With a dirt-covered hand he pointed at it. “I can sense maybe some sort of connection from it, but it’s inaccessible.”
“Oh? That’s interesting. I mean it makes sense, the drone probably being from Mars and all.”
Nora watched Simon work more, never stopping, and felt something more than just the sun and the surveillance from above. An unwelcome flush ran through her as her eyes kept returning to Simon’s strong hands, watching his every movement.I need a second to myself. I’m just . . .She toed the ground next to him, closing her eyes. “I need to cool off for a minute. I’ll go in the garage a bit, gotta check the supplies for tomorrow. I’ll be back in a few.”
“Alright, Nora.” Simon stayed focused on the garden area.
A heat filled her body. Nora averted her gaze again from Simon as she walked away.I know this feeling. How can I be attracted to him? The hell is wrong with me . . .She winced.I don’t like it.She never wanted to have any relations or feelings like that again. Even if Tilly was the result.
Maybe it was just natural to feel this way? After such close proximity and friendship?Maybe I’m not crazy?Simon was always by her side, helping. And her body was starting to feel warm when she was near him, complete with a chorus of fluttering in her stomach.
Ah, damn . . .She quickened her footsteps.Damn, damn.
She had lost the fear of Simon sometime over the last few days, seeing him trying so hard to help her and being so gentle with Tilly in that calm and measured way of his. Him teaching her to read also helped with that. The lessons had continued for Tilly and her both during a good part of the few days they were cooped up.
The whole time, so kind.She shook her head as she walked. And not only kind, but not saying one word of judgment regarding her life and attempts to learn. In fact, he seemed to pick up that she was embarrassed and went out of his way to not say anything.Simon is no longer a stranger. At all. What is he now? To us? To me?
Once Nora was out of his sight, she leaned against the side of the stucco wall outside for a moment, then yanked on her hair in frustration.I’m so foolish.The thought lingered as she pushed off the wall and walked all the way inside the garage, hoping the shade in there would cool her off. Maybe being alone for a second might let those improper thoughts settle, away from the source.
She sank down next to her hover and leaned her head against its metal side. Now, away, she tried to think of something else, but . . .It’s not working.She still felt heated, thinking about Simon. Her body folded in on itself as she thought about his hands that moved with machine precision, and his infinite patience. How he stood with such cool confidence when he walked. And just how gentle he was. At every interaction. A sardonic smile crossed her lips.The first thing that doesn’t treat us like something that came in on the bottom of their shoe, and this is how I act?Nora reached up and pulled on her hair harder.
No, it’s more than that.Her mind unwillingly brought back the time earlier, walking over the rubble at the mall, where she stumbled and Simon grabbed her to stop her fall, his grip so firm. Like it was nothing to brace her until her feet found her footing again. A shiver ran down her spine.
“He is just an android,” Nora repeated to herself, quietly, trying to get a grip on her wayward emotions. But maybe it was because he was an android that she noticed him the way she did.Heaven knows I never felt this way about any of the real human men.Her heart pounded and she stretched out in the garage, disgusted with herself.I don’t want any sort of man anymore.Nora’s eyes closed as she fell into the sensation, feeling a yearning in her gut.But Simon. Does he really fall into that same category?Time slipped away as she got lost in the feelings stirred within her.
And she didn’t see Simon come in until he was right beside her.
“Nora?” he said in that soft way of his, startling her.
Nora stood fast, blood rushing to her head, leg knocking into the hover in her haste.Oh.She caught her breath, reaching for a casual tone. “Yes?”
Simon didn’t press forward but stayed a step back, staring at her intently. “Are you alright? Your cheeks are flushed and my sensors say you are a bit hot. Do you need to go inside to cool down in the air conditioning?”
He can sense that? Shit.Nora stepped away, averting her eyes.Ah, shit.“I’m okay. Just hot in the desert, and from moving things.”
“Have you eaten this morning yet?” he asked, stepping closer. “I made Tilly a few eggs. She likes them scrambled.”
“I’ll go get a bar in a minute.” It took effort, but she met his eyes.
“I can make you some eggs as well.” Simon tilted his head.
Nora’s tongue felt thick in her mouth. “That’s alright.”
Her gaze snagged on his hands resting on the hover, wondering if they would trail just as delicately on her.Stop it, Nora.
Nora cleared her throat and motioned briskly to the smaller, broken hover across the room. “I was also thinking of what we need to fix this. This second hover runs now, but barely. It goes through gas really fast. It’s only good to take if I’m not hauling anything, but I thought it might be good to resell if I can get it running right.”
“What’s wrong with it?” A frown crossed his lips.
“Dunno.” She breathed even easier as he walked away to the smaller vehicle she’d pointed to. Her hands shook as she rubbed the sweaty palms on her pants.
He opened up the hood and stuck his head inside. The wires got pushed to the side as he dug deeper. “It has all the components, the circuitry just needs to be rewired. As for using extra gas . . .”
Nora came up, not too close, to watch his examination. “Yeah. I had to do a lot of rewiring on our current hover. That’s how I knew, for you, how to . . .”
His voice was a bit muffled, coming from under the hood. “At night I will come work on this if that is alright. It will give me something to do while you sleep that will not disturb you.”
Suddenly his hand moved to hers, covering it where it lay on the side of the hover. “Are you sure you are alright, Nora? I still am picking up that you are overheated. Do you have a fever?”
