Page 15 of One Night with Her Grumpy Orc

“I listen. Maybe you should try it.” Grev runs his hands up and down my arm to warm me up when I shiver. “You should go inside,” he murmurs in my ear.

“I’m not going anywhere.”

“Betty, it means nothing. It’s just a fling, like Grev said. I just got so tired and lonely waiting for you to finally look at me the way I want you to. But we’re done. Say the word and I’ll never see her again.”

“Jake, that’s awful. No. I don’t want anything to do with you. I thought we were friends,” hating how small my voice sounds to my ears. I truly believed we looked out for each other because we were friends. Was he really using my parents as a way to control me? To force me into a relationship with him? I can’t even breathe the same air as him right now.

“Her parents are adults. You are an adult. Betty is an adult. If her parents decide to keep their heads up their asses, then that’s their fault. But you don’t get to come here and be all mightier than thou and make her feel small, or like she’s done something wrong. Betty doesn’t answer to you. She doesn’t belong to you.” Grev’s chest huffs as he speaks. His deep voice, though angry, is soothing to me.

Hmmm, that might be the most words I’ve ever heard Grev speak to someone else. And I love every single one. Jake flounders a bit, his hands and mouth both moving, but no action taking place. It’s weird. Until now, I would have said Jake was one of my closest friends, no questions asked. But now I have to view at our history through this new lens of what was his real motivation. And that he called my parents to get me in trouble for being close to Grev? How dare he?

He turns away from us to walk back to his car, but Grev stops him with one sentence. “You need to apologize.”

Shoulders sag at those words. Jake knows Grev is right, and he also knows I would never have demanded an apology. He turns around to look me in the eyes and says, “Betty, I’m sorry.”

“Thank you,” I say, as there’s nothing else to say.

I stand there, Grev still keeping me warm—except for my toes—as Jake gets in his car and drives away.

“You really should get inside before your lips turn blue,” Grev says softly. There’s something incredibly sexy about his soft, raspy voice.

“Will you join me?” I turn away from Jake’s taillights to search Grev’s dark, brooding eyes.

“If you want. I wasn’t sure if I overstepped.”

“Really? I thought it was perfect. I had no idea he felt that way. All this time. I’m an idiot.”

“No, you aren’t. But it helps when people are direct and clear with you. Let’s get you inside,” he says, but I can hear the amusement in his voice. Leaning close, his tusk scrapes gently against my cheek as he gives me a quick kiss.

“What do you mean? Are you saying I’m oblivious? Or that I miss subtlety?”

“You know, I have found a new appreciation for the culinary pursuits of Pixies. Tonight was quite spectacular.” Grev says as I unlock the door. I groan as I step through and into the warm house.

“Don’t say that. I never want to eat there again.” I laugh at him and hang up my coat and kick off my boots. “And don’t think I missed that you changed the subject. See? I notice things.”

That’s as far as I get before Grev spins me around, pulling me into him, then pushing me up against the wall to kiss me. A deep, ravenous kiss. When he pauses so we can breathe, he asks, “Did you notice this?”

“Mmhmm.”

“Good. I’d like to pick-up where we left off in my truck.”

“I’d love that,” I pant before he kisses me again.

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