Page 25 of The Cauldronball Run
"Mm-hmm," Farrah agreed, also not moving.
"Sheriff's probably getting closer."
"Probably."Farrah tilted her head to look at him."What was that?What happened between us?It was more than sex.I felt something magical snap into place while you were inside of me."
"It’s a mating bond.A partial one, anyway."
"What’s that?"
"It’s an orcish thing.When we find someone we want to keep, really keep, there's a connection that forms.Supernatural.It makes us protective, possessive, really bad at letting go."
"And you have that with me?"
"The beginning of it."J.J.stroked her hair."It’s not complete, though."
"Why not?"
Because I'm fifty thousand gold in debt and I work three jobs just to keep my head above water, J.J.thought.Because you deserve someone who can take care of you properly.
"Just not ready yet," he said instead.“It didn’t seem fair to you when we’ve just met and had never talked about it.”
"What happens if the mating bond is completed?"
"We're bonded for life."
"That's a big commitment."
"Yeah.It is."
"Good thing I like you, then."
"Just like?"
"Well, I'm not bonded to you yet.Ask me again when we get back to New York."
"Even partial bonds create dependency.The more time we spend together, the harder separation becomes.It's why most orcs either complete the bond immediately or avoid forming one at all."
“That’s good to know.” She rubbed his arm.“It’s a lot to take in for me too. I thought I was going to make some extra spending money, not find a life mate.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. I’m not. We’ve got all the time in the world.”
“Not really.”J.J.sighed and reached for his shirt."We should get going if we want a chance to win this race."
“Eyes on the prize.”
She was the prize.
As they climbed back into the front seat and pulled onto the highway, J.J.felt the partial bond pulsing between them, like it had always been there.Even though the bond wasn’t complete, Farrah was his to protect now, and he was hers to keep.
Even if he wasn't sure he deserved it yet.
The CB buzzed with a notification on their private channel."All teams, this is Secret Agent.Sheriff Lawman is coordinating roadblocks on I-70.Suggest alternate routes immediately."
"Copy that," J.J.said into the radio."See you all at checkpoint three."
He looked over at Farrah, who was finding a new route on her phone’s GPS.Her hair was still messed up and her shirt was buttoned wrong.
