Page 18 of Falling for the Grumpy Orc (Monsters of Saltford Bay #1)

Chapter Fourteen

Cassidy

The thick wallpaper peels away in long strips under the thin metal scraper as I work at a particularly stubborn section along the wide staircase leading up to the second floor.

It's probably been there since the Reagan administration, but I'm determined to win this battle.

Just like I'm determined to win every other battle that stands between me and making this lodge a success.

Even if my arms feel like overcooked spaghetti and my fingers are stiff from holding the handle of the scraper. I’ve been working on the wallpaper removal all day and as the sun starts to lower over the ocean, I’m more than ready for a break.

Just a half hour more , I promise myself. Then I’ll open that bottle of wine and sit on the porch until my arms fall off.

My phone skitters across the floor like a deranged cricket, buzzing so hard it nearly vibrates itself right on the edge of the staircase. I lunge for it, my hands almost dropping the thing twice before I catch it.

Silvia's name flashes on the screen and my heart does a happy little jump.

"Cassie, babe!" Silvia's voice bursts through the speaker before I can even say hello. "Update me. Now. Have you lost your mind yet? Gone feral in the woods? Started talking to squirrels?"

I snort, wedging the phone between my shoulder and ear as I sit down on the stairs for a well-deserved break. Trust Silvia to jump right in without any pleasantries.

"The squirrels are actually great conversationalists," I quip back. "Very philosophical. Also, hello to you, too."

"Yeah, yeah, pleasantries are for people who haven't been ghosting their best friend." She doesn't sound mad, just amused. "Now tell me everything. And by everything, I mean what's happening with your sexy green contractor. Has he ravished you yet?"

My chest tightens and heat floods my face as memories of our kiss flash through my mind. The way Gerralt's massive hands felt on my body, how his tusks pressed against my lips, the rumble in his chest when I…

Jeez. I’m going to need a cold shower.

"No!" I squeak, way too quickly. "Nothing's happening. I'm just, you know, trying to save this place. Keep it from falling apart. "

Trying not to think about how Jason is still dragging his feet on signing the closing papers on our old house while I watch my checking account slowly die a painful death.

"Oh. My. God." Silvia's voice drops to a dramatic whisper. "Something happened. You're rambling. You only ramble when you're nervous. Spill it, Cassidy Perkins. Did you ride the green mountain man yet? Did you?"

I burst into laughter and snort midway into it. There's no point trying to hide anything from her. She's like a bloodhound when it comes to sniffing out my secrets. And I have to admit, I kind of need to talk to someone right now.

"I might have kissed him." I swallow hard, staring at my fingers. "But that’s all, I swear. No riding anything."

The shriek that comes through my phone could probably shatter glass.

"YOU WHAT?" Silvia's voice hits a pitch that could make nearby coyotes howl. "When? Where? How? Was there tongue? Did he pin you against a wall? Did those tusks feel as good as you thought they would? Tell me everything or I'll die right here!"

"Silvia!" I hiss, even though there's no one around to hear. "It was pretty great. I mean, it was just…"

But it wasn't 'just' anything. It was earth-shattering. Soul-rearranging. The kind of kiss romance novels try to describe and fail. The kind that makes you realize every kiss before was just practice for this moment.

His hands had been so big, so strong, yet so careful with me. Like I was precious. Breakable. But also like he wanted to devour me whole. The way his tusks felt against my skin, how his tongue claimed my mouth, the growl that vibrated through his chest when I pressed against him.

And then he walked away.

"Earth to Cassidy!" Silvia's voice snaps me back to reality. "You just went completely silent on me. Oh my God, it was that good, wasn't it?"

I take a long sip of my now-lukewarm coffee, trying to gather my scattered thoughts.

"It was, yeah. It was something else."

"Something?" she scoffs. "Girl, you sound like you're having flashbacks to the hottest moment of your life, and you're giving me 'something'? I need details!"

"Fine!" I burst out, my face burning. "It was amazing, okay? It was… God, Silvia, it was everything. His hands were everywhere and his tusks…" I press my thighs together at the memory. "But it was a mistake. It can't happen again."

"And there it is." Silvia's voice goes flat. "The classic Cassidy self-sabotage. Why exactly can't it happen again?"

"Because…" I trail off, watching Marigold stretch lazily in a patch of sunlight.

The stray cat finally started coming inside last night, thanks to Gerralt's cat house.

Another reminder of his thoughtfulness that makes my chest ache.

"Because he left, okay? I kissed him, being the bold new Cassidy and all, and he kissed me back.

It was hot, and it was amazing, but then he just dropped me and left me there, hanging. "

I take a deep breath and the familiar sting of tears burn in my eyes, but I fight them back.

“I should just swear off men forever. After what happened with Jason, I should know better. ”

"No." Silvia cuts me off. "We are not using that cheating bastard as an excuse. Jason was a weak man who didn't deserve you. Meanwhile, you've got a massive green dreamboat who builds you cat houses and renovates your life with his bare hands. There's no comparison."

I bite my lip, something warm and uncertain fluttering in my chest. "But…"

“No buts.” She cuts me off again. “You said you made the first move, and he kissed you back? That’s important to him, Cassie.”

When I don’t answer, I hear her exhale through the phone.

"Listen to me, Cass." Silvia's voice softens. "Orcs aren't like human men. They don't play games. They don't mess around. When an orc shows interest in a woman, it means something. They mate for life, you know."

My heart does a funny little skip. "They what? What do you mean, mate for life?"

"I mean for life. No cheating, no games. No take-backs, no half measures. When an orc commits, they're all in. Till death do they part."

The words settle over me like a warm blanket, making something deep in my chest ache with possibility. The intensity I felt in Gerralt's kiss was like nothing I ever experienced before. It was too much to be fake, too much to be just a casual fling.

Maybe Silvia was right. Maybe Gerralt was different enough that I could trust him with that tiny, broken part of myself that I feared would never heal.

A sudden, sharp knock at the door makes me jump, sloshing coffee onto my shirt .

"Shit!" I yelp, dabbing at the stain. Marigold's ears flatten as she darts under the couch.

"What was that?" Silvia asks.

"Someone's at the door." I frown, glancing at the clock. I have no delivery planned and Gerralt never knocks. He just appears like some massive, grumpy green ninja. "Hold on."

The knock comes again, harder this time. More insistent. Something about it makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up.

I pad to the door, phone still pressed to my ear, and peek through the peephole.

A troll stands on my porch, wearing a marine-blue suit and holding a clipboard in front of his chest. He smiles casually at the door, exposing a row of white teeth. Sharp white teeth.

“City of Saltford Bay, ma’am,” the troll calls as if he can hear the alarm bells going around in my head. “Chief Inspector Millings.”

He retrieves a business card from the inside of his vest and brings it in front of the peephole, but I can’t decipher a word of it.

"Cassie?" Silvia's voice seems far away. "What's wrong?"

I swallow hard, watching the troll shift his weight to his other foot with impatience.

"I have to go," I whisper into the phone, my fingers tight around the doorknob. "I'll call you back."

Taking a deep breath, I unlock the door.

“Hi.” I smile and hope it doesn’t look as forced as it feels. “What can I do for you?”

"I'm here to assess your electrical panels in compliance with the local codes. "

He flashes what I assume is meant to be a winning smile and extends his hand to me. After just a moment of hesitation, I shake his hand and I have to suppress the urge to wipe it down on my pants when I find it cold and moist.

"My office called you to schedule the inspection, didn't they?

" His smile falters a tad as I stand there in the doorway.

"Or maybe you don't feel comfortable in allowing a troll inside your house?

I know humans can be wary of us, but I can assure you I am a professional and I will only stay as long as is strictly required. "

He winces, and I feel my cheeks burning with sudden shame. I'm no bigot and I instantly feel terrible about my hasty judgment.

"Of course you can come in," I quickly say, stepping aside. "Your office must have used a wrong number. I'm terribly sorry if I offended you."

"Don't worry yourself, ma'am." Chief Inspector Millings nods at me as he enters the house, and I close the door behind him. "I'm used to it by now. Not every human is as tolerant as you are, you know? Now, may I ask where your electrical panels are?"

Relieved that he doesn’t seem offended, I lead him to the basement, where the newly installed electrical panels line the back wall. It doesn't take long before my new smile falters completely.

"This won't do. Shame, really. This is an extremely dangerous situation you have down here.

" The inspector shakes his head at the electrical panel, clicking his tongue.

"This panel is a model that was recalled years ago and all the wiring I can see down here is the wrong gauge.

I'll give you a week to put in a new panel and rewire the entire lot, or I'll have to condemn this building for good. "

"What?" My stomach drops. "I hired a professional electrician and he assured me there was no need for rewiring. This would cost me a fortune and -"

"Oh, no need to get defensive, ma'am." The troll cuts me off with that shake of his head and a lifting of his hand.

"I'm just doing my job. This is for your safety.

You risk an electrical fire or worse. In the meantime, you'll need to find some other accommodation to live.

I can't let you stay in a house that dangerous. "

Panic fills my lungs and I begin to feel the room spin around me.

I’m going to lose my house.