Water World Warrior: A SciFi Alien Mail Order Bride Romance (TerraMates Book 1) (20 page)

I was getting tired of it.

I came back to Earth for the summer and fall terms. I was going do the three field placements I needed to do to finish my degree.

It would take about six months, and I missed Nathaniel already.

The boys were happy to have me back and to be able to show me how good at taking care of the house and themselves they were already. Tim was graduating, and I would be there to attend the ceremony. Jeremy had a new high-paying job. Marlin had overcome his addiction and was doing a college course part-time to become a counselor. He said he wanted to help other people the way they had helped him.

Sam was still working at the coffee shop and was mad at me. She was furious that she found out that I left from my brothers. She ended up talking to Marlin. Once the debts were paid, he told her the whole story and she understood.

I talked to her on and off through the year I was away. It wasn't until we were face to face that I could explain the whole situation and tell her that I was trying to protect her. I also told her about Nathaniel and she was excited to meet him. But that wouldn't be happening for another six months.

I was glad that she wasn't mad at me anymore. I had missed Sam's company.

After the first few days of sitting around at home, I came by to see Maura. She asked if I wanted to help out while I was here since the President's Ball was coming up. I agreed, not because I felt like sewing for eight hours a day again, but for old time's sake. I had been working for the past three days on the dress I was wearing.

She said some rich guy was buying it for his wife as an anniversary present. I smiled a little sadly at myself in the mirror. What a pleasant thought. Nathaniel would never do something like that for me. He was too busy now that he was back at work doing what he loved.

It wasn't that he didn't have time for me. Our physical relationship was as robust as ever, and I knew that he loved me. We worked together every day, and it was wonderful.

But big gestures like what this stranger was doing for his wife? Well, that wasn't something Nathaniel would do.

I was silly. Nathaniel loved me, and he was the best husband a woman could desire. It was wrong of me to wish for a grand gesture. I didn't need that sort of thing.

I was responsible, practical, feet-on-the-ground, Ashlyn.

Grand gestures were not a part of my life, even my new life aboard a sailing ship.

I began unbuttoning the dress sadly, thinking that the woman who wore it would be beautiful as she spun around the dance floor.

"As much as I'd like to see you finish what you've started, you'd better not undo that any more, or we won't make it to the dance at all."

I spun around so fast that my skirts twisted around me, and I had to untangle them from around my legs before I could run to him.

"Nathaniel!" I said, throwing myself into his arms.

He was wearing a black tuxedo, a black shirt and a bright turquoise tie with a matching handkerchief tucked into the pocket — both of which were the exact color of his eyes.

He looked into my face and then down at my cleavage, bursting out of the dress. He heaved a heavy sigh.

"Ashlyn, getting you out of this dress is going to have to wait. We have a ball to attend," he said, pulling out two tickets to the President's Ball.

"But this isn't my dress and even if it was, I don't have any shoes." I protested. "It's been tailor-made for a customer's wife."

He grinned holding up a lovely pair of ballet flats — my favorite — that exactly matched the dress.

"It's for someone's anniversary present." I trailed off, staring at him. That had been Nathaniel?

"You had me make my dress?" I asked questioningly.

"That wasn't part of the plan. I didn't know you would be helping Maura in the shop. I wanted our anniversary to be special for you, Ash," he said. He pulled me back into his arms and held me close for a long minute, and I soaked up the love from his embrace. I missed him. I felt something hard pressing into my chest, and I slipped my hand into his shirt, searching for what it was. He raised one eyebrow but let me feel around, his breath hitching a little as I brushed his nipple.

There.

I pulled out an amulet. "What's this?" I asked, staring at it.

"My grandmother gave it to me," he said. "Why?"

"It's a fish with a jewel in its mouth."

I stared at it and remembered the fortune teller from the spaceport.

"Nathaniel. Remember I told you about the fortune teller I had met before you picked me up at the spaceport? She said that I would know him by an amulet exactly like this one."

"Him?"

I swallowed.

"My soul mate. My true love."

"You're kidding, right?"

"I never saw you wearing this before."

We gazed into each other's eyes.

"Ashlyn?" he said, getting my attention by the seriousness of his tone. "This is a perfect lead-in to a question I have for you."

He took my hands, rubbing my ring with the Celtic love knot on it. I realized that something important was going on. As he began to speak, I saw that he was wearing the gold bracelet that I got for him when I stowed away on his ship. I hadn't thought ever to ask him if he had got the little present, and I felt terribly pleased that he was wearing it.

"Ashlyn, when we got married, I never thought that I would love you as much as I do. I married you to get my ass out of hot water, but things changed. I changed."

"Nathaniel…" But he wasn't stopping.

"I love everything about you. You're so beautiful and sexy. Even after a year, I still can't get enough of you. If we weren't going out tonight, I would have you on your back right now, and I'd flip that dress up…"

"Nathaniel," I said, feeling myself heat up at his words and the scorching look in his eye. Sometimes, even now, he got what I mentally referred to as a pirate look. It was dangerous and sexy and utterly devastating. And if he gave it to me, I usually melted into a puddle.

"I love you, Ashlyn Lachlan, and I was wondering if, even after living with me for a year, you would consider marrying me."

"Marrying you?" I said, stunned. "But we're already married."

"I know. But we didn't have anybody there when we got married the first time. I thought we could renew our vows."

I stared at him, not knowing what to say.

"If you don't like the idea, we don't have to," he said, looking like he felt like he might have made a mistake.

"No, I love the idea," I said quickly. "I'm sorry, Nathaniel. You surprised me. I wasn't expecting any of this. I didn't think I would see you until graduation in six months."

I smiled and hugged him tightly.

"So you want to?" he said.

"Yes. Yes, I'll marry you again in front of friends and family." I shook my head and chided him. "How could you think anything else, Nathaniel?"

He looked relieved and puffed out his cheeks, blowing out his breath.

"Freya came with me, and the hall's all booked for tomorrow. I already sent invitations to your whole family with Marlin's help. I am beginning to think I shouldn't have made it a surprise after all."

"You have it all planned? It's tomorrow?"

"If that's okay with you."

"Nathaniel, it's perfect. I can't believe you did all this." It was a grand gesture.

"I wanted to show you how much I care, Ash. I know that I've been busy with the project. We both have. I didn't want you to think I was taking you for granted."

He traced gently down my cheek and over my lips. Then he pulled me into his arms, taking me into the circle of his love.

"I'm lucky to have you," he said. "And I know it."

I kissed him, and I cried a tear or two of happiness to think that my prince had come for me after all and was sweeping me off to the ball.

"I don't have a vehicle here. Should I call a car for us or do you want to walk?"

I smiled up at him.

"You're here, Nat. I can fly if you want me to."

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