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I shook my head. “No, but I saw the movie. I thought it was brilliant of Scarlet to make a fancy dress out of her curtains. Ya have to admire that kind of inventiveness in a person.”

“Must you be so practical? I was talking about her romantic relationship with the hero of the story.”

I giggled as Rasmus carried me out of the greenhouse. “It’s a long walk to the house, Rasmus. Are ya intending to carry me up all those stairs too?”

“Yes. Rhett Butler has nothing over on me,” he said with a smile.

I giggled and lifted a hand to his jaw. “Ya’ll be too tired to seduce me when we get to the top.”

“No, I won’t be, but I will still restrain myself. My new room is not as private as your suite.”

I sighed in understanding against his shoulder. We liked our alone time and being completely alone. “At least yer room doesn’t have an injured Wu Shaman recovering in it.”

“We’ll have to content ourselves with pretending things are back to normal between us for a few hours—even if they’re not. I’m desperate to repair our relationship. How about you?”

“I admit I have missed ya a little.”

“Only a little?” he asked.

I sighed and rolled my eyes as the house door opened for him without a single chant or spell leaving his lips. How much was he restraining his magick to lessen my wariness of his guardian powers?

He started up the stairs with me and I realized he wasn’t even breathing hard. I stared at him until he stopped ascending the stairs to stare back.

Then he abruptly started walking again. “It’s not that I restrain my powers so much as I choose not to use them. I conserve my power just as you conserve yours. I know you like candles by hand even though you could light them with a chant.”

“Ya’re reading my mind again, Rasmus.”

“I’m not reading it. Your mind is shouting at me. I’m simply not shutting out your thoughts. You really need to get the dragon mage to show you how to shield them if that bothers you so much. Henry said that was the point of his visit. He also suggested we give you space and pretend not to hear you.”

I dreaded having to deal with Zenos after the vibrator incident but knew there was no choice. I desperately needed to learn to shield my thoughts, especially from the handsome, sexy bastard carrying me up the stairs to his bed. Rhett Butler, my Irish ass. Sure he made it look good, but I would bet good money Humphrey Bogart got winded doing that movie stunt. The actor was no bodybuilder and Olivia de Haviland was no lightweight.

“Zenos is wicked. He knows secrets about Mulan’s family that he won’t share. The bastard is keeping them from me just to watch me squirm.”

“The dragon is a powerful immortal. I can see why his attention would flatter you. If you chose him for a lover, I would understand.”

That answered my question about whether or not Rasmus knew Zenos had been flirting with me. But he should have also realized I turned him down flat.

I stared at Rasmus as we entered his room. “Wouldn’t ya mind if I let Zenos seduce me?”

The guardian nodded in the dark of the hallway. “Yes, I would mind because I don’t want to share you. It’s the most selfish I’ve ever allowed myself to be about anything. And it’s not only because you taught me what it’s truly like to live as a human. I’m grateful for those experiences but my unwillingness to share you is more complex. I want all your affection and exclusive rights to share your body.”

His whispered declarations were probably the most romantic thing any male had ever said to me. That I had taught the guardian anything was news but I didn’t interrupt his speech to tell him so. Nor did I ask Rasmus what he meant. I wanted to do both but feared ruining his mood. I didn’t want to go full Scarlet O’Hara on him and fight what we had.

So I told him the truth. “Zenos isn’t the only powerful male in this house. And ya’re not even yer fully powerful self. Many women in this world would value you as a lover, Rasmus. Many would choose ya over Zenos like I did.”

“None of those imaginary women are like you, Aran. I know that because I looked for centuries for someone worth being human with. There is only one you.”

This was why Zenos hadn’t stood a chance with me. No other male did. My heart only had room for one and it had made its choice.

“Is yer bedroom nice?” I asked.

“Look for yourself.”

His bedroom door quietly opened on its own as he carried me inside. It closed behind us and locked just as quietly.

His power, even in human form, was like a djinn’s or an angel’s. There were no chants and no discernible spell casting. Rasmus controlled his magick with nothing more than his thoughts.

“Henry has a nice touch when it comes to furnishings. He’s done a great job with my sitting room.”