His partner scowled. “You better not have ruined our chance to complete the mission.”
“Ruined it how?”
“Beta says you irritated the female.”
“I get the impression that doesn’t take much,” he muttered.
“Or you handled her wrong because you wouldn’t take the time to observe and figure out what this human would respond to,” Jaspar pointed out.
“She is a female of business.” A concept he struggled with, given the woman of his world seldom got involved in those kinds of affairs, especially since the attack that culled their numbers. “I simply broached the idea of us forming a liaison, and she rebuffed me.”
“Did you really think she’d say yes to a stranger? She obviously did not achieve her position by acting rashly and without thought.” Jaspar crossed his arms.
“Fine. My way didn’t work. Guess we’ll try your method now.” Cade didn’t quite manage to keep the disgruntlement from his tone.
“Too late. Now that you’ve mucked up the situation, it will be up to me to clean it up.”
“Meaning what?”
“Meaning once she’s had a chance to calm down, I shall confront the target, apologize for your brash actions, and then properly explain what we require from her.”
“Good luck with that. She wouldn’t listen to a word I said.” Which annoyed. Cade didn’t usually have problems getting females to listen. Sure, he sometimes paid them to do so, but he could tell when they faked.
“Because you ambushed her without gift or thought.” Jaspar’s lip curled. “I have to wonder why the Oracle sent you along on this mission when it’s obvious you lack the qualities necessary to negotiate.”
“Says the guy who’s spent more time communing with his hand than people,” Cade retorted, an insult that tightened Jaspar’s features.
“Better my hand than a disease,” Jaspar spat back in a rare loss of control.
It seemed Cade might have struck a sore spot. “Some of us prefer the real thing.”
“Says the warrior who never submitted an application for a mate.”
“Neither did you.”
“I had nothing to offer, and so it didn’t seem fair to take from the limited pool of eligible females.”
“So selfless,” Cade mocked.
“What’s your reason for not applying to mate?” Jaspar countered with an arched brow.
“I’m not particularly fond of children. Mated females are needy. I like working and don’t want to be assigned only to missions close to our planet.” Cade listed off his excuses, and to his surprise, Jaspar nodded.
“I actually agree with you on all those points. Guess we should count ourselves fortunate the Oracle didn’t send us here to bond with a human.”
The very thought had him shuddering. “Never.” Although the moment he said it, for some reason, the angry flashing eyes of the female he’d just met popped into his mind.
Jaspar cleared his throat. “We seem to have gotten off topic. In regard to the target, we shall give her a few Earth days to calm her feminine agitation, and then I shall approach her in a gentle manner bearing a gift.”
“Days?” Cade blurted out.
“We wouldn’t want to rush her. Females can be emotional about matters,” Jaspar sagely advised, and Cade almost snorted. Jaspar obviously didn’t have much experience in that area.
“I think you’re misjudging our target.”
“No, that was you who made the error going at her too aggressively. Females require subtle prodding to avoid them having histrionics. Now, given we have a few days, I am going to devise the best way to approach the target. I would suggest you take that time to ruminate over your actions so that we don’t have further issue.” With that rebuke, Jaspar left, and Cade grimaced.
“What a pompous jerk,” he muttered. “He knows nothing of females at all.” Especially this one. And for some reason, being told to steer clear had the opposite effect. It led to Cade asking aloud, “Beta, what is the target currently doing?”
