Cryostorm (29 page)

Warm hands encompassed my shoulders, and my back brushed against the front of Robo Nate’s body.

“Of my soulmate’s needs. The dynamics of pleasing a female. Wooing her as humans do. It’s very intriguing.” His voice went flat as he spoke. “There are unspoken rules of engagement with the opposite sex. I sacrificed the window of fertility this month to investigate this phenomenon.”

“Interesting,” Bev said.

“Do not worry. I plan to mate Amanda at her next cycle. Each day. She will be pregnant within two months.”

My stomach clenched. I wanted to blurt out,
like hell
, but I didn’t. He said to follow his lead, but I hadn’t expected it to take this turn. He spoke with such certainty. What if I refused? Would he go crazy on me again like he did at the rest stop? Then at the town when I met him alone?

No. We’d have him removed from Nate’s brain before then. I had to trust that. I had to believe it or I would have melted to the floor crying. Nineteen and pregnant by a mutant. I’d probably have a two-headed baby with all the junk The Center had done with everything.

“Amanda? How do you feel about this?”

“Do I really have a choice? But I’d like to see him get through the ice I’ll cover my lower half in.” I sank my elbow in his gut. He leaned forward and gasped.

He clasped his iron fingers around the back of my neck. His lips brushed my ear. “Freeze her,” he whispered. “Then the window.”

My pleasure.

He kissed my cheek. “She will come around. I will make sure of it.”

“I will not wait another month, Josiah, if this doesn’t work.” Bev shuffled some papers. “We will resume—”

I raised my hand and sprayed. I let it stream. In the next instant, Robo Nate darted around the room like a pinball. I pointed my other hand at the window. My heart clamored to get out of my chest through my throat, both with fear and with hope.

In a whirlwind, Robo Nate was next to me again. He held several pieces of electronics. They dangled and one even sizzled.

I glanced at him.

“Cameras.”

I cut the stream to Bev. She was nothing more than a pile of ice and snow. Robo Nate approached the frozen window, and I cut that stream as well. He picked up the wooden chair that sat in front of Bev’s desk and stepped back.

With one quick motion, he tossed the furniture through. “Tempered glass. Needed it more brittle.”

“Oh.” Yeah, I wouldn’t have thought of that.

“Go.”

“Will you be okay?”

He cocked his head.

“It’s a long way down. I could help soften the landing for you.”

“Oh, yes. You softened the landing for Nate when the helicopters had procured him.”

I nodded and stepped to the window. Wind whipped through the opening and my loose hair slapped against my eyes. Several guards started making their way around the sides of the buildings.

“We must hurry. I’ll be fine.”

I hated the idea of him jumping that far. He could get hurt and then not run with us very fast. What if—

He planted his hand against my back and then behind my knees. In a flash I was up in his arms and he launched me out the opening. My stomach jumped up into my throat as I plummeted to the ground.

I put my arms out, palms down, and shot the snow out with jet speed as I bolted upward. Cutting the power, I floated toward the ground. Robo Nate dropped past me and landed with the ease of a cat.

He looked up and out went his arms to catch me. I had my target so I thrusted to the side and cut the flow. I landed in his strong arms, curled mine around his neck, and he was off. My surroundings blurred into oblivion as I held on tight, burying my face in his neck.

His pulse hammered against my forehead.

Sooner than I expected, we stopped. I pulled my face from his neck to look. We stood next to a playground. No kids on it, but the green and blue equipment shone in the sun like an altar.

“Why’d we stop?”

“I am strong and fast, but I still need rest.”

“Where are we?”

He eased me down. “Edge of California, nearing Nevada. You wish to return to GEM, correct?”

I nodded. Maybe Scott would be there by now. Had to be. But Robo Nate would go to GEM? That didn’t make sense.

“We will get a room so I can rest then procure a car for the remainder of the journey.” He took my hand in his and guided me forward.

“We could get a car now. I’ll drive while you sleep. How far until Aspen?”

“Several hours. We need food and to rest.”

“No. I need to get to Georgia. If we stop, Bev will find us. They’ll—”

“They will not find us. We will rest.” His grip tightened. “I will not sleep while you drive.”

“Please.” I went to twist my hand from his grip, but it was too strong. Instead, he pulled me close to him, studying me with his wonder-filled eyes. Tears stung. “I—I just want to go home.”

“You have no home. Aspen is not home. You—”

I pounded my fist on his chest. Such a robot. No clue. My Nate would know what I meant. My Nate would sweep me into a big hug and kiss my sadness away. Robo Nate would never be—

Two warm arms wrapped around me, encompassing my shoulders. His hand palmed the back of my head and pressed me close to his chest. Light kisses touched the top of my head and another hand brushed gently up and down my spine.

Could it be My Nate breaking through? My tears didn’t seem to care, because they spilled over. Streamed down my cheeks like acid against my skin.

“Amanda.” Robo Nate was still intact it seemed. “I’m sorry.”

I hugged him tighter.

“Please. I know you haven’t been sleeping at night. I’m tired from the run. We’ll eat, rest, and then get a car. Travel under the cover of darkness is better, anyway.” He pushed my hair away from my face and smiled. “I will get you to your family quickly.”

“Why are you doing this for me?”

“Because you are my soulmate. I want to please you.”

“So I’ll sleep with you?”

He nodded. Such honesty, yet such cluelessness.

“Already learning the manipulative ways of men, I see.”

Chapter 42

“E
at,” Robo Nate said, pushing the tray toward me. “You need nourishment.”

Yeah, right. Had to keep me healthy for baby bearing.

The hustle and bustle of the fast food restaurant had me on edge. So much noise, clanking, and talking. What if Bev’s goons barged in?

“We’re safe,” Robo Nate said, biting into his burger.

Something about his words calmed me. If anything, I knew he’d never let harm come to me. He needed me. Well, his programming did.

And I needed food.

I dove into my burger, keeping a keen eye on the door as people came and went.

“You are very alert. It’s impressive.” Nate—er—Robo Nate took a long draw of soda from his straw. “How’d you learn that?”

“Being on the run for so many years. Nate taught me plenty, too.” I reached for my French fries.

“How did you come to love him so deeply in such a short time?”

“Can’t control love. It just happened.” Let’s see, because he’s amazingly kind, selfless, considerate, strong, dedicated, gorgeous… Easy to fall in love with that.

“And this promise ring. That’s a pledge, yet not engagement.”

“Exactly.” I glanced at the treasure Nate gave to me. “It’s a step. Remember?”

He nodded. “I remember how much pleasure it gave him to give that to you. Felt how it connected you.”

So did I. Nate had touched me in ways no man ever had that night. Heck, I was ready to have sex that night when he’d said he wanted to wait until marriage.

“What’s it like…when My Nate breaks through?”

“You mean when I allow him through?”

“Nice try, buddy. He broke through you a couple of times.”

Robo Nate’s jaw tensed, then he took another bite of his burger as if contemplating what I’d said.

“You are right. He did break through. I’ve said this before. He is strong.”

“Does it hurt you? Or…him? What’s it like?”

“A headache, and a flash of white is the only way I can describe it. And then I feel like I did before.” He glanced away as he took a sip of his drink. “Like I’m looking at everything through a filter. Detached. Like there is a disconnect.”

“But you can see.”

“Bits. Flashes and images, but mostly feelings. The feelings are what allows me to experience what is happening.”

“How does he break through? Or how do you let him through?”

“My programming dominates his synaptic input and output. So, if I choose to step back, he comes forth. But…somehow he was able to override me on a few occasions.”

Was?

“I’ve remedied that.” He grinned. “He is quite genius. His creators did well.”

I ground my molars until a slight headache bloomed at the base of my skull. His creators. The fucking Center.

“May I be with you tonight? When we get back to our hotel?”

“Depends on what you mean by
be
with me. And didn’t you say we were leaving after we ate and rested? To ride under the cover of night?”

“Yes. We’ll leave when it’s dark, but until then, I would like to be close to you. Hold you as I did at our apartment.”

My cheeks flushed. I’d allowed him to cuddle with me in bed each night. But nothing more. Surprisingly, I’d slept better those nights.

Then again, when I’d healed him today I sure kissed him good. The fact that he was asking permission to sleep with me reminded me of when My Nate first asked to kiss me. How direct and matter of fact he was about it. How bold. He’d always said it was because he knew what he wanted and would risk getting hurt to experience it.

Seemed this Robo Nate was running the same course. I didn’t want to
wan
t to sleep with him. But I really did want to be close to him. Kiss those yummy lips. Feel his smooth skin. At the same time it felt like a major betrayal of My Nate, though.

“I’m not having sex with you, Robo Nate.” I shoved a fry in my mouth. “Remember, he wants to wait until marriage. There are steps to relationships.”

“But you didn’t want to wait, did you?” He leaned forward. “That’s unusual. Males are more geared toward having sex. They are usually not the ones wanting to wait for marriage.”

Busted.
“If you have his memories, then you know why.” I ate the last bite of my burger. “Ready to leave?”

He nodded. “I’ll get you some chocolate ice cream for dessert.”

I wasn’t sure where he’d gotten the money for our hotel and food, but at this point, I didn’t want to know. His curiosity intrigued me. At some moments he was so robotic, then others… Like now, he stood in line to get
me
dessert. Then before, back at GenCorp, all the gifts and treats he’d given me.

He really was trying to romance me, wasn’t he? And if I was honest with myself, he was doing pretty well, too.

Within two minutes he approached with a tall, chocolate ice cream cone and a smile filled his face.

“Here you go.” He leaned forward and kissed the tip of my nose.

“Ahhh, you two are the cutest couple ever!” a girl said as she and her friends walked past us to the line.

Robo Nate’s eyes lit up, and his smile widened as his chest puffed up. He beamed with pride.

I couldn’t help but smile.

“Ready?” he asked, nodding to the door.

We stepped out into the sunshine, me licking my cone. It was only a block to our hotel, but I sure enjoyed the fresh air and sun. I’d been cooped up in that damn research center for a week, and I was feeling it.

Warm fingers brushed mine, then twined between each. He did it with such a familiar ease. He was learning well.

We walked in silence to the hotel room, and I’d finished my cone as he opened the door for us. A TV was propped on the wall, opposite the two beds, and on the far wall a door led to a small bathroom.

The drapes were drawn so only a halo of light around them illuminated the room. Robo Nate shut and locked the door, then nodded toward the bed. “Let’s rest. I’ll set the alarm to wake us.”

“You know how to get to GEM?” I faced him.

He nodded.

“How?”

“When you were stranded at that hotel, when you met up with me without Georgia present. I’d snooped around enough to find out where you guys were headed. They really aren’t as well-equipped as you thought.” He smirked. “It was pretty easy to hack into their mobile systems.”

There was
nothing
this guy couldn’t do was there?

“I see your confusion. It makes me uncomfortable.”

“Yeah, well, join the club, buddy.” I turned, but he grabbed my elbow, stopping me.

“You’re learning right along with me, aren’t you?” he whispered, stepping close. “That we are one and the same. We are both
your
Nate.”

“No.” My voice cracked.

He cupped my face, his thumb brushing my bottom lip. “May I kiss you?”

Oh that cracked my heart hearing that. The exact words Nate had asked in his room that night of the party in his apartment. I wanted to go back to that night more than anything. Hell, I’d take a collapsing balcony over this confusion melting my brain any day.

“I can’t… I—”

“You did earlier.” His fingers toiled through my hair, then brushed my shoulder. “Most passionately, too.” He grinned. “I would like to feel that again.” His tongue jetted out, moistening his lower lip.

“Nate.” I stepped forward and rested my hands on his chest. “I want My Nate.”

“I’m right here,” he whispered, resting his cheek against my forehead. “Right here.”

“I love you so much. It hurts. I—”

His lips brushed my forehead, my temple, then my cheek. Strong, able hands cupped the nape of my neck, and I closed my eyes, losing myself in Nate’s touch. Warm breath caressed my lips, so close to me, he was the air I breathed.

Fingertips traced my spine, and I couldn’t hold back a shiver. His touch, compared to the first time he touched me when I woke in GenCorp, was so tender. So kind.

Like My Nate.

I scaled my hands up his chest and latched my fingers together at his neck. A gentle tug brought his mouth to mine. He pulled in a sharp breath, then suckled my bottom lip. That sent a dizzying thrill through my heart.