Chapter 14 #2
The blonde with the pixie cut came over to take our order.
Eng got jalapeno poppers, crab bites, the chicken dinner with double mashed potatoes and gravy, and a pint of 7 Locks Brewing black lager.
I figured with that amount of food we’d be here long enough for me to have another beer, so I told the waitress to make it two pints of the black lager and declined to order any food.
“Are you alone a lot?” he asked once the waitress had left.
Another surprise. Usually I was the one who asked the questions, and Eng was the one who grunted or made monosyllabic replies. He’d actually conversed tonight. And seemed interested in learning more about me. It made my heart do something weird and potentially medically alarming in my ribcage.
“I work with people in a busy gym, and I tend to spend most of my free time with friends and family, or in places with crowds. I do live alone, though. And I love that. It’s like having a little refuge, a sanctuary.
I’ve got seven brothers and sisters, so there wasn’t a lot of solo time growing up.
We shared bedrooms, and our activities tended to be family events. ”
Eng’s eyes grew huge. “Seven brothers and sisters? Seven?”
I laughed. “I know! I’m the youngest of the bunch.
It was a crowded house growing up, but I loved it.
I’m used to being around a lot of people, and I enjoy the crush of friends and family, but it’s nice to have my own place where I can walk around naked if I want and not worry about freaking anyone out. ”
Eng smirked. “I will not freak out if you want to walk around naked all the time. I would enjoy that greatly. Although, you might spend most of your time in my bed if you are always unclothed.”
I grinned. “Likewise. Seeing you naked is the highlight of my day. Or night.”
Just then our waitress brought our beers and the appetizers. I hadn’t been sure she’d heard us, but the wink she gave me as she slid the pint my way confirmed she’d been listening and approved.
“Then we should see each other naked more often,” Eng suggested as the waitress left.
I lifted my glass, and he did the same. And this time he clinking his pint against mine.
“Eat,” I urged him after we’d taken a sip of the beer. “You’ve got to be starving after standing against the arena wall all night. That sort of lack-of-activity burns a lot of calories.”
He chuckled. “I am starving. Obstinacy is hungry work.”
Obstinacy? How the hell did he know that word?
“You should eat too.” He nudged the crab bites my way.
I hesitated. He speared one with his fork and held it out to me.
“I know you expend a lot of energy each day. And I know you expend a lot of energy the nights you are with me. Eat.”
He wasn’t wrong and all I’d had for dinner was nachos at the arena, so I leaned forward and let him feed me the crab ball, noting the warmth in his eyes as I ate it. Was it because I’d done as he’d said—which was a rare thing with me—or because him feeding me was sexy? I was opting for the latter.
“What’s it like being a prince in your kingdom?” I asked, helping myself to another crab ball.
He shrugged. “Boring. I was introduced to the important orcs in our government at a young age, and am present for meetings and decisions, but I am not asked my opinion or allowed to speak. I do suggest improvements and changes to my father and mother outside of official meetings. They listen and tell me that I can do those things when I am king. So I have little to do. I was told I would be granted authority over a function of my choice when I became an adult, but that did not happen. I doubt it will unless my father becomes ill or disabled.”
That was so sad. From what I’d seen of Eng he was smart and his talents were probably wasted sitting around and waiting for his father to retire or kick the bucket.
No wonder he was eager to bring home an acceptable princess.
He’d finally have a valued role in his kingdom, even if that role was just providing the kingdom with a queen and future heirs.
“What government function are you most interested in?” I asked, thinking he’d probably specialize in military defense or something like that.
“Commerce.”
I blinked. “Commerce?”
He nodded, digging into the jalapeno poppers. “It is important that we maintain trade with other orc tribes and cities, and that we also exchange goods with the fae and other beings that inhabit our world.”
“You trade with the fae?” We humans had had some rather alarming incidents of fae kidnappings that the demons had put a stop to. It was the one good thing I’d seen come out of the demon and angel presence here among us.
“We do. The fae have magical items they are willing to sell. And we have metal work that they are unable to craft due to their sensitivities. They also enjoy produce that can only be grown on our lands, and need minerals mined from our territories.”
“You use magic?” I asked, even more curious about his world.
“Not really. We can use magical items created by others, but we are unable to perform magic ourselves. Spells do not work on us. Magical items crafted for offensive purposes have no effect on orcs either. It is an acceptable…trade-off. We rely heavily on fae magical items to perform many daily tasks though.”
I grilled him about all the various fae items they used in his world. His chicken arrived, and just as with the crab balls, he insisted on feeding me the juiciest pieces as well as forkfuls of gravy-coated mashed potatoes. It was a total turn-on.
As we ate, Eng turned the conversation back to my apartment, asking me to describe it and let him know what about the place made it feel like a sanctuary to me.
I did my best to tell him about the various things I’d collected throughout my life, and all the pictures of my family and friends that covered the walls.
“I would like a sanctuary of my own,” Eng said, his voice wistful.
“Dude. You have your own apartment.” And it was twice the size of mine. Which wasn’t saying much.
“It is not a den. It is not home,” he lamented. “It is a hovel.”
I rolled my eyes. “Then make it a home. Buy stuff that you love. Pictures. Comfortable furniture. Plants. Throw rugs and fancy blankets. Shelves and books. Furs.”
Jordan had mentioned Ozar’s love of fur pelts, so I figured it might be an orc thing.
Eng frowned. “I won’t be here long. Why…bother?”
“Because you shouldn’t have to live surrounded by a bunch of crap that doesn’t bring you joy. I’m guessing you guys get paid a decent amount of money. Spend it. It’s not like human currency is of value back in your kingdom, so use it to make your time here pleasurable.”
He tilted his head, regarding me as he thought about what I’d said. “Where would I get these things?”
I was about to suggest the internet, then I realized that Eng wasn’t the sort of guy who would decorate his house with purchases from Wayfair.
“There are some great galleries here and in DC. And you can always take the Amtrak up to New York if you want to consider additional artwork. Same with furniture, rugs, and other stuff.”
He slowly nodded, his brown eyes fixed on mine.
The waitress arrived with our check. Eng and I had a mini tussle over the bill, which he won even though I protested loudly that I was supposed to pay as recompense for pepper spraying him in the parking lot.
“It was my fault for alarming you, warrior shrew. So it is me who should pay for not only my own dinner, but also a future meal of your choosing.”
Warrior shrew? I understood the warrior reference from earlier tonight, but shrew? Did he know what a shrew was and the connotations it carried, or was it similar to an animal back in his world that perhaps had a different symbolism?
I was afraid to think about the “future meal of my choosing.” So far all Eng and I had done was the mattress mambo. I didn’t want to put too much faith into the idea that we might actually share a meal in the future.
We left and Eng walked with me to the parking lot. I appreciated the chivalry and was about to offer to drive him home when he suddenly spoke.
“I would very much like to feed you tomorrow night.”
I caught my breath. “That’s not necessary. I mean…I know what we have between us and I don’t want to pretend it’s anything more.”
He frowned, obviously perplexed. “We desire each other greatly. And while we enjoy physical satisfaction together, I have also enjoyed talking and sharing food with you tonight. I would like to have this again, but I understand if you don’t—”
“No! I mean, I do. I just…” I felt hot, like maybe I was about to faint or have a heart attack or something. “I enjoyed tonight too. And I would like to have this again as well.”
He smiled and once more I thought I might need to see a cardiologist for what was going on behind my ribcage. “Then I will meet you tomorrow night to feed you.”
It sounded downright primal. And it was sexy as hell. I opened my mouth to say yes, then remembered I had a date with Dean.
Damn it all. I could suggest Sunday instead, but my family was having a huge dinner get-together that included most of my siblings, nieces, and nephews.
And pushing Eng’s dinner offer to Monday night would send the message that I didn’t value him enough for a weekend night, that I’d relegated us to a shitty evening dinner on a lesser weekday instead.
Not even a Thursday night date, but a Monday—the least valuable night of the week as far as dates went.
This thing between us wouldn’t work out. He was here to find his princess and he’d made it clear that I didn’t make the cut. I might be a warrior-shrew, but that wasn’t a princess trait.
He’d break my heart. I should stick to my date with Dean and just tell him no. But stupid, heart-breaking decisions were my modus operandi.
“I’d love to go out Saturday night.” I dug around in my purse for my keys. “But you pick the place.”
“Five o’clock?” he suggested with a smug smile that I wanted to wipe off his face. Or kiss off his face.
“Where should we meet?” I choked out.
“Urban Axes on North Haven Street.”
I laughed. “We’re going to throw axes? No fair! You’ve clearly got the advantage there.”
He grinned. “I think not, my warrior shrew. And after we throw axes, I will feed you.”
Feed me. Good Lord the very idea turned me on.
It was a date. Tomorrow night. I offered him a ride home, fully expecting to end up spending the night in his bed, or maybe with him in mine, but he refused. Then he kissed me soundly and waited until I drove out of the lot, before turning in the direction of his apartment.
My sleep was restless and full of dreams. And the next morning as soon as it was a decent hour, I called Dean.