“I…”
She winked. Gods below, shewinked. “I’m learning all about orcish traditions. My sister and cousin are both Mated to orcs, you know. Tarkhan is far more talkative than Abydos, and he has a lot to say about reverence for growing things.”
My voice was a rasp, but I managed, “Didn’t think he cared…”
“He said the same thing.” While one hand cupped the mug near her face, the other reached out to tap the little pine. “I love that you put some fairy lights up, but the only other decoration you’ve added is this paper chain?”
“A friend…” I cleared my throat. “A friend’s son made that for me. Today.”
“Well, he did a great job.” She suddenly placed the mug down beside her binder. “But it’s not enough. Mom and I decorated that big tree from top to bottom.” She whirled to me, grasped my hand, and before I could remind my heart to start beating, beamed up at me.
“Come on, Sylvik. I’ll help you decorate it.”
Chapter Four
Brooke
I could tellfrom his expression that Sylvik didn’t think the four-foot treeneededanymore decorations, and that made me want to giggle again. Or maybe it was the fact that he’d clearly made me hot chocolate by melting M&Ms into milk. Or maybe it was just because I was here, with him.
Yeah, that was probably it; just being here with Sylvik made me want to smile and spin around and hug myself…but I’d probably knock something over with myhyperactivity, as Ethan would say, and thus I was doing my best to play it cool.
But when I impulsively reached out and grabbed his hand?
Sparks, I’m telling you.Sparksran up my arm, the sameway they had that afternoon at the diner, when he’d touched me.
It made me want to touch him again.
Made me want to press myself against his chest and run my hands up his ridiculously impressive arms and hold on to his shoulders and see if my lips could fit between those tusks as neatly as that spoon had done…
“Brooke?”
I blinked, dragging myself away from my fantasy, and smiling up at him. “Yes?”
“What kind of decorating do you want to do to the tree? I thought the lights were nice.”
I squeezed. “Theyare. And the tree doesn’tneedanything else, but it’s a fun tradition, and I thought…”
Oh crap.Oh crap, maybe orcsdidn’tdecorate their trees. My eyes widened, afraid I’d offended him. “I mean, we don’thaveto decorate it just because that’s what humans do. It’s really sweet with just the lights and the chain and—and it’s right here in the window, and that’ll be nice?—”
His other hand reached around to close around mine, so my hand was clasped between each of his, and I immediately bit down on my blabbering. He tucked his chin down to hold my gaze.
“I’d love to decorate it further, Brooke. With you. I’m just not sure I have anything to decorate itwith.”
Exhaling in relief, I felt my shoulders slump and offered him a smile. “Well, that’s easy. The best ornaments are handmade. Like salt dough ornaments or ribbons or nutsand twigs from outside.” I remembered quite a few childhood holidays where I instructed Riven on how to create ornaments for the little tree in our rooms. “Do you have any ribbon? Or even string?”
I watched him blink, and I could see how his gaze turned thoughtful for a moment, as if he was trying to remember something…and I loved that I could tell that about him. As if we’d been friends for years.
Or more than friends.
“I think I do.” He grinned down at me, back in the present. “Want me to get it?”
“First, show me your kitchen supplies, and I’ll see what I can whip up for some dough.”
He didn’t release my hand as he led me into the kitchen, and I had to admit that it feltgood. No, more than good.
Right.
It felt right.
