The Non-Standard Man Ch. 16

Brief Synopsis-Evaline Shipley is a brilliant, high powered Washington lawyer that lives in the 2030's in a world where 80% of the men were wiped out by a biological agent. This imbalance in the genders leaves women to seek out alternatives to male companionship, one of them being pleasure 'bots.

In the competition to built a better and more realistic pleasure 'bot, one of the leading pleasure 'bot manufacturers, Androdyne, crosses a legal line to produce a sentient robot. However, Sinta Grant and Cicily Wells and Amanda Connor (silent partner and Evaline's boss), owners of Androdyne, concoct a plan to make the idea of sentient robots attractive to the public, hoping to win support for their new line of robots. They set up Evaline to become the owner of their one successful sentient robot, Andrew, and wait for the discovery of Evaline's ownership of an illegal robot to play out.

Eventually Evaline was arrested, and Andrew confiscated. The publicity created by the arrest of Evaline was the exposure that Sinta, Cicily and Amanda hoped for. Evaline, however, is still in the middle of this mess, looking at jail time for harboring a sentient robot, and exposed to dangerous elements of society that are afraid of Andrew. Evaline, her estranged husband, Roger, and Cicily's brilliant adult son, Jason take refuge in her apartment with hired security guarding her door.

Jason's presence at Evaline's apartment proves advantageous as Andrew develops a dangerous infection of his artificial biologic skin that threatens to terminate the robot's existence. Jason secures pharmaceuticals from Sinta Grant to combat Andrew's infection.

At the end of Chapter 15 Evaline leaves her vigil of Andrew in her bedroom to find Roger and Jason having sex in the living room. She hears her husband declaring his love for Jason.

*****

"Would someone like to explain what is going on?"

Even to my ears my words sounded harsh and shrewish. Oh god. I was not "that woman" was I?

Both men lay naked on the floor as I illuminated their secret passion by flicking on the light switch. Jason looked frightened, and Roger, damn him, grinned at me. He didn't even have the decency to look sheepish.

"We're all adults here," said Roger. "I don't think you need an explanation."

"That's not what I mean. You told him you loved him."

"Really? Evie? You are going to go high school on me?"

"Bastard!"

"Never claimed otherwise, Evie. But it's true." He settled his arm around Jason's shoulder.

"At least put some clothes on," I said. Disgust registered in my voice. That wasn't because of the gay sex, but because when it comes to relationships Roger didn't know his ass from his elbow. What did he know of love?

What did I?

The two men pulled on their discarded clothes. Jason kept a wary eye on me as I paced the room muttering to myself.

"Is she okay?" Jason asked Roger.

Roger gave me a glance.

"No, but she'll get over it, eventually."

"How long before she gets over it?" asked Jason.

Roger shrugged. "Wouldn't know. This is the part where I usually leave for a hotel."

"Maybe I should go," said Jason.

"Don't you even think it, Jason Wells," I said. "You have just as much explaining to do as Roger."

"What would you have us explain?" said Roger.

"How long has this," and I waved my hand from Roger to Jason then Roger again, "been going on?"

My husband looked at his lover. "What, about six months now?"

"Yes, about that long," said Jason.

"And you," I said pointing my finger at Roger, "don't think that's awfully convenient."

"What do you mean?"

"What do I mean?" I stormed. "Oh, I don't know. The fact that Jason's mother, her business partner and my boss conspired to set me up with a sentient robot! A situation that gets me in all kinds of trouble, so they could publicize sentient robots! That Jason followed along on every single one of their plans? That he did it to point of 'quitting' Androdyne and creating a product that is so close to Androdyne's biologic skin as to produce a court fight? What has Jason been doing? Seduce you so he could encourage you to move in with me? To keep tabs on me?"

"Did you do that, Babe?" Roger asked Jason with feigned innocence.

"Why yes, Sweets, I did."

Roger nodded and looked up at me. "He admits it," he said with a smile on his face.

I felt lightheaded. What an idiot I was. Roger was part of this? How deep did it go? I didn't have to wait long for answers. Roger never could shut up.

"Though actually, Evaline, I was the one that did the seducing. You see, Sweetie, my mother owns about ten percent of Androdyne. She asked me to get close to Jason to find out if there were any new developments coming along to make the stock worth keeping. Only she had no idea how close we'd get. This guy," and he ruffled the hair on Jason's head, "didn't want to tell me anything. I had to get him awfully drunk to get anything out of him."

"Well that, and fuck me senseless," said Jason with a smile.

I swayed. The ground seemed unsteady under my feet. My breathing hitched, and I felt I wasn't getting enough air.

"Whoa! Evie! Are you okay?"

Both Roger and Jason got to their feet and rushed at me as my knees buckled underneath me. But it wasn't either one of them that caught me. I fell back into some strong, unyielding arms that wouldn't let me fall.

"What have you done to Evaline?" Andrew said as the world became dark.

#

I came too on the bed with three concerned male faces hovering over me.

"Sorry, Evie," said Roger. "If I'd known-"

"Shut up, Roger. I'm not speaking to you."

"Don't blame Roger," said Jason.

"I'm not speaking to you either." I turned my head away.

"Give her some space," said Andrew. "It's always better to give her space when she's this cranky."

"Oh, I'm more than cranky," I snarled.

"Ssh, ssh, Evaline," said Andrew. "Think of the baby. All this stress is not good for you."

"Not good for me!" I sat up and immediately felt dizzy again.

"Has anyone monitored her liquid intake?" said Andrew sharply. "Roger, get her some water."

Roger left the room swiftly.

"Andrew, how are you feeling?" asked Jason.

"I am operating at nearly normal parameters," said Andrew stiffly. He spoke as he lifted my head and put another pillow under it. "My skin is damaged and it may not self-repair, but my cognitive functions are unimpaired."

"Just lay back," said Andrew. "When was the last time you ate?"

"Dinner."

"She didn't eat all that much," volunteered Jason.

Roger came back with a glass of water.

"Now drink this, Evaline, and I'll get you something to eat."

"But Andrew, you've been sick. You need to rest."

"Evaline, I'm a robot, not a human. I do not need to rest. However, I do need to take care of you." He looked at Roger and Jason.

"Both of you, out of here. Just seeing you her blood pressure rises."

Roger grimaced, but he put his hand on Jason's shoulder and steered him out of my bedroom.

"It's such a mess, Andrew. Now I find my husband is a conspirator?"

"Jason was telling the truth when he said Roger volunteered to watch over you," Andrew said gently.

"How do you know?"

"His heart rate remained steady when he said those words."

"And just what would Roger do if things got out of hand, eh?"

"Just as he's been doing. Help you whenever possible."

"By lying to me? Hiding his true motives? That's help?"

"He took a bullet for you, Evaline. I don't think he has to explain much more than that."

I lay there sullenly, warring with anger and feelings of betrayal. It was true. During this past two weeks, Roger had been unusually helpful. And thoughtful, and considerate.

"Yeah," I said sourly. "He's been a whole other person, except for the betrayal bit. That exactly tracks like Roger."

"Evaline," said Andrew, "there wasn't much Roger could do against Cicily, Amanda, and Sinta. They set up much of this up before he ever met Jason, before I ever came to live with you."

"And you," I said suspicion shading my heart, "how much did you know? Before all of this started?"

"Evaline, you should rest."

"No, damn it! I want the truth!"

"People talk in front of robots like we aren't even there. I heard all of it."

"Get out!" I said sharply.

"Evaline," he said.

"Get out! Leave me alone."

Andrew got off the bed, a sad look on his face.

"Yes, Evaline."

He closed the door gently behind him and immediately I wanted him to come back. I wanted his strong arms around me as I figure out how I would save our asses.

I was an idiot to love him. I was so screwed.

#

If I thought I'd get to wallow in my pity party, I was wrong. I climbed into the shower to wash off my sweat and disgust at all the secrets those closest to me kept. Roger, well, it wasn't exactly a shock. He never was upfront with me. But Andrew? Somehow I thought there was real trust between us.

"I trust you, Evaline," he'd say over and over.

Apparently not.

There was a knock at the bathroom door.

"Leave me alone!" I yelled.

The door opened.

"Evaline," said Andrew. "You shouldn't be standing in the shower alone, not with how dizzy you've been this morning."

"Oh, for heaven's sake," I groaned.

Andrew his robe drop and he opened the shower door. I had to hold back a gasp. Parts of his skin were black and looking like they were about to peel away.

"Oh, Andrew," I said.

He looked at his skin and then back at me. "This," he said, "can be repaired. But us, Evaline? Can that be fixed?"

I shut my eyes.

"It hurts, Andrew, that you didn't tell me the truth."

He wrapped his arms around me.

.

"I understand that now. When I first met you, the concept would never enter my mind. But now? That you hurt makes me hurt too."

I leaned against him. "I keep forgetting."

"What, Evaline?"

"That all these emotions are new to you. How could you even understand the concept of betrayal? Cicily tortured you for years, and you never thought any differently of her."

"She was doing her job," he said softly.

"Is that what you think now?"

He pulled me tighter to him. "Cicily is not important. All I know is that you are the center of my world." He kissed the back of my head and then my neck.

"How could Cicily not be important? She created you."

"I have a secret to tell you," he whispered.

I drew in a sharp breath, afraid of what I'd hear.

"What?"

"I told Jason I was not cognitively impaired, but that is not true. While the virus ate my skin, the heat from the infection damaged some of my memory. I had to choose what memories to keep, and I had little time in which to move them to non-damaged storage space. I dumped the data of Cicily's experiments with me to keep my memories of you."

"You did?"

"Not all of them, but most of them, yes," he said.

"But weren't you afraid that you could lose critical data?"

"Yes, there was possibly I could have damaged myself. But it would be worse if I could not remember you, Evaline."

He kissed the back of my neck. Between his lips against that sensitive area and the water beating on my skin, a long shiver ran through my body. I turned around and put my arms around his neck.

"I was so frightened I'd lose you," he said.

He pulled me closer so that our stomachs touched. His flaccid penis settled against my mound. His lips brushed against mine so softly that I pulled his head to mine to claim more of a kiss. He groaned softly, melting his mouth to mine, and our tongues met. My breathing sped up and where he pressed his cock tingled. I moved my hips against him, loving the sensation of our flesh pressed together. I wanted him, needed him so badly that I grabbed his ass cheeks and pulled him as hard against me as I could. Between my legs his cock stiffened, and I parted my legs slightly to invite him to move deeper into to me.

Andrew reached under my thigh, pressing fingers into the sensitive crease where thigh met ass. He pulled my leg up over his hip. And pressed his cock head to my slick folds, parting them, yet just holding himself at the entrance. He pressed the fingers of his free hand into the small of my back, and I gasped and jerked, sparks running up and down my spine.

"Please," I whimpered. "I want you. Fuck me, Andrew."

"No."

With warm water beating my back, and flooded with electric jolts of desire, his refusal didn't make sense.

"Fuck me," I said again.

He edged his cock just a tiny bit more into my entrance so that the head poked deliciously inside me, but not enough. I wanted more. His tongue lapped the place behind my ear.

"No, Evaline," he whispered. "I cannot fuck you anymore."

"What?" Shock rushed through me, and a hollow sensation clenched my stomach.

"I will love you, Evaline. Each time we are together like this, it is love."

I sighed with relief.

"Then love me, Andrew."

He thrust, quick, deep and hard, and I gasped. He pulled my legs up over his hips. I hung from his neck as his cock rammed into me. Suspended from his neck, speared by his cock, and nothing was more important right now than the pleasure coursing through me. My arousal took flight, all senses opened and centered on him thrusting deep inside my body. I whimpered, then groaned, and exploded, pushing my hips as hard as I could on his wonderful phallus, wanting more, getting more, until my body could take nothing else.

I slumped against him, and he kissed me tenderly.

"My Evaline," he said. "There is nothing more important than loving you."

#

Very sweetly, and gently Andrew dried me with a towel, and wrapped my hair with another. In the afterglow of my orgasm, with Andrew's sweet attentions, I felt relaxed, calm and centered. Andrew picked me up and sat me on the edge of the vanity.

"Oh," I said with a smile. "What are you doing now?"

Andrew reached in under the sink and brought out a bottle of skin lotion.

He winked at me.

"You'll see," he said. Pumping a gob of lotion on his hand he started working it into my feet, one then the other with careful, and slow strokes that caused heat between my legs.

"Oh god," I groaned.

"Forgot my name again?" he said with a smile.

I chuckled remembering back to our first shower, and I gasped "Oh, Jesus" when he ate me out.

"I'm Andrew," he had said. "Did you forget my name?"

He put more lotion in his hand and worked my calf muscles.

"Oh fuck," I said.

"No more fucking," he said. "I thought I was quite clear on that."

"Oh, you were. Doesn't make me stop thinking about it though."

He smiled then worked his way up my thighs slow and languorous. Andrew's thumbs made circular motions, edging precariously to the crease between where my thighs met my hips. I moaned again as desire sparked once more. His thumbs rubbed the soft flesh on either side of my slit, and I hissed sharply.

"What are you doing?"

"Feeling how you gush when I massage you there."

I swallowed hard. "Why do you make me keep needing you?"

He leaned over and took a nipple in his mouth.

"Evil, evil, robot."

"Mmmm," he said as he sucked on the tender nub creating strings of heat that ran to my clit.

And just as things started to get really good, a knock on the bathroom door shattered the mood.

"Go away!" I said.

"Evaline," said Roger through the door. "There's phone call for you. Tamara Shou."

I wrapped a robe around me and opened the bathroom door. "What the fuck does she want?" I said irritable for good reason.

He shrugged and handed me the phone.

"Yes," I said, annoyance in my voice.

"Thank god, Evaline. I haven't been able to reach you."

"Jail has that effect on people, Tamara. What do you want?"

"I can't find Lindsey Talbot's files," she said.

"Hmph. Well, I'm sure they are there somewhere."

"They aren't. We've looked all over. And we can't reach Caroline."

"She's on a nice long vacation."

"But."

"What did you expect would happen when you fired me, eh?"

"God damn it, Evaline. You are still a partner here even if you aren't working in the office."

"What? You haven't drawn up the papers to buy me out yet?"

"Amanda never said anything about that."

"Well, you better. Because I'm never setting foot in that snake pit again."

"What about Ms. Talbot's files? Without the retainer agreement—"

"Get her to sign another one."

"And admit we can't even hold on to a piece of paper?"

"That's what I've always liked about you, Tamara. Always so quick on the uptake."

"Evaline! Produce that retainer agreement, damn it. If you don't-"

I clicked off the call and quickly blocked the office number and Tamara's personal cell phone numbers. I had quite enough of threats, lies and betrayals to last me a lifetime.

"Evie," said Roger grinning at me, "that could get you disbarred."

I snorted. "I hardly think so. The retainer agreement is in the office. I can't help it if it someone misfiled it."

At that moment the door chime from the front door sounded.

"What is it about today!" I said.

"I'll get it," said Roger. He came back quickly.

"A police detective is here. Detective Ricks? She said she met you at the hospital."

"Oh right, yes. Tell her I'll be a minute."

Andrew cocked his head.

"Detective?"

"She's investigating Roger's shooting."

"Let's get you dressed then," he said.

In five minutes flat Andrew had me dressed in a pair camel colored slacks and a black top. He brushed my hair back and into a bun, making me look perfectly presentable despite just having wild sex in the shower with my toybot.

Detective Ricks sat on my couch, a cup of coffee in hand. Roger sat on the opposite couch. Jason was nowhere to be seen. I sat next to Roger.

"I'm glad to see Mr. Shipley is doing so well," said the detective.

"The doctor said I was lucky. Soft tissue," said Roger.

The detective looked around. "Where is this famous robot of yours?" she asked.

"In the bedroom," I said. "Is there something I can do for you detective?"

She took out an electronic notepad from her pocket. "Let's see. Mr. Shipley, when was the last time you saw Liz Carruthers?"

"Liz? I don't know. Maybe two weeks ago?"

"Do you have any reason to believe she might be jealous of your relationship with your wife?"

"What? No. What makes you say that?"

"Your wife mentioned that Ms. Carruthers told her she wanted a child by you."

Roger got a pained looked on his face. "Liz never mentioned that, and even if she did it wouldn't happen."

"Why not? Apparently your wife doesn't mind your extracurricular activities."

"What's your point?" said Roger. He switched into lawyer mode and a hard look came over his face. "You have the shooter in custody. Didn't the media link her to a radical group, what was the name? Nobots?"

The detective shook her head. "Sometimes reporters get things wrong. The shooter is not involved with Nobots or any other group. In fact, until yesterday, the shooter has had an impeccable military record. Sharp shooter. Did either of you know that?"

We both shook our heads.

"But she isn't talking which makes me wonder why. That tells me money is involved."

"Money is not unusual in our circle, Detective," I said. "But no one has a reason to shoot Roger or me."

"Someone had a reason. Are there any other jealous lovers I should know about?"

"No," said Roger.

I looked at my husband and studied his uncharacteristic hard demeanor. What was up here?

The detective stared back at Roger, and the hackles on the back of my neck stood. Was it possible she though Roger was behind the shooting? Despite everything, no, Roger would not go that far. I'd bet my life on it.

"You know what, Detective," I said. "It's been a hard week for us, and we are both very tired. If you come up with anything new or have any new questions, give us a call. Right now I'm afraid we don't have anything else for you right now."