He crouched in front of them. “What are your names?”
The eldest looked to her mother before responding. “I’m Nikki, and my sisters are Winnie and Abby.”
“I’m Reyvor. It’s very nice to meet the three of you. And does your pretty mother have a name?”
The mother in question blushed. “I’m Hazel.”
“Make yourselves at home.”
Reyvor ducked into the bedroom and quickly changed into one of his new pairs of jeans and a T-shirt. After he’d put on his boots, he gathered his keys and wallet, and stepped back into the living room. Four heads turned in his direction and for a moment he wasn’t sure if he should say something. With a smile, he let himself out and got on his bike, revving the engine before taking off out of the parking lot.
What the hell did children on Earth eat?
Chapter Two
Hazel looked at her children and wondered what she was going to do next. It had been weeks since they’d had a bath, even longer since they’d had clean clothes. All of their belongings had been stolen at a shelter downtown, and poor Abby had almost been abducted. Hazel had steered clear of the place since then, deciding it was safer on the streets. They’d slept in the park on nights when it was nice, and huddled in shop doorways on rainy ones. It had been so long since they’d felt the comfort of a bed or had the luxury of a roof. But living on the streets was better than the alternative.
“Momma,” Winnie said. “Are we going to sleep here with the nice purple man?”
“He’s a Terran, honey, and no. We’ll stay long enough to eat and then we should move along. It was nice of him to offer food for us, but we mustn’t take advantage of him.” Even though she had to admit staying with him wouldn’t be a hardship. When she’d crashed into him, she’d felt the strength in his arms and her gaze had clashed with his dark pansy colored one. She’d felt her heart race in her chest and had hoped he couldn’t feel it too.
Abby curled into the corner of the sofa. “But it’s nice here. I don’t want to leave.”
“I’m sorry, sweet angel. I know you miss things like TV…”
“And hot water,” Nikki mumbled.
“But we just can’t afford a place right now,” Hazel continued as if her eldest daughter hadn’t just smarted off.
“Since you don’t work, we’re never going to afford a place,” Nikki said. “Are we going to live on the streets forever? Because right now, I’d rather be home with Dad.”
Hazel sucked in a sharp breath. “You don’t mean that! Your father is the reason we’re living the way we do. Did you really want to stay and see if he became angry enough to kill one of us? Or all of us? Weren’t you tired of the beatings and screaming?”
“Daddy’s a mean man,” Winnie said. “But the purple man seems nice. Maybe he wants a family.”
“Honey, you can’t just pick a man and decide to live with him.” Well, technically you could, but she didn’t want to get into that with her middle child. At seven, Winnie was too smart for her own good. And Hazel wouldn’t lie to herself… she kind of liked the idea of staying with the Terran. Their meeting had been brief, but she’d seen kindness in his eyes and there was a gentleness to his touch -- two things that had been missing from her life for a long time.
“Why did you stay with Dad so long if he’s so horrible?” Nikki asked.
“Your father was nicer when we first met, and he treated me all right. It wasn’t until Winnie was born he began to change. Something twisted in his mind and suddenly everyone was out to get him and nothing was ever good enough. We weren’t good enough. I’d rather live on the streets than take a chance on your father harming one of you again.”
The sound of a motorcycle alerted Hazel to the alien’s return. She shushed the girls and hoped they wouldn’t say anything embarrassing in front of him. He really did seem like a nice man, but they would accept their meal and be on their way. If they hurried, they might still get a good spot at the park to sleep for the night. Not that Hazel did much sleeping. She dozed off here and there, but she tried hard to stay awake and watch over the children. Her body was exhausted and she couldn’t remember the last time she’d slept through the night.
Unbidden, an image of her wrapped in Reyvor’s arms rippled through her mind. What would it be like to be held all night by someone like him? She doubted she would ever find out.
The door opened and Reyvor stepped inside carrying two large sacks from the kids’ favorite fast food restaurant. When he set the bags on the small table, the kids scurried over and each claimed a chair. Hazel sat in the fourth chair, even though she didn’t dare eat until she knew her children were full. There was no telling when they’d get another meal, especially one they didn’t have to dig out of the trash.
“I wasn’t sure what they would want so I ordered four cheeseburgers, four chicken nuggets, and four fries. I have sodas in the fridge here already so I didn’t buy any. It would have been hard to drive the bike with them.” He pulled everything out of the bags, setting one of each item in front of each of them.
Her children’s eyes were wide as they looked at all the food, far more than they’d had to eat in weeks, at least in one sitting. Abby hesitantly reached for her burger, then snatched her hand back and eyed the alien with wide eyes.
He gave her an easy smile and tugged on a frizzy curl. “It’s all right, little one. The food is yours. Go ahead and eat.”
Those seemed to be the magic words, and her children dove into their meals like a pack of ravenous wolves. Reyvor raised an eyebrow in her direction when he noticed she wasn’t eating and she picked up a fry to nibble on. Oh God! The salty goodness! And it was hot! Her mouth watered at the promise of more hot food, but she paced herself, saving her burger and nuggets for her children if they should need them.
“There’s something wrong with your food?” Reyvor asked.
“No.”
“She’s making sure we aren’t still hungry,” Nikki said around a mouthful of chicken. “Mom always eats last.”
“If the children are still hungry when they finish their meal, I’ll go find them something else. You need to eat to keep up your strength. What good will you be to them if you faint from hunger?”
She had to admit he had a point. With a shaky hand, she picked up a nugget and forced herself to chew slowly. Really, she wasn’t much better than her children and wanted to shove the food in her face as fast as she could, in case it got up and ran away. When every last morsel on the table had been consumed, and everyone had finished off their own can of soda, Hazel stood and motioned for her children to do the same.
“Thank you for your kindness, but we should be on our way.” It would be wise to get away before she decided she wanted to stay with him forever, much like her children had.
He held up a hand. “And where will you go?”
“The park,” Abby said. “There’s a soft spot under the trees where we can sleep, and there’s enough light Momma says it’s safe.”
His gaze bore into her. “You’re going to sleep in the park? On the ground, out in the open?”
“We’ve done it plenty of times before. We’ll be fine.”
“Or you could stay here,” he offered. “We’ll even make it fun. Give me a few minutes to place a call and the girls can have a campout in the living room.”
Her eyes narrowed and her arms folded over her chest. “And just where do you expect me to sleep? In your bed?” Her heart raced at the thought of sharing his bed, but there was no way she’d whore herself out for a place to sleep. And if that’s what he thought of her, then he wasn’t half the man she’d thought.
A smile flirted with his lips. “I thought you might take the couch. I’d offer, but I don’t think I’ll fit.”
Some of the starch went out of her. “Oh.”
“I know you don’t know me, and you aren’t sure if you can trust me, but I assure you I only have your best interests at heart. Let me help you. When’s the last time you slept inside
in the air conditioning? The kids can stay up and watch TV as late as they want. Do you really want to take that away from them?” he asked.
She looked at her daughters’ hopeful faces and knew she would relent. What would one night hurt? He’d already fed them, why not let him house them for a few hours? Once daylight broke, she and her girls could slip away while he was sleeping. The little ones hadn’t seen much kindness in the last few months. She should let them enjoy it while they could.
“Very well,” she agreed. “But just for one night.”
The look in his eyes said We’ll see. She looked around the room and wondered where everyone would sleep. “Are you going to ask for more blankets from the manager? He won’t be pleased we’re staying here tonight.”
He nodded his head toward the door and they stepped outside for a moment. “I didn’t want your girls to hear in case you said no. Would you please allow me to purchase pajamas for them and sleeping bags? They can each take a hot bath or shower, change into something comfortable to sleep in, and then camp out in their sleeping bags and watch TV.”
“It’s too much.”
“If it’s the money you’re worried about, don’t. I have more than enough to help you in this small way. Give them one night of normalcy and then in the morning we can discuss your plans. I want your word you won’t sneak out in the middle of the night.”
She bit her lip, not wanting to lie to him.
“Promise me, Hazel. For your girls.”
“Very well.” She sighed. “For the girls.”
“Go inside and write down their sizes, along with anything they need in addition to pajamas, then bring me the slip of paper. I’m going to call a limo to pick me up and take me to the store and I’ll return as soon as I can.”
Her eyes went wide. “A limo?”
“They’re supplied for all Terrans at the station here in town. I may not be allowed on my world any longer, but they haven’t completely abandoned me. It will only take a few minutes for one to pick me up. I won’t be able to carrying the sleeping bags and clothes on my Harley.”
She supposed that made sense, and it did make her feel better that the limo was for every one of his race. For a moment, she’d thought maybe he was rich. Hazel couldn’t exactly say why that made her nervous, but rich men always got what they wanted. What if he decided he wanted something more from her?
She nearly snorted. Get a grip, Hazel. Who wants a dirty, worn out woman like you?
“And, Hazel?”
She looked up at him.
“Write down your clothes sizes too, unless you want to sleep in one of my shirts.”
Her cheeks flushed at his words and she ducked her head before running back into the room. Sleep in one of his shirts? Just the thought was enough to make her hormones surge. She found a pad and pen and scribbled down their sizes, and as an afterthought, she included the girls’ favorite colors. If he was going to splurge, it might as well be something they’d like. She doubted another present would arrive at their feet anytime soon. Maybe he’d let them use a plastic sack to carry the pajamas with them when the left, in case the girls got a chance to use them again soon.
Outside, she handed the paper to Reyvor and slipped back into the motel room as a limo pulled up outside. She had no doubt they would be the talk of the Terran station tomorrow once they realized he was shopping for a woman and three children, and for some reason that bothered her more than it should. What did she care if a bunch of aliens gossiped about her? A lot, apparently.
Hazel cleaned up the mess from dinner, then watched TV with her girls. The minutes ticked by and when an hour had passed, she began to worry. It shouldn’t have taken Reyvor so long to pick up a few things. There was no way for her to contact him, so she had no choice but to wait. Another half hour passed before she finally heard his key in the lock.
Reyvor entered the room with the limo driver on his heels, both laden with sacks. What the hell had he done? There was no way he’d only purchased pajamas and sleeping bags, although she did see those items. Her lips thinned as she thought about all the money he’d spent on them and what he would want in return. But… he hadn’t looked at her like a man in lust. She hadn’t seen pity in his eyes either, only concern. Was he really as great a guy as he appeared?
The limo driver went back outside and Reyvor shut the door, making Hazel feel relieved at least there weren’t more bags to be brought in. He was smiling, his eyes full of laughter, as he stared into the eager faces of the girls on the sofa. Abby, feeling braver than the other two, ventured closer and tugged on his shirt.
“Is there something in there for me?” she asked shyly.
“I do believe there is,” Reyvor said. “Why don’t each of you pick a spot on the floor and sit patiently while I sort through things and then we’ll see what I have in here.”
The girls scrambled onto the floor and sat, practically vibrating with excitement. Reyvor’s smile broadened and he picked up three sleeping bags, handing one to each of the girls.
“I know these are plain, but I wanted to make sure you each had one alike. That way you wouldn’t fight over colors or patterns. You’ll sleep in these tonight on the living room floor, but you’ll get to watch TV until you fall asleep.”
Their faces lit up, and Hazel didn’t miss the way Winnie caressed her sleeping bag. It was the closest thing to a bed they’d had in a while.
He rummaged in the sacks again and pulled out some pajamas, a package of panties, and a stuffed bear, handing both to Abby. “These are for you. But there’s a catch. You can’t put them on until you’ve had a bath.”
Next, he gave the same thing in a different color to Winnie, then did the same for Nikki. She could tell her eldest wanted to protest she was too old for stuffed animals at the grand ol’ age of ten, but Hazel also knew deep down Nikki wanted that bear as much as her sisters wanted theirs.
“You have too many sacks left.” Hazel folded her arms over her chest. “What else did you buy?”
“Well, when the girls are clean in the morning, they can’t very well put their dirty clothes back on. So I bought them each a new outfit. And…” He picked up a sack and held it out to her. “I bought some things for you. I had to get pants with an elastic waist because I wasn’t sure of your number size since you just wrote small on the paper, but I thought you might like something new too.”
Tears gathered in her eyes and she blinked them back. How long had it been since someone tried to take care of her? Even before she’d left her boyfriend, the girls’ father, he hadn’t treated her with half the respect Reyvor had shown her. The beatings had come later, but he’d always treated her like she wasn’t worth much. She just hadn’t known it was okay to wait for someone better. Reyvor’s thoughtfulness touched her deeply and made her feel bad for thinking such horrible things about him. Obviously he wanted nothing in return, but a simple thank you, and here she was being a mean bitch and trying to paint him with the same brush as her ex.
He picked up two more sacks. “I also picked up some bathroom items I thought the four of you might need. It’s been a while since there was a female in my life, so hopefully I didn’t miss anything.”
“You were married?” Winnie asked. “Where’s your wife now?”
“I did have a mate,” he answered, his smile not quite as bright as before. “She died of something called cancer.”
Hazel’s heart twisted in her chest. Now she felt even worse. He’d lost the woman he loved and she’d thought about running out while his back was turned. If anything, Reyvor had proven there were still good men in the world, even if they were from an alien race. The purple color of his skin didn’t bother her, nor did his deep pansy-colored eyes. If anything, she thought he was rather striking.
“Thank you,” Hazel said softly. “We appreciate everything you’ve done for us.”
“Can I be first, Momma?” Abby asked, tugging on her hand.
“Of course. Then Winnie, then Nikki. Once you girls are
settled, Momma will take a quick shower and change into her pajamas too.”
She spent the next two hours getting everyone, including herself, clean and into pajamas. Then she got the girls settled on the floor in their sleeping bags. The hour was growing late by the time they were finished and Reyvor had already escaped into the bedroom. He’d brought her a pillow and blanket from his bed and she curled up with them on the sofa.
With thoughts of what tomorrow would bring, she closed her eyes and allowed herself to relax. There was no need to watch over her girls tonight. They were safe, all of them, and she knew Reyvor was here to protect them. Sleep weighed her down, and with the girls giggling in the background, she fell asleep.
Chapter Three
The next morning, Reyvor placed a discreet call to the Terran station and asked for breakfast to be delivered to his motel room. Even cleaned up, he doubted the manager would want Hazel and her girls anywhere near his dining room. The man’s nastiness toward them made him wish he had chosen another motel, but the Terrans used this one frequently and it had made sense to choose a room here.
He grabbed some clothes out of the dresser and quietly slipped into the bathroom for a quick shower. As the soap slid down his body, he glared at his very erect cock. Ever since he’d gotten a whiff of Hazel’s clean scent last night, he’d been hard as a steel post. Normally, it wouldn’t bother him, but he didn’t want to walk around in front of the girls with a hard-on.
Adding more soap to his hand, he gripped his shaft and slid his palm up and down. Reyvor bit his lip to stifle the groan at the exquisite pleasure. His thumb swiped over the head of his cock before he fisted his shaft again on the downward stroke. His hips bucked and he fucked his hand harder, faster. Images of Hazel in the pajamas he’d purchased flashed through his mind and he felt a tingling in his lower back and balls.
He braced his free hand on the wall and worked his shaft faster, his hand a blur as he neared his release. Swallowing down the cry that sprang to his lips, he came. Long, hot jets of cum splattered the shower wall, leaving him dizzy and spent. Reyvor cleaned up the mess, then cleaned up himself.
Hazel and the Alien Biker (Intergalactic Brides 5) Page 2
