Page 63 of The Orc's Sweetheart
I tilt my head down and whisper into her ear, “Are you okay?”
Tilly weaves her fingers into the hair at the back of my head and answers softly, “Yeah, I will be. I think your mom just welcomed me to the family. She gave me a goblin greeting.”
A keen satisfaction rolls through my entire being and goose bumps scatter across my skin. “Not many creatures get one of those from her. I think she’s claimed you before I could.”
Tilly leans back to look at me. “You jealous?”
“Nope.” I drop my voice until it’s a little above a rumble. “The way I’m claiming you will not be near as polite as whatshe did.” I suck on the pulse point at the base of Tilly’s neck and lick over the mark.
A throat clears behind us and Ren steps forward with the first aid kit held out straight in front of him, looking anywhere but directly at us. I loosen my arms from around Tilly and she takes the bag from Ren—both of them sporting brightened cheeks.
“Thank you for bringing this,” Tilly says.
“You’re welcome. I, uhm, have to get going now. Bye.” Ren starts walking away, then pauses and half turns back to Tilly. “I’ll, uhm, think about what you said, about the, uhm, you know.” Then he speeds off before Tilly can say anything else.
I take her hand and lead her onto the boat to join Richard and Annamae. “I won’t ask any questions about Ren, but is it okay to admit that I’m curious?”
Tilly pats my chest. “You can be curious, but I won’t betray his trust. Just medical stuff.”
“Okay.” I press a kiss to her forehead then get onto the dock again to help Beck ready the boat.
Beck frowns at me. “Are you sure you want to go to Cape Easton?”
I breathe in slowly through my nose, then exhale my words. “Yeah. If Tilly’s going, I’m going.”
“Okay,” he accepts easily. I can always appreciate that about Beck. He would never think to argue with someone about their choices, just trusts that they know their own mind.
Beck points to the cleats. “You can loosen the ropes and hop in. The boat is pretty full and I want to get there quickly, so I’m shifting. Please keep my clothes ready when we arrive. City creatures are weird about nude bodies.”
Without any further delay, Beck strips down and hands me his clothes, which I bundle quickly and shove under my arm. I untie the ropes from the cleats and get ready to climb into the boat, but pause to watch Beck as he arcs through the air in a spectacular dive, shifting into his dragon form the moment he touches the water.
“That’s a sight no one will ever get tired of seeing,” Katie says behind me. I almost forgot she was still here. I don’t question what she was referring to, and hope it’s just his dragon form.
Waving goodbye to Katie on the dock, I climb onto the boat again and sit down behind Tilly, putting one hand around her waist so I can brace her from the movement that’s bound to come. Then, I give the boat two taps to signal Beck that we’re all set.
Beck’s long horns are first to break the surface, followed by his fierce maw as he bites onto the rope tied to the front of the vessel. He swims ahead of us and pulls the boat toward Cape Easton with his long serpentine body undulating through the water, the spikes along his back looking like a shiver of sharks readying for an attack. The sun catches on his pearlescent scales every time he surfaces, making him look even more formidable as we speed forward much faster than any sail could pull us in this light breeze.
Tilly turns her head to me, awe apparent in her voice as she says, “Now I know why dragons are so secretive. If everyone knew they looked this majestic, that they were this strong and fast, they’d be bothered nonstop. Beck is incredible.”
“Yeah. He doesn’t shift often, so even in Starry Hill it’s a rare occurrence to see him likethis.”
We settle in for the ride, and I stare out across the navy ocean as I take stock of my current situation. Except for Beck’s splashes as he breaks the surface, everything around me and within me is calm. My nerves are nowhere to be seen as I near Cape Easton with my friends around me and my female in my arms.
I thought I would be apprehensive about returning to the city, that my body might break out in a cold sweat, but I’m at peace with my decision.
I am not defined by my past, nor will I allow the past to define my future.
Across from us, Richard cradles Annamae to him, massaging her fingers tenderly with his other hand as he whispers sweet words of love to her.
I want Tilly and I to grow old together like that. To have that unconditional love where you mobilize a whole island to find your partner and drop everything to see to their health and happiness.
When we reach Cape Easton harbor, I brush the tiny wisps of Tilly’s windswept hair out of her face and say, “I’ll get off first to tie the boat up and give Beck his clothes. Please stay put. I’ll come help you as soon as the boat’s secure.”
She smiles sweetly at me and presses her lips to my cheek. “Okay.”
I jump from the boat just as Beck pulls himself onto the dock in his human form. He quickly dries himself with his water magic and takes the clothes from me.
A broad grin stretches across Beck’s face as he pulls his pants up. “That was fun. I should do that more often.”
