Page 49 of Horn in My Side

MAL

There was a saying in Old Orcish that translated to, “You could be sitting on top of the world one moment, and then get hit by manticore dung the next.”

Karak would recite this quote to his apprentices on their first day of training. It was meant to be a cautionary tale, to always be prepared for anything—delayed or denied permits, budgets blowing up, or a roof you thought you’d sealed properly could start leaking.

Mal, however, had a different interpretation: you can be at your highest point, and life can still find a way to shit on you.

His life was incredible right now. He’d spent most of the last couple of years moving around, going to amazing places and working on some truly magnificent architectural wonders.

It was fulfilling, and his peers could only dream of what he’d accomplished.

Then he’d come to Dewberry Falls, and while he thought that was a setback, it turned out to be the opposite.

Now on top of all his accomplishments, he had a wonderful woman.

One that filled every room with sunshine, whose smile could melt even his cynical hearts.

Hearing her laugh made his day and seeing her took his breath away.

He wanted nothing more than to wake up with her every morning, make love to her, and go to bed with his arms around her.

It was almost too good to be true, and he wondered when that axe would fall.

Right this moment, though, it was difficult to think anything could possibly go wrong. Not when the current expression on Jasmine’s face sent his hearts into the stratosphere.

“Mal?” Jasmine’s smile could power an entire electric station. “Remember when I said you shouldn’t spoil me by using your money?”

“Yeah?”

“Forget I said that.” Jasmine threw herself onto the massive double-king-sized bed and let out a sigh as she ran her hands over the luxurious sheets. “In fact, if I ever bring it up, tell me I’m wrong.”

Though it had only been three weeks since their last trip, Mal had wanted to take Jasmine away again.

The shop had been busier than ever, and Jasmine began to show signs of stress once more.

So, this time, he took it upon himself to plan their staycation, and he did it his way, booking a corner suite at the Solstice Pavilion Hotel, right in the middle of the bustling downtown of Bayview City.

He also convinced her to close Fantastic Tails for both Tuesday and Wednesday, so they could have a proper mini-break.

“I’m glad you like it.” Mal jumped on the bed beside her, then grabbed at her waist. She squealed in delight as he covered her body with his, then nibbled at her neck.

As her sweet perfume filled his senses, he reveled in the smell and feel and taste of her.

She sighed and melted against him, her fingers lazily raking through his hair.

How he wanted to stay like this forever. For things to always be this way.

But a question slunk into his brain like a slithering serpent that had been hiding in the back of his mind these past few weeks.

Did she want the same thing?

Did she love him too?

And if the Historical Society called him and told him he’d won the bid, could he tell them no?

There were so many times since his parents’ visit that he wanted to tell her he loved her, but he just couldn’t get the words out.

Things were still progressing between them, and they had hit that perfect point—they were still in that honeymoon phase, unable to keep their hands off each other, but also wanted to spend each and every moment together.

While that seemed like a positive sign, he should tell her that to him it was the opposite.

What if he scared her off?

What if she didn’t love him back?

While his mother might think she knew a thing or two about love, she didn’t know Jasmine.

Yes, they had been enjoying each other’s company in and out of the bedroom, but that didn’t mean she was ready for anything more with him.

Jasmine was a whole person on her own. She had her own life, her own plans and dreams, and Mal might not fit into them.

She was the one who suggested the “see where this goes” arrangement.

What if she did that in the first place because she knew he was leaving, and it would be an easy break for them?

That would make things easier when he had to leave, Mal supposed, whether that was in a few weeks or tomorrow. While the Orc Historical Society may have dilly-dallied on their decision, they would expect a swift acceptance, as there were many eager builders ready to take on the job.

“What are you thinking so hard about, Mal?”

I love you, Jasmine.

“Nothing, nothing at all.” Mal ran his hand up her thigh, pushing her shirt up so he could graze his claws on her belly.

“Mal . . .” she moaned. “No.”

He froze. “No?”

Sitting up, she sat back on her heels. “I mean, not now . If we start this now, we’ll never leave this room—this bed—until we check out on Thursday morning.”

“Oh, we would definitely be leaving this bed. I plan to fuck you all over this room. On that couch, in the jacuzzi, against the window—”

She slapped him playfully on the arm. “Mal, please? I’ve never stayed longer than one afternoon in Bayview, and that was because Vrig asked me to run an errand at his main bank branch.

I want to go out and do some touristy stuff, eat, and do some shopping.

All the fun things us sleepy town dwellers miss out on. ”

“I never figured you for a big-city girl.”

“No, but I did live in five major cities in my life. I miss the energy and having stuff to do.”

He recalled what she said, about moving around a lot when she and her father first came here, and how she never had time to plant roots. “That must have been tough, having to start again each time.”

“Yeah, but I understand. My dad wanted a better life for me. All parents want the best for their kids.”

A sudden vision of Jasmine holding a baby popped into his head.

Of her playing hide and seek with a rambunctious little boy with green skin.

Or comforting a teary-eyed youngling with a scraped knee.

The words he’d been wanting to say were ready to spill from his mouth, but he managed to suppress them, because his own parents—and specifically his father—filled his thoughts.

Morlak and Karak would be so proud of him if he got the job renovating the lodge.

And he knew once he began planning and working on the site his father’s and family’s legacy would be solidified forever in orc history.

Clearing his throat, he said, “So, have you spoken to your dad yet?”

Her shoulders stiffened. “Haven’t had the chance. With the shop and all—”

“I can help you if you want.”

“There’s also the loan paperwork.” Her hands wrung in her lap. “I need to send that off to Tracy soon.”

“Want me to take a look at it?”

He’d offered to help her before, but she’d refused, and he respected that she preferred to do this on her own. However, he was confident in her abilities. He even bought that bottle of champagne he promised her and left it chilling in the back of the office fridge, ready to be popped open.

“No, I told you, I can do it on my own.”

“It shouldn’t take that long. Once you submit it, you’ll have time to talk to your dad. I’m sure he’d be so happy.”

The look on her face, however, indicated she didn’t think so.

“Jasmine? Is that why you haven’t told him?

You think he won’t be happy?” It pained his hearts to know she was still blaming herself for her dad losing the chance at gaining his family’s magic.

“I told you, it’s not your fault he didn’t get The Inheritance.

You think you don’t deserve your abilities because it was meant—”

“Mal, will you stop getting on my case about my dad?” she snapped. A microsecond later, her face crumpled in distress. “I didn’t mean—”

A knot in his chest formed. “Shhh . . . it’s okay.

” Wrapping his arms round her, he pulled her close and rested his chin on her head.

“We don’t have to talk about it. Let’s not argue anymore and spoil this time.

” She was not ready to talk to her dad, and he had to respect that.

Still, he hoped that she would find a way to at least stop blaming herself. She deserved more than that.

“So, you want to go see the sights? And out to eat?”

She nodded against his chest.

“All right, I’ll take you out.”

As he’d promised, they visited all the sights in the city—from the Bayview Natural History Museum to the Historic Old Town to the Siren’s Sea Gardens, and ended the day with a big walk up the Lucent Gate Bridge where they watched the sun set.

In between, they stopped at cafés and food trucks to snack their way through the city, trying out all the hip and trendy eats.

Jasmine had loved the fernflower cakes they bought from a food cart run by an old hippie dryad, while the cloudberry muffins at the famous Night Blooms Café had blown Mal’s mind.

Mal was exhausted from their very full day, but at least Jasmine seemed like her normal self again. He didn’t like upsetting her. Thankfully, that knot in his chest had eased, though it wasn’t completely gone.

“Mal, did you hear me?”

Jasmine’s voice jolted him out of his thoughts. “Yes?”

“I asked how you managed to get a reservation here.” Jasmine’s eyes soaked in the ultra-modern glass-and-chrome dining room of the Obsidian Spire, one of Bayview City’s most exclusive restaurants. “They’re usually booked up months in advance.”

“Called in a favor,” he said. “One of my former clients knows the owners of their sister restaurant in Montreal. So, they got me this last-minute table.”

“Thank you for doing this and taking me here.” Her eyes sparkled as she perused the menu printed on heavy linen stock paper. “Everything looks divine, but . . .” She wrinkled her nose. “How come this menu doesn’t have prices?”

“It’s all pre-fixed,” he said. “And that’s the entire ten-course menu.”