Page 16 of His Innocent Mate

“And why would I want to do that?”

“Because it’s that or eat in silence.”

* * *

LYRA

After his revelation, Brock goes back to being quiet.

I’d tried starting a conversation, but it fell flat.

If I had to guess, I’d say he’s used to being uncivilized, and pleasant conversation goes against his nature. But perhaps that’s just the nature of man.

He hates that I’m inexperienced, but there’s no way to change that without practice.

I wonder what my life would have been like if we’d never left our town to go into the woods. Perhaps then Brock would want me.

As annoyed as I am by my ignorance of the real world, I can’t blame my parents for moving.

People were dying. Entire cities were being demolished.

Would I still be alive?

Perhaps, but my brother probably wouldn’t be, and my sister would most likely be sick. Heck, they may have never been created.

I have to make Brock want me.

Or at least agree to have sex with me.

After he’s taken his last bite, he sits back in his chair and wipes his mouth with his cloth napkin. “Boy, you sure know how to cook.”

“It’s bacon and eggs,” I say without lifting my eyes from my plate. “There isn’t much to know.”

Rising from his seat, he looks over at me, his face expressionless. “I’m going to get cleaned up, then head out to chop more wood.”

What the hell does he think is going to happen if he keeps acting like this? Venus isn’t going to let us cohabitate while celibate. They made their demands clear: make babies.

But apparently, Brock only likes fucking whores, which I am not.

He’d already said this isn’t going to work out, so there’s no point in clinging to hope. Unfortunately, there’s no guarantee that Venus will give me another mate.

I wonder if there’s something I can do to make myself more his type.

Maybe I should ask Venus for help?

Wrong—the last thing I want to do is highlight my failures to them. I have to figure this out on my own, because if I don’t, Carrie and Caleb will suffer.

This life isn’t what I’d imagined for myself, but it could be livable. Especially if Brock enjoys my company.

Thinking back to last night, I’m overwhelmed by heat and strange sensations I can’t make sense of. He could have thrown me onto the table and had his way with me. Instead, he made me feel…amazing.

Maybe that’s what men like about whores. Maybe they enjoy sex?

Or maybe it’s just that they’re good at it. Something I am not.

My body isn’t at all like the women I’ve seen in magazines, whose breasts can barely be contained in their clothes. I’d wonder if my small size was what turned Brock off to me.

Then again, he seemed to have no issues with them or my naked body last night. If anything, seeing me naked elated him.

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