Mama and the Alien Warrior (Treasured By The Alien #1) - Honey Phillips Page 0,29
the bedroom to find Hrebec waiting for her. To her surprise, he had actually mended her pants, the tear almost invisible.
“How did you do that?”
He showed her a device like a long metal wand and explained how it could be used to fuse together a number of materials, including most fabrics.
“It occurs to me that your females will need clothing for themselves and for the infants. I apologize for not thinking of this before. We have spare uniforms and I’m sure my men will be happy to donate from their civilian clothing.”
A lump formed in her throat. He really was so sweet. “Thank you.”
He gave her a rueful grin and shook his head. “I suspect that my crew will be more than anxious to give up their clothing for such a cause. I will have to limit it to no more than a few items per male or they will all be naked.” He cleared his throat. “It would do me great honor if you would choose from amongst my clothing to create outfits for you and the girls.”
His tail slipped over the arm she had curled around Tiana and gently stroked the baby’s cheek.
Somehow she suspected that accepting his clothing was another act with more significance than she understood, but if it was important to him, she wasn’t about to refuse him.
“It would be our honor,” she said, echoing his words back to him.
Handing Tiana to him while she pulled her pants back on, she couldn’t help but notice the way the baby watched him, her tiny tail seeking out his arm. Perhaps they did belong together, she thought, but just as the thought crossed her mind, Tiana’s head started bobbing and didn’t stop until her eyes found Abby. She stepped closer and put her hand on the baby’s cheek, while Hrebec’s other arm came around both of them. Even knowing that it was going to hurt that much worse in the end, she couldn’t help but be glad that she would have the additional time with Tiana. And with Hrebec.
Pushing aside the sorrow of that future parting, she managed to smile up at him. “I think I’d better go rescue Pravit from Lucie. She’s probably talked his ear off by now.”
For a moment he looked startled, clasping a hand to his almost nonexistent ear, then he smiled back. “I will assume that is another of your expressions.”
“You would assume correctly. I’m going to get Lucie and then explain to the girls about the additional delay.”
“I have duties as well.” He rather reluctantly handed Tiana back to Abby, once again brushing his fingers against her breast in the process. Now that she knew how wonderful his hands felt on her body, it was even harder not to press against his hand. His breath caught as well, but he stepped back.
“If you do not object, I will join you for the mid-shift meal.”
Her cheeks heated, but she nodded. “I would like that very much.”
Pausing only long enough to drop a quick kiss on Tiana’s head, and a slightly longer one on Abby’s lips, he hurried away.
“That’s your new daddy, Tiana,” she said to the baby, who gurgled happily. “I just wish that didn’t mean I can no longer be your mama.”
With a heavy heart, she went to collect the daughter who would still be hers.
Chapter Fourteen
To Abby’s surprise, none of the girls seemed particularly upset about the additional delay.
TeShawna shrugged. “Ain’t got nothing to hurry back to.”
The other girls echoed the statement in their own ways. Of course. She should have considered that they’d ended up in her care originally because they had no one else to care for them.
Only Amber seemed to be concerned and pulled her to one side. “Miss Abby, what if I go into labor?”
“That’s one of the reasons why I agreed to make this detour. This new planet has medical facilities.”
“What if the baby doesn’t want to wait?” She put a nervous hand on her stomach. “She’s been awfully active.”
Abby did her best to project a cool confidence that she did not feel. “Remember that the ship has a medical lab as well. Captain Hrebec has already explained things to the doctor so that he can prepare.”
Fortunately, Amber hadn’t seen Hrebec’s distress when Abby had warned him, so she accepted the answer with a sigh of relief.
Molly, on the other hand, didn’t even seem to think about her upcoming delivery. She was mooning around the cabin, staring at the door.