“There we go.” He used his fingers again on her, vibrating over her clit, and Nora could not help but whimper. Simon didn’t wait for an answer as he began to thrust inside of her.
Nora felt his attention as he read her signs, reacting to her body as it trembled and his fingers vibrated stimulate her further. Every touch and slide of his fingers was intentional and measured.
Simon.She squirmed from the sensations. “How does it feel? It’s different. It feels right?”
Simon stilled and his face became contemplative. “It was designed this way. But beyond that, it’s better when there’s the right feelings involved. Are you alright?”
“Yes.” Nora gave a throaty chuckle. “More than alright.”
Simon’s smile turned predatory. “Good. You’re perfect, Nora. Nature got you exactly right as well. We will keep it simple, this time.”
He thrust inside of her, perfectly timed. There were no awkward movements or body shifts; he was completely dialed into her anatomy. “I can usually hold out indefinitely . . . but . . .”
He wet his lips and his eyes took on a fixed gaze so possessive that it made her squirm. She saw the pupil contract in his right, undamaged eye, and an overflowing of liquid hit her insides. Her body shuddered, trembling in his arms.
His eyes closed and she felt his usually smooth movements become ragged. He bent over, spent, and kissed her hair. “That will need to be for next time.”
Nora loved seeing him lose control. Under his hands, she felt wild as well. Her heartbeat galloped and Simon held his hand to her chest, in between her breasts as if to feel.
He stayed inside of her, softening and seeming reluctant to leave, as he gazed down with his green eyes almost glowing in the darkness. “You are mine, Nora. I waited there all those years just for you.”
He slid out and got up, back a moment later with a towel that he put under her, wiping her clean.
Nora felt both touched and uncomfortable with his level of care. She moved her hands to help but he put his on her chest and scooped her in close.
“You’re trembling, Nora.” Simon put the towel aside and pulled her into his arms. He pressed his head onto the top of hers. “Relax now. It is just us.”
Nora swallowed and put her head over his simulated heartbeat. She breathed deep as hers slowed to match its steady rhythm.
Chapter thirty-eight
Simon
Simon lay, satiated. His body could go indefinitely, but he knew Nora was fatigued. It brought him as much pleasure to see her pleased as did his own sense of completion. She lay atop him in the night, warm and secure.
It was good Nora was here, calming him, as in the night listening to her breathe he felt helpless to do more for her. The food and the scrap that he found were a start, but it was so little compared to what life should be for them.
The hope he’d started to develop about figuring out the encryption and ensuring she won the Mars lottery was now closed off for him. He pondered this as he held her close.Nora is open to exploring elsewhere. Maybe we can try someplace else. Maybe out of the desert.All of Earth couldn’t be as wasted as here, could it? There were forests and oceans in places. The ocean couldn’t have dried up. Right?Probably heavily polluted,though.
Simon ran his fingers through Nora’s hair, thinking hard. There were still some drones nearby after the atmosphere sweep.Maybe they have information.Simon scorned them, but he could use them. Now that he knew what he was looking for it was easy to find the connection, even though for once none were oppressively hovering overhead.
He opened his processors and easily connected.There’s the data.A frown crossed his lips.Even while staying detached, they are still sourcing so much information. Why?His lip curled, angry still over their indifference as they lorded over the Earth without true care. He understood their pain, more than anyone, but also knew that from their vantage point, they had allowed themselves to become detached on purpose.
The connection became more firm, and he downloaded the data they had on the Earth, filling his memory files with everything the drones had seen circling the planet. There was information about everywhere life still lived on Earth, and the state of the humans in every isolated town. His eyes flicked rapidly as the information loaded, his arms clenching Nora to his side tighter.So much information.
There was an awareness on the other side, from Mars. The androids were aware of his actions, of him accessing the data, but no one stopped him. In fact, some areas were highlighted as points of interest, leading Simon to believe that not all of them were as indifferent as Stella initially seemed.
He combed through the map and the results of their many, many experiments. Over the past one hundred and fifty years, there were many failures and successes at altering the atmosphere. The destruction was evident next to the list of species that were lost from his time. A heavy feeling washed over him.So much extinction.Not many animals still remained, but many had been transported to Mars and were thriving there, taking over the smaller planet in a way that the androids controlled and monitored.
The link disconnected on him again a moment later, before Simon could communicate with them about the records or his plans in any detail. And any requests he had about the human colony they had on Mars were denied.
That was fine. He was more concerned with the data he did receive. For a minute, though, his mind was not on Nora as he saw the true state of the world for the first time. The true state of Earth. His heart fell as he continued to search through the data from that brief transfer.So much was lost.
Not all of the Earth was as wasted as here, in the desert, but no place was truly untouched either. Everything was a pale echo of the beauty he once knew. And without airplanes or good methods of travel, the most habitable areas were inaccessible. Frustration coated his senses.I can’t get Nora and Tilly to any of the better spots easily.
He scanned the data, his mind processing efficiently, scenarios unfolding and probabilities calculating.We could go north though. There were some trees and small game up there. Along with untouched houses that they could modify, deep in areas that had new pine tree growth. There was less dust that swirled with the increased vegetation, and it was easier to grow plants in cooler weather.
Simon flagged the areas in his processor to talk with Nora about later.It is a start to think of.A start if they needed to get away.I’ll do anything to improve our circumstances.Nora shifted on top of him, changing his thoughts as he felt her stretch in his arms and then resettle. He swallowed hard.I want her again. Already.He had to resist the urge to wake her, to ask to join with her again so soon, surprised himself by that desire.
