Page 36 of Perfection

She wrapped an arm around the plant, resting it on her hip, and said to York. “I hope Brianna is pleased.”

“Brianna?” the clerk asked as they turned to leave.

“Yes, this is for my daughter.”

“Oh, no, that won’t do. She’ll…”

But the man’s voice faded as Kindra picked up her pace, moving ahead of York out of the store as an idea struck. She’d pick up a new Global Doll, too. Surely that would make up for the somewhat broken promise. She led the way to the airlifts, arriving just in time to slip onto the large oval lift platform that replicated the shape of the inner open atrium. “Hurry.”

York stepped on as it started to rise. “Now what?”

“One more quick stop.”

He nodded slowly. “And that would be?”

“You’ll see.” Then she instructed the airlift, “Twelfth floor.”

York groaned and crossed his arms. The platform smoothly ascended the atrium like a sweeping spiral staircase. She shifted the potted plant to her other hip so its weight was tugging her to the center of the airlift instead of making her feel like she’d topple over the rim. When she glanced again at York, he grinned.

At the ninth floor, a young man sailed by them in a free fall. From a side portal, a flying robot zoomed out and caught the troublemaker, effectively ending the plummet. “Stupid kids,” York said. “They have no respect for life.”

Kindra peered over the edge and watched as the robotic rescuer took the GEI teenager to a security post. “Do they ever miss?”

“Not supposed to.”

“What’ll happen to him?”

“His thrill ride will get him a few days in detention.”

She nodded, wondering how many miscreants actually did their time. The bribery system more than likely allowed the petty offenders to go free while lining government officials’ pockets. By the look on York’s face, she’d say he didn’t approve of the kid’s wild behavior.

When they docked at the designated floor, York casually stepped from the platform and politely held out his hand to assist her. It was an old-fashioned gesture, but nice. How long had it been since someone had offered her aid? How long had it been since she’d accepted it? The simple act just highlighted the way people rarely helped one another nowadays. Not wanting to make a big deal of the assistance, she sighed and placed her slim hand in his large one. His palm was rough, warm, and…revealing. But she wouldn’t let on that it showed her how difficult the towering view was for him.

“Over here.” She led the way to the left, holding on to him longer than she should have. With her skin feverish, her blood pulsing down to her fingertips, she was totally aware of him. And, strangely, his fearless pretense moments earlier struck her as sweetly heroic.

But she was in no mood to analyze that now.

She hurried into the store and halted in the center aisle of Global Dolls, Inc. Spinning around, she faced York. He gave a lopsided smile, seeming amused. Damn his too-handsome, too-male, too-charming self. Her throat managed to squeeze some saliva down to her stomach.

“A doll shop?” he asked.

She shoved the sunflower between them until it nudged his ribs. “Hold this, please.”

“Are you almost finished?”

“Yes. I know exactly what I want, and then we’ll be out of here.”

She plucked the last eighteen-inch doll with coal black hair from the shelf and a box of Grow Your Own Garden accessories, paid using an automated system via her thumbprint and turned triumphantly to York. “Okay, let’s—”

His intense expression robbed her of air as his gaze swept the room to pinpoint the security cameras.

“What is it?”

He whipped out his spot computer and flipped through posts. “Vi noted that B-Gastion said his wife and Isabelle were in this store last week.”

Kindra hesitated as she looked around. “So? Lots—”

“I need to speak to the manager.”