Plotting Mr. Perfect

by S. E. Babin

  Could she truly love him? Or would she feel like she was babysitting him? It was too early to tell. Leo leaned forward, to her surprise, and brushed his thumb across her mouth, taking away a dot of cream sauce.

  The world slowed to a tunnel, her eyes locked on his as he lifted his thumb up to his own mouth and tasted it. Katie felt her heart slow to a dull thud. Android or not, Katie knew trouble had just walked in the door and its name was Leo.

  “You had a little something there.” His amber eyes flickered with heat.

  Her mouth dry, she nodded. Clearing her throat, she grabbed her napkin and scrubbed it across her face, hoping to wipe away the heat from his touch.

  “Thanks,” she finally ground out. “Should we go?”

  “I’m not sure why. Aren’t we having a good time?”

  Too good. “It’s getting late. I need to get up early tomorrow and write. I’ve been remiss.” Excuses, excuses.

  His small smile told her he knew it too. “It’s only seven, but I understand. You are afraid of this, of me, of what me coming into your life could mean.”

  “Does your bionic arm come with psychic ability, too?” Katie sighed and tossed her napkin down onto the table.

  “I just want to reassure you not to be afraid of me. You wanted this. Your loneliness called out to the heavens, Katie. And you may think it was just a silly game, that your desires were fueled by too much wine and your friends. But I’m here right now to tell you that the only way I could be created is by desire, loneliness and need. I was made for you, Katie. No other.”

  His words poured over her like a balm to her wounded heart. How she wanted to let go, to lean into him and tell him all of her fears. But she couldn’t. The man sitting in front of her was too good to be true. Too much, too soon, and one thing Katie wouldn’t risk was a broken heart. She needed time to sort her emotions out, to figure out whether Leo was really the one for her or if he was only a temporary patch to bigger problems.

  Tears swelled in her eyes and she looked down, one hand scratching at the red checkered tablecloth. She took a couple of breaths and looked up for the waiter to gesture for the check.

  “I enjoyed dinner, Leo, but I think it’s time for us to go.”

  He didn’t push, only allowed her to pay the bill. When the tab had been taken care of, he rose from his chair and helped her put her jacket on. They settled into the car, silent for the drive home. It was still early but the darkness gave the car an intimate air, one Katie wasn’t entirely comfortable with.

  The darkness was a time for thoughts that couldn’t be voiced during the day, for things to happen that normally wouldn’t, a time for inhibitions to be lowered. She was dreadfully afraid of making a mistake she couldn’t take back.

  Leo reached across the seat and covered her free hand with his. “I can feel your nerves bouncing around the car. Relax, Katie. Remember, I am the perfect man, right?”

  She snorted with laughter, breaking the tension. “That you are.”

  “So there’s nothing to worry about. I’m not going to jump you in the driver’s seat.”

  Katie wasn’t sure if that was a good or bad thing.

  Leo kept the tension low by engaging in chit-chat, something she was grateful for. Her nerves were still frayed and she was afraid that wouldn’t stop soon, but overall she was feeling better about the situation. The sleeping arrangements tonight could pose another awkward question, but as far as Katie was concerned she was going to take it slow or die trying.

  She pulled into the driveway, her headlights flashing on Will’s home and a lone figure rocking slowly in the dim porch light. Great. Exactly what she didn’t want to deal with right now. She clenched her jaw, showed Leo again how to unbuckle his seatbelt, hoping against all hope Will wasn’t watching, and slowly exited the car. Leo unfolded his lean bulk from her tiny car and stood waiting for her. She put her head down, optimistic they could just dart into the house with no issues, but those thoughts were quickly dashed when she heard Will’s boots coming down his wooden stairs.

  She sighed, wishing someone somewhere would give her a break for once, and turned toward him, plastering a huge, happy smile on her face.

  And was greeted with a perplexed stare from Will. “Are you okay?” he asked her.

  “Yes. Why?”

  “Your face looks frozen.”

  The ghoulish smile dropped from Katie’s face as if she’d been slapped and was replaced by a frown. “Better?”

  He grinned. “Now that’s the look I’m used to seeing.”

  Katie heard Leo’s footsteps behind her and felt him standing close. For a fraction of an instant, she swore Will’s face darkened, but when he turned his head slightly she thought it might have been a trick of the light.

  “You’re looking much better than this morning,” Will said.

  Leo moved beside her, one hand slipping around her waist. The tension in the air went up by a few thousand notches and Katie shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot.

  “I’m sorry?” Leo frowned.

  “This morning,” Will repeated. “We found you on the lawn in your birthday suit.”

  “My birthday—”

  Katie interrupted, feeling the situation already beginning to slip away from her. “Naked. Will was with us this morning when we found you.”

  “Oh, oh yes.” Leo nodded. “Much better.” He then added, “Katie is a wonderful nurse.”

  Katie felt like shriveling and dying right in her driveway. There was nothing between the two of them…yet, but somehow she felt like she had stepped between two cavemen fighting over who got to pull her hair first. And it was a weird feeling because she was certain Will didn’t see her like that.

  Will chuckled darkly. “I’m sure she is. And you are?”

  “Leo.” He pulled her even closer to him while Katie stayed stiff, like an uncooperative puppet.

  “I’m Will.” He stuck his hand out and it hung there. A few beats passed with Katie praying Leo would take the social cue, but alas, he stared at the hand like Will had offered him a dead chicken. Will slowly dropped his hand, a speculative look in his eye.

  “Well, this has been fun!” Katie removed Leo’s hand from her waist and adjusted her purse. “It was nice running into you again.”

  “Yeah, it’s completely uncommon. It’s almost like we’re neighbors or something.”

  Katie wanted to smack him. Could Will not once take a hint? She glared at him, unwillingly comparing the two men. Will stood there in old ripped jeans and a hooded sweatshirt, black curly hair coming out of the bill of his baseball cap. He looked like every man her mother had ever warned her about. And Leo…golden, Spock-like Leo. Tan skin, amber eyes, lithe build. He looked like he’d just walked out of a Greek mythology novel.

  And heaven help her, she couldn’t decide who she was more attracted to—infuriating, aggravating Will or sensitive, slightly odd Leo.

  It made her angry. Two days ago she didn’t like anyone. Now she had a crush on someone she shouldn’t like and who didn’t like her and a man straight out of a made-for-television movie.

  She took Leo’s arm and pulled him toward her porch. “Well, now that introductions have been made I’m sure we’ll all become the best of friends. Right, Will?”

  “Hardly,” he growled and made no move to turn back home.

  “Right,” Katie said with exasperation and turned away. Leo grudgingly went along with her, turning his head to give Will the evil eye.

  She left Will standing in her driveway with his hands in his pockets, staring after her, a mix of anger and curiosity on his face.

  Chapter 6

  Back in her house and away from at least half of the testosterone, Katie breathed a sigh of relief. Shrugging her jacket off, she hung it on the coat rack next to the door and motioned for Leo to do the same. He followed her lead and trudged after her into the kitchen, silent, and, if Katie didn’t know better, a little sullen.

  Could an android be sullen? A dull throb wa
s beginning to make its presence known between her eyes. This was all a little too much. She could use a good night’s sleep. Maybe this would make more sense in the morning. Katie pulled out one of the chairs surrounding the kitchen island and sunk into it. Leo leaned against the counter, arms crossed, deep in thought.

  “Will seems…aggressive.”

  Katie couldn’t even muster up the energy to snort, so she settled for a grimace. “I’d tend to lean more toward being a giant pain. He has nothing to be aggressive about.”

  Leo didn’t look like he agreed. “A strange man shows up in his attractive neighbor’s yard and he sees them get out of the car after going to dinner together. I’m no expert on these things but my data gathering suggests Will is jealous.”

  Katie’s eyebrows almost rose to her hairline. “Jealous?” she scoffed. “And I’m a supermodel. Will doesn’t like me. He just likes to antagonize me.” But the first settlings of doubt began and rested in her stomach like a heavy weight. “Leo, I’m ready to go to bed. I know it’s still early, but this is all just a little overwhelming. Can we talk about this tomorrow?”

  Leo nodded and straightened. “Where’s your room?”

  A cold sweat broke out on Katie’s skin. “My room?” she echoed dumbly.

  “Yes, Katie. I’ll come to bed with you.”

  She waved her hands around wildly. “No. No, you won’t.”

  A perplexed look crossed Leo’s face. “Why not? Isn’t that what couples do?”

  Katie groaned. “We. Are. Not. A. Couple,” she bit out, losing patience with him.

  Instead of hurting his feelings, Leo grinned. “Not yet. You’ll come around.”

  Would she? Katie wasn’t so sure, especially after the scene with Will tonight. Relationships were complicated. The possibility of a relationship with two people was complicated enough to make her head explode. She shook her head in frustration and shoved herself out of the seat. Katie headed over to the cedar chest in the living room and dug through it until she came up with a serviceable blanket and pillow. They were old but would do the trick until she figured everything out.

  “You,” she pointed to Leo, “will sleep here.” Katie pointed to the couch as she laid the blanket and pillow down.

  “I,” she pointed to herself, “will be sleeping in my own comfortable bed. Alone. Got it?”

  Leo shrugged. “For now.”

  “For as long as I say!” She winced at the shrillness of her voice in the otherwise quiet house. Katie threw her hands up and with a disgusted noise, turned away from Leo and made sure her door was locked before she surrendered to the quiet sanctuary of her bedroom. Katie shut the door behind her and closed her eyes. “What a disaster,” she muttered.

  Overthinking and embracing her paranoia, she turned the lock on the door. Just in case Leo was crazy. Psych 101 in college told her sociopaths tended to make friends with people they later hacked into a thousand pieces…or something like that. She wasn’t taking any chances.

  She kicked off her shoes, shrugged out of her shirt, and headed over to her dresser to dig for a pair of comfy pajamas. She was more than ready for this day to be over. After finding an old, soft, gray cotton thermal, she slipped it over her head before pulling out a pair of faded blue sweatpants. Katie shimmied out of her jeans and sighed in relief as the comforting feel of lounge clothes rested against her body.

  Once she padded into the adjoining restroom inside her master bedroom, she stood in front of the mirror and took a close look at her face.

  “Ugh.” She reached into the medicine cabinet for her face wash and scrubbed her face until it was pink. She flipped off the light, stepped out of the bathroom and eyed the bed with predatory interest. Yawning widely, she flipped off the bedside lamp and snuggled underneath the blankets.

  As much as Katie hoped to slip into a quick dreamless sleep, she found rest elusive and spent hours staring at the ceiling, her thoughts churning about the events of the last several hours. And tomorrow was Sunday. She had another entire day of entertaining Leo. Before her eyes finally drifted shut her last thought was that it was much easier to be single…especially when the person wanting to be your boyfriend might have fallen out of the sky.

  * * * *

  The smell of frying bacon nudged Katie out of her dreamless sleep. Blinking, she rolled to look at her alarm clock. Eight a.m. Not terrible, but it was Sunday so whoever was frying bacon in her kitchen better have coffee going or there could be an incident.

  Getting out of bed, Katie tried to finger comb most of the knots out of her hair before she stumbled into the kitchen and stopped abruptly at the sight.

  Leo was shirtless, wearing only her Stop Staring at My Jugs apron and a pair of loose pajama pants. He stood at the stove with a spatula and a look of concentration on his handsome face. Her mouth twitched as she tried to hold in laughter.

  She cleared her throat and strolled over to the kitchen cabinet to grab a mug. “Hey,” she said, feeling a traitorous grin pulling at her mouth.

  Leo didn’t look up, but acknowledged her with a nod as he struggled to flip the bacon before it burned. She sat down her mug and held her hand out for the spatula.

  “Here, let me.”

  Leo waved her away. “No. I spent all night plugged into your computer. I can do this.”

  Weirdo. She raised her hands in supplication and backed away. “Fine by me. Just don’t catch anything on fire. I’m a writer, not a millionaire.”

  A small smile played on his face and he stuck out his tongue slightly as he managed to flip the bacon over in time. “Ha!” Leo shouted and waggled his rear end in a happy dance.

  Katie shook her head and filled her mug with liquid gold. She’d let him take over as long as he didn’t burn the house down.

  “So what’d you learn last night?” She was scared to know, but preparation was important in case he’d decided to build a bomb in the living room.

  “Cooking, baking, barbecuing, wooing, crocheting and knitting.”

  A bark of laughter escaped her before she could stop it. “That’s an interesting mix of talents. Are you going to knit me a sweater before our next date and present it to me like a wedding ring?”

  He looked up, amber eyes locking on to hers. “Only if you want me to.”

  Knitting had never seemed so sexy. “I…I…ummm…” Katie took a long sip of her coffee and choked when the burning liquid plunged down her throat. Coughing, she slapped her chest a couple of times and decided she would miss her taste buds until they grew back.

  Leo laughed, a melodious rich sound. “Kidding, Katie. You’re so uptight. Unless you really did want me to knit you a sweater. But it doesn’t seem like knitting is in with the youngish crowd. Maybe if we were geriatrics. I’d bet you’d go ga-ga over angora.”

  Actually, Katie did like angora. She narrowed her eyes at Leo. He winked and turned off the stove, scooping up the last of the bacon into one of her good serving dishes. He set the bacon on the island, along with a plate of still hot fried eggs, steaming biscuits, pancakes, and a pan of maple syrup he rested on a hot plate.

  Katie felt her eyes goggle. “Wow, you’ve been busy.”

  Leo shrugged. “Nah, this took about twenty minutes.”

  Katie grinned. “Shut up, Leo. No it didn’t.”

  “You’re forgetting I’m not entirely human, Katie. I have talents you have yet to see.”

  She gulped, reached for a biscuit and shoved it into her mouth so she wouldn’t have to respond.

  * * * *

  Katie didn’t write on Sundays unless she was on deadline. Since she didn’t have any new books in the works besides the one about Leo, she was home free. She had all day to tiptoe around him and pretend he didn’t make her uncomfortable.

  Breakfast was a grand affair. She couldn’t remember the last time someone had cooked for her and she had to admit it was nice. Satiated on the bounty Leo had prepared, Katie sipped her coffee in contentment. Leo was quiet, and for the first time in a couple o
f days Katie didn’t feel any pressure to make choices or act in ways out of the ordinary.

  But it was still morning and they had the entire day to screw it up.

  Leo raised his mug at her. “What plans do you have for today?”

  Katie grimaced at the interruption of quiet. “I rarely have plans on Sunday, Leo. Most of the time I’m content to stay in my pajamas all day and do nothing.”

  “But that’s what we did almost all day yesterday, minus the pajamas.”

  “Yesterday you were naked and passed out for hours. You might have done nothing, but I was busy trying to haul you into the house to make sure you didn’t get hypothermia.”

  Leo chuckled. “Point.”

  Suspicious he had given in so easily, Katie stared at him. “Why? What do you have planned for today?”

  “Nothing.” But he’d answered too quickly for her to be satisfied.

  “Leo,” she said in a warning tone.

  He raised his hands and laughed. “Nothing, I promise. Until this afternoon,” he added.

  “What’s this afternoon?”

  “Katie, you’re so suspicious all the time.”

  Katie felt her blood pressure rise. “You’ve been here for twenty-four hours! How do you know how suspicious I am?”

  “It’s in the dossier,” he replied patiently.

  “The dossier?” Katie spluttered. “What is this, Mission Impossible?”

  Leo shrugged and gave her a pointed look. “Well, sort of. Have you heard yourself lately? You’re not making this easy on me.”

  Katie set her coffee mug down, crossed her arms and glared at him.

  “That was in the dossier, too.” Leo fell silent as he noticed Katie’s expression. “Look, I didn’t mean anything by it. I just thought we could spend some time together—get to know each other. Isn’t that what people do?”