Page 39 of Grumpy Pucking Orc
“Six,” he replied.
Well, I was up earlier than that most mornings for a gym workout anyway. But before I offered to help the team, I wanted to have some one-on-one with Ozar.
“How about tomorrow night I give you a skating lesson, and afterward, we’ll go out for ice cream?”
His eyebrows shot up. “You skate?”
I grinned. “Pretty much since I could walk.”
A whole host of complex emotions chased across his face, and I worried that maybe I’d said the wrong thing. Was it emasculating in his culture to have a woman be better than a man at something? For her to teach him? That was one stereotype I hadn’t assumed about orcs.
Ozar cleared his throat. “I would very much enjoy you teaching me to skate and taking me for ice cream.”
His voice was husky, with something approaching awe. I felt my breath catch, my heart swell.
“Then I’ll meet you at the stadium at seven tomorrow night?” I asked, my voice suddenly just as husky.
“I’ll make sure the security human knows to let you in.” He released my hand, stood, and smiled warmly. “But if you are to teach me something, then I need to return the favor. Wait here.”
Chapter 16
Jordan
Ozar went into the bedroom, then reappeared with his arms full of weapons.
Okay. That was unexpected.
“You’re going to teach me tofight?” Not that I was opposed to the idea, but I had serious concerns about accidentally cutting him with a knife or slicing his pillows and furs with a sword.
“Yes.” He tossed a knife onto the table. It bounced twice before coming to a stop by my dessert plate.
“Rubber weapons?” I was astonished. Why would he have a bunch of rubber weapons in his apartment? Or anywhere, for that matter?
He grinned sheepishly. “I thought to bring them home for future children in my clan to use. They would learn much quicker if there was no fear of injury.”
It made sense. I picked up the rubber knife and stood, testing it with a few inexpert thrusts.
“Are there a lot of children in your clan?” I was envisioning Ozar teaching little orcs, tiny green toddlers withbudding tusks tugging at his pants’ legs, and chubby babies squealing as he swung them in his arms.
His smile fell. “No. We have no children in our clan. But I hope that soon we will.”
No children? What had happened? I should have asked, but I didn’t want us to discuss what was clearly such a heavy subject on our first date. Instead, I wondered whatourchildren would look like. Could we evenhavechildren together? Would they be a lighter green? With smaller tusks? Shorter and less muscular?
“You should stand more like this.”
He’d come over as I’d been daydreaming and began positioning me, turning me so my right side was forward, the knife low. As he went to move my legs, I turned and stabbed him in the ass with my rubber knife.
It was a gorgeous ass, begging to be stabbed…or grabbed with both hands.
“Attacking an unarmed opponent.” He shook a finger at me, his eyes dancing with laughter. “Very dishonorable.”
“You’re almost twice my size. I’ve got to fight dirty, or I’ll never win,” I told him.
“You’re supposed to learn, not win.”
I raised my eyebrows and tilted my head at Ozar, thinking that he probably never learned anything without the desire to win lurking not so quietly in the background. He left my side, unbuckled the scabbard with the giant knife from his hip, and set it on the table.
“Do you always carry that?” I asked, wondering again if the blade was legal. It was a truly big knife, but then again, things had changed a lot with werewolves, demons, and other supernatural beings walking around the city streets.
