As soon as I’m certain that he’s heading in the right direction, I start the unpleasant twenty-minute walk to the keep. It sits on a hill just outside the village center, which doesn’t make it a pleasant trip dragging the reluctant males with me. As luck has it, their fathers are both minding the gate tonight, and both wear identical scowls when they see their offspring and the basket of potion bombs.
“We’ll handle this,” Mikalth growls as he grabs ahold of Avari, drawing him to his side. He shakes his head. “Potion bombs, of all things. Orgath will want a word with you before you get assigned to clean up duty around the keep.”
The juveniles groan, and Avari looks at me with undisguised venom. “I don’t know why you are on his side. He abandoned being a warrior to make… cakes,” he spits out.
“He’s weak and useless as a clan male now,” Davith agrees sullenly.
“And our chieftain is just as bad!” Avari adds. “He spends too much of his time catering to the humans. Even his own mate rules over him.”
I narrow my eyes at them as I bristle, my arms crossing over my chest, but I’m pleased when my old friends rise to my defense. I am perfectly capable of defending myself, but the younglings will respect it more coming from them.
Evar grabs a firm hold on his own offspring. “Your mothers like those cakes quite a bit. I don’t see anything dishonorable in his chosen path.”
“Nor I,” Mikalth says, directing a disappointed scowl at his son. “Garval has done his time as a warrior and has done much to protect our clan and our honor. What he does now is a different extension of that. Gold flows into the clan thanks to the efforts made by this male, and even more so with those made by the chieftain you seek to undermine. It gives you the luxury you enjoy this festive season rather than passing it as we did, fighting with our neighbors, and each other, over scraps. As for Lady Sammi, you mind your tongue about her in these walls, boy,” he growls, but his expression shifts to a cunning smile. “Unless you would like to make your observations to Orgath himself?”
The pair pales, and Evar chuckles as he precedes Mikalth inside with his son in tow. A shout to a nearby guard, brings out another pair to take their stations as my friend gives me a cheerful salute.
“Thank you for catching these two in action!” he calls out as he begins to step into the keep. “And give your female our regards.”
I stare after him, wondering how news has reached him so fast. There is no need to wonder long, however. Only Bodi knows who my heart has longed for. I can’t wait to share my good fortune once I’m certain that she is mine to keep forever.
Raising my hand in parting, I turn and head back toward Kassie’s house, praying she will forgive my tardy arrival. Females can be unpredictable, and I won’t be such a fool as my brother to not acknowledge that the danger is real regardless of their size.
Chapter 12
Kassie
I clench the hem of my skirt in one hand, my fingers twisting it nervously as I watch for him from my front window. He’s late. Really late. I had assumed he was as excited for this date as I am, but I’ve been waiting for well over an hour from when he was due to arrive and haven’t seen any sign of him. I chew on my bottom lip as old doubts assail me.
Did he run into someone else he likes better? Or maybe this date was all just a joke to him, and he never meant to show.
I deflate a little, even as I try to ignore the overly critical and skeptical part of myself that hisses with warnings, thanks to being hurt too often by my asshole ex. I wish I were some sort of badass who could just laugh all of this off and stride out to the carnival by myself without a care that I’ve been stood up… but right now, I don’t feel like a badass. I just want to cry. Maybe go dig into the cookies.
My arms hug around my waist as I stare outside, watching the late afternoon turn to evening. It is still plenty light outside, but I know that won’t last for more than a couple more hours this time of the year. I swallow back my embarrassment and attempt to smooth the rumpled hem of my russet skirt, as if that’s a suitable distraction.
A movement on the street catches my eye and I lean forward, my breath drawing in with excitement, only to let out a sigh as the male walking up the street passes without a glance in my direction. Not Garval.
“Okay, this is getting pathetic now,” I grumble and intentionally step away from the window. “It’s obvious he’s not coming.”
It takes very little debate before I change out of my skirt and blouse into my oversized “Witches do it better” Halloween nightshirt and a pair of faded sleep pants and trudge into the kitchen. As much as I’m tempted to skip right to the luxurious bath, I’m not in the mood for it. When I think of a bath now, it’s with Garval’s rasped enticement in my ear. Whether he meant it that way or not, I just can’t find the enthusiasm for it right now.
Instead, I have a cup of sinful cocoa guaranteed to go straight to my ass and am curled up on one of the large plush chairs with a paperback novel. I miss my collection of ebooks, but at least I had been able to purchase a few of my favorite books in paperback format in time to take them with me.
Taking a deep sip of my hot chocolate, I sigh and open His Darkest Craving, my favorite Halloween time read, as I snuggle deeper into my fleece throw blanket. With the way this night is going, I’m more than ready to enjoy a steamy romance between a lonely dark forest spirit pining for the mortal woman he watches over every night.
Now that is some dedication. Must be nice.
I take another sip of my hot chocolate and nearly choke when someone starts hammering at my front door. Frowning, I set my book down and walk over to the door with my cup in hand.
Surely this clown wasn’t showing up now?
I open the door and take an intimidated step back when I see Garval’s body braced by his forearm against the doorframe. He stares down at me. The golden sparks in his eyes have grown, making his eyes seem to glow faintly with his urgency. His chest heaves with the enormous breaths of air he drags in. But it is those eyes that consume me as they fix on me with unabashed hunger.
His plush lips bow into a frown when his eyes finally drop to take notice of the rest of me.
“You’re not dressed.”
“Thank you, Captain Obvious,” I reply as I step forward toward the door once more. My own scowl forms as I notice his disheveled appearance. It looks like he’s exerted himself with some sort of activity. Something that took a considerable amount of time given the way he obviously ran back, judging by his breathing.
“It seems you’re a bit less than put together yourself,” I say tartly. I arch a brow at him. “Did you get waylaid or something?”
He runs a hand through the dark strands of hair that escaped from his bun and are now falling around his face. “Something like that,” he admits.
“Yeah, I bet it was,” I mutter, imagining just what sort of tourist might have distracted his attention for a time. “Well, since you obviously were engaged for quite a while, I’ll let you get back to it then. No need to have rushed back here to me,” I say with a forced cheerfulness as I begin to shut the door.
The door clunks and comes to a dead stop against his foot that he’s pressed forward. He frowns down at me, his dark brows knitted in an intense and rather confused glower.
“What are you going on about, female?”
“Let me enlighten you, sunshine,” I say as I try to kick his foot out of my door. “You leave me here waiting for you while you decide to go find some entertainment elsewhere. I mean, look, I’ve got no claim on you, but leaving me hanging here isn’t okay. So now I would like you to go so that I can at least enjoy my cocoa in peace before it gets cold.”
I give his foot another swift kick to no avail. Fuck, his feet had to be built like anvils for him to not feel any of them. Instead of reacting to my kicks, he blinks down at me, and his eyes widen with a light of understanding.
“You think I…” He gapes at me for a moment before his face twists in a grimace and he
shakes his head. “I would never just leave you here waiting on me, and certainly wouldn’t do so to enjoy the attentions of another female when you’re the only one I want.”
He’s so earnest, but I’ve heard that line before. I narrow my eyes at him skeptically. “Then why were you gone so long? And why do you look like this after you rushed home to get ready?”
He heaves a heavy sigh. “There were some juvenile orclings planning a cruel prank for our human visitors that I intercepted. Their fathers are good friends of mine from when I worked as a keep guard for the first several years after Orgath retook it. Because of that, I escorted them back to their fathers to be disciplined before I made my way back to you.” His grimace deepens. “I did not intend to be gone for so long and rushed back as quickly as I could. The result, of course, is… this,” he sweeps a hand over himself, his cheeks darkening with embarrassment.
I stare at him, my tongue glued to the roof of my mouth as I weigh his words. Everything he has said strikes me as sincere rather than tripping my bullshit-o’meter. Not that it hasn’t failed before, but for some reason I believe him. It could end up making me the bigger fool in the end, but the sincerity in his eyes wins me over.
“Are you sure it’s me that you want? There are a lot of younger, sexier women out there with less baggage—”
My words are cut off when he surges forward, his lips claiming mine.
And that’s what it feels like, a thorough claiming, his tongue plunging into my mouth as he drags me up into his arms and lifts me up off my feet so that he can kiss me thoroughly. Every stroke of his tongue sweeps through and conquers every inch as I moan and sink against his broad chest. Heat sparks through me, settling in my belly, and I’m nearly boneless with pleasure when he finally extracts his tongue from my mouth. His warm, spicy breath fans my face.
“The carnival…” he murmurs huskily.
“Fuck the carnival,” I whisper in reply against his lips. “The kids are gone. Let’s just stay in tonight. We can do the carnival another time.”
He nods, but his lips twist unhappily. “I wanted to give you the best memories of our first date together and the first step of cementing our claim on each other. It was supposed to be special.”
My eyebrows fly up. I hadn’t even expected that tonight meant that much. Now I feel silly for my earlier doubts when I didn’t have a clue that he was that serious about things between us. It wasn’t just a date. He’s talking the beginning of forever.
Call me a romantic idiot, but something about that really appeals to me in ways I can’t even describe. I’m not entirely sure if I’m on the same page, but I’ve heard that some fae species make their mate selection quickly, which makes courting a human mate all the more frustrating for them. Lucky for him, I also fall in love pretty damn fast. All I can really do is hold on, enjoy the ride, and see if we’re meant to be.
“We can still make it special, right here, just the two of us,” I assure him as I pull back and pat his arm so he will know to put me down.
He does so reluctantly, but he also looks intrigued as he follows me into the house and shuts the door behind him.
“What do you have in mind? Do you wish me to return to my cottage and get my bath oils?” he asks hopefully.
“No!” I shout, whipping around just to make sure he didn’t start out the door. He stares back at me, his eyebrows raised, and an embarrassed laugh escapes me. “Sorry. Part of me is afraid that if you set foot out there that you’ll disappear for another two hours.”
The smile starts slow but spreads across his face.
“Very well,” he purrs. “How would you like to begin our first night of courting?”
Oh boy, do I ever hate being put on the spot. I glance at my cup, but as tasty as it is, I don’t think it would appeal to an orc’s tastes. All the males who have visited the café have exhibited a strong preference for barely sweetened black coffee. I look mournfully at my cocoa, but I have plenty in the house and can make some more later.
“I can make coffee,” I offer as I head back toward the kitchen.
I don’t get more than a few steps before Garval catches my arm and reels me in. He chuckles down at my startled expression and threads his fingers through my hair as his large palm cups the side of my face.
“Kassie, love, I must tell you… I hate coffee,” he rumbles with another delicious laugh echoing from his chest.
I stare up at him, and my mouth quirks as I try to contain my own laughter since he’s gamely drunk coffee at work every time I’ve made it for him since I started working there. Every single day.
I slap his arm in mock fury. “Seriously? Why didn’t you say anything? I could have made you tea. Just give me a sec…”
His laughter returns, and he plants his lips on mine in the sweetest peck. “Don’t tell my mother, but I hate tea as well,” he whispers against my lips.
I snort a laugh and shake my head. “Breaking your poor mother’s heart. Okay then… what would you like? I’m afraid I’m rather limited on supplies.”
To my surprise, he nods his head toward my mug. “I really do love a good hot cocoa,” he murmurs.
I pull my head back so I can meet his eyes, my eyebrows lifting with amusement. “You’re messing with me now.” He shakes his head, and I giggle. “There’s an orc who loves hot chocolate and he’s all mine. The gods truly are miracle workers,” I laugh. I nudge him playfully and grin. “You’re in luck. I can have a fresh pot made up in no time.”
“Less time if I help,” he rasps.
Who knew that it would be so comfortable and utterly companionable to be standing in front of the stove working side by side, Garval carefully melting the chocolate while I heat the milk? When at last we pour our offerings together and give them a good whisk, the fragrant hot chocolate smells better than any I’ve ever made. There’s a slight spicy zest to it from the cinnamon and clove he added while melting the chocolate.
Garval smiles at our hot chocolate, his eyes glimmering with unrestrained happiness. There’s no front, no pretense, just happiness that makes my heart clutch in my chest.
“This is perfect,” he observes, his voice thick with emotion. “This is what mating is. Two beings coming together to make something so perfect between them that it nourishes their hearts.”
“I think that hot cocoa is a lovely metaphor for that,” I agree. “I certainly can’t think of many things that are more heartwarming in my experience.”
He looks over at me solemnly, his eyes soft with affection. “I can,” he rasps. “Just the touch of your lips and the sound of your laughter warms and conquers my heart every time.”
“Oh, wow,” I breathe. I sound like an idiot, but I can’t think of anything else to say in response.
Apparently, he doesn’t mind because his grin widens. He pours our hot cocoa into cups and leads me into the living room where he settles on a big chair, drawing me into his lap. I take my first sip of my fresh cup as he nuzzles my neck.
“You need a bigger sitting area” he teases, “but in this case I can’t complain. I very much like having you in my lap.”
Heat climbs into my cheeks, and I give him a goofy grin before I settle back against him, his free arm circling around my side. This moment is so perfect it’s almost hard to believe. If it weren’t for the warm, firm press of his fingers against my thigh, as if he’s also trying to reassure himself that this is real, I might have thought that I had fallen asleep on the chair and was dreaming this entire thing.
As that is not the case, I snuggle into his embrace and enjoy my drink.
Conversation picks up after a few moments of silence as we exchange stories of our childhood and past mistakes. His face darkens when I tell him the entire sordid story behind Jason’s betrayal, but it stings far less now with Garval at my side. When I mention this, his expression lightens, and a pleased look returns to his face.
Only when our cups are empty, my stomach warm with hot chocolate and the flutter of butterflies f
rom his fingers stroking along my thigh, does Garval set his mug down on the floor and reach over, taking mine. He sets my cup beside his and straightens to pull me fully onto his lap. Warm gold-brown eyes stare down at me as his thumb strokes over my cheekbone.
“Tell me this is what you want,” he purrs.
I lean into his touch, sighing with pleasure as the caress sends tiny flicks of arousal from that contact point through my blood.
“Oh, yes,” I breathe. “I want you and all you have to give.” I turn my face to nip his thumb, aware of the heat that flares in his eyes at the sting. “Give it all to me,” I demand as his lips crash down on mine with his unuttered promise.
Chapter 13
Kassie
The taste of chocolate and spices on his tongue stirs my desire as they mingle with his natural masculine flavor. I suck on it with a delighted moan. Garval’s growl vibrates through him, the sensation skittering up my spine. The slick movement of our tongues sliding against each other as we kiss and the heady taste of him combine to create the sweetest aphrodisiac. I can’t seem to get enough of him and even whimper a little when he pulls away from me so that his rough, callused hands can undress me. My breasts jiggle as he tugs my shirt off with a bit more force than what is necessary in his eagerness.
I’m not complaining. In fact, that rough, raw part of him appeals to me as much as the sweet, even-tempered male I’ve gotten to know. It’s the part of him that reminds me that, although he may be a baker, he’s also an experienced warrior, and that knowledge thrills me straight down to my toes. I don’t even flinch when he yanks my bra up over my boobs, too impatient to work out the clasps. I might have instructed him on how to unlatch it, but I’m immediately distracted by his hot mouth fastened over a nipple. I squeak a little at the hard tugging sensation, my pussy heating like a volcano.
Trick or Orc: A Monsterly Yours Romance Page 8