Page 16 of My Orc Pen Pal

Rosemary’s smile was a bit sad. “You can try. It’s not going to work, though.”

“Oh,dkaar.” My grin was determined. “I will heal your heart.”

Chapter 6

Ro

You know what was weird?

Going all of Sunday without getting an email from Akhmim.

I mean… I probably deserved it. I let the guy eat me out—not once, but like…whew. Actually, after that first time on the couch, I lost count of how many times I came Saturday night. And to my surprise, he never pressured me to gethimoff.

Even in the shower, even when he was touching me so reverently and gently washing my hair, he didn’t object to me stroking his cock, but he seemed to be holding himself in check. At the time, I was all about the two of us going all the way, and I mean, I was intrigued when I heard about the wholeOrcs GiveInsta-Osthing.

Which, now that I think of it, kinda sounds like a breakfast cereal.

Insta-Os! Start Your Day Off Right!

And yeah, Ihadstarted Sunday off right, with yet another mind-altering orgasm. But then came all that weird caveman shit.

Claimme?Mate?

What the hell? This wasn’t the Stone Ages. He didn’t get to justclaimme as his Mate because of a few glowy eyes and something weird going on in his chest. That wasn’t how the real world worked.

Maybe it’s how he works.

That didn’t matter! It wasn’t howIworked!

Yeah, but you’ve been friends with him since the new year.

I mean, that was true. Ididknow him… I just didn’t know about his weird Neanderthal tendencies.

Still…

Imissedhim. I missed his emails. He didn’t email all of Sunday, which is a day when we’d normally be sending messages back and forth all afternoon. And I didn’t email him, because…well, I guess I was pouting.

Super mature, I know.

But he made me come a dozen times, then said I was going to marry him, and I kicked him out! I dunnowhatto think!

Monday morning I rolled over and checked my phone, but still nothing. I took myself to the flower shop for myusual Monday morning treat, but even the bouquet of sunflowers and daisies failed to cheer me up.

“Whoa,” muttered Memnon when he saw me come through the door. Over his shoulder he called, “Dkaar, your friend needs a hug.”

Maya came bustling out to, yep, hug me, but I was focused on her Mate’s words. He’d called herdkaar. Wasn’t that what Akhmim had called me? I needed to ask her—or maybe Nikki—if their Mate’s eyes occasionally glowed, and what it meant.

Only not now. Akhmim wasn’t my Mate. He was just my pen pal.

A pen pal you have three dates with.

Yeah. Whenever that was going to happen.

I managed to get out of the shop without explaining myself—thanking them for the truly cheerful arrangement—and focused on my kids for the rest of the day.

Still no email.

I ate takeout for dinner and watched a romcom, whose cozy vibes were not helped by the fact I kept checking my phone hopefully.

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