Page 77 of Halfling
“Do you not like it?”
“It’s fine,” he assured her.
“Then you eat and I’ll take a turn scowling at everything that moves.”
Ears going ruddy, he cut a glance to Sorcha to find her grinning saucily at him, eyes glittering with laughter.
The sight of her good humor allowed him to unlock a few of the tensed muscles that held him rigid. He hadn’t been able to relax since sitting down at their table, nestled in the far back corner of the tavern. In truth, he hadn’t relaxed since they’d left the forest for this town.
He didn’t understand Sorcha’s fascination with bringing him into human places, but he’d be damned if he let her out of his sight. No one confronted them or even spared them much of a glance, and those that did quickly scurried away at the sight of his bulk.
Good. Stay away from my female.
Sorcha had chosen the largest of the town’s three inns, one with a busy tavern on the ground floor. Well, it hadn’t been busy when they arrived around dusk, but just as they’d secured lodging for the night and sat down at their table, the place had begun to fill up.
Now, almost every seat was taken with mostly men, the barmaids weaving between them with ales and wines. The bitter smell of hops mixed with the crush of bodies and savory tang of herbs and meat, swirling so strongly in Orek’s nose that he could barely scent Sorcha beside him. A fact that annoyed the hell out of him.
As did each and every male that dared to glance their way. And more than one had landed on the beautiful sight of Sorcha, their eyes lingering with interest. He’d warned off more than five with a shift of his shoulders and peek of fang from under his cloth cowl.
So no, Orek hadn’t tucked into his dinner like Sorcha because he was too busy glaring at every male in the place.
Keep your eyes and everything else you don’t want to lose off my female.
But she was looking at him expectantly, so Orek took his spoon and ate. The dish was pleasant, though he’d rarely had noodles before. He listened to Sorcha’s chatter as he ate, keeping his eyes on the growing crowd of men hoping for a free ale as the foolish winner’s money disappeared behind the tavern bar.
When the noodle dish was finished and Sorcha satisfied, she ordered herself some pie, Orek another mead, and an apple for Darrah.
Orek tried not to shift in his chair and be too obvious that he wanted to hurry her out of here and away from all the other males. He couldn’t blame them for stealing glances, she was a beautiful creature, almost glowing in the soft amber light of the tavern. Her hair gleamed like the polished woods of the walls, and her freckles danced as she smiled and teased.
No, he couldn’t blame them for looking, for he was just as entranced. That didn’t mean he wouldn’t pluck the eyes from their skulls if they looked too long, though.
With long draughts from his tankard he drowned his growing desire to throw her over his shoulder and run back into the forest, away from everyone.
Sorcha made a happy noise when a steaming piece of pie was placed in front of her by one of the barmaids.
“Best not let the boss see him,” the girl said, nodding at Darrah’s snout where it poked out from the fur hood. Her eyes shifted up to Orek and went wide, catching more of his face and coloring the longer she looked.
She hurried away.
Sorcha shrugged and handed him Darrah’s apple.
With pleasure, Orek pulled out his big hunting knife to cut it up. All the males near them shifted anxiously as it flashed in the firelight.
Sorcha snorted. “Going with the big one, are we?”
Orek’s answering smile was all teeth. “Never hurts to scare away scavengers.”
“Good. I wouldn’t want anyone coming for my pie. It’smine.”
“I’ll defend it with my life.”
She snorted another laugh. “I know you will.”
And to no help to his cause, she cut a piece of pie and held it before her to blow it cool. Full lips glistening in the light, Orek stared at the perfectothey made. His cock twitched in his braies, and he knew he’d another excellent treasure in his trove of memories for later.
He choked back his groan when she stuck out the tip of her tongue to test the pie, hummed in pleasure, and wrapped her lips around the fork tines, savoring the bite.
He had to look away and brought the knife down with a heavythunk,rattling his empty plate and startling himself and the other males nearby out of their lustful stupor.
