MaleAndroidCompanion (7 page)

He extended Gia a hand. Her fingers curled
around his. As she exited the vehicle, she glanced at the driver and then Marc.
“Mr. Charleston?” She cocked her head, her brows dipping in question.

Marc shrugged, releasing a tight burst of
laughter. “I must look like someone he knows.” With a tug of her hand, he put
distance between them and the chauffer.

Gia turned toward Marc, looking up at him
with those big, seductive eyes. “You know what?” Before he could answer, she
continued. “I think I’ll use and abuse you all night long. Do you think the
Institute will have any issues with that?”

What could he say other than, “No,
sweetheart. Do your worst.”

Taking her hand in his, he escorted Gia to
the front door. Again, she used her keyless remote and the large oak doors
splayed wide. He released her to toss his garment bag over a shoulder before he
grabbed a suitcase in each hand. As they entered the marble entryway a slender,
dark-haired woman discreetly eyed Marc.

The middle-aged housekeeper stepped aside
and the doors automatically closed. “Good evening, Miss Easton.”

“Evening, Leda.” Quickly Gia scanned the
four entrances leading away from the foyer of the large mansion as if she half
expected someone to pop out from around a corner. When a shaky breath escaped
her, she continued. “Did my attorney call you?”

Leda activated the locks, ensuring they
closed completely before turning to face Gia. “Yes ma’am.” She smoothed her
palms down her white apron, her black, mid-thigh uniform a contrast against her
olive skin.

“Have you removed everything that I
requested?”

“Yes ma’am.
Everything.
” Leda
cleared her throat. “Mr. Temin has called four times. Miss Summers, twice. Your
publicist telephoned and asked to be forwarded to your private message box.
Antares is en route to the house.”

So her agent was already calling to make
amends.

Marc could almost feel the tension build
inside Gia as she wrung her hands.

“Thank you. Please ensure the household
knows that Mr. Temin and Miss Summers are not allowed on the premises. Which
reminds me, have Antares verify that the new security system works. I don’t
want anything or one on my property without my knowledge. Furthermore, I won’t
be taking their calls or any from the media. Have everything forwarded to
Karen. She can handle it until I have to.”

“I have already taken those measures, Miss
Easton.”

Gia’s smile was genuine. “You’re a gem.
Thank you.”

Marc’s admiration for the actress grew.
Instead of the spoiled diva he had expected, she showed kindness and respect
for the housekeeper.

“Leda, this is Marc,” she paused,
“Charleston.”

His heart thudded. This couldn’t be
happening. Of course, he couldn’t ask for a better cover then his real name
just in case anyone recognized him.

Gia winked. “It’s as good as any other
surname.”

Oh if she only knew.

Then she turned her attention back to the
housekeeper. “Please make sure the room adjoining mine is prepared for him.”

“That too has been taken care of,” Leda
assured them.

Marc was impressed with Leda as well as how
smoothly Gia’s household appeared to be run. There was more to this woman than
what met the eye. Discovering all her little idiosyncrasies would be a
pleasure.

Chapter Four

Leda was efficient. By now she had probably
erased any signs or memory of Doug and Mary from the entire home.

Well, it wasn’t really a home, but an image
Doug insisted on to lend authenticity to her success. In all honesty, she would
have been happier with a cozy little ranch house outside Los Angeles or maybe a
beach condo. No one needed this much room for only one individual with a staff
of four and a host of guards. No, make that a staff of three, since Mary didn’t
live here anymore and there would be no more overnights with Doug. Now her
little family consisted of Leda, Vicki the cook, and a young woman named Lenora
who Gia had recently hired to help Leda and Vicki with their duties. Lenora was
a wiz with electronics, which everyone needed in this day and age.

Most of the house and yards were
cybernetic—from the synthetic grass, bushes and trees that needed no trimming
to the automatic doors, security system and climate control. Even her bathroom
had been designed to her preference so that when she took a shower or bath the
water was at the exact temperature she preferred without needing adjustments.
Her likes and dislikes were known, cataloged and fed into the main system of
the house. She couldn’t ask for anything more, except for flawless
companionship, and she had that now with Marc.

Leda took several steps toward him. “Mr. Charleston,
may I take your bags to your room?”

“No, thank you.” Marc continued to hold his
suitcases. “They’re quite heavy. I’ll take care of it.”

Leda gave him a quick thankful smile. “As
you wish.” She pivoted toward Gia. “I’ll inform Vicki there will be two for
dinner.”

Gia nodded. “I need a shower.” Without
another word, she headed toward the escalator, which sensed her approach and
activated, moving upward.

“Dinner in about an hour, Miss Easton?”
Leda asked.

“That sounds—”

“Make it two,” Marc interjected. A loud
thump followed. Before Gia could turn around, he eased up behind her, pressing
his chest and hips against her back. “Do you want me to join you? Wash your
back?” The low, velvet caress of his voice made her turn in his arms,
forgetting that they had an audience.

Light laughter spilled from her mouth. “You
won’t rust, will you?”

With slumberous eyes, he lowered his chin
so that their lips were almost touching. “Not if you keep my body well
lubricated and serviced.”

Gia’s pulse raced. When she remembered her
housekeeper’s presence, heat spread across her cheeks. Without looking at Leda,
she said, “Make it two hours.”

“Very well, ma’am.”

Marc glanced at the housekeeper. “I’ll come
back for my luggage.”

When the woman’s footsteps faded, Gia
cocked a brow, pinning her gaze on Marc. “Lubricated and serviced?” The image
painted by those two words made her nipples grow taut. “Next you’ll be asking
me
for a massage.” And she’d probably give it to him. He had been extraordinary in
the car. Her body still pulsed with the aftereffects of their joining.

She blinked hard.

He was doing it to her again, making her
forget that he wasn’t real.

“Your hands all over my slick, oiled body.”
A growl rumbled in his throat. “I could live with that.”

The impressive bulge in his pants pressing
against her belly set loose a million butterfly wings, light feathery
sensations followed by a tingling in each of her nipples. With just a couple of
sexy words, he could make her body burn.

Unconsciously, she wrapped her arms around
him. “You’re amazing.” And well worth whatever the Institute of Robotics
decided to charge her.

“Take me upstairs and undress me.” His hand
smoothed down her back to rest on the swell of her ass while a long finger
slipped beneath her waistband, wedging between the cheeks of her ass. “I’ll
show you just how amazing I can be, especially with hot, slick oil.” Along with
the wicked promise he gave her, he flashed one of those drop-dead grins she was
discovering were hard to resist. Her heart flip-flopped, did a double twist and
then plunged.

Intertwining his fingers with hers, he
brought the back of her hand to his lips. “Lead the way.” As she stepped upon
the ascending steps, he pulled her back down and she fell into his arms. “I
need to taste you.”

The second his lips touched hers, the
attraction between them erupted like a volcano spitting red-hot lava. There was
no gentleness in his kiss, only a savage hunger. Their teeth crashed, tongues
dueling—rough and possessive. It felt as if he wanted to crawl inside her.

Gia’s pulse jumped again, taking off as if
she were running a marathon. Marc stole her breath and messed with her mind.
How was it possible that an android could stir such passion in her?

His hands were everywhere at once, sliding
across her body, tugging at her clothing. When his warm palms touched her now
bare waist, she murmured, “Not here. Bedroom.” The last thing she needed was to
provide her staff with something to talk about. Although she trusted her
household, today had reminded her trust was an illusion.

She stepped lightly on the escalator and he
captured her mouth with a drugging kiss. Holding him close, she returned the
same fiery urgency. She needed this. She needed him. Real or not, this man
touched something inside her. A need she didn’t even know she had, and he made
her forget about this afternoon’s betrayal.

In the back of her mind, Gia knew she had
to get them to the second floor and her bedroom before they both stripped naked
and had sex on the escalator. They stumbled once or twice and almost lost their
balance. Laughing like two teenagers, they finally made it to the top, a little
worse for wear.

Her shoes lay somewhere on the steps below
along with both their shirts, now making their way upward. The steps stopped
before they jammed. His belt was unfastened, retracted into his buckle, the
zipper of his pants spread wide. An impressive erection pressed against his
snow-white skivvies. She ran a fingernail up the curve of him and he yanked her
back into his arms, his mouth finding hers once again.

As he continued to bewitch her with his
kisses, she shuffled her feet, easing him down the hall. Lights sensed their
movements and spontaneously grew brighter with each of their steps. When they
came to a stop before her bedroom she forgot about the sensor. As he pressed
her hard against the door, it swung open, throwing both of them forward. In
less than a heartbeat, he shifted his large frame, taking the brunt of the
fall.

With an “
ugh
”, she landed atop him
and started to giggle. It felt good to laugh.

“You think that’s funny?” The smallest hint
of a smile touched his mouth, that deep dimple in his right cheek more charming
than ever.

“I wasn’t thinking at all,” she admitted.
Who could think being kissed like that?

Without waiting for the sensor to
reactivate, he caught the corner of the door with his foot and shoved, closing
it with a bang. As he rolled her over, a cry of surprise squeezed from her
lips. His large body hovered over hers.

With deft fingers he plucked the clasp of
her bra and it came loose. “I’ll give you something to think about.” The way
his gaze swept across her upper body made her womb clench. “You have gorgeous
breasts.” Slowly, he smoothed his thumbs over each nipple while he kneaded her
fullness. “Firm, but soft.” When he lowered his head, anticipation arched her
back off the carpeted floor. He licked lazy circles around the already hardened
peaks. “And tasty too.” Then he took an aching nub into his mouth.

Hot. Moist. And so arousing.

Gia closed her eyes, arching farther into him.

“Yes,” she hissed.

Long, sensuous pulls on her nipples were
followed by incredible suction. When he scraped his teeth over her tender
flesh, teasing strings of pleasure shot straight to her pussy. Moisture
dampened her thong.

A throaty groan surfaced from deep inside
her. “God. Yes.” Weaving her fingers through his hair, she held him to her
breast, cradling his head.

“Mmmm.” The delicious sound he made
vibrated against her skin, prickling the flesh across her arms.

One hand cupping the globe he fondled, his
other hand glided up her thigh, slipping between their bodies toward the
activation button of her jeans. Her zipper fell in a quiet hush. When his hand
slid beneath her thong, touching bare skin, she raised her hips to push into
his palm, needing what he offered.

“Are you ready for me?” His fingertips
grazed the juncture of her thighs until he stroked the moist folds of her
pussy. “Wet?”

Heat radiated from his touch, a flickering
flame. As he pressed a single finger against her clit, a moan escaped her, soft
and needy. She liked where this was heading. Her inner muscles tightened and
more desire released as he continued downward to caress the length of her
before a finger disappeared inside her.

The single dimple in his right cheek
deepened. “You are wet. Hot too.”

And getting wetter with the sensual caress
of his voice. Not to mention the stroke of his hand.

Another finger joined the first. Again and
again, he worked them slowly in and out. Gia closed her eyes and let the heated
sensation roll over her. His touch was sinful, plunging into her slick depths.

“Look at me,” he growled.

Her eyelids rose to the intensity of his
gaze.

“I want you to see who is touching you.”

Marc removed his hand and grasped the
waistband of her pants. In one fluid motion, he yanked her jeans and thong from
her hips and down her legs. With a flick of his wrist, he tossed the clothes
aside. Bending her knees in front of her, he slowly spread them wide, baring
her for his pleasure. Cool air stroked her wetness. The carved, sensual lines
of his mouth tipped into a grin of male satisfaction, sending a shudder through
her.