Lindsey's Rescue: A World Beyond Book 3 (13 page)

Chapter 20

Servants had partitioned off the ballroom with sliding walls giving the space a smaller, cozier feel. Twenty or thirty guests, all family and friends mingled about while laughter and talk filled the background. Baruk’s family and friends from what Lindsey could tell seemed pleased with his marriage in general. His mother, Sofia, had been the biggest surprise pulling Lindsey in close for a tight hug.

“Welcome to the family, Lindsey.”

“Mother, she can’t breathe,” Baruk joked.

The dark haired Sofia loosened her grip, not taking her eyes off Lindsey. Eyes that were a perfect match for her son. “Hush, you.”

They all laughed. Then she turned and gave Zadal the exact same welcoming hug.

“Him, you can squeeze to death.”

“Baruk!” his sister, Harrah, exclaimed but Baruk’s shoulders merely shifted beneath his tailored jacket.

Zadal’s startled expression at the warm greeting kept Lindsey amused throughout the entire conversation. Harrah’s two husbands, both scientists like their wife, were quiet and even spoken. Every few minutes one or the other stroked a hand down Harrah’s loose, black hair, no shame in their constant affection toward their diminutive wife. Baruk’s sister smiled through it all, her acceptance at their behavior a clear sign this was not uncommon.

Lindsey’s second highlight of the night came from meeting Welsin’s family. His Triad wife was a tiny red-head and his spouse partner a burly blond with laughing green eyes.

“Thank you isn’t enough for the beautiful clothes you sent over,” Lindsey said when the circle of people around them thinned, leaving the four of them alone.

Welsin smiled and wrapped his arm around his wife, Beline. “My wife kept at me until I sent some of the designs over. She keeps me organized.”

Beline elbowed him not so softly in the middle. “Don’t listen to him, Lindsey. He’s an eye for detail and always knows what looks best on a woman. I should be jealous. After he left meeting you, those designs were half completed before the night ended.”

“You made an impression,” Luka added.

Luka wasn’t what Lindsey expected at all. Tall and blond, his stern demeanor reminded her of Zadal.

“Your husband made an impression on me, too,” Lindsey said.

Beline snickered and both men roared with laughter. Lindsey frowned, unsure what she’d said wrong.

Beline quickly filled her in. “In a Triad, men are only referred to as husbands in relation to their wife. To each other they are defined as spouse partners.”

“Sorry.” Lindsey flushed in embarrassment. “On Earth men married to each other are husbands and women married to each other are wives.”

Luka gave her a quick hug, surprising Lindsey with his compassion. “It’s a simple enough mistake.”

They eased her without even trying. Lindsey was glad she’d invited them. Everyone tonight exhibited a much friendlier persona than the peers and politicians from the previous events. She needed to thank Baruk.

“Welsin tells me you have children.” Lindsey remembered him mentioning it when she rubbed his bald head.

The topic lit the three with beautiful smiles. Luka and Welsin talked over each other in an effort to share stories about their two children. Beline rolled her eyes as she slid closer to Lindsey. After more nudging they stood alone but the men continued talking, engrossed.

“Since I’m the one home with the monsters, I choose to enjoy this night out with adult conversation.” Beline looped her arm through Lindsey. “Now let’s talk about
your
divine husbands.”

“If you want to know about laws and city planning, I’m not the one.” Across the room, Baruk arched a brow in her direction, Lindsey waved.

All night he and Zadal met her gaze constantly, poised to leap to her defense. Their protective behavior ran almost overboard but Lindsey didn’t care. She appreciated the extra concern. Then as if he sensed her thoughts, Zadal appeared in her peripheral vision. The woman Caris from the Triad Bridal Meet had him cornered.

Zadal glared at the smaller women before his gaze lifted and connected with Lindsey. She wiggled her fingers, causing him to frown. The threatening facial expression didn’t bother her. In fact, Lindsey’s smile widened. He looked good tonight, his blond hair cropped close, one of Welsin’s suits hugging his bulky frame.

Beline giggled beside her. “My goodness. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Senate Leader Zadal like this.”

They paused alongside one wall and stared.

“Like what?” Lindsey asked.

“Friendly.”

Lindsey gaped. Then they both laughed.

“Uh, oh. My husbands want me to meet someone.”

Lindsey turned and Welsin signaled his wife while Luka looked on.

“It’s probably about a new client. He pretends he can’t do anything without my approval.”

Lindsey thought it was sweet. Beline squeezed her hand and went to join her husbands. Zadal had freed himself from Caris and stood next to Baruk and another gentleman she’d yet to meet. 

Caris came over, a sly look on her face. “It’s good to see you again, Lady Lindsey. I’ve been wanting to talk to you.”

Lindsey kept her eyes on everyone. Excitement at her first, successful party bubbled forth. “I’m sorry, I didn’t get a way to contact you after we ran in to each other at the Triad Bridal Meet.”

“You
wanted
to meet with me?”

Lindsey wasn’t sure why that surprised Caris unless she didn’t have a lot of friends either. “Sure. I should admit I’m not good with conversation on politics. For that you’ll need my husbands.”

Caris snorted on a laugh. “Umm…no, I don’t want to talk politics. I’d love to just chat with you. Girl talk. Tell me about yourself and Earth.”

Caris seemed sincere. Thrilled that maybe she’d made another friend, Lindsey spent the next hour talking about her marriage, her happiness and life on Garulax in general. She even managed to find humor in covering some of her not so shining moments. Through it all, Caris smiled and listened.

“I’m not sure what I expected when I came over,” Caris said at last.

Lindsey paused in her conversation. “Because I’m from Earth?”

Only a few here asked Lindsey questions about her world. All of it typical curiosity and Lindsey learned about Garulax in return.

Caris shook her head. “Because you’re genuinely nice. I’ve also seen another side to the Senate Leaders today. Almost a sneak peek at what’s behind their public façade. Anyway, I’ve overstayed my welcome and Senate Leader Zadal threatened to throw me out since I snuck in.”

She said it with such humor, Lindsey relaxed. “If it helps I can say you’re my friend and can stay.”

Caris’ blonde brows rose. “Truly?”

“Sure.” Lindsey shrugged. The woman had been nice to her the two times they’d met.

Caris shook her head. “Thank you for the offer but I’m heading home. I have a big piece to work on.”

With a sashay of her hips and a taunting look toward Zadal, Caris left. Lindsey leaned back against the wall enjoying the respite.

***

“Are you enjoying yourself?”

Lindsey spun, lips parted in surprise. Baruk slid closer and wrapped his arms around her waist. Kimsha outdid himself today in helping her prepare. Long blonde waves curled in spirals about her shoulders and down her back. Light make up gave her lips a shiny peach look and the painted gold at her eyes lit the blue spheres up with their familiar glow of happiness.

She wore a slim fitting white dress that fell to strappy shoes. A dangerous side split flashed a glimpse of her legs all the way up to her thighs when she walked. The back sold the dress and Baruk would have paid ten times whatever the dress was worth for the design alone. Its halter style left the smooth lines of her back bare. He inched his hands up from her hips and caressed the delicate bumps of her spine just for the sheer joy of the skin to skin contact.

Lindsey shivered. “Your family is wonderful.”

“Thank you.” Baruk dipped his head and ran his lips along her cheek. “They like you.”

Her body leaned into him, pressing the mounds of her breasts into his chest. Baruk imagined her in the lacy things of her home world. The thought of her tiny underwear with sheer fronts, silk flowers in interesting locations and barely there strings at the sides caused his heart to skip a beat, since he usually made a habit of removing them with his teeth.

His hands lowered until he cupped her round butt cheeks and squeezed. The bras as Lindsey called them were even better. Filmy bits of silk. Sometimes they pushed her plump globes up and other times the see through material revealed her berry colored nipples budding tight against it.

“This means no more parties, right?” she asked with a cheeky grin, her arms draping over his shoulders as she teased the ends of his hair.

Baruk chuckled and nipped the tip of her shell shaped ear before straightening. He tugged her closer if possible, aligning their hips. She relaxed further. When her fingers twirled around his hair, Baruk groaned his answer. “None.”

“Thanks, Baruk.”

She thought she’d manipulated her way but he’d promised and would not go back on his word. “Any time, wife.”

Her gaze grew slumberous and her nipples stabbed his chest. “You’re a decent guy.”

Those weren’t the words he wanted to hear when he held her. Baruk nudged his lips against her temple and backed her up into the wall, his weight holding her in position. He shifted his hands from the enticing flesh filling his palms and cupped her jaw. “Why does Zadal get a shortened name but you always call me Baruk?”

Until he mentioned it, Baruk didn’t realize how much it bothered him. The two seemed to have developed a subtle connection between them. It flared when they were all in bed together. Zadal’s darker edge pulled an immediate reaction from their wife and while Lindsey responded to Baruk as passionate as ever, he’d noted the difference.

“Zadal needs to feel as important as you in our marriage. You understand your worth but I sometimes think he doesn’t.”

He hadn’t expected such an insightful answer and she’d nailed his spouse partner perfectly. Showing a rare sign of insecurity, Baruk asked, “Do you prefer him?”

Baruk’s muscles tensed as he waited. He wanted her answer to be a resounding no. He wanted to be as important to her as she was to him. Zadal was right in saying she was unique. Never before had he felt this vulnerable around a woman.

His mother and sister expressed pure delight after meeting Lindsey. There wasn’t a single person here tonight who didn’t think she was special. On top of that, Lindsey didn’t realize how unusual she was and gifted everyone with her sunny disposition.

“No!” Lindsey clutched at his shoulder and pulled his head down low to whisper, “I care for you both equally. I don’t know how it happened but you’re important to me.”

Each breath stroked the sensitive skin of his ear. Baruk thrust his hips against her and covered her hands with his own. “You’re important to me as well, Lindsey.”

Her lids fluttered and Baruk kissed her. His tongue slid between her lips in a soft caress, sucking her bottom lip then releasing it.

“Baruk,” she gasped, pulling away. “I don’t think we should be doing this at the party.”

Verat
! She was right. As usual, Baruk lost his head whenever he had Lindsey in his arms.

“Tonight,” he said, releasing her before he forgot where he was.

She winked. “Tonight.”

***

The night was perfection. Lindsey stared at her reflection in the mirror as she washed her hands in the restroom. Baruk’s family seemed pleasant, his friends’ way more welcoming to her and Zadal than anyone at the events attended by his professional peers. She straightened with a last check to make sure her appearance remained as put together as when Kimsha helped her prepare.

Well, it was an
almost
perfect night, Lindsey corrected. Senate Leader Pollan awaited her when she came out of the bathroom.

“Lindsey, Baruk is going all out to welcome you to his family.” He blocked the hall leading back to the ballroom with a subtle shift of his body.

They were alone and for once not a servant in sight. Lindsey fought the discomfort his presence gave, not liking the way his lips curled when he made the announcement. “Hello, Senate Leader Pollan.”

Lindsey had a better understanding of who he was. In addition to working with both of her husbands, Pollan was a very good friend of Baruk’s family. A fact she’d discovered when she noticed him at the party earlier. Up to this point she’d managed not to be alone with him.

“Have you thought more about our last conversation?”

Lindsey cringed. “I think you have the wrong impression of me. I’m quite happy with the way things are with my husbands.”

Pollan’s gaze flickered. He stepped closer, forcing Lindsey to stumble back into the wall beside the bathroom door. He braced his hands on either side of her, caging her with his frame. His gray eyes darkened to murky depths and hinted at a vein of cruelty.