The Not So Lonely Lone Wanderer Book 1

Chapter 8 - Scenes from the Atrium

Chris was early, Hunter still back in his quarters changing. Inside the atrium all was quiet save the hum of the air scrubbers, air feeling cool and slightly damp due to the humidity controls that kept the pockets of vegetation green and lush. Eager eyes searched till he found her on the mats in what had become their corner and his stomach dropped while a bit lower other things began to stir. No tank and exercise gear today, today a sports bra and clingy pants left not a whit to the imagination. Every sinuous inch of Arianna's body was revealed by the stretchy fabric.

Barefoot, she pushed up into a forearm stand and straightened slowly, no hurry in the serpentine flex of muscle and limb. A concave belly, swell of womanly hips shifting as her back arched, effortlessly her feet moved till they nearly touched the thick braid snaking over a bare shoulder.. Inside his head, the voice of reason whimpered in defeat and wondered how long he'd last before either tagging out and saving what little remained of his sanity or succumbing to the temptation of such fine flesh.

That preoccupation is why Hunter managed to come up from behind and throw a man punch at his buddy's shoulder. "What, she not here?" Stepping around his compatriot, what held his partner transfixed was revealed and the other male whistled in appreciation. "Damn Ree, you gonna teach us that next?"

Arianna didn't respond, just uncoiled and came to her feet with a silent grace. Truth be told, she'd felt that hot stare well before Hunter opened his mouth and made sure to take it nice and slow, drawing on every bit of wiry strength to keep the flow provocative as hell. Cinnamon eyes sought out Chris first, the heat in their depths matching the ravenous intensity in that blue gaze. Had Hunter not been there, who knows where it would have gone but the third wheel precluded anything but proper behavior and hands above the waistline.

But flirting wasn't off the table and she gave both men a sly smile, arms behind her back, feet perfectly aligned to show off the Nuka-Cola bottle perfection of her curves. "You think you're ready?"

Chris nudged Hunter forward, beginning to wish he'd worn some sort of compression shorts since the lavish display continued to wreak havoc with already disintegrating control. "He's usually way ahead of himself so let him try."

Laughing, the petite female moved around them both and gave the tall blonde a little shove with her hand, letting the touch linger till the warmth of his body could be felt through the shirt. "Oh no big boy, you get to play too. Besides it'll be easier for you both since you have way more upper body development than I do."

Waving both men towards the side of the mats with a wall close, Arianna knelt in a modified child's pose, knees together and feet crossed demurely while both got into position. Hunter managed a headstand fairly quickly but Chris attempted the forearm stand and over compensated, swaying back and starting to tumble. Shirt pooled up around his upper chest and partially obscuring his face, she knew he didn't see her come in for the save as fingers splayed on ripped abdominals and back, the heat burning the flesh of her palms as the firm pressure to keep him upright made her stomach contract in reaction.

Her thighs clenched as the core of her dampened, lust riding up from belly to breast till nipples tightened under her top and becoming visible to the naked eye. Unable to stop the sudden wave of excitement, Arianna let that hand on Chris' stomach move, a caressing slide that took her dangerously close to the waistband of his pants. So much like that sparring 'accident' last week, the surroundings faded and focus honed on the male so close she could smell sweat and another more elusive perfume, intoxicating and a reminder of the workbench tussel a few nights back.

As soon as Arianna settled in, Chris knew it wasn't going to go his way. So close her perfume tickled his nose and made an already erect shaft jump, he attempted the distraction of going full out in practice and overbalanced. The prospect of falling didn't distress him, hell pain might distract him from temptation within arms reach. He hadn't counted on the attempt at saving his ass and when her soft hands hit bare skin, the internal groan of longing echoed in his head, drowning out anything else.

Situation wise, Chris was blind and trying to avoid falling while his eager mind already had images of those fingers dipping further under clothing in a deliberate enticement. When she actually started to caress till the tips of her fingers teased the V of his hip, stomach muscles rippled in reflex and he muttered 'dammit' under his breath. Bringing legs down, he rolled into a sitting position similar to her own and blue eyes locked with that warm brown stare.

Dawning realisation in both gazes as the pair realized the point of no return had been weeks ago and this would end one way and one way only. The time frame was the only variable and at the rate the heat kept flaring up it wouldn't be long before someone succumbed to temptation. Chris reached out this time, hand falling on her knee and skimming upward, thumb a steady pressure on the inside of her thigh as it crept upwards.

Hunter chose that moment to needle his compatriot, though the voice was strained. "Ha, knew I was gonna kick your ass at this."

That voice shattered the charged moment and she looked over at the other man, trying to tame heart and mind as her own traitorous body couldn't stop vibrating with the closeness of her crush. A river between her legs dampened the crotch of her panties and it took a few seconds to find her voice, trying to find the playful tone while her hand covered Chris', not in an attempt to stop but to telegraph her willingness with a gentle tug upwards.

Taking a breath, Arianna attempted to lighten things up, to dispel the charged resonance between her and Chris before anyone caught them. "Hunter you're super hairy, like way more than Chris. That mean you have back hair too?"

Chris exhaled the breath he'd been holding, reluctant to let loose the meltingly erotic moment and feel of her firm flesh under his hand. He understood though her struggle and let the glimmer of a smile appear. "You should ask his girl of the month, Maryanne would probably know all that."

Still oblivious, Hunter protested and started fighting the t-shirt round his head, sending him sideways and right at Arianna's head. "Hey...."

Chris' lightning reflexes snagged the petite female and jerked her out of the way before the other male could kick her in the temple, pulling her half across his lap. The hand between her thighs shifted just a bit, scrape of his fingers on mound at their juncture producing a wave of carnal need that made him close his eyes and pray for release while she wanted nothing more than to grind into those probing digits.

But they weren't alone and things were spiraling out of control so Arianna kept rolling till she ended up on her knees a full foot from Chris, flushed and with a catch in her breath. As Hunter sat up she returned to her original position, once again demure but the smile had lost the edge, now tremulous and a bit confused as she broke Chris' stare and forced a bit of a laugh. "Well, Maryanne has been girl of the month for half the eligible boys in the vault so I'm sure she knows a lot...I mean you should know that " The winsome grin shot at Chris spoke volumes as to who knew what vault gossip wise.

"ARIANNA..." The terse bark from general vicinity of the left bank of plants had all three swiveling around to find James behind them at the entrance to the Atrium, dressed for instruction and a thunderous expression on his face.

Startled, she looked at her father with a deer in the headlights stare, not sure how much he'd seen and the terrifying churn of panic made her drop her head.

"You know that kind of talk is inappropriate. I've told you before to keep your own council." A nod to the men and his hand waved for them to rise. "I take it inversions aren't going well. Since her center of gravity is different let me demonstrate."

Hunter glanced first at Ari, then at Chris with a touch of suspicion but got to his feet. Chris had to wait a moment, rabid erection taking a bit to fade and made regaining his footing look a little off balance. Thank god they'd gone in shirt untucked or the Doc would have seen every inch of what his daughter did to the security officer.

For once there was no witty retort, just Arianna moving off to the edge of the mat and sitting quietly, trying to sooth raging emotions and keep her dark fantasies from being seen by her father's sharp eyes while Chris struggled with the same.