“Days?” She looked back out at the raging storm, biting her lip, then shrugged again. “The station is fully equipped. I’ll be perfectly fine.”
He took a deep breath and tried again. “Storms can be dangerous. I don’t want to see you hurt.”
The last words emerged before he had a chance to stop them, and the annoyance faded from her expression, replaced by an emotion that he couldn’t read.
“Is that why you’re here?”
He hesitated, torn between his duty and a sudden longing to tell her the truth—that he couldn’t bear the idea of her being in danger, that he needed to protect her. But he was a cyborg, not a man, and the need to protect her was no more rational than his need to touch her, so he settled for nodding.
“It’s my job.”
Another emotion he couldn’t read crossed her face before she sighed.
“And now you’re trapped here as well. At least… I assume traveling through the storm would be difficult, even for you?”
Was she that eager to get rid of him?
“Yes,” he snapped, unreasonably annoyed. “Phantom and I can handle most things, but the full brunt of the storm would cause considerable damage to both of us.”
“I wasn’t suggesting you go out in it,” she said immediately. “I just thought your job might force you to leave. That you might need to go and rescue some other reckless human.”
Was that why she was irritated? Because she thought his concern for her was only because of his duties?
“I’m not leaving you,” he said slowly.Ever, he wanted to add but managed to keep the foolish word behind his teeth.
“Because you’re here to protect me?”
“Yes.”
A small smile finally curved those pretty lips before she shook her head.
“Fine. But I’ve got work to do, so unless you’re planning on helping, don’t expect me to stop just because of some dust storm.”
His mouth twitched. “I’m not trying to stop you. Just don’t do anything too reckless.”
She rolled her eyes at him, but she looked more amused than annoyed as she turned back to her console, tapping away at thecontrols. Roland had been watching them silently, but now that Cass had accepted his presence, the armadillo hopped down and came to greet him with a soft chirp.
“Hello, Roland,” he said, and the small creature rubbed his head against his ankle.
His mouth twitched again, and he found himself reaching down and picking him up. They studied each other for a moment, and he saw the same curiosity in the armadillo’s large golden eyes that he frequently saw in Phantom’s. They both seemed to be so much more than the mechanical assistants they were designed to be.
“Roland seems to like you,” she said, not looking up from her console.
“Why wouldn’t he? I’m very likable.”
She shot him a skeptical look over her shoulder. “Do you think so?”
“Don’t you?”
“I…” Her cheeks flushed a pretty shade of pink. “I’m not sure I’m the best judge. Or that Roland is for that matter.”
“He likes you,” he pointed out, and her cheeks went even pinker before she turned back to her console again.
“Is there anything I can do to help?” he asked, surprising himself. He was used to giving orders, not offering assistance.
She gave him a startled look. “You want to help?”
“It would give me something to do,” he said dryly. “Since we may be here a while.”
