Maverick and Riptoryx - Feeding Samantha (Chapter 1): Perfect

by DoctorKowalski

The Charmaine's rooftop caught the last gleam of September sun, copper fixtures glowing against the darkening sky. Vivek spotted Aiden at the bar, radiating the easy confidence of recent success.

"Congrats on the Series A," Vivek said, clapping him on the back. “I knew Sequoia would bite.”

"Thanks, brother." Aiden's grin was infectious. "Still feels surreal."

The two friends fell into comfortable shop talk, Vivek's girlfriend Natalie nursing her wine beside them. At 6'2", Aiden cut an impressive figure in his casual vest, like someone who belonged in the tech magazines he was starting to appear in.

Aiden stopped mid-sentence. Following his friend's gaze, Vivek saw her immediately - moving through the crowd with elegant curves in a figure-hugging black dress. Her dark hair caught the light, green eyes striking even at a distance.

"Sam," Aiden called out, his body leaning toward her. "Come meet my oldest friend in SF. This is Vivek, and his girlfriend Natalie."

"The famous Vivek," she smiled warmly. "Aiden tells me you two built half of Segment's early API together?"

"Guilty as charged," Vivek laughed. "Though Aiden did most of the heavy lifting."

She fit perfectly here – the kind of woman who belonged at sunset rooftop parties overlooking the bay. The kind of woman Aiden deserved.

***

As the men drifted into tech talk, Natalie studied Samantha. Her toned figure spoke of serious training, every curve exactly where it should be. A group of fashionable women settled nearby, and Natalie caught the swift, assessing glance Samantha gave them before returning to their conversation.

The evening wound down as Aiden appeared at Sam's elbow, his hand finding the small of her back. Whatever competitive edge Natalie had glimpsed seemed to melt away when Sam looked at him, her body softening against his tall frame.

***

As the Uber wound its way through San Francisco, Aiden couldn't take his eyes off Samantha. The warm September night had brought a flush to her cheeks, and her dark hair tumbled in glossy waves over her bare shoulders.

Samantha turned to catch him staring, a slow smile spreading across her face. Aiden grinned, sliding his hand up her thigh and leaned in to nuzzle her neck.

When the car pulled up to Aiden's building in Russian Hill, they tumbled out of the car, laughing and kissing, Aiden's hands roaming over Samantha's curves as he backed her up against the front door.

They stumbled into the dark foyer, and Aiden's hands found the zipper of her dress, tugging it down inch by torturous inch as Samantha writhed against him.

"God, you’re so fucking sexy," he growled, "I've been thinking about this all night."

***

Steam billowed around Samantha as hot water cascaded over her shoulders, turning her skin a delicious pink. Aiden's oversized shower was one of her favorite things about his place, with its rainfall showerhead and natural stone tile. She hummed a tune, watching rivulets trace paths down her toned stomach.

Last night had been... sweet. Enthusiastic, certainly. She thought of Aiden’s strength, his confidence, the way he looked at her like she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. Aiden was a top-shelf guy in so many ways - his amazing qualities were more than enough to make up for certain shortcomings.

In bed, she’d arched her back just so, let out those breathy little sounds. It wasn't all artifice - she was genuinely attracted to him. If her performances were perhaps a touch... theatrical, well, that was just good relationship maintenance. Men needed to feel successful.

Samantha reached for his expensive body wash. Her hands moved lower, finding a rhythm that was practiced, efficient. Her mind drifted to the way he'd looked at the party, commanding the room. The way other women had noticed him, and the way he'd only had eyes for her.

She came softly, her movements precise and controlled.

Afterward, she let the hot water sluice over her for just another moment. As she stepped out of the shower, she caught her naked reflection in the mirror and grinned. Perfect.

***

Jesse's fingers twitched against his keyboard, torn between frustration and fascination as he watched Aaron fumble through the most basic command prompts. He'd spent forty minutes trying to explain how to recover the corrupted drive, but Aaron's easy charm didn't extend to technical aptitude.

"No, you have to execute—" he began, but Stephanie's sudden entrance cut him off.

"Can you guys pause for a second?" Stephanie burst into the living room, practically vibrating with excitement. "I need to talk to you about the new roommate."

Jesse studied Stephanie's animated expression with clinical interest. "She's your friend from college?"

"We were in the same sorority. Mostly hung out freshman year." Stephanie's hand went to her hair, smoothing it unnecessarily. "She's cool. She just finished her MBA at Stanford, moving up to the city, starting a consulting job."

Jesse raised an eyebrow. "And she wants to live here?"

"Probably just for a little while," Stephanie shrugged. "Look, someone has to pay rent, okay? Unless you want to deal with the whole Craigslist rando thing again. Remember Olivia?"

Aaron grimaced. "Fine, whatever. When's she coming?"

As if on cue, the doorbell rang. Stephanie rushed to answer it, leaving Aaron and Jesse to exchange wary glances.

When he saw the woman on the doorstep, Jesse momentarily stopped breathing. She was beautiful – tall and athletic, polished, refined. Even standing on their doorstep in high-class athleisure, dark hair in a ponytail, she was a woman in complete control. He simply could not look away.

"Sam!" Stephanie embraced her. "Welcome! Let me show you around."

Jesse tracked Samantha's progress through the house, drinking in details – the elegant arch of her neck as she examined the kitchen cabinets, the flex of her calves as she climbed the stairs, the way her ponytail swung when she turned her head. “This part of the cabinet is for you…we leave any shared food here on the bottom shelf of the fridge…”

His gaze lingered too long, too hungry, until Aaron shot him a warning look.

"And this is your room," Stephanie was saying, opening the door. "I know it's not huge, but the morning light is amazing."

"So Jesse, Steph tells me you're a med student?" Samantha asked, one hand resting casually on the doorframe of what would be her room.

Jesse's eyes locked onto hers with an intensity that made the confident smile waver slightly on her face. "Second year at UCSF," he replied, the ghost of a smile playing at the corners of his mouth. His gaze tracked the movement of her hand as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

She turned quickly to Aaron. "And you work at TPL? That's such important work, really admirable." Her voice carried just the right note of warmth and interest, though Jesse noticed how she maintained a careful distance from them both.

Jesse watched as Samantha checked her phone. "Oh shoot, my ride's here," she said, already stepping toward the stairs. "I'll be back tomorrow with my things. Thanks so much for having me."

***

Samantha settled back into the Uber, studying her reflection in the window. The house was... fine. Not exactly what she was used to, but fine.

She'd felt Jesse's eyes on her the whole time, that too-intense med student stare. But Stephanie had assured her he was harmless - "literally always studying."

Her phone buzzed - Aiden. "How's the tour?"

"Fine," she typed. "Basic but clean. Good running routes."

Yesterday's SOMA viewing had been cute, but the price tag for a one-bedroom seemed insane. Aiden hadn't officially asked her to move in yet, but it was clearly heading that way. Three months in this temporary situation, tops.

Besides, with her B-school loans kicking in next month, saving on rent wasn't the worst idea. She could handle sharing a bathroom for a little while if it meant an extra couple of thousand toward loan payments.

It was just a landing pad. Not exactly Russian Hill, but it would do. For now.

***

The bedroom door clicked shut behind Jesse. His room was dark except for a thin strip of afternoon light cutting through the gap in his curtains, illuminating a slice of his bed.

He leaned back against the door, his tall frame rigid. He fumbled with his zipper, gripped himself under his jeans, already hard. Through the narrow opening in the curtains, he watched her getting into the car.

That body in those leggings. Her smug self-regard. The smell of her. It was all too much. His hand worked fast as he replayed every detail: her practiced smile faltering slightly when he'd held her gaze too long, the turn of her head.

He came fast, almost violently. For a moment, he slumped against the door. Then reality reasserted itself. The mundane sounds of Aaron and Stephanie chatting downstairs. The forgotten laptop project. The fading afternoon light.

Jesse straightened, wiping his hand on a tissue from his desk. His movements became precise again, clinical. He had work to do.

***

So I saw Samantha Callahan's latest on Instagram..."

"We've talked about social media being a trigger for you."

"I know, I know. But her tech boyfriend is exactly what you'd expect. Like, aggressively handsome in that Patagonia vest kind of way."

"How did seeing that make you feel?"

"Oh, you know. The usual. Ice cream for dinner, wine for dessert."

"Alyssa..."

"Kidding! Mostly. Actually, I had a pretty good week until then. That new marketing campaign is off to a decent start."

"That's great. Tell me more about that."

"Do you think some people just... get everything? Like they're born with a cosmic Fast Pass to life?"

"Everyone has their struggles, even if we can't see them."

"Right. I'm sure it's really hard being gorgeous and rich."

"You're deflecting again."

***

Morning fog clung thick along Ocean Beach. Samantha ran north, her ponytail swaying in rhythm with Charlotte's voice through her AirPods.

"So it's temporary," Samantha explained, breath controlled. "Just until things progress with Aiden. The rent I'm saving will make a dent in my loans." She lengthened her stride as the Cliff House emerged, ghostly in the marine layer.

"And the roommates?"

"Stephanie you know from Alpha Phi. Nursing school now - still has that whole nurturing thing. Aaron works at some environmental nonprofit, very San Francisco. And Jesse..." She paused. "Med student. A bit intense. Stares too much."

"Sounds like a creep," Charlotte said. "I know you can handle yourself, but..."

"Relax, Char. He's just awkward. You know how those science types can be."

Charlotte's sigh crackled through the earbuds. "I don't get why you're slumming it with the Nerd Brigade when you could be living in luxury with that gorgeous slice of man candy."

Samantha grinned. "First of all, never call him that again. And second... I don't know, it's too soon."

The stairs to Lands End appeared ahead. "Look, I need to wrap this up. Call you tomorrow?"

"You better," Charlotte warned. "And Sammy? Be careful, okay? You're still my little sister."

"It's fine." Samantha began calculating her pace for the climb. "The whole setup is just..."

"Not Russian Hill?" Charlotte finished.

"I know where I'm headed," Samantha replied, her voice taking on her client-meeting efficiency. "This is a pit stop, that's all."

***

The fog had already begun its retreat by the time Samantha rounded the corner onto Hugo Street, her muscles pleasantly fatigued.

Inside, the house thrummed with pre-work energy. Aaron stood at the kitchen counter in wrinkled business casual, mechanically spooning cereal into his mouth while scrolling his phone. Jesse hunched over a medical textbook at the kitchen table.

"Morning," Aaron mumbled without looking up. Jesse followed her entry into the kitchen with that same unsettling intensity before returning to his studies.

Samantha breezed by them all with a quick wave, making a beeline for the blender. The post-run smoothie was her morning staple: Kale, almond milk, banana, protein powder. Her Vitamix's powerful whir drew a slight wince from Aaron.

She sipped the green concoction as she dashed through a quick shower and blowout, the motions automatic. By the time she emerged in a stylish pantsuit and heels, she was polished and ready to take on her first day.

***

The N-Judah's familiar rumble echoed up from the avenue as she descended the front step.

She checked her watch as she wedged into the crowded train - everything was on schedule and according to plan. So why, as the train clattered through the tunnels, did she feel a twinge of... what, exactly? Not nerves, surely. But there was a strange heaviness to her limbs this morning that her coffee hadn't quite banished.

And was it her imagination, or was her stomach already growling, despite the sizable smoothie she'd gulped down? She shook her head, dismissing the sensation. She'd power through, just like she always did.

As she emerged into the sunlight outside The Firm's towering glass edifice, Samantha straightened her spine, squaring her shoulders like a soldier girding for battle. She was ready.

***

Brennan massaged his temples, scanning his monitor. Four projects behind schedule. Two teams near mutiny. One client threatening to walk. And now - he glanced at his calendar -the new associate starting today.

He'd skimmed her file: Stanford Business School, top marks, glowing recommendations. The firm desperately needed the help after losing three senior consultants last quarter. But breaking in new hires meant hand-holding, and he was running dangerously low on hands.

His phone buzzed: "Singapore numbers?" "Working on it," he typed, though he wasn't sure who was actually working on it.

"Your nine o'clock's here."

Brennan straightened his tie, but when he opened his door, he had to consciously maintain his professional expression. She was stunning - tall, pretty, athletic, with dark hair and green eyes, with a figure that made even her conservative business attire eye-catching.

Perfect, he thought wearily. Another complication. He'd seen this before; the distracted male associates, the resentful female staff, the clients with their "preferences." More fires to put out.

"Samantha? I'm Brennan Morrison."

"Thank you for taking the time, especially on a Monday."

As they toured the office, his concerns eased. Samantha asked sharp questions and maintained polished professionalism.

"And this is Jason," Brennan said at a corner office. "He'll be running point on Kaiser; your first project."

Jason looked up, dark circles under his eyes, but managed a warm smile. "Welcome aboard."

Samantha's handshake was firm, her smile confident but not overeager. "Excited to dive in."

Walking back, Brennan felt his shoulders relax. On paper, she was exactly what they needed.

His phone buzzed. Singapore numbers. Right. Back to the chaos.

***

"Samantha, this is Gretchen," Jason gestured, "handling regulatory compliance."

The conference room was all glass and sharp angles, San Francisco sprawling twenty floors below. Samantha took in her new colleague: about her age, navy pantsuit failing to conceal the pudge around her waist, blonde hair in a practical bun that seemed designed to fade into the background.

"Great to meet you," Samantha said, unconsciously smoothing her perfectly fitted blazer.

During the project review, Samantha found herself studying Gretchen with quiet interest. She took careful notes, asking precise questions. Something academic in her approach – thorough, methodical, risk-aware.

Solid backup, Samantha thought. Not real competition.

***

Steam rose from Jesse's carefully tended pot, carrying garlic and herbs through the warm kitchen. Stephanie perched on a counter stool, wine glass dangling casually from her fingers as she detailed some hospital drama. Aaron knew Jesse was a great cook - he’d cooked for them a couple of times after he moved in - but it had been over a year. Why now? Probably for her.

With that thought, the front door opened, bringing with it a blast of San Francisco evening air and their new housemate's carefully curated presence, home from work.

Something about her polished veneer set Aaron’s teeth on edge. What was a girl like that doing slumming it with the likes of them?

"Stanford!" he heard himself call out, surprised by his own impulse to include her. "Jesse made his famous spaghetti and meatballs. You should grab a plate."

She smiled - that practiced, professional smile - and accepted a glass of their cheap cabernet, but she declined the pasta with apologies. “Thank you so much, you guys are so welcoming - I had a bite at the office.”

Aaron registered Jesse’s disappointment when she finally retreated upstairs, briefcase in hand and work to finish.

***

Aaron leaned against the kitchen counter, watching his friend Matt's face transform as Samantha crossed the living room. The party had reached that perfect level of energy - music loud enough to feel celebratory but not so loud as to drown out conversation, bodies filling the space without overcrowding it.

"Who is that?" Matt's eyes locked onto Samantha. She stood out from the crowd of nonprofit workers and grad students like an orchid in a garden of wildflowers.

Aaron took a slow sip of his beer. "New housemate. Just finished her MBA at Stanford, starting some consulting gig downtown."

"Dude."

"She has a boyfriend," Aaron said, watching Samantha navigate the crowd. "Some rich tech bro."

"You’ve got a way with the ladies…"

"Not my type, man. Poor thing needs a vacation and a couple of cheeseburgers."

Across the room, Samantha checked her phone, her features illuminated by the blue glow.

"I’m sure the boyfriend's picking her up soon," Aaron added, "She's just making an appearance.”

Sure enough, within minutes Samantha was making her graceful goodbyes. Aaron watched Jesse’s gaze follow her exit, then turned back to the keg. Time to top off some cups.

***

The bistro's warm lighting softened the edges of a grueling week. Samantha sat across from Aiden, absently pushing the last cherry tomato around her plate. The salad hadn't quite quieted the persistent hunger that had dogged her all day.

She watched Aiden's hands as he gestured, describing some technical challenge his team had overcome. Even tired, he was magnetic, commanding. His suit jacket was draped over the chair, sleeves rolled to expose strong forearms. She'd missed him this week.

"You seem quieter than usual," he observed, reaching across to touch her hand. "Rough first week?"

Samantha managed a smile, though her usual sharp edges felt slightly dulled. "Just a lot to take in. The firm, the new house..." She trailed off, thinking of Jesse.

"You'll find your rhythm," Aiden assured her. His thumb traced circles on her palm, and she felt some of the tension ease from her shoulders.

She caught Aiden stealing appreciative glances at her collarbones, her shoulders, and felt a flutter of satisfaction.

"Dessert menu?" The waiter appeared at Aiden's elbow.

Samantha's automatic "no" caught in her throat. She was tired. Really tired.

"Actually," she heard herself say, "what's good?"

Aiden's eyebrows rose slightly, but his smile was warm. When the waiter recommended the chocolate soufflé, Samantha felt a little thrill of rebellion.

"Split one?" Aiden asked, and she nodded, surprising herself again.

When it arrived, the soufflé was a work of art, topped with a vanilla bean ice cream slowly melting into the warm chocolate. Samantha took a small bite. The chocolate was rich, decadent - exactly what her body had been craving all week. She closed her eyes, savoring it.

"Good?" Aiden asked, his voice warm with amusement.

She took another bite, bigger this time. "Perfect."

***

Gretchen paused in the office's kitchen doorway: Samantha perched on the counter, one leg crossed elegantly over the other, Jason leaning against the refrigerator, both deep in conversation.

"I used to do the classic depletion run nine days out, then super-compensate. Now I just gradually increase carbs while volume drops. Less dramatic but more reliable," Jason said, his project-manager intensity channeled into runner talk. Samantha nodded, perfectly styled hair catching the light as the two runners exchanged notes on tapering schedules and carb-loading.

Gretchen watched Jason's body language – turned entirely toward Samantha, his usual nervous energy transformed into rapt attention.

"Mind if I grab some tea?" Gretchen stepped into the kitchen. The energy shifted – not hostile, but different. Samantha's smile remained warm but reserved, Jason straightening slightly.

"Of course! We were just talking about marathon training. Do you run?"

"No," Gretchen reached for the kettle. "Some yoga, though. There's this studio near—"

She trailed off as they unconsciously repositioned – Samantha now standing, their bodies forming a V-shape that left her outside. The conversation drifted to deadlines, earlier animation replaced by polite professionalism.

Something tightened in Gretchen’s chest - not quite jealousy, but recognition of how certain doors seemed to open more easily for some.

"I’m going to go finish up my presentation," she said, tea scalding her tongue. "See you at three?"

They nodded, already returning to their conversation. Behind her, Samantha's laugh floated down the hallway – bright, confident, and just a little bit musical.

***

Hours later, afternoon sun cast long shadows across Gretchen's desk. The regulatory documents had become meaningless, her mind stuck on that moment in the conference room.

"So if we look at slide fourteen, the operational redundancies…"

"Sorry," Samantha had interjected, tone apologetic but clear. "Could we go back to slide twelve? I noticed something in the staffing data..."

Just like that, the room's center of gravity shifted. Jason leaned forward as Samantha commanded attention, her blazer catching light as she gestured toward the screen.

The insight wasn't even revolutionary. Yes, Gretchen had missed a correlation, but what burned was how perfectly Samantha played it. That careful voice modulation, prefacing with "Gretchen's thorough analysis made me think..." as if doing her a favor. Those green eyes bright with satisfaction.

And Jason. God, Jason. Practically tripping over himself praising the "brilliant catch."

Through the conference room window, she watched them bent over spreadsheets. Jason's sleeve brushed Samantha's as he pointed at her screen, her profile perfect in the afternoon light.

Every meeting lately, Jason hung on her every word. So did Brennan. Yes, Samantha was smart. Yes, she worked hard. But was she really that brilliant? Or was it the way she looked up through those lashes, the way her pencil skirts hit exactly the right length to be both professional and...

"You think they're fucking already?" Margot whispered, appearing beside her desk with mail.

"She has a boyfriend," Gretchen muttered. "Some startup founder."

But she watched as Samantha leaned closer to the screen, dark hair falling perfectly across one shoulder, Jason shifting toward her, eager and attentive.

It must be nice, Gretchen thought, when the world just arranges itself around you like that.

***

Samantha's heels echoed through the quiet house as she made her way to the kitchen. The day had been endless - client presentations, revisions, her afternoon protein bar barely touching her persistent hunger.

The refrigerator light spilled across her tired face as she opened it. Her meal prep containers waited with their familiar austerity - grilled salmon, wilting greens.

On the bottom shelf sat a ceramic dish, promising and substantial. "Fair game," read a note in blocky handwriting. The aroma hit her first - garlic, cream, nutmeg. Penne pasta in golden butternut squash sauce dotted with fresh sage.

She hesitated, swaying slightly. The last few weeks had been constant maintenance - her schedule, her diet, her work. Her stomach growled in the quiet kitchen.

She should stick to her plan. But god, she was so hungry. And tired. And the pasta looked like permission to exhale.

Almost without conscious decision, she found herself reaching for a bowl. The pasta made a satisfying sound as she spooned it out and warmed it in the microwave. Steam rose as she stirred it, sauce coating each piece in a way that made her mouth water.

She bit into perfectly al dente pasta, sauce that spoke of real cream and aged cheese, subtle notes of nutmeg and black pepper. She closed her eyes, letting the warmth spread through her.

Each bite seemed better than the last. She ate slowly at first, then with increasing abandon, savoring the way the cheese stretched in delicate strands from bowl to spoon. The kitchen's silence enveloped her like a blanket, and she felt the day's tension begin to unwind.

The second bowl was even better. When she finally pushed it away, she felt almost drowsy with contentment. The fullness in her stomach radiated a pleasant warmth that seemed to seep into her muscles. As she climbed the stairs to her bedroom, her usual vigilance felt distant, unimportant.

Samantha stripped off her suit and stretched languidly across her bed. The fullness in her stomach had softened into a pleasant warmth that seemed to radiate through her entire body. Her hands drifted over the flat plane of her stomach, up along her ribs, pleasure mingling with the lingering contentment from dinner.

Thoughts of Aiden drifted through her mind - his perfectly tailored suits, the way his hands felt on her waist, how he looked at her like she was something precious and rare. A soft smile played at her lips as she imagined him here. Her skin felt electric.

She ran her fingers along her collarbone, down the curve of her breast, savoring the contact. The usual voice in her head that monitored, that calculated, that maintained constant vigilance was quiet now, silenced by pasta and pleasure. Her body felt soft, warm, wanting.

Tomorrow she'd return to her careful routines, her precise portions. But tonight belonged to pleasure; she let everything else fall away. Samantha's hands traced lazy patterns across her skin, the fullness in her stomach mingling with a deeper, spreading warmth.

Her fingers drifted lower, finding their rhythm as her breath quickened. The usual voices of control and restraint had gone quiet. She let herself sink into the pleasure, thinking again of Aiden, of his perfect apartment high above the city, of his hands on her body. Her release, when it came, felt like floating - one more surrender in a night already full of them.

She drifted toward sleep, deliciously content, all thoughts of tomorrow's early run dissolving into the darkness. For the first time in weeks, she slept deeply, dreamlessly.

***

CLINICAL NOTES - SUBJECT SC Initial baseline: 128 lbs, 5'8"

Current protocol: Megestrol acetate 200mg/day, split dosing appetite stimulation: Dronabinol 2.5mg AM/PM

Week 1-2 results: Minor increased intake noted

Plan: Increase MA to 300mg by week 4

Monitor: Exercise patterns, evening behavior

Note: Subject most responsive after 11pm

She's so beautiful like this, all defenses down. Black lace against pale skin, long legs tangled in expensive sheets. The moonlight catches every detail - the lean muscle of her thighs, the slight hollows under her ribs, that perfect dip at her hip. Her breathing is deep and even.

One hand rests near her face, the other on her flat stomach. Even in sleep, she's graceful, though different from her careful daytime performance. The sheet has slipped to her waist, revealing perfect breasts and lace panties bought to be seen. Her abs are still visible, though softer in sleep. A small freckle marks the curve where her waist meets her hip.

Her face is softer now, unguarded. No calculated smiles. Just her. The slight part of her lips, the flutter of her eyelashes, the way her throat moves when she swallows. Her dark hair spills across the pillow, messy for once.

Her body is a map of dedication - defined shoulders tapering to a tight waist, strong legs built from countless miles. A faint tan line shows where her running shorts end mid-thigh. The muscles in her calves are elegant, pronounced. Her ankles are delicate, aristocratic. Even her feet are perfect - high arches, toes painted pale pink, a small silver ankle bracelet catching the light.

Her collarbones cast subtle shadows, and there's a small scar just below her right shoulder blade. Her skin is flawless everywhere else.

God, she's so gorgeous.

This is going to be amazing. I can hardly wait to see what happens next.

Chapter 2