Turn of the Pipes (A Redpoint One Romance) (24 page)

"You named him?" Rachel demanded, a little
hurt. Just met a bot and already named it, and he wasn't even a
part of Redpoint One's crew. "And he's still here? He's attached
himself to you?"

Ignacio shook his head. "He hasn't followed me
since we pulled you out. He's stayed right here by your
side."

Trident looked up at her and gave a chirp in
response, quickly followed by her own. Did she now have another
bot, or would it leave once she left for home? Only time would tell
and while an interesting event, but it still wasn't what she wanted
to ask. Her stomach tied. Time to stop skirting around the subject.
He wasn't running for it so far, which must to be a good
sign.

"You said something, though, and I don't know
if it was a dream or real," Rachel started.

She had his full attention with that remark.
His hand stilled on top of one of her feet. He nodded at her. "Go
on."

"Something about I'm more important than
newts?" Rachel haltingly said.

He gave a slow nod, getting up to move a
little further up the bed. "I did say those words. What else do you
remember?"

She bit at her lip, suddenly losing the nerve
to ask. She took a deep breath, telling herself she was being
silly. She'd started this. Time to finish it. "You let go of Irvine
to save me."

He moved a little further towards her until he
sat next to her hip. "I did."

She licked her lips. "Then, well. Something
about…"

Her voice faded out, realizing the look was
back. Her feet twitched as the warmth ran through her. Such a
lovely expression, and all of it aimed right at her.

"Something about what?" Ignacio
prompted.

"You love me?" Rachel squeaked.

She didn't expect the way he answered. By
bending over and kissing her full on the lips.

The warmth turned into fire. Oh yes, she'd
remembered right. She had to have. He wouldn't kiss her this way if
he hadn't, would he?

The kiss curled her toes and then some. Her
arms snaked around his shoulder and neck, pulling him closer. The
movement yielded an even deeper kiss, yet he kept his hands firmly
on the bed on either side of her.

She complained against his lips. In answer he
laughed against hers and pulled back.

"Not fair," she said, trying to keep her arms
around his neck.

He reached up and pulled them away. "You are
still in the hospital under doctor care. I am not about to have a
livid nurse chase me out of here and forbid me from coming
back."

"There goes one of my fantasies."

Ignacio laughed even as he shook his head at
her. "Be good, you. And yes, I said it. I'll say it again. I love
you."

Rachel stared at him as the words washed over
her. He'd said it again. No running away, no trying to get her to
go away. He'd just said it.

CHAPTER TWENTY

IT FELT WONDERFUL to say the words, yet Ignacio yearned for
more. The wonderful expression of surprise and warmth on Rachel's
face inspired it. It came so easily now.

He sat back down next to her hip, holding one
of her hands lightly in his, using a finger to trace the edges of
each of her fingers.

"I love you, too," she said into the silence
after. A slightly evil grin appeared. "By the way, you can say
those words anytime you want."

"I intend to," Ignacio said, knowing he really
meant it. He'd been given a second chance with Rachel, and he
wasn't about to mess it up.

A bot beeped.

Ignacio laughed glancing back at where they
sat near one of the big padded chairs. "I see someone
agrees."

"My bot is giving its blessings, at least I
hope it is," Rachel said with a sigh, settling back into the back
of the propped-up bed.

"I wasn't going to ask, but I'm glad it does,"
Ignacio said, wondering if he should ask about any family he should
meet first before they progressed any further. Considering Rachel's
recovery, the question could wait until later. "I'm not letting
Irvine stop me, either."

"Ugh, Irvine. How has he been doing," Rachel
asked.

"Don't dismiss him so quickly. There is no way
we could have found you without him," Ignacio said, bringing up yet
more memories he didn't want to think about at the moment. He still
woke up in a sweat from the dreams about the search. To change the
subject, he said, "I hear you won't be in here too much
longer."

Rachel nodded. "A few more days just for the
doctors to be sure, then a couple weeks of home rest. Not a good
time to be off work with everything going on, but there you
go."

"Don't even think of trying to go back to work
right away." He frowned. "Almost makes me wish I wasn't so involved
in the pet show. I would like to be around more."

"Oh, I plan to see the pet show. I have a
whole week to see all the exhibits without anything else taking up
my time. And in the evening we can have our time." Rachel stretched
out. "First vacation in years. I plan to make the most of
it."

"I brought in a grad student," Ignacio
said.

"Oh?"

"It means I'll have more time with the added
help. Well, after the show."

Rachel's eyes widened. "More time on both
sides? My, whatever will we do with the time."

"I would like to think it means we have the
time to move forward. Together," Ignacio said, thrilled at the
thought. Even during the show, they would have time. He'd done the
show so many times he had it down to a science.

Time for him and Rachel, without jobs,
responsibilities, and escaping newts interfering.

***

Shouldn't Rachel be the one to say such a thing? How much
only a few days had turned it all around.

Nor would she run away.

"We are definitely moving forward," she said.
"We can start right now. We can start with the simple things.
Favorite color? Favorite music?"

She listed several other things until Ignacio
silenced her with a kiss. "Enough, we aren't taking a
test."

"You never know. You have to satisfy the
ladies of the Naughty Knitter's club," Rachel said. She quickly
realized she was only partially teasing. She wouldn't put it past
the women to test him out. They could be protective when they
wanted to be.

Rachel didn't mind. She was so happy about the
future. She would spend the extra time she needed to heal getting
to know the new man in her life.

"Somehow, I can see that," Ignacio said,
glancing at the door. "They can be quite the force to be reckoned
with."

"You don't know the half of it," Rachel
said.

"You have to satisfy Paul." Ignacio stopped,
scowling. "Although I think you did that even before you met. He
can be really annoying that way sometimes."

"Maybe we should get our friends
together."

"Oh, that would be interesting," Ignacio said
with more sarcasm than humor. "Animal conservationists and the
Naughty Knitter's Club."

"And maintenance engineers," Rachel added.
"Hmm, we'll need some space for a party that big. My apartment
certainly won't work, nor yours. Maybe the reserve?"

She was only half joking. She wanted a little
party. Something to celebrate life, a new life she'd been given,
not only with her rescue but also in the new love found with
Ignacio.

"And suffer the attentions of Pookie looking
for a snuggle with one of his adopted Moms?" Ignacio asked, raising
his eyebrows.

Her bot beeped at the comment.

Rachel looked over at it. "Would you like to
formally meet Pookie?"

Her bot beeped again and Ignacio
laughed.

But, she didn't. It wasn't responding to the
question, it was responding to something else.

"I don't believe this," Rachel
muttered.

Ignacio stopped laughing. "What's
wrong."

"Tulip, Sunflower, Sky, Sunbeam, Buttercup."
Rachel stopped. Her bot didn't respond to any of it. Only sat there
next to the other bot, staring at her.

"Pookie," Rachel said. Her bot beeped in
response. She said the name again, and out came another
beep.

She collapsed into her bed while Ignacio
doubled over laughing.

"Life is not fair," Rachel said to the
ceiling.

Ignacio leaned across her body, propping
himself up with a hand on her other side. "How do you intend to
keep two Pookie's straight?"

"Do you have any idea of the ribbing I'm going
to get from everyone in the maintenance platform?" Rachel wailed.
"The oil incident was bad enough!"

Her ID bracelet beeped as Ignacio broke out
into more laughter.

"Arthur, I have a clog that keeps moving,"
Tish's voice said. "Do you remember if Rachel said what this kind
of problem might be and how to fix it?"

Rachel lifted her wrist to say, "Tish, it
means you have an invader in the pipes. Irvine the newt is on the
move again."

"Rachel, get off the line. You are off-duty,"
Arthur said.

Ignacio lowered her band-arm, sliding down her
arm to cradle her hand and kissed each of her knuckles. "Arthur is
right. I'll go take care of Irvine. If it's any consolation, he
will be with me for only three more months. Then he'll be cleared
to return to an on-planet refuge."

"Good thing. I'm not sure how much longer my
pipes can take it," Rachel said with a grin. She pushed him away as
he leaned over to give her another kiss. "Go, Tish will need your
help. Pookie, lead him there."

Her bot chirped agreement as Rachel added, "Be
careful with Irvine. We have a lot to thank him for."

Ignacio slid off the bed and nodded. "He saved
your life."

Rachel shook her head. "No, before that. A
newt in the pipes is what brought us together in the first place.
I'll always be thankful to him for that."

This time when he leaned over to kiss her,
agreeing with every word, she let him. With all her heart, she let
him.

The End

Other "Redpoint One"
Titles

Once Upon a Pet Show

ABOUT THE
AUTHOR

J.A. Marlow writes across many
genres, including science fiction, young adult, romance, and
others. A private pilot with several years of flying experience in
Alaska, J.A. Marlow enjoys adding to stories a touch of the mystery
and exotic nature of the land sometimes called “the last frontier.”
Popular series include "The String Weavers," "Salmon Run," and
"Redpoint One."

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http://starcatcherpub.com

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