The Nanny's Unplanned Marriage (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) (3 page)

But instead of answering his question the woman glanced around the room and started apologizing all over again. He was about to cut off her rambled explanation when she begged him not to mention this outburst to her new boss.

He glanced sharply at Kaydin, seeing his own shock reflected in his lover’s face.

“Boss?” he asked, trying not to grind his teeth. What the hell were they telling the human women before they got here? She looked a little frightened, so he tried to lower his voice. “Who did they tell you would be your boss?”

The woman gave him a nervous smile, her gaze darting around the room before settling back on his face. But again she didn’t answer his direct question.

“I th–think I’m okay now. You can let me up.”

But Jerrod couldn’t shake the feeling that something was very wrong here. He wasn’t going to go ahead with a mubella claiming ceremony until he was certain his human bride understood what was going on.

“Sara, what did they tell you about moving to Descon?”

She gave him a vague smile, patted his arm, assured him once again that she was all right now, and tried to climb off his lap. He held her closer instead. A suspicion was starting to worm its way into his brain, and he decided to tackle the issue head-on. He’d never been one to dance around the truth anyway.

“Sara, do you understand anything I’m saying?”

Again the vague smile.

Kaydin looked shocked, so Jerrod pulled him close for a moment before dragging his communicator from his back pocket. It took some maneuvering, but he finally managed to press the small earpiece and mic into place without letting go of his husband or the woman they’d hoped would be their wife.

He tapped the mic to switch it on. “Ewin,” he said, hoping the man was still on duty. He’d lost track of time in this room, and even though he could see the women who would finish his mubella’s preparation waiting just outside the door he wasn’t leaving until he knew exactly what was going on.

* * * *

Kaydin wasn’t at all surprised when Jerrod asked Ewin to track down Cindy Richards. Hopefully their problem communicating with their mubella was a translator malfunction. It didn’t happen often, but there were a few shoddy companies selling them cheaply. At least with Cindy Richards speaking the standard language of Earth they would be able to identify if their mubella was simply not understanding them. He tried not to think of some of the alternatives, all of which would mean that their hopes for the future were seriously in doubt.

They wouldn’t take a mubella into their lives unless it was truly what the woman wished.

As usual Jerrod seemed to sense Kaydin’s sad thoughts. His arm tightened around Kaydin’s shoulders and he leaned over to press a kiss to his forehead. “We’ll work it out,” he whispered in his usual confident voice. The woman seemed surprised by their affection for each other, confirming in his mind at least that she wasn’t fully aware of what her role would be in their relationship. In fact, just about everything the human had said and done so far didn’t seem to fit what Kaydin had been expecting.

There was a soft knock on the partially open door, and a moment later Cindy Richards entered the room with both the prince and princess by her side. Kaydin gave her a smile that he hoped wasn’t as shy as it felt. Cindy was the primary reason they’d entered the lottery to win one of the first chances to take a human woman as their mubella. She was calm, relaxed, comfortable in her surroundings, and had adapted very well to life on Descon. Both Kaydin and Jerrod had hoped for a similarly happy union to that of the three people who’d just joined them in the room. Considering the way things had started with their mubella, it seemed unlikely.

“Hi, Sara,” Cindy said with her hand stretched in front of her. Apparently humans were more comfortable “shaking” hands than they were with public displays of affection. The woman in his arms curled in on herself, seemingly embarrassed by the fact that she was naked. Kaydin quickly grabbed a square of cloth from the table beside him and draped it over the woman in his lover’s arms. She gave him a grateful smile and, tucking the edges under her arms to hide her beautiful breasts, held her hand out for Cindy to shake.

“Welcome to Descon,” Cindy said with a wide grin. “Did you have a pleasant trip?”

“It was okay,” the woman said with a genuine-looking smile. She glanced around the room as if seeing it for the first time. “I’m sorry to have caused such a fuss.”

“That’s okay,” Cindy said warmly. “I imagine it can be quite overwhelming even when you know what to expect from a mubella claiming ceremony.” The woman tapped her ear. It was obvious that she thought the translator was malfunctioning. Cindy smiled. “The word
mubella
doesn’t translate into the Earth language.” She glanced over at her own mubella. “I changed that myself when I realized how easily it could be misinterpreted. But don’t worry. It still has a very similar meaning to the word
wife
.”

“Wife?” their mubella asked quietly. She looked like she was going to be sick. “I thought I was signing on to be a nanny.”

Jerrod tried not to pace the hallway. The moment Cindy had realized the mix-up she’d kicked everyone out of the room. Sara—no, Serena—wasn’t the woman who’d been sent to be their mubella. A quick check on the ship’s manifesto showed that their mubella, Sara Coates, hadn’t even boarded the ship from Earth. Authorities on Earth were currently trying to figure out what had happened, but considering his previous dealings with human organizations Jerrod wasn’t holding much faith in them finding her.

Cindy had stuck her head out the door only a few minutes ago and asked for Eric to organize a visit from the doctor. The fear that their mubella might be ill had pounded through him before he could even remind himself that Serena was not the woman chosen to be their wife. He still felt sick to the stomach with worry.

He dragged Kaydin into his arms and held on tight. It almost didn’t seem real that only a few hours ago they’d been wondering whether taking a human mubella into their lives was the right thing to do. The disappointment they were feeling suggested that they’d both been ready.

“Maybe you should head home,” Eric said with a sympathetic smile. “We’ll make sure Serena gets where she’s supposed to be.”

“No,” Kaydin said quietly.

Jerrod shook his head. “Thank you, Eric, but we would like to stay for a while. Maybe get a chance to talk to Serena before she leaves.” The idea of Serena leaving without giving them a chance to know her didn’t sit well at all. It seemed ridiculous that they would feel such a strong attraction to a woman they’d just met. It was likely due to the mistaken belief that she’d been theirs to love, but he didn’t want to just walk away.

Eric smiled and clapped him on the shoulder, almost as if he understood completely. Considering the mix-up around his own mubellabina’s claiming, perhaps he did. And it was at least heartening to know that Earth Ambassador Cindy Richards had grown to love both Eric and Loukie despite being married to them accidently.

The door opened and Cindy stepped into the hallway. She kept herself between them and the door so it was obvious they weren’t being invited in.

“I believe the problem has been caused by a faulty translator. It seems Serena Wilkins has been traveling for days without being able to understand even half of what was being said.”

“Why didn’t she say anything?” Eric asked before Jerrod could form the words.

“It would seem that money is an issue. She used almost every cent she had to get to her new job. Unfortunately, the faulty translator means she was on the wrong ship, to the wrong planet. Did we find out what happened to the woman who should be here?”

“She didn’t board the ship,” Eric said. “Perhaps you have some contacts on Earth who could help find out what happened.”

Cindy didn’t look very confident, and after her last disastrous trip to Earth who could blame her, but she nodded. “I’ll do my best.” She glanced over her shoulder. “The doctor is almost finished replacing her translator.” She stepped into the hallway and closed the door behind her. “Serena is very concerned that she doesn’t have the money to pay for her treatment. I told her not to worry, but she is insisting on paying her own way. Would it be possible to organize a work visa for her?”

Eric smiled, nodded his head, and touched his wife’s face. “Of course, if that is what Serena wants. I’m sure we can find some sort of employment for her.”

He looked directly at Kaydin and Jerrod as he said that, obviously giving them an opportunity to keep the woman close if they wanted. Kaydin had never been slow on the uptake.

“There is a teacher’s aide position vacant at the school. I’m certain that the principal would view Cindy’s nanny skills quite highly.”

“Excellent,” Eric said with a quick wink. “I’ll make a few calls. Perhaps you could assist Serena in finding a place to stay while she is on Descon.”

Jerrod nodded his thanks, hugging Kaydin harder as the possibilities started to roll through his brain.

* * * *

Serena was certain she was bright red with embarrassment. She’d foolishly left more than half of the money in her joint account with her ex. At the time, she’d been trying to calculate how much money he would need to pay out the rental agreement, keep himself fed, and cover other preexisting expenses until he could get back on his feet. In actuality he’d probably taken the money, partied hard for a few days, and then moved in with his latest bed-buddy.

It was quite likely that debt collectors would come looking for her when her ex failed to use the money responsibly.

And of course, trying to do the right thing had left her without enough money to buy a good translator and landed her here on the wrong planet and mistaken for some sort of mail-order bride.

“Everything will work out just fine, Serena,” the doctor said kindly.

“But I can’t pay you,” she said anxiously, half expecting the man to rip out the new translator and leave in a huff. Instead, he smiled kindly.

“I have no need for compensation,” the man said happily as he packed his equipment away. He must have recognized something in the stubborn set of her jaw because he turned an assessing look on her once more. “But perhaps you could do me a favor.”

“Anything,” Serena said, probably unwisely, but she believed in paying her debts.

“Be kind to Jerrod and Kaydin. It’s supposed to be their wedding day. They’ve waited a long time for their mubella. For her to not arrive today must be devastating.”

Serena nodded. “I’m really sorry I’m not the woman they were expecting.”

The doctor nodded and tilted his head slightly. “I’m a great believer that things happen for a reason. Maybe the goddess has bigger plans.”

He patted her arm in a friendly gesture that reminded her of her grandfather and then left the room quietly. A few moments later Cindy came back into the room with the two men from earlier. The two men who’d believed she was their bride.

“I’m sorry,” she blurted before Cindy could say whatever she’d been about to say. “I should have said something about my translator, or waited longer until I could afford a better-quality one, or verified the name the transport hostess had called instead of assuming Serena was translating as Sara. I’m so sorry. If I could do it all over again, I’d do it differently.”

* * * *

Kaydin watched the genuine distress in Serena’s eyes and wanted to simply hold her until she realized that everything was all right. Sure, they were frustrated that their mubella hadn’t gotten onto the transport ship, but they would have been disappointed even if Serena hadn’t ended up in their arms by accident.

At least they’d been able to stop the preparation before the attendants painted his and Jerrod’s family designs onto her beautiful body. A soft sensual moan escaped Serena’s lips just as it occurred to Kaydin that they had used the lotion on her after the hair removal process.

“The lotion,” he said quickly, wondering how the hell to handle this situation. The whole reason Desconians used that particular lotion in claiming ceremonies was its ability to increase arousal in the person wearing it.

“Hell, sorry, I should have thought of that,” Cindy said as she stepped closer to Serena. “Honey, what you’re feeling is normal. A cool bath will help take the edge off, but…” She glanced over her shoulder at Jerrod and Kaydin. “The only surefire cure is orgasms. Lots and lots of orgasms.”

Serena’s eyes widened, but she nodded her understanding and blushed even more brightly.

“Kaydin, can you contact my quarters and ask Jessain to fill the bath with cool water?”

“Our place is closer,” Jerrod said quickly.

Cindy hesitated a moment, but nodded and turned to Serena. “Serena, this is Jerrod son of Gerdavia, one of the king’s most trusted royal guards, and his tredellabina—his husband—Kaydin. They’re going to get you into a bath and provide you with whatever you require.” She gave both men a serious look before adding, “Including privacy if you so wish.”

Serena nodded frantically, rubbing her thighs together even though she was once again fully clothed. The lotion was obviously affecting her quite a lot now.

“Of course,” Kaydin said quickly. “Serena might be more comfortable if Jerrod carried her. I don’t think walking will help matters at the moment.”