Page 16 of Secondhand Garagyre

Regularhunger, not bloodlust.

Thetwo arenotthe same.

IhearPaisleytake a deep breath and smile to myself.Sheis finally relaxing.Thetension she’s carried since the deceptive male left is fleeing her body.Muchto my disgruntlement, the diminutive creatures flanking her appear to be helping her regain good mood.

Ilayahanwould be proud.Idid not barge into a conversation with my little human before she is ready to speak to me, thus creating strife where none should be.Mymate literally beat this lesson into me during the early years of our mating, but it never really took.Maybethis is becauseIenjoyed riling her so.

But.

Mylittle human is not like myIlayahanis.Yes, she is spirited, but she will not physically attack me and knock knowledge into me by force.NorcanIafford to cause her afront when my welcome is somewhat tenuous.Ido not want to offendPaisley, and be consequently kicked out of her home.

Itwould make my wooing much more difficult.

Whosays a male can’t learn new things?

Chapter Eighteen

PAISLEY

Idon’t knowwhyI’mso nervous.Theweight ofLaithog’sgaze follows me asImove around the kitchen making supper, almost as if he intends it as a caress.It’snot…unpleasant.Quitethe contrary.Afterthe events of earlier, it makes me feel safe, andIhaven’t felt safe in a very long time.MerryandPippinare skulking around the kitchen, hoping for some sort of morsel as per usual.

Ismile down at them fondly.Mydogs are the only source of comfortI’dallowed myself sincePatrickdied.Ididn’t want to burden my parents anymore than they already were.Laithogdidn’t try to fill the silence with idle chitchat or urge me to speak.Mostmen, or males in general, would have immediately started in on me, demanding explanations in order to begin “fixing” my problem for me.Maybehis kind don’t do that?

It’snot thatIdon’t need help.IknowIdo…butIneed time to formulate my thoughts soImake a rational decision, not an overly emotional one.Hispatience, while unexpected, is deeply appreciated.IwatchedLaithogkill a man in front of me without so much as blinking an eye, but the thought of talking to himaboutBradleymakes my stomach hurt.Honestly,I’msick and tired of that piece of shit being on my mind all the time.

Idart a quick glance over at him from beneath my lashes beforeIsigh.ThevenisonI’vepan seared is done, the potatoesIstuck in the microwave are soft all the way through, and the green beans are warmed up in their corning ware dish.Thereisn’t anything left for me to do other than plate the food and serve supper.

QuicklyIfix two plates and turn, speaking asIgo. “I’mnot sure what you eat, butIpan seared venison, baked some red potatoes and have some canned green beans heated up.Itried to put several different types of food together for you in case there is something you don’t like or don’t eat.”

Relieffills me when a warm smile creases his face and his eyes light from within. “Mypeople are omnivorous, but lean heavily on meat for protein purposes.Weare, at heart, predators, but we also eat tubers and vegetable.Everythingyou’ve prepared smells delicious andIam thankful to you for using your stores to feed me,” he thankfully assures me.

“Merry,Pippin.Out,”Iorder, pausing to make sure they do asIask, before puttingLaithog’splate down on his place setting, and move around the corner of the table to take my own seat.Thesound 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.

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

Stupidfair skin!

Hewaits for me to sit and then pulls my chair closer to the table.Histail moving from the back of the chair to the horizontal barat the back, ensuring the chair slides evenly across the linoleum floor so thatI’mnot jarred in my seat.OnceI’mseated, he turns his chair with the back facing the table and takes his place cattycorner to me.

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

Thewords have no sooner left my lips than he descends upon the plateIsat before him like a starved man.I’ma 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.

Hisgroans of enjoyment ensure me that he’s well pleased with whatI’veprepared, releasing me from some of the anxiety that he would eat whatIcooked out of politeness.Thisis not that in the slightest.Witha small, happy smile,Ituck into my meal with relish.

Cookingfor one has always depressed me and seeing someone else blatantly enjoy my cooking makes me happy.I’vemade it half way through my plate whenLaithoglooks at me and ask. “Littleone, would it be acceptable for me to refill my plate?”

“Yes,Ihad a feeling that one serving wouldn’t fill you up.There’splenty more on the stove, help yourself to whatever else you want,”Ianswer warmly.

Ichuckle 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.Iwatch as he resumes his enthusiastic consumption of food.Focusingon my plate,Ifinish my meal and lean back against my chair, eyes widening in surprise to find that he’s cleared a second plate in the time ittook me to finish one serving.Jadegreen eyes peer at me from where he sits, waiting for me.

Wellthen.

Pushingmy chair back from the table,Istart to rise only to be stopped by the soft touch of a large, black scaled hand.Hequickly withdraws his hand, as if he’s afraidIwould find his touch abhorrent. “Ifyou would permit me,Iwill take your plate to the basin and wash our cutlery while you put away the rest of the foodstuffs.Isthis permissible?” he hesitantly inquires.

Shockholds me immobile for a few seconds, andIsee his face begin to fall. “Yes!Imean, yes.Thatwould be quite lovely.Youdon’t have to do that though,”Iretort, 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. “Donot hide yourself from me, little one.You’veno need to ever be embarrassed in my company.”

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