Claimed by the Alien Bodyguard - Tiffany Roberts Page 0,19

all connected in one large, open space. What would it be like to have that space full of life? To have Gabriela and Ana here, laughing and talking, to have music playing and the fire crackling?

Maybe if he had someone to cook for, he’d finally take out those steaks.

Broxen could almost imagine this home with Gabriela’s touch applied to it. He could almost imagine the door opening and little Ana bounding through, offering a big smile to her mother and Broxen. He could almost hear her tell them about her day at school.

And he could almost feel Gabriela’s hips between his hands as the Broxen in his imagining walked up to her from behind and swept her into a kiss after Ana had raced into the spare bedroom. He could almost taste those full, enticing lips. He could almost smell her scent and feel her warmth as she turned toward him and wrapped her arms around him, pressing her soft, sensuous body against his.

His heart sped and his breath grew ragged as blood rushed to his groin again. Coiled heat dominated his chest. Planting his fists on the counter, he bowed his head, and strands of his long hair fell around the sides of his face. This desire was becoming so strong that it hurt, and that wasn’t dissuading him at all.

There was no doubt in his mind now—he wanted Gabriela and Ana to be his. To be his family. And tomorrow at ten o’clock, he would begin working toward that.

He would seize every opportunity to make Gabriela his mate.

Five

“Did you brush your teeth?” Gabriela asked as she placed the large glass mixing bowl in the dishwasher.

“Yeah,” Ana called from her bedroom.

Gabriela added soap to the dishwasher, closed the door, and started it. She turned to look at the rest of the kitchen. Everything had been tidied. The dirty dishes were all in the dishwasher; the flour, powdered sugar, and smeared icing had been cleaned from the island counter; and the cookies were spread out on parchment paper so their icing could finish hardening overnight.

She smiled as she ran her eyes over the cookies. Each one was uniquely decorated.

It had been a good day. A better than good day.

Gabby pushed away from the sink and headed for Ana’s bedroom, stopping in front of the Christmas tree along the way. There were five gifts for Ana under the tree, including the couple Gabby had wrapped while her daughter was in the shower earlier, and the little tissue-paper-wrapped bundle Ana had made at school sat in front of them.

Ana had been so proud and excited when she’d placed it there.

Smile widening, Gabriela continued to her daughter’s room.

Ana was lying on her stomach on her bed, drawing in a sketchbook, a rainbow of markers spread on the blanket beside her. She had changed into a blue long-sleeved shirt and pajama pants with little sloths on them. The overhead light cast a warm glow on the room, which was filled with so many pinks, purples, and blues that you’d think a unicorn had farted in it.

That probably wasn’t too far from the truth considering all the unicorn décor. There were unicorn posters and drawings hanging on the walls, a rainbow unicorn rug on the floor, a unicorn lamp on the small corner desk, a glowing unicorn nightlight on the pink plastic storage cart Ana used as a nightstand, and stuffed unicorns and unicorn pillows on the bed. Ana was obsessed with them.

“What are you drawing?” Gabriela asked as she entered the room.

Ana hurriedly flipped over her sketch book and smiled sheepishly up at Gabriela. “Nothing.”

“Sure didn’t look like nothing.”

“It’s a secret.” Ana closed the sketchbook and gathered the markers.

Gabriela sat on the edge of the bed, grinning as Ana slipped off the other side. “I see.”

“No looking, Mom.” She set the sketchbook on her little desk and put the markers away in the top drawer.

“I wouldn’t dream of it.”

“Better not. It’s called privacy.”

Laughter spilled from Gabby. “I’m twenty-nine years old. I believe I know what privacy is.”

Ana put her hands on her hips. “And you better not forget it.”

Shaking her head but still grinning, Gabriela pulled down Ana’s blanket. “I won’t. Now come get into bed.”

Ana climbed onto the mattress, slipped her feet beneath the covers, and lay down. She raised her arms, allowing Gabriela to draw the blanket over her before folding her hands atop her chest.

Gabriela was going to miss these moments when Ana was older. She brushed her fingers over her