Page 28 of Romancing the Orc

“I’m going to make us more comfortable.” I scoop her off the swing, pulling her into a bridal carry. Then the vines move all around us, making a hammock. I lie down and settle her on top of me.

We should get moving, I know we should. But I can’t rush this. Lara needs some sweetness and aftercare, and I plan to give it to her. Besides, the trick with the river will slow our pursuers down, and I’ve asked the plants to warn me if any humans get near.

My mate wiggles to get into a more comfortable position, her soft stomach rocking over my cock and sending aftershocks ofpleasure through me. Then she freezes. “Wait—what? Is it evenbigger?”

Lara rolls to the side so she can stare at my erection, her eyes going as big as saucers. “Oh. My. God. What is that?”

“It’s my knot.”

Her hand hovers over the thickened base. “Can I touch it?”

“Of course.” I flatten her palm to me and grunt at the feeling of her hand on my knot.

“How long does it last?” Fascination fills her voice as her little fingers explore me in pulses of pleasure.

I grit out, “It’s supposed to last at least ten hours the first time it forms inside you, but since I’m not within you, it will probably be less.”

“You don’t know?” Her eyes meet mine, her lips pursing.

“My knot’s never formed for anyone else.” I brush a loose lock of her hair from her face. “Only you.”

“What does that mean?” she whispers, her beautiful eyes swirling with a mix of emotions, hope warring with fear and uncertainty. “Because if I were putting this in a book, that would totally mean something.”

It might be too soon to tell her—humans don’t understand these things. But I will not allow her to have doubts, not about me or how important she is to me. My lovely Lara deserves nothing but surety. Besides, she’s not most humans. Her books already show she’s willing to picture other ways of loving that are more true, so hopefully it won’t be so shocking.

“It means you’re my mate,” I say. “The one destined to be my love.”

Her mouth and eyes go wide. “Fated mates?”

“Yes. I didn’t understand why the Moon Goddess sent me to Earth and dropped me so far from where the rest of my people must have emerged.” I pick up her hand and plaster it to mychest, right over my heart. “But as soon as I held you in my arms on that stage, I knew she did it so I could find you.”

My mate is the most important thing in all the realms. I would travel a million worlds, learn any new culture, if it meant being with Lara. Any difficulty I experienced these past few months, I would live again tenfold to hold her in my arms.

“Oh, Brokk.” Her eyes go misty, and she blinks rapidly a few times. “I don’t know what to say.”

“There’s more,” I say. “I think the goddess meant for us to meet even sooner. I’m certain I scented you several months ago, at my first photo shoot.”

“You did.” Lara bites on her lower lip, her gaze dropping. “The publisher sent me to that photo shoot to make sure I was happy with their choice of cover model. It was a big deal to re-cover the series once it started taking off, and they wanted my input since I’m more in touch with the monster-romance community than they are.”

I tip her chin up until she meets my eyes. “Why did you leave?”

“I…” Her hand flutters in midair. “I got flustered, okay? There you were, looking exactly like one of my orc warriors, the kind I dreamed about for years. You were so handsome, and you took off your shirt!”

She says the last so accusingly that I laugh. “So you like me without my shirt?”

“Yes!” She smacks my chest. “Too fucking much.” Then she’s laughing with me, the sound ringing through my soul like joy made manifest.

I pull her down to me and kiss her lips. “I love your laugh. You should do it more.”

“Give me regular injections of your love juice, and I just might.” Her eyes startle, and she slaps a hand over her mouth,so her next words come out muffled. “Oh, god. I didnotjust say that. I make my heroines say things like that, but I never do.”

“I think it’s high time you lived like one of your heroines.” I grin and peel her fingers away. “And I promise to give you regular ‘injections’ daily.”

“Daily.” She sighs and lies down on my chest, her fingers drawing little circles on my shoulder. “I like the sound of that.”

“I do too.” I wrap my arms around her, feeling truly at home for the first time since I arrived on Earth.

My mate continues to trace little designs over my skin, her eyes following the motion of her fingers. Her voice is soft and hesitant when she asks, “Why did you do that? With the vines?”

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