Page 27
Story: Saved By the Alien Mercenary
The doctor had declared me healthy but exhausted and ordered me to take it easy. To Brace, that had meant as much bed rest as possible—and damn it, no sex either. I was healed, I felt strong again, and Mateo could go without his mom when he napped, sometimes. In fact, I was going to try to put him in his crib right now.
Rising slowly, I shuffled across the room to the small bed that Flack had procured for us on the first day back. It was a beautiful crib, and Mateo loved lying in it and staringat the mobile of stars that could be projected above it. It was the most decorative part of Brace’s quarters—the rest still quite bare—but I didn’t mind that. Brace didn’t worry that he’d end up clawing a chair to pieces at any moment now,andwe were going to take our time decorating the place the way we liked, together.
My baby sighed, his body slack when I put him down. He rolled his head to the left, then settled, still fast asleep. It took a minute longer to extract my wrist from the clutch of his tail, but he was happy to curl it around one of the bars of his crib instead. Smoothing my shirt down over my leggings, I checked,but I was clear of any stains—somehow.
Opening the bedroom door, I peeked into the living room. It was directly adjacent to the galley and fairlyspacious, especiallycompared to how most of the crew was bunking—aperk of dating the ship’s chef. Good food wasapparentlyimportant enough to keep the cook happy. Not a bad deal. This area had already gotten a new couch,and Tass and Elyssa had broughtina whole selection of pretty potted plants last week. They were gorgeous, lighting up one corner.I alsoloved that Brace had allowed them—and their cute plant girl, Nelly—to visit his domain.
The salon table still had a glued and badly fixed leg, making it a tiny bit wobbly. Now,it looked like it could barely stay upright under the massive spread of foods that covered it—plates and plates of them, their scents curling into the airandpullingat the strings of my memories. How had he done this? It smelled just right! I leaptonto the couch,yankeda plate of empanadas toward me,and stuffedone into my mouth without hesitation. Every dish on the table was one I’d mentioned my abuela or mama making.
I was crying with happiness over the flavors when he came through the door a moment later, his smile so huge it nearly split his handsome face in two. “Ah, I see you found my surprise. Do you like it, sweet mate?” I nodded with a full mouth, rising to throw myself intohis arms. Of course I liked it. This was the best gift ever. I already knew I was home, but now he’d gone out of his way to remind me of my family—to give me a piece of my past back.
He caught me in his arms, raisedme high against his massive chest, and nuzzled my head with his mouth. Then we were kissing, and for a long while I forgot about that precious food—lost to his touch. Getting boarded by pirates had never been so rewarding.
THE END
Rising slowly, I shuffled across the room to the small bed that Flack had procured for us on the first day back. It was a beautiful crib, and Mateo loved lying in it and staringat the mobile of stars that could be projected above it. It was the most decorative part of Brace’s quarters—the rest still quite bare—but I didn’t mind that. Brace didn’t worry that he’d end up clawing a chair to pieces at any moment now,andwe were going to take our time decorating the place the way we liked, together.
My baby sighed, his body slack when I put him down. He rolled his head to the left, then settled, still fast asleep. It took a minute longer to extract my wrist from the clutch of his tail, but he was happy to curl it around one of the bars of his crib instead. Smoothing my shirt down over my leggings, I checked,but I was clear of any stains—somehow.
Opening the bedroom door, I peeked into the living room. It was directly adjacent to the galley and fairlyspacious, especiallycompared to how most of the crew was bunking—aperk of dating the ship’s chef. Good food wasapparentlyimportant enough to keep the cook happy. Not a bad deal. This area had already gotten a new couch,and Tass and Elyssa had broughtina whole selection of pretty potted plants last week. They were gorgeous, lighting up one corner.I alsoloved that Brace had allowed them—and their cute plant girl, Nelly—to visit his domain.
The salon table still had a glued and badly fixed leg, making it a tiny bit wobbly. Now,it looked like it could barely stay upright under the massive spread of foods that covered it—plates and plates of them, their scents curling into the airandpullingat the strings of my memories. How had he done this? It smelled just right! I leaptonto the couch,yankeda plate of empanadas toward me,and stuffedone into my mouth without hesitation. Every dish on the table was one I’d mentioned my abuela or mama making.
I was crying with happiness over the flavors when he came through the door a moment later, his smile so huge it nearly split his handsome face in two. “Ah, I see you found my surprise. Do you like it, sweet mate?” I nodded with a full mouth, rising to throw myself intohis arms. Of course I liked it. This was the best gift ever. I already knew I was home, but now he’d gone out of his way to remind me of my family—to give me a piece of my past back.
He caught me in his arms, raisedme high against his massive chest, and nuzzled my head with his mouth. Then we were kissing, and for a long while I forgot about that precious food—lost to his touch. Getting boarded by pirates had never been so rewarding.
THE END