Page 29 of Romancing the Orc

“You have issues with control and responsibility.”

“No, I don’t!” She glares up at me. Goddess, I love her fire. “I’m very responsible. Do you know how hard it is to be an author these days? I have to write, edit, do social media, etc. Everyone thinks your publisher does it all for you, but it’s just not true.”

“That’s precisely what I mean.” I caress her back. “Your problem with responsibility is that you have too much of it. You need to learn to let go, to stop thinking too much, to stop making lists andlive.”

She gives a small laugh that holds little joy. “Lists are the only thing that keeps me functional.”

“I do not believe it,” I say. “You’re brilliant and imaginative.”

“And a daydreamer who can get lost in the story I’m trying to write while the real world disappears all around me.” She looks away. “I live on microwaved meals and get dressed out of the dryer.”

I tip her chin until she looks at me. “Then it’s a good thing I can cook.”

“You’re not disappointed? I’m a hot mess!” Lara points at the pink catsuit. “Didn’t you hear me? I don’t swan around in slinky catsuits—I get dressed out of the dryer!”

“I could never be disappointed in you. If you get dressed out of the dryer, it means the clothes are clean.” I shoot her a wicked grin. “And the only thing I care about in terms of your clothes is how fast I can get them off you.”

Lara smiles, and this one lights her beautiful brown eyes. The tension leaves her muscles, and she melts down on to me, truly relaxed.

I revel in it. My mate allowed herself to be physically vulnerable with me while we had sex, and it was glorious. Yet her allowing me to soothe her deepest fears is even more precious.

I will happily be the man she needs, the one who loves her exactly as she is.

How can I not?

I already love her.

For she is brilliant and has the most amazing imagination. I fell in love with her through her books. Meeting her in person and discovering she’s my mate feels like coming home.

Lara relaxes fully enough to fall asleep on my chest, and I rejoice in holding her close, skin to skin, the smell of my seed covering her, letting all know she’s mine.

“There you are!” a tiny voice shrieks.

“Whuh?” My mate bolts upright, wiping at her lips and then my chest with a grimace. But I don’t mind one bit that she drooled on me—it’s her way of marking me.

A sprite comes to a stop directly over the hammock, and in only seconds, the rest of the flock hovers above her, all looking down on us.

“Oh!” Lara’s eyes go wide. “What are you?”

“We’re sprites!” An acai berry appears in the leader’s tiny hands. “Want some Faerie Fruit?”

My mate’s stomach grumbles—reminding me we skipped lunch—and she reaches for the berry.

“No!” I snatch the tiny purple ball and hold it up in front of Lara. “See how its surface glitters? That’s sprite magic. They’ve made the fruit intoxicating.”

“We’ve made it fun! Everyone loves Faerie Fruit,” the head sprite protests, small hands on hips.

“It’s fun for fae. It’s much more serious for humans,” I growl and turn to Lara. “For fae, it’s like being pleasantly drunk, if a little more amorous. But Faerie Fruit has a much greater effect on humans. They become so giddy they either dance until they pass out or they need to orgasm several times to break the spell.”

“No fun, orc! We want to see the human dance.”

I snap my tusks at them. “She is my mate. You will not harm her.”

“It’s so boring here. There aren’t any elves or balls or parties!” The rest of the flock whistles in agreement. “We’ve been all alone with no one else to frolic with.”

“There are no other fae in Fruvalia?” I ask. It’s not a realm I’m familiar with, even through tales, and I still think I felt a presence this morning.

“There are gnomes.” The sprite makes a face.

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