Page 12 of The Passionate Orc
"Absolutely," Nar added, his deep voice serious despite the twinkle in his eye. "We call it 'Creative Differences.'"
I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing.
"The texture is amazing." Bette peered closer. "How did you achieve this effect?"
"Experimental technique," I said quickly. "Very... hands-on approach."
Nar made a choking sound.
"Well, it's brilliant." Bette stepped back. "Sorry to interrupt your process. Just wanted to confirm you're bringing some pieces for the opening. Looks like you've got it covered." She gestured at the canvas. "This one should definitely be included."
After she left, we looked at each other for three silent seconds before erupting into laughter. I doubled over, clutchingmy stomach, while Nar leaned against the wall, his massive shoulders shaking.
"Creative Differences?" I gasped out between laughs.
"It seemed appropriate!" His laughter was deep, filling the studio.
"A very hands-on approach," he mimicked, wiping tears from his eyes.
"Well, it was!" I moved closer to the canvas, studying it. "You know, it's actually not bad."
Nar came to stand beside me, his arm brushing against mine. "It's pretty good. We should definitely frame it."
"Our first masterpiece." I looked up at him, suddenly aware of how close we were standing. "Created by accident."
"Sometimes the best things happen by accident." His voice softened as he tucked a paint-covered strand of hair behind my ear.
My skin tingled where he touched me. "I think you've got some paint... everywhere, actually."
He smiled, his tusks gleaming. "So do you. Maybe we should get cleaned up."
"My apartment's upstairs. I have a shower." The words came out before I could think better of them.
Nar's eyes darkened. "Are you inviting me to your shower, Emryn Lister?"
Heat rushed to my cheeks. "I meant separately! I have towels you can use and?—"
He leaned down, his lips close to my ear. "Shame. I'm very good at washing hard-to-reach places."
My entire body felt like it was on fire. This orc was going to be the death of me.
"We should clean the studio first," I said, trying to sound practical while my imagination ran wild.
Nar reached out, his finger trailing along my paint-splattered arm. "Or we could make more art first."
The way he said it made it clear he wasn't talking about painting.
I swallowed hard, my eyes drawn to his mouth. "I thought we had creative differences."
"I'm starting to think our differences work well together." His hand circled my wrist, gently pulling me closer. "Like complementary colors."
I couldn't argue with that. The space between us hummed with electricity as he bent down, his intention clear. This time when our lips met, there was no surprise, just hunger. His arms wrapped around me, lifting me slightly as my hands tangled in his hair.
Who would have thought an orc warrior and a human artist would fit together so perfectly? But as his tusks grazed my cheek and his firm hands splayed across my back, I couldn't imagine being anywhere else but in this paint-covered studio, creating something beautiful with the last person I'd ever expected to fall for.
Chapter 5
Nar
