Pulled Back Into His Orbit

"Aria, I totally get it. You have every right to feel the way you do," said Evelyn, Aria's childhood friend. "On one end, David worships the ground you walk on, and on the other end, he's so controlling over you. So it's just this dichotomous back and forth, and I get that it's too much to handle."

Aria signed as Evelyn poured wine in hers and Aria's wine glasses. They were sitting at Evelyn's home in their pajamas with some wine and popcorn. Evelyn was making sure Aria was doing okay after the break up.

"I love David, and I don't wish him any harm. He always took care of me and made sure I was wanting for nothing. He always made me feel safe and cherished me. But he always wants to know exactly where I am, telling me where I can't go, fighting with guys who even breathe in my direction, and I feel like he wants to keep me all to himself. I feel like I've lost myself in this relationship," Aria said.

"And it's so strange," Evelyn added, "that he's such a stoic, quiet person that does not show emotions. And to think that when he's with you, he's so enamored and controlling."

"Why is he like that?" Aria said.

"I've known David for many years. He has never been in love before. You are the only person he has been in love with in his life and I think because he is such a stoic person, he does not know how to handle it, so he ends up being possessive over you."

Aria sighed and put her face back in her hands.

"Honey, don't worry." Evelyn said, patting her on the shoulder. "It's not like you didn't try to work it out with him. You told him of this problem multiple times, and each time he was not able to change."

Aria paused, then asked "...How is he? Have you seen him?"

Evelyn sighed - "Hon, I'm not going to lie to you. He looks like a hot mess. Disheveled, dark circles under his eyes, this blank expression on his face..."

"Oh my God" Aria whimpered into her hands.

"Look, he's a big boy. He will deal. Now, how about we watch a fun movie to get your mind off of this? I know this breakup has been killing you. Everything will be fine, I promise."

——

Months past by. David would call once in a while, but, then stopped completely. Aria was not picking them up. Her heart would jolt when she saw his name flashing on her phone, but she knew the constant communication would make this harder. David had come by the house a couple times with flowers, but she asked her parents to tell him she was not home. Aria moved back in with her parents, who were also heart broken by the break up - they really loved David. David was very open about wanting to marry her and wanted her parent's approval, but Aria had asked him that they take more time getting to know each other. Aria's parents understood though that his jealous behavior had gone too far on several occasions.

——

It was time for the annual University Alumni Gala. The alumni community was getting ready for the gala to raise money for the charity cause.

Aria wore a tight off-shoulder dark red dress. She wanted to look sexy tonight... She had been single and in suit for work all the time, so she wanted to let loose.

She was worried that David might be there, since this is all the same group of friends and family that go to this event. She was hoping he could sit this out so she can just relax and have a good time. Maybe find a handsome guy to dance with?

——

David loosened his tie in the outside balcony of the banquet hall for the Gala. He was smoking a cigarette and leaning against the balcony fence.

"Hey David!" Gary called from inside the hall. David looked back at his best friend. "Come on in!" Gary ushered. He was with his wife Evelyn.

David put on a smile and put out his cigarette in the ash tray. He walked back into the hall and caught up with Gary and Evelyn.

"Good to see ya, man." Gary said, shaking David's hand. "Lookin' sharp."

David smiled and thanked him.

"Yeah David, you look good." Evelyn said sympathetically.

David smiled politely, but hated their pitiful smiles. He knew they were very well aware he has been a mess for the past few months.

"Thank you Evelyn," David said with another polite smile.

"Let's raise some money for our cause," Gary cheered. "But first, drinks. M'lady.." Gary held out his arm for Evelyn. Evelyn chuckled and held on. "We'll see in you inside, man."

"Sure, sure." David said. He watched his friends walk over to the bar and waved at a few people he knew. A couple more people came to shake his hand. As he greeted one of his friends, he looked up over at the door and froze.

There she was. She was walking into the hall, elegantly as ever. Her long hair cascaded down her back, over her bare shoulders. Her dress was tight and clung to her curves. Aria walked over to her friends at the registration table. She laughed at something they said. He felt his mouth dry up and something caught in his throat.

"David?"

"Hm..?" he snapped out of it and focused back on his friend. "Yeah, so sorry. Great to see you." he recovered himself quickly.

He walked directly to the bar inside the hall for a drink, or two....

——

Aria was having a great time. All of her friends were there and so were her cousins and family. Everyone liked her dress, the food was good, and the music was great. She did see that David was here, but he seemed to be keeping a distance, and so was she. The event was so big that they did not cross paths much at all. She happened to see that he was sitting by himself a lot, drinking, sinking into his chair and slouching over the table. She caught him eyeing her more than a few times. She was worried, but she tried to block it all out. It's like her body wanted to go and comfort him and take care of him, but her brain knew to stay away.

Aria was talking to a man sitting at her table. He was a lawyer, very charming, great conversationalist. He asked to dance with her to a slow song that had come on.

David sipped on his scotch at his table. His friends were out and about talking, some dancing. It really wasn't in him. He questioned why he even came here. He thought this would be a good change, but was really starting to regret it. Especially with Aria there, looking so beautiful and sexy. Watching her talk to that asshole was getting under his skin. Anger was boiling inside of him, but he knew acting on it would just make Aria upset. She was right about him - his jealousy would turn to aggression, and he expressed his anger in all the wrong ways.

He bitterly watched her walk over to the dance floor with that asshole. She put her hands on his shoulders and they began to dance to the slow song. David gripped onto his glass tighter.

"Hey, man. Buck up." David heard Gary say in a low voice "You're staring."

"Huh? Yeah, you're right." He looked up at Gary, who had come back to the table, and fixed his posture.

"Come on," Gary urged, looking at David's scotch glass. He noticed he had been drinking a lot. "The guys are all outside. Let's go smoke a cigar or something" Gary said.

"Um, I'm gonna stay here for a bit. But thanks, I'll be out in a few." David replied.

"Okay," Gary said warily. He walked outside towards the hall's outdoor area.

David looked back to the dance floor and took another drink from his glass. The anger of seeing Aria dance with that man was starting to consume him. He had to stop this. He fixed his tie and smoothed down his jacket. After taking another drink from his glass, he walked over to the dance floor, straight towards Aria.

Evelyn and Aria's friends were at a nearby table, warily watching this bee line.

"Oh my God, David is heading right to Aria," Aria's friend Christina said to Evelyn. "Should we do something?"

"Do you think he's going to make a scene? You know how jealous he gets..." Aria's other friend Tamar asked.

Evelyn paused, hoping David would not make a scene and just buck up and take it all like a grown up. "I believe David will handle this in a grown up matter...He's been doing better the past six months..."

Aria was laughing at a joke her dance partner was saying when she felt a hand tap on his shoulder.

"Excuse me sir, but can I cut in?" David asked the man with a polite smile.

Aria's heart started pounding in her chest. She could not believe he was doing this...

The man looked confused and looked back at Aria. Aria looked back at him confused as well. David was still standing there, with that same polite small smile on his face.

"Um, okay. Aria if that's okay..?" the lawyer started.

"Yes," Aria said quickly, wanting this awkward exchange to end as soon as possible.

The man walked away and David swooped in and held her hand and put the other hand on her waist, leading her in the dance.

Aria's heart was pounding in her chest as David looked into her eyes. She was completely freaking out. David's hand was firmly on her side. The feel of his rough hands in her palm. He was dancing close to her.

"David, what are you doing?" Aria whispered.

David looked into her eyes deeply.

"You look beautiful. It's so good to see you." He said softly.

Aria's heart was pounding. It was so hard having him so close to her. She looked away from his gaze. It was all too much. She did not know what else to say. His breath smelled of liquor, probably explaining this behavior. She could sense he was a bit sluggish.

She looked back up at him, his eyes starry staring into hers.

"I think you've had too much to drink," she whispered.

"Yeah, you're right. I think I had too many. The scotch was good, though." He lightly chuckled. He stepped closer to her.

Aria tried to calm herself down. She knew she had to take care of him before things got worse.

"Okay David, please go to hallway by the exit doors. I will meet you there okay?"

David paused, and then nodded. "Okay." He said. He reluctantly let go of her and walked out of the hall, the liquor slowing him down significantly.

Aria said goodbye to her friends, who had seen all of this unfold. They made sure she was okay and told her to call them if she needed anything.

She walked towards the entrance. David was leaning against the wall near the entrance doors, waiting for her.

"Aria..." He said when he saw her. He looked her up and down, a small smile on his lips. "You look so beautiful," he muttered, leaning in closer to her and putting his hands on her waist.

"No, don't David!" Aria whispered, gently pushing him away. She looked around to see if anyone had saw. David sighed and looked down, nodding his head. "You're right, I'm sorry."

"Why did you drink so much?"

"How could I not? You being here, in that dress..." His voice faltered. His eyes trailed down her body again. Her large breasts, her hourglass figure, her thick thighs.

"Stop looking at me like that, okay?" She lowered her voice and muttered "I... even gained weight, so stop.."

"You look amazing. More of you to kiss and bite into..." he said softly in her ear.

"David, stop! You can't say things like that, there are people that can hear!"

"You're right, sorry. It's just..." He got closer to her, his breathing intensifying. "I haven't stopped thinking about you."

Aria sighed in frustration. "Did you come here with an Uber, or...?"

"Yea, I'll call one..."

"It's fine, I'll call you one. You are so out of it, I'll take you home." she muttered angrily, pulling out her phone from her purse.

David's eyes widened happy with this surprise, and he smiled. "Okay, yea, sure."

Aria sighed again and requested the Uber.

——

They got to his apartment building in the Uber.

"Sir," Aria addressed the driver," can you please just wait for a couple of minutes? I'm going to drop him off and I'll be right back."

"Yes, I'll wait," the driver replied.

"No, no, sir, it's fine. You can go," David interjected as he and Aria got out the car. He tipped the driver through the window.

"No, I'm going to go home right now once I take you to the door," Aria affirmed by the side of the car.

"Aria, it's not safe for you go home alone in an Uber at 1:30 in the morning. You will stay with me tonight. I'll text your dad right now and I'll let him know."

"N-" Aria started.

David interrupted "No, it's not safe. You're staying with me, that's that." He stated firmly, looking at her intensely. Aria begrudgingly didn't say anything. David nodded to the driver, indicating that it was okay to go. The driver drove off.

Aria watched as the driver left, in disbelief that she was sucked into David's controlling orbit yet again. He laid his arm around her shoulder for support as they walked into the lobby of the apartment building and into the elevator.

Once they got to his apartment, Aria opened the door and gasped. It was complete mess! Clothes everything, dirty plates on the coffee table. What on earth happened here...? David was a well-off CPA. Did he not hire a maid? Seeing the mess in his large upscale apartment was very strange.

David groaned, "I'm so embarrassed... I know it's a complete mess."

Aria rolled her eyes and sat him down on the chair next to the shoe rack.

"It's...whatever. Just take off your shoes," she said. The apartment was an no-shoe space. She started to unstrap her heels.

"Come sit on my lap so you can take off your shoes," David pleaded, reaching over to her and pulled her into his lap. Aria jumped back up. "I can take off my shoes without your lap, thank you," she said drily. David was struggling with the straps, his hand eye coordination apparently absent. Aria helped him remove the shoes then helped him walk over to his bed. She sat him down on the edge of the bed in his room and walked over to the kitchen to get a glass of water and some aspirin. As she was in the kitchen, David texted Aria's dad asking him to call him regarding the fact that he wants Aria to stay with him for the night. Aria's dad called David's phone right after the text - David quickly explained the situation and he agreed that it was okay.

She came back to the bedroom with the glass of water, a piece of bread, and aspirin.

"Here, drink this," she said, handing him the glass. He took a big gulp, staring at her as he did so. "Eat this piece of bread," she said. "It will help soak up some of that alcohol. If you want, there is some aspirin." She placed the aspirin on the bed side table.

"Thank you," he said as he took a big bite from the piece of bread. "I talked to your dad, he is okay with you staying with me for the night."

Aria looked to the ceiling & sighed in frustration. But she sat down next to him to make sure he was drinking the water in an upright position. He slid closer to her; their legs were touching.

"Thank you for bringing me home," he said softly, looking deeply in her eyes, then down to her lips. "You always take care of me, I'm so lucky."

Aria swallowed - it was so hard being so close to him and him looking at her like that. At the end of the day, she was still so sexually attracted to him. She knew he had a tough time with the break up, but he still looked so good. He had cut his hair shorter, grew a thick beard, and he smelled so good. She knew that if she was weak she would fall back into those big muscular arms and broad chest, so she tried to make herself snap out of it.

"I see that you grew a beard," she commented, softly touching it with her fingertips. He became ecstatic at her touch and leaned his cheek into her hand.

"Yea...do you like it?" he asked inquisitively.

"Yes, it looks good on you, very flattering." she said in a matter of fact tone, quickly removing her hand away from his face. She did not want it to come off flirtatious, but David grinned at her words.

"Then the beard stays." he laughed. David leaned in closer, speaking into her neck. "I can't believe you're here on my bed with me. I'm so happy..." Aria panicked as she felt his lips brush up against her neck because she knew she would not be strong enough to resist once he began. He knew exactly what to do to pleasure her and make her succumb to his sex. She sat up quickly from the bed and took a few steps back.

"S..stop. First of all, you are so drunk that you can't even consent..."

David laughed as he stood up and walked over to her, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"You are so funny," He chuckled. He looked her straight in the eye seriously and said "You have my 100% full consent. I am completely yours in every way, okay?" He laughed again then leaned his face into her neck, starting to kiss and suck the delicate skin of the nape.

Aria's knees felt weak. She closed her eyes as the sensation of his lips and tongue on her neck felt like a shot of electricity down her body. Snap out of it, Aria! she thought.

She managed to stop herself from succumbing and pushed him off of her.

"S...stop it, David. I'm serious." she said, her voice quavering. "Sit back down and drink your water," she ordered, pointing to the bed.

"Yes, you are right." he replied with a smile and sat back down on the edge of the bed. As he drank his water, he watched Aria hanging up his suit jacket in the closet. She could feel his eyes trail down her body lustfully. It worried her - she did not want to give him the wrong impression. David removed his tie, then his shirt, then his pants. As Aria gathered them and put them neatly in the closet, she tried not to look at his body. He was only in his boxers now. She always loved his body - he was burly and husky, broad shoulders, a full broad hairy chest, and tall. She tried not to look at him or even think about how attractive he looked. "Do you want pajamas?" she said, hoping to change her mindset.

"Babe, you know I like to sleep in my boxers."

"Don't call me 'babe', David." Aria snapped.

He ignored her remark and said "Come sleep with me."

Aria sighed in frustration. "I'm not sure why you haven't figured this out yet, but I am not going to sleep in the bed with you! I am going to sleep on the couch." she cried, exasperated. "You can't tell me what to do. You already made the decision for me that I'm not going home!" She was about to storm out of the room, but David stood up and pulled her to him closely. He wrapped his arms around her firmly, her chest heaving heavily against his body. Her hands were somehow pressed against his chest, she could feel his hot breath on her and the thick bulge in his boxers against her body.

He leaned in and kissed her lips passionately. He loved how she tasted and kissed her more deeply, pulling her body closer to him and trailing his hands down to her plump butt, squeezing and caressing it. No one aroused him like her, and he had been dreaming of her body and craving her sex obsessively since she left. Her in his arms felt complete and whole, he loved every part of her.

Aria was so overwhelmed, but found herself in their sexual rhythm. The feel of his erect bulge against her made her so aroused. It was all just too much!

She pushed herself out of David's extremely strong arms with all her might and gathered her breath.

"See, there you go, being controlling again!" she cried. He walked towards her as she backed into the wall. "You can't control me with sex, either, David!"

"Aria, I'm not trying to control you! Tonight at the Gala, I didn't make a scene of you dancing with that dumbass, right? Old me would have, but I've changed! Because you were always right about me, that I overreact with my jealousy. And I'm trying to change for you because you are mine-"

"I am not 'yours,' you don't own me!" She yelled, pushing his hands against his chest to get him away from her, but he wasn't budging. He had his large hands on her hips.

"You're right, you're right!" he cried, looking down and trying to gather his thoughts. "I mean, I'm trying to change for you because I am yours. You are the love of my life, the only person on this earth for me. I want to change for you. Please come back to me. I'll do anything for you."