She pointed her finger at the receptionist. “That… that cow insinuated that the only way Lily would behave is if I had drugged her! I just want to slap the crap out of her!”
Thrace bit his lip, but he couldn’t hide his grin for long.
“Why are you smiling?” she demanded. “She insulted our… I mean, your daughter.” Not much time had passed, but Avelyn couldn’t deny the pull she’d felt toward Lily. From the first moment she’d held her, she felt like the baby was hers.
“Our daughter?”
Avelyn felt a blush rising to her cheeks and shrugged. “It was a slip of the tongue. I meant your daughter. She insulted your daughter and I think you should do something about it.”
She couldn’t afford to slip up like that again. What if Thrace became angry that she’d tried to claim his child? She hadn’t meant the words to come out, but the more time she spent with Lily, the more she wished she was the precious girl’s mother and not her nanny. And the fact Lily came attached to such a handsome daddy just made the darling girl even more tempting. Avelyn had spent a restless night with damp panties as she’d thought about her boss. At least, she assumed he was still considered her boss. They hadn’t filled out any forms or contracts since arriving in Kentucky, and he hadn’t mentioned any. What if he wasn’t happy with the care she was giving Lily? It would break her heart to walk away from the little girl. From the first moment Lily had smiled at her, she’d had Avelyn wrapped around her tiny finger.
“What would you like me to do, Avelyn? The woman works here and has been witness to many of Lily’s tantrums in the past few months. Everyone at this station knows that Lily usually screams her way through the place, regardless of who is holding her.”
“I don’t care what they’ve seen in the past. They should treat your daughter with more respect.”
His smile broadened. “You are very fierce when protecting my daughter. I like that.”
She felt her cheeks warm even more.
“Come with me and I’ll introduce you around. We’ll start with Lily’s doctor, in case you ever need to bring her here for a check-up or if she’s sick. You’ll like Xonos. He’s married to a human female and adopted the woman’s human daughter as his own. They were with me the day I decided to adopt Lily.”
Avelyn walked alongside of Thrace, and pushing the stroller, followed him inside the clinic. He rang a bell and a moment later a Terran doctor came out of the back. He smiled when he saw Thrace and immediately hunkered down in front of Lily to greet the baby. Avelyn decided she liked him on sight.
“And how are you today, Lily?” Xonos asked.
The baby babbled at him and waved her fists around.
He smiled and stood, holding out his hand to Avelyn. “I’m Xonos, the main doctor at the station. Are you Thrace’s potential bride?”
She opened and shut her mouth a few times, but nothing came out. Bride? She rather liked the idea, but knew it would never happen. In order to be a bride, you needed to have the ability to give your mate a child, and she couldn’t do that. As much as she’d like to keep Lily and Thrace for herself, she knew it would never happen.
“This is Avelyn,” Thrace said. “She’s going to be Lily’s nanny. I found her in Las Vegas and brought her home with me.”
Xonos shook her hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Avelyn. What do you think of the Lexington area so far?”
“Oh, well… I haven’t really seen any of it. We went straight from the airstrip to the hotel, and I left the hotel to come straight here today. I haven’t really had a chance to explore, but I’m hoping Thrace can show me around soon.”
Thrace winced. “About that… I can’t get off early today like I’d planned. There’s going to be an influx of potential brides and mates this afternoon and they’ve asked me to stay over to help with security. And I work all day tomorrow, so that’s out too.”
She felt disappointed, but she understood that his job came first. “It’s all right, Thrace. There will be other days to explore.”
“I have an idea,” Xonos said. “What if I called Victoria, my mate? She could show you around either before school lets out or after. Our daughter, Evie, loves Lily.”
“Well… “ She looked up at Thrace. “Would you mind if Lily and I went around with Xonos’ mate?”
“Not at all. There will be plenty of outings for us in the future. We’ll make plans for my next day off,” Thrace said.
Avelyn smiled at Xonos. “Then Lily and I would be delighted to explore the city with your mate, but I’d… “ She blushed. “I mean we’d like to have lunch with Thrace first, if that’s all right?”
“Of course,” Xonos said. “I’ll call Victoria and have her call you at the hotel. You can discuss when would be a good time to explore. It doesn’t even have to be today. You could always go in the morning after Evie is dropped off at school.”
“Thank you. That’s very kind of you. I look forward to meeting her.” Avelyn smiled. “I don’t have any friends here yet.”
“I have a feeling Victoria and you will become the best of friends,” Xonos said.
“Come along, Avelyn. There are other people I’d like for you to meet, but we’ll save that for another day. I’m only given an hour for lunch.”
Avelyn waved bye to Xonos and followed Thrace through the station and out into the sunshine. She walked toward the limo that she’d taken to get to the station and began unbuckling Lily. As she lifted the baby from the stroller, Thrace held out his hands. Avelyn passed Lily to Thrace and then climbed into the limo so she could help get the little girl settled into the car seat while the driver stowed the stroller.
Once Lily was situated, Thrace claimed the seat across from them and lowered the window to inform the driver of their destination. Avelyn used the time to study his profile. He wasn’t classically handsome, but she was very drawn to him. When Thrace looked at her, she had the urge to strip off her clothes and beg him to make love to her. She’d been in lust with men before, but something was different this time. She didn’t just want him for his body, or his daughter, she found him to be quite smart, funny, and very considerate. Avelyn truly enjoyed being around him and had looked forward to today’s lunch all morning.
“I hope you don’t mind, but I asked the driver to take us to an Italian restaurant nearby. The owners don’t mind a fussy baby and I’ve found I rather like the cuisine. Some of your human foods aren’t palatable to me -- who eats raw squid? -- but I’ve found I rather like Italian food and Mexican food. Are they to your liking?”
“I agree with you about the squid, but with the exception of sushi, I’ll eat just about anything. Well, maybe not mushrooms. I’ve never developed a taste for them, not even on my pizza.”
He nodded. “I’ll endeavor to remember that.”
Avelyn looked over at Lily and smiled when she saw the little darling had fallen asleep. She’d missed her morning nap because she’d been too excited. With any luck, she’d still go down for an afternoon nap after they reached the hotel. She didn’t think Thrace would want to deal with a cranky baby when he came home from work later in the day.
The limo pulled to a stop and Thrace helped her out of the vehicle before reaching back inside for his daughter. He cradled Lily against chest and lightly placed a hand against Avelyn’s back, escorting her into the restaurant. That slight touch was enough to warm her from the inside out. She only hoped he didn’t realize how much his touch affected her, otherwise, she’d be highly embarrassed. It was definitely against the rules to lust after your boss.
Inside, they were ushered to a table, seated, and then each given a menu and a glass of water before the waitress made herself scarce. Lily still hadn’t woken and was cradled in Thrace’s arms, even though a high chair had been brought for her. The baby seemed content to sleep against her father’s chest, and Avelyn had to admit they made a beautiful picture.
“Has she been good for you this morning?” Thrace asked. “Not too fussy?”
&n
bsp; “She hasn’t fussed a bit, barely even making a sound when she was hungry or needed to be changed. Lily is a wonderful baby, Thrace. You don’t have to worry about her misbehaving. She’s the sweetest thing.”
He nodded. “You’ve brought this change in her, and I’m thankful for it. She’s comfortable with you, more relaxed. I think I made her nervous.”
“She just wasn’t used to you. I told you my theory that she wasn’t used to being around men. You’re probably the first male she’s lived with. It will just take her a little time to adjust. And I’m sure you were feeling frustrated when she cried non-stop, and that probably just fueled her irritation. I noticed last night that you seem more relaxed with her than you did when I first met you. When you’re relaxed, it makes her feel safe. If you’re stressed, then she senses that too. Babies are very perceptive.”
“I have you to thank for that,” he said.
“Do you believe in fate?” she asked.
“Fate?”
“You know, that some people are destined to meet one another? I believe it was fate that we met. I needed a job and had lost my baby; you needed someone to care for your daughter. We came into one another’s lives at the perfect time.”
“Yes, I do believe in fate.”
The waitress came back and took their orders, then wandered off again.
There was tenderness in Thrace’s eyes as he watched Avelyn take a sip of her water. Or was she imagining it? Was she seeing tenderness there because she wanted to? She couldn’t deny her attraction to him, but it was probably too much to hope he’d feel the same about her. A male who looked like Thrace could have any woman he wanted, so why settle for a broken one who couldn’t give him children? Of course, that didn’t mean they couldn’t fool around. It wasn’t likely he’d get her pregnant. But something told her the alien wasn’t the type to just scratch an itch. He seemed too responsible for that.
“How has work been today?” she asked.
Surprise flashed in his eyes. “No one has ever asked me about my day before.”
“Never?”
He shook his head.
“Well… do you mind that I asked?”
His lips tipped up on one corner. “I like that you want to know how my day has been. And to answer your question, it has been fine. No disturbances at the station. There was a woman who became overly distraught when she found out she couldn’t be a bride and she had a bit of a meltdown, but one of the human psychiatrists we keep on staff gave her a sedative.”
“Poor woman. Why couldn’t she be a bride?”
“The results showed that she can’t have children.”
It was like being doused in ice water. No matter how attractive she found Thrace, she would always be unsuitable for him. It was a good reminder that she couldn’t have anything more from him than an employer-employee relationship, and to even dream of anything else would be heartbreaking.
His gaze softened. “I’m sorry, Avelyn. I didn’t think before I spoke.”
“It’s fine. Really.”
But it wasn’t. And it never would be, not ever again. Who would want a broken woman? Even human males preferred women who could give them children. Was she doomed to spend the rest of her life alone? It was a depressing thought. Thankfully, their food arrived and distracted her from her morose thoughts.
She watched as Thrace held Lily with one arm and ate using the other. If she hadn’t known better, she’d have thought he’d been doing it the baby’s entire life. They were so natural together, so perfect… so not hers. She was merely borrowing the baby while Thrace was at work. Maybe she should start distancing herself at night, keep more to her room so she wouldn’t become too attached to them. She’d only been with them for two nights, but it felt like longer. Although she feared it was too late already. Avelyn was already getting way too attached to the father-daughter duo.
By the time their meal ended, she had almost convinced herself that she could take a step back, that she could distance herself and pull away from the feeling that she belonged with them. Almost. Then Thrace had to ruin it by placing his hand against her back on the way out of the restaurant, the light touch wreaking havoc with her senses. For one brief moment, as she paused next to the limo, she’d thought he was going to lean down and kiss her. But she blinked and the moment was gone. Probably just as well. If the Terran ever kissed her, she had a feeling she wouldn’t want to let go.
After dropping Thrace back off at the station, she returned to the hotel with a now awake Lily and spent the next hour pacing the living area as she pondered what she was going to do. When the phone rang, it was a welcome distraction.
“Hello?”
“Is this Avelyn?” a woman asked.
“Yes.”
“This is Victoria. I believe you met my mate Xonos this afternoon? He asked that I call and set up a time to show you around the city.”
“Oh! Of course. I don’t think today is going to be a good day for an adventure, but perhaps tomorrow?”
“Tomorrow will be fine, but I have a favor to ask. I’ve just picked up Evie, our daughter, from school and she’s been asking every day when she can see Lily again. I realize you may not be up for company, but would you mind if we came and picked up Lily for a little while?”
“Oh, well, I don’t know… “ Avelyn chewed on her lower lip. Would Thrace be upset if she let someone walk out the door with his daughter?
“I tell you what. I’ll call Thrace, run it by him, and ask him to call you if he agrees. Sound fair?”
“Yes, all right.”
“I look forward to meeting you.”
Before she could respond, Victoria had hung up. It was only a few minutes later that Thrace called and said Victoria had permission to pick up Lily for a few hours, and that Avelyn should use the time to relax, do some exploring, or take a nap. He said the time was hers to use as she wished and that he would be home before Victoria returned Lily.
When Victoria came to pick up Lily, Avelyn was a little nervous. She greeted the woman with a smile, welcoming her into the hotel suite. Lily took notice right away and smiled, waving her hands around. The baby rolled onto her hands and knees and tried to scoot across the floor. It was the second time Avelyn had seen her try to crawl, but she thought Lily was still a little young to be crawling. But what did she know of alien babies?
“Has she been doing that often?” Victoria asked. “She’s only five months old.”
“This is the second time I’ve seen her attempt to crawl.”
Victoria rubbed her slightly rounded belly. “I hope Terran children aren’t so advanced that they crawl and walk before human children. I’m not quite ready to chase after this one yet.”
“I already packed her diaper bag, just let me get it from her bedroom.”
Avelyn left to retrieve the bag and heard Lily begin to fuss. Worried, she hurried back to the living room. Lily sat up, holding her arms out toward Avelyn with huge tears streaking her face.
“I’ve never seen her do that,” Victoria said. “I mean, yes, I’ve seen her fussy plenty of times, but she’s never gotten upset because someone left the room.”
“Are you sure you want to take her?” Avelyn asked, lifting the baby into her arms.
“Positive. It will give you a bit of a break until Thrace comes home, and hopefully prepare Evie for what life will be like with a baby in the house.”
Avelyn wasn’t sure she wanted to let go of Lily, but eventually she handed her over to Victoria. The woman had already raised a child and had another on the way. That was way more experience than Avelyn had, so surely Lily would be all right. She doubted that Thrace would have given his permission for Victoria to take his daughter if he didn’t trust that she would keep the baby safe.
“I’ll bring her back after dinner. That will give you some alone time with Thrace.”
“Alone time?” She felt her eyes widen. “Why do we need alone time?”
“Oh, I… “ Victoria faltered. “I’m s
orry; I just assumed you would want time alone with Thrace before you became his bride and a full-time mother. Xonos told me that you couldn’t keep your eyes off one another, so I just… “
“It’s all right. It was a simple misunderstanding.” Thrace couldn’t keep his eyes off her? She tingled all over at the thought of the big alien being half as infatuated with her as she was with him. “I’m not here to be Thrace’s bride. I came here to be his nanny.”
“I’m so embarrassed. Xonos never said anything about you being the nanny, and I know Thrace has wanted a mate for a long time. I just thought he’d found someone while he was out of town. None of the brides who have come through the station here have wanted anything to do with him, not after… “ She glanced down at Lily.
“Not after they realize he’s a father?”
“Right.”
“Well, they’re a bunch of idiots. Lily is the sweetest baby ever. Other than when we first met, I’ve never seen her truly upset about anything. She fusses a little when she needs her diaper changed or when she’s hungry, but otherwise, she smiles all the time.”
“You must be a miracle worker. I love Lily, don’t get me wrong, but she has screamed the roof off every place she’s been in since Thrace discovered her abandoned at the station. She’ll quiet a little when I hold her, but for the most part, it doesn’t matter whose arms she’s in, she’ll still scream.”
Avelyn reached out and stroked Lily’s baby soft cheek. “We get along just fine, don’t we, Lily?”
The baby cooed at her and held out her arms.
“Uh oh. It looks like I’d better take off with her if I’m going to get out of here with a baby in my arms. My daughter fell asleep in the limo downstairs and the driver offered to sit with her. I don’t want to abuse that kindness.”
“I look forward to meeting your daughter. If you have any problems with Lily, please don’t hesitate to bring her home. I really don’t mind having her around.”
Truth of the matter was that she didn’t have the first clue what she was going to do without Lily in the suite with her. The little girl kept her entertained and made her smile.
Avelyn and the Alien Daddy (Intergalactic Brides 3) Page 3