“Adam is my friend. Please stay. I can learn things from him.”
I snaked my arms around Tor’s waist and leaned into his hug.
“I won’t take Adam away from you. We’ll stay as long as you want us. But I’ll make sure we help you restock before we go so your lucky lady will have plenty to eat.”
He grunted and eased away from me.
“Adam shouldn’t allow hugs of affection. I’ll talk to him. I could feel your breasts.”
“Well, that’s not acceptable. Rather than bothering Adam with this, I’ll talk to my boobs and let them know that they need to keep to themselves.”
Tor gave a partial, and very confused, grunt. Trying not to grin, I grabbed a wrapped roast from the freezer to thaw for dinner and headed inside. While I warmed a can of soup, he sat at the counter and watched me work.
“How have you been trying to meet females if you don’t mind me asking?”
“I help Emily when she goes to Tenacity to recruit volunteers for the dinner dates. The females tend not to look at me, though, and don’t like when I look at them. Am I ugly to you?”
“Aw, Tor.” The hesitancy in that question almost earned him another boob hug, which I knew he wouldn’t appreciate. So I held myself back and relied on my words instead.
“No, you’re not ugly. You are different. But if they stop focusing on the differences, they would see the kindness in your eyes, your beautiful, wide smile that makes everyone want to smile back, the dimple in your cheek, those pretty flecks of orange in your eyes near the center—”
He grinned widely, and just as I’d said, I had a hard time not returning it.
“You’re very handsome, Tor. And strong. Women like muscles. A lot.”
“Brooke drew Solin’s muscles. She likes looking at him naked. I want a female who likes looking at me.”
I chuckled. “Hold out until you find one who does. The right female is out there.”
He sighed gustily. “Emily says the same thing.”
“Does Emily have a fey of her own?”
“No. Emily is waiting for the right one, too. She says she’s not looking yet. She wants more of my brothers to find their women first. If she stays single, it gives all of us hope.”
I wondered if it was really hope they were feeling or a mild form of torture, having a kind, single lady around that they couldn’t have.
“Is there anything else you do to meet people?” I asked.
“We help with the supply runs, but there are not any single women on those.”
“Yeah, probably not the best environment for hitting on a girl, either.”
“Or touching. The infected blood gets everywhere.”
I laughed.
“Yes, it does. You need to find a way to talk to women, Tor. You’re funny and relaxing to be around.”
I set our bowls of soup out on the counter and grabbed some crackers before joining him.
“Tell me more about these dinner dates that Emily is recruiting for. What are they about?”
“In exchange for a free meal, the female talks to us. There are rules. We can pull out her chair for her and can sniff her hair when we push in the chair, but only if she doesn’t catch us. Emily says no looking at breasts or asking to see—never mind.
“I’m letting my brothers go first and learning from their mistakes. Sain’s female asked to see his house when Hannah told her he had a supply of food. She lives with him now, but she hasn’t yet shown him her—never mind.”
I was starting to get the idea of what the never mind was for and couldn’t believe they had come right out and asked to see that.