Page 53 of Horn in My Side
She waved as they exited the shop, the son holding the door open for his father as he carried out a brand-new tank under one arm and a bag full of goodies in the other.
Sunday of the festival weekend was Jasmine’s favorite day.Most people were burned out after the frenzy of Saturday’s activities, so now almost everything was winding down.The morning was still busy, but after lunchtime, the crowds waned.She didn’t mind the slowdown, as they already had a blockbuster day yesterday, earning about fifty per cent more than last year if her calculations were correct.She was glad she’d followed Kap’s advice and had T-shirts, mugs, and stickers made that featured cute cartoon drawings of different creatures, as those had practically flown off the shelves.However, she did draw the line at his suggestion of making shirts with Mal’s face on it that said “Zaddy Orc.”
Speaking of ...
Her gaze drifted outside to where Mal stood beside their table, handing out flyers to passersby.She hadn’t expected him to come today, but she should have known better.Even though he didn’t have to, he came to her rescue yesterday.The crowds pouring in had been overwhelming and that rude father was the icing on the cake.When he’d gone all protective and growly her insides turned to mush.Her feminist side protested at his white—green?—knight act, but well, all other parts of her were screaming, “Yes, please, can I have some more?”like some Victorian-era orphan.
Oh Mother Goddess, I’m supposed to stop crushing on him.
That had been the plan from the very beginning, but that soul-searing kiss against the hatching tank pushed her further away from that goal.That had been over two weeks ago, yet it remained fresh in her mind—his firm lips, the way he moaned into her mouth, his large hands gripping her, the humungous bulge that had pressed up against her stomach.Just the thought of it had her core clenching tight.
Legendary orc dick, indeed.
Even now, as she watched from behind the display window, her eyes were drawn to his muscled back, her fingers hankering to dig into them again and feel them moving under her hands.Mal, as if sensing her ogling him, turned toward her.She leapt backwards, heart jumping into her throat.Did he see her?Warmth crept up her neck and she rushed behind the counter, hiding her face behind the computer screen, praying Mal wouldn’t come in.
The rest of the afternoon saw even less customers, and by five o’clock, Jasmine decided to start closing up.She began with the pens and cages downstairs, dropping in dinner for those who needed it and cleaning out all the trays.After a quick wash of her hands, she climbed to the second floor to start with the creatures there.With nearly half their stock gone, she zipped through herwork.As she was hanging up the last clipboard, she heard the heavy steps of Mal’s boots trudging up the steps.She froze, her brain scrambling for an escape route.
Calm down, she told herself.It’s only Mal.
“Hey, Mal.”Her tone was casual and cool.“What—Oh, you didn’t have to bring that up here.I could have asked Kap to come before his shift.”
Mal carried the table from outside over one shoulder.“It’s fine,” he said in a gruff voice.He planted it on the floor so forcefully, the legs scraping the wood made Jasmine’s teeth hurt.
Was he angry about something?Maybe he wasn’t happy she refused his offer of dinner last night.She was tempted, but a) she didn’t have the budget to eat out right now, and b) the two of them having dinner together would feel too much like a date, which would really put a crimp in her “stop crushing on your boss” plans.
“Mal?”she called as he pivoted toward the stairs.
“Yeah?”
“Thank you.”She couldn’t figure out what else to say, except that she hated that feeling stuck in her gut right now, knowing he was mad about something.“For coming in today.You didn’t have to—”
Crash!
Mal’s indigo eyes grew to the size of saucers as fear gripped Jasmine’s chest.
“The tank,” they said at the same time.
Though Mal had bigger strides, Jasmine was faster.She raced down to the first floor, stopping short when she arrived on the main floor.
“Oh no,” she cried.“Mal ...your tank.”
Shards and bits of glass littered the floor as one of the tank walls had been completely shattered.Stepping around the debris carefully, she gasped when she looked inside.
“What is it?”Mal’s boots crunched on the glass as he drew closer.“Is the egg broken?”
“Yes.I mean, no, not quite.”
Large chunks of pearly blue scales littered the floor of the aquarium, but the pieces were completely clean.Mal reached inside and picked up a shell shard.“Looks like it hatched.”
“Yeah, that’s what I figured.”
He held up the piece to his nose, sniffed, then grunted.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.I mean ...”He glanced around them.“A newly hatched carcinos couldn’t have done this damage.It takes a few days for their exoskeleton to harden.”
She bit at her lip.“So the egg wasn’t a carcinos?”
