Chapter 14
She lays in bed, willing her tears to remain at bay.
They would, after all, age her. And she can’t have that.
As it stands, she’ll already need a trip to the MediSpa.
With all this added stress and the crying earlier, a Refresh session is in order.
Absently, she wonders when her medi-artist’s next opening is.
Not that she cares, but her beauty is the one thing the man, James, appreciates about her.
Because she sees the way he looks at her.
He wants her. Physically. But she disgusts him, too.
He said as much. Though he told her he understands now, she can’t expect his opinion of her to change overnight.
All because of one stupid decision, one drunken evening.
But her stupid decision led to his second chance.
Is he grateful? No. He isn’t. Not really.
She’s coming to understand his character. He isn’t a nice person.
Granted, he apologizes when he’s wrong—which is all too often.
He’s selfish. Aggressive, disagreeable, idealistic, too independent, stubborn, arrogant, thoughtless, domineering, rude, aggressive .
. . did she say that already? The point is, she doesn’t much like him.
What an awful collection of traits. Ones she’d never have selected for him.
She meant what she said when she asked if anyone during his time liked him.
He doesn’t make himself available to be liked.
So why then does she feel this inexplicable draw toward him?
That was the second time she thought he might kiss her, and he didn’t.
It stung like rejection. It’s like Holy Mother Zephyr gave her this man only to taunt her with him.
Because he is achingly handsome. And that stubble.
He shaves only for it to appear a few hours later.
It would be so nice against her—No. She needs to put those thoughts out of her mind.
But it’s the side of him that seems so utterly human, too.
Watching him faced with the reality of his situation—she imagines she’s seen a version of him no one before her ever has.
Not that he’s chosen to share it. She’s only seeing it by circumstance.
She’s been watching and hasn’t missed his little reactions.
The way his eyes widen when he sees something that shocks him and tries to hide it.
Or how when he apologized earlier, he leaned toward her like he couldn’t help himself.
It’s the way his flaws mix with his . . .
hope or drive? She pauses, considering the word.
Well, the right word isn’t important. The point is, she’s witnessing his humanity emerge, like a flower blossoming.
She just isn’t certain if the flower is going to be poisonous.
Based on what she’s seen, it probably is.
He’s made it perfectly clear where he stands.
She doesn’t like him, anyway. And she’s promised not to get confused, despite the electrical charge between them.
The only path forward is to look at this logically.
From now on, James will deal with Scientist K8.
Coolly logical K8. The K8 that kept her head down during her schooling and made it to the top of her class, then landed her job right out of training.
Who became the top paid member of her division.
That K8 can do anything she sets her mind to.
Now she has her mind trained on getting through the inspection.
She owes it to him to take this seriously.
If it weren’t for her foolish decision and the moral obligation that came with it, he wouldn’t be in this situation.
He would still be dead. He would be blissfully unaware.
She’ll fake it—the horror—and when they pass, she’ll put some distance between them.
Then move on with her life. Maybe she’ll even go to the club she’s been avoiding where she met Viper to prove she’s well and truly over him.
She’ll find a lover. Someone willing to engage in a nightly meetup for a week or two. Surely she can manage at least that.
K8 rolls over, adjusting the setting on her Ageless Body Pillow for side sleeping. A moment later, the pillow shifts, folding into the curves of her body to support her in a way that will prevent cricks and creases.
A lover is precisely what she needs. She refuses to take care of her needs herself.
That would only give her thoughts unrestricted liberty to settle on the man a room away.
Tomorrow, she’ll sneak her new sex toy into a kitchen cabinet so she isn’t tempted.
She suspects she only feels this drawn toward him because of proximity.
He is attractive and available. Couplings were common during his time, so that fed her misguided thoughts.
But if she looks at it objectively, besides being good-looking, there isn’t much to like. K8 does not like James. There.
With that settled, K8 closes her eyes. Never mind that yearning feeling burrowing deep inside her.