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He grunts, narrowing his eyes at me. “I will finish before Rosetta’s cousin arrives.”
There’s only one reason that would be necessary. “Do you need the room finished because Natalie’s staying here?”
Dak’s lips curl in a way only an orc’s can. A terrifying expression, but I know it’s involuntary, not intentional. “This room is for our child, not…guests.” He says the last word as if it’s unpleasant. To him, it probably is. Before Rosetta entered his life, Dak kept to himself. If I hadn’t essentially bullied him into friendship years ago, it wouldn’t have happened. “Rosetta wishes to use the nursery to tell her cousin about our unborn orcling. She would have been happy with the framed structure, but I will ensure it is completed.”
No surprise there. Dak has worshipped the ground Rosetta walks on since she set foot in Fate’s Falls. True to his orc nature, he’s also very possessive of the ground under Rosetta’s feet, the air she breathes, etcetera. Hence why I’m out here talking to him when he’s not the person I need to speak with.
Since I am out here with him, I can’t help replaying parts of my conversation with Natalie earlier. I cut Natalie off from going into detail, but I have a pretty good idea why Dak would’ve sent Rosetta a set of dildos. Orcs are much larger than humans. In every way, including the size of their cocks.
The same can be said of Minotaurs. As much as my hope for a relationship with Natalie makes me curious about how Dak and his fiancée handle their disproportionate anatomies, I can’t broach the subject. Natalie and I will have to find our own way in the bedroom—if we get there at all. Even though I know she’s my mate, it’s still possible she’ll take one look at me and run as far away as possible.
“Did you come all the way out here to stare into the forest?” Dak’s voice snaps me from my thoughts. He hasn’t stopped working to speak to me, but his attention darts between the level he’s checking and my face. “Perhaps you should sell that too-large house in town and have me build you a one-bedroom cottage with a nice view of the pine trees.” It could be a legitimate offer, or Dak’s particular brand of dry sarcasm. Likely a bit of both.
“I came out here to talk to Rosetta about her cousin.”
Thick eyebrows rise over eyes so dark they’re impossible to read. “She is in her workshop. I do not allow her in the construction area. Her safety is paramount, especially now.”
We both know his use of do not allow isn’t literal. Rosetta may be petite, but her attitude is far from small. If she wanted to hang around and watch him build the nursery, she would. Of course, then he’d stop working on the addition to build some sort of safety station to protect her from all the things he deems hazardous. That’s probably why she abides his request to stay out. Well, that and the near-seamless way their dynamic fits together.
I’ve only taken a single step toward the large, rectangular outbuilding that houses Rosetta’s metalworking shop and Dak’s construction equipment when he says, “Your respect is appreciated.”
Pivoting, I give him a nod. Even an orc’s best man knows better than to approach his mate without permission. Formality out of the way, I continue on to the shop.
Because of the noisy machinery, a loud chime sounds and lights flash when I open the door. Safety precautions Dak installed when Rosetta began doing her metalworking in here.
Rosetta kills the power at her workstation, sets her cutting tool down, and flips her safety visor up. “Hey, Constantine. What’s up?”
“Your cousin contacted me this morning. By text. I responded by calling.”
“Not surprised.” She glances at my hands. “I don’t know how guys like you and Dak use cellphones at all, since they’re all made for human hands. One of your fingers takes up half the screen’s width.”
“I use a stylus for texting. But I called Natalie because I wanted to talk with her as directly as possible, so she’d feel more comfortable staying in my home.” I would never use an ill-tempered tone with Dak’s mate, but I do cross my arms across my chest. “A plan she wasn’t aware of.”
“Oh, yeah, about that…” She shrugs and raises her hands, palms up. “Oopsie?”
“Unconvincing.”
“You’re right. I totally avoided answering questions that might cause her to cancel her trip. She’s been my best friend since we were born, and she’s the only member of my family who’ll be at my wedding. I couldn’t risk it.”
“You weren’t concerned that having a man she’s never met tell her she’ll be living with him for two weeks might bring her plans to a screeching halt?”
“Any other man, yes. But I knew you’d have no problem wooing her.”
“Convincing her, you mean.”
“No, I meant wooing her.” Rosetta moves away from the vise holding a strip of metal with three pieces of rebar protruding upward. She leans one hip against the end of the workbench and mimics my folded-arms stance. “I saw the way you looked at her picture on her website’s bio page. There are plenty of beautiful females in Fate’s Falls, and I’ve never seen you get moon-eyed over anyone. Hell, I’ve been here for a year and you’ve never gone on a single date, that I’m aware of.”
“That’s correct, I have not.” And it’s been a lot longer than a year.
“I knew it.” She nods at the verification. “Tell me you didn’t go home and immediately stalk Nat’s socials.”
“I didn’t.” I huff out a breath when she narrows her gaze. “Not immediately. I had to stop at the brewery and do some work first.”
“Ha! I knew it.”
“Natalie is very attractive.”
The snorted laugh Rosetta makes is similar to Natalie’s during our telephone conversation this morning. I found Natalie’s adorable. Charming. Rosetta’s has no effect on me whatsoever.
