Page 47

I mentally shook myself and took a closer look at the child beside him. He looked to be around eight, with pale blond hair, deep blue eyes, and blue scales that were darker along his jaw and arms. His little horn buds were still developing, and he kept close to Tarek's side as they approached, glancing around at the unfamiliar surroundings without ever seeming particularly worried. Every now and then, he looked up at Tarek as though checking that everything was all right, and Tarek responded with a quiet word or a reassuring touch to his shoulder as they crossed the shuttle bay’s concourse towards where we and others expecting new passengers to greet or cargo to accept stood in a cluster.

There was something so natural about it that I found myself watching them more closely than I meant to. Tarek wasn't simply escorting the boy. He was looking after him in a manner that was very paternal. He adjusted his pace to match the child's shorter steps, pointed out things about the parked shuttles and work stations as they passed, giving him time to look around without hurrying him along. When the boy paused to stare at one particular shuttle, Tarek stopped with him, patiently explaining what he was seeing. The boy listened, nodded, and then moved on, remaining close enough that his arm occasionally brushed Tarek's side.

The trust between them was obvious. The boy didn't cling to him nervously or keep checking whether Tarek was going to leave him behind. He simply seemed to assume that Tarek would be there, that he could explore the unfamiliar place at his own pace because someone he trusted was keeping an eye on him.

Something warm stirred in my chest. I was a father. I knew what it meant to have a child look to you for reassurance, to be the person they expected to make the world feel a little less frightening. I'd spent years doing that for Evan and Matt, and now Laura, who was still small enough to need me for practically everything. Seeing Tarek instinctively take care of this boy, without making a performance of it or demanding anything in return, told me something about him that a photograph never could. It was attractive in a way that had very little to do with his looks.

Which was inconvenient, because his looks were already going to be a problem to my determination about the staying best friends thing after the claiming.

Tarek glanced up and caught me watching him. His expression changed slightly, a hint of uncertainty appearing before he gave me a small, warm smile. My stomach performed an undignified little flip.

Oh, I was most definitely in serious trouble.

Beside him, the boy followed his gaze and looked at me. Tarek said something quietly to him, and the child nodded. I straightened, suddenly conscious of my clothes, my hair, and the fact that I was standing there holding Laura's stroller handle as though it were the only thing keeping me upright.

"Darren Brooks?" Tarek asked when he reached us. He glanced down. “And this must be the beautiful Laura.”

His voice was deep, warm, and considerably more pleasant than any voice had a right to be. I swallowed and hoped my face wasn't giving away everything that had just gone through my head.

"That’s us" I confirmed. "And you must be Tarek."

Ugh. Could I sound any more inane?

"I am." His smile widened slightly. "It's good to finally meet you in person."

"You, too." That was all I managed before my brain apparently decided it had done enough work for one morning.

Tarek's attention shifted to the boy beside him. "This is Vrann. He's going to be living with Thalen and Evan now as he’s their new son."

I nodded. “Bob let me know about him.” I smiled warmly down at him. “It’s nice to meet you, Vrann.”

Vrann looked up at him, then at me, his expression curious but cautious. "You're Darren?" he glanced up at Tarek. “The deputy who is Sheriff Tarek’s mate?”

"I am." I smiled at him some more, trying to imbue it with as much warmth as possible without looking like a crazy man.

He gave me a small smile in return, then moved a little closer to Tarek's side. Tarek rested a hand briefly on his shoulder, and the boy relaxed almost immediately. I couldn't help noticing it again. That easy trust. That quiet confidence in the fact that Tarek was there and would look after him. I wondered whether Tarek realized how much that said about him.

"Those two are also my children," I said, gesturing toward Evan and Matt, who had been hanging back several paces off to one side, trying very hard to look as though they weren't staring at Tarek and Vrann. They were failing rather spectacularly. "Evan and Matt.”

Tarek's expression softened as he looked at them, his lips twitching. He’d obviously seen them and had been giving them time to come up to us on their own. Another point in his favor. "It's good to meet you"

Evan stepped forward first, because Evan had always been the more confident of the two when meeting new people. Matt followed a moment later, though he stayed close enough to me that his shoulder brushed my arm.

"Do you have a horse?" Evan asked.

Matt's eyes widened. He obviously had not considered until now that a sheriff might very well have a horse.

I blinked. Tarek looked equally surprised for half a second before amusement spread across his face.

"Not yet," he said. "But I suppose I might need one eventually."

"Do you have a gun?" Evan asked.

"Evan," I warned.

Tarek didn't seem offended. "I'll have the equipment I need to do the job safely, but I hope I won't have to use any of it very often. And if there is a blaster or a stunner issued to me and your father, they will be kept locked up when we are not on duty.”

That seemed to satisfy Evan, who nodded solemnly as though he'd just received a very important professional briefing.