Page 29 of Alien Engineer's Mate

"Warriors don't get scared, poppet." The lie tasted strange on his tongue. He'd promised never to lie to her, but somehow, 'terrified of ruining this chance at happiness' didn't seem like an appropriate answer.

"Grace says her mama is nice." Emily swung their joined hands, her earlier shyness forgotten in excitement. "And shewants to plant a garden! A real one, with flowers and everything!"

His throat tightened. They'd spent an hour getting ready, Emily chattering about her new friend while he helped her choose the perfect outfit. He'd changed his clothes three times before settling on formal leathers that he hoped would strike the right balance between warrior and engineer. But... what if it was too formal? Or not formal enough?

Draanth. He was acting worse than a raw recruit before his first combat drop.

The door chime still waited. Just press it. It was just one simple motion. He'd completed more complex engineering calculations in his sleep. He'd?—

Emily reached up and pressed the button.

The door slid open, and his heart stopped. Eira stood framed in the warm light of her quarters. His breath caught in his throat, and he couldn't stop himself from staring. She'd left her dark hair loose, threads of chestnut in the waves catching the light. The station-issued clothing she'd worn earlier was gone... replaced by a green dress that made her eyes gleam like raw emeralds. She was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.

"Emily!" The high-pitched squeal shattered the moment as Grace barreled past her mother. "You brought Red Dragon! Mama, look! Can Emily see my room? Please, please, please?"

Eira stumbled slightly as her daughter pushed past, and Maax reached out to steady her. His hand caught her elbow, the contact sending electricity arcing under his skin. Their eyes met and held as Grace continued her excited bouncing.

"I see you've been replaced as the evening's main attraction," Eira said, her smile tightening his chest.

"It seems to be a common occurrence as of late."

He couldn't look away. His gaze locked onto her beautiful face as he memorized each and every detail... from the curve ofher soft lips to the slight flush in her cheeks and the way her pulse fluttered at her throat. "Though I can't say I mind."

A crash from inside the quarters broke their connection. They turned to find Grace had knocked over a chair in her enthusiasm to show Emily her toys. Leo appeared from one of the bedrooms while Kyle trailed behind him.

"Sorry, Mom!" Grace called, dragging Emily toward her room. "We'll be careful!"

"Perhaps we should collect them before they dismantle your quarters?" He forced his hand to release her elbow, though everything in him protested the loss of contact. "The restaurant holds our table for thirty minutes, but after that..."

"Of course." She turned back into the quarters, then paused. The light caught her profile, and his breath caught again. "Though I should warn you, getting Grace to leave toys behind is like mining through solid rock."

"I'm familiar with the challenge." His lips curved, remembering similar battles with Emily. "Perhaps we should implement a tactical retreat? One toy each?"

Her answering laugh sent warmth spreading through his chest. Yes, the algorithms knew what they were doing. Now, he just had to avoid draanthing this up completely.

"Grace!" Eira called into the quarters. "You get one toy each! That's it! We need to leave soon."

The protesting wail that answered made him grin. This was more familiar territory.

"Don't worry," he said as he stepped inside, careful not to crowd her even though he wanted to. "I made Emily leave her entire collection of stuffed animals behind. Except for Red Dragon, of course. He's special."

"Of course." Eira's eyes sparkled with understanding, fascinating him all over again. "Grace has a bear that's the same. She won't sleep without it."

He watched her gather her children with practiced efficiency, noting how Leo kept his siblings close while Kyle bounced with excitement.

"Are we going to see the fish?" Kyle asked him. "Emily said there's lots of them! And they're all different colors!"

"A whole wall. All different sizes and colors," Maax confirmed, warmth flooding his chest at the boy's enthusiasm. "Some are from Earth, others from different worlds. The restaurant's chef studied on Lathar Prime, but he includes dishes from?—"

"Moooooom!"Grace's voice carried from her room. "I can't decide! Emily says I should bring Starflower, but Bear will be sad if I leave him!"

Eira's eyes met his, laughter dancing in their depths. "May I suggest a tactical retreat?"

"Tactical retreat sounds good," he agreed. "Though perhaps we should implement a two-toy protocol? For morale purposes."

"Excellent suggestion, Lead Engineer. I shall inform the troops." She headed for Grace's room, the elegance of her movements and the movement of her skirts around her ankles making his mouth go dry.

The walkto the restaurant challenged every bit of Maax's tactical training. Their small group split into pairs as they navigated the station's corridors—Emily and Grace skipping ahead, clutching their chosen toys, and chattering non-stop. At the same time, Kyle stuck close to Leo, who maintained a careful distance from the others. Maax found himself beside Eira, hyper-aware of her presence and the way her arm brushed his as they walked.

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