The Bridal Candidate 1 (Heart Connections)

by Linda Verji

  Damián probably should've left after he'd said his piece, but for some inexplicable reason he felt compelled to watch them. The more he watched Aiko, the more confident he was in his choice of future wife. She was exactly what Zoe needed - a firm hand tempered with love and patience.

  She was also what he needed.

  A wife for him had been just a 'by the way' clause to their contract. But after last night he'd realized that it was one of his best ideas. For the last few years, he'd slaked his sexual desires through unsatisfying one-night stands and flings just so he could avoid attachment. Having Aiko under his roof was like getting the best of two worlds. He didn't have to go through the tiring motions of flirting and wooing anymore since he had an official woman now, yet he didn't need to worry about attachment because theirs was a business arrangement.

  Then there was the sex.

  Amazing. Passionate. Exhilarating.

  As fast as last night's interlude had been, it was also the hardest he'd come in a long time. And they hadn't even undressed. He could hardly bear to think of the inferno that would flare when they got naked, skin-to-skin.

  Almost as if she could hear his wicked thoughts, Aiko glanced upwards. Their eyes caught for a long moment. Damián didn't hide his desire from her; he let her see it in his eyes, let her see how much he wanted her. Her eyes widened, then she quickly lowered her gaze in- was that shyness? It was.

  The sides of Damián's lips kicked upwards in a smile. She was the last person he expected to show that kind vulnerability but it would've been a lie to say that it wasn't an incredible turn on. Had they been alone, he would've stridden across the room to kiss it off her expression.

  Later, he assured his eager libido.

  "Mommy, I'm done." Seraphina dragged their attention to her as she straightened to her full height with a radiant smile.

  "Good girl." Aiko kissed Seraphina's forehead before bending to tighten the laces. "You did very well. Show Uncle Damián."

  The child eagerly lifted one sneakered foot and waved it for his inspection.

  "Very nice," Damián complimented with a smile. "They're tied perfectly."

  "You got your shoes, your t-shirt, your shorts…" Aiko tickled Seraphina earning herself happy giggles. "Time to play."

  "Yay."Seraphina cheered with both hands in the air. "With Queenie?"

  "Yes." Aiko nodded. "I think she's downstairs."

  Even before she finished the statement, the child was racing for the door.

  "Phia," Aiko called out. "And no going near the swimming pool. Okay?"

  "'Kay." Seraphina threw over her shoulders. She only slowed in her tracks to offer Damián a happy, "Bye," before bounding out of the room.

  As soon as she was gone, Damián closed the door then crossed the room. He reached Aiko just as she was rising to her feet. Surprise clouded her expression when he stopped right in front of her. When he lowered his head to kiss her, she quickly arched backwards with a protest. "Hey."

  "What?" He cupped a hand over the back of her neck, intent of dragging her face closer.

  "We can't do that here." Unlike last night, there was no hesitation in her tone or slackness in the fist she pressed against his chest. "What if Phia comes back in? I'm supposed to be just a nanny, and you're just Uncle Damián, remember?"

  Damn. He started to take a step back then an idea hit him. Latching onto her fingers, he suggested, "Your room then."

  "Not there either." She snatched her hand from his grip. "Not anywhere, and certainly not now."

  Damián narrowed his eyes. "We had an agreement."

  "I know." She rolled her eyes. "I didn't mean not ever. Just not now. Everyone is still awake and we might get caught."

  True. But that didn't mean that Damián loved feeling like a horny teenager being forced to wait until night to sneak a girl into his room. Glancing pointedly at his groin, he asked, "What if I have needs that need taking care of during the day."

  Aiko's lips twitched as she patted his chest. "Then you'll have to take care of them yourself."

  "Ugh!" Damián groaned as he watched her head toward the door, her hips and ass slightly swaying with her movements. This was torture! To have a sexy woman so close yet be unable to touch her because of some stupid probation clause.

  Aiko stopped at the door. "You coming?"

  His eyes lit up eagerly, and he started forward.

  "Not for that." She laughed as she opened the door. "I need to talk to you about Zoe."

  Talk about killing someone's buzz. Damián' shoulders sagged with his disappointment reluctance. He really did not want to talk about his daughter. He actually considered taking a quick turn in the hallway and escaping Aiko. But pride made him follow her into her room.

  He hadn't been to the Master Suite in a while. Not much had changed except for the color-scheme yet somehow Aiko had managed to imprint herself on the room. Her feminine, flowery scent teased his senses as he took in the knickknacks she'd laid out on the vanity table, the book on the bedside table, the dress hanging on the loveseat's arm, and her shoes by the bed.

  "Come in." Aiko headed straight for the loveseat. She lowered herself to the seat and picked up the colorful notebook atop the coffee table.

  Damián recognized the notebook. It was the same one she'd brought to his study last night. Ugh! Closing the door behind him, he said, "I told you yesterday, you have free rein to do whatever you need to do with Zoe."

  "Don't you even want to know what I'm planning?" She waved the notebook.

  He stayed put by the door. "Not really."

  "She's your daughter, Damián." Aiko met his gaze and held it. "Not some pet you can palm off on me. You might've found a mother for her, but it doesn't mean you quit being her father."

  Immediate anger flared inside Damián. Was she trying to say that he was shirking his fatherly duties? Because he wasn't. Zoe was well provided for - because of him. Whatever she needed, he gave her. Sure, she wasn't the most disciplined kid out there but he was doing his best.

  "Take a seat." Aiko patted the space beside her.

  He considered walking out of the room, but the determined glint in her eyes told him that she'd either follow him or save the hounding for later. It was better to get this over sooner rather than later. Mentally heaving a tired sigh, he closed the distance between them and settled next to her - but not too close lest she presume that he was here of his free will.

  "Okay." Her expression turned cautious as she said, "I wanted to ask you something first-"

  "Shoot."

  She paused for a long moment then said, "Zoe's mother."

  His insides twisted in a tight knot and his hands fisted as immediate fury spurted inside him. Feigning unconcern, he slouched back in the love seat and threw his arm over its back. His voice was deceptively even as he asked, "What about Zoe's mother?"

  "Is she around?"

  "No."

  Aiko's eyes clouded with immediate sympathy. "She died?"

  "No." He didn't elaborate, but he could feel his jaw tick with restrained fury.

  "I-" Aiko started, but a glance at him later and she shook her head as if to push away the topic. The knot in the pit of Damián's belly unfurled when she said, "Okay, let's forget her."

  He'd started to breathe easy again when Aiko flipped open that damn notebook. Her expression all-business, she said, "I think the biggest problem we have with Zoe is discipline."

  Resisting the urge to correct the 'we' into 'you', Damián nodded. "I see."

  "We need to find a way to instill it in her."

  "Mm." He fixed his gaze on her face as he asked, "So, how do you propose to do your job?"

  Damián listened to her list all the strategies she was planning to use on Zoe; rules on how to talk to people, no swearing, a standard bed-time, curfew, some chores… He nodded in all the right places but didn't add much to the conversation.

  Considering Aiko's military background, he'd expected her to go boot-camp on his daughter. But each of
her suggestions were well thought out, reasonable and not too hard for any teen to follow through with. He just hoped that his daughter thought so too when Aiko laid them down for her.

  UNFORTUNATELY, ZOE WAS nowhere to be seen and thus could not be briefed on the house's new modus operandi.

  "She's still not back?" Kalila asked on-screen, her expression the picture of shock. "But it's midnight."

  "Yup," Aiko confirmed. "She's not back."

  Misha, their cousin, who was occupying the other half of Aiko's laptop's screen said, "Dang, girl. You've got problems."

  Aiko snorted. "You're telling me."

  "This girl sounds like she's suffering from a serious case of affluenza." Kalila shook her head. "Are you sure you can handle her?"

  "I don't even know why you have to handle her," Misha interrupted before Aiko could answer. "You didn't need to take a second job. You know Danny and I would've gladly helped with Uncle Sammy's bills."

  "But he's not your responsibility," Aiko said. "And besides there was the mortgage too, and that would've been too much."

  "Did you give me a chance to complain?" Misha berated. She harrumphed. "Now look where you are. Having to deal with that lil' bebe kid."

  Both Aiko and Kalila burst into laughter. Aiko sputtered, "I can't believe you called my boss's daughter a bebe kid."

  "That's what she is." Misha chuckled. "I'm telling you, Aiko. You need to whip her ass good when she gets home. I hope you carried some sturdy slippers."

  "I'm not beating her," Aiko protested.

  "Someone needs to," Kalila said. "Can you imagine walking into Mama's house past midnight?"

  "Walking?" Aiko snorted. "I'd be on my knees crawling and begging for mercy. Lord, I would've been white by the time she was done with me. Kalila, remember the time we stole oranges from Old Man John's farm."

  "Oh my God."Kalila gasped. " I still have spatula marks on my legs."

  "See. That's why you're not a thief right now, and that's why I'm Team Beat That Ass." Misha sang, "Beat that ass. Beat that ass. Beat that ass."

  Aiko chuckled. "Please tell me you're not going to beat my nephew when he pops out."

  "Please." Misha rubbed her baby bump affectionately. "I already have the belt picked out for him."

  That drew another round of chuckles even though they all knew she was joking. Despite her smart mouth, Misha was one of the least violent women Aiko knew. In fact Aiko still refused to believe that her cousin had beat up the subject of one of her investigations seven months ago when he'd tried to kill her.

  When the amusement died down, Kalila asked, "But seriously, aren't you guys worried about here?"

  "Damián isn't." Aiko shrugged. In fact he'd left the house to go see a friend of his own. "When I asked, he said that Zoe's safe with Shelley."

  "Shelley?" Misha's eyebrows shot up. "That's another tween, right?"

  "Yup. A tween-" Aiko paused for dramatic effect. "- whose parents aren't even at home."

  "Mm." Kalila shook her head. "Maybe you should take a belt to Damián. He's letting that girl grow like a tree. He better not blame you when Zoe's branches spread out into dark places."

  "I talked to him today. I think he'll be more-" The low sound of hooting cut into Aiko's words. She said, "Guys, I have to go. I think Zoe's back, and I need to talk to her before she goes to bed."

  "No talking. Beat that ass," Misha advised.

  Aiko chuckled. "Bye, Girls."

  Once she'd shut down her laptop, Aiko left her room and crossed the hallway to stop at the small living room on the stairway landing. She settled on the sectional couch, listening for Zoe's footsteps. Soon enough she heard the muffled sound of someone coming up the stairs. Seconds later, the twelve year old emerged on the landing.

  As usual Zoe was dressed in clothes appropriate for - well for no one, except maybe someone who was going out to hunt for a john. High heels, short skirt, tight top… they really needed to do something about the girl's wardrobe.

  Zoe didn't notice Aiko at first. So Aiko drew her attention. "Zoe."

  The girl swiveled fast as she turned startled eyes in Aiko's direction. When she saw the older woman, she rolled her eyes. "Oh, it's you."

  "Can we talk for a minute?" Aiko asked.

  "No." Zoe started for the hallway.

  "My fault for phrasing it as a question," Aiko said evenly as she lifted off her feet and trailed the girl down the hallway and to her room. "I meant we need to talk."

  "Psh." Zoe snorted, before she entered her room. A second later the sound of her door slamming echoed the hallway. By the time Aiko reached the door, the lock had already clicked in place.

  "Zoe?" Aiko rattled the doorknob.

  There was no answer.

  She stared at the oak door in narrow-eyed anger. If there was an Olympic competition for rudeness surely Zoe would be the record holder. Aiko knocked. "Zoe open the door."

  "Fuck off." The girl's yelling was muffled by the wood between them, but Aiko heard her words clearly, along with a loud thump as if Zoe had thrown something at the door.

  Wow! Aiko prided herself on her patience but this little hooligan was severely testing it. If it wasn't past midnight and most of the staff weren't already asleep, she would've gone in search of the spare key. In any case, it was a good thing that it was so late because Aiko wasn't sure she would've been able to hold her temper if she saw the girl face to face. Their talking could wait until morning when they were both calm.

  After checking on Seraphina to make sure she hadn't thrown off her covers, Aiko headed to her own room. After the activity-filled day, it was a relief to get into bed, and within minutes she drifted off into dreamless sleep.

  CHAPTER 9

  Aiko jolted into wakefulness an hour or so later, pulled out of sleep by the sound of her door opening. Her years in the army had made her a light sleeper and she was sensitive to any sound. The moment the low moan of the hinges seeped into her subconscious, her eyes snapped open and her head swiveled towards the door.

  "It's just me." Damián eased his way into her room, the hallway light illuminating him.

  "Damián?" Aiko shifted her whole body to face his direction. Her voice still gruff with sleep, she asked, "What are you doing here?"

  He didn't answer. Instead, he closed the door shutting out the hallway light and plunging them into the darkness.

  "Mm." She lifted slightly to flip one of the light switches above her bed. The lamp on her side of the bed came on, lighting the room with a dull amber glow. Rubbing her eyes, she mumbled, "What time is it?"

  "About two," he answered affably. It was only when she dropped her palm from her face that she realized that he was unbuttoning his denim shirt.

  "You're not sleeping here," she protested. "Seraphina could-"

  "I didn't come to sleep," Damián interrupted as he shrugged his shirt off.

  "Oh?" Aiko said. When she realized what he really meant, her eyes widened and her lips parted. "Oh."

  "Oh." Amusement glittered in Damián's eyes as he reached for his belt.

  Any sleepiness Aiko had been feeling before disappeared like chaff in the wind. She quickly sat up in the bed, her gaze following him as he kicked off his shoes and stripped off his socks. Her heart thumped faster and her pulse sped up when he chucked his pants to stand before her in just navy boxer-briefs.

  Okay, they were really doing this. Okay. Okay.

  What was that resolution she'd made this morning? Oh yeah. Not to enjoy the sex. This was just a clause of their contract - nothing to start having heart palpitations over. And the fact that he was so well built and sexy… minor details. She could be all business about this. Pushing aside the comforter, she rose to her knees, reached for the hem of her nightdress. She tossed the dress over her head and to the floor along with her headscarf. Let’s do this.

  She could tell she'd shocked Damián by the way his eyes widened. But his shock didn't last. In a matter of seconds, his surprise was replaced by studied appreciation as
he took in her revealed nakedness.

  Despite the air conditioning, Aiko suddenly felt cold and vulnerable. It took everything in her not to fold her arms over her breasts when his scorching gaze lingered over the already puckered tips. When he trailed his way down her tummy and down to her mound - well, it was a wonder that she didn't grab the comforter and hide herself away.

  But she was determined to be blasé about this.

  She sat on her haunches and let him get his fill of her nakedness. When his eyes finally wandered back to hers, she quirked her eyebrows in silent challenge. Well, are we doing this?

  Damián it seemed was up for the challenge - literally up. His cock jutted against the fabric of his boxer-briefs, taunting her. Her pussy constricted in immediate approval as heat raced through her body. But it was when he reached for the waistband of his underwear that it really got hot.

  Then he lowered the fabric, and his shaft popped out.

  Forget that! How was she supposed to maintain her nonchalant farce with him brandishing weapons like that? Dark red, thick, long and oh, so hard. Her internal muscles squeezed at the sight of his beautiful, bared cock.

  Somehow she managed to keep from scrambling backwards when he started forward. Like a cat - a big, menacing cat, he prowled toward her. The mattress dipped as he settled on the bed. The temperature in the room rose considerably when he scooted closer to Aiko, until he was close, so close his masculine scent filled every breath she took.

  "I'm sorry I woke you." He reached forward to cup her cheek, his palm soft and warm against her skin.

  It took everything for Aiko not to close her eyes and snuggle into his touch. She kept her, hopefully, detached gaze on him as she quirked her eyebrows. "Really? Then you shouldn't have done it."

  "I had to." His lips arched into a wickedly seductive smile as he traced the line of her cheek with his fingertips. "I've been thinking of you all day." Those errant fingertips glanced over her mouth. "And thinking of what I'd do to you tonight."