The Orc from the Office (Claws & Cubicles Book 2)

I swear to Evil Overlord, we just wrapped this up.

I’m staring across the table at one Orc, and one human, whose combined Monster Resource file is now a couple inches thick.

Smile: serene. Like I don’t care that this means I’m going to have to redo the report I just signed off on. Like being dragged back into this clusterfuck of a personal injury lawsuit potential isn’t a drain on my time and resources.

“Before I forget, you need to restart your computer when you get back to your desk,” Khent murmurs in an undertone to Janice.

The words are a little too softly toned for a work related conversation, but I let it slide because I’m leafing through the folder, a quick review before I start this meeting.

Janice’s chair creaks as she leans a little closer to him, like I hadn’t purposefully put their chairs six feet apart when I first set up the meeting room.

“What do you mean? It was working just fine when I left it,” she whispers, not so quiet that I can’t hear her.

“There’s a system wide update that won’t go through until everyone has restarted their computer. I checked what was holding it up, and you’re the last to restart.”

“Can it wait a little? I’ve got a lot of tabs open right now and I need all of them for what I’m currently working on,” Janice returns, something oddly teasing in her voice for what she’s saying.

I glance up from the file, taking in the way they’re angled towards each other, like I’m not even here anymore.

“How long is a while?”

Janice tilts her head, surveying him with narrowed eyes and a hint of a smile. “Maybe a few days? My computer’s running a little slow.”

Khent gives a little breath of a laugh. “It’s because you have too many tabs open.”

“That’s too bad, because I need all of them. Besides, I think I remember restarting my computer last week.”

“You haven’t restarted your computer in three weeks,” Khent corrects her, voice dropping a little lower. “I did check your system uptime.”

It takes me a few beats to realize that this isn’t just normal couples bickering. Is it possible for discussing IT issues to be some kind of foreplay for these two?

I reign in my glare at Janice and Khent, who are very obviously not looking at me. They reek of their newly reformed mating bond, and I decide to torture them for this later. Preferably when I have a sinus infection and I don’t have to smell the honeymoon phase on them.

I clear my throat, and the two of them jump, apparently having forgotten why they’re here.

Janice’s attention snaps to me, tearing away from the googly eyed stare she and Khent are making at each other. This is why I wrote the no-mate-bonding-with-coworkers policy a dozen years ago.

“Gwen!” she smiles back, looking a little uneasy. Possibly like she forgot I was here. Or because she can sense my immense displeasure.

I flip the manila folder’s top shut, but it doesn’t close, because there’s too much fucking paperwork in here. I’m going to need to go to an office supplies store at some point to get more accordion folders, even if our office supply budget is overdrawn.

“Shall we get started?” I ask, but in the single second I let my hold on their attention lapse, they’re already making goo-goo eyes at one another.

I don’t want to do this anymore.

I never wanted to be in Monster Resources in the first place, but there aren’t many jobs where my abilities can actually be put to use, and get PTO.

Still. Maybe it’s time to put my notice in. I’ve worked here long enough.

After all, I could use something with better benefits.