Violet And Her Alien Matchmaker Read online

  “No scary movies,” Violet said. “And nothing violent. I don’t want to come

  home and find you cowering under the blankets because you think a monster is going to come eat you while you sleep.”

  Simon wrinkled his nose. “I’m not a baby.”

  “You’re my baby.” Violet smiled.

  “Momma,” Simon whined. “You’re embarrassing me.”

  Tiraz gave him a stern look. “You should never be embarrassed because your

  mother loves you, Simon.”

  Simon cast his gaze down and nodded.

  Violet wanted to comfort him, but she held back. Simon was a good boy, even if he was growing up too fast. She knew it was only a matter of time before he didn’t want to hold her hand or give her a hug in public. Before long, he wouldn’t want to be tucked in at night or snuggle next to her to watch a movie.

  Tiraz reached over and covered her hand with his while giving her a look filled with understanding and a tenderness she’d never seen before. Not from him or any other man. Not that she’d dated in the last five years. She supposed that she hadn’t had time, what with raising Simon on her own, and then there was that tell-tale voice in the back of her mind that whispered Simon’s dad didn’t want you, so why would anyone else?

  They ate their food and Simon was allowed to get dessert since he’d cleaned his plate. When they were finished, Tiraz drove them back to the Wyndham Towers, and as they entered the penthouse, Simon started bouncing up and down.

  “Can I have my surprise now, pllleeaassseee?”

  Violet couldn’t help but smile. Treats were so rare for him, and she knew Tiraz had gone overboard just by the sheer number of bags she’d seen. Simon’s gifts were going to be as much a surprise for her as they were for him. Tiraz had Simon sit on the couch and he went to the office to retrieve the shopping bags. As he presented one item after another, her son’s eyes widened in delight and sheer wonder. He reverently touched the toys before looking up at Tiraz.

  “They’re really all for me?” Simon asked.

  “All for you,” Tiraz confirmed. “Unless you know of another awesome little boy who lives here?”

  Simon shook his head profusely.

  “Then I guess they’re all yours. Now, why don’t you come with me to the office for a moment. I think your mom deserves a special treat too, don’t you?”

  Simon smiled. “Yeah, I do.”

  Tiraz held out his hand and they disappeared down the hall, only to return a few minutes later with a long slender box clutched in Simon’s hand. It looked like a jewelry box and Violet’s heart gave a lurch. She’d never received jewelry from anyone but her parents, and knowing that Tiraz had thought of her today made her a little teary-eyed.

  He’d already given her so much by letting her live here, and buying all those clothes this morning.

  Simon held the box out to her. “This is for you, Momma.”

  Violet took the box and glanced up at Tiraz. He was smiling down at her, an

  eagerness in his eyes. With shaky hands, she tried to open the box and after a few fumbles managed to get the lid off. Nestled inside was the most beautiful pendant she’d ever seen.

  “Tiraz, it’s…” Tears welled in her eyes.

  “Put it on, Momma!” Simon bounced on his toes again. “You never wear any

  jewelry and it’s really pretty. Just like you!”

  Tiraz took the necklace from her and fastened it around her neck, his fingers lingering against her nape for a moment longer than necessary. The metal was cool where it lay against her chest. She fingered the heart-shaped pendant and smiled at Simon and Tiraz.

  “Thank you, so much. I love it.”

  “Can I go play with my toys now?” Simon asked.

  “Let me help you carry them to your room,” Tiraz said, gathering the items in his strong arms.

  Had his muscles always bulged that way or was she just noticing it now? He was so sweet to Simon, but wasn’t afraid to let him know when he’d done something wrong.

  Violet had to admit he would be a wonderful father, and already acted like one. She’d noticed the little things he did, like helping Simon cut his meat, making sure he’d brushed his teeth in the mornings, and always asking his opinion when they went out to eat or had something special planned. It wasn’t that he catered to Simon, but he tried to make the little boy feel important, and Violet loved that about him.

  The few men who had hit on her over the years had ignored Simon, or given him looks that clearly said they wished she didn’t have a kid. Tiraz made sure he included Simon, and he treated him like he would his own son, or so it seemed to Violet. And now, it seemed he was interested in having a relationship with her. If he truly wanted a chance to be a permanent part of their lives, she would give him one. She had to admit that if he were to ask her to marry him right now, she would gladly say yes. She desired him, and he’d more than proven himself with Simon. Would Tiraz want more children?

  Violet had always hoped she would meet someone one day and expand her little family.

  When he returned from helping Simon, he eased himself down onto the couch

  next to her, their thighs brushing. It made her warm and tingly to have him so close.

  Tiraz handed her the remote with a smile and she flipped through the available movies on his accounts until she found a romance that seemed perfect for Valentine’s Day.

  Putting the remote down, she curled her feet under her and leaned into Tiraz. It was the closest they’d ever been, and the intimate gesture felt right somehow.

  Tiraz curled his arm around her shoulders and held her close as they watched the movie. He laced their fingers together with his other hand and she couldn’t help but nuzzle closer to him, her head resting on his shoulder. It was the first time since Simon’s father that a man had held her like this, if Simon’s father could have been considered a man at the age of eighteen. In her mind, she always saw him as a selfish boy who was more concerned about himself than the life he’d helped create. Getting him to sign away his rights to Simon had been easy. Perhaps too easy, but now that there was a chance for Simon to have a real father, she was glad she’d done it.

  As the end credits rolled across the screen, the doorbell rang and Tiraz got up to answer it. Gryf stepped inside, seemingly happy even though he was relegated to babysitting duty for the night. He clapped Tiraz on the back.

  “Is the boy ready?”

  Violet got up from the couch and hurried toward Simon’s room. “I’ll just help him gather his things.”

  “Violet,” Tiraz called out. “There’s a duffle bag in the hall closet. Why don’t you use it to pack some pajamas, a change of clothes in case of spills or accidents, and some toys for Simon. Then he’ll have everything he needs.”

  “You don’t mind him using it?”

  “Of course not.”

  She smiled a little and went to retrieve the bag. When she walked into Simon’s room, he had his army men spread out and it looked like he was planning a war. She gathered his favorite pajamas with dinosaurs on them, a pair of sweat pants and a long-sleeved shirt, along with a change of underwear and socks, and then asked what toys he wanted to bring with him.

  “They need to fit inside this bag so choose carefully,” she said.

  Simon gathered his cars and his army men. The tank fit into the bag, but the helicopter was too big. Then he grabbed Bear-bear off the bed and hugged him tightly.

  Violet zipped the bag and led him out to where Gryf and Tiraz were talking. Gryf smiled at Simon when they drew near, but she could tell that he wasn’t quite sure what to do with her son. A twinge of worry hit her. What if something happened and he didn’t know what to do? What if Simon got hurt? Or got sick? She didn’t know anything about where he lived; what if Simon broke away from him and got lost?

  “Relax, Violet,” Tiraz said, obviously reading the worry in her eyes. “Gryf will watch over him as if he were his own. Right, brother?”

  “
Right,” Gryf said.

  “Will you play cars with me, Uncle Gryf?” Simon asked as he reached for the

  alien’s hand.

  “I set aside the entire night for you, Simon. We can do whatever you want. Play with your toys, watch a movie…I even have a few video games that you could play.”

  “Nothing violent, right?” Violet asked.

  “I have a football game and a racing game. Do those meet with your approval?”

  There was humor glinting in his eyes, as if he thought she was overprotective, and maybe she was.

  “Those will be fine.” She pulled Simon into her arms for a quick hug and kissed his cheek. “Love you, little boy.”

  “Love you too, Momma. I promise to be good.”

  “I didn’t think to ask if you had snacks for him,” Violet said. “I could pack a few things he likes.”

  Gryf shook his head. “I have popcorn, fruit, and Tiraz mentioned that Simon

  likes applesauce so I picked up some of that too. I promise; we’ll be fine.”

  Violet chewed on her lip. “He doesn’t have a regular doctor. We go to the free clinic, so if he should get sick or hurt himself…”

  Gryf rolled his eyes. “Violet, I’m not going to maim the kid. We’re going to have fun tonight, and if anything should happen, I’ll take him straight to the ER. And I’ll make sure I call you on the way there.”

  She started wringing her hands. “He’s never been away from home except for

  going to school and a short stint in daycare.”

  Simon let go of Gryf’s hand and wrapped his arms around her legs. “I’m going to be okay, Momma. Daddy and you should go have a nice dinner. You never get to go out anywhere.”

  Gryf gave them a curious look, but didn’t say anything about Simon calling Tiraz

  “daddy,” for which she was grateful. After a few more goodbyes, Simon left with Gryf and Violet was alone with Tiraz. She looked at the clock and knew she’d have to get ready soon for their date, but they still had some time to watch TV a little longer, or talk. Not that she had any idea what to talk about.

  “We have about two hours before we need to leave for our reservation.” Tiraz took her hand and kissed her palm, making her shiver with desire. “Why don’t you soak in the tub? The one in the master bath has jets if you’d really like to relax. I promise to stay out of your way.”

  Her cheeks warmed just thinking about bathing in his tub. “The hall bath is fine, but thank you. It’s a far nicer tub than we had before.”

  “Then why don’t you go relax with a book for a little while before you have to start getting ready?” he suggested. “You seem nervous about tonight.”

  “It’s silly, isn’t it? I mean, we’ve been to dinner before. It’s just…this time Simon isn’t with us. And it’s Valentine’s Day, a romantic holiday, and romance hasn’t been a part of my life since Simon came into it. I’m worried that you’re expecting something I may not be ready to give, and at the same time, I’m worried that I might be ready to give you all of me, and that scares me.”

  “Violet, I’ll never ask for more than you’re willing to give. All I have planned for tonight is dinner and maybe some dancing.” He drew her closer. “I’ll admit, I’ve wondered what it would be like to kiss you, but if you’re not ready for that, then I can wait.”

  Violet cupped his cheek. “And that’s what makes you different, in a good way.”

  “Go take your bath. Be ready in two hours and we’ll go have a nice dinner,

  maybe dance a little, and then we’ll pick up Simon.”

  She wanted to kiss him and gave into the urge by brushing her lips against his cheek. There was heat and longing in his gaze as she turned from him and hurried to her bedroom. She didn’t dare carry her new dress into the bathroom, but she did grab her under things and her ratty robe.

  While the bathtub filled with steaming hot water, she added a bath bomb and a bit of scented oil. Violet piled her hair on top of her head to keep it dry then pulled out a towel and wash cloth. Before the tub was full, she sank into the water and sighed in relief as her muscles flexed then relaxed. Violet leaned back and closed her eyes. When the water reached her shoulders, she shut it off with her foot.

  She wished she had a way to listen to audiobooks while she was in the tub

  because she didn’t dare take the chance of ruining a paperback. Of course, if she were listening to audiobooks, she’d run the chance of ruining whatever gadget she played them on. Still, it was sacrilegious to ruin a good book. Far better to accidentally drown an iPod. If she didn’t like spicy romances, she’d play them on a portable CD player, but she could just imagine the narrator reading the sex scenes aloud where anyone walking past the bathroom could hear. She’d be mortified if Tiraz caught her listening to that, and she didn’t even want to think of the horror of Simon overhearing it.

  Violet stayed in the water until her fingers and toes were pruned. Popping the stopper on the tub, she got out and dried off, smoothing some lotion on her skin. She wished she’d thought to buy some nice stuff at the mall, but all she had was unscented cheap stuff, and even that had been a luxury. Her life had changed so much in the last week, and it almost seemed as if it was a lifetime ago that she’d gone to the dating agency.

  She’d never been so happy that things hadn’t turned out the way she’d expected.

  If they’d accepted her, she would have been off on another world and may have never met Tiraz. He was the perfect gentleman and more than she could have hoped for.

  When she’d gathered the courage to seek the help of the dating agency, she’d thought perhaps she could find someone who would be kind to them, but love had never entered the picture. But with Tiraz…her heart raced whenever he was near, and she craved his kiss and his touch. It had been a long time since she’d even thought of having a man in her bed, but since meeting Tiraz, she’d thought of little else.

  Violet put on her bra and panties before donning her robe. She peered into the hall before dashing to her bedroom. The dress she’d purchased was red and hugged her curves while dipping into a low vee showing off her cleavage, more than she’d ever shown off before. She slipped on thigh highs and the cute strappy shoes she’d hidden amongst her new clothes. Another peek into the hall and she scurried back to the bathroom.

  She didn’t have much in the way of make-up, but she did have some mascara, a little blush, and a tinted lip balm that made her lips tingle. After pulling her hair down, she brushed it thoroughly and decided to leave it down. She hadn’t thought to buy any pretty hair clips and wished she had. Some perfume might have been nice too, but there wasn’t anything she could do about it now.

  Steeling her nerves, she opened the bathroom door and walked on unsteady feet to the living room. Tiraz stood with his back to her, his broad shoulders covered in an expensive black suit jacket. He turned, his eyes widening when he saw her. He wore a light gray shirt under the suit with a vibrant red tie. Mouthwatering didn’t begin to describe him.

  “You look beautiful,” he said as he came toward her. His hand curved around

  her hip as he reached for her hair, trailing his fingers through the ends. “I’m not sure I like the idea of other males seeing you like this.”

  Violet blushed. “You look really nice. I haven’t seen you in a suit before.”

  “I seldom wear them, but in this case, I’m happy to do so.”

  Tiraz helped her into her coat and then led her down to the car, which was

  waiting at the curb for them. The restaurant was on the other side of town, and when he pulled up to the valet parking, Violet felt her eyes go wide. She’d heard of this restaurant of course, but she’d never known anyone who had actually been to it. It was very exclusive and she’d heard it was impossible to get reservations unless you booked months in advance.

  “How did you know we’d come here tonight?” she asked. “You had to have

  made this reservation months ago.”

  T
iraz shook his head. “I called last night. They happened to have a cancellation and I convinced them to let me have it.”

  “I’m sorry for doubting you.”

  He winked at her. “You thought I’d made the reservation for some faceless

  woman, didn’t you?”

  Her cheeks warmed and she ducked her head, too embarrassed to admit that’s

  exactly what she’d thought. Tiraz chuckled under his breath and escorted her into the restaurant. The low-lighting lent a romantic atmosphere and she could hear the sounds of a stringed quartet playing in the dining area. Tiraz gave his name and they were immediately escorted to a table at the edge of a small dance floor.

  The host handed them menus and assured them a waiter would be right with

  them. As Violet skimmed over the menu, she noticed there weren’t any prices listed. It made her uneasy knowing that meant everything was probably insanely expensive, but Tiraz didn’t seem bothered by it.

  “Your clenching your menu like it’s going to run away,” he observed. “Do you not see anything to your liking?”

  “Everything looks wonderful,” she assured him and was determined to make a

  decision. She’d never had lobster before and shrimp was her favorite, but wouldn’t that cost too much.

  “Violet.”

  She peered over the menu at him.

  “Order whatever you want.” He smiled faintly. “I wouldn’t have brought you

  here if I couldn’t afford it. For once, don’t worry what something costs and just let yourself enjoy the night. No bills, job searches, or children tonight. Just you and me, and hopefully, a pleasant dinner. Deal?”

  Violet smiled and nodded. “I can do that.”

  He winked at her again and went back to looking at his menu. Violet set hers down once she’d made up her mind, and when the waiter came to take their order, she was ready. It surprised her a little when Tiraz ordered a bottle of wine for the table.

  She’d actually never had any before. When she’d turned twenty-one, she’d splurged on a four-pack of wine coolers, but that was the only alcohol she’d ever had. Having Simon at such a young age meant she’d missed out on some things, but she wouldn’t trade her life with her son for anything. Yes, there were things that she could have probably done differently, like applying to college and taking courses online, but she’d been too busy keeping a roof over their heads.