Page 7 of Bidding on the Orc Outcast (Sweet Monster Treats)

CHAPTER SEVEN

P osy’s heart pounded as she waited for Varek’s response.

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to,” she added when he glanced towards the greenhouse door like he might bolt again.

“When would you want to go?” he asked slowly

“How about now? The weather’s perfect for a walk.”

“Now?”

“Unless you’re busy?”

She held her breath, hoping she hadn’t pushed too hard. His massive hands flexed at his sides, but he finally shook his head.

“No, I’m not busy. The wintergreen valley isn’t far.”

She smiled up at him as she picked up her coat.

“Then lead the way.”

Instead of setting out immediately, he took her coat, then held it for her as she slid her arms into the sleeves. The old-fashioned gesture made her smile. She hadn’t dated much before her marriage, and her ex-husband had certainly never treated her with such care. Even her friends teased her about her “grandma” sensibilities, but she’d always felt a connection to the past. A desire to preserve the charm and romance that seemed to have faded from the world.

Varek was a lot like one of her vintage finds, a little damaged on the surface, but solid and dependable underneath. He just needed a little attention to make him shine. She shook her head at the whimsical notion, but she couldn’t help wondering what other surprises he had in store for her.

She followed him back out into the sunny morning, the scent of wood smoke lingering in the air. He led her back around the cabin, then headed deeper into the woods. Tall trees stretched above them, their branches covered in snow like sugar-dusted candy canes. Sunlight dappled the path, turning the snow to glitter. It was as magical as she’d envisioned.

He slowed his long strides to match her pace as they followed a narrow path that wound up the mountainside. The air grew cooler, nipping at her cheeks, but her wool coat kept her warm.

She watched him from the corner of her eye as they walked. He moved with remarkable grace for someone of his size. He looked completely at home here, effortlessly avoiding fallen branches and patches of ice, and his head turned at the slightest sound - a bird’s wing, a branch creaking in the wind.

“Red-tailed hawk,” he murmured as a shadow passed overhead. “They nest in the tall pines near the ridge.”

The path curved around a cluster of frost-covered boulders and she hit a patch of ice. His hand shot out to steady her when she stumbled, and his touch sent warmth spreading through her despite the winter chill.

“Watch your step here.” He pointed to tracks in the snow. “Deer crossed through earlier. They browse on the winterberry bushes.”

He read their surroundings the way another person would have read a book - taking in every detail, understanding all the subtle meanings. He paused to brush snow from a small evergreen plant tucked against a fallen log.

“Partridge berry,” he explained. “The berries last all winter. Good for tea.”

He stroked a gentle finger over the bright red fruit, and a chickadee landed on a branch near his shoulder, tilting its head curiously. He remained perfectly still until it fluttered away, and then his lips curved in a slight smile that softened his stern features.

“The birds know you,” she said.

He shrugged. “They know I won’t harm them. Everything out here has its place, its purpose. Even the thorns and bitter herbs.”

The way he said it made her wonder if he included himself among the things others might consider unwelcome but necessary.

As they climbed higher, he kept spotting things she would have missed. He paused next to what looked like a clump of snow to her to reveal a patch of dark green leaves.

“Wintergreen,” he said. “The leaves keep their scent even now.”

He plucked a leaf and crushed it between his fingers, then held it out to her. The fresh, minty fragrance mingled with his own spicy scent, and her fingertips brushed his as she took the leaf from him. She felt that same pulse of heat, and her gaze flew to his, wondering if he felt it too, but he only nodded towards a narrow gap between two massive boulders.

“Through here,” he said.

He had to turn sideways to squeeze through the gap. His broad back blocked the sun, casting her into shadow, and she took the opportunity to admire the way his jeans hugged his remarkably fine ass. A girl could definitely get used to a view like that.

When she emerged on the other side, she stopped, her breath catching. The mountainside fell away, revealing a small valley nestled between two ridges. The sun illuminated the snow-capped peaks in the distance, and the whole valley glowed with the golden light. Snow clung to the pines, and beneath them, a carpet of tiny red berries covered the ground.

“It’s beautiful,” she breathed.

She could almost imagine a herd of reindeer bursting from the trees, or elves emerging from the shadows. The air felt charged with magic, as if anything was possible. Maybe the magic was the fact that he’d brought her here.

He’d shared something special, something uniquely his.

She stepped closer, not stopping until their shoulders brushed.

“Thank you,” she said softly. “I’ve seen so much of the town, but I never thought to come up here.”

“It’s not the same in summer,” he said gruffly.

“I bet it’s always beautiful.”

He grunted but didn’t disagree. The valley was too lovely for him to deny its appeal.

They stood together in silence, watching the sunlight play across the mountains, until she shivered. He glanced down, a frown drawing his heavy brows together.

“Are you cold?”

“Not exactly,” she said, which was true. It was more an internal shiver than anything the wool coat couldn’t protect her from. “It’s just… it’s so beautiful, it’s overwhelming. Like I can feel how special it is in my heart.”

His brow smoothed as he looked back at the valley. “I know what you mean.”

“Have you come here often?”

“Once or twice a week in winter, less in the summer.”

“Why do you come here?” She’d only been there a few moments, but she could already see it was a place you came back to.

He shrugged, his big shoulders almost touching hers.

“It’s peaceful.” His gaze scanned the valley. “You can think here.”

“What do you think about?” she asked softly.

He looked down at her, amber eyes full of an emotion she couldn’t read.

“Mostly the past.”

She waited, wondering if he’d say more, but he only turned back to the view. The sun had moved, casting half the valley into shadow.

“We should start back,” he said finally, and she nodded.

Just after they passed through the boulders, he came to an abrupt stop, then stepped off the path. Kneeling beside a fallen tree, he brushed away ice crystals to reveal a cluster of tiny white flowers.

“Snowdrops,” he said softly. “First blooms of the year.”

He hesitated, then carefully picked one of the delicate flowers. Rising to his full height, he held it out to her, carefully avoiding her gaze. As she took it from him, his rough fingers gently brushed against her palm and a jolt of electricity shot through her.

“Thank you,” she said as she tucked the flower behind her ear, and he finally looked directly at her, his eyes dark and unreadable.

They were so close she could feel the heat radiating from that massive body, and she wanted to lean into him. His gaze dropped to her mouth and for an exhilarating second she thought he was going to kiss her, but then he jerked back.

“We need to go back to the cabin,” he said roughly.

“Is everything okay?”

“Fine. Cabin. Now.”

He turned and strode away, his long legs eating up the distance. She sighed and hurried after him, but the combination of the rough path and her shorter legs conspired to slow her down. When she slipped on an icy patch in her rush, she barely avoided falling, catching herself against a nearby tree trunk.

“Varek, wait!”

He stopped and turned around, conflict clear on his face. After a moment he came back towards her and bent down.

“Get on,” he ordered.

“Excuse me?”

He gave her an exasperated look.

“Get on my back. I’ll carry you.”

“You want to carry me? You don’t have to do that.”

“I’m tired of going slow,” he grumbled. “Now get on.”

Without waiting for her to respond, he scooped her up and swung her around to his back. She squeaked as the world spun, but then she was against his back, her legs automatically curling around his hips. His scent surrounded her, warm and spicy and tempting, and she couldn’t help noticing how good he felt against her - all those thick muscles flexing as he started down the mountain. He’d somehow managed to arrange her so that her coat protected her from the cold, but she could feel the warmth of his skin through the layers of fabric.

She leaned against his back, letting the steady rhythm of his movement soothe her. His hair tickled her cheek, surprisingly silky beneath her skin, and she resisted the urge to bury her face in his neck. He maneuvered over the rough ground, as easily as if he were walking on flat, open terrain. There were worse ways to travel, she decided, although she still wasn’t sure what had brought about such an abrupt change in his demeanor.

A chickadee called from a nearby branch, and his head jerked towards the sound, his nostrils flaring as he scanned their surroundings. He no longer seemed to be searching for the hidden treasures of the forest - instead it felt like he was looking for an escape route.

It suddenly occurred to her that he probably hadn’t shared his forest with anyone in years. Perhaps not even his greenhouse. All of it had been his alone until today. No wonder he looked like a spooked deer. She’d wandered into his private world and he’d actually let her in, even if just for a little while.

When his cabin came into view through the trees, some of the tension left his body. Another private space, and one he hadn’t shared with her. He turned around to lower her onto the porch. She reluctantly released him and stepped back, trying to decide what to do. She didn’t want to leave, but she was convinced he needed some space.

“I should head back to the shop,” she said, drinking in the sight of him one last time. The winter sun caught his eyes, turning amber to molten gold. “Thank you for today. For letting me into your world.”

His throat worked as he swallowed, those impressive tusks catching the light. He looked so confused that her heart ached. The urge to touch him, to break through that careful wall he’d built, overwhelmed her good intentions.

Before she could talk herself out of it, she leaned towards him and lightly pressed her lips to his. Her mouth fit perfectly between his tusks. As if we were made for each other.

For one heart-stopping moment, he went completely still. Then his big hands caught her waist and yanked her up against him so he could kiss her properly, his mouth claiming hers with a hunger that stole her breath. The brush of his tusks against her skin sent pleasant shivers down her spine, and she melted against him.

His arms tightened, pulling her higher so that her feet left the ground and she wrapped her legs around his hips again. This time she was lodged directly over the massive ridge of his erection. Need burned through her veins like wildfire as the kiss turned fierce and desperate, and she kissed him back with equal passion. She wound her fingers in his shirt, wanting to crawl inside the warmth of him and stay there forever.