Summer pushed her shoulders back and faced off against her father. Her mother sat on the porch, wringing her hands, while her aunt looked on with some amusement on her face. Nice to know this rather public family spat was entertaining someone.
“Dad, he’s offered me a job, and I’ve accepted. Whether you like it or not, I’m going to get my things and go with him.”
“We paid for that car of yours. You can’t take it with you. For that matter, we paid for everything you own. You leave, you’re leaving with the clothes on your back.”
Shock held her still as her breath froze in her lungs.
“You’re disowning your daughter?” Vordro asked. “Because she shows tolerance for those who aren’t like her?”
“If she walks out of here with you, she can never come back,” her father said.
Her mother gave a little cry as she watched but said nothing. Summer knew that if she left, if her father refused to see her ever again, that he would make sure her mother did the same. If she left with Vordro, she agreed never to see her family again. It would be the same as if she’d moved to another world like she’d originally planned. The entire reason she’d not signed up for the bride program was so she could be near her family, and now they were telling her they didn’t want her?
“I took this job for you, Dad. For you and Mom. I’ll make enough that I can help you save for another place or another car.” Summer held out her hand and let it fall when her father gave her a stony glare.
“I won’t accept money from him.”
Vordro rubbed her back. “If you wish to reconsider, I will understand. I don’t want to separate you from your family.”
Her aunt came down the porch steps and stopped a few feet away. “You can’t live your life for your family, Summer. You can either sleep on the lumpy couch in my living room until your family can get back on their feet, or you can accept the offer of this Terran and start a life of your own. You can’t always please everyone, but if you’re going to try, start by pleasing yourself.”
“But if I leave, I’ll never see them again.” Tears slipped down her cheeks. “What if I can’t make it on my own?”
“Dear girl, you have your shit together better than either of your parents. You’re going to do just fine.” Her gaze strayed to Vordro. “Besides, I have a feeling someone will be watching out for you.”
“I love them,” Summer said.
“They know it. And your father can’t be a stubborn ass forever.” Her aunt smiled. “Give him a little time, and he’ll come around.”
She looked at her parents one last time, then turned her back on the only life she’d ever known. Vordro reached down and took her hand, leading her to his SUV. He opened the passenger door and helped her in before walking around the front. He paused before getting in, giving her family a long look. When he slid behind the steering wheel, she gazed at him tearfully.
“What am I supposed to do now?” she asked.
“Now, we’re going to go buy you the essentials you need. Then I’m going to show you around your new home. I think, for tonight, we’ll eat out. You can start your duties tomorrow.” He turned on the engine. “You’re sure this is what you want?”
She nodded and fought not to look out the window at her parents, assuming they were even still there. As the SUV pulled away, her resolved cracked, and she looked. The yard and porch were empty. They hadn’t even stayed outside to watch her leave. She was truly alone. Despite everything she’d been willing to do for her family, they’d abandoned her, tossed her out like trash just because she refused to be a racist. She hoped one day her father would change his ways, but she didn’t hold out hope it would be any time soon.
Wiping away her tears, she blew out a breath and determined that her life was going to be awesome, even if she was alone. Vordro reached over and gave her hand a squeeze. She held onto his hand and tried to muster a smile for him.
Maybe she wasn’t completely alone.
Chapter Two
Vordro had held his temper in check when Summer’s father had been spouting off. He’d done it for her. If he’d faced the man alone, his fist would have met the stupid human’s chin and knocked him out. He’d dealt with his share of prejudice since coming to Earth, but he’d thought people were more accepting now. It had been over five years since the first Terran had settled on Earth in this area. They were no threat to the humans; if anything, they were an asset. While their presence did make Earth more noticeable to other alien races, no one would dare harm the little planet while his people were living here.
Summer looked so small in his SUV. The way her body curled in on itself told him she was sad about losing her family, and yet she’d still chosen to come with him. He’d been prepared for her to stay with them, but she’d surprised him. The protective feelings rising inside of him were ridiculous. The human was far too young for him, but it didn’t stop him from admiring her sweetly curved body. She was petite, barely reaching his shoulder. Maybe it was her size that made him want to care for her. The moment she’d entered the Terran Station, he’d felt an urge to pull her into his arms and shelter her from the world.
And then she’d fallen apart, and his heart had broken for her.
When he pulled into the parking lot of one of the big-box stores in town, she took note of her surroundings and looked at him in confusion. Did the silly woman think he was going to make her do without just because her father hadn’t allowed her to have any of her possessions? She might technically be his employee, but he would treat her with the same care he would a mate. After everything she’d been through, it was the least he could do.
“Why are we here?” she asked.
“You need clothing and other items. This place should have everything you could want or need.”
“I know you said we’d get essentials, but I don’t expect you to buy things for me. And I certainly didn’t expect anything more than something from the dollar store.”
Vordro reached out and gently touched her jaw, her skin feeling silky against his callused fingertips. “Let me take care of you. I’m still going to pay you a fair wage for the work you’ll do for me, but I don’t expect you to do without the necessities until your first payment.”
She blinked back tears and nodded, almost as if no one had ever taken care of her before. He wondered how much her family had done for her, and just how much she had done for them. It was a parent’s job to care for their children, especially daughters. Had hers failed her? It angered him that she’d had to face such hardship so early in her life. She was still young and should be looking forward to life, not worrying whether or not her parents had a place to live.
As they approached the doors of the store, he placed a hand on her hip, guiding her along. Perhaps it might have been the warrior in him wanting to stake a claim for all the stupid human males looking at Summer in a way that made him want to bare his teeth at them. It was apparent that human males didn’t know how to care for a woman. When she was ready for a mate, he’d introduce her to some of his younger single friends. Maybe by then he’d have his urges under control and wouldn’t picture her in his bed.
When they walked inside, he urged Summer to get a shopping cart, and he started in the beauty section. It was more difficult than he’d thought to get her to pick simple things like shower gel and shampoo. After a bit of cajoling, he convinced her that she wasn’t going to empty his account if she purchased the items she needed. He’d noticed she wore makeup, even though he thought she didn’t need it. She picked up a few items in that section before the real battle began.
“I don’t need more than two or three outfits,” she argued. “I can wash what I buy and wear it again.”
“You should at least have a week’s worth of clothes, maybe more. You’ll need things for when you’re working around the house, and other outfits for going out.”
“I don’t date,” she said with a flush on her cheeks.
“What if I want you to go somewhere wit
h me? Would you wear any of these outfits to a nice dinner or out to a movie?” he asked.
She looked at the items in her cart and slowly shook her head. “But I don’t expect you to take me places. I work for you; it’s not like we’re dating.”
She was right, but he didn’t like it.
“Summer, if you don’t pick out things you like, I’m going to memorize your sizes and buy things for you when you aren’t with me. Do you want to see the kinds of things I’d purchase, or do you want to pick out your own clothes?”
She finally relented and added more items to the shopping cart, including three dresses. The shoe department was another fight, but he prevailed, and they left with two pairs and some of those ridiculous flip-flop things. He’d tried to convince her to get something better, something she could run in if trouble came her way, but she’d refused. In the end, he’d given in and secretly planned to buy her more shoes when she wasn’t with him. If she wouldn’t see reason, he’d just have to work on her.
At the register, the clerk gave him the total, and Summer blanched. Before she could say one word about it being too much, he swiped his bank card and paid for the purchases. He piled the sacks into the cart and began pushing it toward the parking lot. Summer took two steps for every one of his, and he slowed his pace. He loaded the bags into the back of his SUV, then put the cart away. Summer sat in the passenger seat watching him, and he wondered how ridiculous it looked for a leather-wearing alien to do something so mundane as shop at a store like this one.
When he got into the SUV, she gave him a hesitant smile.
“Thank you, for getting all that stuff for me. I’d have been fine without it, but I appreciate it.”
“You’re not going to do without while you’re living with me. I get the feeling you aren’t used to someone taking care of you.”
“My parents did their best, but my dad is hard to work with, so he doesn’t get the better-paying projects at work. No one wants to deal with him, and I can understand. You saw what he’s like, and Mom doesn’t work. Not in the getting paid sense. She does plenty around the house and for the family, but it doesn’t help pay the bills.”
“So you take up the slack,” he observed.
“Yes. I have since I turned fifteen and was able to get my first job. I’ve just had a lot of them since then. I’m not exactly known for being reliable around town. I’m surprised anyone is still willing to give me a chance.”
“I’m not going to fire you,” he said. “There’s not a particular time you need to start your day. I usually get breakfast at the Terran Station when I get to work, so the only meal you need to worry about is dinner.”
“I should have looked at cookbooks while we were at the store. I only know how to make a few things, and you’ll get tired of them before too long.”
He smiled. “We can get one tomorrow. For now, let’s drop your things off at the house and get you situated, then we’ll discuss dinner. To celebrate your new job and new home, we can eat anywhere you’d like.”
“I don’t need much. You can just go through a drive-thru.”
“No, we aren’t going through a drive-thru. You’re going to have good food to eat. After the stressful day you’ve had, I’d imagine your body could use a good nutritious meal.”
She sighed but didn’t argue. He began to wonder if everything would be a battle with her. Oddly enough, it wasn’t off-putting. He actually looked forward to what she might say or do next. Eventually, she’d get used to him buying her things.
When he pulled into his driveway at home, he looked over to gauge her reaction. His home was small compared to the places some of his friends owned. Being a warrior had paid well on his world, and being a guard on Earth paid almost as well. He could retire and easily have enough money to live his life comfortably on Earth. The government on Earth wanted warriors like him on their world and offered a very generous conversion rate for his Terran credits into the American dollars he used while he lived here. It nearly doubled his money.
“This is where you live?” she asked, her eyes wide. “I thought you said your home was small.”
He tried to see it through her eyes. To him, it seemed small enough. It was two stories with four bedrooms and three and a half bathrooms. When he’d purchased the place he’d hoped to fill it with children, but as the years passed he’d wondered if it would ever happen. When he’d agreed to move to Earth to work at the station, he’d thought his chances of finding a mate would increase. There were countless single females in the area, but he had yet to find one to bond with. Maybe he was too picky, but it seemed like most just wanted to have bragging rights about being with one of his kind, and he wanted more than that out of a relationship.
“It’s small compared to the homes of most I claim as friends.”
She shook her head and slipped out of the vehicle. Vordro gathered the bags from the back and walked up the steps to let her in. He should have parked in the garage, but he’d wanted her to have a good look at the house. He was proud of his home, and he hoped she’d be happy here.
He opened the door and turned off the alarm, ushering her inside. She moved slowly, walking room to room, taking everything in. When she’d finished exploring the downstairs, he led her to the upstairs rooms and let her pick which bedroom she wanted. The fact she chose the one next to his would torture him as she slept so close and yet so far away.
He put her things in a sunny, yellow bedroom and left her to organize her new belongings. There was only one bathroom in that hall, but it was all hers while she stayed with him. He had his own attached to his bedroom. The other full bath was downstairs, but he’d turned the second master suite into a lounge for when his friends came over.
Vordro kept himself busy downstairs while Summer settled into her home. When she came downstairs, wearing one of her new dresses, he smiled. She looked beautiful, but he wasn’t sure if he should say anything. Technically, he was her employer, and he damn well needed to remember that. Going to dinner tonight wasn’t a date, even if it did feel a little like one.
“How do you feel about steak?” he asked.
“It was always a treat at our house, mostly when Mom found it on sale at the store. She’d marinate it all day, and then Dad would grill it when he got home.”
“I was thinking more along the lines of Stan’s Steakhouse. If you don’t want steak, they have really good burgers too.”
“You don’t have to spend a lot of money on me, Vordro. You’ve already done so much for me.”
He curled his fingers into fists to keep from reaching for her. “Then let me do one more. Have dinner with me at Stan’s. If you don’t see anything on the menu you like, we’ll go somewhere else. But I think you’ll really like it if you give it a chance.”
“We can go wherever you’d like.”
It bothered him that she wasn’t brave enough to ask for what she wanted. No, to demand it. Living with her bastard of a father had done a number on her. It was his hope that living away from that horrible man would help her come out of her shell some more. She reminded him of a turtle, afraid to poke her head out. She’d been willing to sacrifice her happiness for her family, but when it came to asking for things for herself she clammed up. He wondered if she didn’t feel worthy, and vowed to make sure that changed. He might not be able to claim her as his mate, but he could treat her like the treasure she was, and maybe she’d start to see herself that way too.
The fact he was insanely attracted to her baffled him. He’d always gone after strong women, and he supposed she was strong in her own way. She’d have done anything for her family, but being disowned by them had damaged her in some way. She had a lost look to her as she climbed into his SUV, and he wondered what it would take to make her smile again. A real smile that reached her eyes and made her cheeks hurt.
The restaurant was crowded when they arrived, and they had to wait for a table. Vordro sat next to her on the bench seat. A noisy group of college guys came in, whooping an
d hollering. Summer moved closer to him, pressing against his side. He reached for her hand, giving it a squeeze. He didn’t know why the males made her nervous. Yes, they were obnoxious, but he didn’t see anything wrong with them. He would suppose that to human females they were even attractive.
One of them broke away from the group and approached them. Vordro wasn’t certain he liked the look in the male’s eyes or the cold smile that spread across his lips. Was he about to be faced with another racist asshole? Two in one day seemed like a bit much. Surely, even his luck wasn’t that rotten.
“If it isn’t sweet Summer,” the male drawled. “I’m surprised to see you in a place like this. Isn’t Burger Barn more your style?”
Now he knew he didn’t like the male.
Summer gripped his hand tighter. “Hi, Matt.”
“Shouldn’t you be scrubbing a toilet somewhere?”
Vordro stood, towering over the male. “You will not insult her again.”
“Let me guess,” the male called Matt said. “The only guy you can get to touch you is an alien. That’s pathetic. Everyone knows these guys will take any willing woman. Have you become a willing woman, Summer?”
Vordro didn’t even stop to think, he just hauled back his fist and let it fly, knocking the bastard on his ass. The hostess rushed over with a manager on her heels. Both look flustered, but Vordro knew they wouldn’t ask him to leave. He’d been coming to this restaurant weekly since he’d arrived on Earth, and he always tipped well. If anyone was escorted out, it would be the trash at his feet.
“Mr. Vordro, I’m so sorry,” the manager said. “I knew this group would be trouble when they walked in.”
“He insulted Summer. The others didn’t take part.”
The manager nodded. “I’ll see that he leaves and doesn’t come back. I’m sorry your date was insulted. Your meals will be on the house tonight, both of them, and I won’t take no for an answer. You’re a dedicated customer, and you shouldn’t have had to deal with something like this.”
Summer and the Alien Guard Page 2
