Page 24 of The Lone Cyborg
“That’s ridiculous. Of course you are. You’re no less of a person than I am.”
“Sometimes I don’t feel that way. Especially when I think of your life being in danger.”
The words came out in a rush, his voice rough with emotion. She didn’t think as she knelt down in front, placing a soft, reassuring kiss on his mouth.
“You saved my life,” she said, drawing back just enough to meet his gaze. “But I was already in love with you.”
He froze and for a moment she was afraid she’d said the wrong thing, then his expression softened, his eyes shining with something she couldn’t quite decipher.
“You love me?”
“It shocked me too,” she teased gently. “But I do. You took me completely by surprise—not because you’re a cyborg, but because you’re sweet, protective, and thoughtful. And it doesn’t matter that you’re not quite human.”
“It matters to me,” he said fiercely, and she swallowed hard at the intensity of his gaze. “I love you, Mattie, but I don’t want you to have any regrets.”
“I don’t. I could never regret you.”
Before she could say anything else, his mouth crashed down on hers and the taste of him sent a surge of heat racing through her.He groaned, pulling her down onto his lap, the evidence of his desire pressing against her thigh as he kissed her wildly.
She wanted more, needed more, but the heat of his skin against hers reminded her of his injuries and she pulled away.
“I think this is going to have to wait until you’re better.”
“I already feel a lot better,” he insisted, pressing her hand against his erection.
“Later,” she promised, climbing off his lap and settling down next to him.
He grumbled but pulled her against his side. He really did look better, she thought. Even the blood that had coated his wounded side seemed to have disappeared. Disappeared… She gasped and sat up.
“Look…” The lichen next to his body had turned the faintest shade of pink. “It’s… it’s absorbing your blood.”
He followed her gaze, then shrugged.
“Admittedly it’s an odd kind of bandage, but it seems to be working.”
He showed her one of the wounds on his arms and now that the blood had been cleared away, she could see that the bullet hole was almost completely closed.
“That’s amazing.”
“I told you I’d be fine. Now come back here.”
She obeyed, settling back down next to him with a sigh.
“I hope Sylvester is all right,” she said softly.
Everything had happened so quickly she couldn’t be sure, but she thought he’d taken off when the shooting began.
“I’m sure he’s fine. If they couldn’t shoot well enough to deal me a fatal blow, I doubt they could hit a tiny little bird,” he said reassuringly, but her thoughts snagged on his other words.
“F…fatal blow?”
“There are some things even the nanites can’t heal—like a direct shot to the heart or the brain. Neither of which happened, which makes it that much more likely that Sylvester is all right.”
“And Trojan?”
He sighed.
“I don’t know. About the only thing that will take down one of the horses is a massive electrical charge, although I don’t see how they got close enough to administer one. If they had to do it from a distance, there’s a good chance his condition is only temporary.”
