Claus (Vaxxlian Alien Mail Order Brides #7)

Chapter 5

Feeling refreshed after a much-needed afternoon nap, Aubrey hummed under her breath as she put the finishing touches on dinner. Chicken marengo with homemade pasta. It smelled delicious and she hoped the boys liked it. She’d always enjoyed cooking but had rarely done so during her interstellar travels. Despite the tragic circumstances that had prompted her return to McHenry, it was nice to remain in one place for a change. Doing all the household stuff and taking care of the boys could be exhausting at times, but it was also rewarding in a way she was coming to appreciate more with each passing day.

Who would’ve thought a traveling interstellar interpreter such as herself could find such contentment being a homebody and raising children? Her parents would likely be shocked but also pleased by the efforts she was making to maintain a happy home for her nephews. Sadly, they’d passed away shortly after Finn was born, her father’s old-fashioned aircraft shot down when he’d accidentally entered a restricted government airspace. Her mother usually never flew with him, but on that early autumn day she’d decided to join for a quick scenic ride to admire the foliage from above.

Just as Aubrey placed the food on the table, the doorbell rang. Her stomach dropped to the floor. Darkness had fallen, and she had all the curtains drawn and the doors locked. It was past curfew. No one was supposed to be on the streets at this hour. She cursed when she heard little feet pounding down the stairs. She yanked her phone from her pocket and checked the security feed.

Relief mingled with surprise when she realized it was Claus. Why had he returned? His glowing green gaze seemed to penetrate straight to her heart as he displayed a friendly smile and waved at the camera. Well, at least it wasn’t a militia member attempting to use her house as a hideout, or a robber. Although a militia member or a robber probably wouldn’t ring the bell.

She exited the kitchen and headed for the entryway, reaching the narrow hall at the same time as the boys. She shot them a stern glance. “You aren’t supposed to come running when you hear the doorbell at night, boys. You’re supposed to hide in the secret compartment inside your bedroom closet. We’ve talked about this.”

“But we know who it is!” Marcus cried. “I was looking out an upstairs window and I saw the Vaxxlian headed up the walkway. He has a huge shopping cart filled with stuff, too!” He bounced with excitement.

“Open the door!” Finn said.

“Yeah, let him in!” Wyatt said. “He can stay for dinner. I want to see how much he can eat. I heard Vaxxlians eat a lot.”

Aubrey tried to shoo the boys away from the door, but it was no use. She racked her brain for a reason the alien might’ve returned. Hm. Maybe Claus was having difficulty leaving McHenry and he was coming to her for advice. Maybe he’d run into some kind of security barrier erected by the militias. She wasn’t certain what travel method he’d used, though most Vaxxlian males arrived on Earth these days in their own personal Vaxxlian cruisers.

She glanced at her phone again. The handsome alien was still staring at the camera waving and smiling. Though his visit was unexpected, he looked friendly enough. Harmless enough.

Yeah, idiot, but so did Pete at first.

He rang the bell once more and gently tapped on the door, then he gestured to the cart she hadn’t noticed until now. It looked like a shopping cart from Walter’s Emporium, a local gift shop that also sold clothing and exotic groceries.

“All right, boys,” she said with a sigh as she gazed at her nephews. “I will open the door to see what Claus wants, but only if you step into the kitchen and wait patiently while I speak with him. Promise you’ll behave?”

Disappointment clouded their faces. Clearly, they wanted to witness whatever conversation was about to be had. But Marcus finally managed to wrangle his younger brothers into the kitchen, and Aubrey turned to the door.

She shoved her phone in her pocket, drew in a deep breath, and smoothed her hands through her hair. Then she felt her eyes grow wide. What was she doing? Why was she trying to make herself look nice for the Vaxxlian male? She gave a derisive shake of her head, telling herself it didn’t matter what he thought of her appearance. Because she wasn’t going to change her mind and accept his marriage proposal, even if that was the reason he’d come knocking again.

She flung the door open, and her heart pounded faster at the sight of the sexy alien warrior. Well, she assumed he was a warrior. Most Vaxxlian males were. From what she knew of his culture, all Vaxxlian males began warrior training at a young age. His people preferred to keep a massive army of lethal fighters at the ready in case of danger.

“Greetings, beautiful Aubrey,” he said, and his eyes darkened with what she suspected was lust.

Why was her face heating? Was it because he’d called her beautiful? Surely that couldn’t be why. Maybe the heating unit was malfunctioning. Yes, that must be it. Because there was no way she was blushing right now. Aubrey didn’t blush. She ignored men who paid her compliments and moved on.

She swallowed hard and wondered why her throat was suddenly dry. “Good evening, Claus,” she finally said. “I didn’t expect to see you again. Is there something I can help you with?”

“Yes, sweet female.” His eyes started glowing, and his nostrils flared. “I have come to woo you.” He produced a bouquet of roses from the shopping cart and held them out to her. “These are for you. I hope you like the color. The florist insisted that red was considered the best color for romancing a woman.”

“You’ve come to… woo me?” Aubrey didn’t accept the flowers, and she took a careful step back. Answering the door was a mistake.

“Yes, that is correct. I intend to shower you with material items you will appreciate and find useful.” He tried to thrust the bouquet into her hands, but she took another step back. “I also wish for us to spend time together. I believe it would be wise if we became better acquainted. Perhaps you will agree to go on a date with me.” The longing in his eyes deepened.

There was no mistaking it. He wanted her, and damn if that didn’t make Aubrey blush anew. Why hadn’t she slammed the door in his face yet? Why was she lingering on the porch?

A frigid wind swept down from the trees, but she didn’t find herself shivering like usual. She was heated all over. And the enticing masculine scent of Claus carried to her on the breeze. She took a deep inhale. To her shock, she experienced a pang of arousal in her core. For the first time in years, she found herself harboring an intense physical attraction to a man. Not just any male, but a handsome-as-sin Vaxxlian warrior whose deep voice caused her insides to quiver.

“I…” Her voice trailed off. She was stunned speechless and couldn’t form words no matter how hard she tried. Somehow, she found herself holding the bouquet. When had she accepted it? She couldn’t remember. All she knew was that she was lost in Claus’s sexy green gaze, and she couldn’t seem to draw enough air into her lungs.

She glanced at the shopping cart he must’ve carried onto her porch. It contained nearly all the items for which she’d been saving. Three pairs of children’s winter boots. Three winter jackets. Hats and gloves. Candy, toys, hygienic items, and more. How had he known to buy these exact things?

She wanted to refuse the gifts, but how could she when most would benefit the boys? The sooner they had warmer jackets that weren’t ragged and threadbare, the better.

“How, um…” Damn it. Her voice still wouldn’t work.

Why did she sort of feel like crying?

“I visited a store called Walter’s Emporium,” Claus explained, “and the owner knew who you were and pointed out items he’d seen you looking at recently. He helped me select the proper sizes for the children, and he also made a few suggestions for extras you and the boys might enjoy. Please accept these gifts, sweet Aubrey.” He made to push the cart through her door. “Allow me to come inside and I will unload everything.”