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We continued to talk about the team, the upcoming calendar shoot and the animal shelter fundraising event, then began to throw out ideas of books Bwat might write and how he might position a vlog to gain the most followers and income from sponsors and ads. Before I knew it the crowd at the bar was thinning out. Our plates were empty, and I was a little embarrassed that I’d eaten most of the food myself. I’d pretty much drank that champagne all on my own too.

It had all gone right to my head - the alcohol, the rush of carbohydrates, and the exciting conversation. I wobbled a bit as I stood, realizing that there was no way I would be driving home tonight.

None of the orcs drove, so it would need to be an Uber.

Or….

Bwat stood, walking over to my side of the table to take my arm with a firm hand. A worried frown creased his brow.

“I’m a little tipsy,” I told him with what was the understatement of the year. “Can you walk me home? My place is only half-a-mile from here, and I probably could use the fresh air.”

The orc’s shoulders straightened and he nodded. “Of course, Abby. I will make sure you arrive safely to your den.”

Perfect. And if I managed to sober up enough on way home, I’d ask him inside for a coffee.

And maybe more.

19

ABBY

“Come inside,” I told Bwat, holding the door open and gesturing with my other hand.

A little voice in the back of my still tipsy brain told me this was wrong. I worked for the team, and getting involved with one, even if it was just for one night, wasn’t professional. Plus Bwat and I were friends. There’d been nothing flirty or sexual between us so far, and a one-night-stand might just ruin our friendship.

But another, louder, little voice reminded me that friends with benefits was a thing. Besides, I didn’t have the same reservations about banging sports figures or musicians as Jordan. Like Willa, I actually enjoyed a good hit-it-and-quit-it. Although there would be no “quit-it” since I’d be seeing Bwat most every day and working directly with him and the rest of the team. This could be a one-night-only thing, but it wouldn’t be the same as sleeping with a random bass player from the opening band at a Wild Horses concert.

There was the big potential for awkward encounters. And gossip. But Bwat was a friend. He wouldn’t gossip. And of all the orcs, I got the feeling there wouldn’t bet be any awkward mornings. He’d play this game with whatever rules I set.

So I listened to the louder voice, gave the orc a sexy smile, then pulled him in by the front of his shirt.

Bwat stumbled and I took advantage of the situation by crashing into him and yanking him down for a kiss. There was a second where I was doing all the kissing and he was frozen like a mannequin, then the orc sprang into action. His arms came around me, lifting me upward and plastering me against his chest. With one foot, he swung the door closed. All the while his tongue danced with mine, the hard, smooth surface of his tusks bracketing my mouth. Pulling his shirt up, I placed my palms flat on his chest. He groaned and I felt him harden against me. Then he pulled himself away, grabbing my wrists and holding me at arms’ length.

“Abby.” His voice was growly and breathless. I took a step forward, but he matched it with a step back. “Abby, I want nothing more than to be in your furs, to bring you pleasure over and over again–”

“Sounds like a plan.” I tried to step closer, but once more he retreated.

“You have had too much alcohol,” he protested.

“Not that much alcohol. Don’t worry, I won’t fall asleep mid-act, or throw up on your or anything.” I was buzzed, but it wasn’t like I was black-out drunk or anything.

He sighed. “That is not my concern. When I am in your furs for the first time, I do not want you to be impaired. I want you to wake up the next morning and be happy about your decision to have the sex with me. I do not want your…your consent to be clouded by drink.”

I frowned, knowing that he deserved those things. We were friends, but there was still that little voice inside my brain warning that Bwat might have feelings for me. Maybe those feelings were big enough that tonight wouldn’t be a friends-with-benefits thing for him.

I wasn’t sure it would be a friends-with-benefits thing for me either, but there was my track record to consider. I’d hurt enough nice guys, and not-so-nice guys. If he fell in love and I couldn’t return his feelings, it would ruin our friendship.

And I really didn’t want to ruin our friendship.

“Okay.” I sighed. “Will you at least tuck me in? Stay and talk a bit? I don’t want you to leave right now.”

I needed to know we were okay. I was smarting from this sort-of rejection, and I wanted to make sure we were still friends. Plus, there was that small chance he might change his mind once we were in my bedroom and I was wearing my pajamas.

Bwat released my wrists. “I would be honored to tuck your furs around you.”

There was one problem with this last-ditch plan to seduce Bwat: I had no sexy lingerie. None. Zero. I usually slept in the nude, but if he’d rejected me post-kiss, then me naked asking to be tucked in would send him running. So I pulled out an ancient pair of lounge pants with pictures of Old Bay Seasoning tins all over them and a gray tank top that had seen better days. I darted into the bathroom, brushed my teeth and ran a comb through my hair, then put on my less-than-sexy nightwear. When I came out, I saw that Bwat had re-arranged my pillows and blankets to create a sort of nest in my bed. I giggled, feeling like the Princess and the Pea. Hopefully there would be no pea to disrupt my sleep though.

I climbed into bed as the orc dimmed the lights. Then he actually proceeded to tuck my blankets in around me. Maybe I had drank more than I thought because tears sparkled my vision. It was like being swaddled, like I was a beloved child kept safe against the dark. All my half-decided plans for another seduction attempt vanished. I was still horny, but some other emotion was blooming throughout my body.