Page 70 of Summoning the Orc

Rudgar being bashful wasnotsomething I was used to. The puzzle pieces in my mind were locking together, and a satisfiedsmirk spread across my face.

“Ohhhh,” I poked him in his side with one of my uninjured fingers. “I see, youlike her,” I sang in my most juvenile voice.

“I don’t even know her,” Rudgar grumbled, but I noticed that he couldn’t keep his gaze off of her.

“Mm hmm,” I hummed, turning to face the males. “Good luck getting her out of here,” I told him, eyeing the way they had surrounded her and crossed their burly arms over their chest.

“Can’t you just take one of the guys with you for tonight?” I asked, whispering out of the corner of my mouth.

“No,” he insisted, his mulish response making me roll my eyes. “Her. I want her to stay with me.”

“Fine,” I sighed, rolling my eyes before walking over to kneel next to the witch.

The males who were guarding her didn’t know what to do, so they scattered when I approached. After all, I wasn’t a threat to her in their eyes. They resumed glaring at Rudgar, closing ranks around us both.

“Hey,” I whispered to the witch and she slapped me across the face while trying to swat me away. I grabbed her hand before she could do any real damage and poked her nose.

She sat up again, her blink slow and sleepy. “Hey,” she responded with a wide yawn. “I’m sorry, I need to recover. I used a lot of magic.”

Gratitude for this female was a living thing inside me and I peeked over at Rudgar who looked like he was on pins and needles as he waited. “So I have a friend who lives across the hall,” I said and she cut me off, peeking at Rudgar with me before wiggling her fingers at him.

“The hottie with the suit?” she asked, stifling another yawn while Rudgar froze, peeking behind his shoulders for a moment before giving an awkward wave back.

“Yep, that’s the one. He has an extra bedroom if you need it,”I told her. “I have enough rooms for Krusk, Savla and Enka, but that’d leave you on the sofa. Or one of them could sleep—”

“They wouldn’t fit on your sofa, no offense,” she said, yawning again. “I’ll go stay with the hottie, don’t worry.”

“His name is Rudgar,” I told her.

“Hottie McHotpants, got it,” she drawled, standing and tottering on her legs before speaking in a strange echoey voice to the three males. She patted their shoulders as she stumbled toward Rudgar.

He was staring down at her in bemused fascination. She held her arms up to him and ordered, “Uppies.”

His eyebrows swung up and he glanced at me, but I shrugged, keeping an eye on the three males who were watching her with their brows furrowed with worry. He looked down at the female again, his expression softening as he did as he was told, taking her into his arms and cradling her against his strong chest.

The snores began right away and Rudgar’s smile was intimate as he turned with her, heading toward the door without even bothering to say goodbye. I pointed to the blankets and pillows that had fallen to the floor and the males jumped as one to grab their own, giving me apologetic looks.

They’re the sweetest. We’re keeping them.

I grinned at them, turning and leading them to the extra bedrooms. I pointed to each of them and then gestured toward the room they’d be staying in. They meandered in there and after a few moments, when they didn’t return, I decided to give them the grand tour with Rok the next morning.

For now, I’m going to go scrub my mate’s back.

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Rok

I hissed as the water flowed over the still-healing cuts on my body, using soap to scrub them down. I’d be healed by morning, but for now the stinging pain was irksome.

I should have gone out and helped with our new guests, but the thought of my female returning to me kept me where I was. I wanted to taste every inch of her—renewing our melded scents on each other’s bodies.

The sound of the door of the bathroom opening made me smile, my female’s scent filling the area while the rustle of her clothes told me that I would be getting my wish earlier than I thought.

“Did you get them settled?” I asked her, as she sidled up to my back, pressing kisses to my skin.

“I think Rudgar likes the witch,” she told me and I quirked an eyebrow, peering over my shoulder at her.

“Zara?” I asked and she shrugged, her grin mischievous.

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