Nina stood before the frosted glass of Doctor Ardus's office door, using the reflection to make a last-minute adjustment to her outfit. Her favorite grey dress hugged her hips and thighs, the short white blazer nipping in at her waist and drawing the eye to the dress's low neck. For added punch, she wore a necklace of pink coral pieces strung on fine silver wire. The coral would certainly attract attention, and the few inches of cleavage dusted with a little bronze shimmering powder would grab hold of it like a barracuda – she'd passed Doctor O'Connell on the way in and he'd certainly looked. Arranging her hair behind her ears to better show off the matching pink coral drops, Nina tapped the screen and the door slid open. Her heels clicked as she stepped over the threshold. Doctor Ardus sat at his desk, bent over the reading pane typing while Athe put away books and files. She smiled. "Good morning, Doctor Ardus."
"Good morning, Doctor Ni-" His deep voice abruptly cut off as he raised his head. The reaction her arrival generated was perfect and priceless: both the biologist and his personal assistant stared at her, Athe with a look of smug, knowing amusement, and Ardus frozen with his hands over the glass, his eyes wide. She breezed into the room, tossing an easy glance up at his desk as she passed. Ardus's head never moved, but his eyes followed her to her desk. She heard him draw a sharp breath through his nose and make a thick, rumbling sound in his throat. Nina sat at her terminal, turning her chair slightly towards the huge antique desk. "Doctor, is everything...all right?" She flipped her hair over her shoulder, glad she'd decided to curl it, and crossed her ankles. Athe turned away from her, biting his lip to hide a smirk, but Ardus stared quite obviously at a spot on his desk. If Dreen could sweat, he'd be a waterfall. He gave a curt nod, but said nothing. Nina pressed, "Are you sure? You look surprised to see me. I told you yesterday I wanted to come back to work."
He swallowed hard. "Yes, I remember." His hands twitched over the typing surface. He refused to look up.
"Well," Athe interjected. He stood behind Ardus at his desk, a handful of books ready to put into their places. He gave her a conspiratorial wink. "I'm happy to see you up and around, Doctor. Did you get enough rest?"
Athe, you clever Dreen. "Yes I did, Athe. Thank you."
"You look well. Doesn't she look well, Doctor?" Athe bumped the back of Ardus's chair with his elbow and Ardus started. "What?"
"Tell her, Doctor."
"Tell her what?" Ardus turned in his chair, but Athe started putting books away on the shelf so Ardus couldn't see his grin. "Tell her she looks well."
"Oh....ah..." Ardus looked pained. He turned slowly, his eyes widening as they met with Nina's. "You look..." he paused, "you look well."
Athe, you brilliant jerk. Nina brushed a meticulously curled lock of her dark hair behind her ear and watched the biologist's jaw clench. "Thank you, Doctor. And thank you for lunch yesterday, that baked eel was..." she touched her lips with the tip of her tongue, "amazing. So, what will we be doing today? I'm sure you have a full day scheduled for us."
Ardus swallowed hard. "Er, yes. You... You will be going back to the lab. Meem will be picking up where you left off before your...accident." The way he stared intently at her face made Nina both want to laugh and hide. He looks terrified...and a bit spooky. His large blue eyes were far more intense than she'd anticipated, his focus powerful. Even though she'd covered the important parts, Nina felt strangely vulnerable. It's because he's so big, it's his presence. Nina decided enough was enough and turned to her terminal. Better tone it down. "I see. Well, I'm ready for it if she is. I'll be more careful this time." Ardus's response was only a soft harrumph as he looked back down at his desk. For some time, Nina checked her notifications and listened to Athe's soft humming as he wrapped up his tasks before leaving. Once the assistant left the room, Nina became aware of a strong impression of being watched. Even the hair on her neck prickled. Well, at least you know the outfit's working. She peeked, catching Ardus glancing at her while rearranging some papers. Maybe a little too well. Is he really that bothered? Maybe I shouldn't have done this. Should I go home and change? No, there wasn't time. She was dressed for the day, and dressed she would remain.
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Sea gods, what is she doing? Ardus was having difficulty breathing quietly, when he remembered to breathe at all. That clothing... Omi, Aku, why? Wrestling with control, he tried to focus on the documents on his desk. But it was as if she was constantly calling for his attention, the soft rustle of her clothes and the clicking of those odd pointed shoes on the floor drawing him back to her every time he thought he had it together. Her scent filled his nose, the same sweet, soft one he remembered from her apartment. It seemed to follow her everywhere. And her choice of accents, the pink coral strung around the base of her neck and dangling from her ears, the delicate color against her rich skin mere inches above that softly shining crease between her breasts – Oh!
He shuffled some printouts nervously. Aku, Omi, take me from this place! Drown you Athe, for leaving me here with her alone! His heart hammered, his pulse beating in his temples. Last night's conversation came back to him in blurry snippets: Do you think she might like me? I don't see why she wouldn't. Could Athe be right? Was she dressed so...enticingly, putting the shape and color of her body on display like that, to gauge his reaction? Was he reacting in the way she wanted him to? Each time he glanced at her out of curiosity, she seemed to be looking at him as well. She was doing this on purpose, he was certain. The way she'd smiled at him when she'd come in, how she'd walked, the way she'd spoken to him, all of it seemed deliberate. I...I must try to calm down. We have work to do. He took a slow, steadying breath. "Doctor Nina, if you're ready to begin, Meem is waiting for you in the specimen laboratory."
She looked up from her terminal. "Yes, one moment." She stood and collected a few things, her bag and tablet. She pushed her chair under the desk and Ardus stood. "Doctor?" She looked at him quizzically.
"Yes?"
She tilted her head. "Going somewhere?"
"Yes, to the specimen lab."
Nina's eyebrow lifted. "With me?"
"Of course. After all, I am in charge of your program."
"Oh," a slight smile formed on her mouth. "I mean, you're right about that." She toyed with the handle of her bag. "All right then, should we go?"
"Yes." Swallowing down a surge of anxious energy, Ardus stepped out from behind his desk and calmly made for the door. He held it open for her, keeping the steadiest face he could as she walked towards him. Those shoes, while strange, did something extraordinary to her legs when she walked – she seemed to cross her ankles with every step, setting one foot daintily before the other in a perfectly straight line. And that dress! It clung to her so close Ardus could feel the curve of her waist and hips under it, remembering the precious few seconds he'd held them in his hands the day before. Nina's hips rolled when she walked, her thighs brushing softly together under the grey cloth that Ardus realized now was the exact shade of her eyes. Nina walked ahead of him into the hallway and Ardus closed the door behind them. He turned and caught sight of her from the back, and looking at her from this angle brought a wave of hot yearning. Oh, Omi! She looks as good from behind as she does from the front! Ardus enjoyed the sight as long as he dared while the door snicked shut. He put on his best serene face. "Shall we?"
As they made their way down the hall, Ardus came to a conclusion: if Doctor Nina wanted him to look, he would. If she was intentionally putting her hair, her eyes, her body on display, there was no harm in looking. I may be dark, but I am not dead. Just as he would admire a Dreen woman with her pores flashing and her barbels ringed and wired with shells, beads and bits of sea glass Ardus decided that it was all right to look. Walking slowly so she wouldn't have to trot, Ardus stole what he hoped were casual glances, using his height to his advantage. From up above, he could see more than a few inches of that delightful crease on her chest – would there be a similar one behind her as well? Ardus hung back a few steps, slowing as if to look at a line of awards mounted on the wall but really letting his eyes wander over her legs, hips and rump as she walked ahead of him. No harm in looking, none at all. He bit the inside of his cheek, nostrils flaring. Doctor Nina must have noticed his slowing for she turned and gave him a look, her eyebrows drawing down suspiciously but her little mouth curling. "No rush today?"
Ardus shook his head. "No need. You are still technically recovering from the skimmer toxin, I will not push you any harder than necessary."
"Well, maybe you should. I could use a challenge." Before he could interpret her expression, Nina turned her back to him and brushed some of her hair over her shoulder. The sweep of her hand across the side of her neck imitated so closely the gesture of Omi's Necklace that Ardus wondered if she knew what she was doing. Surely she does, even if she is not familiar with the Dreen name for it. Nina's hair fascinated him – it was long, for one, and shiny. No Dreen could grow hair, just their barbels that never became any longer than twice the length of their fingers. Nina's nearly reached her waist, and when she walked it swayed against her back. She had done something to it to smooth the rippling dark waves into long rounded shapes, curling loops that bounced and shone. What would it feel like in his hands? Was it as soft and smooth as it looked? There was so much he wanted to know. I can wonder, curiosity is nothing to be ashamed of. But what had she meant by her comment? Without pores to glow and with her face turned from him, he couldn't begin to guess if she meant a challenge related to her recovery, to her work, or... Just look. Nothing else. He caught a whiff of her scent, warm and sweet and clean. This walk will be far too short.