by H. L. Burke
“He felt real.” She sniffed back tears. “And he’s gone.”
Ellis kissed her forehead. Safe in his arms, she allowed herself to cry.
He ran his hands up and down her back. “Nyss, I don’t know if Hart was real or simply a convincing technological trick, but he was real to you, and I’m so so sorry you had to lose a friend like that.” His eyes caught hers in a steady gaze. “However, I know one thing, you have nothing to feel guilty about. Hart wouldn’t blame you for what happened, and he did it willingly, fully understanding the consequences.”
“How do you know?” she asked.
“Because he was a copy of me. If my options were living without you or dying for you, dying would be the only possible choice.” He squeezed her closer. “I’d have done the same as Hart had our places been reversed.”
“No, you’re not allowed to die for me.” She grabbed him by the hair and pulled him down for another kiss. “You better not leave me alone here.”
“I wouldn’t dare.” His lips slipped from her mouth to her cheek then neck.
A pleasant shiver cut through her being.
He laughed and rose up on his elbows, his eyes twinkling. “Besides, wouldn’t you go crazy having two of me around the house?”
“Never.” Nyssa shook her head.
She nestled against Ellis, savoring his touch. Perhaps he was right, and Hart was only an echo of Ellis himself. Still, she’d never forget the computer and all he’d done for her.
Her stomach grumbled.
“We should order breakfast.” Ellis rolled away from her to where his chair rested beside the bed. “Clarence said we could eat in our room if we wanted.”
Nyssa rose and slipped on a dressing gown as Ellis used the videophone to call down to the kitchen. Soon two maids brought in a folding table and a tray of coffee and muffins. Nyssa sat across the little table from Ellis and inhaled the steam from her cup. “Almost as good as Mrs. H’s.”
Ellis took a bite of muffin, swallowed, then chuckled. “I’m worried about what the old girl will do to us when she finds out we got married without her there.”
Nyssa laughed. “We could pretend we didn’t, then have another ceremony with her in attendance.”
“Oh, she’s too wily for us to pull that off. I’m sure she’ll know the moment she lays eyes on us. We need to make arrangements to bring her and Theo from San Azula. She has family on the continent, so I think she’ll be willing to relocate … hopefully. I don’t want to lose her.”
Nyssa started. “Are we staying here, then?”
“We kind of have to.” He pushed his hair back from his forehead. “Things will be a little different going forward. With Rivera gone, Dalhart sans Rivera Incorporated is my responsibility. It’s more than just a corporation. It’s the livelihood of hundreds of factory workers, repairmen, and shop owners.”
“You’re right. That’s important.” A tinge of doubt crept into her happiness. “I’m not sure how to be a millionaire’s wife. What will I do?”
“Whatever you want. I’m sure the boardroom and the bottom-line will take up a lot of my time at first, but once I’ve gotten some good employees in the right positions, I hope to be able to delegate that and hand off the running of the corporation to more experienced, qualified hands. I’m an inventor, not a businessman. Maybe we can work together, in a shop, making the next generation of technology.”
“I’d like that.”
“It will be an adjustment for both of us.”
“We’ll get through it.” She reached across the table to take his hand. “Together.”
“Together.” He smiled, his brown eyes sparkling.
She dropped her gaze. Her heart quivered like a taut wire. “So what next generation technology do you plan to master first?”
“I was thinking about an automated dishwasher.”
Nyssa grinned. “Mrs. H will love that. Do you think you’ll use water jets or brushes?”
“Probably both.”
“And it will need to be made of rust-proof metal … and lightweight.”
“Of course.” He rubbed his thumb across the back of her hand. “Do you know how attractive you are when you talk like that? As eager as I am to work on the next generation of technology with you, I’m even more excited to work on the next generation of Dalharts.”
Her face warmed. “It’s going to be a good life for us, isn’t it?”
“Yes.” He guided her around the table and into his lap for a gentle kiss. “It is.”
The End.
ABOUT H. L. Burke
Born in a small town in north central Oregon, H. L. Burke spent most of her childhood around trees and farm animals and always accompanied by a book. Growing up with epic heroes from Middle Earth and Narnia keeping her company, she also became an incurable romantic.
An addictive personality, she jumped from one fandom to another, being at times completely obsessed with various books, movies, or television series (Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and Star Trek all took their turns), but she has grown to be what she considers a well-rounded connoisseur of geek culture.
Married to her high school crush who is now a US Marine, she has moved multiple times in her adult life but believes home is wherever her husband, two daughters, and pets are.
For information about H. L. Burke’s latest novels, author news and events, or to contact the writer, go to
www.hlburkeauthor.com
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Also by H. L. Burke
For Middle Grade Readers
Thaddeus Whiskers and the Dragon
Cora and the Nurse Dragon
For Young Adult Readers
An Ordinary Knight
Beggar Magic
Nyssa Glass and the House of Mirrors
Nyssa Glass and the Juliet Dilemma
Nyssa Glass’s Clockwork Christmas
The Elemental Realms Series
An Epic Fantasy Saga
Book One: Lands of Ash
Book Two: Call of the Waters
The Dragon and the Scholar Saga (1-4)
A Fantasy Romance Series
Dragon’s Curse
Dragon’s Debt
Dragon’s Rival
Dragon’s Bride
