Page 9 of The Orc and the Innkeeper

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THORAK

Isit back down in surprise at her words.

Mariah immediately sits down next to me, her gaze boring into mine with intensity. I catch another whiff of her scent—lavender and honey, with an intoxicating undercurrent that’s uniquely her. My body reacts instantly, desire pooling in my groin. I shift in my seat, trying to adjust myself discreetly as my cock stiffens.

This is trouble.

“Just what I said,” Mariah repeats firmly. “I’ll be your fake fiancée, Thorak. But it comes at a price.”

The cafe bustles around us but all I can focus on is the tantalizing woman before me and the insane proposal she’s making. Is she serious? My head spins.

Mariah continues. “The inn has an infestation of pixie dust mites I need eradicated immediately. But the exterminator costs twenty thousand dollars that I don’t have.” She arches one perfect brow. “If you give me the money, I’ll play your loving bride-to-be for as long as you need me to fool Mr. Kingsley.”

My thoughts race as I process her offer. It’s a terrible idea for so many reasons. I should march over to Robert right now, come clean about my stupid lie, and beg for forgiveness. That would be the honorable thing to do.

But...the temptation to have Mariah close, to finally act on the forbidden crush I’ve harbored for over a decade, is overwhelming. More than that, this could be my one chance to make amends for how despicably I treated her back in high school. I’ve wanted to apologize for years but could never figure out how to approach her.

Our fake relationship might give me the opportunity to show I’ve changed and earn her forgiveness.

I flex my large green hands on the table, warring with myself. Mariah watches me intently, a flicker of vulnerability in her eyes that she quickly masks. Fuck, even after everything, seeing her still makes my blood pound stupidly in my veins.

I know I shouldn’t say yes. It’s reckless and wrong. But with Mariah gazing at me, smelling divine, every fiber of my being yearns to agree, consequences be damned...

Taking a deep, steadying breath, I nod slowly. “Okay. I agree to your terms.”

Mariah knows I’m loaded. My family was one of the founding clans of Elderberry Falls, and my parents own the most renowned brewery in the entire magical realm. Twenty grand is pocket change to me.

A small price to pay for a shot at redemption with the woman I’ve never been able to forget.

Mariah sits back in her chair, a satisfied smile curving her lush lips. “Good,” she replies crisply, pulling a notepad and pen from her apron pocket. “Now, let’s hammer out the details of our little arrangement, shall we?”

Over the next hour, ensconced in the bustling cafe, Mariah and I meticulously craft the specifics of our fake relationship.I explain my tenuous association with Robert Kingsley: he’s a potential investor and distributor for Orc’s Anvil. While I don’t necessarily need his coin, I’m desperate for his far-reaching distribution network. I need it if I’m ever going to break into the human market in a major way. I have a mere two weeks to win him over before he leaves town.

“Okay, so here’s what I’m thinking,” Mariah says, tapping her pen against the notepad. “We’ll say we reconnected on MagicMatch a while back. Chatted, met up for coffee, and boom—instant chemistry.” She glances back up at me and the fire rages in my veins again. Instant chemistry won’t be too hard to fake. “Whirlwind romance, fell madly in love, quick engagement. Sound good?”

I nod, trying to ignore the way my pulse quickens at the thought of a passionate affair with Mariah, even an imaginary one. “Works for me. We should probably have a timeline too, make it believable. First date, first kiss, when I popped the question...”

We dive into crafting an intricate history of our bogus courtship. We agree that six weeks is a logical timeline, long enough to seem serious yet short enough to explain why we’re not shouting our supposed engagement from the rooftops.

I almost forget it’s all a sham, getting swept up in the fantasy. But reality comes crashing back as we start discussing boundaries.

“Okay, ground rules,” Mariah states, her tone all business. “We’ll need to have public displays of affection. Even when we think no one’s watching, we need to sell it. Every stolen glance, every accidental touch—it all counts.”

I swallow hard. Anyone with a lick of sense can probably see how I look at her already.

“No touching below the waist,” she continues. “Kissing on the cheek is fine, but keep it chaste in public. In private, we’re business partners only, got it?”

“Got it,” I agree gruffly, hoping she can’t hear the disappointment in my voice. I know I have no right to want more, but my treacherous heart aches at the limitations.

I clear my throat. “One more thing. If we’re going to pull this off, we have to make it convincing. Robert will be attending some events around town, and other people we know will be there. If anyone suspects we’re lying, it could blow back on both of us big time.”

Mariah nods solemnly, jotting notes. “I hear you,” she says. “We’ll make them all believe in our undying love.”

I exhale heavily, wondering what the hell I’ve gotten myself into. Two weeks of pretending to be madly in love with Mariah, the woman of my dreams ... who also happens to despise me. Two weeks of torturous bliss, fighting my real feelings, trying not to fall deeper under her intoxicating spell.

“Alright then, partner,” Mariah says, extending her hand across the table. Her grip is firm, solid.

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