Chapter Twenty-Eight
Stratos pulled out a chair for Savannah at the table set for two in front of the view of the twinkling city lights.
Candles flickered, and there were fresh flowers on the table as there had been the very first night she ate at his apartment.
Although the opaque interior walls created an intimate ambience, that wasn’t why he’d had Aaia darken them.
He had to prevent Savannah from seeing into the kitchen.
“We’re going romantic tonight, huh?” She slipped into the chair.
“Uh-huh.” He’d been anticipating this moment for weeks.
Meals were perfunctory, more for sustenance than effect, due to their work schedules and because Savannah was not enthused about Oberian cuisine.
They usually ate in the dining room, since the table was already there and all they had to do was plop down and let the robo serve them.
But a special night required special effects, so he’d had Aaia set a table by the window.
Savannah hadn’t officially moved in, but spent every night at the penthouse, returning to her apartment only to retrieve something, which rarely occurred anymore since most of her belongings had migrated over. Still, she refused to make it official, insisting on maintaining “appearances.”
“No word on the investigation, huh?” she asked.
“None. I truly thought it would be over by now.”
They tried to leave the office at the office, but because communications were being monitored during the probe, they couldn’t talk about the investigation at work.
He’d assumed RCI would have collected the necessary evidence by now and made their arrests.
The longer the investigation dragged on without a resolution, the tenser he became.
Acting normally around his staff had proven to be more difficult than he’d envisioned.
He needed an end date so he could put all this behind him, focus on designing, and set about repairing his reputation with the board.
Evenings with Savannah were the only bright spot in a series of tense, trying days. He’d been too keyed up to design. He owed Kep drinks; his friend had tried to arrange a get-together a couple of times, but it hadn’t worked out.
“Would you care for a pre-dinner beverage?” Aaia said. “Vekkel or—”
“Just water,” Savanah said.
“Wine—”
“What?” Her gaze shot to the ceiling, as it often did when she spoke to Aaia. “You don’t really have wine.”
He couldn’t contain his grin.
“A crisp-oaked, creamy chardonnay with hints of apple and vanilla from the Earth region,” the AI replied.
“Real wine?”
A robo wheeled in, balancing a tray holding two glasses of a light-amber liquid. It handed a glass to Savannah and the other to Stratos then spun around and rolled into the kitchen.
“Oh, my god. You got me wine!” She waved the glass under her nose, closed her eyes, and took a sip. “Mmm. I can’t believe it.” She opened her eyes. “How did you get this?”
“I gave Aaia instructions, and she handled the logistics.” No mean feat, the logistics had involved a couple of spaceflights, a middleman, a bribe or two, refrigeration, and some breath-holding on his part to pull it off.
There hadn’t been any Earth ships coming to Oberia anytime soon; however, passenger and cargo ships did stop at the relatively near Icarus Space Station. Once his shipment arrived at ISS, he chartered a vessel to retrieve his precious cargo.
He took his first sip of the Earth beverage and found it rather bland. No bite and burn like vekkel, but all that mattered was that it pleased her.
“You are amazing. Nothing can top this. Thank you.” She leaned across the table and kissed him then settled in her chair, took another sip, pointed her nose in the air, and sniffed. “Wh-what am I smelling?” A spicy, savory aroma had drifted out of the kitchen.
Stratos couldn’t contain his grin.
“It smells like…like…”
The robo carried in a round flat disk covered with a melted substance, some sort of red sauce, and brown and reddish bits.
“Pizza!” she squealed, bouncing in her chair.
“Pizza!” She leaped up, nearly colliding with the robo, and hugged Stratos so tight he could hardly breathe.
“I could cry.” She fanned her face. “I can’t believe you did this!
I’ve been dying for any kind of Earth food, and this is my absolute favorite. ”
The robo placed a slice on her plate and one on his.
“You’d better make that two,” she said, sitting down. She picked up a slice reverently and bit into the wedge. “Oh. My. God. Mmm…” she moaned, with almost sexual appreciation.
His cock twitched.
Smiling, he watched her, enjoying her pleasure, and then hesitantly sampled the strange food. Spicy and creamy with unusual flavoring, but not bad.
“This is so good. I can’t believe it.” She peered at him over her pizza slice. “You must have ordered this with the wine.”
He nodded. “It came frozen, twelve of them, along with five boxes of wine,” he said, having taken Benson’s advice on what to order.
“Frozen pizza never tasted so good. How did you know I liked pepperoni and sausage? This can’t be random.”
“I’m aware you don’t like our food. I asked the human working in the lab what you might like. You two apparently know each other.”
“Brad!” She nodded. “He’s a doll. He helped get us a kaffii machine. He gets to go home to see his husband every six months, and he can get a food fix.”
The human had done him a favor, but his opinion of the man hadn’t changed. He still disliked him.
“What else do you like? Maybe I can get it.” He didn’t want to go through Benson again.
“Wouldn’t it cost a fortune? The shipping, I mean?”
He had the means; cost was inconsequential. If it made her happy, that was all that mattered. He shrugged. “Give me a list.”
“Lasagna. Bread. Steak.” She took another bite of pizza.
“Potatoes, tacos, enchiladas. Coffee—although kaffii is a decent substitute. Chicken. Fruit. I doubt fresh fruit would survive the trip, but canned or frozen would do. Ice cream. Chocolate. Apple pie.” She polished off the slice and picked up the second.
“Thank you so much for the pizza. It’s the best surprise ever.
The food is the only thing I miss about Earth.
Everything else about Oberia is wonderful. ”
“So, you could see yourself living here long term?” He held his breath. He wanted to make her happy so she’d stay. She wasn’t immune to him, but getting her to remain on his planet might require further inducements.
“Under the right set of circumstances,” she replied and took another bite.
“Such as?”
“Well, like, I’d need a job. My job with you is temporary.”
“I’ll make it permanent.”
“Verilla—”
“Can transfer to another department. She’d probably be glad to be rid of me.
If Corona won’t approve the transfer, I can get you a similar job with another company.
I have connections. I’d prefer to keep you with me, but I can settle for having you home with me at night and on weekends.
” Anything was better than letting her go back to Earth.
“You’re asking me to stay—with you.” She set down her half-eaten slice.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“I can’t go back to what my life was like without you. I know I’m rude, ill-mannered, terse, abrupt—you can object at any time—”
“You haven’t said anything I disagree with yet.” She smiled, but there was no snark, only sweetness and affection, and it filled him with crazy hope.
“I love you,” he said, taking a leap. “Please stay with me.”
She slid out of the chair and came around to settle on his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck. “You are rude, ill-mannered, terse, and abrupt, but you are also thoughtful, caring, impeccably honest, and fucking hot. And trainable. You said please. Besides, I love you, too. I’ll stay.”
He covered her mouth in a searing kiss. With Savannah at his side, he could do anything. Company problems would work themselves out. As long as he had what mattered most, he could deal with anything. “Move in with me,” he whispered against her ear while nuzzling her neck.
“Mmm…” She tilted her head, and he kissed his way to her shoulder. “I already kind of did. I’m here all the time.”
“Great. Then it’s done. Aaia can have whatever personal belongings remain at your apartment moved over, and she’ll cancel your lease.”
“No flaunt—”
“No flaunting at work. I promise. You’ll just have to take care of my needs at home.” He leered. She kept him in a perpetual state of arousal. A smile, a glance, or a wiggle was all it took to get him hard.
“Deal.” She fidgeted on his lap, teasing his hard-on.
He planted a hard kiss on her mouth before easing her off his lap. “Finish your pizza while I can still let you.”
“Another great thing about pizza—it’s good cold, or it can be reheated.” She tugged on his hand.
He thought he heard Aaia sigh as they headed for the bedroom.