Page 106 of The Orc Chief's Baker
“Forgive me.”
Her eyes snapped right back to his face and her heart squeezed. His eyes were downcast, and his lips trembled, and she’d never seen anyone look more earnest in all her years.
“Forgive me for lying, Trinia. I vow never to keep secrets again.”
“Never again,” she repeated softly, unable to look away from him. Her whole body was drumming with longing. She’d losteverything.
But . . . gained so much just fromhim.
She exhaled shakily. “You... you can really work up this floor plan in a day?”
His eyes lit up with hope, and he nodded eagerly.
Biscuits and jam. Sheshouldn’t.
Staying with a friend would be far more logical.
She didn’t want to stay with a friend.
She wantedhim.
She swallowed thickly and licked her lips. She could still taste him on them.
“Yes, Brovdir. I’ll stay with you.”
Chapter
Thirty-Two
BROVDIR
She’d said yes. Yes! He could hardly believe it.
His steps felt light, and his mind was clear. His veins pulsed with pleasure. He should at leasttrynot to look so pleased. He’d just told her about the prophecy, and she was still recovering from the shock.
“How... long will it take you to build my house?”
Forever. “How long are you willing to wait?”
Her brows arched in surprise, and then she looked away from him. Her steps crunched in the ice at their feet and her fingers felt cold in his hand. He should have brought her a cloak. In the distance, he could hear the orc sons chattering. Elder Plog was with them. Maybe one of them would have an extra cloak for her to wear.
“Would it be all right to wait until spring or maybe...” She worried her lower lip, reminding him of how good she tasted.
“Would love to host you for spring. Summer too.” Every spring and summer for the rest of her life.
“It’s just that I was thinking of how busy you’re going to be with the warriors settling here and the sinkholes. You’ll need to put your duties as chief first.”
His heart swelled so much he lost his breath. She’d make a wonderful matriarch.
She picked up the pace. “And I’ll want to draw up some proper design plans for you to work from. It will make your task much easier. What are those voices?”
“Orc sons. Going to check,” he explained as he guided her off the path and into the dense woods.
“Right. They probably shouldn’t be playing out in the woods with the sinkholes opening up... but I suppose the clan isn’t necessarily safer, is it?”
He supposed not.
She hugged herself. “Nowhere is really safe now, is it? Everything is...”
