Page 71 of Horn in My Side
“I know that.”
He made a decision.Actually, it wasn’t much of a decision as it was the truth.“She’s yours.From the moment she called out to you, asking for your help, she was yours.”
“Mal, what are you say—”
“I’m ‘giving’ her to you, though that point is moot because she was never mine to give away.Whether or not you end up buying the shop, you can keep her.I mean, you want to, don’t you?”
“Of course,” she breathed.“More than anything.”
“Then I’ll sign whatever you need me to sign, and we can make it official.I’ll have your back, no matter what.”
“You can’t possibly ...Mal, that’s too much.What if—What are you doing?”
Mal had stood up in the middle of her babbling and walkedto her side of the table, knelt down to her level, then planted a kiss on her mouth.She froze for a moment before her lips softened, accepting his kisses.When he pulled away, her eyes were glazed over, her breathing heavy.
“No more protests.You’ve hit your quota for the evening.”Returning to his seat, he sat back down.
“Mal, this is really generous of you,” she said.“Thank you so much.”
“You can thank me by taking good care of her, but I have no doubt about that.”
Jasmine practically sparkled with joy, and Mal would have given her a hundred dragons to keep her like this.
“Dessert is served,” Seren said as she set down the two plates in front of them.“Enjoy.”
They ate their cheesecakes, their conversation mostly light and pertaining to the shop and the creatures.After he’d paid, they walked back.The air was now even more pleasant thanks to the cooler temperatures.
“So,” Mal began as they stopped outside her door, “will you go out with me—”
“No.”
“No?You didn’t even let me finish.”
“I don’t want you to.”
His stomach plummeted.“I understand.This is why we said we would wai—”
“No, no.”She shook her head vehemently.“We agreed on three dates, but not thatyouhad to do all the inviting.So, Mal, will you go out with me?”
“Huh.”
She cocked her head to the side.“What’s wrong?”
“I don’t think a girl has ever asked me out.”
“What?Orc ladies never ask orc men out or something?Do your people approach dating differently?”
“We have our own courting rituals, which are somewhat different from modern conventions.Traditionally, we win our life mates by besting rivals.And not just the men, but women too.”
“What?You fight each other?”
“You could say that.In the battle hordes, if a female is interested in a male, she must fight for him.She’ll compete with other rivals and then hand-to-hand combat with the male himself.”
“You’re not teasing me, are you?”she asked, eyeing him skeptically.
“No, that’s really how it happens.”
“What, so you’ve had women duel for you?”
