Page 12 of Her Alien Matchmaker
Maybe I could go back to my roots and remember who I used to be, what I stood for.
Chapter 6
NotseeinganyofXVU’s vehicles on the road didn’t make me feel better.In fact, I felt more afraid.Why aren’t they searching harder?
The closer we moved to the research facility, the more a tension headache dug its claws inside my brain.
Jetarin laid a hand on my arm, his touch gentle and warm.“Kristy, the speed limit is fifty-five.”He cocked his head toward the windshield, where a road sign did indeed announce the same thing.
I glanced at the speedometer, realizing I’d been traveling ten miles over the limit.That’s a sure-fire way to get stopped by a cop.
Releasing the accelerator, I set the cruise control and gave Jet a half-smile.“Sorry.Guess I feel like the sooner we get there, the sooner I can get him to safety.”He’d turned off the disguise, stating he needed to conserve as much power as possible.
“Why do you have horns on your head, Jet?”Aaron’s little voice wavered between curiosity and awe.
“Because I am special.”Jet waggled his eyebrows.
Aaron giggled.“Are you part rhinoceros?Did you know their horn isn’t made from bone, but from keratin, the same stuff makes our nails and hair?”
“Didyouknow early humans, when they found rhino remains, thought they were dragons?”
“Really?Do you think it would be fun to ride a dragon?”
Jet gave me a wink.“It would only be fun if they had a saddle, like your crocodile.”
Aaron giggled.“His name is Crockett.”And just like that, he accepted Jet with a six-year-old’s grace, not caring the man looked different from us or spoke with an accent.
Oh, to go back to a child’s innocent wonder and acceptance of all things different.
I stared into Jet’s chocolate eyes, wishing I had the courage to say how much I appreciated him humoring my son, then returned my attention to the road.
His hand remained on my arm, and I couldn’t lie…it made me feel safe.Which is completely ridiculous.I was ready to let this guy die yesterday in the name of science, and now I’m not only aiding and abetting his escape, but I’m also actively involved in saving him.True, but saving him meant saving Aaron.That’s all.No way was there any other reason.
I glanced at his long fingers, how they loosely encircled my forearm, how his thumb swept across the tender flesh on the inside, sending tiny spikes of pleasure through my nerves.The way he watched Aaron, with a gentle glow in his eyes, made my mom’s heart thaw.He has every reason to hate me, to hate humans, yet so far, he’s been nothing but kind.I’d always wanted a good male role model for Aaron, but the few men I’d dated over the years had been unimpressive.A glance toward Jet showed his attention on my face, as if he too were imagining impossible things.
A deep pothole on the shoulder of the road made the car bounce.
“Mommy, be careful!”
I jerked the steering wheel to get the vehicle back in its lane and released a long breath.“Jesus.Sorry, kiddo.”
Jet removed his hand, but his irises twinkled.
Biting my bottom lip until it hurt, I focused on the road ahead.Get it together.Damn.This is no time to start daydreaming about something other than mutual survival.Aaron is counting on me.
“So, Aaron, you enjoy science?”Jetarin craned his neck to focus on my son.
“No, Ilovescience.I love it so much Mommy put me in a special school called Blackstone Academy to teach me about science things all day.”
“That is good.If your mother agrees, I would love to show you our science labs.I promise they will be unlike anything you have seen on this world.”
I rolled my head toward him and gave him a flat stare, as if saying‘You’re pushing it, buddy.’
His sharp grin answered my unspoken words.
“Did you know bananas are radioactive, Jet?”
“Really?”I asked, easing the car off the road to follow the path leading to the narrow creek bed.
