Page 35 of Wrangling the Orc Cowboy

“This,” Gracie said gently, lifting her other hand to point to one of the whitish blobs, “is mac 'n cheese. It’s made from pasta, which is formed from ground grains, and a cheese sauce I made with milk, flour, which is ground grains as well, and cheese. Lots of cheese because there can never be too much cheese, don't you think?” Her shoulders twitched. “Sorry. Got carried away there.”

Was she embarrassed? Her cheeks had darkened like my ears did when I felt like I'd said something foolish.

I stared at her, feeling a sense of comfort in that.

“And here, we have green beans.” She pointed to the blades of sort-of grass. “They grow in pods, kind of like your dartlings, but without the need for singing. Just water, sunlight, and some care. We eat the entire bean before the seeds inside mature.” Finally, she pointed to the red-skinned “fingers,” her smile widening. “And these are hot dogs.”

“Dogs?” I groaned and reeled back in my chair. “I cannot eat dogs.”

“No, no, they're not real dogs. We just call them that. No idea why. They're made of meat, though, and that does come from an animal.”

“I eat meat to survive. We hunt a lot in the orc kingdom and eat whatever we kill. We bless the creature, thanking it for its sacrifice to keep us alive. I should bless these dog fingers?”

Her lips twitched this time, but her eyes remained somber. “I think that would be okay.”

I said a silent word to the dog fingers while she watched.

Her smile softened, her eyes glowing with warmth. “You’re sweet, Tark. I think the animals would appreciate that.”

Gracie’s praise landed somewhere deep inside me, a small ember fanning into a flame I wasn’t sure I could control.

“I'll taste it all now,” I said. Picking up the fork she'd placed beside my plate, I hesitated before spearing one of the whitish blobs. Gracie watched me closely, and I could feel her eyes on me as I took a cautious bite.

The mac 'n cheese melted on my tongue, its texture soft and smooth. I'd only tasted cheese once and I'd adored it. A wave of creaminess filled my mouth, the tangy flavors of it balanced by a slight sweetness I didn’t expect. It reminded me of the rare honey-thistle cakes we made on special occasions back in the orc kingdom, a food tied to celebrations.

As I chewed, I let out a low hum of approval.

Gracie’s face lit up. “You like it?”

“No.”

Her expression faltered, and panic surged through me. I held up a hand quickly. “I mean, yes. Yes, I like it. Very much. I was…teasing.”

“Whoa.” She grinned. “Give me a warning next time.”

I sucked in a breath. “I will.”

“Now I'm the one who's joking. Tease away whenever you want. No need to give warning.”

Teasing… That was something people did when they liked each other, right? My body overheated, and I grinned.

She grinned right back.

Yes, maybe, just maybe…she liked me. A little. Not a lot. Not enough to mate with but enough to…

I bit off the thoughts before they consumed me and focused on my food. “This is wonderful. Like nothing I’ve had before. Soft, rich, and warm. It's like eating sunshine.”

Her brow arched, but she laughed, a sound so light it sent a tingle across my skin. “I think you might be the first person to compare mac 'n cheese to sunshine, but I’ll take it as a compliment.”

Encouraged, I moved on to the green beans. They snapped faintly between my teeth and were earthy and crisp with a hint of butter. I loved butter. We didn't have it in the orc kingdom, and the first time I tasted it, I groaned. My brothers laughed, but they were soon groaning too.

I nodded as I chewed, letting the simple goodness settle.

Finally, with Gracie still watching me, I picked up one of the red dog fingers. I half expected it to bark at me as I lifted it closer. Whatever it had been once, though, it had been transformed completely. My tusks grazed the edge as I took a bite. I was wary but determined to honor her effort.

Heat and salt exploded across my tongue, followed by the subtle smokiness of the meat. It was bold and satisfying in a way that made pleasure rumble through my chest. I leaned back in my chair, staring down at the remaining dog fingers that had won a battle I didn’t even know I was fighting.

Gracie grinned, folding her arms on the edge of the table and tilting her head at me. “Well?”

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