I have a few lingering aches from my accident but when I get home from the hospital, Ares takes me to bed and worships me so thoroughly that I forget all about that. And maybe he pushes some of his woo-woo healing power through with each kiss, I don’t know.
I just know that I have never felt more loved.
There’s no more tension and Ares tells me on a random Tuesday that he’s happy. Unprompted. I try not to have a heart attack and cover my shock with a smile. We’re figuring out this marriage gig one step at a time and the fact that we’re both trying is the secret sauce that makes me believe we’re going to go the distance.
A few weeks later, I start cosmetology school, which ends up being the second greatest thing that’s ever happened to me after marrying Ares. Penelope insists that I come by the salon so she can teach me some things that my instructors haven’t gotten to yet, strictly so I can be the star student, or so she says. I think she just wants to hang out, which I appreciate.
The smell of the salon hits me when I first walk in the door, sharp and familiar. I breathe it in because I’ve always liked the scent of shampoo and hair dye. The hardwood floors have this muted shine that says they are old but still beautiful and everything is pretty much exactly the way I remember it from when I was last here. Except this time, I won’t be entering appointments on the schedule. I get to do the serious work.
One of Penelope’s appointments is with a chick I vaguely remember from high school. Brooklyn Carter. She’s got this long fall of curly dark hair that I have long envied, but when she sits down in Penelope’s chair, Brooklyn tells her to cut it all off.
Penelope, who’s just starting to show with the cutest baby bump on record, covers her pregnant stomach with a palm and gasps. “I can’t do that. It would take years to grow back.”
Even I can see the look on Brooklyn’s pretty face says she means business. She punctuates this with, “I need a change. If you can’t do it, I’ll go somewhere else.”
That’s my cue to step in since this is Penelope’s place and it would be hard for her to refuse what a customer asks for. But everyone knows I need a change is code for a jackass opened his mouth in my presence. You don’t cut off such gorgeous hair to get over male stupidity. “Maybe the change you’re looking for is a new man. I know just the dating service for you.”
Torvian mates aren’t for everyone, but there are plenty more of them out there who need the right woman.
At this, Brooklyn breaks down, her face closing in and her shoulders beginning to heave. Penelope hustles her into the back room for some privacy and since it’s my fault she’s crying, I follow them.
“Sorry,” Brooklyn says and wipes at her swollen eyes—unnecessary since she’s one of those who looks beautiful and tragic when she cries instead of a big mess like moi.
“For what?” Penelope clucks and shoots me a glance that pretty much says play along. “You’re among friends. If you can’t cry with us, who can you cry with?”
The brief smile that flashes across Brooklyn’s face has a smidge of reserve. Probably because she’s wondering what fairy tale world she’s stumbled into. We were never friends in high school. She ran with a different crowd.
But that was a long time ago. More years than I care to count at this moment, so I nod. “Friends who get it when you burst into tears for no reason at the mention of men. We’ve both had our share of losers and broken hearts.”
“Thanks,” she says and sniffles. “It’s a little more complicated than that.”
“Trust me.” Penelope and I exchange loaded glances and say at the same time, “We know complicated.”
Brooklyn hesitates for a brief moment and then spills her guts. Boy, does she spill and an hour later, I am so pissed about what I’ve heard that Penelope almost has to sit on me to stop me from charging out the door after Brooklyn’s ex-boyfriend, who fits the profile of a deranged lunatic. He emotionally and physically abused her and then got really creative with making her life hell.
That is not okay.
It’s fine that Penelope has my best interests at heart—probably she’s keeping me out of jail by preventing me from going after the jackass. Instead, I have a better idea. I get Brooklyn’s phone number and jet home.
Ares sits on the couch watching TV since it’s his day off. The Mariners are playing Houston. He’s been trying to get into baseball but it still confuses him why grown men play sports for a profession, so I don’t worry too much about interrupting the game as I climb into his lap. His gaze snaps to mine and yeah, he’s fine with it. He is the perfect man, after all.
The sweet kiss he lays on me almost make me forget what I need to ask him. But just as his hands start sliding up my torso toward my breasts, which means I’m going to be naked in about five seconds, I clamp my palms down on his.
His eyebrows shoot up. “You have something else in mind?”
“Yes, a recommendation,” I say breathlessly because when his hands are on me, my brain melts. “I have a friend who needs a Torvian. As a bodyguard. He needs to be fiercely loyal and not only able, but willing to take apart a human who threatens her. Who would fit that profile?”
Ares’s face immediately hardens. “She is being threatened?”
“Yeah. And you’re mine, so don’t even think about it,” I tease him as I catch the direction of his thoughts. How can I not be in love with this alien? He would go after Brooklyn’s ex in a heartbeat. But I have a feeling she needs more than a bodyguard. It’s a sure bet that Ares will get that too, and I can almost pinpoint the moment he puts it all together.
“I have someone in mind,” he allows. “Ajaxasaurvyn. His genetic alteration is extreme strength.”
“Perfect.”
But Ares is shaking his head. “He is still on Torvis. He is what you might refer to as a success story. Scientists sought to enhance him exactly as they have.”
This is literally the first moment when I realize there are some soldiers in the Torvian military who weren’t screwed over in the genetic experimentation department. “So…help me out here. How is this guy the answer to my friend’s problem?”
“He wants to escape. I will convince him the time has come to leave Torvis.”
“You’ve been trying for a while, haven’t you?” Ares nods and that melts me. He’s looking out for his friend, the same as I’m doing for Brooklyn. It sounds like a perfect match to me.
I just want everyone I know to be as happy as I am.
Spoiler alert! Ares does convince Ajax to come to Earth and he's definitely interested in helping Brooklyn. Check out Ajax now!
Looking for love on all the wrong planets…
When Brooklyn Carter flees from an abusive ex, a friend suggests the perfect bodyguard—an honest-to-goodness alien. Ajax is built like a tank, willing to do the job in exchange for a green card marriage, and best of all, he can't and won't touch her. His genetic modifications give him super strength, which means he carefully avoids all contact with fragile humans. But once they start spending time together, Brooklyn begins to wonder what it would be like if he could touch her. Now all she can think about is exactly that… and how to trade safety for the courage to go after what she wants.
Instead of my impassioned speech removing barriers, his face closes in and he manages to look even more miserable than he did a minute ago. “No deserve Brooklyn. Too strong. Many problems.”
Oh, man. He means every word too. I can tell. “That’s so not true.”
But then I falter. What am I doing? He’s right—this is a very difficult line to walk when I’m pretty gun shy in the first place and he’s already broken my arm once today. Maybe I should give it a rest and wait until I’m in a better place.
Except no one has ever told me they don’t deserve me. Like I’m special and he’s not good enough. That’s total crap, but the pure agony in his voice runs through my head on an endless loop. You don’t say something like that to a woman you think of as your employer.
And a woman trying to be brave doesn’t let it go.
“Just tell me this,” I say. “What if we can find a way to fix the problems? Will you at least admit that you want to try?”
Slowly, he nods, his gaze on me, dark and full of something delicious. “Yes.”
“Good,” I say and I’m shocked at how shaky my voice is. “Hold out your arms like this.”
I demonstrate a spread-eagle stance and he does it, his expression intrigued. Without taking time to think through what I’m doing, I operate on instinct alone and step into his body, wrapping my arms around his torso.
Ajax jerks as we align and lowers his arms in response, but quickly flings them back up and away from me. That’s perfect. My ear rests against his chest and the thumps beyond the wall of flesh and bone must be his heart. It’s erratic and loud and the sound of it thrills through me.
“See, this is okay, right?” I murmur.
Rumbly sounds that must be his answer vibrate through my cheek but it’s not English and I don’t bother to ask for a translation because I’m too busy running my palms along his back. Good God, the man’s muscles feel like granite under my fingertips. He’s got so many fascinating contours that I might spend an hour here and never learn everything about my husband’s body.
I want to learn. I try to be shocked at how much this is turning me on, but I fail spectacularly. I’m completely free to do whatever I please with a man and it’s heady to have that much control. The hot arrows shooting through me make me a lot braver than I was expecting. Enough that I draw back a little and slide my palms up the contours of his chest until I’m standing on my tiptoes so I can cup his jaw.
It’s smooth. Warm. He watches me, his gaze going dark with pleasure as I feather a thumb over his lips. Call me brazen, but I can’t help it.
“Will you let me kiss you?” I ask huskily and thank you God he can’t possibly see the blush I know is heating up my cheeks. “I can’t reach unless you bend down.”
Don’t miss Ajax’s story. Check out Ajax now!
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