Page 37 of Keeping His Mate

He says nothing. Just blinks his dark blue eyes, waiting for me to elaborate.

“It means I’m attracted to men and women,” I tell him. “Is that… going to be an issue?”Please don’t let it be an issue, I silently pray.

He tilts his head to the side. “Why would this bother me?”

“I don’t know,” I reply. “Sometimes it bothers people.”

He clasps his hands in his lap. “I did not know there was a name for such a thing. On Trovilia, my home planet, people chose pleasure mates among all genders. It was not discussed in such a way.”

“Wow,” I reply, envious that he grew up in such an open-minded environment. “So people loved whomever they loved?”

“Fucked whomever they fucked,” he adds as his mouth quirks up on one side. He takes a piece of bread off the plate and holds it against my lips until I open for him. “You are just as you should be.”

I bite into it and let out an “mmm” that’s partially for the food, but mainly for the most lovely response he just gave.

“I must tell you something,” he says next, his chin dropping to his chest.

“Okay…” I reply, nerves twisting my insides.

He clears his throat, and whispers, “You are my mate, Elle-noor. My inara.”

Oh.

Oh wow.

I’m not exactly sure what “inara” means, but given the context, I’m guessing it’s similar to mate, and that’s a big fucking deal. I… don’t know how to respond. I mean, I know how I feel. I love being with him, and the sex is the best I’ve ever had, but am I ready to like, get married to this guy and promise him forever?

The girls all seem deliriously happy with their alien mates, and I know those courtships did not last a long time before they officially became mates. I just don’t know if I’m ready for that.

Before I can respond, Bruvix presses a finger against my lips and says, “It is all right if you do not return my feelings. I understand this.”

“You...do?”

He nods, dropping his hands in his lap. “Humans do not feel the tether in the way we do. Cloh-ee had no idea she was Varrek’s inara. He had to tell her.”

Interesting. I nod, my mouth still agape as I mumble, “Oh. Okay...”

“That is why I am prepared to wait. I do not care how long it takes, Elle-noor.” The corner of his mouth quirks up, forming that crooked smile I can’t get enough of. “I shall spend the rest of my days trying to capture your heart the way you have captured mine, if I must.”

Stunned. I’m stunned. I’ve never been on the receiving end of such a romantic statement before. “I don’t know what to say,” I finally reply. I want to return the sentiment, but this soon, I wouldn’t be telling the truth. I don’t know for sure that Bruvix is my mate; the one I want to spend the rest of my days with. Things are going well between us, but the beginning of a relationship is always thrilling. What happens when the thrill is gone?

“You need not say anything at all, Elle-noor,” he says. Then he continues to feed me breakfast, occasionally mushing the viiki spread used for dipping on the corner of my mouth and then promptly licking it off. When there’s no more food to play with, I reluctantly get up and change into a tunic and leggings and pull my hair into a loose ponytail.

Bruvix says good-bye with a long, toe-curling kiss that has me tempted to call in sick for dish duty, then gives me a slap on the ass before I head out the door.

I find myself skipping, actually skipping, to the meal hall.

“Morivikka, Elle-noor,” Waldric says with a big toothy grin when I arrive.

“Mornin’, Waldric! How goes it?” I reply, filling one of the dish buckets with soap.

“It goes...well,” he says after a look of confusion flashes across his face. “You seem quite jovial today, Elle-noor. More so than usual. Why is this?”

“I’m alive, I have a roof over my head, and food on the table. What’s not to be happy about?” I reply, repeating a phrase my mother would often say when I was a kid. She always tried to get me to see the good in everything, no matter what was going on in our lives.

“I see… That was true yesterday, and the day before, however,” Waldric points out, “what is different about this day that puts the twinkle in your eye?”

Well, isn’t he observant? It’s not that I’m trying to keep my relationship a secret from the clan. They’ve seen me with Bruvix several times, and I’m sure most, if not all, are aware that I’m staying at his house. “I guess I’m finally feeling settled here,” I tell him, letting Bruvix’s words settle into my mind. “This place is better than I expected it to be.”