Page 24

Chapter Thirteen

LACIE

Shockingly enough, we end up working well together.

I can’t say that he’s overly talkative, but it doesn’t take long for us to fall into a routine of sorts.

MeK braces the panel while I work with my mismatched tools, knocking the rivets out.

The moment I work one of the sleeves out of the holder, MeK places a heavy pin in the slot to hold the panel in place so that he can put the other rivets in.

I try several times to help, but my hands aren’t large enough or strong enough to close the tool it takes to insert them.

We’ve been working most of the day, with both of us skipping lunch without really meaning to and then my stomach growls. The look of pure horror on his face is priceless. “ You are starving! Forgive me, Lacie . I got caught up in finally making some progress and neglected your needs.”

“ Lord , give it a rest already. I’m far from starving MeK , and you didn’t take me on to raise. It’s almost dinnertime anyway and I promise I’ll survive until then. Is it just me, or does this part still not look like it’s sealing right?”

He steps back, looking at the panel from all angles. “ Frack , we must have missed one on the top.”

“ I didn’t know there were any up there. How did you get that one in by yourself?”

“ It comes pre-installed and when the others didn’t line up, it must have twisted.”

“ Well , I don’t see any ladders nearby, so it looks like you’re going to have to lift me up there.”

“ Absolutely not.”

“ Well , I sure as shit can’t pick you up. This is the only thing stopping us, and it’s not like you’ll have any issues boosting me skyward with those arms.”

“ What if you fall?”

“ I wasn’t planning on crawling around. Lift me until I can pull myself up but keep hold of my legs.”

“ No , you will get damaged somehow.”

“ MeK , do you want to finish this or not?” He just looks at me.

Shaking my head, I start placing my tools in the few pockets my jumpsuit has and then literally raise my arms up like I’m a three-year-old, and I swear for a split second, he almost smiles.

He motions for me to turn around, and the next thing I know, I’m lifted straight up into the air, a startled squeak leaving my lips.

Instantly , I find myself back on the ground, but his huge ass hands are still on my hips.

“ MeK , the last time I looked, this is not up.”

“ You screamed.”

“ Of course I did. You literally threw me into the sky without any warning.”

“ You knew I was going to. This was your idea.”

“ Well , apparently, my brain didn’t. Now , this time let’s do it just a little bit slower and slightly closer to the panel.”

He picks me up, barely two inches off the ground, and my hands instinctively grasp his wrists as he walks toward the panel.

Once we are right in front of it, he slowly lifts me higher, but I still can’t reach the twisted rivet.

“ MeK , I can see it, but I’m still not high enough.

If you can push me a little higher, I should be able to pull myself up the rest of the way. ”

“ You told me to hold onto your legs.”

“ Plans change. You need to learn to adapt quickly.”

“ Even if you get it out Lacie , you are not strong enough to put a new one in.

“ This one looks different from the others. Are you sure we can’t put a bolt or something in temporarily?”

“ Yes , that is possible, but I would have to let go of you to retrieve one.”

“ Once I’m up here, you should have time to get it. You won’t be able to reach me then, anyway.”

“ How are you planning to get down?”

“ I’ll slide, and you can catch me.”

“ You are very trusting, Lacie .”

“ Maybe so, but I think if you have proven anything, my constant welfare is at the top of your list, so the odds of you dropping me are zero.”

Glancing down at him where he is holding me against the panel, he just stares at me.

I motion for him to boost me up, and he snarls before putting one of his hands under my foot, shoving me a good couple of feet more.

Using the side joint as leverage, I scramble the rest of the way up the panel’s edge.

Since I’m not a huge fan of heights—or, I should say, of falling— I get straight to the issue of beating this rivet out.

This one seems to take me forever, and I swear I can hear him huffing below me.

When the pieces finally break loose, I grab them and put them in my pocket, then lean over the side slightly so he can toss the bolt or whatever it is up to me.

“ Ok , throw it up.” Thankfully , I catch it on the first try, and that’s a win in itself, as no sport of any kind was something I excelled at.

“ That bolt will seal solid once installed, Lacie . So , make sure it’s completely flush to the front housing before placing the back on it.”

“ Got it … no pressure at all.”

It takes me several tries, but I finally get it right. Gathering all my stuff, I slide over toward the edge. “ Ok , how does it look from down there? Is it straight now?”

His eyes haven’t left me as I sit above him on the rounded part of the panel.

I wave my hand. “ Hey , anyone in there? Lacie to MeK , are you receiving me?” He actually closes his eyes and shakes his head, his lips twitching.

“ Are you laughing internally? You know that if you let it out, it would be a lot more enjoyable.”

When he looks up at me with a genuine smile on his face, my heart hits my chest. It should be illegal for a man to be that pretty, and I think because they are so rare, his smile shows me a completely different side of him that I believe few have ever witnessed.

“ Are you ready to get down?”

“ Are you going to catch me?”

His smile fades, but not before I hear him say, “ Always .”

Double -checking my pockets, I hold my arms out when he motions for me, and I begin to slide down the rounded side of the dwelling quicker than I would have thought.

Before I have the chance to worry, large hands grasp my hips, lifting me away from the panel as if I weigh nothing.

Instantly , I place my hands on his shoulders as he slowly lowers me down his body.

And wow, I feel every curve, and every muscle, as my body rubs along his.

MeK’s runes pulse brightly, but it is his eyes that completely capture mine.

Leaning forward playfully, I kiss him on the cheek.

“ My hero, … thank you for catching me because that would have hurt the baby, and I’m allergic to pain. ”

His fingers flex on my hips, and I swear he pulls me closer, his head lowering toward mine until we hear someone clear their throat.

MeK slowly sets me the rest of the way down but doesn’t let go of me entirely, as I can feel his large hand against my back.

Standing in the clearing are the Commander , Ricky , and James .

James is immediately by my side, wringing his hands in worry. “ Lacie girl, you had me and Carla worried when you didn’t show up at lunch. Then , when Briar said she hadn’t seen you all day, I went straight to the Commander , and we went on the search.”

“ Sorry James , I honestly didn’t think about it. MeK needed some help, and we were just finishing. He was lifting me off the top of your future house.”

The Commander smirks, his own runes pulsing across his chest. “ Is that what that was? Hmm ! … Ricky , you are free to return to your patrol. It seems all is well here.”

“ Sure thing, Commander . Lacie , I’m glad you’re alright. You had us worried there for a little bit.”

I glance back at MeK , who is now standing with his hands clasped behind his back, his runes dancing agitatedly all over his body. “ Father , her welfare was never in danger.”

“ We simply did not know where she was, MeK . Several of the comm units have weak signals, so actually, this was a good thing. We should have time to recalibrate them before a real emergency occurs. James , what do you think of your new dwelling? It is the closest one to the planting fields and the pavilion.”

“ Never lived in a bubble, Commander , but as long as I have my Carla to snuggle up to after a hard day, it doesn’t really matter.”

MeK walks off for a moment only to come back with what looks like a game controller in his hand.

Suddenly , odd noises start coming from the pod, and he motions for all of us to step back.

I watch in amazement as it turns from pieces of metal that made zero sense to me into this beautiful structure covered in large, rounded windows.

“ MeK , how in the world?”

“ I told you it would expand.”

“ Well yeah, but I didn’t think it would be like a cocoon that turned into a lovely butterfly. It was just pieces of metal a moment ago.”

“ Most things are until you make them into something more. This is just one of many designs I have worked on for this particular area.”

“ Wow , you really are the real deal, aren’t ya? Not only are you stunning, but you’re smart, too. How have you managed to stay single for this long? You’re a real catch, well if you can get past the growling.”

“ Your words make no sense, Lacie .”

James walks up closer once it stops shifting. “ Is it alive, MeK ?”

“ No , but it can be altered if need be.”

“ When will we be able to go in, or stay here? My Carla hates those dropships.”

“ A few more risings, I think. It still needs to be cleaned and stocked. Normally , we would have bots to handle those issues, but until we get the charging cells and electrical grids working, they must be done manually.”

“ The appearance of the dwelling pod is pleasing in these surroundings, MeK .

You did well with the final designs, and most will appreciate the end results.

I believe the late meal is being served in the pavilion, and the workday is over.

I think it is time we all made our way there.

Kira will be happy that all is well with you, Lacie .

She seems to have become quite attached to several of you girls.

“ Kira does give the best hugs, Commander , and once again, I’m so sorry. It never dawned on me to let someone know where I was. Let us get this cleaned up, and then we’ll be right there. I’m starving.”

“ Lacie , I thought you said earlier you were not?”

“ It’s just a saying, MeK .”

“ Hmm , from this point on, there will be sustenance stocked in all areas you are working.”

Rolling my eyes, I bend down to pick up a few pieces of the rivets I had missed, only to hear the Commander laughing as he walks off.