It wasn’t as if I would be able to go home anytime soon anyway.
Chapter
Twenty-Three
Bokkan
Leda’s soft footsteps paused as she walked past my office door. The temptation to open it and see her face, touch her in a small way, was strong, but I resisted. She needed time and space away from me.
When I was sure she was upstairs, I left the office and went into the kitchen. The scent of Masu’s black noodles filled the air, and my mouth watered because it was my favorite.
Masu was rummaging around in the pantry, so I grabbed a bowl and filled it from the pot on the stove. As soon as I sat down at the table and took the first bite, the imp emerged from the pantry, several containers in her hands.
She shot me an arch look as she carried them to the counter.
“Thank you for this,” I said, gesturing to the bowl. “I needed it after today.”
“I am glad you are home,” she said, her irritable expression fading.
She could never hold on to her anger for long.
Her gaze remained on me as I ate the rest of the black noodles in my bowl. The silence stretched between us as Icarried my bowl and fork to the sink and gave them a quick wash.
“Guldan lied to her,” Masu finally said.
“I know.” The admission was little more than a sigh.
“When she finds out, she may never forgive you.”
“I know.”
“What are you going to do then?”
“I told you before, I am taking your advice,” I said.
“I give you a great deal of advice,” she replied. “You’ll need to explain it to me.”
“I am going to show her who I am and what I can offer her. I will make her safe here. Since she announced that we were testing our mating compatibility, I have time with her. Not much, but maybe it will be enough.”
“It will be enough. She likes you already.”
I shrugged. “We’ll see.”
Masu patted my arm. “She went upstairs to take a bath. Go join her. You need to start convincing her now. You have no time to waste.”
Since I agreed, I went upstairs to my bedchamber and went inside. The bed was empty, and there was no fire in the hearth.
The doors to the bathing room were open, which surprised me. I expected Leda to desire privacy.
I moved to the fireplace and started a fire. The nights were getting colder as winter approached, and I wanted to be sure my female would be warm.
Once the flames caught and began to consume the logs, I walked to the open doors leading into the bathing room. Leda was submerged up to her shoulders in the hot water of the bathing pool, her head resting on the stone lip behind her. Her eyes were closed, but I could tell she was awake by the way her hands moved beneath the water. I could see every inch ofher naked flesh beneath the water, and the urge to touch her intensified.
Memories of the previous night had me shifting my cock in my pants as it thickened.
“Are you coming in?” she asked without opening her eyes.
“Do you want me to?”
