Total pages in book: 133
Estimated words: 125700 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 629(@200wpm)___ 503(@250wpm)___ 419(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 125700 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 629(@200wpm)___ 503(@250wpm)___ 419(@300wpm)
But damn it, her work wouldn’t make her laugh. Her work wouldn’t tease her and remind her that she could watch a movie every now and then. Her work had no balance to it. Her work wanted everything she had and only fed part of her soul.
She glanced over and MaeBe was looking her way, giving her an encouraging smile. She winked and then shifted her focus back to Kyle, turning her face up to his. “Master, do you think there’s champagne on the plane?”
Kyle’s lips turned up in a superior smile. “Do you think I would let this plane take off without your favorite drink? When we get going, I think you’ll find the exact champagne you like.”
“You are very good at pretending to be my Master.” MaeBe cuddled close.
That got Kyle to stiffen as though he hadn’t expected those words.
She was right. He wasn’t pretending. Or rather he was pretending to pretend.
She could do that. Did she want to do that?
Did she want to take this time with Deke and enjoy him for as long as she could?
The night before she’d dreamed about slowly turning into her own AI, all intellect and no feeling. It was a dream she’d had many times over the years. In the dream she would be happy at first because if she didn’t feel, then there would be no pain or anxiety, no awkwardness or loneliness.
No joy. No love.
She could exist forever and be utterly meaningless because in the end, life wasn’t measured in achievements. The work she would do might live on, be built on, but who she was would be forgotten. In the dream she realized that memories, knowledge, success meant nothing without feeling behind them.
Sometimes it was her father’s face she saw, he who pushed the button that freed her from the cold place she’d confined herself to. Sometimes it was her mom.
Mostly it was Deke.
She stood and moved to his aisle. “Sir, I think I need more practice. Also, sometimes I get nervous on flights. I know a lot about what can go wrong from the engineering side. Way too much.”
“Do you want to sit with me? We can talk about the op more.”
She didn’t want to talk about the op, and it was obvious she needed to take a tiny bit of control. She sat on his lap, her arms going around him. She let her head find his broad shoulder and her breathing evened out, the dream she’d had the night before leaching away, warmth taking its place. “Tell me about your nieces and nephews. Are they being terrible? Angie tells me about her kids, but I haven’t heard a good Sylvester story in a long time.”
His arm wound around her waist, the other hand finding the outside of her thigh, holding her close. “Oh, that boy is so much trouble. Sweet kid, but I don’t think he has a brain. Last time I was home, he got stuck in the dog door and his sisters tried to grease him up with a stick of butter, but he wouldn’t budge. And then the dog, who couldn’t get out to pee, forgot all about the bathroom and just started licking the butter off.”
She laughed and relaxed and realized this plan might work. Unless that was a gun against her butt.
She wiggled a little, and Deke’s hand tightened.
“You’re playing with fire, baby,” he whispered against her ear.
“I’ll be still, Sir,” she replied. “Tell me more.”
She settled in. This might be one time she wouldn’t mind getting a little burned.
* * * *
Something had changed, and he wasn’t sure if he should thank the universe or curse it because his cock ached from hours of touching Maddie, holding her hand, taking care of her. He stood on her back patio and wondered if he even had the right to change the rules of the game on her.
He’d told her it was all practice for their ruse, and she’d done what she always did when she went all in on a subject. She’d been an excellent student and wanted to go in as prepared as possible, and he was trying to figure out a way to get into her bed tonight. It had been all he could think about during the flight.
Then he’d gotten to this ridiculous house and wondered what the hell he had to offer a woman who could afford this place. It wasn’t just nice. It was lush, luxurious. He was in what she’d called the outdoor living space, which included a sparkling grill and kitchen, a pool, and hot tub.
“Damn, man. This place is nice, but we need to talk about your girl.” Kyle strode out, obviously appreciating the amenities.
“Are we secure? Did you let Boomer and the women in?” He turned and sure enough, he could see Maddie talking to MaeBe in the kitchen, gesturing around as if to familiarize the other woman.