Claus (Vaxxlian Alien Mail Order Brides #7)

Chapter 6

Claus was pleased when Aubrey finally moved aside and permitted him entrance. Once he pushed the cart inside, he turned to close and lock the door. He’d hoped to arrive at her home before dark, but the visit to Walter’s Emporium had taken a while. The elderly clerk had had many suggestions for items he might procure for Aubrey and her nephews.

“Claus, this is very kind of you, but I cannot accept such a massive gift. You must allow me to pay you back.” An anxious look crossed her face, and her eyes widened when she inspected the price tag on one of the jackets. “Perhaps you would accept a payment plan of some type? I swear I’ll pay you back though. I-I’m good for it.”

Claus approached her and placed his hands on her shoulders. He leaned down and took a deep inhale of her sweet feminine scent. Ah, she was ready and ripe. He could smell it. She desired him. There was no mistaking the pungency of her excitement. His shaft hardened in his pants, and he stepped even closer to the petite female. To his delight, she didn’t attempt to escape.

“Why would I want you to pay me back for a gift?” He tilted his head to the side, studying her every little movement. Her lips trembled slightly as she took a shuddering breath.

“If you’d just brought gifts for me, I would tell you to return them immediately.” Her face turned a bright shade of pink. “But I can’t refuse the gifts you brought for the boys. At least not the clothing and shoes. We’re halfway through December and the days are getting colder. I-I can pay you for the jackets, shoes, socks, hats, and gloves.” She blinked fast and her eyes shone with moisture.

“I will not allow you to pay me back,” he said in a gentle tone. He cupped the side of her face and dragged his other hand through her locks, feeling the silkiness of her shiny dark hair. It was nearly as dark as his, though so much softer. He wanted to lean down and bury his face in her glorious tresses, then lift her in his arms and carry her upstairs in search of a bedroom. His tongue vibrated with the need to kiss her and taste her.

“Dinner,” she blurted. “Dinner is ready and it’s going to get cold. I must feed the boys now.” A look of uncertainty fell over her, then she added, “Would you like to join us for dinner?”

Delight brimmed in his heart. “Yes, I would be overjoyed to join you for dinner.” He removed his hands from her shoulders and took one step back. “You are kind to invite me.”

She peered at the shopping cart. “I still intend to pay you back for this stuff, Claus. But we can argue about it later. Come on, I’m sure the boys will be ecstatic that we have a dinner guest. They spent the whole day talking about you and asking me questions about Vaxxlians. I hope you’re ready to have your ears talked off.”

“My ears?” He touched his ears as he followed Aubrey into a kitchen that contained a small table that was laden with food.

“It’s a human expression,” she said with a laugh as she glanced over her shoulder. When their eyes met, the whole universe lit up. “It means they are going to talk you into exhaustion.”

He recalled how talkative and hyper some of his nieces and nephews had been, and he decided he was up to the task of answering whatever questions the boys asked. He nearly chuckled at the shocked expressions on the children’s faces when they noticed him enter. Their eyes grew comically wide, and they exchanged excited glances.

“Boys, I would like to introduce you to Claus.” Aubrey moved to stand behind the children and touched each boy on the head as she announced their names, which she didn’t realize Claus already knew. “Claus, meet Marcus, Wyatt, and Finn.”

“Marcus, Wyatt, and Finn, I am pleased to meet all three of you.” Claus nodded deeply, then reached out to shake each boy’s hand, suddenly deciding to adopt the Earth custom. He wanted to impress the children almost as much as he wanted to impress Aubrey. As the boys took turns shaking his hand, their eyes blazed with excitement.

“All right, everyone please take your seats. Claus, you can, um, sit next to me.” She indicated the empty chair to her right, and he was quick to occupy it. The wooden chair creaked under his weight but thankfully didn’t break.

Aubrey started to take her seat, only to pause when she glanced at the bouquet she was still holding. She quickly rummaged through the cabinets and produced a vase. After placing the roses in the vase and adding water, she returned to his side.

“The roses are very pretty, Claus.” She sat down. “Thank you.”

“You are quite welcome, sweet human.” Claus peered around the table as a sense of wonderment filled him. A meal. He was about to share a meal with the family he so badly wanted to join. The family he wanted to bring back to New Vaxx and keep safe.

When was the last time he’d sat at a table and dined with anyone? It had been years. He hadn’t shared a meal with friends or family members since before the war. After his rescue from the Irrcon prison camp, he’d spent a few years in solitude on New Vaxx, too grieved by the loss of his entire family to be around others. He’d lived aboard his cruiser in the forest for years, until finally deciding it was time to move on. Time to rejoin his people and help them grow stronger. And so, he’d built a house on the edge of Starzzia, resumed his old job working as a mechanic repairing Vaxxlian cruisers, and applied for a human bride.

“Claus?” Aubrey’s soft voice pulled him out of his thoughts. “Are you okay?”

He jerked his head slightly and nodded, then looked down at the huge portion of food on his plate. He’d been so lost in his thoughts that he hadn’t even noticed Aubrey had served him. His face grew warm, and he shot her a grateful look. “I am well, thank you. It is only that… it has been years since I shared a meal with anyone. I feel blessed to be here with all four of you, and I would again like to thank you for inviting me.” He felt lighter than he had in ages. “By the way, it smells delicious.”

Aubrey appeared concerned, and he shifted in his seat as he realized she was gazing at him with a look of pity. Did she feel sorry for him? Fluxx . He didn’t want her to feel sorry for him. The lightness from moments ago vanished, and the tips of his ears burned with shame. But then Aubrey said something that instantly lifted his mood and erased the lingering embarrassment.

She patted his arm and said, “Well, the children and I are honored that you chose to join us this evening.”