She popped her head out of a new doorway.“There you are!Come on in.”
He perked up.Perhaps wishes could be granted after all.
When he stepped into the room, however, he was greeted not by a boudoir but something even better.
“You have anorrery?”
Awestruck, he rushed forward and ran his hands across the excellent craftsmanship of its waist-high mahogany housing with engraved-brass detailing.
The orrery’s ornate, glass-topped lid rested on a side table.The open surface exposed a perfect model of all eight planets in the solar system, from Mercury to Ceres.
“Does it work?”he asked in wonder.
She gave him an arch look and engaged the switch.
Before his eyes, the planets began rotating in perfect trajectories, the ring of each orbit ever wider than the last.At the sight, his body flooded with childlike joy.
He turned to her in awe.“Where did you get this?”
“It belonged to my father.”Gloria disabled the switch and pulled a handful of tools from her apron pocket.“Stay there.Watch what else it can do.”
He watched in horror as she immediately dismantled the exquisite machine.Gooseflesh rippled down his spine.
He reached out to stop her.“What the devil are you doing?”
“Taking it apart,” she said, as if that was something sane people did.“I’ll fix it, don’t worry.”
“It already worked,” he protested, his voice faint.
“Bah,” she said.“That’s just one way to orbit.”
Despite the still-stinging trauma of witnessing the complete demolition of the most exquisite machine he’d seen in his life, Christopher could not help but admire his fetching agent of destruction.
Black tendrils bounced about Gloria’s face as she leaned into the orrery’s innards.She nibbled her plump lower lip in concentration as she rearranged bearings and replaced gears.Her round backside tilted tantalizingly in his direction.
He had never seen anything so erotic.He shoved his hands behind his back to keep from reaching toward her.
“How did you become so clever with devices?”he managed, his voice hoarse.
“Practice,” she answered.Her derrière gave a pert little wiggle.“When the stars aren’t out, a lady must come up withsomethingto do.”
He cocked his head.“I assumed you spent your days matchmaking.”
She shook a finger above her head.“You’re my first.”
“I’m your what?”he choked out in surprise.“You’re not actually a matchmaker?”
She slammed a stubborn piece in place with enough force to rattle teeth.“I told you.I agreed to do this as a favor for Penelope.”
“I know, but…” He stared at the back of her head.“I thought…”
With a final torque of some recalcitrant piece, she replaced the protective panel and swung upright.
“First client,” she said as she wiped a speck of dust from her nose and smiled.“How am I doing?”
He lost the battle and kissed her.
Her mouth was sweet and welcoming.As though his inability to keep his passion in check was not a surprise, but a delight.As if even while she worked on her machine, her body had been attuned to his, just waiting for his touch.
