CHAPTERTHIRTEEN
LEXI
Lexi had been having trouble keeping Rao off her mind since their last encounter. It wasn’t just that the sex was spellbinding … she had never orgasmed that deeply in her entire sexual life … it was the connection that frightened her.
Ever since he’d opened up about his family, she’d seen that he was willing to make an effort to make her feel comfortable. That was more than any other man had ever even attempted to do for her.
Her fear of loss was entrenched deeply and was not something Lexi was always consciously aware of. But it was making her put off their third official date, despite knowing that she longed for his presence, his touch, and his voice. He was sweet and made her laugh, and he didn’t seem to be manipulating her for his own benefit.
When she could no longer put off their date, she told Trull she wanted to try the AI device she'd heard about. She'd loved all the clothes they had bought so far, but she wanted to learn more about the Nova Aurora tech.
She sat on her bed as a few people she hadn’t met rolled in a tall, tanning-bed-looking device and propped it up in front of her. She watched with curious eyes as the servant opened the door and began rifling through holographic outfits.
“These fashion choices allow you to change on a whim,” Trull explained. “No need to remove any fabric or risk being seen naked unless you want to." She winked. "You simply pre-pick your options, then press this button near the shoulder pad.”
The servant that brought the device in pressed a small button on a sample outfit, which looked like a simple T-shirts and shorts combo, then Lexi watched as the clothing magically morphed into a one-piece swimsuit.
“Holy shit,” she whispered.
Trull giggled. “Fabulous, huh? So first, you make your selections, and I will help you set it into the program.”
The servants left for a few minutes while Lexi fingered through the holographic clothing. They looked like any old outfits you would select on a hanger on Earth, but when she shuffled through them, she felt a buzzing tickle her fingertips, and then the outfit could abruptly change. She settled with the T-shirt and shorts options, a long flowing summer dress, and with Trull's advice and its accompanying smirk, a scuba suit.
The servant programmed the outfits, and she was told to get dressed as normal. She was handed the shorts and T-shirt, looking them up and down like they were going to jump up and bite her.
“Well, I’ll be,” she muttered to herself.
Lexi got dressed, marveling at the way her clothing felt like any she’d buy and wear at home. The giant tanning bed device was rolled out of her room, and she descended the stairs to meet up with Rao outside.
He was wearing tight shorts and a tank top when she spotted him. Lexi felt her heart roar at the very sight of him, immediately craving his hands on her.
So she sprinted toward him and threw herself into his arms, using his shirt to yank his face down to her own. She planted a deep, passionate kiss on his lips that made her toes curl in her running shoes.
Rao was frozen in surprise initially but quickly sank into her by wrapping his arms around her waist and pressing her body into his. Their mouths opened, and tongues danced like they were the only ones on the planet.
Rao was shocked and breathless when Lexi pulled away, licking her lips as she lapped up his smokey flavor.
“Hi,” she whispered, running her hands through his hair.
“Hi,” he replied, gasping for air.
Lexi’s heart was slamming in her chest, and a part of her had the impulse to take her handsome lover by the hand and return to her room. She wanted to know every part of his body and to let him explore her body all day like a sunken treasure.
The look on his face was goofy and adorable as he stood up straight, clearing his throat in an attempt to center himself. “Good morning, sweetheart,” he said, looking dazed and satisfied.
Lexi’s hand slipped into his as they climbed into the hover car. He continued to look at her, absolutely smitten the entire drive to the coast where their date would take place.
She had surprised him, and she enjoyed that feeling of adventure and excitement that he made her feel. She wanted to explore, to dare, to actually live life when she was around him. A faint whisper of fear would always creep in when these impulses arose, making the plea for novelty slightly muffled.
“You’re gorgeous, honey,” Rao said as they pulled up to the sparkling sea.
No matter how many times he complimented her, Lexi knew she would never tire of it. She felt bashful and raised a finger to her mouth to bite it with a look of embarrassment on her face.
“I don’t have any makeup on,” she replied. “And this is just a plain summer combo I’ve got going here.”
The car landed, and Rao shifted his body closer to hers. He rolled his eyes dramatically, then placed a kiss that ran from her nose all the way to her chin. He teased her with a peck on her chest, right above the area where a small reveal of cleavage began.
“You always look stunning, Lexi,” he whispered, beginning to play with her hair. “Haven’t you learned that yet?”