Page 44 of Fake Dating an Orc Cowboy

When the bathroom door opened, my breath hitched again, except this time, it was for him.

Ostor stepped out, his jet-black hair damp and combed back, curling slightly around the edges of his jaw. He wore a crisp, short-sleeved button-down shirt, the white fabric contrasting nicely with his green skin, plus black pants that hugged his powerful thighs.

“You look good.” Way to impress him after he’d said such sweet things about my appearance. “Amazing. Wonderful. I could eat you up.” And I'd better stop talking.

“That’s great,” he said with a sheepish twist of his lips. He extended his hand toward me. “Ready to go?”

My fingers slipped into his, and he gave them a squeeze as we left the room. Outside, we followed the winding stone path across the front of the buildings to the beach.

The bridal party had already gathered, and Mom and Dad stood to the side, beaming at Jacob and Macy. Their gazes slid to me and Ostor, and I read approval in both their eyes.

Candles in glass jars flickered on the top of wooden posts, illuminating the sand as the sun faded into the horizon.

Macy waved at us, her curls bouncing as she rushed over. “There you are! Finally! I was beginning to think we'd have to do this without my maid of honor.” She smirked. “Not really. I knew you'd get here soon. With such a sweet guy in your room, I can't blame you for hanging out before joining us.” She snickered, more jittery than usual. She extended her hand toward Jacob, who stepped forward to take it. He tugged her into his embrace, kissing the top of her head.

“Now we can get started,” she said. “You can wait with Mom and Dad, Ostor, if you’d like. Rosey, you’re back here with me, obviously. Jacob? Go take your place at the end of the aisle, waiting for me to walk toward you with the others.”

He left us to go stand by the unadorned arch that would no doubt be covered with ribbons and flowers tomorrow.

Macy watched him walk away before turning back to us. Her voice dropped to a hushed tone. “Don’t mind Jacob. He’s just . . . Jacob right now. He’ll learn soon enough he has no reason to be jealous.”

Jealous of Ostor? I vowed to smack sense into her fiancé if he took things too far. There was no way I’d let him spoil this for Macy. I couldn’t believe I’d ever thought I could care for him. What a joke, especially when I stood next to someone amazing like Ostor.

Macy corralled her bridesmaids and me into our respective places.

We rehearsed the flow of the ceremony a few times, and despite Macy’s frayed nerves, things ran smoothly, her perfectionism making sure of that. After, we made our way to a gorgeous oceanside restaurant decked out with twinkling lights and Mexican decor. They served us at one long table, waiters bustling around, serving one delicious dish after another. Others kept our glasses full of our drink of choice.

I sat between Macy and Ostor, who took up most of his seat but somehow made himself comfortable. Jacob sat on her other side, and I was grateful to see him giving her all his attention and ignoring Ostor.

Mom and Dad were farther down the table, though Mom waved my way whenever I looked.

When Jacob turned to speak to his best man on his other side, Macy leaned close to me. “I love my guy so much. And he loves me. I can't wait to say I do.”

“Good,” I said. “If he didn’t, I wouldn’t let you marry him.”

She snorted, her grin exactly what I needed to loosen the tension in my chest. “I love you all the more because of that.” Her gaze shot to Ostor. “Keep that in mind with him.”

“Will do.” But really, we were nowhere close enough to worry about something like that, though I had hope we would be.

After dinner, he and I strolled back to the room under a velvet sky speckled with faint stars. Ostor’s hand warmed mine all the way, his thumb brushing soft, lazy arcs across the funny tattoo that appeared after I met him. I'd barely thought about it since, but I did now. Was it some kind of orc thing? Because he'd licked my palm, and it appeared. It must mean something.

I hoped it meant something.

If I asked him, would he tell me?

Better not ruin the mood with something like that.

I glanced up, taking in the strong line of his jaw, the way the light from the tiki torches lining the walkway flickered across his green skin. He caught me looking, his lips tipping into that crooked smile that turned my insides to mush.

“I enjoyed tonight,” he said, his deep voice a rumble rolling over me.

“Me too.” The truth was, I’d enjoyed it because he was with me. The setting sun, the yummy dinner, the romantic blue dress. None of that would’ve mattered if Ostor wasn’t by my side.

We reached our building and took the stairs to our room.

“I’m going to get ready for bed,” I said.

“Take your time. I’ll be waiting out here.” He stepped onto the balcony, his broad shoulders silhouetted against the soft golden light spilling from the resort grounds below.

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