Page 16 of Loved By the Orc

HARMONY

The next day, Mr. Price was even worse but I was buoyed by the knowledge that I would be seeing Tark that night for supper. So I was able to shake off my nasty boss’s cruel words—well,mostly—until I could finally escape at five.

It was Friday and a lot of people had gone home early. I knew I ought to wait until I got home myself to draw the doorway to Hidden Hollow, but I justcouldn’t. It had been a hard day and I wassoready to see the big Orc again.

Beside the parking lot was a little piece of overgrown wilderness, which isn’t uncommon in Central Florida. We live in a sub-tropical climate—the minute you stop mowing, the jungle starts growing. I stepped into the tangle of weeds and vines until I felt I was safely out of sight. Then I drew the magic door and watched eagerly as the burning red lines appeared in the air.

I can’t explain the joy I felt when those lines formed! Part of me—a large part—had been afraid that my whole adventure in Hidden Hollow the day before had been some kind of illusion or maybe just a really vivid daydream. So when I saw that I wasreallygoing to be ableto get back to the magical little town again, I felt like my heart would burst from excitement.

The door opened and I left the burning heat of the Florida Summer for the cool, crisp winds of Autumn. And standing on the other side of the door, waiting for me, was Tark.

“Babygirl!” His face broke into a broad, excited grin and he swooped down and swung me up into his arms.

He spun me around in the middle of Main Street, both of us laughing until I was dizzy. When he set me back on my feet, I nearly fell over—being swung around by a full-blooded Orc is at least as intense as being on one of those circular carnival rides.

“Hey, be careful!” Tark picked me up again, cradling me to his chest, like he had the very first time we met. “Sorry—did I make you dizzy? Are you okay?”

“I am now,” I said and nuzzled against him, breathing in his warm, woodsy scent.

I couldn’t help myself—I’d never felt such a deep and intense attraction to anyone in my life—not even the boy I’d given my virginity too. And I hadhonestlythought he loved me—until I found out too late that he’d only had sex with me on a bet with his friends. (Yes, I know that sounds like the plot of an awful teen drama but it really happened to me. As I found out when I heard them laughing behind the gymnasium about how “easy” it was to “fuck the fat chick”.)

But enough about my sad past—I was finally happy in a way I had never expected to be. Tark carried me to his house, pausing several times to make introductions to other people and Creatures who were passing on the sidewalk. None of them seemed to think it was strange that he was carrying me and all of them were welcoming. A flighty Pixie about the size of a sparrow flew right up to me, her diaphanous wings humming so fast I couldn’t see them.

“Welcome to Hidden Hollow!” she chirped in a clear, tiny voice. “You’re going to love it here!”

Then she buzzed off again, making me think of Tinkerbell in the old Peter Pan movie.

The minute Tark opened his front door, a delicious aroma reached my nose.

“Mmm, that smells amazing!” I said, smiling up at him.

He smiled back.

“I hope you like braised cabbage steaks with mushroom gravy—they’re kind of my specialty.”

“I’ve never had those but if they smell like that, I can’t wait,” I said honestly.

“Good, but it’s going to be a minute before they’re ready,” he said. “I didn’t want to start it too early in case you came a little late. If you’re not careful, the cabbage gets mushy.”

“We could just talk,” I offered, nodding at the couch. Or he could kiss me again—I wished he would! I was so attracted to him I felt like I couldn’t keep my hands off him. I just wanted to rub up against him, like a cat in heat!

“Mmm, I guess we could,” he rumbled.

He sat down on the couch, but this time he didn’t put me beside him. Instead, I found myself sitting on his lap—which I confess, I really liked.

I wished I was brave enough to straddle him, but I didn’t want him to think I was “easy” like the boys from so long ago had said I was.Thathad made me feel almost as bad as knowing that the guy who’d taken my virginity had made a bet that he could sleep with the “fat girl.” So I just sat kind of side-saddle, facing the big Orc.

“I missed you,” I told him. “I mean, Ireallymissed you a lot.”

“I missed you too, Babygirl,” he rumbled, looking into my eyes. “I hope you don’t mind sitting in my lap. You can move if you want.”

“Uh-uh.” I shook my head. “I like this. I mean, I like being eye-to-eye with you. You’re so tall it’s hard to get up to your level.”

He rumbled a laugh.

“I could say that you’re so short it’s hard to getdownto yours. But Ilike it too.” Cupping my cheek, he looked into my eyes. “I really want to kiss you again.”

That was exactly what I wanted, too. Threading my fingers through his coarse, black hair I pulled him down and kissed him thoroughly.

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