Robert was looking forward to another card game and a chance to spend a little time with Sharon. He liked talking to her, or rather listening since she had no problem with him saying little or nothing at all.

He was so sick of the female attention at the keep. All they wanted was to experience sex with an immortal male, treating him like the resident gigolo.

It didn't matter to them that he wasn't much of a conversationalist, or that he was far from exciting in bed. Evidently, his stamina and his fangs compensated for his other shortcomings.

In the beginning, Robert had enjoyed the attention and the generous supply of bed partners, especially since it had made Carol jealous, but now he just felt used.

The irony wasn't lost on him. After a lifetime of having to pay for sex, he shouldn't complain about getting plenty for free. Maybe it was justice meted out by the Fates the clan believed in. He got to experience what those women he used to pay for had, just without the pay.

"You're quiet today," Amanda said as she got off the freeway.

"I'm always quiet."

"True. But without Anandur here, it's even more quiet than usual."

"Who else is coming tonight?" Robert asked.

"Two immortal females. We need to find someone for Nick."

Great. Hopefully, the two females didn't live in the keep, and he hadn't taken either of them to bed. The last thing he wanted was for Sharon to hear them making comments about him or throwing suggestive hints around.

He scratched his head. "What makes you think I'm the one for Sharon?"

Amanda cast him a sidelong glance. "You tell me. How do you feel about her?"

He shrugged. "I like her."

"You remind me of Kian." Amanda chuckled. "When I asked him what he thought about Syssi, he said the same thing." She mimicked her brother's voice as she repeated the words. "He is not much of a talker either, and Syssi is still madly in love with him. To each her own."

That wasn't going to happen to him. No female would ever feel so passionately about him. He just didn't inspire that kind of emotion.

"What are you thinking about, Robert? Suddenly you look glum."

"I'm not the kind of guy who women fall in love with."

She reached over and patted his shoulder. "You are wrong. As I said, there is a lid for every pot."

He was still thinking about that old adage as they entered Eva and Bhathian's house. Was it possible for someone to fall in love with him?

"Robert!" Sharon came out of the kitchen and practically ran to him. "I'm so glad you came."

Robert didn't know how to respond to that. Should he say he was glad too?

She lifted on her tiptoes, wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed his cheek. "You forgot to ask for my phone number," she whispered in his ear, unaware that every immortal in the room could hear her.

Robert felt his ears heat up. He hadn't forgotten, he'd never thought to do so in the first place, but to admit it would embarrass Sharon. "Yes, I did. I'm sorry."

"No worries. Give me your phone, and I'll program my number into it."

Damn. He didn't have a cell phone. One more limitation imposed by his unclear status in the clan.

"He lost it." Amanda came to his rescue. "That's why he didn't take your number." She waved a dismissive hand and rolled her eyes. "You know how men are. Too prideful to admit things like that. It had been crazy at work the past week, and Robert couldn't spare the time to get a new one. But you can give it to me."

Sharon frowned. "Do you work in the same department?"

"No, darling. But my brother is Robert's and Bhathian's boss."

"Oh." That seemed to mollify her.

Amanda pulled out her phone. "Ready when you are."

If Sharon wondered why Amanda hadn't just handed her the phone, she didn't show it. Instead, she recited the numbers.

Amanda dropped the phone back into her large purse. "I'll make sure he calls."

To what end? Invite Sharon over to his place? Take her out on a date? He could do none of that. Amanda was making a mess of things.

Sharon took his hand and led him to the card table. "Ready to lose all your pennies again?"

He was going to lose more than that, like his sanity. "Do I have a choice?"

"Of course you do, silly. You can try to win." She pointed to her head. "It's all in the mindset. If you convince yourself you'll win, chances are you will. And the reverse is true as well."

If that was true, he was going to fail. But he wasn't going to say it and make himself look like a loser.

"If you say so."

There were only a few things Robert knew how to do well, and playing poker wasn't one of them. Neither was socializing.

"I know so."

By the little smirk on Amanda's face, she'd been listening to every word. "You're absolutely right, Sharon. It's all about the mindset. But sometimes it takes the right woman to affect a man's outlook. We are the catalyst for change. If not for us, men would still be living in caves and hunting with spears."

Nick snickered. "Don't you know it, Robert? Pussy rules the world."

Bhathian slapped the back of Nick's head. "Watch your mouth, kid."

"What? Just because Eva is expecting, everyone needs to act holier than thou?"

That earned the guy another slap. "No, it's because you should talk respectfully to ladies. No wonder you can't get a date."

Nick’s face reddened. "Says who? I get plenty of dates. Babes love me."

Bhathian sighed. "You're a lost cause. Just do me a favor and try to act like a gentleman when my other coworkers get here. They are both nice girls, and they are not going to appreciate being called babes, or compared to small felines."

Nick rolled his eyes. "I can't believe that. What century are you people living in? No one thinks anything is wrong with those words. Girls love being called babes. It means they are hot."

"I don't," Sharon said. "I don't like being called honey or sweetheart either. No one other than a boyfriend, who actually means those as terms of endearment, is allowed to talk to me like that."

"Good for you," Eva said. "Women should set the standards. If we leave it up to men, they will end up in the gutter."

Nick cast Bhathian an evil glare. "You see what you have done? Now we are the bad guys."

Sharon giggled. "Robert is the smartest man here. He keeps his mouth shut and stays out of trouble."

Everyone's eyes turned to Robert.

He shifted in his chair. "I have nothing to say on the subject."

Sharon took his hand and squeezed. "You see? That's my smart man."

Her man?

Had Sharon just called him hers?

Robert glanced at Amanda, hoping she would come to his rescue like she'd done before.

But the woman only smiled and shrugged.

He was on his own.