BETWEEN CLOUDS AND STARS: A Sexy Standalone Romance by Sharlyn G. Branson Read Free Book Online

My name is Ben Asomo, and I perform the duties of…” The man paused briefly to consider his words and continued, “Of a butler.”
    I looked at him more closely and realized he wasn’t human, but a robot. He was around 6’ 3” tall, very muscular and, if you only looked at his body, somewhat intimidating. However, his facial features were handsome. If I had to describe him, I’d say he was attractive.
    “Ben, meet Miss Estelle Klide.” I turned my head and saw Nick was coming over to us, carrying two glasses of red wine.
    Ben leaned toward me, hugged me with his powerful arms, and lifted me with ease off the floor.
    What the hell was this?
    “Ben, you don’t have to hug her. You can simply hold your hand out to greet her.”
    The male robot put me down and took a step back, examining me from head to toe.
    Nick leaned toward me and whispered in my ear, “Ben really loves watching romantic movies on TV.” Hearing his words, I barely stopped myself from bursting into laughter. Fortunately, I managed to control myself.
    “What’s wrong with that?” Ben asked in confusion. There was something sweet about his behavior, which made me take an instant liking to him.
    “Nothing wrong with it at all,” I replied to him with a smile. “I like them too.”
    “So we’ll watch movies together while Mr. Frey’s at work. Now I won’t have to be alone at home all day long.”
    It’s not possible that he’s feeling lonely like April, right? After all, he was a robot, and robots had no feelings.
    “I’m sorry, Ben, but I also go to work,” I informed him, and he looked down. His face didn’t show any emotions, but I seemed to detect a note of disappointment in him. What else had they programmed him to do?
    Nick patted him on the shoulder. “I told you I’d buy you a fembot. I’m working on it. She should be with us sometime next week.”
    “Cool,” Ben exclaimed. “Will I be able to hug and kiss her, like they do in the movies?”
    “I told the supplier we were looking for Miss Romantic, with black hair and big blue eyes. Just how you like them.” He winked at him, and I smiled at the funny exchange between them. “Have you finished the work I ordered you to do?”
    “Yes, I cleaned all the rooms and changed the sheets—”
    “Okay, okay,” Nick interrupted him and patted him on the back again. “You don’t have to tell me your life story. Now, please leave me and Miss Klide, so we can talk alone.”
    “Of course, sir,” Ben replied and started walking away from us, but stopped and turned briefly to say, “I’m really glad we met, Estelle.”
    “Me too, Ben.” I smiled at him, and he disappeared from our sight.
    I would’ve never guessed that I might like some robot, but it’d be putting it mildly to say I was hugely impressed by Ben Asomo. He was funny.
    “He’s incredible,” I said without even realizing I’d spoken the words out loud.
    “Keep talking like that about him and I’ll exchange him for an uglier model,” Nick stated. He passed me a glass of wine and motioned for me to sit on the sofa.
    I laughed at his comment. “You’re kidding, right?” But my smile froze when I realized he was dead serious. I took a healthy sip of wine for Dutch courage. Then I put the glass down on the coffee table and sat on the extremely comfy pastel cream sofa.
    “You look tense. Let me give you a massage. Take off your shirt,” I ordered softly.
    His confused expression was simply precious. Didn’t he trust me?
    “I have golden hands. You won’t regret this,” I said, trying to convince him. I deserved a diploma in the art of massage. I’d gained a lot of experience in the field, because my parents had often asked me for rub. When I’d been little, my father would ask me to stand on his back and press down with my feet, putting my entire weight on him.
    Mr. Hot smiled and his eyes gleamed. “I don’t doubt it, babe. But if you did, you’d make me want to stick my dick in your little