Feelings and a Red Dress

Posted on Tue Jun 23rd, 2020 @ 5:16am by Lieutenant John Sandoval & Lieutenant JG Aeryn Jameson
Edited on on Fri Jul 10th, 2020 @ 5:30pm

Mission: Death in Paradise
Location: Sandoval's Quarters
Timeline: After "For the Musically Inclined", before "Murder She Wrote"

ON

John lay in bed, looking up at the ceiling, Aeryn in his arms. It was past 0200, and he knew he had duty in the morning, but he was very glad Aeryn dropped by in that dress, which lay carefully draped over the chair.

He gently stroked Aeryn’s back with one finger. “You need to wear that dress more often!” he mused.

"I thought you'd like it" She smiled as she gently ran her fingers back and forth across his chest, she loved the feel of his skin especially when she was wrapped up naked in his arms. "If you like it that much I can wear it for you next time we go out on a date? That's if we get any further than the door!"

John couldn't help but laugh as he held her warmth to him. "Tell you what. To make it absolutely certain that we'll actually go somewhere on our date, we'll meet there instead of here." He squeezed her close. "How was your ladies' night out?"

"Okay I guess" She frowned. "There was a new crew member there called Bethany. There was something about me that she seemed to....fear I think! She clamped down tight around me but I pretended not to notice. Maybe it was just nerves." She smiled as she raised her head and looked up at him. "All I could think about was getting here to you!" She leaned forward and gently gave him a romantic kiss. It's as much as I can do to spend my day not thinking about being here with you!"

John smiled widely as their kiss broke. "I feel the same way. I'm having entirely too much fun with you! But I hope your thoughts about being here with me aren't distracting from your work." He kissed her again, gently.

"I would say yes but no, we have to maintain that professional distance when we're working so I do my best to keep my private thoughts locked away until I'm off duty." She smiled as she looked into his eyes. "I really miss this when we're apart John, I know you're a married man and that I'm just your....girlfriend on the side, so-to-speak, but I really enjoy spending this time together."

"I do, too," John agreed, looking into her eyes too. He slid out from under Aeryn and stood from the bed. "I need a glass of water. Would you like some?"

"No thank you" She smiled a wry smile as she propped her head up on one hand and looked at his naked form standing infront of her. "I'm just enjoying the view!"

John couldn't help but laugh. He had considered covering up as he went to the replicator but given her comment decided against it. "Well you've given me enough views to enjoy, I may as well return the favour!" He approached the replicator and ordered a cold glass of water. He took a nice sip and walked back to the bed. He sat on the side opposite to where he stood from, sitting right against where Aeryn lay.

"Are you coming back into bed?" She looked up at him studying his face reaching her hand up and intertwining her fingers with his. "I don't understand how Katerine can bear to be without you!"

John smiled. "That's sweet of you to say," he said. "She manages in the same way I do, I suspect. With pleasant company." He then poured some of his ice-cold water on Aeryn's exposed skin, laughing playfully as he did so.

"Hey!!!" She writhed from the sensation goosebumps standing up on her skin from the cold. "Are you wanting to play games with the cold water!?" She smiled a wry smile, she had to admit it wasn't something she'd ever done before exploring sensations on the skin in different ways.

"Eventually," he admitted, finishing his drink. "Right now I was just having a little fun. And now I can be the hero and warm you up." He set his glass down and slid into bed with her, holding her head in one hand as he kissed her passionately.

Aeryn returned his kiss with equal passion, right now she was happy to spend as much time as she could wrapped up in the arms of the man she was starting to fall in love with.



~~Morning~~

John woke up before Aeryn, so he quietly slipped out of bed, quickly and quietly showered, and began to dress for the day. He replicated two plates of bacon, scrambled eggs, and toast and put them on his dining table. He then went back to the bed and kissed Aeryn's cheek, jaw, and neck to wake her.

"Hmmm good morning to you too!" She smiled as she stretched. "Have you cooked breakfast too?" She could smell the delicious waft of food flowing in from the other room. "Wow! I am lucky!!"

John smiled and laughed. "I take full credit for the replicator's work," he joked. "I also replicated you a robe in case you were cold." He stood back up, took it off the nearby hook outside the bathroom, and passed it to her. "Do you want coffee or some other drink with your breakfast?"

"Just a juice please" She smiled as she slipped out of bed and put on the robe, stopping only to straighten her hair so she looked more presentable before walking into the living area and sitting down for her breakfast. "Hmmm this is lovely thank you!"

John brought a glass of orange juice for Aeryn and a black coffee for himself to the table, taking his seat next to her. He speared a chunk of scrambled egg with his fork, but before eating it he said "Aeryn, I think I'd like it if you spoke with Katherine sometime."

"Me?" She looked at John surprised. "Why do you want me to talk to Katherine? I don't even know her! I don't mean to sound awkward I'm just surprised that's all." She sipped her juice before putting her glass down and picking up her toast.

"It's something I picked up on last night," John said. "That you thought of yourself as 'just my girlfriend on the side'. When we first started doing this that might've been right, but you're not 'just' my anything. I care for you Aeryn. And no, you're not the only person in my life, but you're not some side piece. I like spending time with you." He took a sip of his coffee. "I think it would be nice for you to meet Katherine. Get to know her a bit. I know she'll like you, too. I've met her boyfriend Ryman, a Betazoid xenoanthropology instructor who's on Earth right now. We only introduce each other to partners we actually care about. And I've only ever introduced her to one other person until you."

Aeryn suddenly felt herself well-up inside, her eyes misted over as the words John had said truly touched her heart. She'd been trying not to let herself get too romantically involved knowing John was married but after what he'd just said she couldn't hold back the feelings she was starting to develop. She tried to blink away the tears pretending that she had tired eyes not really looking up at John as she tucked into some breakfast.

John saw the effect his words had; saw Aeryn fight to hold back tears and look away. He wasn't 100% certain whether this was a positive or negative reaction though. He put his utensils down and put one hand on top of Aeryn's. "Is everything okay?" he asked.

Aeryn nodded and looked up at him. "I....I've been trying not to...to get involved too deeply." She wiped her eyes with her other hand. "I've always thought that you thought of me....as the 'other' woman now you're telling me that you care for me too!!" Her eyes met his. "John I....I care a lot more for you than I should."

John nodded. “I’m sorry. I’ll be honest I’m not sure I fully understand my feelings. But I absolutely care about you Aeryn.” He stood and pulled her into him for a tight embrace.

Aeryn wrapped her arms around him giving him a loving cuddle as he comforted her. "I'm sorry I don't want to complicate things!"

He put one hand on the back of Aeryn's head and gently stroked her hair. "Don't be sorry. You're not complicating things, and even if you were it isn't your fault our feelings are shifting. I don't know where they're going, but let's find out together. But I insist we do it properly."

Aeryn wiped her eyes as she looked up at him. "I'd like that John, I'd like that very much!" She lay her head back against his chest simply enjoying the feeling of being cuddled up against him. "So where do you want to go from here?"

After a moment John pulled Aeryn away from him and gave her a very quick peck on the lips. He then sat her back in her chair. "Step one, we finish breakfast," he said with a smile. "Step two, we go back on duty. I need to leave in a couple of minutes, but feel free to use my shower." He laughed a bit. "Don't worry, I know what you meant. Once we've left Paradise Station, we'll arrange a meeting via subspace, or maybe on the holodeck. But until then, we continue having fun!"

Aeryn sat and finished her breakfast but inside she was now troubled by the feelings that she'd been holding back from John. They hadn't been together long and he was a married man but she was starting to develop the kind of feelings that she hadn't planned on, dare she go so far as to say she was falling in love? John wasn't a free man he had a wife, albeit one who allowed him to sleep with other women but a wife nonetheless. She tucked into her breakfast but didn't say a lot she didn't know what to say.

John didn't pick up on any of her apprehensions, unfortunately. He had his own feelings to work through, and he hadn't predicted the impact of telling Aeryn he cared. But that would have to wait. For now, he also finished his breakfast, the tension keeping the room quiet.

When he saw that both were finished, he grabbed the dishes and brought them to the replicator for recycling. He grabbed his cane and came back to the table. "Next time we're free," he said, "I'd like to show you my museum program on the holodeck. One of my favourite things to do. You'll love it. Probably not tonight, but in the next few days. What do you think?"

Aeryn nodded and offered a smile. "I'd like that, it'd be nice to have something different to do on the holodeck. Just let me know when." She stood and wrapped the dressing gown around her.

"Just do me one favour?" John asked. He then flashed his most charming smile possible. "Wear the dress." He leaned in and kissed her cheek, and then left his quarters for duty.

Watching him go, Aeryn sighed before heading for the shower. She was feeling more conflicted about how she should feel. Should she let herself fall for him or should she hold back and not commit? Right now she was more confused than ever.

OFF