Dawn Autumn (20 page)

Fortunately, Red noticed. The guys might have smirked and kept their eyes forward, but Red was having none of it. “Unbelievable. I think he plans to debauch her in the transport. I think he’s turning her into some kind of—gurk!”

Fred sat up and gave her a killer stare. “Be glad you’re a woman and shut your mouth.”

Surprised by his violence, Jay sat up, dazed, and placed a hand on his arm. It trembled. She looked at him in wonder. Was he that undone?

“Hey, easy!” she laughed. “I would prefer more privacy for that kind of thing, anyway. Thanks, Red.” She flushed, startled to realize just how near a thing it had been.

Fred raked his hand through his hair, but sat like a quivering bow for the rest of the ride. Fortunately, it was short. In minutes they pulled up in front of a glass and white marble motel with a pretty purple and white striped awning and matching onion dome. There was even a fountain outside in the courtyard.

Not that she had a chance to gawk. Fred towed her into the building like a man on fire. He signed the register and demanded their room key, then strode toward the elevator with ground eating strides. She had to jog to keep up.

“Newlyweds,” Tayl said to the startled employee. He waggled his brows for good measure. “They’ve been cooped up on a starship for days.”

The man relaxed and even smirked before he smoothed the expression into a more business-like smile. If he remembered anything, it would be that the new husband was very eager. “Very good. Please sign here, sir.”

Chapter Thirteen

He wasn’t very gentle with her. Kutlazx only thought about it later, after he’d lost himself in her body the first time. It scared him that he didn’t remember the details, but Jay’s soft smile reassured him. Still ....

“Are you all right?” he asked, running his hand over her belly. He couldn’t seem to stop.

She giggled, her voice husky. “After you made me scream so many times? I don’t think I’ll ever be the same.”

Alarmed, he sat up stiffly. “I hurt you?”

“No. You pleasured me, babe.” She stroked his chest, a troubled look stealing over her face. “You are happy, aren’t you?”

He lay back down and kissed her. “So happy. I guess I just ... I never expected what it would do to me to hear that you were pregnant. My baby! It does ....” He choked, unable to go on.

She’d never seen this side of him and was unsure how to go on. Cautiously, she drew a comforting hand over his arm. “It’s okay.”

His gaze turned intense. “You’re okay with this?”

She smiled. “I always wanted a family. It’s kind of sudden, but yeah, I’m happy.” Her voice softened. “A baby is a beautiful thing, Fred.”

His mouth curled up. “Call me Kutlazx. Any woman who’s thrilled to carry my child should do me the honor of calling me by my real name.”

She laughed. “I wondered if you cared. You never said anything.”

“It’s different now,” he said, bending down to kiss her. “Everything matters.”

She didn’t have time wonder what hadn’t mattered before.

* * * *

Kutlazx realized he hadn’t loved her before. There’d been something about her that made him want her, more than he’d ever wanted a woman. He’d chosen her and set out to make her his. He’d seduced her with single minded obsession, taken what he wanted from her and taught her to love his touch, but now he knew. He’d never felt love until she’d first loved his baby.

He’d cut out his heart for her now and smile while he did it. Sweet stars, how he loved her.

He swiped a hand over his eyes, angry with himself for his weak tears. She was sleeping, so he slid softly from the bed. Naked, he padded to the windows and looked out over the city lights. They needed a home now. The apartment wouldn’t do for a baby. He wanted his child to grow up surrounded by trees and sunshine, the way he had. He wanted to see his wife napping in a sunny garden, great with his child. He couldn’t do enough, fast enough. It had to be perfect.

He took a rough breath and got hold of himself. First he had to feed her and stock the ship. She couldn’t live on space rations anymore.

With a start, he realized he’d missed his appointment. Cursing, he called Tayl.

Amused, Tayl assured him he had the information they needed. “Not all of us have a wife to distract us,” he said dryly.

Kutlazx started to tell him the news, but closed his mouth, almost superstitious. He wasn’t ready yet.

Tayl gave him a look, but didn’t pursue it. “Our friend has money he shouldn’t have in his account, especially in light of his gambling habits.”

“He gambles?” Kutlazx hadn’t known.

“Heavily. He’s bad at it, too. Fortunately for him, he’s had large chunks of cash deposited in an account, under another name, of course. He’s the one who accesses it, though. Our friend is sure.”

“I hope you gave him a large tip.”

“Oh, I did. I knew you were good for it.” Tayl studied him. “So, we go after him now?”

Kutlazx shook his head. “Settle the pet down. I can’t leave her at home alone.”

“Hm. Didn’t used to be a problem.”

“Quiet. I’ve got to feed her. Later.” He cut the connection and called room service.

Jay came up to him, a sheet wrapped around her. He liked her modesty—it was a turn on. With her, everything was a turn on.

She leaned a hip against the table and smiled at him. “You’ve been friends with Tayl for a long time, haven’t you?”

“Yeah.” He took her in his arms, enjoying the way his naked body brushed against the sheet.

She laughed and wiggled, creating a little space between them. “When did you meet?”

That distracted him. The question didn’t bring the distress it would have once, though. Might have something to do with the angel in his arms. “He is Lezza’s brother.”

She gasped.

He brushed his lips against her mouth. “I never held it against him.”

Jay pulled back, aghast. “How could you not? Doesn’t that mean that you have to see her more often? Didn’t he take sides? How could that not destroy a friendship?”

He gave her a sardonic smile. “A man in my position can’t afford to throw away friends like him. Tayl’s a diplomat, and wiser than you’d think. He kept me sane when I thought nothing would. He kept me focused on work until I burned off the rage. When I needed time to think—when I finally could—he made sure it happened. I forgave him for having Lezza for a sister long ago.” His face darkened. “I was the one at fault for getting careless with her. We should never have been involved.”

“I guess I don’t have to be jealous, then, huh?” she said lightly, trying to ease his mood.

His arms tightened around her. “Hardly.” He gave her quick kiss. “I think I hear room service.”

Jay wasn’t sure what she was eating, but it was delicious. A delicate white meat (probably fish) was smothered in a rich white sauce (origins unknown and unasked). A sweet and tangy salad followed the main course. They finished with sweet-tart fruit and a flaky pastry filled with dense, orange filling. She ate too much, but didn’t feel repentant, not after days of bravely choking down space rations. “This is so good. Are you solvent enough to send me to cooking school?”

He grinned. “We could just hire a cook, if you like. You could take lessons when you felt like it but not have to worry when you didn’t. You do have a lot to learn, what with your new pipes, the language, how to use the home shopping network.”

She made a face at him. “I’m not afraid to clean my own house.”

“Fair enough...if that’s what you want. Think it over. The cook might be useful for a short time, anyway. Speaking of which ... how would you like to visit a holoroom tomorrow? We can take some virtual tours of houses and property. If you like something, we can schedule a real time tour. At the least it will give you an idea of what’s available.”

She grinned at him. “In a hurry, are you?”

He shrugged. “I’d like to settle in somewhere. I think we’ll both be more comfortable in a country setting.”

“Then why did you buy an apartment in the city?”

“It was convenient at the time. Tired? Let’s get some sleep. I want to get an early start on tomorrow.”

* * * *

They had breakfast in a little café that served nothing but gelatin-molds, as far as she could see. Since the inside of the building was white with little sparkles, but no other adornment, her eyes had been drawn to the various dining aliens. All the tables and chairs were red, but more importantly, she didn’t see a single salad or roll anywhere. Everyone was dining on what looked like muli-layered gelatin molds.

They sat at a table and Kutlazx ordered for her. In minutes their plates arrived, bearing...more jello. Hers had bands of white, red, and green. While perfect for the holiday spirit, she’d never had good experiences with gelatin in any form. She wasn’t overly eager to consume this one, either.

Kutlazx was watching, an amused look on his face. He almost seemed to be daring her as he toyed with his fork, not quite touching his jiggling tower of white, brown, and black.

Jay heaved a beleaguered sigh and stabbed the shiny goop with her fork. Maybe they should settle down and get a chef. Eating out was getting a tad old.

She blinked at the first cool, creamy bite. Studded with nuts and fruit, it was rich like cream or cheese and gently spiced. The red layer was...vegetable-something. She couldn’t nail down the flavors, but they worked well with the white layer, which seemed untainted by the flavors below. The green band was denser, with a taste reminiscent of asparagus or green beans cooked just right. She ate in silence, trying to catalogue the unfamiliar, but pleasant, flavors.

“Here, try a bite of this,” Kutlazx said, sliding his plate over.

“Hey, this is warm!” His white layer tasted like coconut pudding, without the least hint of melting. The brown stuff could have been beans, but the black was a mystery of spice and an almost smoky flavor. “What is this stuff?”

He shrugged and picked up his mug of steaming green drink. “It’s a fast food, though a healthy one. I’ve had a few boxes sent to the ship, along with dried fruit, jerky and some more edible things to eat. We’ve got one more hop, then we should be able to move into our house.”