Page 90 of The Orc Chief's Baker
I want to be with you.
I want to keep you.
I want you to be my mate.
Her stomach grumbled slightly, and he clung to that sound like it was his lifeline.
“I want to get you some food.”
“Some... food.” Her brows scrunched up in obvious confusion.
“Yes,” he said desperately. If he could just get a few moments tothink, he would come up with a different exchange between them. Something that would keep her at his side. Keep her comingback.
He just needed moretimewith her. That was all. Just time.
“Yes,” he said more firmly. “Your body needs to be well nourished to carry an orc babe.”
She blinked wide, and then a wry laugh left her lips. “Brovdir, I think I havemorethan enoughnourishmentto carry a babe.” She patted her stomach slightly and his irritation swelled to painfully constrict his throat.
He dipped close to her, until his nose was nearly brushing hers, but she didn’t flinch, only widened her skeptical eyes. “Trinia of Oakwall, your beautiful curves hold no bearing on whether you deservebreakfast. I intend to see to your every need while you are in my care. And after last night, you are in desperate need of replenishing. Do you deny it?”
Her cheeks were colored so brightly he could almost feel heat radiating from them. “O-oh... I mean, no. I don’t. I just?—”
“Do not argue with me on this, Trinia,” he said firmly as the imprint raged instinctual drive through his veins. “I am an orc and you are my conquest. It is my honor to serve you and keep you hale.”
There was no fear in her beautiful face, no hesitation or upset. Instead, her eyes blinked in surprise, and she shifted in her seat and held his gaze with a confidence that bloomed delight in his chest. “Then... then thank you. Breakfast does sound nice.”
He grinned as relief flooded him. He dipped in close to her ear.
“Good girl. Wait here. I will go to the hall and be back soon.”
Chapter
Twenty-Seven
TRINIA
Apparently, Brovdirwasable to take command of a situation when he wanted to.
That fierce determination combined with the rumbled “good girl” had cued her up so hot she was both regretting his departure and relieved by it. She needed a few moments to catch her breath.
Her stomach clenched with dismay as she tried to convince herself that hereallyjust wanted to get her food before begetting her with child. That’s all this was.
He hadn’t changed his mind.
And . . . she hadn’t changed hers either.
She shook her head to push away the anxiety. The deal had been struck. She would not back out now. She needed to stop overthinking everything andrelax.
Brovdir’s grinning face flashed in her mind’s eye. His big eyes and his calm demeanor and his rumbly perfect voice.
“Good girl.”
She sucked in a breath and pushed herself off the bed. She was being ridiculous.
She looked around the room to distract herself from her anxiety.
Her eyes landed on her dress hanging on the back of one of the table chairs next to the still crackling fire. It had been cleaned and appeared to now be dry.
