Chapter 1

Zoe

Was I really going to do this?

Holy crap, I really was going to do this, wasn't I?

I'd been pacing in the front yard for about ten minutes, arguing with myself. Well, no, not arguing ; I'd done that for the last week, before I finally made my proposal to Luxor. But just…I dunno, psyching myself up.

As if I needed it.

I'd basically lived in a state of constant horniness in the weeks since I'd signed the lease for the spare bedroom in Lux's house, and nothing was helping. Not my quiet masturbation sessions when he was only a wall away, not my loud masturbation sessions in the morning when he was at the animal shelter. Nothing.

I hoisted my bag over my shoulder and turned to the front door, taking a deep breath.

Even now, knowing what waited me inside, my panties were damp.

Ready ?

Oh yeah. I'd been ready for a month now.

I needed this, if only so I could get my head back in the game and concentrate on something besides my libido for a change. I could feel my classwork sliding, and I hated that. As soon as I was done with this master's degree—only a few more months!—I could start applying to open librarian positions around the country. That's what I needed to focus on; my reading and papers, instead of the deliciously distracting way my roommate made me feel.

And what I'd proposed? It should fix all those problems.

Get it, girl .

As I kicked my shoes off in the foyer, I could hear Lux banging around in the kitchen. The guy liked to cook—no objection from me!—and I told him I was only working lunch today, so I'd be home in time for dinner.

Not that I was thinking about food right now.

"Zoe!" I heard him move toward the dining room to meet me. Didn't matter how quiet I was, Lux always knew where I was in the house. "How was your shift? You're later than I expected."

He was holding a spatula and beaming at me, and Lord help me, I wanted to smile back. This roommate of mine was perpetually cheerful, with a simple worldview some yogis would kill to have. It made him as lovable as a golden retriever, and twice as enthusiastic.

The fact he was well over seven feet tall and built like a Greek god didn't hurt, either.

"The shift was good." Ignoring the question about why I was late, I shrugged my bag over the back of one of the chairs, trying to be nonchalant, trying not to make this weird. "Saturday afternoon is always good for tips." And that still left my evenings free for studying.

Or…other stuff.

Lux gestured back to the kitchen. "I'm making tacos for dinner. Beef. Although…" He waggled his brows. "I like fish tacos better."

The line was so unexpected, so completely dorky, that it surprised a burst of laughter out of me. I immediately slapped my hand over my mouth and looked away. I could feel myself blushing, although Lux probably couldn't tell.

"Sorry." He peered at me. "Was that inappropriate? Giza says I'm inappropriate."

So…I guess he could see my blush?

"Um…" I side-stepped him to get into the kitchen. "I think… Under normal circumstances, that was probably inappropriate. But…"

"That's what I thought." He was back to his cheerful self as he marched to the stove and turned off the meat. "What with our Big Plans and whatnot."

I could hear the capital letter, which was for some reason adorable. It was as if…Lux had been thinking of my proposal for a while.

Well of course he has. He's a male, isn't he? He likely eats, breathes, and thinks sex all the time !

I watched as he poured off the grease from the beef into an empty can of green beans. It was so domestic, so normal …that the fact it was a huge green orc doing it seemed incongruous.

Lux wore an apron which had a big pair of lips and said Kiss The Cook . Someone, maybe him, had colored in part of the second O so now it looked like it read Kiss the Cock .

This was likely considered high-brow humor.

Okay, well, the guy's an idiot, right? You know that. You've seen the way he looks at the world, all bright-eyed and bushy tailed. He's only been here for a decade; he must be innocent as hell.

God, how many times had he been taken advantage of?

The thought popped into my head, and I was surprised at the surge of protective anger I felt for him. Had he been hurt because of that innocence? How did women normally treat him?

My eyes followed him as he hummed his way around the kitchen, sliding the meat to the back of the stove to stay warm and untying the stupid apron. When he pulled it over his head, the muscles in his arms flexed, and did something interesting down in my lady bits.

He was a beautiful specimen of maleness, wasn't he?

Low-slung sweatpants that seemed to drag my gaze lower lower lower , and a faded t-shirt advertising a beer company outlined his impressive stack of pecs. He kept his dark hair in a sort of shaggy fringe around his forehead and ears, which lent to his air of casualness, instead of the warrior-like look some of his buddies wore.

No, no one would confuse Luxor for a warrior.

Despite those ridiculously sexy tusks and the claws he kept sheathed most of the time.

I never thought I'd be attracted to an orc, or any of the non-humans…until I moved in with one.

And now…

"You smell delicious ," Lux suddenly announced, swinging toward me with a smile.

I startled. "Uh…thanks?"

"What happened?" His nostrils flared as he stalked toward me, sniffing like…well, like a puppy. "I mean, you always smell yummy—that apricot bodywash should be edible. But now…"

I squeezed my thighs together as he leaned closer, inhaling near my ear, and told myself it was totally not sexy that this dude was sniffing me.

A lie.

It was absolutely sexy. And primal. And it made me want to shove my hands down my pants—no, strike that, down his pants.

"There it is again," he murmured. "Your scent changes sometimes, Zoe."

I closed my eyes on a groan.

It was my arousal.

He was smelling my horniness .

I'd read about this, back when I'd found out my new landlord was going to be an orc. Orcs have a remarkable sense of smell, and the big goofball didn't even realize what he was scenting right now.

What was that about being innocent?

I opened my eyes and planted my hands on Lux's arms, holding him in place. "We need to talk."

"Is it about The Big Plans?"

He was so enthusiastic; I resisted the urge to pat him on the head. But his smile made me smile, which was practically a miracle.

In any case, you've managed to distract him from smelling your bits, so that's good.

I straightened my arms, pushing him away. Not because I didn't like him that close, but because I couldn't think straight when I could feel the heat of his body, smell his…whatever that was. Deodorant? Shaving gel? Hair product? I dunno, it was earthy and sort of mellow, and I loved it.

Great, now you're smelling him ?

"Zoe?" His dark gaze flickered between mine.

"Okay. Living room." I took a deep breath. "Yeah, living room." Talking to myself—nothing new there—I squeezed around him and stumbled toward the couch. "We can do this. We can talk it through like rational adults and decide the ground rules."

"Ground rules?" Lux trailed behind me like a confused puppy. "For a hookup? That's all this is, right?"

I sank down into the couch and quickly realized my mistake. This meant not only did he completely freakin' tower over me now, but my mouth was level with the tip of his dick.

Which I could see.

Outlined by those sweatpants.

Did the guy not wear underwear?

Maybe he likes boxers. Maybe he's freeballing .

I sprang back to my feet.

"A hookup. Right." I began to pace, trying to get out some of this natural energy. "Right. And to make certain it stays a hookup, totally a temporary arrangement… we need some rules."

"Ooooh-kay," he drawled, brows drawn down in confusion. "What are the rules?"

As I paced, I ticked off points on my fingers. "One, this is not a replacement for rent, okay? I'm still paying rent. I'm not like… slut-shaming or anything, if that works for someone, more power to them, but I'm not doing that."

Lux folded his arms, his lips already twitching in typical Lux fashion. "You want to pay me rent and have sex with me? Does this make me the whore in that scenario?"

I glared, halting long enough to plant my hands on my hips. "It makes you the landlord."

"Not in the bedroom." He was turning my words back on me teasingly. "This is just a hookup. You paying rent is an entirely separate situation."

"Right. Uh… right ." What had I been saying? The thought of Lux in the bedroom distracted me from my—oh, the list! "Number two. No kissing outside of the bedroom."

"Or the shower?" he prompted hopefully. "Or the couch? Or the dining room table? Or the—Hey, you smell delicious again."

I held up my hands to stop him, my blush threatening to take off the top of my head. I clearly hadn't thought this through, because the dork was making me think all sorts of naughty thoughts about various pieces of furniture.

That dining room table was one he built himself. It's definitely sturdy enough for some enthusiastic sex .

I bit my lip to keep from groaning again, mainly because he was grinning as he watched me.

"Okay," I managed weakly, "we'll evaluate on a case-by-case scenario. But no kissing outside this house. We're not dating , and this isn't a relationship."

"Just a hookup," he agreed.

I took a deep breath, preparing for the most important ground rule. "I want to be able to say no whenever I want. You can too."

Dropping his arms, Lux took an aborted step toward me, his expression showing his shock. "Zoe, I… absolutely . I never considered…" He shook his head. "Yikes."

His surprise made it obvious it had never occurred to him to take advantage of his superior strength—or his role as my landlord—and that made me like him even more.

What? No, you don't have to like the guy! You're just using him for sex while you're still here.

"A mutually beneficial arrangement," I muttered, turning away to pace again. "That's all this is. That's why I suggested it." I was talking to myself, what else is new? "Only because

I'm horny as hell."

A laugh exploded out of him. "Zoe, I've been hard since you moved in."

Unintentionally, I dropped my gaze to his pants as I paced. Really? I thought orcs were just…really well-endowed.

I think this had me totally distracted, or maybe Lux was the flame to my moth, but whatever it was, I was close enough that when he reached out to touch my arm, I stopped in my tracks.

"I hadn't realized what sharing a space with a woman as hot as you would do to me, Zoe, but it's not your fault, it's mine." His expression was serious, which looked strange, and he made no move to hold me. Just two fingers resting on my upper arm. "If you don't want to do this…"

"No," I whispered, then swallowed and repeated louder. "No. I wouldn't have suggested it if I didn't want it."

And oh yes , I wanted it.

Roommates with benefits .

"Okay," he said softly, moving until he stood in front of me. We weren't touching, and he was so tall, I felt like I'd get a crick in my neck from staring up at him. "Okay. Then let's start with something simple. Is it okay if I kiss you?"

Wordlessly, I nodded.

My gorgeous orc landlord bent toward me as one fingertip touched my jawline…and his lips claimed mine.

Luxor

Huh.

So this is what kissing is all about. I…could see the appeal.

Zoe's lips were plump and soft under mine, exactly the way I knew they'd be. But…just pressing my lips against hers didn't seem to elicit a response. Luckily, I'd seen enough movies to know that human kissing isn't just smashing your face against someone else's and hoping.

Nope. I was going to have to move—

I grunted when her lips parted under mine, a little sigh escaping them before her arms went to my biceps. So she was going to be doing the movement? Okay, I could handle this, just follow her le—

My plan went to hell when I felt the tip of her tongue brush across my lips.

It was as if I had some deep-wired instinct that was triggered. With a growl, I wrapped my arms around her and lifted , pulling her even with my lips, and tight against me.

What are you doing, you idiot? This was supposed to be on her terms !

But even as I started to try to wrestle my Kteer back under control, Zoe moaned softly and wrapped her arms around my neck.

Yes, please, little human.

In a moment, she'd taught me how to open my mouth, how to play with her lips. My tongue teased hers, and when she licked my left tusk, I felt my knees buckle.

Thank the ancestors I was near the couch because I took us down hard .

Now we were level, but she pulled back, wide-eyed and breathing heavily.

"Sorry," I offered, my fingers already pressing into the back of her head, urging her to return.

With a groan, she did, planting her hands on my shoulders and pressing forward. Her legs straddled my hips, and my cock strained against my pants, desperate to nestle in her warmth.

But Zoe didn't rock, didn't thrust. She didn't even touch me the way my skin ached to be touched. She just kissed me, her tiny little mouth making me feel like I was the most important being in all the realms.

It was a heady sort of torture.

I groaned, dropping my head back against the couch. She went with me, her mouth moving over my jaw and chin.

"Zoe," I panted, "can I touch you?"

" Please ."

Softly, reverently, I placed my hands on her hips, holding her in place. My palms slid up her sides, still encased in the yoga pants and cotton t-shirt that all The Waterfront Tavern waitresses wore. I loved the way she wriggled against me, and I caught her soft moan when I moved my lips back to hers.

My cock was throbbing now, desperate, and I didn't even bother trying to tame it. I was too busy reveling in the feel of Zoe, and the things she was teaching me.

Her scent…gods of the ancestors, her scent! Giza hadn't ever mentioned a female's scent being this intoxicating. But this wasn't the first time Zoe's scent had teased me this way, wrapping around my Kteer and squeezing, urging me to—to—well, hells, I don't know what, but I was absolutely along for the ride!

My hands continued their careful exploration as hers rose to cradle the back of my head. Her fingers curled through my hair, pulling me even closer, and I…

I groaned again as my hands found her breasts, cupping them through far too many layers of fabric. My hips bucked forward instinctively, and another flood of that delicious scent filled the air as she moaned against my lips.

Experimentally, I brushed the pads of my thumbs across her nipples, which were little pebbles beneath her t-shirt and bra. My mouth watered at the thought of seeing them— tasting them! But for now, touching was good enough.

For now.

I shifted my hold, rolling each nipple slightly between my thumb and forefinger, and she jerked against me, thrusting her hips closer and trapping my cock between our bodies.

Zoe wrenched her mouth from mine with a gasp.

"My God, Lux, who taught you to kiss like this?"

Confused, I answered truthfully. "You."

She blinked. "Me? What do you mean, me ?"

I didn't want to shrug and risk dislodging her. Not when she fit so perfectly in my arms. Instead, I moved one hand around her back and spread my fingers, trying to keep her with me, even as I met her midnight gaze. "You taught me," I repeated.

"Taught you what I like, or…" Despite my hold, Zoe leaned further back, so she could look incredulously at me. "Or like, taught you how to kiss ?" When I stared, uncertain how to respond, she pursed her lips to exhale. "Lux, how many girlfriends have you had?"

Girlfriends? I started to smile. The concept was unknown in the world where I was born, but I'd adapted to the human world—terms, concepts, social mores—quickly enough. "Hmm, let me count— zero ."

"Zero," she repeated, then swallowed. "So you've never…kissed a woman before?"

My grin grew. "I've never kissed anyone before." Giza had told me there were plenty of male orcs who'd found comfort in one another's arms, since females had become so rare, but neither of us had been interested in that sort of thing.

Her lips formed a sweet little "oh" , which looked out of place on this prickly roommate of mine. Zoe was always so certain of herself and her actions that surprising her had become something of a hobby.

"L-let me get this straight. You've never been with anyone before? This was your first kiss?"

My hand was rubbing her back, because I couldn't not touch her. My other hand still cupped her breast, and I loved the way she shivered when she thought I wasn't paying attention.

I admitted happily, "This was my first kiss, and…"

Having her in my space for the last month had been delicious torture, but it hadn't occurred to me to do anything about it. Last night, when she'd suggested this "hookup" idea—just to get our minds off each other, she'd said—I'd been thrilled to discover she'd been having the same thoughts about me.

I couldn't help my inane grin; she did that to me. Well, I mean, maybe having any woman in my lap would turn me into a bigger goof, but I wasn't going to volunteer to find out. "And if you're speaking euphemistically, then no, I haven't been with a woman."

Soundlessly she mouthed "euphemistically ," as if impressed, then shook her head, causing all those lovely black curls to bounce. "I meant , have you had sex before?"

"Nope," I cheerfully declared, "but I'm looking forward to it!"