Page 44 of The Orc Chief’s Baker (Orc Mates Of Faeda #4)

Chapter

Thirty-Three

TRINIA

T rinia watched from the sidelines as Brovdir spoke to the elder. She couldn’t hear what was being said over the whooping and chatter of the orc sons, but judging from their expressions, they were both relaxed. Elder Plog was smiling and Brovdir’s posture was loose.

He was really going to take her advice? Just like that?

The elder’s grin widened, and he gave a nod to Brovdir before waving to her. “You can have your orc back now, little baker. Thanks for sharing.”

Her stomach and heart flipped over at the same time.

Brovdir returned to her side and held out his hand to her expectantly. “Told him he could keep digging. Told him to keep teaching .”

“Teaching?” She laced her fingers with his and began through the woods, back to the path.

“He’s teaching old magic,” Brovdir said with a shrug. “Know nothing of it, but they enjoy it and that’s important, yes?”

“I think so.” She gave his hand a squeeze. She glanced up at the burly, scarred orc and her heart skipped a beat. He looked so confident. So strong and assured.

He looked like an orc chief.

Who would have thought something as simple as watching this male step into his role would make her light up like a candle in fog? She was just so proud of him.

“To the hall,” Brovdir said. She turned to look at him just as a large, blue and white bird swooped out of the trees and landed right on top of his head. It flapped its wings so hard he had to squint, but he didn’t look surprised.

She chuckled. “Do birds always land on your head?”

His grin softened his features. “It’s a message. From Oakwall.”

Her heart was hammering as he reached up and plucked a piece of cream-colored paper out of the bird’s taloned grasp.

“Headman Gerald has confirmed the meeting time,” he said.

Her stomach clenched with anxiety and anticipation. “Really? So, tomorrow morning, then?”

“Yes.”

She wrung her hands. What new changes would tomorrow bring? What upheaval would come next? She could hardly fathom it. Her stomach tied itself in knots all over again.

The bird on top of Brovdir’s head began to flap and spin around, distracting her in an instant. It tussled up his hair every which way, pecking and fluffing and spinning until his head was one big mat.

A mat that the bird promptly plunked itself down in.

Trinia slapped a hand over her mouth to keep from laughing as Brovdir scowled and waved his hand to get the bird to fly away. The silly thing pecked at him and stayed put.

Trinia lost her composure then. She burst into laughter and had to clutch her stomach.

The sudden noise, thankfully, startled the bird into taking flight, but what remained was a bird nest made from Brovdir’s hair that gave him the ridiculous wild look of someone who’d been out in a windstorm.

Chunks of hair were jutting out every which way, some even straight up. There were even a few feathers.

Tears flooded her eyes. She couldn’t get enough air into her lungs. She’d never laughed so hard.

“I’m sorry,” She managed, wiping her cheeks. “I’m so sorry. I don’t mean to laugh.”

But when she looked at Brovdir, his expression was so soft, so gentle, that all her laughter died away, and in an instant, the fluttering in her gut took her breath all over again.

“L-let me fix you up,” she stammered, looking away from the tenderness of his gaze.

“No need.” His voice was low and warm.

“Of course there is,” she insisted with a gulp. “Sit down somewhere.”

There was a fwump sound, and she spun around to find that he’d instantly gone to his knees.

“I-I didn’t mean on the ground .” He looked up at her with huge puppy dog eyes.

Blast it all! He was just so obedient . It made her blood heat up, her thighs clench, and her body go all squirmy with longing.

But there was something else too. Something warm and tender.

Something she wanted to lean into despite the fact that this massive, battle-scarred orc was nearly a stranger.

“Thank you. I can reach easily now.” Being on his knees would make it easier for her to reach his head. She went around to the back of him, mostly to hide her blush. She combed her fingers through the strands, and it was surprisingly soft and clean and smelled slightly of lavender.

It took little time to get the knots out, and then she slicked it back. Brovdir sat stock-still through the process and made not a single sound.

She came back around to examine her handiwork.

And burst into uncontrollable laughter for the third time.

With his hair slicked back and parted right down the middle, he looked completely and utterly ridiculous . Like one of the village children whose mother had gotten fed up with her boy looking like he was a miscreant and taken drastic measures to make him look presentable for school.

“I’m sorry! I’m so sorry! I shouldn’t laugh.”

Brovdir let out an irritated rumble, but the anger didn’t meet his eyes.

She reached up and tousled his hair back into its natural place. “Well, I guess we won’t be doing that again. The shaggy puppy look is much better.”

“Shaggy . . . puppy?”

Her stomach dropped.

Brovdir’s brows rose. “You... think I look like a dog.”

“No—er... I mean, a little, but not in a bad way.” She found she simply couldn’t lie to him. “It’s cute. I’ve always thought puppies were adorable.”

“I’m . . . adorable?”

Ah shit, she’d really messed this up, hadn’t she?

But before she could pull herself out of the hole she’d buried herself in, Brovdir had placed a hand on the small of her back.

Her breath left her in a rush, and she quickly moved her hand down off his head, only to have him tip his face, so she cupped his cheek briefly.

His eyes closed as if he relished her touch.

So, she didn’t pull away.

“Trinia?”

“Y-yes.”

“You are adorable too.”

Her cheeks heated up almost to the point of pain, but in a flash, her embarrassment was forgotten. The look in Brovdir’s eyes made her whole body light up like an inferno.

She dipped in to kiss him.

“Chief Brovdir?”

Trinia moved away from Brovdir so quickly she almost fell over. His arm came around her back to steady her as he got to his feet. She quickly regained her footing before she looked over and saw Estoc, a hunter orc with a surly disposition, coming up the path.

On a gasp, she stepped back out of Brovdir’s embrace, even as her heart tugged at his rejected expression.

“Sorry for interrupting,” Estoc said with a grin that made his sharp white teeth seem to glow against his dark skin. It was obvious he wasn’t the least bit sorry. “I’ve just come to check on my sons. They’re here digging under your orders, right?”

“Not mine,” Brovdir growled low.

“Oh? The elders said it was your idea.” Estoc shrugged. “No matter. Got them off me, at least. But it’s nearly time for the midday meal. Are you aware of what your warrior is cooking up in the hall?”

Trinia’s brows rose and she looked at Brovdir. He had one of his warriors cooking ? Which one? She hoped it wasn’t the one she’d seen eating a fish raw at the last trade.

“Yes. My orders.”

Estoc nodded slowly. “You might want to go check on that. As it stands, I’ll be keeping my boys to the fruit and dried meat for this meal. And I think most of the clan would agree with my choice.”

Brovdir’s groan was laced with frustration, and Trinia’s stomach tightened with sympathy. “I’ll take care of it.”

Estoc shrugged and, as he passed, he patted Brovdir on the shoulder. “Worry not. There’s plenty of food. We can use the stew as fertilizer.”

Trinia couldn’t tell if that was supposed to be an honest suggestion, or an insult.

Brovdir let out a ragged sigh that seemed to take all his tension with it. Then he turned to her and held out his hand. “To the hall?”

She nodded instantly and put her hand in his. His skin was warm, and his hold was tender and all traces of his anger vanished the moment she willingly followed him through the icy forest.