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“Really? What’s changed your mind?”
He turned and an eyebrow shifted up. When he spoke, his voice seemed to have dropped an octave. “I can’t imagine.”
Shona quickly flicked her eyes forward, totally unable to stop the pleased little smile playing on her lips. To distract herself, she babbled on about all the properties she’d sold in The Hole In The Wall district.
At the door to her building, she meant to just thank him and say goodnight. Instead, she blurted, “Would you like a nightcap?”
“I prefer not to wear one, it makes my braids itch.”
She blinked, then realized he was teasing her, with that damn stupid orc humor of his.
His lips slid into a crooked grin. “I would love a nightcap, thank you.”
This time she couldn’t hide her smile as she opened the door.
Ouch! Shona tried to ignore the increasingly dragging ache in her belly as Tor leaned nonchalantly in the kitchen doorway and remarked on all the old wood and carved furniture. “It’s totally griffin taste.” He laughed. “Griffins love all this ornate dark wood stuff.”
“Yes, not my thing at all, but since I barely pay rent, I gladly put up with it.” Another stab to her low belly made her wince, and he clearly noticed because he asked quickly, “Shona, are you okay?”
“I—Oh—” She rubbed her belly ruefully. Why hide it? “That time of the month. Sometimes it gives me bad cramps.”
“Hey, then stop.” He moved closer, his brows drawn down with concern. “What will help right now?”
“Pain killers, a heat pack.” An orgasm. Oh, no, she was not saying that!
“Here, you go take some painkillers, I’ll make us both a mug of something. Cocoa? Tea?”
“I’d love a herb tea. I just got the cups out. The tea is in the cupboard above. Chamomile would be lovely.”
“Have you got raspberry leaf tea? That can help with period pains.”
She paused in the doorway. “You actually know what helps with period cramps?”
“I’m an orc, not an oaf.” His grin was a little lopsided, and so sexy that even through her pain she could appreciate it.
In the bathroom she gulped down two Advil, grabbed a heat pack, and changed her tampon, then decided to pull on some comfy tracksuit pants and a loose tee. Normally she wouldn’t ever let a guy see her dressed so casually, but… She felt so comfortable with Tor, nurtured even.
When she got back, he had the teas ready and he took the heat pack from her. “Go and rest on the sofa, I’ll bring you the heat pack. How long in the microwave?”
“Two minutes should do it.”
She stretched out on the sofa and made herself comfortable, and when he ambled in she felt a rush of love for this big, kind, insanely handsome guy. For a second she let herself imagine… what if he was in her life like this every day?
“Where’s best to put it?” he asked.
“Behind my back, thanks.” She arched a little and he slid it into place, then came and sat down opposite her, placing her tea on the small coffee table. “Anything else?”
She took a sip of her tea. “This is perfect, thank you.”
“Would a foot massage help? I did a short course in reflexology years ago. The area just inside of your ankle represents your uterus—if I gently massage that spot, it might help?”
“You’re amazing, when did you find time to do that?”
“At school. I wasn’t academic—always better at doing things with my hands.” He huffed a laugh. “I did woodwork and metal craft, and then they offered reflexology and I thought, all the girls are doing it, why not me? I found I was good at it, so I’ve kept it up since.”
She thought about all the past partners who’d been lucky enough to experience this. “Bet that was good to add to dating apps.”
“Never needed a dating app.” He chuckled.
