Free Promise of Love by C. M. King Page B

preferred.
    "I've already said that.” He frowned. “He thinks everything should have a place and be in it. There's nothing wrong with order.” He defended his father, or maybe he defended his own actions.
    Somehow, Rieko saw a young Stuart checking to make sure nothing was off just a hair from the places his father wished them to be. Perhaps it was the same young Stuart who had leaped up to fix the cup's placement, as if his idea of his father in his head would be upset if something were out of place.
    "So, he's the reason you're anal retentive and a neat freak?” She realized afterward that her voice held disgust for his father's actions.
    "Don't talk about him like that?” Stuart raised his voice.
    "Sorry.” Rieko tried to sound sincere. The man is his father and sons love their fathers even when they aren't nice people .
    "I don't mean to be like this,” Stuart whispered. “I think sometimes that maybe I can teach myself to not be.” He twisted his features with doubt. He had taught himself a great deal in life.
    "You know, leave stuff out of place and practice not righting them. You can do anything if you practice.” His voice held resolve. He shyly looked across the bed at her in such a child-like way. “That sounds silly, doesn't it?” Sometimes she forgot how much of him might really be just a little boy still.
    "I don't know.” She wasn't sure how to continue or what he wanted her to say. “People can change,” she said. “Who says you can't find out who the real Stuart is?” Somewhere buried in there was who he really was.
    Stuart tightened his face. “Perhaps. Can I get back to the model now?” He almost asked like a little boy asking to go play with friends.
    Rieko nodded. They had talked about a lot and for a long time. She rose from the bed, and he moved to sit back before his model. Maybe he really needed that quiet time with his calibrations and the model.
    "It was nice talking with you,” she told him.
    He looked over at her, and gave a small smile. “It was."
    "We should do this more often.” She hoped next time she would not have to demand he did so.
    "We will.” He sounded like he meant it, and it made Rieko smile. “You still have questions you avoided.” He gave her a crooked smile.
    Oh, the first time question . He wasn't going to make her answer that, was he ? She buried the thought and hoped he was just joking.
    "Good night, Stuart.” She moved to leave his quarters.
    He rose from his chair and stood in front of her before she left. He leaned down and gently kissed her on the lips, slow and passionate, but very much just a kiss.
    "Night, Rieko,” he said as their lips parted.
    Rieko left with a good feeling of shared stories and a man who was more and more becoming as much a friend as a lover.
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    Chapter Nine
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    "Stuart,” Rieko called out as she entered the armory. She knew Stuart would still be in here. This was where she had left him two and a half hours ago after giving up on him going with her to movie night because of the work he needed to finish.
    "In here.” His reply came through the open door to his office.
    She entered to find him at his small desk. Touch screen computer tablets of data sat neatly piled, likely in categories of some sort. Stacked data read-outs stood in a corner of the desk. She wondered when people used pens and papers anymore. It left enough room for a pad he handwrote neat notes on. The specs of his latest weapon covered the remaining surface of the desk.
    The small office held only one chair, so Rieko sat herself on an empty corner of the desk. She made sure not to disturb any of his work.
    "It was a good movie.” Rieko peered down at some of the data readouts. They made little sense to her. “You probably would have even liked it, lots of action."
    "Hmm,” Stuart mumbled, not looking up from work. Then there was workaholic Stuart, but she knew she could get this engrossed in work too.