She walked over to me, stopping right in front of me, and crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m waiting.”
I finished the last bite of chicken and rice in the bowl and shrugged. “She wants nothing to do with me. And she wants to go home as soon as she’s able.”
Masu took the empty bowl from my hands. “That may be true now, but that doesn’t mean it will always be true.”
“She doesn’t belong here, Masu.”
“But she could.” The imp took my bowl to the sink and began washing it out. “She watches you when you’re not looking, you know.”
My skin felt too tight and too hot at her words.
“Why are you telling me this?” I asked her, my jaw tight.
“Because you have time to convince her.”
“I’m not doing that. She’s here against her will and deserves a chance to return to her life.”
“And you deserve someone who makes you happy,” she snapped. “I’ve never seen you look at anyone the way you look at her. All these years and not even a nudge from your mating instincts. You’ve been around many females, and this is the first time you’ve even reacted to one.”
“I can’t do anything about the mating instincts,” I told her. “If I give in, I won’t be able to let her leave. And I can’t force her to stay with me, Masu. She’ll either end up hating me or killing me. It’s best for both of us if I keep my distance.”
“You were a great general, so it surprises me that you’re blind to your other options.”
“What other options, Masu?” I asked, my voice rising as I threw my hands in the air.
“Show her who you are. Give her a chance to know you. Let her see what you could have together. Not just as friends, but as lovers.”
I shook my head. “I can’t do that either.”
“Why not?” Masu asked, sounding as frustrated as I felt.
“Because the closer I get to her… the longer I’m around her… the stronger the mating instincts become.”
“You are the strongest male I know,” she argued. “You can do anything you wish. Including fighting your mating instincts. Don’t give up what may be your one opportunity for happiness because you fear it won’t work out. Those are the times you should give all you have.”
I sighed because she sounded a great deal like my mother. And, since my mother was no longer alive, Masu obviously intended to step into her shoes, even though she wasn’t technically old enough to have given birth to me.
“Where is Leda?” I asked.
“She’s in the library.”
“Has she eaten?”
Masu nodded. “About an hour ago. After she watched you beat the shit out of Talus.” A smirk spread across my housekeeper’s face when she said it. “I think she enjoyed it.”
I had no idea how to respond to that statement, so I jerked my chin up and headed toward the door.
“You should bathe and change before you take Leda to the market,” Masu said from behind me.
I turned to stare at her with confusion. “Take her to the market?”
“You were going to the shop that carries supplies for humans, were you not?” she asked, her expression the picture of innocence.
“I considered it but?—”
Masu waved a hand. “You should take her. She needs things. She asked me if I had any fabric today and started muttering something about needing items called…underwear.”
“What’s that?”
