Page 15 of Alien Mine

“Hardly. I’ve never seen a woman as restless as you. Even my mother could sit still longer.”

“There’s a lot going on.”

“And plenty of help with it.” He capped the mayo and put it away, then twisted the tie on the bread bag. “Your daughters and I can help.”

“Y’all help enough.”

“Only when you allow it. Now sit.”

Rachel bristled a little at that. A man hadn’t told her what to do since her daddy died, including Juan. “Now listen here,Dyuvad.”

He turned around, leaned against the counter, and crossed his arms over his bare chest. “I’m listening.”

His biceps flexed, twitching his tattoo, and her eyes fell on it. It was an odd blue color, barely lighter than black, about the same color as Dyuvad’s eyes. Her fingers itched to trace the design and the skin around it, and maybe to wander a little farther afield. She curled them into a balled up fist and dropped into a chair, her anger forgotten.

“You wanted to tell me something?” Dyuvad prompted.

Yes, she did. She nodded at a chair and waited for him to take it, then said, “What were you and the girls doing this morning?”

“Kelly showed me how to gather eggs from Fate’s chickens. We made her and Tiny’s beds and mine.”

“You made beds.”

“I asked Kelly to show me what chores she normally does. It was a long list.”

Rachel ignored his faint smile. “You were reading when I came up from the garden.”

“Kelly wishes to be an astronomer.” He slid lower in the chair and his smile widened into a wicked grin. “I have some knowledge of space.”

Why that smile made her think he had more thansome knowledgewas beyond her, but there it was, and she couldn’t quite let go of it and move on. “What kind of knowledge?”

“The kind that can be useful to an inquisitive mind.”

“That isn’t an answer.”

His smile faded, though sultry humor glimmered in his eyes. “What do you really want to know?”

“Why you’re here.”

He shrugged. “I needed a place to stay.”

“But why us?”

“This is where I was sent.”

She threw her hands up in the air and thumped her back against the chair. “For Heaven’s sake, Dyuvad. Don’t you thinkI’m entitled to a better answer than that?”

He leaned forward, all traces of humor gone. “Would you believe me if I said I’m here to watch over you? That there are those in the wider universe interested in making sure your daughters grow to adulthood and fulfill their destinies?”

“That’s…” She blew out a puff of air. “Pure plum crazy. We’re nothing special.”

“Yes, you are. Kelly is incredibly intelligent, Tiny is…” He folded his hands together and tapped them against the table’s top. “A very unique little girl, and you’re their mother. A strong, attractive woman—”

Oh, God. This man, this god of a man with his beautiful everything and mouth-watering tattoos, thought she was attractive?

“—who needs a little help. Why did you let me stay?”

It took her a minute to switch directions and register his question. Unfortunately, the first thing that popped out of her mouth was the unvarnished truth. “Because I needed the money.”

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