Page 15 of Shared By Two Orcs

“Swing properly,” I call out to the miners. “If the quota is not met, I will have your heads for dinner.

The air becomes damp and musty this deep into the caves. Still, it does nothing to deter me from seeking out who I came here to find. My eyes scan the various workers slaving away in here, looking for the woman with the black curly bun. I spot Willo in the distance, my heart beginning to beat rapidly with excitement.

I watch as her toned arms bring back the pickax before she swings it down again. There’s no doubt in my mind she’s good at what she does, yet I’m not here to inspect her work. As I walk up to Willo, I think of what I could potentially say to her. I stumble over openers too long for I now stand right beside her, practically breathing down her neck.

She removes the pickaxe from the wall then brings it behind her shoulder, its tip hitting me but not shedding blood. Feeling a presence behind her, Willo spins and is startled to see me rubbing my chest.

“You frightened me,” she gasps, her eyes inspecting my chest for any signs of

damage.

Unable to think of an appropriate gentle opener, I immediately resort to my usual demeanor of criticism.

“You ought to be more careful with your tools,” I growl. “Had you damaged your superior, I would have had you ousted from the encampment immediately.”

Any other human in her place would have cowered and apologized tenfold, but I clearly underestimate Willo. A vengeful look comes within the flicker of her eyes, amplified by the glow of nearby lamps. She drops her pickaxe and squares up to me, standing on her toes, only reaching the lower half of my chest. The sight catches me off guard yet it amuses me at the same time.

“Listen here,” she snaps, pointing her small fingers at me. “You’re all up in my personal space while I’m handling dangerous equipment, so don’t go complaining and whining like a little bitch that I hit you. Next time, I’ll make sure I shed blood.”

With eyes of fury lingering on me for a moment, she then turns her attention back to work, picking up her tool and resuming where she left off.

“Work on your swing,” I mutter before walking away.

I lean against a wall nearby, keeping my eye on her. There’s a strange feeling inside my stomach as I remark on how her bravery makes me feel. I had always liked those who stood up for themselves, but with Willo it’s different.

At the same time, I know I’m stepping into emotional territory that makes me uncomfortable. It’s the reason I can barely muster a word in her presence. Yet, I have no doubt in my mind; I’m more than interested in this human. This feeling inside me is strange and I can’t get enough of it.

“I just need to get her alone somehow…”

8

WILLO

The feeling of the orc – Yamarz I heard someone call him – standing so close to me worked me up until I couldn’t think straight. It was my nature to snap at him, to try and push him back for some space. But just like Duma, he didn’t seem turned off by my harsh words.

In fact, I saw the way his eyes lit up, a fire dancing in them at my ferocity. An equal heat pooled low in my stomach as I faced off with him.

I never expected to get so riled up by arguing with a massive orc but the tension between us, the desire just waiting to be given into, was tangible. I haven’t stopped thinking about it my entire shift, my skin breaking out in a sheen of sweat not because of manual labor, but because of where my mind has gone.

I almost wish that Yamarz would come back over here. I want him to adjust my form, to lean down and tell me all my mistakes with his lips pressed to my ear.

“Willo.”

I stop mid-swing to look at Jinnow. She’s watching me with pinched brows and I realize that our crew has cleared out.

“Sorry.” I swipe my bag and pull it on my shoulder, hurrying out of the way. “There’s been a lot on my mind.”

She nods but doesn’t say anything. For that, I am relieved. I don’t have much capacity in my mind beyond daydreaming about my two orcs, the fantasies bouncing back and forth until the throb between my legs is unbearable.

Hopefully, that will be remedied soon.

We climb up out of the mines, and before I can tell Jinnow that I’m heading out into the forest to find the peace of mind I apparently left out there, I hear my name.

“Willo.”

It’s a deep rumble that sends a thrill spiking through me. I bite down on my bottom lip, trying to reign in my composure, as I turn to find a set of yellow eyes, bright as the center of a fire, watching me.

I don’t even realize that I’ve stopped, my feet rooted to the spot under Yamarz’s gaze until someone nearly slams into me.

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