Page 15 of All You Need is Alien Love (Tentacular Tales #4)
She chuckles wetly and wipes at her eyes. “Fuck, me too. Enough with all the sappy shit.” She raises her glass in the air. “A toast to the happy couple and uniting our families!”
Everyone raises their glasses and congratulates us enthusiastically. Kai puts an arm around my shoulders, pulling me closer to him.
When Ellie sits down, my mother stands up from where she’s seated next to my father and across from me and Kai.
“I, too, would like to express my congratulations to the happy couple. I know I haven’t been a…
present part of my son’s life for far too long, but I intend to spend the rest of my time in this universe making up for that.
River’s forgiveness and his acceptance of Chris and me back into his life means so much to us both.
All we’ve ever wanted is for him to be safe, healthy, and happy.
River has such a loving and generous heart, and we’re thrilled that he’s found the perfect partner who values him and showers him with plenty of love in return.
My son gives so much to those he cares about that sometimes he doesn’t put himself first when he needs to.
But even in the short time I’ve seen them together, I can tell that Kai puts River first in all that he does.
Thank you, Kai. Chris and I are delighted to have you as part of our family, and we wish you both a lifetime of happiness. ”
More cheers follow.
I plate up our dessert, mostly focusing on Kai’s plate so I can feed him goodies. The pleasure he gets from all the sugar and chocolate is more than enough to satisfy me.
And make me a little horny, dammit.
When everyone’s stuffed to the brim and feeling pretty mellow from the Iyaran champagne, which is a hell of a lot stronger than the Earth-made variety, my father and Uncle Benji stand up to start the gift exchange portion of this event.
Seeing my dad and his brother, side by side, hits me right in the motherfucking feels. They’ve been apart for so long, but now they’re rebuilding their relationship and it’s beautiful to see.
Benji tucks some hair behind his ear and clutches a package to his chest. “Hi, everyone. I’m Benji, River’s uncle.
Family’s a beautiful thing, man. And bringing our two families together is gonna be wicked awesome.
” He beams at Kai. “I thought about bringing some of my magic brownies as my gift tonight?—”
Kai groans next to me, his cheeks flushing.
“—but we all know what happened the last time I shared some with Kai!”
I snort and my hubby-boo gives me a mock scowl.
So stinkin’ cute!
“I went with something a bit more deep in the end. A keepsake to cherish for a lifetime.” Benji hands Kai the wrapped square package he’s been holding. “I thought a lot about what would be meaningful to you. Hope you enjoy it, my man. Welcome to the family.”
Kai tears open the package like an eager kid at Christmas. Inside is a digital photo frame, and when he turns it on a seemingly never-ending slideshow of images of me, from the day I was born all the way through my teenage years and beyond, starts playing across the screen.
My sweet hubby-boo’s staring at the images and smiling so big and bright it’s damn near blinding.
Benji flashes a mellow but happy grin. “Dude, I know how much you love my nephew, and I trust you to be an equal partner with him for the rest of his life. I may not know you as well as River does, but I’ve seen the way you look at him.
That’s true love all the way.” He gestures at the digital photo frame.
“I wanted to share some of the memories I have of River growing up because I know you’ll appreciate and treasure them.
He’s been the most important person in my life for a long time, and now he’s going to be your most precious person. ”
Love you , I mouth at Benji.
He rewards me with his sweetest smile and an air kiss.
Kai clutches the gift to his chest, his eyes wet with unshed tears. “This is one the most amazing gifts I’ve ever received. Thank you.”
I lean in closer, my heart full and warm.
“You bet your sweet ass it is. It’s all pictures of me.
” I point to a chubby baby snapshot of me in a diaper and nothing else on the screen.
Naturally, I’m giving the camera a mischievous look with one hand curled coyly under my chin, the other fisted on a hip.
“Look at how stinking cute I was! I could have been a child model. Talk about a wasted opportunity.”
Kai laughs and leans over to plant a soft kiss on my cheek. “You’re still adorable, babe, and you always will be.”
Damn the man, but he is giving me all the feels! My love for him just gets deeper and more complex with every day that we spend together. The intensity of it makes me breathless—and so very grateful.
My father steps up and hands Kai a bigger package with some heft to it. “This is from Melody and me.”
Kai opens the box and we both stare in amazement at the shit ton of DVDs inside.
“We’ve included some of River’s favorite movies and TV shows from when he was little,” my dad explains. “In his early years, Melody raised him on a steady diet of all the quintessential sci-fi and fantasy classics, and there’s no better way to know River than through what he loves.”
I clutch a hand to my chest, genuinely touched. “OMG, you guys, this is so awesome.”
Kai has a slightly dazed look on his face.
I sigh happily. “See, boo, now we’ve got movies for our date nights for weeks to come.”
“Oh… goody…” he says in a faint voice that sounds far from enthused.
I give his shoulder a playful smack. “You’re gonna love it.” I start rummaging through the box, oohing and aahing at some of the titles, excited to see quite a few I haven’t actually had time to introduce to Kai yet.
“This is great, Mom and Dad, thanks so much.”
It’s comforting to know we still connect on things like this. They remember what I like, even after all these years.
Maddox gets to his feet as my dad and Benji sit down.
“It’s my great pleasure to give our welcome gift to River.
Ellie and I are so delighted to officially have River as our third son because, just as he did with Kai, he won over our hearts from the very beginning.
” He passes me a square box that looks uncannily similar to the one Kai opened earlier.
I rip and tear my way through the paper and yank the lid open, squeeing in delight when I find another digital photo frame.
Maddox’s cheeks flush. “Ahem, yes. We consulted with Benji and decided that it was only fair and appropriate for you to receive a similar chronicle of Kai’s early life.”
I turn the screen on and the first picture is of a newborn Kai screaming his head off with four of his wee baby tentacles squirming in the air.
“Oh. My. Freaking. Gods . You were so adorable! Are all baby Iyarans this cute?”
Iris waggles her eyebrows at me. “Of course they are! You never know, you and my grandson might get a chance to find out someday.”
She’s no doubt referring to the whole Tentaculum Calefaction business. Thankfully, Kai managed to get through his unexpected episode and is back to normal. Just learning that males of his species have the potential to gestate offspring was a bit mind-blowing to a— mostly —human person like me.
“Grandma, I don’t think River and I are ready for something like that just yet. Maybe someday.” Kai’s arm squeezes around me, and I pat his thigh in reassurance.
“We’ll see,” Iris murmurs, a twinkle in her eye that makes me start to sweat.
I turn my attention back to the picture frame as more images flash by. Kai as a toddler with chubby cheeks slays me! He stares at the camera with big purple eyes and his thumb in his mouth while those mischievous tentacles of his curl in the air.
My heart pitter-patters.
It’s the sweetest thing I’ve ever seen and for a brief second, it makes me think a baby Iyaran in our lives might not be a bad thing.
Someday, maybe . Let’s get rid of the intergalactic coalition of evil and their invasion first.
Although we’ll probably have to adopt since Iyarans haven’t been able to procreate with other species.
I sniffle and give Maddox a huge smile. “Thank you so much. This is the greatest gift ever.”
Kai gives me a fond look. “You’re going to look at this every day, aren’t you?”
“Fuck yeah, I am. It’s going to sit on my desk at work.”
“Not in your writing cave?”
I arch an eyebrow at him. “I don’t think your baby pics, as adorable as they are, provide the proper atmosphere for me to pen my Vardox and Starblade stories.”
A hot look fills his eyes.
Anytime I mention my fictional MCs, I turn him on big time.
After all, he’s my number one fan.
“You’re trouble,” he rumbles at me in a sexy growl, and I have to bite my bottom lip when my cock perks up in interest.
Simmer down , I have to tell it.
Already, I’m dreading the fact that we have to sleep apart from each other until the ceremony is over. And that the separation starts tonight .
Why, cruel universe? Why?
“Stop that,” I whine as he continues to gaze at me with a look so hot it threatens to burn my clothes right off me. “I don’t need a boner you can’t do anything about right now.”
His answering grin is downright evil. “I want to see you shiver with antici… pation, darling.”
Oh, fuck me sideways. He’s quoting Rocky Horror at me now? The man is learning how to unravel me at the seams.
Also, now I absolutely need to see Kai dressed up as Dr. Frank-N-Furter because that would be so fucking hot.
Mental note to self: buy Kai a leather bustier, fishnets, garters, and high heels for our honeymoon.
Iris gets to her feet, and I’m yanked out of my horny reverie.
Focus, man!
“Now, River, I know that none of your grandparents are still with us… or worth mentioning,” she mutters under her breath.
My mom salutes her with her wineglass, a dark expression on her face.
Her evil parents are basically dead to us after all the shit they’ve pulled trying to ruin, and quite literally end, our lives.