover everything you might care to know."

Jack paused again, his words slowing and turning more conciliatory in tone.

"As a show of good faith, I will admit that this is part of my strategy to ensure you will spend more alone time with me after tonight," Jack shrugged, but his gaze never left Eva. He wanted to close this deal and get to the part of getting to know her, but he also wanted her consent. That seemed very important to Jack. "How about that?"

Jack knew he wanted to disclose so much to Eva, to tell her EVERYTHING. But he was concerned she might think him too extreme, too perverse, too nasty and not at all politically-correct. Yes, particularly that last bit.

Would she like to know how he fantasized about her since New Year's Eve -- several times, as a matter of fact -- but never even once thought to masturbate to those nude, rude images of her in his mind? How he wanted to save himself for a time when she and he might consumate this strange, unusual wanting that he had for her ever since she planted that small, slight, seemingly-harmless kiss on the side of his mouth?

I would like nothing more than to see you completely naked in front of me, in the privacy of my bedroom, Jack thought as he looked across at Eva while she licked her fingers and drove him partially mad. I want to touch your naked body, twirl you around with my hands and at my whim as I examine everything about you. I want you to feel slightly embarrassed as I inspect you, and in doing so, I am telling you without words that you are mine -- I own you. I want to lift you up and lay you gently on my bed, and hold both your wrists with one hand above your head. I want to kiss you deeply and stare into your eyes while my other hand plays with your left nipple and massages your breast. Will you feel helpless and perhaps a little frightened in my grasp as I kiss you all over? Because I would like that.

Jack sat and drank in the vision that was Eva. He loved her natural curves, the halo of her hair as it cascaded around her like a glorious and artfully-coiffed mane. His eyes drifted for a moment to her breasts -- he preferred women with larger-sized breasts, and she definitely received more than the usual share of blessings from the Boobs Fairies. Jack instantly imagined his right hand cupping, massaging, kneading her left breast; he imagined the contrast of his darker complexion upon her lighter-colored skin, and the scene greatly aroused him.

His mind then ran towards the questions he would like to eventually ask: Do you prefer Dominant men? Are you submissive? If so, how would you describe the ideal manner of His Domination? Would you like it if I held you down while I slam-fucked you hard and fast, until I came deep inside you, filling your womb with several days of my unspent sperm?

And would you just lay there, on my bed, in my arms, breathing deeply as you catch your breath -- exhausted, sweating and spent with your own orgasms? Or would you rush crying to the bathroom, concerned that I may have impregnated you -- only for me to ignore your plaintive wails as I drag you back onto my bed so I can deposit more of my seed and plant it further, deeper within you?

I don't know what you would do. And either scenario fills me with lust and anticipation, and in their happening, I am certain I would feel satisfaction in the knowledge that I own you even more...

Jack smiled. Whatever happens, Jack knew he would ask those questions -- even if only because the thought of saying those things to Eva turned him on.

"So, please tell me: what do you like to do for fun?"

 

[MistressOfAlaok]

She looked magnificent? Eva smiled from ear to ear at his compliment, it seemed to mean more after his earlier compliment about her being executive material. Beauty and brains! She felt like she might begin to glow. "Just watch out, I might grow a very big head with all your flattery!" she teased Jack.

"I want tonight to be about you, Eva." Jack said and Eva's breath caught, images flashing before her eyes, of his head between her legs, the top knot of black hair sticking above her mound, his tongue... "How about that?" Eva woke up from her daydream and had to force herself to register what Jack had said. "Okay... Okay, tonight we can discuss me. But after that, it'll definitely be your turn! No matter how many occasions it takes!" she grinned, excited at the thought of spending more time with him. Alone time. Maybe in his bedroom?

As Jack seemed to decide what he wanted to ask her first, Eva sipped on her wine, in between bites of the delicious food he had prepared. She licked her lips in appreciation, when Jack asked her what she did for fun. This took Eva back a little. Yes... What did she do for fun?

When little, it had been horse riding as well as the scout club. Hence how she ended up joining the mounted police. However, after the accident, that hadn't been a possibility anymore and she was cured of any wish to ever ride a horse again. In between she'd married and especially whilst recovering, they did no more together than watching some TV. After the recovery... That habit kind of stayed. They never did much together. And after the divorce? Nothing, Eva realised. She raked her brain. Hard.

"Uh.... I have to admit, I don't have many hobbies really. Looking back, I don't know why I married my ex. We had nothing in common and because of that, ended up not doing much together. Certainly nothing for fun! I'd sometimes do stuff with friends. Since the divorce and move... I've been working," the girl confessed shyly. "But thinking about it now... I once went to a painting workshop with friends. I think I would like to pick up that interest once more. Any other hobbies... I think I still have to discover myself." Eva looked at Jack and blushed. "I'm sounding really young and immature now, aren't I? Discovering myself.... New generation bullshit..." she mumbled self-conciously. Damnit. Why was she so afraid of Jack's judgement now? Who was he - apart from the dashingly handsome and kind and generous and attractive neighbour?!

 

[JckHmmr_2000]

"I like your head," Jack stated flatly as he stood up to get the next course from the oven before it dried up into husks that only resembled Portabello mushroom layered over cauliflower. He kept speaking the entire time, as if giving a lecture to a university class of one. "It's attached to your face and the more I see of your face, the happier it makes me."

Jack placed the platter on the table.

"So, if your head grew to ginormous proportions, that would imply that so, too, would your face," Jack summed up, almost sounding victorious. "And like I said, I like your face. Quite a lot. And I think it's obvious that I like staring at your face until way after it gets awkward because I'm probably doing it again right now."

Jack made a deliberate effort to stare at Eva's face.

"I'm being creepy now, aren't I?" Jack mercifully broke his comical stare at Eva's face. His expression spoke novels about how simply happy he was in Eva's presence. "It's your fault, you know. For having that face that I like to look at so much. Also, it goes so well with the rest of you. It matches quite well, if I may say so. I would keep it, if I were you -- your face, I mean."

Jack stuffed his face with food as he listened to Eva speak.

I want to buy her a horse now. What the fuck is wrong with me? Jack shuddered inwardly. I meet a cute girl and now I want to buy her a pony? I'm daft. And pathetic.

Painting. Eva mentioned painting. Not one of his interests, but he's heard of wine, dinner & paint nights. Perhaps they can both go to one such event together? And it would ACTUALLY be a date? None of this pretense that he put up as a smokescreen to get her into his home -- an actual date DATE. Yes, that would be nice.

The painting activity would suck, of course. Jack knew enough to wear clothing he could burn later, after he showed the world -- and more importantly, his date -- how artistry with a paint brush was NOT in his DNA, or whichever side of the brain that painting springs out from... But he would be willing to do it, if only to see Eva have a fun, enjoyable night.

Also, it would probably be safer and far more appropriate than buying a horse. Maybe he could work up to it and get a her a puppy some day?

Something changed. Eva started saying things about herself that revealed her insecurity, and something else. Did her divorce damage her somehow? Jack found his silly mood evaporate as a sense of protectiveness came over him. I will hurt whoever hurt you, Eva.

"Well, you ARE young," Jack said, struggling to avoid vocalizing something else. "Also, as an older man, I can tell you that self-discovery is something everyone goes through their entire lives -- that is, if they possess the personal insight and wisdom to do so. And I find you to be quite an insightful young woman who is wise beyond her years."

Jack reached across the table to touch Eva's hand, inviting her to hold his.

"Also, you seem to have stupendously gorgeous boobs," Jack purposefully stared at Eva's chest as he gripped her hand, trapping it in his.

And then just like that, he switched gears and stared right into her face that he liked so very much. His voice went from comical and playful to serious and sincere.

"You don't have to tell me anything you don't want to, Eva," Jack said, trying his best to reassure her. "You are safe with me, and I will protect you -- I promise you."

Jack nodded his head to emphasize what he said, and he sincerely meant it.

"Speaking about discovering one's self," Jack let go of Eva's hand and returned to eating. "Can we talk about sex? What with those fabulous boobs of yours distracting me from your face..."

Jack grinned at Eva, as if to say, I like you. A lot.

"Also, if we keep talking about our feelings any more, I'm going to end up purse shopping with you," Jack said jokingly as he winked at Eva and reached for more food. "Yeah. I'd like to talk about sex now please."

Jack looked at Eva expectantly, as if the subject matter he broached so suddenly was something off-handedly casual.

"So, I'll start," Jack he realized he needed to say something to prime this well. He spoke as if the conversation was merely about how his day went. He pointed to himself and said, "Dominant. In the classic gentleman kind of way. I care about the women I am with, and have this need to be... protective. Also, I'm sure you can tell I'm kind of a control freak. So, it makes sense -- yes?"

Jack finished chewing whatever he was eating and then stopped to look at Eva.

"Was that too much?"

 

[MistressOfAlaok]

As Jack went on about her head, then her face, then engaged her in a comical staring contest, Eva felt herself being lifted from any stress she might have previously felt about... Well, anything really. She felt wonderful and light, as if floating on cloud 9. She giggled as Jack stared into her eyes, complimenting her face. There was relief too, when he broke the stare, but at the same time, she did miss his eyes on her already. She would have dared to bet that if they had been in a room full of people, his stare would have still been on her. Jack had a talent to make her feel special...

"You're not creepy!" the young woman defended him, from his own jokes. "You're at most very forward. It must be the confidence that comes with age!" she teased him, with a cheeky smile, before digging into her mushrooms and cauliflower. It was delicious and so filling, one would never miss the meat not in the dish. Suddenly thoughts of other... *fillings* filled Eva's head, but she quickly pushed them out. Behave, young lady! She scolded herself.

The conversation turned more serious and a tat depressing as Eva discussed her hobbies - or lack thereof - with Jack. However he did reassure her. Talking about self discovery, mentioning how it is a life long process to the right people. Shimmering through how she is the right person.

Then he completely surprised her, by talking about her boobs. Nearly confused, Eva looked down at them. To... To what? Check they were indeed there upon her chest? Well... She didn't know why she looked at them herself, before looking at Jack. Part of her wanted to be annoyed, it seemed so rude. But she ended up laughing. Not forced, a real laugh, coming from her toes, rumbling up her chest. Laughing until tears shone in the corners of her eyes and she even snorted once or twice.

After the giggle fit calmed itself down, Eva wiped her eyes, shaking from laughter still. "I'm sorry, thank you. Thank you, I don't know why that made me laugh so much. I guess it was your terribly timed honesty! I haven't laughed like this... Well, I can't even remember when was the last time," she said, with a little hiccup from the laughter. She looked at her empty wine glass. She didn't feel drunk or even tipsy, but who knows, maybe it was the wine...

Jack brought up sex and Eva stared at him wide eyed. Sex?! Well she had certainly thought about it enough... Purse shopping? "If you want to talk about sex with me, shouldn't you first take me purse shopping?" Eva winked at Jack, surprised by her own cheeky reply.

Then Jack started. He told her about himself. Dominant. That's kind of where the woman stopped listening. Or only listened half to the rest. Shivers ran up her spine. Good shivers. Shivers that ran back down her spine too, straight to the spot between her legs, which now seemed to be screaming for attention. Dominant. That was the stuff she'd been reading about. Jack was one of those fabled Dominants? No, no. This was just her inexperienced imagination playing tricks. It wasn't like the stories. All he probably meant was that he liked to be on top. Or was competitive. Like in his work situation. Still... Eva couldn't shake the feeling that came over her. Was it... Hopefulness?

The girl ignored his concern, whether it was too much? "Dominant?" she inquired, breathlessly. "What do you mean? Dominant? Like, like in your work life? Or..." she looked for words, near desperate. Words less crude than in the porn she'd read. Words that described what she was hoping for. She looked at him a bit helpless, out of her debt and unable to ask what she wanted to ask.

 

[JckHmmr_2000]

"In relationships, there are people who are better when they lead, and others are best when they follow," Jack said carefully, trying his best to use words that might be less intimidating. "Those who have a caring, nurturing, protective form of leadership usually find themselves more comfortable in roles where they can do just that. There are others who are better suited to a more passive and perhaps more supportive role, where they place much of their trust in the leader types -- and usually find it rewarding."

Jack didn't want to get into a scholarly psycho-social dissertation. Fuck that, he HATED school. But sometimes, an initial academic approach does the trick more efficiently. Jack smiled, as he carefully thought about what he needed to convey while trying to avoid giving a classroom lecture.

"All relationships have a power dynamic," Jack continued. "Some people in the relationship function better when they are in control -- we'll refer to them as Dominants -- while others prefer the security of giving up control and assuming the submissive role in the relationship."

Jack pushed his seat back from the table, his eyes never leaving Eva's face as he continued.

"I am Dominant -- it's who I am," Jack said plainly. "I need to be in a role where I lead, protect and take care of my submissive -- meaning, SHE who prefers to surrender control to ME. In exchange, for my leadership, protection and care, I expect my submissive to surrender herself to me as completely as possible. I will do everything in my power to earn and deserve her trust, but will then expect she learn to trust me within a reasonable amount of time. I expect obedience and her unconditional recognition of my Dominance and ownership of her."

Jack paused to let the enormity of his statements sink in. He wondered if he should have seduced her the usual way FIRST. He knew he was being an impetuous, impatient idiot -- not usually his style. He also knew that something about Eva, and his WANT for her, made him ignore his usual caution.

"I know -- it seems like a lot to drink in," Jack said as he reached across the table and refilled Eva's wine glass. "Some people call is Domination & submission, some refer to it as Power Exchange. Most people see it as merely a sexual kink, an occasional spice to dabble into or sprinkle in every so often."

Jack leaned back in his chair, and put his hands together, steepling his fingers in front of him as his elbows sat on his arm rests. He felt like some kind of James Bond villain leering at an ultra-desirable Bond girl. And to Jack, Eva might as well have been a young, up-and-coming movie starlet, whose intangible desirable appeal reached out into the audience and grabbed them by the crotch.

"And sex is probably the most common or obvious activity where you see Domination & submission behaviors occur," Jack knew he had to wrap up this lengthy explanation before Eva fell asleep. "Bondage and even pain exchange can be part of it as well, but not necessarily so."

"The people who find themselves in the more pronounced version of the usual relationship dynamic understand that opposites attract -- Dominants are attracted to submissives, and vice versa," Jack said, his gaze focused on Eva's eyes. "I am Dominant, Eva. And very, very attracted to you. The question is: are you submissive, and would you be willing to be submissive to Me?"

Jack pushed his chair back even further.

"For example, if I were to ask you, would you stand before me and strip for me? Would you stand close to me where I can reach you and touch you, and stand completely, stark naked in front of me?"

Jack paused and looked at Eva's expression, relishing the sight. He felt he could feel her emotions, if she would only give him a clue with the expressions on her captivating face.

"If you do as I command -- if you choose to obey -- I wouldn't want you to say a word. I only want to see your obedience, and your submission to me -- your initial, perhaps even tentative acceptance of ME as the man who will own you -- who will dominate you -- knowing that when you do, you give me permission to do anything I want with you. To you."

Jack used the back of his hand to toss his long hair from the side of his head and swept it towards his back. He leaned forward a bit, as if in anticipation. He felt like a predator gauging his range from his prey. Or a Bond villain about to do something painful and bad to the delectable Bond girl named Eva.

"Before you ask, I won't tell you what I plan to do with you. For tonight, I want to see if you can push through your fear and reasonable concerns. Tonight, I want to see you surrender to me blindly, and therefore completely. Tonight -- actually, right now, I want to see if you can take a leap of faith and trust me, and then simply obey."

Jack leaned back. He would normally not ask such a thing, but he also knew this would be the only time he could demand such a show of complete surrender from Eva -- how could she surrender so completely later AFTER she has a better idea of what to expect? No, this would be better. Jack wanted to know how far and how quick would Eva jump into the unknown -- for HIM. Would she trust him so soon? Would she surrender so quickly? Would Eva want Jack in the exact way and manner that Jack wanted -- NEEDED -- Eva to want him?

Jack wouldn't blame her if she ran away in disgust or fear. He showed his cards. It was too late to retreat. Now it was all up to Eva.