She inhaled the sweet floral scent, sending vibes of pleasure up into the conduits of her CPU. “That smells wonderful.”
“Yes, well, a little goes a long way with this stuff.” Dalia dabbed it behind Iris’s ears and wrists. “There. Now you’re ready.”
On instinct, Iris reached for Dalia and hugged her tightly. She had become very dear to Iris. Was this what it was like to have a mother?
“Oh,” Dalia said, surprised.
Iris leaned her cheek against Dalia’s much shorter shoulder. “Thank you.”
Dalia patted her back. “Anytime.”
12
Dinner Date
Gage
Gage fidgeted with his jacket. He should have brought her flowers. Why didn’t he think of that? Girls love…
He stopped mid-thought. She wasn’t like other girls though. He glanced toward the back room wondering what could be keeping her. Was she having second thoughts? Was she still getting ready?
Before his mind could wander further, Iris walked out of the back room of Dalia’s wearing the most beautiful and sexy dress he’d ever seen, and she had the body to wear it. Her hair was up, and the way her hips swayed rhythmically back and forth was mesmerizing. Damn, she was gorgeous.
Tell her that.
“Hi,” she said, demurely.
“You look amazing.”
“Thanks. I made it for you.” She smiled, her eyes locked on his.
“Really?” He wet his lips and smiled. “I don’t think it will fit.”
“Oh. No, sorry. I mean, I made it for our date. I got up early this morning to make it.”
“You made that dress today?”
“Mm-hmm.”
The murmur reverberating on her lips was enough to make him want to kiss her before their date even started. He drew his bottom lip into his mouth. Be patient. “Okay, ready to go?”
“Sure.” Iris looked at the front counter. “Just need to get my coat.”
Gage opened the door to the store and reached for her hand. He intertwined his fingers with hers, loving the soft tender feel of her skin. He pointed to his granddad’s black Porsche Cayman. “I’m over here.”
“That’s not your car.”
“I know. It’s my grandad’s. It’s not supposed to snow, so I thought it might be fun. It really hugs the mountain roads.”
“Oh.” She smiled, unsure. “That’s, um, very thoughtful of you.”
“You’ll see.” He guided her over to his car and opened the passenger door.
She slid into the black bucket seat. When he shut the door, the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. He glanced around. Someone or something was watching him. Not seeing anything except a few couples strolling up and down Main Street, he shook it off and got in the car.
“So, what kind of music do you like?” Gage asked. “Wait…” He held up his hand. “If you say eighties…”
Iris laughed. It wasn’t forced or unnatural. It was whole and contagious. He grinned back. He’d never seen her so relaxed.
“You mean, because of Adam?” she asked between giggles.
“Yeah, I thought that since you two—”
“No. We don’t work that way. We’re not programmed to learn the same way. Adam loves to dance and learned that through eighties’ music. I’m different. I love fashion.” Her expression changed from mirth to something more serious. She touched the lapel of his jacket, her darkened eyelids heavy. “Things like this are what turn me on.”
He stilled under her touch, his eyes dropping to her lips. He didn’t know if he’d ever been this turned on. To be fair, he’d lost his virginity to a girl who’d stayed at his family’s lodge last year. And while he’d had some serious make out sessions with Mazy, Iris was the first girl he’d ever felt this attracted to.
But they were in public. He grasped her hand. “To be continued. Ready to go?”
Gage played Shawn Mendes and forced his eyes on the road instead of her legs. He swayed rhythmically as he steered around the twisting bends into the mountains overlooking the town. The ski lodge was a few miles past his house, and he knew the roads like the back of his hand.
“I’ve never been to this part of the mountain.” Iris leaned her head against the seat and watched the trees zip by. She meant topside. Her previous residence, Bio-Core, was located at the base of the mountain.
He reached for her hand. “You doing okay with the altitude?”
She nodded, glancing at his hand on hers. “I’m okay.” When she looked back out the window, her mouth formed an O. “I love that house. From town, it reminds me of a star atop a Christmas tree.” She smiled. “Adam made me research human holidays.”
“Oh yeah?” He slowed down. “Well, that’s my house.”
“Seriously?”
Gage opened his mouth to say that they could stop, but he wasn’t exactly sharing with his granddad that he was on a date with Iris. He was home, and Gage didn’t think that would go over well. “Yeah. I’ll have to invite you over sometime soon.”
When Granddad is out of town.
“That would be nice.” She looked back at his house. “It’s perfection.”
They pulled up to the front of the lodge. Rob and Jim were working. They were snowboarders and stoners. They’d worked here for the last five years. Even though they were in their late twenties, they were content to work at the lodge as long as it supported their recreational activities.
Gage got out and handed Rob a ten. On the opposite side, Jim offered his hand to help Iris out of the car.
“Do not touch me.” She pushed his hand aside and rose on her own, eyes narrowed.
His first instinct was to laugh, until he remembered what she was capable of. He rounded to her side in a flash and put his arm around her. “I got her. Thanks, Jim.”
Jim raised his hands in surrender. “Whoa, I’m sorry, miss.”
She leaned into Gage and whispered, “I don’t like to be touched by strangers.”
“It’s okay, Jim is cool. He was just trying to help. It’s his job.”
“Oh, right.” Her cheeks turned a shade darker. She looked back at Jim. “Thank you, but I do not require assistance.”
“No problem.” Jim nodded, his eyes a hazy shade of pink.
Gage led Iris up the steps to the front door of the lodge. She was warm nestled by his side. He nuzzled her hair, taking in scents of vanilla and flowers. He was eager to find out if the chemistry he felt was as strong for her as it was for him. If only his granddad wasn’t home…
He shook the thought from his mind. He wasn’t that kind of guy. His brother probably was. He shuddered and banished the thought.
He’d arranged to have a table at the top of the lodge by the massive floor-to-ceiling window that overlooked the ski slopes. It was a beautiful night, and a lot of skiers were still on the slopes.
“I’ve never been skiing.” Iris twisted in her seat to look out the massive window.
“I’ll take you. Anytime.”
“I’d like that.” Iris glanced at him, her amethyst eyes sparkling in the candlelight.
Mr. Fitz, Gage’s favorite waiter, approached their table. He’d worked at the lodge restaurant ever since Gage could remember. He couldn’t guess his age except that he’d always known him to have gray hair. He was good at his job, and many regulars requested one of his tables. Mr. Fitz smiled, lifted the cloth napkin in front of Iris, and made to place it on her lap.
She grabbed his wrist before he even got close, her eyes steely.
“Oh, dear.” He dropped the napkin.
She let go of his wrist, but her watchful eyes never left his.
“I’m so sorry. I was only trying—” Mr. Fitz started.
“It’s okay, Mr. Fitz. She’s from Canada.” Gage stared hard at Iris. “In the U.S., it’s customary for waiters to place napkins in the guest’s lap if they haven’t done so already.”
Iris blushed, her eyes wide. “Oh. Will you excuse me for a moment?”
“Sure.” What was she up to now?
She stood and asked Fitz, “Where is the ladies’ room?”
“It’s behind you, down the hall, miss.”
“Thank you.” Iris dropped her cloth napkin in her seat and took off in a brisk walk.
Mr. Fitz watched her leave. “Strange young lady, Mr. Strickland.”
Gage didn’t know how to explain that he couldn’t be more right. “Yeah, but she sure is pretty.”
“She’s definitely that.” He looked back at Gage and smirked. “How are you? I haven’t seen you or your grandfather in here for some time. All well?” Mr. Fitz snatched a pitcher from another waiter walking behind him and poured water into their glasses.
“Yeah. Granddad is working too much as usual, and since Mazy and I broke up, I haven’t had anyone to bring here until now.”
“Well, I’m glad to see you all the same,” he said. “I’ll be back in a few moments after your date has returned.”
A few minutes passed, and Iris sat back down at their table, gently placing her napkin in her lap. She leaned toward him. “I’m very sorry. I didn’t know where you were taking me, so I didn’t research the proper etiquette for fine dining. But don’t worry, I’m up to speed now.” She settled back into her chair and smiled mischievously.
“Is that why you went to the restroom?”
Iris nodded.
“That quickly?”
“Yes.”
Mr. Fitz came back over to the table.
Before he could open his mouth, Iris said, “I don’t know what came over me earlier. My apologies, sir.” She smiled at Gage.
Gage smiled. Well played.
“Ah, well, no need.” He held up his wrist. “I’m fine. Now we have a few specials this evening in addition to the menu. We’re offering a fresh Maine lobster with clarified butter, venison medallions with plum sauce, and wild-caught trout prepared with a lemon butter sauce. Can I offer you something to drink while you look over the menu?”
“I’ll have a glass of Chardonnay,” Iris lifted her chin with a playful grin.
Chardonnay? Oh, God. Gage chuckled nervously. “Good one, Iris. Two Cokes, please. Thanks, Mr. Fitz.”
She frowned as she likely tried to work out what she’d done wrong.
Mr. Fitz nodded, his expression unreadable. “Two Cokes.”
As soon as he left their table, Gage shook his head. Maybe this date wasn’t such a good idea. “We aren’t twenty-one, and he knows that. Why would you try to order wine?”
She huffed and looked down at her lap. “I’m sorry. People order wine when they are at a fine restaurant. I didn’t include our age as a variable in my search.”
Gage sat back and sighed. Maybe he was being too hard on her. He was the one who took her to this restaurant without telling her where they were going. Most people would have a difficult time acclimating to this kind of etiquette, let alone someone who’d likely only seen food on a tray in a cell.
His heart twisted. It was his family that had kept her in that cell.
“No, this is on me. I brought you here.” He reached for her hand across the table. She acquiesced. He stroked the soft spot between her thumb and index finger. “Let me make it up to you. I’ll order for us.” Gage looked down at his menu. “Does anything look good to you?”
“Oh, yes. I want to try the lobster special.” Iris smiled wickedly.
“But I thought—”
She squeezed his hand. “Trust me.”
He narrowed his eyes.
“For real this time.”
“Of course you want to eat the most difficult thing.” Gage smirked and shook his head. He didn’t think there was much he’d deny her.
“I promise, I know how to do it. I’ve watched it done a hundred times. Please?”
“Fine. I like lobster.”
“I hope I like it too.” She raised her eyebrows, bouncing in her seat.
Gage chuckled. “Well, we’re about to find out.”
Thirty minutes later, Mr. Fitz brought two whole lobsters to their table with appropriate forks and crackers. Unlike Gage, Mr. Fitz was more than confident in Iris to handle the lobster because she was from Canada.
Before Gage could start, Iris set to work at breakneck speed and precision. She broke the lobster in half and tore off the claws. She had the meat procured from all its shell in under three minutes. Gage stared at her perfectly dissected lobster, shells deposited in the bowl Mr. Fitz provided. She sliced a piece of tail with her knife and fork, dipped it lightly in the warm butter, and placed the succulent piece in her mouth.
She beamed up at him. “Mmm, I like lobster.”
“Wow.” He smiled back at her. “That was something.”
Iris pointed at his plate. “Do you need help?”
Does he need help? Of course not. He was totally capable of shelling and eating a lobster. Although it would take him a lot longer, and he was hungry. He slid his plate toward her. “Sure.”
Three minutes later, he was enjoying lobster and the company of the girl who shelled it.
After dinner, Gage took Iris back to Evie’s house. As he pulled up, Mac Grayson peeked out the front window. Iris may not be his daughter, but since she was staying with him, he was treating her as if she were. Gage opened the door and reached for Iris’s hand. He walked her to the front door, where an overhead light was on.
“I had fun tonight,” Gage said.
“Yeah, I was a bit of a mess at the beginning of dinner, but I think I pulled it together by the end.” She smiled up at him.
He faced her and glanced at the front window. He whispered, “Your host family is watching. So I guess this is good night.” He squeezed her hand and made to let go.
“It was a very good night.” Iris pulled him back to her with a strength he knew she possessed but had not yet felt. She leaned into him and pressed her lips to his.
Wow. He wrapped his arms around her back and pulled her against him. He parted his lips and deepened the kiss. She tasted sweet and fresh from the mints Mr. Fitz left at their table. She caressed the back of his neck with her hands, her fingertips teasing at his hair. God, she felt good.
The light overhead the porch flashed. He broke away, the heat of her skin still lingering on his. “Sorry. Um, I think you’d better go in now.”
Iris shook her head, her freshly-kissed lips asking for more. “Why?”
The front door opened, and Mac Grayson stood in the doorway. “All right, you two. Time to call it a night.”
Iris looked between Gage and Mac as if weighing her options on how to dispose of Evie’s dad.
Oh no. Adam would kill him if he let Iris do something they would all regret. He stepped off the porch. “Good night, Sheriff. Good night, Iris. I’ll call you tomorrow.”
Gage turned and walked back down the walkway, waving one last time before driving away. As he drove home, he thought about the feel of her in his arms. He’d kissed plenty of girls before, but he’d never experienced the intensity he felt with her. He exhaled loudly, a smile creeping up on his lips. Wow.
13
Slumber Party
Iris
Iris shut the door and leaned against it. She fought the urge to scream as excitement welled up inside her metal brain. Instead, she balled her hands into fists, her smile broad. “I really like him, Mr. Grayson. Isn’t he wonderful?”
“First Evie, now you.” Mac rolled his eyes. “I swear the water supply in this town is tainted.”
Iris’s stomach dropped like she’d been punched in SIM, her face stone cold in a heartbeat. Contaminated water was very dangerous. “How do you know?”
Mac gave her a sidelong glance. “No…Iris. I’m joking.”
“Oh.” Iris nodded, relaxing her shoulders. Humans joked way too much about serious matters. Time to cover. “That’s funny.”
Mac frowned. He opened his mouth to say something else, but Serena came into the hallway and swatted his chest.
“Stop teasing h
er.” She turned to Iris, eyes bright with enthusiasm. “Did you have a nice time with Gage?”
Did she? Iris couldn’t control it any longer. With a widening grin, she screamed, her voice reverberating off every surface in range.
“Christ, all mighty!” Mac yelled.
“Oh my goodness.” Serena laughed. “I’ll take that as a yes.”
“Or she’s lost her mind,” Mac whispered under his breath.
“Oh, stop,” Serena said. “She’s just smitten. Look at her. She’s positively glowing.”
“What the heck is going on?” Evie ran down the steps with Mazy and Sloan in tow.
Iris glanced up at her friends. “I had a nice date with Gage.”
All three girls smiled. Standing behind Evie’s parents, Sloan made a gesture with her fist and mouth. Iris frowned, not recognizing it. Mazy turned and slapped Sloan’s arm, forcing her to stop.
“Let’s go upstairs so you can tell us about it. We’re having a slumber party,” Evie said. “Mazy’s got masks for us to try.”
Iris said good night to Mac and Serena and followed the girls upstairs. Her heart felt so full that she thought she might burst. That wasn’t actually possible, was it? She did a quick search. Nope. She was good to go.
She walked into Evie’s room. Sloan sat down at Evie’s desk, Mazy perched herself at the window seat overlooking the front of the house, and Evie plopped down on her bed and crossed her legs. She grabbed a pad of paper and pencil and set it on her lap. Iris sat down on the bed next to her.
“So, where did he take you?” Evie asked, her eyes not leaving her work.
Sloan and Mazy perked up with interest.
“He picked me up at Dalia’s and took me to dinner at the ski lodge restaurant. We ate lobsters.”
“That’s one thing I miss about Gage.” Mazy sighed. “That restaurant is amazing.”
Iris frowned. She’d stored away her memory files about Mazy and Gage dating. But since Mazy still brought it up, she wondered about her motives.
Perfection Page 8