Page 24 of My Orc Billionaire
Why did I not hate the thought of that? Riven was a human, yes, but…strangely, myKteerwas oddly exuberant about the thought of holding her.
Huh.
“Good luck, Abby,” my best friend chirped cheerfully.
And since it was expected, I growled, “Don’t call me that.” I went to punch theendbutton but paused at the last second. “Sami?” I took a deep breath, surprised the words didn’t stick in my throat. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, Abydos,” she said softly, and although I’d never met her, I wondered if her smile looked like Riven’s. “I’m glad I could help.”
She was the one to hang up—to order the promised pizza?—and I stood there in the growing darkness, staring at my phone.
Humanscanbe full of hatred and violence… But not all of us are like that.
Riven had said that to me that first day, stood up to me when I was angry enough to roar. And I was beginning to suspect she was right.
I’d been desperate when I’d turned to my best friend’s Mate, and Sami hadn’t hesitated to help. Not just her cousin, butme. She said she’d been glad to help.
Maybe I ought to make an effort to meet her, meet the other human females my brothers had chosen.
Later.
Right. Because tonight, Riven was in pain.
I swear to you that when I turned back to her bedroom, I wasn’t really thinking. I was just moving on instinct, which felt strange—as if something else was controlling me—but alsoright.
“Riven? Are you still in pain?”
There was a little sniff from the dark bed. “I thought you left.”
Right, because she’d told me togo away. “I don’t take orders well.”
The noise she made might’ve been a huff of laughter. By then I was looming over her, and I could see her squinting up at me.
“We’re having pizza for dinner,” I announced. “You’re getting extra cheese, because it’s your favorite, and I’ll order you some chocolate too.”
I watched her expression go from confused to incredulous as she slowly pushed herself up. “Pizza? I didn’t make?—”
“Idooccasionally eat take out. Can I touch you?”
“What? I mean—” Her hand shook as she tucked hair behind her ear. “Why? We’ve touched before, yeah?”
She had to be getting a crick in her neck from staring up at me, but I didn’t want to move away. Didn’t want to move away from her.
“Tarkhan said that while you wait for the pain meds to kick in, you would appreciate being held.” I wasn’t going to say the wordsnuggling. “I’m here, you’re in pain, it seems like a simple solution.”
Her mouth opened.
Her mouth closed.
It wasn’t a ringing endorsement, but it wasn’t ano. I bent down, slid one arm around her back, then the other under her legs, carefully listening for any sound of objection. There was none, and then I was standing with her held awkwardly and stiff in my arms.
I couldn’t sit on the bed, that would send the wrong message. I wasn’t trying to seduce my little human, I was just trying to make her feel better. So I turned and strode for the sitting room again.
When I sank down onto the sofa, she moaned a little. Her brow was pinched in pain again, her eyes closed, her breathing too fast. Was this from the cramps or from the awkwardness?
Well, either way, perhaps I could help.
I adjusted her so her legs were thrown over my thighs, and pressed her head against my shoulder. From this angle I could easily rub her lower back, and I did, my large fingers pressing against her skin in rhythmic circles.
