I slipped out of the car and gave him a little wave hello before reaching back to grab the box.
“I made something for you,” I told him, nerves back again, this time it was because I hoped I didn’t do anything wrong in making this gift.
“Seriously?” he asked, and I nodded, handing it over to him.
“Hey there, Pops, Cora.” He addressed my companions, and Cora simply lifted her head in acknowledgment. She was still a little pissy being around him after he’d dropped water on her. Pops, however, wanted me to be around Arthur more, highly approving of him and the strides I was taking to put myself out there since I’d met him.
He set it down on the ground and lifted the top flaps.
“You build me a robot?” His face held no sort of emotion I could analyze, so I had no clue how he felt.
“Yeah. Um. This is Theodore—I’ve been calling him Teddy. Think of him like your own personal maid. He’s programmed to help organize and clean up. So you can focus on art and have a nice space. He works really well.”
I’d tested him over and over, and he was pretty spectacular. I wasn’t one to leave messes, so I didn’t need one, but if I did, I would have one like him too.
Waiting to see what he thought as he inspected Teddy was so hard.
Then he started laughing—like a deep belly laugh. My cheeks heated up, feeling embarrassed. I shouldn’t have assumed he would like this, just because I would have.
“You built me an OCD robot to help with my hoarder habits. This is fantastic!”
Instantly I felt relieved. He liked it.
“Well, he won’t have too much to do tonight. I spent all day organizing, so you could come inside without having a heart attack.” He picked up Teddy and opened the door for us to come inside.
He had been a busy man. Not only did he save those people last night, but then came home and made this place as immaculate as he could.
“You did this for me?”
Oh yeah, I was feeling a variety of emotions right now, many of which I couldn’t identify or even single out.
“Couldn’t have you stand out in the winter air the whole time when you came to visit me.” He smiled and set Teddy down on the floor. Instantly Teddy booted up to life and started scanning his surroundings. He was nothing like the simple robot vacuums people had in their homes now. He was like Cora and Pops, a free thinker. He could move and do as he wished. But his directive was cleaning and organizing, so that’s what he would do. His purpose.
“Thank you.”
He’d done so much for me, and I wanted to thank him for it, something beyond words. I just didn’t know how.
Stepping outside my comfort zone, I walked over to him, watching his body freeze at my approach, maybe scared to move and frighten me off. I appreciated that too.
I leaned up onto the tips of my boots and pressed my lips against his lightly stubbled cheek.
Chapter Fifteen
Arthur
The urge to turn my head and connect my lips with hers was overwhelmingly powerful.
I wanted nothing more than to have her body against mine, to feel her soft white hair between my fingers, those hands roaming against my chest, exploring me. God, she was pure perfection.
Her cheek kiss only lasted a few seconds, but the memory would stay with me even in my grave. I’d be dead one day with her kiss tattooed on my skin.
But that would have to wait. All of it. I had no clue what Gwendolyn’s past held when it came to relationships with people, but if I were to guess, I would assume she didn’t have much experience.
I looked her up online, like the apparent stalker I was, to see if she was on social media. She wasn’t, but there were many articles written about her genius, the top innovator of robotics in the world. She’d been to many formal events for her work with Griffin Enterprises, but always alone, that look of indifference on her face. Cold and calculating, which earned her the nickname of “human robot of Seahill.” If one didn’t know her, they would think she was a bitch who looked down at everyone. But the truth was so far from that.
The whole ride in her car to the festival was quiet. Both of us were processing something—I had no clue what she was thinking. But me? I was trying to think of what I could do to win her heart, since she had stolen mine.
Gwendolyn was different, in a good and unique way. But the typical showering her with gifts and affection wouldn’t work. I needed to think more specific. Having cleaned my place for her wasn’t something I thought would have earned a kiss on the cheek from someone who was uncomfortable with touching another. But it obviously was meaningful to her.
Thankfully the storm had come and gone quickly, so the winter festival wouldn’t be delayed. I’d already dropped off the photo stands earlier, so Gwendolyn and I were able to just find a parking spot at the small fairgrounds and walk to the event.
She looked nervous as we neared the bright lights and music, no doubt worrying if she would be okay in this type of atmosphere. I wasn’t worried, though; something told me that she would really enjoy the night. And by something, I mean Phillip, who told me to take her.
My sight fell upon her tensed hand that was staying close to her body. I wondered if touch would help ease her mind.
I reached out to gently caress my hand against hers, in hopes that she would grab on, but a metal tail smacked my hand away from hers.
Instantly my eyes moved up to the dragon perched on her shoulder, who was giving me a dark look.
Hand-holder defense mechanism. I’d have to win that dragon back over onto my side somehow. Pops was on my team, but Cora wasn’t sold yet. Neither was Gwendolyn, if I was being honest. I could tell she liked me, but I could also tell that she could move on quickly if things went south.
“Anything you wanna do first?” I looked at her after paying for our tickets.
“I’m not sure, I’ve never had good luck at these types of events.” She shrugged and started moving with the crowd through the gates.
“Well then, allow me to guide you in the ways of the winter festival.” I lifted my arm up for her to place her hand on, but the gesture was not one she knew what to do with. She simply looked at me with what I thought was hope in her eyes and waited.
Epic failure at touching number two.
Lowering my arm, I gestured to the aisle of fair food. Corn dogs, funnel cakes…even candy apples made to look like snowballs.
“Fried Oreos?” Her face was scrunched up in confusion, but the thought of fried Oreos had my mouth watering.
“You say it like that because you’ve never tried it. Now we’ve gotta get them,” I teased, and she simply went along with me buying them.
Safe to say, Gwendolyn loved sweets, and the Oreos were a hit.
We walked around, eating junk food and talking about her work, specifically her latest project. Cozy robots. I thought it was a brilliant idea, and the fact that she wanted Phillip to give them out for free said a lot about her character. She was good through and through, as I already knew. This only confirmed it more.
“Do you wanna ride one of the rides?” I asked, pointing to the few they had for adults. Nothing extravagant, just a few little spinning types of rides.
“I don’t think so. I might do something to the structure if I got too nervous or scared.”