Page 40 of Kiss of Steel

“That’s a good idea. Be careful crossing when you come back. Keep a wide berth between you and the hornigers. They are unpredictable, and the mamas will protect their babies. If they’re too close, don’t risk it. Wait outside the fence, and I’ll come get you when I’m done.”

“Absolutely.” She had no wish to tangle with a horniger.

“See you in a few, then.” He kissed her, hopped the fence, and headed for the outbuilding with a purposeful stride. He had the quintessential masculine V-shape, broad shoulders and slim hips. Not to mention tight, sexy buns and long legs.

He spun around. “What are you waiting for?”

“I’m watching you walk. You have a great ass.” Great everything.

“The sooner you get back, the sooner you can spend some time with me and my great ass.” He grinned.

“Point taken.” She blew him a kiss and scurried to the mess hall.

* * * *

Dust motes swirled in the morning light beaming into the wide central pass-through of the outbuilding. To the left lay the tack room, an office, a break room, and the equipment and hay storage bays. Eight stalls lined the right side. Adolescent hornigers they hoped to domesticate to accept riders occupied three of them. Eying Steel, the beast in the first stall snorted and tossed his head.

It was warmer in the barn. He removed his jacket and draped it over an empty stall before greeting the chuffing animal. Keeping watch on its horns, he patted its neck. “You recognize me, don’t you, Demon?”

The young horniger had thrown him scores of times and nearly gored him once, but he felt a strong measure of affection and empathy for the beast. The animal yearned to be wild and free. Steel understood how useful riding hornigers could be to the entire planet, and, despite relishing the challenge of taming the beasts, he secretly half hoped the training failed.

“You’re getting a break today. I’m going out with my wife. I’ll introduce you when she comes back.” He stroked Demon’s furry hide.

His lips twisted with amused self-deprecation. The other cyborgs would have laughed their asses off if he’d been caught talking to an animal. They’d mocked humans for their penchant to adopt pets.

“Mornin’, Steel. There’s a fella here who reckons he knows you.” Dusty shuffled out of the office and hocked a wad into a ready spittoon. He liked to pretend he chewed tobacco, but the plant had all but been eradicated from Earth a century ago out of health concerns—and it was highly unlikely anyone on Refuge could obtain it. No one could pronounce Dusty’s real name even with a language-assist device, but, enamored by the American West of yore, he preferred people to call him by his self-bestowed nickname. Dusty had said he’d thought he’d died and gone to heaven when he’d been assigned to Haven Ranch. Metaphorically, of course. His people didn’t believe in heaven.

Because of his red exoskeleton, Dusty reminded Steel of a crustacean. He ambulated on two legs but had four pincher claws instead of arms and hands. He always wore Western boots and a hat, slit so his antenna could poke through. If mad scientists had crossed a lobster with a cowboy, he’d look like Dusty.

Steel frowned. “Oh yeah? Who’s that?”

“Me!” Mike Fury stepped out of the office.

“Fury!” Steel broke into a wide grin and grabbed him in a bear hug. “You pile of horniger dung! What are you doing here?”

“I figured I’d better come check on you. See if your sorry ass needed saving again.” Fury thumped him on the back. Then they shoved each other away.

“I’ll be gettin’ the wagon in apple pie order. Meet me yonder when you’re ready.” Dusty ambled out of the barn.

“What’s with John Wayne?” Fury asked.

“Who?”

“The dude who left. Haven’t you watched any of the old movies?”

“No.”

“It’s a good thing I arrived. You need to get a life.”

“I have a life. I’m married now.” He couldn’t help grinning.

Fury regarded him with an assessing sweep and then nodded. “Marriage does appear to agree with you. The old Steel would have kicked my ass before he’d hugged me.”

“I can still kick your ass,” Steel shot back.

“In your dreams, Fucking.”

“Did you come all this way to tell me that? Why are you here? Is your wife with you?” He wanted to meet her.

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