Page 90 of Bride of Choice

“No head fucks,” Bum-bum rumbled out argumentatively.

“You only understand every other word I say if I’m talking a mile a minute,” I gabbed as I reached up and gently pinched his lips shut, “you don’t have a say.”

“Have say,” he grumbled. His mock huffing and puffing against my fingers made me laugh.

“Kirch no’ say?” a familiar voice rumbled.

“Kirch no say. Rek talks from butts cheeks. No say things Jo. Kirch repeat that- that poop,” Lukar barked back at Kirch, who was looking less than pleased to be called out over Rek and his stupidity.

“What did I do now?” I muttered.

Bum-bum rumbled something out in Lo denaii that had both males looking at him in surprise. They all started talking at once then, the second they spied Bum carrying me, Berkr and a few others that showed up as we did joining in.

A loud snarl from Bum-bum eventually broke up the ruckus, but I was so lost it wasn’t even funny.

The crowd dispersed, but not before Kirch grumbled half under his breath, “Think she makes happy? Forced mates not happy. No love. No love, no happiness.”

If that wasn’t a punch to the gut. “I would never force anyone into anything!” I struggled to get out of Bum-bum’s arms but the beast had my number, tightening his grip on me to keep me from wriggling free to kick Kirch’s ass. “Ask your nephew-charge-adopted mini-you the truth! Make sure you can smell him when you do! Screw you, you-”

Plucked up, rolled in the blanket in an arm locked burrito, then turned face to face with the biggest badass in Yetidom, I glared at Bum-bum and started to let him have it too.

Lips pressed to mine, effectively shutting me up.

Jerking free, despite the way my mouth tingled from that whopper, I barked, “Stop kissing me to shut me up! I will not be silenced!!!”

Several males I could not make out from this high up chuckled at us.

“It’s not funny! Keep talkin’, jackasses! See who he smooches quiet next!” I caterwauled as Bum-bum spoke to them in their language and I shouted over them.

“Thinks he knows everything,” I grumbled quietly, effectively quieted by the threat of more kisses. “He doesn’t know jack shit… Meddling…” My voice started to rise but Bum-bum’s warning rumble had me quieting down.

“You think you’re funny,” I went on as he escorted me inside and right to the bed. Grumbling all the while, he set me down on it, motioning for me to take off my socks as he went to close the door on all the drama unfolding outside, “but you’re not. If anything, it’s confusing.” Lifting my chin, my hand shot out and I pointed it at him. When he grunted like, whatcha gonna do with that lil ol’ thing? I tapped my index finger on the very tippity end of his nose.

Bum-bum let out a loud snuffling sound, chuffed, and pulled back. His face crinkled until he looked like a sour puss as he sneezed several times in quick succession.

“Kirch no know shits,” he agreed, unearthing that monstrosity of an old’ timey granny gown out of the crate I’d placed near the bed to motion for me to lift my arms up.

“Yeah, no.” A snort of laughter left me. “I’m not a toddler. I can change myself, thank you very much, and much as I appreciate the gesture I am NOT putting on that thing.”

Bum-bum glanced from the soft white material, then me. “Warm,” he said simply. “Sleepies cloths.” Jerking his chin at my damp clothes, he grumbled, “Wet. Takes off.”

“Not in front of you I’m not.” Folding my arms over my chest, I got my glare on when it looked like he was going to pull some of that too full of piss and vinegar to give a crap ‘tude with me.

“Why?” Several soft grunts followed his question and his eyes narrowed, making me wonder if I’d hurt his feelings somehow.

A spluttering laugh left me. “What do you mean why?!”

A deep, unhappy rumble built in his chest as his eyes narrowed.

Tough potatoes. Grumble all you want, rumble away. I was NOT getting down to my birthday suit with him standing over me like that.

When I sat there and glared at him and he towered over me doing the same, it finally hit me as I started to sway where I was sitting, just how damn tired I was. It’s been a night.

His chin lifted, and mine saw that and doubled it. Eventually we were looking down our noses at each other in the weirdest draw of my life. What the fuck now? He wasn’t going to just give up or give in, and my teeth were starting to get chattery.

“You have to turn around,” I settled on, lifting my chin higher, until I wondered if I might be sending the wrong message exposing my neck to him like that. The stubborn melon head could probably see right up my nose at this rate.

“Why turns for?” he grunted out.

---