Page 29 of Rathgar

When my sister first told me that she had feelings for an alien, I didn’t know what to think. I worried for her, most of all. Neither of us had the best track record with human men, so what would make alien men any different? But it wasn’t only that. A shred of jealousy colored my thoughts back then. A fear that I’d lose my only sister to a man and never see her again.

An unfounded fear, luckily. But as I review the feelings we shared that day, I come to realize that while my relationship with Rathgar has been anything but smooth, I’m starting to feel something for him as well.

And really, it’s hard not to when he’s so good with Iris. Any man good with kids is a winner in my book. Especially after what happened with Iris’s father. If I ever settle down with a man, he will have to accept all of me, my daughter Iris included. She’s the center of my life, and any man in my life has to understand that she will always come first.

I thought it was a pipe dream. That it would take a miracle. But then Rathgar crashed into my life — almost literally — and challenged everything I thought I knew.

We reach the house at last and I take Iris’s basket, handing her the key and teaching her how to unlock the door. When we push it open, I’m surprised to see Lara standing there. A brief moment of panic halts my steps, but as the door opens further Rathgar’s standing there as well.

I let out a breath. For half a second, I feared Rathgar had disappeared again. That something had happened to him, and he wouldn’t be coming back this time. And that scared me a lot more than it should.

“Rah-rah!” Iris calls out, waving at him with both hands and a cheesy grin.

Lara greets me with a warm hug and takes the baskets off my hands while we both go into the kitchen.

“What brings you out here?” I ask as casually as I can while we put away the day’s haul.

A grin creeps at the corner’s of Lara’s face. She’s never been good at hiding her emotions, and I see through her right away. “You’re scheming again, aren’t you?”

Lara barks out a laugh and presses a hand to her chest in mock affront. “I would never.” The twinkle in her eyes says otherwise. “I simply came at Rathgar’s request. I’m doing him a favor.”

“Oh?” I ask while I duck into the pantry, moving the jars and preserves to make space for the mushrooms. “And what’s that?”

“He says you two have plans tonight?” Her tone ends in a question. One that begs to know all the juicy details.

“Plans…” I mutter, my brain rushing to catch up. “Oh! I mean, we were planning to have dinner together, but I would hardly call that ‘plans’. And Iris always joins us for dinner, why would he…”

Lara cuts me off. “Why would he, indeed.” And with a wink she turns on her heel and walks back into the living room.

“Wanna go on a field trip with Auntie Lara? I’ll buy you ice cream!”

That’s all it takes to get Iris’s approval. She’s jumping and tugging on Lara’s sleeve in no time.

“See,” Lara mouths at me. “Easy.”

I look at Rathgar, eyebrows raised as if to ask, did you know about this? He’s not wearing the look of utter confusion that I am, but I can’t tell much else behind his stoic features.

All right, then. Two can play at that game.

Once the door closes, I round on him and put my hands on my hips. “Dinner, huh? When were you going to tell me about this one?”

Rathgar opens his mouth, then pauses. Rubs the back of his neck. “It’s not that big of a deal. Thought you could use a night off, is all.”

“Mhmm…” I narrow my eyes, still skeptical. If he has an ulterior motive, he’s not showing his hand. Not yet. But my heart skips a beat at the thought of us having a private night together for the first time since the cottages.

Was this his way of asking me on a date?

The words wither on my tongue unsaid. I don’t want to rock the boat and assume something I shouldn’t. Rathgar is a warrior first, and just like Iris comes first in my life, his duty to his planet and his kin has to come first for him.

On the surface, a pairing like us would never work out. But the more time I spend with him, the more I wonder if the matchmaking system at the ISA knew what it was talking about after all.

Rathgar closes the distance between us and puts one hand on the small of my back, the other right under my chin. My skin prickles at his closeness, my heart speeding up in time with his breaths. His voice, warm and sumptuous, flows over me like honey. “Now how about that dinner?”

I didn’t realize how much I needed a night to myself. For so long, I’ve put myself last. I take care of everything and everyone. It’s what I do. It’s what I’m good at. But tonight, Rathgar doesn’t let me lift a finger.

He puts together a decadent dinner of squid ink pasta and shrimp, topping it off with a fresh salad picked straight from the garden. The airiest, most buttery garlic bread I’ve ever tasted in my life practically melts in my mouth and we wash it down with fizzy grape juice since I can’t have wine. When I think I can’t eat another bite, Rathgar takes my plate and goes to clean up before I even have a chance to offer.

What has gotten into him? Whatever it is, I’m not complaining. While he finishes up in the kitchen I move to the bedroom. The word ‘nest’ is more accurate, actually. I’ve sectioned off a portion of the room to collect all the most comforting textures, colors, and smells. Everything that makes me feel happy, comfortable, and safe.

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