Page 45 of Alien Engineer's Mate

Understanding dawned in his eyes, followed by something darker. His grip on her chin tightened fractionally. “I don’t want you gone,” he growled in a warning rumble. “I’d quite happily keep you in my bed all day until you can’t walk straight or remember your own name with the amount of times I make you come.”

Her lips parted in a small ‘oh’ of surprise, and her gaze latched onto his. But he wasn’t done, his voice softening to a whiskey-rough burr.

“But the children have been through enough lately.” He relaxed his grip, the gentle stroke of his callused thumb making her heart ache. As did the look on his face. “They deserve to hearabout us from us, not from station gossip when they see you leaving my quarters in yesterday's clothes."

Oh.

The ice in her veins melted, replaced by spreading warmth. He wasn't trying to hide their relationship… he was trying to protect the kids’ feelings. To give her and them space to handle this new development in a way that wouldn't upset them.

"I'm an idiot," she whispered.

His lips quirked at the corners. "No. You're someone who has learned to expect the worst. To protect yourself." He traced her lower lip with his thumb, making her breath catch again. "But you don't need to protect yourself from me. Not ever. I claimed you last night, Eira. In ways that left no doubt who you belong to now."

Heat bloomed in her cheeks at the memory. Her body still ached pleasantly from his claiming of her. She knew she had small bruises from his hands and tender spots from his stubble or soft nips.

"The children need time to adjust," he continued, turning them with idle strength until she lay over his broad chest, nestled protectively against him. "They've had their whole world turned upside down. Finding out about us... it needs to be handled with care. Especially Leo."

She bit her lip, melting at his thoughtfulness.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "For doubting you."

“No. I get why." His expression had softened, but something possessive still burned in his golden eyes. "But I think I need to make certain you know exactly how I feel about you."

His mouth descended on hers with devastating intensity, claiming and consuming until she whimpered against his lips. When he pulled back, they were both breathing hard.

“Now, let’s get you back before I break my own promise and teach you who you belong to all over again.”

The ribbonsof light dancing across Earth's atmosphere painted Eira's face in shifting colors. Maax's chest tightened as he watched her. The observation deck's massive viewport framed the display perfectly, but he found himself watching his family's reactions more than the celestial show in front of him.

"Papa, look!" Emily tugged at his free hand, pointing as a vibrant strand of green light traced across the upper atmosphere. "It's like Red Dragon's new ribbon!"

"This is way better than ribbons," Kyle declared, his face pressed so close to the viewport that his breath fogged the reinforced material. "The patterns... they're like the power distribution readouts you showed me, but bigger!"

Grace bounced between her brother and Emily. "Mama! The colors are dancing!"

"They are, sweetheart," Eira whispered with a note of wonder that made his chest feel too tight. It was just a daytime date to the observatory aboard the station, but he loved being able to give her new experiences. Like last night...

He put that thought quickly out of his mind. He had to. The reaction just the memory of last night would cause in his body was definitely not appropriate in public.

She glanced at the empty space where Leo would be if he'd been with them.

He squeezed her hand. "He's fine," he murmured softly. "First dates are important. It's good that he's making friends here."

"I know." She leaned into him, her smaller frame fitting against his side like she'd been made to be there. "It's just... his first real date. And she's so..."

"Tall?" Maax's lips twitched. "Grey? Horned?"

That earned him a soft laugh. "All of the above. Though I was going to say 'intelligent.' Leo said she's taken advanced courses already and she's helping him catch up."

"The station academy has excellent programs," he said, thinking of Vaarn's engineering lectures. "And Leo has the aptitude. Vaarn mentioned they're always looking for promising students... perhaps Leo would be interested in sitting in on some classes?"

"You think they'd let him? What about the gaps in his education?"

"The academy programs are open to all residents." He caught a stray lock of her hair, tucking it behind her ear. The simple contact sent electricity sparking under his skin. "And Leo is clearly brilliant. Like his mother."

"Papa!" Emily's demand snapped him back to the present. "Kyle says the lights are made by the sun! But how?"

"Solar wind," Kyle said. "Right? The particles hit Earth's magnetic field?"

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