Natalia looked at me, friendly and smiling. «I am going to take a shower in the bathroom upstairs and change to some suitable clothes. You can use the bathroom on this floor, and you will find some new clothes there that you may use. I got them for you just recently, and they will fit you. And by the way, they can change color and patterns», she said, smiling, before she disappeared to the first floor. I did as I was told, and was the first to get ready. I went back to sit down in the sofa again while pondering the stylish clothes. It felt as if they automatically adjusted themselves to the body!
Natalia came downstairs in a lovely dress. «Your dress is really beautiful» I said.
«Thank you! Please come to the kitchen with me, then you can keep me company while I cook.»
Once more she took my hand and lead me to the kitchen. I sat down in the comfortable seating by the kitchen table as she laid the table and lit some candles.
«I’ll make something vegetarian. We no longer eat meat here. But I know that you do, so I am making a dish with something that will seem like meat. You won’t notice a big difference.»
With that she got going. She gathered the ingredients and something which I thought were spices, put it all in a bowl and placed it in some kind of mixer. She also took two other bowls containing something or other and put them into another mixer. Then she pressed a button on each machine.
«Look, you could open this bottle of wine.» She got out a white wine and two glasses.
«I wonder whether there will be any wine left by the time the food is ready» I said, laughing a little.
«The food will be ready before you are», she laughed and indeed, I had barely got the bottle open before she set the food on the table. I pour wine for both of us before we help ourselves with the food.
«This is really tasty and delicious!» I said after having eaten a mouthful. «I almost didn’t
expect it to be so good, considering how quickly it was prepared., I mean.»
«Thank you. The vegetables and everything else were rapidly but gently treated in the machines in order to preserve the nutrition’s as well as possible. But we can prepare the food in the traditional way as well, and that is what I usually prefer to do, because I enjoy cooking. Just now I wanted to demonstrate some of the possibilities we have. In fact I seldom eat alone. Something is always going on, and one is included and invited to just about everything.»
«Tell me, do you live by yourself here?» I asked, trying to appear unaffected, while deep inside I was hoping that she was single, without a boyfriend. There was no denying that I had begun to be rather interested in Natalia. Her demeanor, personality, smiles and touch had evidently made an impression on me. But there was something more: The strange thing was that I had taken to her as soon as we met. There was something familiar about her, as though we already knew each other. Perhaps we had known each other in a previous life? At least there are those who maintain that such a thing is real, but I was skeptical of it. On the other hand, all of this seemed a very strange experience, as I felt so well in her company. And everything did suggest that she liked me as well.
«I am alone, yes, although I don’t feel alone in this community. Besides, I have a ten-year-old son. He is right now staying with my parents for a few days. It was in fact his father you met as you arrived today» Natalia said, and I perceived something like a small stab. Was I actually a bit jealous? Apparently Natalia had not noticed anything.
«At this time we are just good friends. And besides, he has a new girlfriend» she said as if to reassure me. So maybe she had noticed after all? Anyway, my smile grew perhaps even broader than it had been. Also, the wine was slowly starting to have an effect.
«So you are footloose and fancy-free» I said. My smile was if possible even broader, and I clearly showed that I liked the answer.
Natalia laughed. «We are actually rather free here in any case. And besides, we don’t have quite the kind of relationships that you traditionally have. In our time that kind of relationship, like marriage, for example, is viewed as being rather old-fashioned, although one may of course choose to marry if one wishes. But we don’t tie ourselves to one another for ever. You know, people change. There is no longer such an awful upheaval when a couple no longer function well together. We manage to end relationships in a far better way than earlier. Only very rarely does enmity arise or two people leave each other without being friends. At least it is very rare here in Lighthaven. We are taught about such relationships from an early age, and I am familiar with it since I was little. You know, no one is dependent on the economy of the partner here, to just mention one of the problems people had earlier. Relationships here become more real and loving and precisely for that reason in many cases longer lasting.»
She leaned closer and said «That was a long answer to a short question, but yes, I am free, and it is also quite some time since I was in a romantic relationship. That creates certain needs, both emotional and physical» she said and gave me a lovely smile. I really liked her direct and honest demeanor. It was not very difficult to interpret what she just said. I already felt very well here in the future...
«This was a rather direct statement, - and cheers to that!» I said, smiling warmly back at her and feeling tingles going through my body as we looked into each other’s eyes. I put my hand on hers as we continued to gaze deeply at each other. Her fingers crept into my hand as waves of pleasurable feelings rolled through me.
«You are simply wonderful!»
«So are you…» Natalia rose and led me over to the sofa. I sat down while she went back to fetch the glasses and the bottle of wine. I was feeling rather overwhelmed, this was mighty. Just watching her walk across the floor gave me an unusual feeling of calm in body and soul. Her movements were easy, sensual, graceful and self-assured. What a woman, what a future we are heading for! If these people here and in this time are like her, we are approaching a future that far exceeds anything I had imagined to be possible. Just then I felt I was in love with her and with life. Was it at all possible for something to be so wonderful?
Natalia came back and put on some music that could almost be described as ethereal. It felt as if the sound was present everywhere in the room. The vibrations from the music filled my entire being. I enjoyed the sight of her and perceived a wonderful flow of sensations through my body and psyche, giving me a feeling close to ecstasy. All I could do was to enjoy the moment.
Just as I thought life could not possibly get better I felt Natalia’s lips against mine and we both sank down in the sofa. Her hands were stroking through my hair. My own hands were on their way to quite different places. Her body language told me that she had no objections, on the contrary. I felt her playful tongue against my own. What a fantastic feeling! I was totally present in the moment. Time and space ceased to exist and for a long, long time we lay like that, she on top of me in a sensual position. It seemed as though we could not have enough of each other, and I had never before felt so alive and loved...
After a long while Natalia got up, took hold of my hand and purposefully led me upstairs to her beautiful bedroom.
«We’ll forget the guestroom» she said, laughing. I laughed as well and looked around. Already there were candles burning there, while starlight shone through the large skylight. A gorgeous setting! We looked at each other and smiled. Natalia slipped out of her dress and stood there in her glamorous underwear. She pressed a certain point on her panty, and I saw how it slowly grew a little transparent. Immediately I felt myself going hot and hard, as if she had pressed a button on me! We smiled and laughed and held each other as we lay down on the bed. Again we lay there for a long time simply enjoying each other. Gradually all our clothing disappeared and I could admire Natalia in all her glory. We kissed each other for a long time. We caressed each other for a long time. And we made love for a long time...