Forty minutes after beginning work at the gnome village, I regret ever meeting Bellami the effing gnome. I’ve hauled at least five enormous thick logs from pretty far in the forest back here via rope and sheer gumption. Then, of course, they have to be pulled into gnome village and placedjust soat some specific fucking angle the gnomes swear is important.
Five degrees to the west, or is it the east? I don’t even care anymore. I’m coated head to toe in sweat. I bet I stink, and my shirt is plastered to me, soaked through.
“Okay, Lou,” Bellami shouts. “Shall we do another log tonight, or are you ready to start stacking?”
“Oh my fucking gods,” I shout. “Are we putting logs on top of these ones?!”
Bellami turns and looks at the stacked log village to his left, then meaningfully back up at me. “Uh, yeah? Obviously?”
I groan and let my head fall back when the first shout rings out: “You’ve got this, Lou!”
I whip around to see Connall and Dirk standing on the sidewalk, clapping. Fuck me, they look kind of tipsy, grinning and elbowing each other. Dirk stands close to Connall, close enough that their bodies brush together.
Now my panties are wet too.
“Lookin’ good, Louanna!” Dirk shouts. “Way to go, girl!”
Oh my gods, he couldn’t possibly sound like more of a weirdo than using human sayings.
I choke out a laugh and shake my head, planting both hands on my hips as Bellami and I turn and head for the forest again. No sooner do I leave the bounds of gnome village than Dirk appears, grinning at me.
“Hello, Dirk,” Bellami shouts up.
Dirk pops down to a knee and dips his head at Bellami. “My friend, how’s my Louanna doin’? I see yer workin’ her hard.”
I have to physically hold myself back from gathering the sweat at my brow and flinging it at him.
“Connall and I’d be honored to help yeh, if yeh’ll allow it.”
Aww. His sweet words warm my heart. Maybe Iwon’tthrow sweat at him.
Bellami looks at me, tiny eyes falling to my soaked-through shirt, then moving to Dirk. “Okay, that’s fine, you can help move the logs, but just to the boundary. Don’t attempt to come through, or?—”
“Technically, I’ve got diplomatic immunity,” Dirk says with a wink.
“Do you?” Bellami snarks right back. “’Cause after that stunt you pulled with Richard and Lola, I’m surprised Evenia didn’t snatch that right back.”
Dirk’s smile falls slightly, but he purses his lips together and jerks his head toward the forest.
Connall appears then, jogging along the back of the building. He halts next to Dirk, who glances up at him with a smile. Connall’s cheeks are pink, and he’s breathless. But he’s in fucking good shape—I watched him run.
Oh my gods, I’m desperate to know if they went for a beer and what happened, and why do they look so guilty, and did they touch?!
Dirk elbows Connall softly, although he doesn’t look away from me. “We’re allowed to help drag logs to the village barrier. Wanna manhandle some wood with me for a bit?”
Connall’s cheeks turn bright red as I muffle a laugh behind my hand. Okay. Dirk is never changing. I don’t know why I expected anything else.
“Lead the way,” the big shifter says with a soft laugh. “Anything for Lou.”
“Yeah, boys,” I tease. “How much gnome wood can you handle?”
Bellami spins in place and glares at all three of us. “What are you three talking about? Why are you laughing? I don’t get jokes, and this feels like one.”
I zip my lips and shrug.
“We’re flirting,” Dirk offers with a wink.
“Yuck, I’m not interested.” With a final grossed-out look, Bellami spins in place and jogs off into the forest.
