Page 15 of The Cyborg Way
Her preparations were finished by midafternoon, and she gave Henry a rueful smile.
“Now what am I going to do?”
He glided over to her hand and tilted his head meaningfully. She laughed and stroked him.
“I’m not going to spend the rest of the afternoon petting you. Maybe I’ll read instead.”
She lifted him up to her shoulder as she went to get her tablet. But even though the time to read was a precious gift, she couldn’t concentrate. Her eyes kept going to the windows, waiting for Levi to appear, even though she didn’t expect himuntil closer to dark. But the next time she looked up, he was riding towards her.
As soon as he dismounted, she rushed over to the inner door of the airlock, waiting impatiently as it cycled. The door opened and he stepped through, filling the room with his presence, and she felt suddenly, ridiculously shy, automatically dropping her eyes.
“You look… nice,” he said gruffly, but when she peeked up at him, the hungry look was back in his eyes.
The look reassured her, and she smiled up at him.
“So do you,” she said truthfully.
He was still dressed all in black, but his clothes looked crisp and new. His shirt hugged those broad shoulders, and his pants clung lovingly to thick thighs—and the thick ridge between them.Oh my.She quickly snatched her gaze away from that very evident erection as he held out a carefully wrapped package.
“This is for you.”
“You didn’t have to?—”
“I wanted to.”
Cheeks warm with pleasure, she carefully unwrapped the package and found a small flowering plant, its heady scent filling the room.
“Oh, it’s beautiful. And it smells so good. Thank you.”
She could have sworn the skin across his cheekbones darkened as he gestured around her living space.
“You seem to like plants since you have them—” He came to an abrupt halt. “You made your bed.”
Now it was her turn to blush.
“Yes. I know it’s usually a mess.”
“I like it that way. It’s like your nest.” His hand touched her cheek as it had done earlier. “Little bird.”
Her breath caught at the warmth on his face. She very carefully put the plant on the table, then turned back to him, sliding her hands up that broad chest to curl around his neck.
“Kiss me. Please.”
This time she didn’t tug his head down but waited as patiently as possible. She could see the indecision on his face.
“I shouldn’t.” He sounded more as if he were trying to convince himself rather than her.
“Why not?”
“I’m a cyborg, remember?”
“And I told you I didn’t care.”
“I’m also too old for you.” He fingered the ribbon in her hair. “You’re so young and pretty.”
“Mmm. Maybe that just means I need someone older. To protect me.” Her voice dropped to a husky whisper that she didn’t recognize. “To guide me.”
The heat in his eyes intensified.
