He smiled and kissed her. “Tell me if I hurt you.”
At her nod of encouragement, he set up a slow and steady pace. Long, deep strokes that had him groaning from the sheer pleasure she gave him. Her nails bit into his shoulders as sweat slicked his skin. Raylic reached between their bodies and brushed her clit with his thumb, making her gasp and jerk beneath him. As he teased the little bud, he felt her body tightening. He knew he wasn’t going to last much longer and he wanted her to come with him. As he took her harder, faster, she shattered beneath him, crying out his name and holding on tight.
Raylic spilled himself inside of her and buried his face against her neck as he willed his heart to slow. Heidi wrapped her arms around him, and he rolled them to their sides, drawing her leg over his hip so they could stay joined. She gave him a contented smile as she traced a pattern on his bicep.
“That was incredible,” she said.
“Only because it was with you.”
“We should get cleaned up so I can check on Shane. We were kind of loud.”
He glanced over at the door. “Think we woke him?”
“I hope not. After everything he’s been through, a locked door with yelling only means bad things are happening.”
That sobered him. “Come on. We’ll take a shower and check on Shane; then I want to hold you until you fall asleep.”
She kissed him. “I’d like that.”
The shower took longer than expected, as they couldn’t keep their hands off one another, but once they were clean and she’d pulled on one of his T-shirts, she tiptoed down the hall and opened Shane’s door. Raylic peered over her shoulder. The boy slept peacefully, a stuffed bear tucked under his arm and one leg sticking out from the covers. No, not just a boy to him anymore. His son. He smiled at the thought.
“Come on,” she whispered. “He’ll sleep until at least seven.”
Raylic paused at the spare room she’d used. “We should move your things into the bedroom.”
“Want to do it before bed tonight or sometime tomorrow?”
“I’m not tired at the moment. You?”
She shook her head.
“Then let’s do it now.” He smiled. “I think I’m going to like having your things in there with mine. You have your own closet, and I already have two empty drawers in the dresser. If you ever need more space, just let me know.”
“It’s more than enough room.”
“Come on.” He swatted her on the ass. “Let’s get this done so we can cuddle in bed.”
Heidi smiled and shook her head at him before gathering her clothes and shoes. It didn’t take long for them to have her things folded or hung up and put away. By the time they were back in bed, her body curled against his, he knew that he’d made the right choice when he’d claimed Heidi. She was everything he’d ever wanted, and so much more. And he would spend the rest of his life making sure she was cherished and taken care of, her and their children.
Chapter Five
Heidi plated the omelet she’d just made, something she’d always wanted to try, and set it on the table. Grocery money had been almost non-existent when she’d been with Brent, and before that, her mother had done all the cooking. It was nice to be able to create filling meals for her family and not worry about the financial aspect. From the size of the house and the way he spent money, she had assumed that when Raylic said he was well-off, it was probably an understatement. Not that his wealth mattered to her. All she’d ever wanted was enough money to pay the bills and put food on the table. She’d never dreamed of being a millionaire or owning a castle.
Raylic kissed her cheek as he pulled glasses out of the cabinet next to the stove. “You’re awfully happy this morning.”
“We’re really getting married today, aren’t we?” she asked. “I mean, mated.”
“Yes, we are.”
There was a squeal from the doorway, and Heidi spun that way, her eyes widening when she saw Shane standing there. He looked confused and excited all at the same time. Her little boy scurried into the kitchen and tugged on her shirt.
“Raylic’s going to be my daddy?” he asked.
“Yes, sweetheart. Are you okay with that?”
Shane seemed to think about it a moment. “We get to keep living here? And play with all the toys?”
“Well, yes, but Raylic being your dad means more than just a house and toys.”
He nodded sagely. “It means we won’t get hit or yelled at anymore. He’s nice, Mama.”
Raylic knelt at Shane’s feet. “So, you’re okay with me being your new dad?”
Shane smiled widely and threw his arms around Raylic. “It’s the best thing ever.”
“Good.” Raylic hugged him tightly. “If you aren’t comfortable calling me Dad yet, you can still call me Raylic.”
Shane looked at him shyly. “Can I call you Daddy?”
“I’d be honored for you to call me Daddy. Now, did you wash your hands?”
Shane nodded.
“Then have a seat. It looks like your mom is about finished making breakfast. Do you want juice or milk?”
“Juice.”
Raylic poured three glasses of orange juice and took out the silverware. Once the table was set and the all the omelets cooked, they sat down to breakfast. Heidi was happier than she’d ever been before, even though she was a little nervous about meeting Raylic’s council. What if they didn’t like her? He seemed certain their mating would be approved, but if the council denied them, how would she explain that to Shane?
After they had finished eating, Raylic helped her load the dishwasher and then they all went upstairs to get ready. Shane came out his room wearing his nicest sweater and jeans, both gifts from Raylic. Before their shopping spree, Shane’s nicest sweater had been faded with little fuzz balls all over it, and his jeans had grass stains on the knees. He’d been in dire need of a new wardrobe, and her sexy alien had seen that it was taken care of.
“Everyone ready?” Raylic asked.
“I guess,” Heidi said, trying to calm her nerves. “What if they don’t like me?”
“The fact I like you is what matters.” He smiled. “Come on. It won’t be so bad.”
They got into Raylic’s SUV and drove to the Terran Station. Heidi still felt like a nervous wreck the entire way there, and entering the building didn’t help her anxiety any. He led the way toward the conference rooms and found an empty one, ushering Heidi and Shane inside. Then he shut the doors and began pressing buttons on the large Vid-Comm. A few minutes later, a room that looked similar to the one they were in appeared on the screen, with three Terrans sitting around a table.
“Good morning, Raylic,” one of them said. “I see you have company with you.”
“Yes, Larimar. I’ve come to ask the council for their blessing. Heidi and I wish to be mated.”
“And the boy?”
“Her son, Shane. My son, as soon as you approve the mating.”
“I see. And she’s willing to have more children?” Larimar asked.
Heidi gripped his hand tight. “She is, but she’s currently expecting, so it will be a little while before we have another child.”
Another councilman’s eyebrows shot up. “Is it yours?”
“No, Faltz. Heidi was already pregnant when I met her, but I’m willing to embrace both children as my own. I have a large enough home we could have one or two more children if we’re blessed with any.”
“So, you’re welcoming two human children into your home?” Larimar asked.
“Yes, but Reyvor has three human daughters. I don’t see that it matters how many human children we have.”
The council members talked amongst themselves, too quietly for Heidi to hear what they were saying. She just knew they were going to deny their mating and her grip tightened on Raylic’s hand even more. What if they told him he had to toss her out? What if they said Raylic could never see her again? She didn’t understand exactly how much power they had over his decisions, b
ut she’d bet it was a lot.
After several more torturous minutes, Larimar faced them again.
“We’ve decided we will approve your mating. You’ve done good work for us, Raylic, and you’ve never really asked for anything. You may claim Heidi as your mate, with our blessing. We’ll file the paperwork today. Might I suggest you officially adopt her young son and the baby in her womb? I don’t know anything about the birth father, but I’d hate for you to face any nasty surprises later.”
Raylic nodded. “I’ll meet with someone today about getting the paperwork started.”
“Enjoy your new mate, Raylic.” Larimar smiled, and then the screen went black.
“That’s it?” Heidi asked.
“That’s it. We’re officially mates now.” He smiled. “Would you be all right with me adopting Shane?”
Shane tugged on Heidi’s other hand. “Please, Mama? I want him to be my daddy for real.”
Heidi leaned down to kiss the top of Shane’s head before facing Raylic again. “I’d love for you to adopt him, but I don’t know that his father will sign away his rights.”
“Leave that to me,” Raylic said. “Why don’t I walk the two of you to the food court for some ice cream while I go get that paperwork started?”
Shane bounced up and down. “Ice cream!”
Heidi couldn’t help but smile at her son. “Isn’t it too cold out for ice cream?”
Raylic gave her a mock look of outrage. “It’s never too cold for ice cream!”
Heidi just smiled and shook her head as Raylic led them to the food court and bought them each some ice cream. Then he disappeared to go see about the adoption paperwork. As Heidi and Shane sat at a table, she observed everyone around her, watching as Human/Terran couples sat and enjoyed a meal together, or walked by holding hands. She wondered how many were mates and which ones were thinking about becoming mates. A lot of the Terrans sat in groups together, no humans among them. Were those the ones still waiting to find their other half?
She must have looked a little too long at one of the tables because a Terran stood and started heading her way. She braced herself, not knowing what he might ask, or if he would be upset that she’d been watching everyone. He smiled as he stopped beside the table.
“My name is Lovic, and I’m head of security here. It’s not common to see a human female alone in our food court. Are you waiting for someone?”
Great. They thought she was a threat? “I’m waiting for Raylic. He said he needed to get some paperwork started so he can adopt my son, Shane.”
Lovic looked from her to Shane and back again. “You’re recently mated?”
“Just today,” Heidi said. “I guess he didn’t want to bore us with whatever is involved in adopting Shane. He left us here to enjoy a treat while he took care of everything.”
“If you need anything while you’re waiting, I’m sitting right over there,” he said, pointing to his table of friends. “Any of us would be happy to help you.”
“Thank you.” She smiled a little. “I’m hoping he won’t be much longer.”
Lovic nodded. “Enjoy your treat.”
With that, he walked off, leaving Heidi and Shane alone again.
“Mama, do you think my other daddy will be mean and not sign the papers?” Shane asked.
“I don’t know, sweetheart. I guess it depends on how generous he feels whenever Raylic asks him to sign.”
Shane seemed to think about it a moment. “My new daddy isn’t going to take no for an answer. I bet he gets my other daddy to sign the papers.”
“I bet you’re right.” Heidi smiled at him. “Finish your ice cream. It’s melting.”
Just as they were finishing, Raylic slid into the seat next to Heidi. He looked happy, so she hoped that meant things had gone well. He reached over and lifted her hand, placing a kiss against her palm. Her cheeks warmed as she smiled at him.
“I take it that everything went well?” she asked.
“I spoke with Zwyk. He presides over records, and he seems to think I won’t have any trouble getting the adoption to go through. Since Shane’s dad is currently in jail for abusing the two of you, and I have excellent standing in the community and with the Terran Station, he doesn’t think we’ll even need his signature.”
Shane gave a whoop and launched himself into Raylic’s arms.
“Now, what would the two of you like to do today to celebrate our newly formed family?” Raylic asked.
“I’ve never been to see a movie at the theater before,” Shane said. “There’s a new one out about a troll king who kidnaps a baby and the princess has to go find the baby. Could we watch that one?”
Raylic smiled. “If it’s okay with your mother, it’s fine by me.”
“I think a movie is a great idea,” Heidi said.
“Let me see what times the movie is playing.” Raylic pulled out his phone and accessed the internet. After a few moments, he showed a picture of the movie poster to Shane. “Is this it?”
Shane nodded eagerly.
“It looks like there’s an eleven o’clock showing. We can get some popcorn while we’re there, and maybe hot dogs or something since it will be around lunchtime.”
“Theater food for lunch?” Shane asked, his eyes wide. “This is the best day ever!”
Raylic laughed and lifted Shane up, swinging him around to ride piggyback. Then he held out a hand to Heidi. Her fingers slid across his palm, and he helped her from the chair before clasping their hands together. He held Shane in place with his other hand. For the first time in the last five years, Heidi actually felt like she was part of a family again. And this time, it was her family. So what if her parents hadn’t wanted anything to do with her? She had something much better now. She had Raylic.
When they arrived at the movie theater, Raylic bought their tickets, then ushered them inside and let them choose whatever they wanted from concessions. By the time the movie was starting, Shane was squirming in his seat, had finished his hot dog, and was happily munching on popcorn. Heidi couldn’t help but smile at his excitement. He was experiencing a lot of firsts with Raylic, and the alien seemed to want to do even more for them.
The movie started, and Raylic laced his fingers with hers. Her heart raced at his nearness, and it was hard for her to focus on the show. It was cute, and she could see why Shane wanted to watch it. But Heidi was still more than a little aware of Raylic and how close they were, how dark it was, and how damn good he smelled. Nighttime wouldn’t come soon enough because she knew one thing was certain, she was getting her sexy new mate naked as soon as possible.
Chapter Six
Raylic leaned against Shane’s doorway and listened as Heidi finished reading a story to their son. My son. He liked that, and he smiled. It was nice having a family of his own. He’d watched his friends pair off and find their mates, start families, and now it was his turn. Raylic couldn’t remember a time when he’d been happier.
Heidi finished tucking Shane in. They both kissed him goodnight and then Raylic led her by the hand to the bedroom, where he pulled out the sack of swimwear he’d ordered online the other night. She looked at him, one eyebrow raised.
“You do know it’s winter?” she asked.
“There’s a hot tub downstairs. It’s in the far corner of the sunroom, so you may not have seen it. I thought we could go relax for a little while.”
She smiled and snatched the suit from his hand. “Then why didn’t you just say so?”
Raylic chuckled and watched hungrily as she stripped out of her clothes and pulled on the two-piece swimsuit. The aqua color looked fantastic on her. It wasn’t until she gave him that look again that he realized he wasn’t getting dressed. He pulled off his clothes and stepped into the swim trunks. When they were finished, he tossed her over his shoulder with a smack to her ass and carried her downstairs. Just as he cleared the front entry, someone rang the bell.
Raylic froze and turned to look at the door, wondering who the hell
would be stopping by his house so late at night. Trepidation filled him as he set Heidi on her feet and motioned for her to stay behind him. None of his friends would show at this late hour unless something was wrong. He opened the door, and his eyes widened when he saw who was on his front steps.
“Lieutenant Ardis, is something wrong?” Raylic asked.
“You weren’t answering your phone.”
“I’m sorry. I must have left it in the bedroom earlier. Did you need me to come in tonight?”
The lieutenant shook his head. “May I come in? I have some news, and I’d rather discuss it inside.”
“Of course.” Raylic took a step back and let the man enter.
Lieutenant Ardis shoved his hands in his pockets and gave a nod to Heidi. “Ma’am. I’m sorry to disturb you so late.”
Heidi’s hand curled around Raylic’s biceps as they faced the Lt.
“I thought the two of you should know that Brent King was scheduled to see the judge as the last case on the docket. On his way back to jail, he somehow broke free of the officers and tried to make a run for it. They chased him down, but he managed to get his hands on one of their weapons.”
Heidi gasped and tensed beside him.
“The other officer tried to wrestle the weapon from him, and it went off. I’m afraid Brent King was fatally shot during the altercation. He died before paramedics could arrive on scene. So, while he won’t be getting any jail time, he won’t be bothering you ever again. Thought you’d want to know,” Lieutenant Ardis said.
“He’s dead?” Heidi asked, sounding oddly calm.
“Yes, ma’am. I’m sorry if that news distresses you.”
A laugh escaped Heidi, and her hand tightened on Raylic. “Distressed? Are you kidding? After the hell that asshole put me through the last five years? I’m going to throw a party to celebrate his demise!”
The Lt. smiled a little. “Then I’m happy I got to be the bearer of glad tidings for a change.”
“Thank you for stopping by to tell us,” Raylic said. “We’ll think of the best way to tell Shane when he wakes up in the morning.”
Heidi and the Alien Cop Page 6
