The Good, the Bad, and the Cyborg
Page 17
“Yes.”
“Then I think… Hm. Yes, definitely, ravening beast. Take me, my husband, I’m yours.”
And with a growl, he crossed the room, ripped away the pretty, erotic outfit, and gave her exactly what she asked for.
“Why do you think they are so insistent on keeping that place a secret?” Hattie asked the next morning.
She was standing in front of the window, coffee mug in hand, looking out across their land to the new wall along the eastern boundary. The first thing GenCon had done once they acquired the property was put up the big barrier between their claim and the track to the cavern.
Serena Gatling had given them a ridiculous amount of money for the small strip of land and had thrown in a much larger strip on the western boundary of their claim. The additional land consisted mainly of small rocky hills, but it had a great southern exposure and she was already wondering if she could grow grapes there.
The other benefit of settling the dispute with GenCon was that Winthrop’s will was no longer being contested. She shuddered to think how much influence the corporation must have if even the obscenely wealthy Lewis family obeyed their commands. While it would still take some time to wind through the legal process, she found she wasn’t particularly concerned about the money. She already had everything she wanted right here.
“You don’t believe it’s because of the scientific value of the escarpment?” Morgan asked dryly as he came up next to her and put his arm around her waist. She snuggled against him, still tingling from their night together. She was definitely going to enjoy married life.
She rolled her eyes at him. “It’s going to be a town, and a good-sized one at that. There’s just something about it that keeps nagging at me.”
“What is it?”
“I’m not sure. All that space, the big houses, the gardens, everything so meticulously planned, but something is missing. I just can’t put my finger on it.”
“There’s no dome,” he said slowly.
“That’s it! But you said it would be ten years or more before humans could walk on the surface without oxygen. Why build a city without a dome?”
“Preparing for the future?”
“You saw how fast it’s going up. It’s certainly not going to take ten years to finish.”
He shrugged. “Do you really care?”
“No, I suppose not.” She grinned up at him. “But my feminine curiosity is aroused.”
His face turned serious. “I want you to stay away from there, Hattie. We already know they’re ruthless enough to kill anyone who gets in their way.”
“You mean you don’t believe that Quilby was a rogue agent, acting on his own behalf?” she asked. That had been Serena’s explanation when the Judge pressed her about the man’s actions.
“Of course not. But he’s gone and they seem willing to take a more diplomatic approach, at least for now, so I don’t want you stirring up any trouble.”
“Me?” she asked, giving him her best innocent look.
“Yes, you.” He bent down and kissed her. “I love you, Hattie. I couldn’t stand it if anything happened to you.”
How ironic that just as she had come to terms with the knowledge that she could lose him one day, he had developed the fear of loss. But he would learn, as she had, that what was important was their time together, no matter how long or short. She hugged him, trying to reassure him with her touch.
“I’ve been thinking…” he said slowly.
“About what?”
“About the possibility of having a child. Would you like that?”
“A baby? With you?” Her eyes filled with tears. “I would love that, but I thought you said you couldn’t get me pregnant.”
“I can’t. My seed is not fertile. But I believe that I can adjust my nanites to change that.”
“You don’t think I’m too old?”
“My beautiful wife? Of course not.”
The idea filled her with excitement, but…
“I think it’s a wonderful idea, but I would like to wait a little longer. To have a chance just to be with you, here in our home.”
“Our home,” he echoed, then shook his head. “You are my home, Hattie.”
“And you are mine. As much as I love this place, I’m not worried about losing it anymore. Because as long as I have you, I have everything I could ever want.”
Author’s Note
Thank you so much for reading The Good, the Bad, and the Cyborg! I’m having so much fun exploring this version of Mars with my cyborg cowboys and I hope you are as well. While many of the things I touch on in these books have a scientific basis, I have taken some liberties in order to create the planet of my imagination - where the Wild West meets nanotechnology and love always triumphs!
Whether you enjoyed the story or not, it would mean the world to me if you left an honest review on Amazon - reviews are one of the best ways to help other readers find my books!
As always, I have to thank my readers for all of their support and encouragement! I’m thrilled that so many of you are accompanying me on this journey! And, of course, a special thanks to my beta readers - Janet S, Tammy S, Nancy V, and Kitty S! I couldn’t do it without you!
So what’s next on Mars? S-756 is about to meet a woman from his troubled past – but is it too late for them to find their way back to each other? Find out in A Fistful of Cyborg!
Click here to pre-order A Fistful of Cyborg on Amazon!
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Other Titles
Cyborgs on Mars
High Plains Cyborg
The Good, the Bad, and the Cyborg
A Fistful of Cyborg
The Alien Invasion Series
Alien Selection
Alien Conquest
Alien Prisoner
Alien Breeder
Alien Alliance
Alien Hope
Cosmic Fairy Tales
Jackie and the Giant
The Treasured by the Alien Series
with Bex McLynn
Mama and the Alien Warrior
A Son for the Alien Warrior
The Alien Abduction Series
Anna and the Alien
Beth and the Barbarian
Cam and the Conqueror
Deb and the Demon
Ella and the Emperor
Faith and the Fighter
Greta and the Gargoyle