Page 16 of One Night with Her Untamed Orc (Toothsome Monster Romance #6)
Emma
“I haven’t slept in two weeks,” I admit to my sister, Mary.
I slurp down a third cup of coffee this morning while organizing the notes for my presentation on our ferry ride out to Moonfang Haven.
Promise, I had nothing to do with the talk being moved out here—to the scene of the crime, as Mary keeps calling it.
“You’ve got it bad, huh?” She’s smiling that dumb Cheshire Cat grin she does when she thinks she knows something I don’t.
“If by ‘got it bad,’ you mean five years worth of research plus fieldwork to whittle down into a one-hour presentation in hopes of saving my funding for the next three years? Then yes, I ‘got it bad.’” I use air quotes around her words. She rolls her eyes at me.
“No. I know all that.” She waves it off, like I overcooked a batch of cookies, rather than that my job is on the line. “You’re in love with this orc dude, who sounds like a reclusive a-hole. But what do I know? Maybe that’s your type. Though I think you’ll get bored with his quiet lifestyle.”
I shake my head. My ponytail whips my face. “You are wrong. I could never be bored with him.” A pause as I realize what I’ve said. “I’m just stressed about the presentation. It has nothing to do with Tarik.”
“Ah, that’s his name! I heard you say it in your sleep the other night.”
“I did not!”
“Did so. Please let me do your make-up for your presentation. Otherwise, you’ll be washed out in the photos. Also, please tell me you called him and invited him to your talk? Or at least to get a beer after?” Her eyes are wide with expectation.
“Photos?” The word comes out a squeak; I refuse to acknowledge her other question.
I swore I wouldn’t let myself succumb to pressure.
Yet, here I am. And I absolutely refuse to admit that my sister is right.
That I’m up at night, not worried about this presentation (though I am), but because I can’t stop thinking about Tarik.
Wondering if he’s thinking about me when he looks out at the sea, or if he’s just happy to have me off his property.
My body feels weirdly devoid of its favorite food, and I’m craving his kiss, his touch, the taste of him.
But I couldn’t call him. I left a note; he would have responded if he wanted to see me again. Right ?
“Earth to Emma. Again,” Mary looks smug. Like she can see straight into the television screen of my mind, watching the replay of our last morning together, eating homemade pancakes then him pumping into me hard in the middle of his kitchen. Gods, what a morning. I was sore all the next day.
“Yes. Fine to make-up, as long as it has Earth-friendly ingredients.”
“My dear sister, do you really think I would even entertain the idea of buying a product that might be on your shit list against the Earth?”
“This is why you’re my favorite sister.”
“Yes, favorite and only.”
Okay, fine. I am nervous about my presentation.
I’m wearing so much deodorant to prevent sweat stains on my blouse, I might as well have bathed in the stuff.
All the important people are here: old professors, peers, the people who run the budget for my research, my sister.
Not to mention, the citizens of Moonfang Haven.
This is their land, their sea. I’m happy to see so many people here.
Gives me hope for the future of these endangered eels.
It isn’t until halfway through my presentation, when the photo of the bay where I spent the best and hardest three days of my life comes into view, that I have a hiccup.
Tarik isn’t in the photo, that wouldn’t have been professional.
But he was there when I took it. Looking forbidding at me as I waxed on so poetically about the sea and the eels.
He must have thought me crazy. He’s probably so happy to have his forest and pebbly beach all to himself again, I tell myself.
Right after the photo, once I’ve got my bearings again, I hear a noise as I shuffle my note cards. My head jerks up, knowing the sound—a slight, threatening rumble.
That’s when I see him.
Poros. My heart soars at the sight of the young orc. But then it falls to the floor. Tarik isn’t with him; though it sounded like his growl and grumble. My eyes scan the crowd, desperate to see his grumpy face. Nope. A cough brings me back to the present, to this stage I’m standing on.
Somehow, I make it to my ending statement.
I let all the passion and nerdiness flow up through me to my words.
I want everyone to walk away from this presentation understanding the Lunar Crested Eel better than before, and knowing that its environment here in the waters of Wolfsridge Island is crucial to its continued existence.
This is the culmination of five years of research and work.
This is the leaping off point to securing more funding for more travel and research.
More years of collecting and studying data on these elusive sea creatures.
After the last word, the audience erupts in applause. I take a haggard breath, letting out the adrenaline that pushed me through. I savor this moment, even if I can’t admit that I’m sad Tarik isn’t here.
It’s silly of me to think he’d come and clap with the rest of these academic folk. Yes, part of me hoped Poros would convince him to come. But I probably should have had a bigger, stronger orc than Tarik (are there any bigger and stronger than him? I don’t think so) strong-arm him into coming.
I say ‘thank you’ to my colleagues who congratulate me afterward as people mill about. I try to stay focused on the people in front of me. These are the people who matter, I tell myself over and over again. A flash of bright color catches my eye. A bouquet of sunflowers.
I gasp at them; they’re so beautiful. When I realize the person holding them is wearing a ball cap over their face, but the hand holding the flowers is huge. And green. I gasp again. It can’t be. I searched everywhere.
He waits while people shake my hand. It has to be him.
Who else could it be? Poros stands at the edge of the crowd with a giant cheesy grin on his face.
Mary is next to him, matching his smile, her hands clasped together in front of her, like she can’t contain herself.
I can feel my own smile grow; there’s no stopping it.
My body lights up with excitement that Tarik really is here.
Finally, there’s a gap in people; I turn to him. His ball cap is still low. It says, “Green Thumb Growers.” That’s funny. He’s wearing a button-down shirt that looks like it’s going to pop off at any moment. It’s the first time I’ve ever seen him wear a shirt. It’s good to know he owns one.
We stand there. I wait, quiet but impatient.
My professor steps in front of Tarik to tell me about a new grant to apply for.
While I’m annoyed at him blocking my view of Tarik’s body, I can’t stop smiling.
The sight of Tarik towering over my professor is hilarious.
That he’s here, for me, makes me want to shout with joy…
even though that will probably scare him off.
Eventually, my professor walks away. The crowd thins a bit. I tap my foot.
“I found your note. It surprised me you used a purple pen.” I sigh in happiness at his silly way to start a conversation.
“Yes. I love the color. It complements green.”
“I didn’t realize. I got you yellow flowers.” Tarik’s face is so sincere, and yet still so incredibly grumpy. I love it so much, even if he doesn’t look me in the eyes. I love his thoughtfulness and his random statements .
“I love them. Did you grow them?”
“Poros.”
There. He looks at me. His dark eyes clear and wanting. His lack of a smile so familiar.
“You look beautiful. And your talk was riveting. Here.” He hands me the bouquet. I take it, enjoying the sizzle as our hands touch. I thought maybe I’d dreamt our connection. But it’s still real.
“Thank you. You look good in your shirt. But why are you hiding under that ball cap?” Do orcs blush? If so, I think Tarik is. His cheeks deepen a shade as his eyes dart around the room before landing back on mine.
“I—I didn’t want to distract you. So I sat in the very back with the hat. Poros had the audacity to sneeze, and I growled at him. I thought for sure you would see me, so I slunk down in my seat.”
“I thought I recognized the sound!” Laughing, I hug the flowers to me, wanting to hug him. But do stoic, reclusive orcs partake in public displays of affection?
There’s only one way to find out.