Page 43 of The Orc Who Hated Christmas
“She had a son with Jordan. A son she actually wanted. They named him Sam.” Graal gave a harsh laugh. “He was born a bit before Christmas. That year, they put up a Christmas tree with presents underneath. He was too young to even properly appreciate it, but they’d still done it for him.” Graal licked his lips.
“I always thought that maybe my mother wasn’t capable of love. She’d never really been that affectionate to Jordan either.” Graal took a deep breath. “That Christmas, I realised she was capable of love. She just wasn’t capable of loving me.” Tears slid down his cheeks.
“After that, I left. I was fourteen. I got a job and rented a room from Fernos. Funny. I didn’t realise how badly he treated me for a long time. Probably because he didn’t treat me much worse than my own mother. And if your own mother can’t love you—” Graal broke off as more tears slid down his cheeks.
“Fuck, Graal. I’m so sorry.” Cas lifted a hand and wiped at Graal’s tears.
Graal let out a shaky breath. “And I really can’t blame my mother. Who’d want an ugly monster like me for a son?”
“Graal! No!” Tears shone in Cas’s eyes. “Why would you say that?”
“It’s fine. I know it’s true.” Graal’s voice trembled. “I came to terms with it a long time ago. It’s what everyone has said to me my whole life. It’s what Jordan said. What Fernos and Loral said. Fuck. It’s what strangers and kids on the streets say.”
Cas’s mouth fell open.
“It’s true. Children see me in the street and point. They’re terrified of me and are worried the hideous monster will eat them.” Graal shook his head. “Honestly, I don’t understand why you can bear to be seen with me.”
Cas gripped Graal’s arms, wings fluttering as he lifted to eye level with Graal. “Because you’re not a monster! You’re beautiful, Graal!”
Graal choked and gave a jerky shake of his head.
“You are!” Cas leaned in close. “Maybe not everyone sees it. But I do. I think you’re beautiful.”
“It’s all right, Cas.” Graal struggled to draw breath. Everything hurt. “I know I’m not nice to look at.”
“Well, I like to look at you!” Cas practically yelled at him.
Graal growled.
“Graal, you know it to be true. I’m not fucking you out of some weird sense of charity. I’m fucking you because I’m attracted to you and I want all that attractiveness over and in me! You’re so damn sexy I don’t know what to do with myself. And you deserve to feel beautiful!”
Cas reached out and stroked his fingers through Graal’s hair. “Let me make you feel beautiful, Graal.” Then, Cas leaned forward and kissed him.
CHAPTER 27
Cas kissed Graal, slow and soft, mouths dancing together. He slid his fingers through Graal’s loose black hair.
“You’re beautiful,” Cas whispered against Graal’s lips.
He felt Graal shake his head.
But that was all right. Graal had spent a lifetime believing himself to be ugly. It would take more than a few words from Cas to prove he wasn’t. But Cas hoped that tonight he could start to prove to Graal that he was so much more than what he’d been taught to believe.
“You’re sexy and attractive, and I desire you.” Without the usual urgency, Cas undid the ties of Graal’s tunic.
He wanted to take his time, making sweet, gentle love to Graal. He pushed Graal’s tunic from his shoulders, letting it fall to the floor. Cas stepped back. He ran a hand down Graal’s hairy chest. “I like this, your dark hair over your broad chest.”
Graal huffed. “I look very different from you.”
Cas raised an eyebrow. “You do.” Cas dragged his nails through the black hair. He began to walk in a circle aroundGraal, running his hand along his muscular shoulders. He paused, gazing at the large mounds of Graal’s arse. “I’m thin and petite. Pixies are very pretty. Everyone says so.”
“You are.”
Cas smiled. “But this.” Cas slid his hand down the nubs of Graal’s spine, causing the big orc to shiver. “All this green skin and broad muscles…” Cas let out a breath. “You’re absolutely breathtaking.”
Graal looked back at him. He opened his mouth, as if about to protest. But Cas reached out and pinched Graal’s arse cheek. Graal jumped.
“And this delectable arse. I really have to apologise, Graal. I haven’t given it nearly enough attention. I’ve been too distracted by your incredible dick.” Cas smacked it. “I really should spend hours worshipping, kissing, and eating it. Fuck, this a nice arse.” He slapped it again and watched the wobble.
