Love Is Alien Ch. 03

Chapter 3 The First Tantrum

Around three in the morning, Eve opened her eyes to a dark room and no company. Looking around, she clutched at the covers, scared for her life. "Wyatt," she cried loud enough to wake him.

He stood upright before he even opened his eyes. The chair he had fallen asleep in fell over in his haste. "Hm?" Stepping forward, he clumsily made his way to the bed when his foot snagged on something. Flying through the air, he landed halfway on the bed. "Ooff."

"Wyatt!"

Her cheerful voice warned him a moment before impact. "Do you need something, lovely?" he whispered, still half asleep. The night probably scares her. Fumbling to his feet, he kissed her forehead and walked away. He heard the beginnings of protests from her, but once the light turned on, they stopped.

Eve wiggled off the bed with excitement shining in her eyes. Her steps came easier this time, and it gave her confidence. Smiling as if he made the sunrise, she wrapped her arms around his waist to kiss him soundly.

Helpless to resist her charms, Wyatt responded with more energy than he thought he had. As the blood rushed throughout his body, he pulled away while he still could. "Kissing you is an addiction. I don't know what I'll do when they ban me from seeing you. I wish I could explain."

Touching his face and feeling his anguish, she led him over to the bed. His skin glistened in the dim lighting, making him shine distinctly in the shadows. Silently, she sat and pleaded with him to join her.

Fixing the covers, he set them aside as he motioned for her to get under them. She tilted her head to the side but stayed put.

"It's still early, and I don't know about you, but I need more rest." Instead of gesturing again, he climbed under the covers and held them up for her. Please sleep. I don't have the energy for more.

Eve scampered under the cover like an excited child. With a twinkle glistening in her eyes, she pressed against him, but a mere side cuddle didn't meet her new standards. Climbing on top of him, Eve lay flat and nuzzled into his chest -- passing out within seconds. "Wyatt," she murmured happily.

He panicked when she first climbed on, but then something miraculous happened. She settled. Before long, his breathing slowed down as he drifted off into a deep and dreamless sleep.

Several hours later, a consistent tapping noise made him gradually wake. Groggily he opens his eyes to see a vaguely human shape. He concluded the fuzzy human figure had to be responsible for the noise and blinked a few times to focus.

A woman in a sharp white blazer and matching skirt tapped Louis Vuitton's angrily as she waited. Her curly blonde hair fell over stunning hazel eyes as she cleared her throat impatiently.

Wyatt's eyes grew wide with fear as he finally recognized the woman. Instinctively, he shifted but felt Eve's weight and stopped. He almost smiled as he noticed she hadn't moved all night. Suddenly, she woke and looked at him with such adoration that he couldn't help but smile. Savor that look. You won't see it again.

"Dr. Thornton, you missed our debriefing."

Sitting up, he felt the blanket drift down to reveal Eve's head and part of her naked back. Blushing profusely, he covered her up to her hairline. "I'm sorry, Director Stone. If you could give me a minute, I'll meet you in the small conference room?"

"Be quick and come alone," the Director told Wyatt with an icy edge. Her gaze told him there would be severe consequences if he disobeyed. Then she left without another word.

After the door clicked behind the Director's exit, he lifted Eve's face. "Good morning, beautiful. I hate to tell you this, but I have to run. I'll do everything in my power to come back and say goodbye. I hope you'll forgive me -- even though I don't deserve it."

She let out a low rumble when he moved her gently off of him. "Wyatt," she groaned, clearly upset by the change. Reaching for him as he dressed, she frowned for the first time.

As he adjusted his lab coat, he noticed her frown. "Oh, you're far too gorgeous to be upset about losing me. Don't worry. I'm sure they'll assign you a literal Adonis for a bed companion. You don't know what that means yet, but I'm sure you'll be happy with him."

Tears gathered in her eyes as she found her way out of the covers and walked over to embrace Wyatt. "Kiss?" Her eyes held a sadness even Wyatt didn't understand.

A broken smile spread across his features that felt like torture. "Ok, but this is the last one," he warned. Eve's innocence is making this so much harder. Feeling obligated to explain, he hesitated a moment before he gave in with a soul-crushing kiss. For once, he didn't hold back.

Eve's feet left the air, but her heart soared far higher. I don't understand what's happening, but I want him to stay. Unable to express herself further, she simply clung to him as he kept softly pushing her hands away.

Leaving her is killing me, but I have to keep her safe. Finally, an idea occurred to Wyatt, and he stopped fighting her. Sweeping off his lab coat, he helped her pull her arms through. Now she'll have something to remember me.

She rubbed the fabric of his coat on her face and inhaled.

The sight of her happily cuddling his clothing made his heart shatter, but he knew he had to act fast. While she remained distracted, he turned sharply on his heels. A quick walk became a light jog as he ducked out of the room and down the hall.

Once he rounded the corner, he stopped to catch his breath. Panting heavily, he tried to calm himself as he heard Eve tragically calling after him. Each shout echoed her growing vexation. She sounds like I left her in hell! Angry with himself for causing her such pain, he speed-walked the rest of the way to his meeting.

Wyatt took a seat in the waiting room by his final destination. Multiple scenarios fly through his head as he tries to plan for the best outcome. An hour passed as Wyatt stayed lost in thought. Nearly another hour passed until he finally looked up from his hunched position to see the assistant walking toward him—game time.

He pushed through the conference room doors with as repentant a face as he could manage. I wish I could zap myself from existence. Silently, he took a seat and waited for the verbal slaughter to begin.

Director Stone glared at him behind half-moon glasses. "Needless to say, your recent behavior is completely unacceptable. This morning I consulted with the board, and the decision is unanimous. You will document all of your findings in perfect detail. Then, you will pack your things without a recommendation. If you leave quietly, I believe they will let you live."

She'd be attractive if she weren't so terrifying. Wyatt slightly bowed his head respectfully. "You'll have no argument from me. I do have one request that would help you if you chose to honor it."

"Go on," she waved at him, indicating she had better things to do with her time than humor him.

"Give Eve a kind bedroom companion. I would greatly appreciate it. I think the only way you'll get what you want is if you do it with honey." I feel sick even suggesting it, but I have to think of what's best for Eve!

Surprised, the Director nodded. "I believe your request is reasonable enough to accommodate. I have to ask, why do you care?"

A sad smile briefly flickered across his face. "Despite being sullied by me, Eve is pure. Emotions are an entirely new concept for her. She operates on instinct, and as a full-grown adult, that's going to present some serious issues for you going forward."

Suddenly, a short, curvy girl with short red hair interrupted without knocking and whispered something in the Director's ear.

An irritated nerve popped on the Director's temple as she frowned. "Thank you for telling me. Please inform the board of my actions. They can decide if it'll be permanent."

As suddenly as the girl came in, she backed off just as quickly. Wyatt stayed quiet, not sure what to do or say next. "I'll go and start documenting everything," he began but stopped as Director Stone held up a hand.

"It seems Eve, as you call her, is causing quite the disturbance. She bit her next handler and punched a nurse. In light of the change in circumstances, it would be wise if you stayed on board. I don't love the arrangement by a mile, but if she cooperates with you, we'll have to reach an arrangement."

A knowing smile took over his features from ear to ear. "I'm happy to continue studying Eve, but I have to tell you her... needs are biological. We don't understand her species yet, but she seems to have a strong desire to reproduce. I'm sorry to be so crass, but I'm only human."

"Are you trying to say you can't do your job without sleeping with Eve?"

"Correct," Wyatt replied, entirely serious.