Page 20 of Help Wanted: Wife

When she climaxed with a cry, her pussy convulsing around his cock, he passed the point of no return. He tried to watch her orgasm, but, as pleasure intensified, hurtling him toward the conclusion, his eyes shut. And perhaps that was the way to take a greatleap—with eyes squeezed shut. Body ablaze, he tumbled into the abyss. His cock contracted at the base, and he exploded, emptying himself, becoming nothing, yet everything.

He floated to the surface on a wave of lassitude and well-being that infused his entire being. With passion spent, out of the dark corners of his mind crept a whisper threatening his buoyancy and contentment.What have I done?

He turned a deaf ear to the insidious murmur. He couldn’t rue what had occurred when his body was still joined with hers, and residual tremors of bliss quivered through him. When she caressed his back in slow, tender circles. The scent of sex and her lemony fragrance filled his head, and, stronger than regret, was the desire to remain locked in her embrace forever. To do it all over again. He needed her tenderness, the humor, the passion. He hadn’t realized how much until meeting her.

He lifted his head. “I’m crushing you.”

“I like your weight,” she said, but he disengaged and rolled to the side. She curled against him, and he held her close and stroked her tangled hair, feeling tender and tortured. The shadow thoughts had gotten louder.What have I done?

“Should we talk about this?” she asked.

“No.”Fizzak, no!But he almost smiled. How like a woman to seek to talk, analyze, dissect. An unexamined life was a safe life. Letting mattersbeallowed him to cope, to pretend, to escape.

“This isn’t going to be the last time, is it?”

Stars above, it should be. But good intentions wouldn’t be strong enough to help him. The craving would worsen until he caved. Why make promises to himself he would never keep? “No.” He pressed a kiss to her temple.

“Good.”

Chapter Ten

“You made it!” Hope beamed. “Did you have any trouble vapping over?”

“None. Easy as pie,” Prudence said.

“Fantastic. You’re better at it than me. I had a heck of a time when I first got here. Don’t just stand there. Come on in!”

This morning Prudence had gotten a message from her friend, inviting her for lunch. The past couple of days had been so busy she’d been hesitant to go, not wishing to abandon Larth in the booth, but he assured her he could handle the noon rush. “It’s not like I haven’t done it before,” he’d said dryly.

“Okay, you’ve convinced me,” she’d replied, eager to see Hope. So many thoughts and emotions were stewing in her brain. She felt a need to confide in her best friend—but didn’t know if she would. The situation with Larth seemed too personal, too intimate. But still, a visit would be nice.

Getting off the vaporator in the penthouse lobby had been like entering a different world, one of wealth,serenity, and space. An alabaster barrel-ceiling arched over tall white walls. Huge bouquets of exotic flowers lined the corridor leading to the Krogan residence.

“Your place is amazing. I’ve never seen anything like this in my life.” Shamelessly, she gawked at the whiteness and space of her friend’s apartment. The enormous parlor—if that’s what they called the main room—was empty except for a huge snow-white sectional sofa nestled in a sunken conversation pit in the center. Walls were alabaster, and the floor appeared to be gold-veined white marble, although it had the give of a dance floor rather than stone. The only color came from the blue sky visible through a wall of glass. She widened her eyes as an alien bird soared by. “How high up are you?”

“About two and a half miles. This is the tallest cloudtopper on the planet,” Hope answered. “You have to look down to see the other buildings.”

Prudence moved closer to the window to do that and then shrieked as the floor disappeared beneath her feet. She leaped out of the way and gaped at the tops of skyscrapers below.

Hope laughed. “Sorry. I should have warned you the floor turns transparent. I had the same reaction the first time I walked to the window. It’s safe.”

Above the clouds, there was quiet, calm, light, air, space. The surface was noisy, chaotic, dark, and crowded. No wonder everyone aimed to move up, why upper floors commanded a premium. But while her tiny apartment didn’t have a view or much natural light, she preferred its coziness to the penthouse, which was so empty, it appeared as though nobody had moved in yet. But she would never say so to Hope.To each her own.Home is where the heart is.

“Don Juan should have lunch ready soon,” Hope said.

“Don Juan?” She arched her eyebrows.

“Our android. He’ll tell us when it’s ready.” Hope gestured they should take a seat.

Prudence was eager to see how the android performed, since she and Larth would be getting one. On Terra Nova, the government controlled and limited technology. The average citizen couldn’t get an android even if he could afford one. Only generous campaign donors and government officials had them.

Not expecting comfort from the blocky sofa, she gingerly sat down. To her surprise, the couch adjusted to her spine and cushioned her bottom. She wiggled and settled in. Amazing.

She looked up to see Hope regarding her with a sly grin.

“Nice sofa,” Pru said.

Her friend’s grin widened. “Bow chicka wow wow.”

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