Page 19 of How To Woo A Warrior Orc

“Yes, good at rearranging people’s guts,” Caelan continues. “He is wonderful with bodies.”

“Fuck off, Caelan,” Ga’Rek tells him.

I blink, my mouth dropping at the unexpected expletive as much as the brutal shift in his tone.

Caelan simply laughs though.

Wren glances between his cackling face and mine, and shakes her head. “See you tomorrow, Piper.”

Ga’Rek doesn’t bother with niceties.

He doesn’t even bother with my hand, or my waist.

Nope.

He picks me straight up, like I’m a parcel all on my own, and walks me from the awkward situation practically tucked under his shoulder.

I can’t say I’m mad about it, either.

CHAPTER EIGHT

PIPER

“Um,” I finally manage, both amused and gratified by the way Ga’Rek’s literally lifted me out of an awkward situation.

We’re garnering some strange looks, and I can’t totally blame everyone for their interest.

Ga’Rek’s expression is thunderous, and it’s thunderous… on my behalf.

Besides, he’s still holding me up.

One arm’s locked tight around my thighs, my upper body squished into his.

“You know, I did always wonder what it would be like to see above a crowd,” I tell him nonchalantly. “Do you know where I wanted to take you tonight?”

At that, he stops completely.

His brow furrows in consternation, and he looks from the crowd parting before him up to me.

I raise my eyebrows expectantly.

“No,” he finally admits, his voice grinding out the word.

Finally, his arm loosens, and he sets me down. A hand goes to his hair, and he rakes his fingers through it.

My lips purse. “It’s not far, but you’re welcome to tote me around if you’d like. I could get used to seeing the tops of everyone’s heads for a change.”

As soon as the words leave my lips, I wonder if I’ll regret them.

If the laid-back Ga’Rek I’ve come to know and like was just an illusion, waiting for the moment to pull the rug out from under me.

That possibility flickers before my eyes, and then he tips back his head and laughs, a booming sound that has people scattering faster than before from around us.

“I will carry you if you so desire, kal’aki ne,” he says, amusement dancing in his eyes.

Much better than the ire that was there just moments ago.

We’ll need to talk about that, I think.

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