“What question, sir?”

  “He asked me if, come six months, I was planning to hold him down with another request to stay on at Mercer Robotics.”

  My eyes drop to the yes written on the envelope, then latch back onto Nolan Mercer’s blue ones.

  “The hint came from you, didn’t it?”

  I see no point in denying it. “And now you’re angry with me?”

  Thomas’s father doesn’t answer right away. But when he does, his lips tilt up at the corners. “To the contrary, Dr. Campbell. I’m surprised by you—a little blindsided, even. But mostly intrigued. When I asked Thomas to join Mercer Robotics, I wanted him to step up, to take responsibility for something so that he’d be more ready to step into my shoes one day. I sure didn’t expect him to fall in love and quit the family business.”

  Thomas told his father he’s in love with me and he quit his job? The two revelations battle for attention inside my brain. I haven’t heard from him in three days, I’ve no idea what he’s thinking. Until a minute ago, I wasn’t even sure he still wanted anything to do with me. But if he handed in his resignation and told his father we’re serious, then… maybe… there’s hope.

  I must be gaping at Thomas’s father like an idiot because he clicks his tongue. “Ah, I take it this is news for you, too. Guess I’m not the only one who gets to be surprised these days.”

  I swallow. “Why have you called me here, sir?”

  If it’s not to fire me and not to give me a roasting, I want to know what I’m doing here.

  “Ah, engineers.” Nolan Mercer shakes his head, dare I say almost benevolently? “Going always straight to the point.” He sighs. “You’re here because I wanted to have a chat with the woman who made my son finally take life seriously, and made him eager to make something of his many talents, even if it won’t be in the family business.”

  “I’m not fired?”

  Nolan Mercer actually chuckles at that. “No, Dr. Campbell, you’re not fired. Mercer Robotics has already lost too many excellent resources to part with another one. And you’re too precious to the department, anyway. In fact, I should probably let you get back to work. I’ve been told Bios Torc Solutions is on our heels about hand-guided programming.”

  Am I being dismissed? Seems like it.

  I give him a curt nod. “Very well, sir.”

  I stand up, but instead of letting me go like last time, Nolan Mercer stands up as well and escorts me to the door.

  “Dr. Campbell,” he starts, then stops. “May I call you Reese?”

  This conversation is getting weirder by the second.

  At a loss for words, I simply nod.

  “Very well, Reese. And I don’t expect you to call me Dad any time soon, but maybe you can drop the sir?”

  “Yes, S—err…”

  “Nolan will be fine.”

  I nod again.

  He smiles and then winks at me. “Looking forward to seeing you at family brunch on Sunday.”

  39

  REESE

  Nolan Mercer winked at me and then invited me to Sunday brunch. What does that even mean?

  As I ride down in the elevator, I feel like I’m having an out-of-body experience. Surely what just happened didn’t really happen. It can’t have happened.

  Nolan Mercer can’t have just told me it’s okay that I’m single-handedly responsible for making the heir apparent to the family empire renounce the throne and that there will be no consequences.

  I take out my phone and call Thomas. Straight to voicemail. Is his phone off, or has he blocked me? Why would he block me if he loves me? If he told his father he’s in love with me?

  I barrel into the lab and talk to no one as I head straight for Maria’s station. “I need your phone.”

  She turns to me with a perplexed blink. “Morning, boss.”

  I gesture impatiently for the phone.

  Raising both eyebrows, she hands it to me. I copy Thomas’s number from my contacts and press call. Voicemail again. He didn’t block me. His phone is off. Why is his phone off? Is he okay?

  He must be; his father saw him just last night and didn’t seem in the least worried about Thomas’s well-being. He seemed proud.

  Thomas, Thomas, Thomas… what are you up to?

  I give Maria back her phone with a short, “Thanks,” and head into my office.

  My first instinct would be to get out of here and go search for Thomas. But his father made it clear where my place is, exactly here making sure we beat the competition out of the park. And I don’t want to push my luck by making a sex tape at work, then persuading the chief’s son to quit, and also slacking off at my job.

  As welcoming as Mr. Mercer—Nolan??!—appeared to be, I don’t think I can get away with leaving the office in the middle of the morning to embark on a manhunt. Especially since I have no idea where to look.

  So, I try to focus on work. But every time I glance over at the desk next to mine, where Thomas used to sit, all I can think about are his soulful eyes and the hurt in them the last time we saw each other.

  Somehow, I make it through to the end of the day. As I get out of the office, the first thing I do is call Thomas. But his phone is still dead.

  I go home, missing him.

  I eat dinner, missing him.

  And I sit on the couch staring at the black TV screen, still missing him.

  Missing him is like a physical pain, it’s a constant throbbing ache in my chest, a hunger that can’t be satiated, a fire that can’t be extinguished.

  I can’t sleep, I can’t rest.

  I’m a throbbing, burning mess.

  I need something. A piece of him. Even something small would do. If I had a voice message on my phone, I could at least fall asleep listening to his voice. I could even do with one of his notes.

  My brain snaps. Of course! The thing he left for me in my drawer at the office. I never checked it. And it’s Friday night. I’m not waiting until Monday morning to find out what it is. In a complete sense of déjà vu—after all, going to the office after hours put me into this mess in the first place—I pull on shoes and a coat and practically run out of the house.

  Outside it’s raining and freezing but I don’t care, I don’t go back for an umbrella. I sprint toward the subway station, adrenaline pumping through my veins, turning me superhuman. There’s a train already waiting on the tracks. I leap inside it a moment before the doors close.

  I count the stops in my head, willing the train to move faster. When we finally reach the right station, I dash out of the train and take the steps two at a time, my heart jackhammering in my chest.

  I burst into the office building, my breaths coming in quick gasps. The night guard looks up at me in surprise, but I ignore him.

  My shoes squeak against the polished tiles as I hurry toward the elevators, pressing the call button impatiently. When the doors finally open, I jump inside and punch the button for the basement. One floor down, the elevator dings and I step out, running across the lab in a last mad dash toward my desk.

  I reach my office, push the door open, and find Thomas inside, crouching next to K-2P.

  40

  THOMAS

  The door to Reese’s office bangs open, making me jump. But the temporary shock is nothing compared to the jolt of electricity that shoots straight through my spine as I spot her standing in the doorway.

  Her hair is wet and plastered to her face, she’s panting and breathless, and her expression is wild and desperate.

  And she’s never been more beautiful.

  For a moment, I just stare at her—unable to think or move. All I can do is take in the sight of her, drinking in every detail.

  “Thomas?” she asks, as if she can’t trust I’m really here. “What are you doing here?”

  I stand up and pat K-2P’s dome. “It’s Friday night, and I didn’t want this guy to spend the weekend alone. I know he hates it.”

  Reese’s face twists with something ugly and beautiful at the same time. For a moment, I think she might cry. Instead, she lets out a sound that is a mix of a strangled sob and a battle cry and launches herself at me.

  When she barrels into me, I’m not prepared for the impact. I stumble backward until we crash against the metal blinds covering the glass walls of her office.

  And then we’re kissing.

  Reese’s mouth is determined, urgent, and fierce. Demanding.

  Her hands are on my face, in my hair, pulling me closer and closer. My hands snake around her waist, joining in the effort of obliterating all and any distance between us.

  My head spins with her scent, with the taste of her lips on mine. Every sensation is so achingly intense.

  We kiss until we can’t breathe and my lungs ache. Until our lips are swollen and bruised. Until I am so lost in her I don’t know who I am or where I am.

  The kiss ends softly as my arms tighten around Reese’s waist, but neither one of us backs away; we just stand there with our foreheads pressed together, trying to find our breaths again.

  Trembling hands find their way to my face and she cups either side of it, gazing up at me with eyes that are still fiery with emotion.

  “I love you,” she says. “I want you. Being without you has been like being trapped underwater with no air.”

  The words hit me like a physical blow. “It’s over, baby, you don’t have to miss me anymore. I’m here, I love you. I quit my job.”

  “I know.” She hugs me. Squeezing me within an inch of my last breath. For someone so small she sure has a hell of a grip.

  “How do you know?”

  She looks up at me, an unsure smile on her swollen lips. “Your father told me. He asked me to call him Nolan, invited me to family brunch, and winked at me.”

  That pulls a smile from me. “Did he now?”

  “What is family brunch?”

  “A message to me.”

  “What message?”

  “That if I’m not sure enough about us to bring you to family brunch, then I should probably reconsider my choices.”

  Reese frowns. “Your dad thinks you’re making a mistake?”

  “No, he’s just telling me to be sure.” I gently dig my fingers into her hips. “I am sure.”

  “And what were you waiting for before telling me? I’ve been dying here.”

  “I wanted to wait until tomorrow. I didn’t suppose you wanted to discuss anything here at work, and I didn’t want to ambush you after a long day at the office.”

  “That is the silliest thing I’ve ever heard. Ambush me, ambush me whenever you want.”

  “Oh, I plan on ambushing you a lot from now on, Campbell.”

  Her eyes go molten and her gaze drops to my mouth. “Well, in that case…”

  She presses against me in a sensual way that has my head spinning again. But before she can kiss me I turn her in my arms and flip her around, pulling her back flush with my front. Then I lower my head to whisper in her ear, “What do you say this time we take this somewhere more appropriate and cut those poor security guards a break?”

  I nip her earlobe.

  She squirms against me. “You’re not making the argument to wait a strong one.”

  That’s when K-2P wheels in front of us. “How about I do? You can’t make another sex tape in the office. Plus, my battery is running low, and I don’t plan on exiting the room. So, either I stay here and recharge and watch whatever happens, or we all go to Thomas’s place and I recharge in the privacy of my room while you two do whatever has you both so worked up in his room.”

  Keeping my arms tightly wrapped around her, I add, “My bed is enormous and soft, but if you’re dead set on desk sex I⁠—”

  She turns around and pushes a finger over my mouth. “Stop talking before we make another scandal. Let’s go home.”

  We lace our fingers and walk out of the office hand in hand, headed home—K-2P trailing behind us.

  And tonight, home is more than just a place, it’s a whispered promise of us, of a future together, of a new beginning.

  41

  REESE

  Despite the heating in Thomas’s car blasting hot air at max speed, I’m trembling by the time we arrive at his building. The adrenaline has washed out of me, and my soaked hair and clothes have caught up with me.

  Thomas notices right away. While K-2P whizzes off somewhere in the apartment, presumably his room, Thomas gently drags me toward the bathroom, where he gets a bath started, filling the giant tub with steaming water. He undresses me next, down to removing my socks, but he stays mostly clothed, pulling off only his suit jacket and button-down shirt.

  A shiver runs through me and I don’t know if it’s from the cold or from the sight of him bare-chested. Next thing I know, he’s picking me up and gently lowering me into the tub.

  My skin burns in protest for a second but then it quickly adjusts to the bubbly warmth. Just when I think I’ve gone to heaven, Thomas begins bathing me. He grabs a sponge and massages the sensation back into my toes, to then move up to my legs, torso, and arms.

  “Mmm,” I moan contentedly. “I don’t think I’m ever going to take a shower again.”

  “No?” My eyes are closed, but I can hear the amusement in Thomas’s voice as he asks, “Is it the giant tub or the personal bathing service?”

  I peek up at him from under one eyelid. “Aren’t you joining me?”

  He shakes his head. “Not tonight, baby. Tonight, I’m taking care of you.”

  I’m about to protest, but then his deft fingers sink into my hair, massaging my scalp, and I lose all cognitive function.

  By the time he rinses me off and wraps me in a towel, I’m limp.

  “Better?” Thomas asks, offering me support with his body—his front to my back—and staring at me with a smile through the mirror.

  “Mmm, getting there,” I tease. “If I remember correctly, I was lured here with the offer of a huge bed and party favors.”

  His laugh rumbles up his chest and vibrates against my shoulders just for a second before he scoops me up into his arms.

  I curl into his chest as he carries me out of the bathroom and to his bed.

  He tenderly drops me onto the mattress, then takes off his pants and socks before finally climbing in next to me. He pulls me in close, nuzzles my neck, and whispers, “I’ve dreamed of having you in my bed since the first time you flashed me your underwear.”

  I cup his beautiful face. “And you’ve no idea how many times I wished I was brave enough to kiss you.”

  His eyes darken as he moves on top of me. Thomas rests on his elbows and gazes down at me, his expression more tender than I’ve ever known him to be. “No more wishes and no more dreams; from now on, it’s going to be just us together in the real world.”

  And then he kisses me.

  When I wake up the next morning, my brain takes a minute to be completely still and content before it explodes with questions.

  What is Thomas going to do now that he quit working for his father? Is he going to regret leaving Mercer Industries? Will he resent me for it? What am I going to wear to Sunday brunch? Am I officially invited? And then, what did he put in my desk drawer? Every time I remember to check and get to the office with that sole purpose, we end up having mind-blowing sex instead. Not that I’m complaining.

  Thomas groans next to me. “Cool your circuits, Campbell, you’re disturbing me with your overthinking.”

  “Tell me you have a plan, that you didn’t just quit your job on a whim and are going to resent me for it.”

  Thomas lifts one lid. “I have a plan. I didn’t just quit my job on a whim and I won’t resent you for quitting. Happy?” He closes his eyes again and snuggles into me. “Now can we go back to cuddling?”

  Cuddling soon turns into more, and he distracts me for the good part of an hour. But the moment he tries to drop asleep on my chest again, I ask him, “What plan?”

  “Do I have to sex you into silence again?”

  I chuckle. “You can. But I will ask again once it’s over, so unless you plan on sexing me all day long…”

  He rolls off of me and pulls up on an elbow. “Is that a challenge, Campbell?”

  The way he stares at me now, it’s a challenge I wouldn’t mind losing, but I also want to know he’ll be okay in the new situation. “I just want to make sure you’ll be as happy as I am. Can you tell me what the plan is? Then I promise you can sex me up all day.”

  Thomas sighs and rolls onto his back. “Ah, you drive a hard bargain, Campbell. But since my plan requires your approval, we might as well discuss it. I just wanted to do a little more research before I presented it to you.”

  I’ve no idea what he might be talking about. “What plan?”

  “And don’t worry, if you hate it, there are a million other things I can do. A friend a while ago pitched me an idea for a start-up in smart urban agriculture, but I’ve passed because I still thought I’d spend the rest of my career at Mercer Industries, but now I’d be free to explore it…”

  “Thomas, what’s plan number one?”

  He lets out a long-suffering sigh. Then, placing both his hands under his head, elbows wide, biceps bulging in a way that makes me regret not taking him up on his offer for all-day sex, he stares at the ceiling. “You know what the best part of being at Mercer Robotics was for me? Beside meeting you, I mean.”

  I shake my head because I have no clue.

  “It was meeting K-2P.” He tilts his head toward me. “He’s brilliant, mostly I’m sure because he’s an extension of your genius mind.” Thomas taps my forehead with his fingertip. “And I’ve always considered it a pity he has to live hidden in your office like something you shouldn’t be proud of.”

  He rolls fully onto his side now. “So that got me thinking, what would be the best application for him? And then I got an idea. As a kid, I would’ve given anything to have an intelligent droid like those you see in movies as a toy. And I did some research, and all the models on the market right now are crazy expensive, so what if we made an affordable one that every kid in America could have?”