Page 123 of That’s My Orc, Tusk Off

“I’m the only human you know well other than Laina, and I swear I overheard you telling her this after eating some of her muffins.”

We loved baking for our orcs.

“Still my favorite.”

“Does Laina know you’re cheating on her muffins with cookies?” I asked.

“I have room in my heart for muffins and cookies.” He pressed a hand to his chest. “My heart is large.”

“Your stomach is large,” Traig said.

Drogar grinned. “That too.”

He left with three cookies wrapped in a napkin, promising to return later for the container.

Traig reached past my shoulder for something, his chest pressing against my back.

“You have flour,” he said, his thumb brushing my cheekbone. “Right here.”

“Thanks,” I whispered.

He didn’t step back. Just stood there, his hand on my face, his eyes on my mouth.

Then Fred crashed into the window, and the moment broke.

Traig picked up a cookie from the cooling rack, turning it in his hand before taking a bite. His eyes closed.

“Good?” I asked.

“Very good.”

He ate the rest in one bite, reaching for another.

I turned back to the sink to wash the mixing bowl, but his hand caught my wrist.

He broke the cookie and held a piece to my mouth, his thumb brushing my lower lip as I took a bite.

“Good?” he asked, watching my face.

I couldn’t speak around the cookie. Just nodded.

His eyes tracked the movement of my throat as I swallowed. Then he ate the rest, never looking away.

The kitchen was too warm. Or maybe that was just me, trying to memorize the shade of his eyes when he looked at me.

What if this was one of the last times he’d be with me?

The sweetness hit first. Then the cinnamon. Then the way he was looking at me, like feeding me a cookie I’d made was somehow the most important thing he’d do all day.

I chewed slowly, holding his gaze.

He ate the rest of the cookie, his eyes never leaving mine.

Fred grumbled from somewhere behind us.

Nix discharged in the corner, a small crack of static that made my hair stand up.

Traig’s lips twitched. “I should check on him. Make sure he hasn’t melted anything.”