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Authors: Susan A. Bliler
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step into his embrace. Her jet black hair was interrupted at her temple with one white swath that ran all the way down the long length of her hair.
“Hi, Ella and Alysa,” the woman beamed. “I’m Aries and this is my mate, Conn.”
“Hi!” Alysa piped up happily.
Ella didn’t speak. It didn’t go unnoticed to her either that Aries referred to herself as Conn’s mate and not his wife. It was a slip she was sure the other woman wasn’t even aware shed’ made. Ella turned to eye Gauge warily, “What’s going on?”
Aries held up a hand and a little girl dashed over to the table, “This is our daughter, Wynter.”
The girl locked eyes on Alysa and smiled as she waved excitedly. “Wanna play?”
Alysa inched out of the booth without even asking.
“ Alysa! ” Ella hissed reaching for the child. Gauge snagged her hand and held it.
“It’s okay. I’ve asked them to entertain Alysa so that we might talk.”
Ella tried to jerk her hand free as Alysa inched further from the table. “Wait!” She was near hysterical.
Gauge squeezed her hand and commanded, “Alysa, come here.”
The little girl did as asked he watched as Ella visibly relaxed. He looked up at Conn and Aries still standing near his table. “Give us a moment?”
Conn nodded and led his mate and child closer to the door.
Ella reached for Alysa, but Gauge snatched the child into his arms and stood to stare down at Ella. “I’m going to send Alysa with Conn and Aries. She can play with their daughter, Wynter, while we talk. She’ll be safe. It’s just a play date.”
Delicate brows speare d down as she shook her head, “No! Talk about what?”
Conn lingered near the door with his family.
“Alysa, give mommy a kiss. You’re gonna go play, okay?” He leaned down to give Ella the opportunity to peck her daughter on the cheek. When Ella reached for her instead, Gauge pulled back. His tone was firm and brooked no refusal, “She’ll be fine. It’s only for an hour or so.” In seconds, Gauge was at the door speaking with Conn and his family. They exchanged smiles and then Alysa was deposited in Conn’s arms as the Commander, his angel, and a very excited Wynter, exited the Crow’s nest with Ella’s daughter in tow.
Gauge returned to the table and Ella was blinking back tears, attempting to compose herself. “Where are they taking her,” she attempted to round the table, but Gauge slid into the booth and pulled her back down into her seat. He secured an arm around her shoulders to keep her from attempting to flee.
“We need to talk.”
“I can’t,” she tried to rise, but the weight of Gauge’s arm on her shoulders kept her in place. “I can’t leave Alysa with strangers.”
“She’ll be fine. Conn and Aries enjoy having other children around. Wynter doesn’t get to interact with many children her age. It’s fine. They’re not strangers.” He used a finger under her chin to force her eyes to meet his. “I’d never put her in harm’s way. Besides, we need some time alone to talk freely.”
Oh God, here it comes! “I don’t want to talk freely,” she jerked her chin out of his grasp and tried to pull away, but his arm slid lower to circle around her waist while his free hand cupped her face and forced her to look at him.
“Ella, don’t!”
Her eyes collided with his and her breath caught. He was a beautiful man. Too beautiful. When she’d had the chance to date she’d always had a firm rule against dating men that were more beautiful than herself, and Gauge Alexander definitely fell into that category, but the way he was looking at her now made her wish that… No, she couldn’t go there. Not only was he her boss, but she had Alysa to think about and that meant putting her desires on the backburner.
She shook her head as if to clear it, “Mr. Alexander,” she began at an attempt at formality, “thank you
“Hi, Ella and Alysa,” the woman beamed. “I’m Aries and this is my mate, Conn.”
“Hi!” Alysa piped up happily.
Ella didn’t speak. It didn’t go unnoticed to her either that Aries referred to herself as Conn’s mate and not his wife. It was a slip she was sure the other woman wasn’t even aware shed’ made. Ella turned to eye Gauge warily, “What’s going on?”
Aries held up a hand and a little girl dashed over to the table, “This is our daughter, Wynter.”
The girl locked eyes on Alysa and smiled as she waved excitedly. “Wanna play?”
Alysa inched out of the booth without even asking.
“ Alysa! ” Ella hissed reaching for the child. Gauge snagged her hand and held it.
“It’s okay. I’ve asked them to entertain Alysa so that we might talk.”
Ella tried to jerk her hand free as Alysa inched further from the table. “Wait!” She was near hysterical.
Gauge squeezed her hand and commanded, “Alysa, come here.”
The little girl did as asked he watched as Ella visibly relaxed. He looked up at Conn and Aries still standing near his table. “Give us a moment?”
Conn nodded and led his mate and child closer to the door.
Ella reached for Alysa, but Gauge snatched the child into his arms and stood to stare down at Ella. “I’m going to send Alysa with Conn and Aries. She can play with their daughter, Wynter, while we talk. She’ll be safe. It’s just a play date.”
Delicate brows speare d down as she shook her head, “No! Talk about what?”
Conn lingered near the door with his family.
“Alysa, give mommy a kiss. You’re gonna go play, okay?” He leaned down to give Ella the opportunity to peck her daughter on the cheek. When Ella reached for her instead, Gauge pulled back. His tone was firm and brooked no refusal, “She’ll be fine. It’s only for an hour or so.” In seconds, Gauge was at the door speaking with Conn and his family. They exchanged smiles and then Alysa was deposited in Conn’s arms as the Commander, his angel, and a very excited Wynter, exited the Crow’s nest with Ella’s daughter in tow.
Gauge returned to the table and Ella was blinking back tears, attempting to compose herself. “Where are they taking her,” she attempted to round the table, but Gauge slid into the booth and pulled her back down into her seat. He secured an arm around her shoulders to keep her from attempting to flee.
“We need to talk.”
“I can’t,” she tried to rise, but the weight of Gauge’s arm on her shoulders kept her in place. “I can’t leave Alysa with strangers.”
“She’ll be fine. Conn and Aries enjoy having other children around. Wynter doesn’t get to interact with many children her age. It’s fine. They’re not strangers.” He used a finger under her chin to force her eyes to meet his. “I’d never put her in harm’s way. Besides, we need some time alone to talk freely.”
Oh God, here it comes! “I don’t want to talk freely,” she jerked her chin out of his grasp and tried to pull away, but his arm slid lower to circle around her waist while his free hand cupped her face and forced her to look at him.
“Ella, don’t!”
Her eyes collided with his and her breath caught. He was a beautiful man. Too beautiful. When she’d had the chance to date she’d always had a firm rule against dating men that were more beautiful than herself, and Gauge Alexander definitely fell into that category, but the way he was looking at her now made her wish that… No, she couldn’t go there. Not only was he her boss, but she had Alysa to think about and that meant putting her desires on the backburner.
She shook her head as if to clear it, “Mr. Alexander,” she began at an attempt at formality, “thank you
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