He was nothing if not perfect gentlemen and, all southern hospitality and manners, all the time. "Well, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance. Anyone who is a friend of my Lurielle is a friend to me, your brave sartorial choices notwithstanding."
"Oh, I wasn't just her friend," Tev put in quickly, his lips curling back. "I was —"
"Darling, what was the name of that li'l pencilneck boyfriend of yours in school? Maybe Kev here can tell me some tales."
She loved him. She loved him more than it was possible to love a person. And she was going to fuck him stupid the second they got home.
Junie took that moment to let off a volley of furious barking, straining at her collar, lunging at Tev with her little fangs bared, her lip curling up to show her teeth.
"I was just saying we need to get going. Take care," she directed at Tev, turning away resolutely, refusing to look back. She didn't know if the two men exchanged any other words, and she was halfway down the block before Khash caught up to her again.
"Bluebell, you're off faster than green grass through a goose. You're tryin’ to have me huffin'."
She spun around, her eyes sparkling. "I know you don't know what you just did, but just know that I love you for it. Like so,somuch.”
Khash rolled his eyes, scoffing. "Like Idon't knowwhat I just did. Lurielle, I don’t know what youthinkyou're talking about. Now, I don’t know who that skinny little broom handle was, but let me tell you what we know how to do in the south, darlin'. We know how to play a mean fiddle. We can cook you the finest Sunday lunch you'll ever have. And last, but most certainly not the least, we can insult you with a smile. I don’t know who he was and I don’t need to know. All Ineedto know is that man had you riled like a moth in a mitten. I am a gentleman, Lurielle. Now, if someone ever hurts you or dishonors you, I’ll kick their ass into next week looking both ways for Sunday. But insults and gossip are my culture, Bluebell. Let's get on the same page, shall we? We need to get home so my good girl Lilypiddles can get her snack. She might be a yankee by blood, but she’s southern in her soul, because that timing was immaculate.”
By the time they arrived home, her sides were sore from laughing, which she did for the following three blocks, but it didn't matter.
“We’re getting married,” she announced to her reflection of the bronzed door, waiting for the elevator in the Templeton, bouncing on her toes. “We’re getting married!”
“Yes we are, darlin’. Twice.”
“Fuck that asshole,” she added emphatically, ignoring the concerned look from the barber, standing near his door in the lobby, a short distance away. “Fuckyou, Tev.”
She felt as if she could fly away, as if she could climb the mountain, at the she could fuck the giant orc behind her with nothing more than her enthusiasm. The elevator doors slid open. "And fuck Grayson Hemming!"
"Oh, fuckthatguy," the woman in the elevator agreed. "Fuck him all the way off."
It was her fitting room friend, Vanessa, the shifter who lived somewhere in the building with her fiancé.
"We're getting married!" Lurielle exclaimed, positively giddy. "And you are too!"
Vanessa was still laughing as she stepped through the door. "Did you plan the wedding of your dreams?"
Lurielle thought she was going to combust as Khash passed her, stepping into the car, his big hand swinging back to hold the door. "We did. Did you?"
"Oh, it's going to be quite a party. I'm so happy for both of us."
"Me too!"
The doors had barely closed behind them when her hand dropped to the bulge at the front of his perfectly tailored pants.
"Bluebell," Khash said warningly. "You remember what I told you about writing checks, don't you?"
Lurielle rolled her eyes. She dragged her nails over the shape of him, squeezing down his shaft, rubbing her palm against themeat of him. "I don't know why you have such a hardon for checks all of a sudden. I'm trying to get you hard for things other than sensible banking."
"Oh, and it's working. You made me practically run a marathon, defend your honor, and now you’re trying to get me all pumped up in public. I hope you're ready to get on your knees, soon as we cross that threshold."
He grunted when she squeezed a bit harder. He was hard now, a rod of Orcish steel, tenting the front of his bespoke suit pants. "Do you feel like coming in the middle of the day again? Because I don't really want to get on my knees. I'd much rather you get on your back and let me butter this big old biscuit."
Khash laughed, a deep scrape of a sound, groaning again when she turned around, pressing against him. Their height difference meant his erection was grinding into her back, but she felt she was making a point all the same.
"Bluebell, I don't know what's gotten into you. If seeing your old school chums is going to light a fire under you like this, I think it's time we find a reunion. I hope you're ready to take care of all this jelly, because you’ve already got me ready to gush like a geyser.”
She took care of the dogs while he stripped out of his clothes, insisting on hanging up his suit properly. She heard the water running in the master bathroom, the shower come on briefly, heard music starting from the bedroom, low and bluesy. She was already halfway undressed by the time she crossed the living room.
"You’d better not be starting without me," she called, stopping short in the bedroom doorway, almost collapsing in laughter once more. He was flat on his back, heels pressed against the end of the bed with his legs open wide, already oiled up and ready for her. Beside him, the goblin model was loaded into her wearablestrap. He was stroking his cock, flush to his belly, tapping the tip so that she could see the pre-cum he was already oozing.
