Secondhand Garagyre

Chapter 18

Chapter Eighteen

PAISLEY

I don’t know why I’m so nervous. The weight of Laithog’s gaze follows me as I move around the kitchen making supper, almost as if he intends it as a caress. It’s not…unpleasant. Quite the contrary. After the events of earlier, it makes me feel safe, and I haven’t felt safe in a very long time. Merry and Pippin are skulking around the kitchen, hoping for some sort of morsel as per usual.

I smile down at them fondly. My dogs are the only source of comfort I’d allowed myself since Patrick died. I didn’t want to burden my parents anymore than they already were. Laithog didn’t try to fill the silence with idle chitchat or urge me to speak. Most men, or males in general, would have immediately started in on me, demanding explanations in order to begin “fixing” my problem for me. Maybe his kind don’t do that?

It’s not that I don’t need help. I know I do…but I need time to formulate my thoughts so I make a rational decision, not an overly emotional one. His patience, while unexpected, is deeply appreciated. I watched Laithog kill a man in front of me without so much as blinking an eye, but the thought of talking to him about Bradley makes my stomach hurt. Honestly , I’m sick and tired of that piece of shit being on my mind all the time.

I dart a quick glance over at him from beneath my lashes before I sigh. The venison I’ve pan seared is done, the potatoes I stuck in the microwave are soft all the way through, and the green beans are warmed up in their corning ware dish. There isn’t anything left for me to do other than plate the food and serve supper.

Quickly I fix two plates and turn, speaking as I go. “ I’m not sure what you eat, but I pan seared venison, baked some red potatoes and have some canned green beans heated up. I tried to put several different types of food together for you in case there is something you don’t like or don’t eat.”

Relief fills me when a warm smile creases his face and his eyes light from within. “ My people are omnivorous, but lean heavily on meat for protein purposes. We are, at heart, predators, but we also eat tubers and vegetable. Everything you’ve prepared smells delicious and I am thankful to you for using your stores to feed me,” he thankfully assures me.

“ Merry , Pippin . Out ,” I order, pausing to make sure they do as I ask, before putting Laithog’s plate down on his place setting, and move around the corner of the table to take my own seat. The sound of his chair scraping catches me by surprise as he suddenly lurches to his feet, his long sinuous tail reaching out to grab my chair and pull it out for me, bowing slightly.

I can feel a slight blush creeping up my neck and across my cheeks.

Stupid fair skin!

He waits for me to sit and then pulls my chair closer to the table. His tail moving from the back of the chair to the horizontal bar at the back, ensuring the chair slides evenly across the linoleum floor so that I’m not jarred in my seat. Once I’m seated, he turns his chair with the back facing the table and takes his place cattycorner to me.

“ Well , dig in before it gets cold,” I urge him.

The words have no sooner left my lips than he descends upon the plate I sat before him like a starved man. I’m a little taken aback at how voracious he seems to be, but if he’s been a statue for as long as he’s implied, it would stand to reason that he hasn’t have a meal in far longer than my mind can wrap around.

His groans of enjoyment ensure me that he’s well pleased with what I’ve prepared, releasing me from some of the anxiety that he would eat what I cooked out of politeness. This is not that in the slightest. With a small, happy smile, I tuck into my meal with relish.

Cooking for one has always depressed me and seeing someone else blatantly enjoy my cooking makes me happy. I’ve made it half way through my plate when Laithog looks at me and ask. “ Little one, would it be acceptable for me to refill my plate?”

“ Yes , I had a feeling that one serving wouldn’t fill you up. There’s plenty more on the stove, help yourself to whatever else you want,” I answer warmly.

I chuckle a little as he jumps up out of his seat and flits across the kitchen to the stove, his right-hand darting from container to container as he loads his plate down a second time before returning to his spot at the table. I watch as he resumes his enthusiastic consumption of food. Focusing on my plate, I finish my meal and lean back against my chair, eyes widening in surprise to find that he’s cleared a second plate in the time it took me to finish one serving. Jade green eyes peer at me from where he sits, waiting for me.

Well then.

Pushing my chair back from the table, I start to rise only to be stopped by the soft touch of a large, black scaled hand. He quickly withdraws his hand, as if he’s afraid I would find his touch abhorrent. “ If you would permit me, I will take your plate to the basin and wash our cutlery while you put away the rest of the foodstuffs. Is this permissible?” he hesitantly inquires.

Shock holds me immobile for a few seconds, and I see his face begin to fall. “ Yes ! I mean, yes. That would be quite lovely. You don’t have to do that though,” I retort, tucking my chin a bit embarrassed at my small outburst.

Deliberately , and with great care, he reaches out with one finger, the clawed tip pricking my skin as he tilts my chin up so my eyes meet his. “ Do not hide yourself from me, little one. You’ve no need to ever be embarrassed in my company.”

His voice is tender as he reassures me, the deep rumble of his voice reaches out and caresses me as his brilliant jade green eyes rove across my face. Laithog removes his finger and picks up our plates, striding over to the sink when I feel a slight tug on my ankle. Peering down, I see his tail unwinding from my leg.

Ignoring the flick of heat pooling in my lower belly I get up from the table and begin putting the food way. With two of us working together, it doesn’t take long before the kitchen is clean.

I grab a glass from the cabinet and pour myself a glass of wine, heading towards the living room, waving at Laithog to follow. His large body following close behind me causes the hair on the back of my neck to prickle with awareness. He’s so much bigger than me, he makes my full figure feel almost delicate and petite. Something that is rather hard to do since I’ve been described as having a renaissance Venus body type.

We enter my living room and I head towards the couch. The click clacks of little claws on the hardwood floor as my dogs follow me to the couch make me smile. There should be enough room for both of us to sit and hopefully it won’t pinch his wings.

Laithog peeks over at the fireplace, before glancing at me with a questioning expression. The earlier discussion in my library comes to mind and I can’t help the disappointment that wells within me. Stupid Grady and his stupid visit ruined the almost jovial mood of earlier.

I shake my head no, in answer to his unspoken question and all he does is smile at me. Granted his smile it taking a bit of getting used to, due to the mouth full of sharp teeth, but it does nothing to detract from how handsome his strange features are becoming.

Once we are both settled on the soft surface, I motion for Merry and Pippin to get up on the couch, snickering at Laithog’s pained look as my boys force their way between us. I take a bracing sip of wine as he waits, looking at me with an air of expectancy.

I guess it’s time to talk.