Page 14 of The Savage Vow
“My apologies.” Bula smirked. Her hands came out to steady Orlena. They lingered on Orlena’s shoulders for a moment, then she took them away.
“You need to make noise. How do you move without making a noise at your size?” Orlena’s eyes widened at her question.
Goddess above. Had she just said that?
“I mean…I didn’t mean to insinuate?—”
“I know what you mean. It’s a habit. Where I come from, one has to learn to move silently,” Bula said.
“But I thought you said you were from nowhere?”
“I said that, didn’t I?” Bula grinned. Her amber eyes took in Orlena.
Being this close allowed Orlena to study her even more. Her dark-green skin held a few freckles on her cheekbones, and a small scar on her chin was barely noticeable. Her shoulders were broad, and the way she moved led Orlena to believe that this female was a warrior. She walked like a predator. It would explain how she was so proficient with her bow and had tried to lose.
Bula’s hand reached up and swept back a few strands of Orlena’s hair that had escaped. Orlena froze, barely able to breathe from the soft touch. Her fingers brushed Orlena’s cheek.
The pull was growing stronger.
What the feck was this?
“You’re beautiful,” Bula murmured.
Her hand fell away from Orlena, but she didn’t move. There was maybe an inch of space between them. Orlena knew she should take a step back, but her feet remained planted where they were.
“Thank you, but you shouldn’t say those types of things.” Orlena looked away from her. She tried to ignore the way her heart skipped a beat. This gorgeous female thought she was beautiful. She tamped down her excitement. It wasn’t right.
She took in how dark it was outside. It was time to close up the shop. There hadn’t been a customer in a while now.
“Why not?” Bula’s brow furrowed.
“Because…because you’re an orc,” Orlena sputtered, not sure if this orc was teasing her…or maybe she was trying to… No, she didn’t think Bula was that type of orc. She squeezed past her and strode over to the door. She flipped the sign on the door over to ‘closed.’
“What does that mean? I know what I am.” Again, Bula had arrived behind Orlena without making a sound.
Orlena jumped and spun around. The woman needed to wear a bell or something.
“I’m a human.” Orlena returned to the counter so she could lock up the drawers. She would come in super early tomorrow to ensure it was cleaned. At the moment, she was tired and hungry. She was dying to get home. A hot bath and her comfortable bed were calling her. After the day she’d had, it all was catching up to her.
“Are you certain about that?”
Orlena’s gaze flew back to Bula who leaned against the counter with a grin on her lips.
“Are you jesting?” Orlena asked.
“I know what you are as well, but I don’t understand what it means that I’m an orc and you’re human. Are you telling me that I can’t tell a woman she is beautiful because she is a human?”
“I know you are new in town, so you don’t know how things work here.”
“Then explain it to me.” Bula’s smile slowly disappeared, and something else appeared in her eyes.
Orlena couldn’t read what it was, but somehow, this person in front of her shifted, and she had a sense this was another version of Bula.
Hmm…
Interesting.
Orlena hesitated at first. She was frustrated that she would have to explain the way of society to Bula. Was she truly naive in the ways of the world? Humans were considered second class to orcs. This wasn’t new. She’d heard rumors that the great chieftain’s daughter was mating with a human.
