Page 60 of CHOICE Lover
“I will put the money into it. Then it will be yours.”
“Why are you being so difficult?” She glances at the particle panes, which display a stream scene, then back to him. His brows arch as if implying,See, you’re the difficult one. “I feel guilty taking your money, okay? I didn’t earn it, so I don’t deserve it.”
He grins. “Oh, well, let me help you with that. I earned it, and I want you to have some of it.” She opens her mouth to argue, but he holds a hand up. “You’ve been through an ordeal that is a direct result of my choices. Therefore, I think you deserve it.” She frowns. “If you need to occupy your time, there are plenty of things you can do. What about writing books again?” he asks. “That’s a good idea.”
“No,” she grumbles.
“Why not? I’ve read all your alien books. They’re good,” he says. “If you want a job, why don’t you do that?”
She shakes her head. “I don’t know if I can create characters future people will relate to.” She waves a hand in his direction. “You don’t count.”
Truthfully, after years of query rejections, she isn’t sure she can go through it again. She’d been weeks away from giving up when a publisher reached out because they saw her talking about her books on social media and made her the offer that set everything in motion. After over a hundred noes from agents, she’d come to the determination that there wasn’t a place for her in that world. Now, with everything she’s going through, it feels too risky. Like exposing herself to that level of vulnerability would be what finally causes her to lose hope.
“Approach it from a different angle, then,” he suggests.
“What do you mean?”
“Like that part where Felicity tames a flying lizard monster and saves Bastian from the marauders, so he thanks her by pleasuring her atop said monster during their escape.” It’s her turn to blink at him in amazement. “I feel like people now would find that very enjoyable. Maybe you could even partner with a simulation chamber and have them recreate scenes from the books for people to act out.”
Of all the scenes he would bring up . . . Well, he invented sex clones, so maybe having him read her sexy scenes isn’t that disturbing. “Are you suggesting I write erotica to relate to future people?”
His brow wrinkles. “Is that what it’s called?”
“While there is absolutely nothing wrong with erotica, you realize sex wasn’t the focus of my books, right?”
“Yes, I realize that. It was only a suggestion.”
She can’t help but laugh. What a pair they would make—him with his manupartners and her with her erotic simulation chambers. Truthfully, she’s surprised they don’t already exist. “Okay then. Thanks for the suggestion.”
“You’re welcome,” he says in complete seriousness, turning back to his desk and assuming the intensely focused gaze that tells her he’s gone back to whatever he’s been preoccupied with since the robbery. Which she totally gets. She’s been a little on edge too, and it’s not even her company. Recovering a sense of security will take time for them both. Not that she ever had one to begin with.
A few minutes pass, and she catches him stealing brief glances at her.
Eventually he says, “Are you going to order the desk and system?”
“No,” she says, not looking up from her tablet. Is that what’s been on his mind?
“Why not?”
“I don’t need it. The tablet is fine.” She’s clutching it like he might take it away from her.
“I see,” he says, eyeing her tight grip on the device. “How are you going to write thousands of words on that? Unless you’d prefer to go back to the lab to get an m-volt implant?”
A shudder racks her spine. After the robbery, going back to the lab is the last thing she wants to do. “No thanks. And I told you, I’m not writing books.”
“Then what are you doing on there? Writing Brain Dumps about how handsome I am?” he asks, wearing a delicious smirk. She isn’t sure she can handle it if he becomes charming, too.
She almost reminds him she’s not a manupartner, but she's pretty sure he’s stopped pretending she is, considering his confession. Instead, she says, “That’s not funny. Remember, my Brain Dumps are off limits.” God, if he only knew what shewaswriting about him. She adds a dramatic groan for emphasis and turns away, hiding her embarrassing blush. “I told you I’m starting an advice column, so I’m doing research and making notes.”
This catches his attention. He stands and walks over to the L-shaped couch. “Electra, I asked you to reconsider.” When she only arches a stubborn brow, he presses, “We should probably discuss this further. We could go to a simula—”
“This isn’t up for discussion,” she snaps, cradling the tablet to her chest.
He sighs, running his hand through his obscenely touchable-looking hair. “I told you it isn’t advisable. It is my responsibility to protect you.”
“And I told you that no one will find out my identity. I’ve already created a username and have friends. Everyone thinks I’m just another MSP citizen.”
“Electra—” he starts.
