Page 33 of Perfection

Kindra drew in a whisper of air, then exhaled slowly.

Damn you, B-Watson.

Given that she’d mastered manipulating energy within the physical universe, surely she could do something about one exceedingly irritating lab assistant. And she would. Right after she completed this business with the lieutenant.

“Well?”

She knew that voice. And it didn’t belong to Harry B-Watson.

Her gaze dashed to the porthole. York’s large frame filled the entrance. Oh, the nerve! She pressed her lips together. When had he slipped in?

His mouth tugged into a crooked smile. “Can’t get rid of me, can you?”

Had he read her mind?

And damn if her foolish pulse didn’t quicken at the warmth she saw in his eyes.

“How…? Never mind. Give me a minute,” she said. “I’ll be right there.”

Met with silence, she glanced to see if he’d allowed her some privacy. And he had, facing away from her. B-Watson stood rooted in place, his eyes fixed on her chest. Gravity and a scooped-neck tunic were obviously giving him quite a show. Men. Two decades of precision genetic engineering and some things never changed. Finally, B-Watson edged to the side and out of sight. She assumed he had only escorted York here and was now returning to the lab.

She rotated to an upright position, watching York’s head dip sideways, then level again along with her progress. Remaining suspended in midair, she self-consciously adjusted the hem of her clingy teal shirt over her leggings to make certain everything was where it should be. She glared at him because he seemed so calm and she was anything but. Her heart rate sped up. “You are exceptionally annoying.”

“So I’ve been told.” York folded his arms, which caused the fabric of his shirt to stretch across well-defined biceps.

“Are you here to take me to meet the girl’s mother?”

“That’s what you asked for, right?”

Somehow, the fact she’d requested the meeting didn’t seem to be the point. God, the Coder was far too attractive. Muscles like those were rare in GEI men. Somewhere in the genetic evolution, the Committee had decided brawn interfered with intelligence.

Kindra lowered herself, bending her knees as her feet found the floor. She breathed deeply and swept a wayward strand of hair out of her eyes, telling herself to concentrate on the task at hand. She turned her back on him to walk into a rectangle of light, where she paused to allow closure for her session. Life was a continuous circle of connections.

Finally, the spotlight separated into three dim beams that rose skyward and disappeared beyond a glass-domed ceiling.

God manifests Himself through the laws of nature.All is One.

She turned, puzzled, as she stared at York where he stood just inside the porthole entrance. His face showed uncertainty—a rare sentiment for him, in her limited experience—and curiosity.

“That wasn’t part of what you showed me yesterday.”

She blinked as she focused on his observation, which wasn’t easy considering her mind was already on something else. “No, that’s the more spiritual side of the union. In total, the process is comprised of two elements.” She didn’t elaborate as she strolled to the exit. “Comp Nine, why didn’t you announce Lieutenant Richmond’s arrival?”

“Harry B-Watson indicated it wasn’t necessary.”

“I see,” she ground out. Why was that man determined to irritate her?

“May I assist with anything else?” Nine asked.

“Can you terminate obnoxious lab assistants?” Kindra asked.

“That’s not within my programming.”

“Pity.” She glanced at York. “Let’s go to my office.”

As she led the way from the unity room, Kindra cupped her left hand close to her mouth. The micro PDA fixed to her fingernail changed from hot pink to green the instant her breath hit it. “Note to self: Review B-Watson’s employment records.” The message would sync with her notes on her personal computer.

“Remind me not to piss you off,” York said.