Special thanks to @occupyswift, @ElonMuskFanGirl, and @sailormusk for all the lovely feedback. Hope you all have a wonderful Valentine's Day! I had to break this chapter up because it was getting long, but be prepared the next chapter is going to be S3XY
Nobu is nothing if not a celebrity hot spot. But as Ariana and Elon stepped into the restaurant, it seemed that all eyes turned to stare at them. Ariana felt the thrill of it and pointedly leaned close to Elon as they were ushered to their table. The restaurant was all decked out for Valentine's Day, red lanterns casting a warm glow and flowers adorning every available surface. It could be such a lonely holiday when you're single. She was relieved that she didn't have to spend it alone.
Their waiter poured them wine and gushed effusively how it was the finest vintage, set aside specifically for their special Valentine's Day menu. Elon stared blankly at the man then turned to Ariana with dawning realization in his eyes. After they placed their orders and the waiter left, she giggled and clinked her glass on his.
"You had no idea it was Valentine's Day, did you?" She grinned at him.
"What? What would ever give you that impression?" He sipped his wine, trying and failing to look casual.
She giggled again and he smiled despite himself. He reached out and gently took hold of her hand, tracing her tattoos. She loved when he did that. Also loved how he was looking at her. His eyes were so intense. Intelligent eyes staring at her. A little bit dangerous. So much hidden in their depths. All that brilliance. All for her. So fucking hot.
Elon leaned towards her and whispered, "Have I told you how beautiful you are?"
He had told her. Multiple times that evening, from the moment he picked her up, during their car ride, and even as they were walking into the restaurant. But Ariana loved it. Loved his interest and how he initiated. Guys her age liked to play uninterested and hard to get. Stupid and frustrating. She was ready to fall in deep. Go all the way.
Ariana leaned in a little too close and whispered back, "I think you may have mentioned something about that. And you're looking pretty dashing yourself, sir."
His eyes lit up and his mouth dropped open slightly as she ran her fingers through a lock of his hair. She enjoyed the soft feel under her fingers. And enjoyed even more how affected he seemed to be by her caress. She loved when men didn't hide their feelings. Elon was surprisingly expressive. It only fueled her desire to cross the line. Past the point of no return.
As she sipped her wine, he studied her. She could tell something was on his mind. Wondered if he would let her in on his thoughts or hide things from her. She considered how to tease it out of him when he seemed to make an internal decision.
Elon leaned towards her, a serious look in his eyes. "Ari, there's something that's been nagging at me. I keep thinking about the day we met when I blew up at one of my employees. I'm sorry that you had to see me like that. It's not a part of me that I enjoy."
Ariana shrugged, "I think I expected you to be crazy all the time. Either that or an emotionless businessman. Part of the reason I wanted to meet you at Tesla was to see you in your element. I really like when people have passions. And you get very emotional about your passions. It may sound crazy, but I prefer that. So even though rage isn't seen as a good thing. I actually liked it. It's kind of hot."
He stared at her in disbelief. "Hot?"
"Yeah, you're really hot when you're mad."
His look of disbelief transformed into a smirk.
"Only when I'm mad?"
She got too close to him again. Close enough to inhale the intoxicating scent of his cologne.
"Other times too." She whispered.
He looked at her intently, as though he was calculating just how far he could go. She imagined he was used to pushing limits. But before he could do or say anything, the waiter brought them their food.
He scowled at the food before him as if it was to blame for the interruption. Ariana settled back into her chair and picked up her utensils. Elon may be pissed off at his meal, but despite the interruption it looked delicious and she didn't mind waiting. As she took her first bite of miso, he reluctantly allowed food to pause their flirting.
They ate in comfortable silence for a while before Elon stopped, and stared blankly at the wall. Ariana watched as his eyes darted from side to side as though watching some unseen movie. After a few minutes he seemed to snap out of it and went back to eating. Ariana stared at him in disbelief.
"What was that?" she asked.
"What?"
"You just kind of zoned out there for a bit."
"Oh. Yeah. I was calculating a fuel issue for Starship. Kind of like running a simulation in my head."
"You're kidding. Right?"
"Nope."
"So did you solve the issue?"
"Yeah I think so, but we still need to run the scheduled tests next week, so we can't make any changes before that happens."
"I think I'm a bit more surprised that we were flirting like two minutes ago then you zone out on me and come up with a SpaceX problem."
"A SpaceX solution, actually."
Ariana stared at him incredulously before bursting into giggles. He was really pretty weird, but she remembered inopportune times when ideas had struck her mind.
She stifled her giggles and smiled warmly at him. "I think I understand. The flow of creativity is neither linear nor confined to working hours."
Elon nodded appreciatively. "I know I sometimes say or do strange things. It's not a reflection on you, just the chaotic storm in my mind."
She shrugged, "Oh it's no problem for me. I don't mind a storm. In fact I can deal with chaos much easier than I can deal with boring."
"I have been called a lot of names, but I don't think anyone has ever called me boring."
"No, I can't imagine that label would ever apply to you. Does it bother you, all the things they say?"
Elon rubbed his chin as he considered her question. "Sometimes. Yes, sometimes I have a hard time trying to block out hurtful comments. I'm only human after all. There are times I've felt that no matter what I do or say, someone will hate me for it. But as I've gotten older, I find that I simply cannot care about that. I can't make everyone happy. But more importantly, I do not want to be silenced."
Ariana nodded thoughtfully. "I used to be a people pleaser. Or at least I tried to be. You know, trying to make my parents happy then trying to make everyone else happy. It's not very authentic when the sacrifice is yourself."
Elon nodded thoughtfully. "The first day we met, you asked me about my parents, but I didn't ask about you. What is your relationship like with your parents?"
"Mostly good, although my mother was so upset with me after my divorce. She's going to be really fucking pissed that I'm on a date with you. She was angry with you during Covid and I dare say her opinion has not improved since then."
"I do seem to be pretty polarizing. Although to her credit, I was incorrect about masking during Covid. I'm not always right."
She shot him a sly smile, "Oh, you're not?"
"No, I would never claim that. I try to be as transparent as possible. I suppose we all give ourselves the benefit of the doubt but don't often do the same with other people. As for your mother, though, should I have been more discreet with our date? There's probably a line of reporters outside. How do you want to proceed?"
"I want to go home with you."
Elon had been taking an inopportune sip of water as she replied and he choked as he inhaled. As he sputtered, trying his best to compose himself, she continued.
"I don't fucking care what anyone else says or thinks. It's my life and I'm allowed to make my own choices. No one else gets to tell me what to do or how to feel."
"Have I mentioned how much I like you?"
Ariana smiled coyly. "You can tell me again."
"I really like you. You know how we were just discussing when I'm right and when I'm wrong?"
"Yeah"
"Well I was right about you. You are like the sun. A beautiful star, so radiant, and full of energy."
Ariana beamed happily. "Elon, are you always this charming with women?"
He chuckled and shook his head. "Absolutely not. You must bring out the best in me. When I was in college, I went on a date and all I talked about was electric cars. She told me that my first question was "do you ever think about electric cars?" Apparently she did not."
"Did you really ask her that?!" She asked, shocked.
"Yeah. Not exactly a winning strategy at the time. But recently it has been more effective."
Ariana snorted. "I'll bet. You worked really hard at making that pick up line work."
He smiled. "Yes, and look how well it's working for me. I'm on a date with you."
Ariana flicked her hair over her shoulder. "I suppose I did ask for a Tesla tour. Initially I was thinking about SpaceX but all the cool stuff is in Texas not California."
"They both have cool stuff. And you already know I'll give you a tour of SpaceX. Will you give me another date?"
She smiled and bit her lip. "Maybe."
In her mind, Ariana thought how fun it would be to date Elon. Not seriously, of course. They couldn't work long term. Could they? She worried that their differences were far greater than their similarities. But still, even beyond her power trip, she actually enjoyed his company.
She playfully nudged his leg with her knee. He dropped his hand from the table to her knee and ran his fingers up her leg. Just a few inches before stopping, but enough to send shivers throughout her whole body. The look on his face was a certainty that he didn't really want to stop his hand. He studied her reaction and smiled when she licked her lips.
When he spoke his voice was quiet but deeper, "Ari, earlier when you said I could take you home...did you mean it?"
"Fuck yes."
His smile broadened and without taking his eyes off her, he waved to the waiter for the check.
As they got up from the table, most of the diners turned to watch them. Elon leaned down to whisper in her ear, "Would you prefer to leave out the back? I can summon my car to pick us up away from the paparazzi. It looks like we've already drawn an audience."
Ariana glanced around the room. Some heads turned back to their meals but most were unabashedly staring. "No. Fuck it. We have nothing to hide. They're going to talk anyway, so let's give them something to talk about."
Elon grinned and offered his arm. "Have I mentioned how much I like you?"
Ariana slipped her arm around his and preened. "Keep on telling me, big boy."
They walked out arm in arm. Everyone turned to stare again. It should have been intrusive, but Ariana thought it was thrilling. She loved being the center of attention. All eyes on her, just the way it should be.
Elon's Cybertruck was waiting at the front of the restaurant, but there was a crowd of reporters blocking their path. As the couple stepped out of the restaurant the paparazzi pressed forward, cameras flashing and a cacophony of voices asking questions.
It was such a shot of adrenaline to hear the crowd and see the lights flash. Ariana noticed Elon's name was called out far more often than hers. It was shocking. He eclipsed her in terms of fame. The novelty was exciting. She squeezed his hand and pressed closer to him. He looked down at her and smiled. As she met his gaze, the crowd seemed to disappear.
Elon was looking at her like she was the center of the universe. Like the crowd around them was simply the darkness between two stars. No one else matters. Ariana was captivated by his eyes. The sheer intensity was staggering. As much as she wanted to hold his stare, she wanted more too. Her gaze took in all his features, finally resting on his lips. Subconsciously she bit her own lip. Why should she have to wait? Consequences be damned.
Elon didn't miss the shift in her gaze. He also was not a man who missed opportunities. Elon closed the distance between them. Even before their lips met, the flash of cameras was blinding.
Time seemed to stand still. If they were stuck like this forever, she wouldn't even mind. His hand in hers, his other caressing the back of her neck. Ariana was vaguely aware that her other hand was a tight fist gripping the lapel of his jacket. She didn't want to let go. But of course time stopped for no one. As they broke apart the barrage of questions intensified to a frenzy. Microphones and cameras shoved in their faces.
Fortunately, Elon knew how to use his height and weight to his advantage. He scooted away a reporter with a seemingly effortless sweep of his arm, stepping into the vacated spot. He pulled her behind him as he parted the crowd. When they reached the Cybertruck, he opened the rear door and assisted her inside, his arm a barrier between her and the paparazzi. Inside, she slid over the back seat to make room for him, realizing the truck was self-driving. A feature Elon had expounded upon in great detail at the factory. He got in behind her and shut the door, silencing the din of reporters outside. The truck accelerated smoothly and soon they left the crowd behind.
Elon reached up to the passenger seat and came back with a bouquet of red roses in a crystal vase.
Ariana beamed at him. "You got me roses?!"
Elon grinned, "Of course, Ari. It's Valentine's Day after all."
Ariana laughed delightfully, "I'm suddenly suspicious about your restroom break."
Elon shrugged. "I'm pretty good at multitasking."
Ariana scrunched her nose. "One hand for each, huh?"
"Quit acting like you're not impressed. Plus I washed my hands so don't worry about the logistics."
Ariana laughed again. No, she wasn't worried about that. She was worried that she was feeling so strongly for a man who was only supposed to be a fling. Hopefully it was just the mental high of fulfilling her power fetish. Just a mental reaction to her physical attraction. No emotional complications. Please no. Her unruly heat could get her in so much trouble. Her lips were still tingling with the electric feel of him.
The roses were beautiful. She inhaled their scent and touched the soft petals. Carefully she placed the vase in the center console. The back of the Cybertruck was spacious. Ariana had been hoping to be closer but the seats felt far. Even with Elon man-spreading, his leg was not in her space at all. Much too far for her taste. She'd just have to close that distance. She scooted over to the middle on the pretense of looking at the truck's screen. Autopilot was expertly navigating them to Elon's place. The map showing the way ahead along with objects surrounding the vehicle. She checked the ETA and saw she had just under 30 minutes of travel. She could make very good use of that time.
But again Elon beat her to action. His arms wrapped around her and pulled her close. She was enveloped in his warmth and the scent of his cologne. Ariana snuggled in closer, turning to hug him and lay her head on his chest. She could tell Elon had been planning to kiss her more. But as much as she wanted to explore his mouth, she wanted to memorize his scent first. She had a feeling that once things heated up she wouldn't get a moment to just breathe him in. Deprived of her lips he nuzzled her hair, working his way down to plant kisses on her forehead.
Ariana had always loved cologne and perfume. She was proud of her own collection and had put in a lot of time testing fragrances. She had a sensitive nose and could usually pick up subtleties. Elon smelled like heaven to her, heady spices, sandalwood, a bright note of citrus, and something deeper. Unique, warm, intoxicating and distinctly masculine. Musk. That was the only word for it. How perfect.
Ariana lifted her head off his chest. Elon smoothed her hair where his kisses had pushed the hairs out of place. Ariana smiled at his gentle touch, felt herself falling even deeper. He caressed her cheek and tilted her chin up so he could capture her lips with his. Their kiss started off gentle and unhurried. But after a few soft kisses Ariana began to lick Elon's bottom lip. She could feel him smile before he opened up his lips to her. She raked her nails through his hair and felt him shiver as she met his tongue with hers. They made out for the rest of the trip.
The Cybertruck pulled to a stop in front of a modern house overlooking the ocean. As excited as Ariana was that they would continue on to the bedroom, she was also a little sad that they had to stop making out. Elon was a surprisingly good kisser. She felt sure he must have been coached by previous women. But to give him credit, he was probably a quick learner. The thought made Ariana giggle and Elon misunderstood her laughter, thinking it was directed at the house. "You don't like the view?"
Ariana squeezed his knee before hopping out of the open door. She stood back and appraised the house. It wasn't ostentatiously large but the view of the Pacific Ocean was breathtaking. A full moon was shining, reflecting off the waves below like broken glass. "The view is fantastic. I was just thinking about how much I like kissing you."
Elon cocked his head, "And that made you laugh?"
Ariana smiled and took the vase of roses from his hands, "Don't worry, it was a good laugh. Like an 'I want to keep kissing him and never stop' kind of laugh."
Elon didn't reply, he just grinned at her. In that moment he didn't look like a CEO of multiple billion dollar companies, he looked like a teen boy getting a compliment from a girl. It was weirdly endearing. But the thought made Ariana wonder a little at the age gap between them. His teenage years were long behind him. He was much older than she. Not so much that it had been a non-starter, but she hadn't considered how it might affect sex among other things.
As Ariana thought about it, she could tell he was studying her. She wondered if he was thinking similar things.
"A penny for your thoughts." She said slyly.
"My thoughts are usually worth more than that."
Ariana gave him her best pretty pout, pursing her lips and looking up through her lashes.
Elon's grin turned into a smirk, "I was also thinking about kissing you...but more than just your lips."
With that Elon winked at her then turned to open the front door. As he held it open and she walked inside, adding a little swing to her hips for good measure. She set the roses down on the kitchen table and found a glass to fill the vase up to the brim with water. Probably smart that it hadn't been full even with the smooth ride. Satisfied that her flowers were adequately cared for, she turned to see Elon watching her.
"Are you going to offer me a tour?" She asked.
Elon chuckled, looking around at the open floor plan, "Where would you like to start?"
"The bedroom."
Elon turned back to her, his eyes dilating. Silently he took her hand and guided her to the back of the home.