Selection Factor7
John shifted in his chair again. Set his hand on his thigh. Sliding it under the cover of the table to press down on his persistent arousal. He couldn't concentrate on the mission rotations, the lists of teams, planets, missions. He was still reviewing the previous evening. The sweet and slow seductions to make Moira comfortable. To ease her into security, confidence. To ease her out of her clothing piece by piece. To enjoy exuberant although careful sex. The passionate intimacy.
He recalled this morning. Waking up entangled with her. Warm, naked bodies under the blankets of the new bed. Kissing her awake, teasing, stroking. Trying to see as sunlight flooded the room. Her insistence that he leave before she got out of the bed. Before he saw her in the full light. Still not entirely convinced how beautiful and desirable she was. He tried to ignore the memory but it was taunting him. When he had peeked at her in the shower. A glimpse of her voluptuous body drenched in water. Her long hair curling wetly down her back, down to her fuller breasts. Water and soap sliding on her curves, on her nipples. On the dark curling hair between her legs. Sliding along her fuller rear.
Until she had caught him. Yelled at him and told him the shower was now a no fly zone. He smirked at the memory. Her flustered face. Grasping the shower curtain across her. John stifled a groan, the vivid imagery causing him to tense, to tighten. To swell. He leaned forward, placed both hands on the table, on the keyboard in front of him. Could imagine Moira's hilarity over his predicament.
"John? You don't agree with the replacements?" Elizabeth asked, eying him.
He glanced at her. Had not realized his groan was audible. He licked his lips. "No. I mean, they're fine. Fine." He swallowed, voice terse. "I think Peterson would do very well on Lorne's team. So would Anderson. Which means we need to put another guy in Anderson's place on Reynold's team."
Elizabeth smiled. "It's a bit like chess, isn't it? John?"
John's mind had snapped back to the shower. Wanting nothing more than to lick the water off his wife's skin. To taste her again. She had even tasted different, still Moira, but different somehow, and he wanted to experience all that lushness and ripeness again. "Huh? Sorry, I was...yeah. Yes." He shifted on the chair, forcing all lustful longings aside.
Elizabeth eyed him a moment, curious at his odd discomfiture. He seemed tense. Agitated. "Why don't you put another scientist on Lorne's team? I was thinking of Julie Armstrong."
"Julie...oh, you mean that geologist?" he asked, recalling the name. One of Moira's friends, but his mind had almost stated conspirators. He wondered what they were up to, all the secrecy and the jokes about mutiny. "Isn't she on some sort of project?" he tested.
"No. Not that I'm aware of, no. Only a general geological survey of the mainland. I think she would benefit greatly from more off-world experience. Until or unless Moira is needed."
"Hmm...let me check with Lorne first. He may not be too keen to enlist another scientist."
Elizabeth smiled. "As long as you don't requisition her like you did Moira I'm sure he'll be fine."
John smiled. "One scientist is more than enough for me." He eyed the roster again. "I see you haven't approved any of Rodney's suggestions again. Those planets that might have alien tech."
"Not yet. It's not a priority, John. What is a priority is gaining allies and information about the Wraith, which we can only get from inhabited planets. Surely you can see that?"
"Yes..." he said slowly. Something was nagging at the back of his mind but he couldn't quite catch it. Distracted as he was by the more vivid sexual memories. Wants. "But Rodney thinks this alien tech could be a–"
"He can't even put it all together yet, much less tell us what it does. Until he can do either we have more important concerns, don't we?"
"Yes... I guess," John acquiesced.
Moira sighed, shifted. Stood stiffly. Stretched but closed the sweater around her. Despite being hot she used the bulky material to shield her. Despite John's passionate assurances she still felt unattractive, awkward. Despite his loving attentions which she kept thinking about, every kiss, every touch, every sweet sensation as he inundated her with sensual pleasure she was still uncertain. "Sorry. I can't concentrate right now. And sorry about last night." Her voice lowered as she spoke softly, glancing around the botany lab. "I...um..that is to say...John...I wanted to stay with John. Stay in bed with John, I mean. Stay to sleep with John in bed, I mean. I wanted to sleep with John in bed."
"Of course you did, Moira," Katie smiled, amused at her friend's awkward words. "Besides, he would surely notice you sneaking out of the room at two am. Who knows what he would think? I guess we need a more congenial meeting time."
"Yes," Moira agreed, smiling. "Now that I can sleep through the night."
"Before, or afterwards?" Julie asked, smirking with suggestions.
"Julie!" Katie scolded, but Moira laughed.
"Afterwards...both times," Moira boasted. Colored as her friends laughed. She sighed fondly. "John...he...he loves me. I mean he wants me, even like this." She seemed to marvel over it a moment. His attraction to her. His hunger for her. Desire and sheer lust. His gaze all but devouring her when he had intruded during her shower.
"What did I tell you?" Julie remarked with a shake of her head. "You can lead him around right now like a dog on a leash."
Moira laughed. "Maybe, maybe not. But I will tell him. About this. He already knows something is up, and it's only a matter of time before he asks me. And I won't lie to him."
"Is that wise? I mean we weren't going to tell anyone until we completed all of the research," Katie warned, frowning. "I haven't told Rodney a thing, not that he's noticed anything."
"Well, John has. Noticed. He's very observant about most things. Besides, we will need him onboard once we present this to Weir. If we do at all."
"You really think we can get round her?" Julie asked, clearly not convinced.
Moira nodded. "Yes. With John we can." She considered. "Or not. But if we have John's backing then there will be a mission. With or without Weir's consensus." She looked round as the lab was filling with scientists. "Maybe around three in the afternoon? Our new time?"
"Sounds good to me," Katie agreed.
"Okay," Julie smiled. "As long as that doesn't interfere with your two o'clock." They laughed.
"Oh shit, that's right!" Moira recalled, smirking. "In that case, better make it four," she slyly said. Winked. The women burst into laughter.
John found himself in the awkward position of being unable to leave. Or more accurately trying to figure out how to leave without giving Elizabeth an eyeful of his erection. Despite shutting down all thoughts, all memories, all desires his body was avidly demanding consummation with Moira. With every curvaceous part of her. He eyed the keyboard.
"Was there something else, John?" Elizabeth asked, wondering why he was hesitating. Normally when their meetings were finished he was the first to stand, the first out the door. Her gaze lingered on his handsome face, expression appearing stern.
"No." John fiddled with the keys. "I'll just go over the roster in case any other names jump out at me. It's always good to have a fallback position." It took all of his self-control not to smirk, not to recall taking Moira from behind. The sexy curves of her back leading down to her fuller, rounder rear. He licked his lips again, pants tight, uncomfortable. He wondered if he should page her to him. Searched his mind for some excuse to summon her. He glanced up but Elizabeth was still sitting there. "Was there something else?" he asked, a little harshly. Remembered Moira's words. A thing for him. He felt uncomfortable suddenly.
"No." Elizabeth regarded her own screen. "I was just trying to think if there was anything else we needed to discuss since you haven't bolted yet."
"There's not, trust me." He resumed his attention on the screen. Trying to figure out a graceful way to leave without displaying his now considerably noticeable package. How to contact Moira, what pretext to use.
"John?" He looked up, hearing her voice, as if his thoughts has summoned her. Moira stared, poised in the doorway of the conference room, a bundle of folders in her arms. Studying the obvious relief on his face, the warmth of his gaze washing over her, startling her. She glanced at Elizabeth, back to John. "Am I interrupting?"
"Yes, we were–" Elizabeth began, having decided upon a topic.
"No, not at all, Moira, please," he gestured to the chair next to him. His gaze insistent.
Moira entered the room. Took the chair he pushed out for her. Sat. Eyed Elizabeth. "Sorry to interrupt but I needed to speak to John. Actually I need his help, if he's done here?"
"Well, I was thinking of going over next month's supply list and–"
"I'm sure that can wait, can't it?" Moira asked, moving to her feet. She glanced at John. "It concerns Wraith intel, colonel. But I need to access it first to upload the data and I need your help because of the new security codes." She saw his quick glance down, his discomfort. She smirked. "Could you carry these for me, John? Thank you." She handed him the folders, turned to Elizabeth, effectively blocking the view of her husband as he stood. She adjusted her sweater, revealing the baby bump before closing the fabric over her once more. "I'm afraid I need him now." She glanced at him over her shoulder, slyly stated, "ordnance check. Looks like you need it, flyboy. Let's go, John!" She moved to the doorway.
John was staring at her, impressed. Astonished at her perspicacity, gauging his problem immediately without a word. Handing him a suitable shield so he could stand without too much embarrassment. He hastened after her, holding the folders splayed in front of his crotch. "Sorry, Elizabeth. I never argue with the pregnant woman. Moira, hold up!" He caught up to her on the stairs. "Baby, you are amazing! You...hey, ordnance check? Seriously?"
She smiled. "Depends, colonel, on what you're packing down there. Unless you were are pretending to get out of–"
"Ah, no. I...um...sorry, baby. I can't think of anything else. After last night, then this morning. That glimpse of you in the shower has given me a raging hard-on, baby."
"Ssh, John!" She smirked, glancing at his crotch hidden by the folders. "Really, colonel, can't you defuse that artillery yourself? It doesn't look that...oh my!" she softly exclaimed as he shifted the folders to show her. To show her the bulging tent in his pants.
He shoved the folders back into place, scowling. "Fuck, no, baby. I'm not kidding! The safety's off and I swear if you hadn't have showed up when you did...shit! I didn't know how to get out of there, Moira. I mean, how to not show, um..."
"It's all right, sweetie. You are very lucky I intruded when I did, John." Moira paused as people passed them. She resumed, trying not to laugh, "if Weir had seen you at nearly full deployment preparedness she might have fainted."
John scowled. "It's not funny, Moira!" But she laughed.
"Yes, it is, John. I'm serious, though. Swinging that thing around is a hazard, colonel. You should be more careful with your arsenal and when you decide to–"
"Moira!" he snapped, irritated. "It is not funny! How can you find it funny after what you said? About Elizabeth. The thing."
"Oh. Don't you worry, sweetie, that's nothing. I really need your codes in the Wraith lab." She led him there.
"Wait! Nothing? That was nothing?" He caught her arm, stopping her in the hallway. Clumsily adjusting the folders in one hand as he faced her, stepped so close she was backed up into the wall now. The shadows enfolding them. "Another woman has a thing for me and it's nothing?"
"Yes, John. I trust you. Shouldn't I?" she asked.
"Yes! Of course you can trust me, Moira! I would never cheat on you, never! But you–"
"John, it's simple, really. Come on." She began to walk down the hallway. "It's not love. I'm not saying she's in love with you or anything serious like that. It's just a thing. It's just sex, John. Now, if you would input your codes I can access the...John? John?"
Moira found herself alone in the Wraith lab. Puzzled she stepped out of it. "John?"