>>><<<
Jeuley chucked a red, heart-shaped patch at Brad. “Our new gel compound isn’t working too well. I couldn’t get this to stick.”
“Are we back to the drawing board or do you think Second Thought can modify the recipe accordingly?” Brad visually pondered the small heart, then smiled up at her. “Or do you think we should give it a try?”
Due to the magnitude of taking down Ordal Laverock’s BlueCentric Laboratories, the Council awarded all copyrights and patents to Brad and Jeuley rather than confiscating everything and sweeping it under the rug. Because of its programmability, it had numerous uses and was decidedly safer to put the Blue Root technology within the reach of people who wouldn’t abuse it.
The entire list of Jeuley’s previous infractions was removed from her record for good. As it turned out, Brad had a few similar infractions, too. They were deleted for his show of valor and help stopping Ordal’s empire from being realized.
All of the Council members owned Blue Roots and had listened intently when Brad and Jeuley had put forth their ideas during Ordal’s criminal hearing. It was then decreed that the Blue Root was no longer restricted to being a sex toy.
In fact, Mike Moffat even had a hand in it, providing media delivery and developing more movement and reception facets to the Blue Root’s integration circuitry. Rosemary added large Blue Root panels to physics class by synching them with car simulators such that the kids could feel what it was like to drift around a corner, feeling what inertia could do, without actually being in the car.
Danny became a part-time sculptor whenever a new patch or other shape was to be invented. Jeuley shared technology duties with Brad and passed those requirements to Danny who created numerous gadgets and devices–all compatible with the Blue Root controller. Sometimes, even Rachel influenced the creative brewing as well.
“I don’t see why we can’t let Second Thought take the first try.” Jeuley tapped the wall. “Wanna give us a hand?”
Second Thought’s happy voice rang through the stand-alones. “I would be delighted. What is it that you need of me, dearest?”
Brad jumped in. “The red gel doesn’t stick as well as the blue. If we’re going to put these hearts on the market for Valentine’s Day, they should at least stick, don’t you think?”
“Why yes, they should, buddy. I’ll set to work on it immediately.” Second Thought beeped and became silent.
“Jeuley? Could you…ummm…come here for a second?” Brad’s voice was suddenly a little shaky, but he had a huge grin on his face.
She walked further into his office, approaching him as he stood up from the console. “Yeah, what’s up?”
As he moved toward her, his grin went crooked and she wasn’t sure what to make of him. They’d just moved into their new house on the outskirts of San Francisco and had already christened every room–the old fashioned way, without Blue Roots–and he had that look like he wanted to christen them all again or something.
The man was simply phenomenal. Jeuley wondered if there was anything Brad couldn’t do. On the way home after he’d rescued her from Ordal, he’d told her about how afraid he was to fly and that he couldn’t swim and that none of that meant a darn thing because she had become the only thing in his life that really, truly mattered to him.
He’d said that if he hadn’t made it all the way to her, he would have died trying. As far as she could tell, he was the perfect hero for her. But more than that, she felt complete with him. He brought out her best work and her best happiness. All with the look he was giving her right now. Like she was the most beautiful woman on the planet.
“I was wondering if you would perhaps like to accompany me onto the roof. The sun is going down and I want to share it with you tonight.”
“Okay.” What was so special about tonight? They’d shared almost every sunset this week. The house had views in all directions, so sunsets were that much prettier. And spending them with him added to their splendor. But something was different about tonight.
He put an arm around her and led the way down the hall and up the stairs to the roof. There had to be something up his sleeve because he practically had a death grip on her shoulder.
A gentle breeze swirled around them as they gazed toward the setting sun. The sky turned its shades of magenta and amber against the clouds.
“Y’know, Brad, I’ve never enjoyed sunsets as much as I have with you.”
“And I’ve never enjoyed life as much as I have with you, Jeuley.”
She turned to face him as he lowered onto one knee. Jeuley bent down, ready and already dreaming about sitting with him surrounding her as they watched the sunset together.
But she paused when she saw that he wasn’t sitting all the way down. Oh my goodness!
Brad took her hand in his. “Jeuley Jeulmist Crissin, will you marry me?”
“Oh hell yeah!” She knelt in front of him and pushed him over onto his back before landing on top of him.
He wrapped his arms around her as she lowered her lips to his, practically swallowing his “I love you.” Their tongues danced as Jeuley’s heart threatened to beat right out of her chest. Everything in her world felt complete and content and even a bit adventurous.
She trailed her lips down to his jaw and then onto his neck, tasting his day’s stubble scratchy against her tongue.
“Sorry, I don’t have a ring. I wanted you to pick one out or design one.” He brought one hand to the base of her neck and the other down to her ass, pressing her hips against his. The heat rising from his cock instantly inspired her own liquid heat to flow.
“No need for apologies, Brad. We’ll figure it out together. I’m more concerned about what to do about this rooftop.”
“What?”
She unbuttoned the top button of his shirt and licked from his neckline to his chin. “I think it has to be the only part of this building we haven’t christened yet.”
Brad tugged upward at her tank top, easing his hands underneath it. He cupped her breasts for a moment before sliding the fabric over her head. “I believe you’re right. We should do something about that.”
The rest of their night was spent on another adventure, this time on the rooftop, with only the light of the moon and stars.
