Free The Man Who Sold Mars by K. Anderson Yancy

“Hi.  Again, thanks so much for coming back to work us.  When I
didn’t here from you for ages I was scared.  I would be lost without you.  I
want you in my life forever and beyond.”
    She blushed, “You’re welcome.  I’m
heading home.  You?”
    “No.  Too much to do.  Sit down for a
second.”
    She sat on my couch and I picked up a
remote and sat close beside her, her thigh warm against mine.
    “Watch this.”  I keyed a button and
footage of the international space station played across the screen.  Beside
it, glistening among the stars was the space dock and moored at it was the
Prometheus; construction crews swarming over its skeleton, assembling it.
    She grinned, “Wow.  Construction is going
quickly.”
    “There’s still a long way to go.  But
look at her.”
    “She’s a work of art.”
    “There were a whole lot of times I
thought we’d never make it.”
    Selena took my hand and kissed me on the
cheek.  “Congratulations.  Have you eaten?”
    “Some of that orange space gook.”
    “Yuck.”
    “Actually, it’s not bad.  It tastes like—”
    “Gook, but orange?”
    I laughed.  “Funny.  It is good.  It
tastes like Gerber’s baby food.  Bananas.”
    “It’s supposed to.  It’s bananas.”
    “Actually, it was steak.  But we’re
working on it.”
    We laughed.
    “Steph, you need real food.”
    “I’m fine.  You should go and I should
work.  After all you have a family.”
    She stood and I rose.  She gave me a long
loving hug and I returned it and we held one another for a long time in the
silence.  She kissed me on the cheek and I kissed her back.
    “Steph, get a good meal and some rest.”
    “I will.”
    “You won’t.”
    We exchanged smiles, acknowledging she
was right.  She grinned broader and left; while I watched the world I rose and
set for leave.
    # # #
    Leaving Moscow was an excellent choice
for a whoooooooole lot of reasons.  Stephen on my mind I felt gorgeous.  And, in
a particularly amorous mood, radiating eroticism like the sun, and carrying two
bags of carryout, I walked into the YSR lobby and was greeted as always by the
building’s security officers watching me with appreciative eyes and I as always
enjoyed every minute of it.
    The lead officer spoke to me, “Good
evening, Ms. Fedorova.”
    In a Russian accent, I said, “Good
evening gentleman.  Enjoy the night.”  They were making me feel exotic, why not
play the part?  I walked to the bank of elevators and once there tapped the
call button.  The door opened and I entered.
    Beside me, the adjoining elevator rang in
its arrival and as my doors closed I could hear its opening.
    # # #
    My visit with Stephen still on my mind,
my elevator door opened, as the one beside me closed and I put away my cell
phone.
    Stephen everywhere, I was feeling
stunning and radiating sexuality.  I walked past the officers watching me with
appreciative eyes and enjoyed every minute of it.
    One of the guards spoke with me, “Good
evening, Ms. Luce.”
    “Good evening gentleman.  Keep us safe.”
    Another said, “Yes, Ms. Luce We will.”
    I exited the building, continuing to my
waiting limo.  My driver standing besides the passenger door opened it and I
entered.
    “Home, Ms. Luce?”
    “Yes.—No.  That Italian deli you took me
to—“
    “ Gina’s ?”
    “Excellent choice.”
    He closed the door, walked to the
driver’s seat and pulled off.
    Later, so in love, full of mischief with
some treats from Gina’s for Stephen I walked quietly through the
executive offices.  In silence, playful and happy, I removed my shoes, so I’d
make as little noise as possible, placed them beside the wall, and continued to
Stephen with bare feet.  I reached for the handle, turned it with silence, and
inched the door open.
    Excited and happy, through the crack in
the door I saw—
    Stephen and Tatyana kissing and making
love with an erotic hunger as partially nude, she sat on his desk, their hips
moving in unison as