Page 22 of Buck Wild Orc Cowboy (Brides of the Lonesome Creek Orcs #3)

She shrugged. “Not that I know of. I wouldn't mind having an orcling, but I'm in no hurry.” She shared a bit of her own past, how she'd grown up a reality star, that her parents were horrible, forcing her to perform all the time and even suggesting she marry some guy they'd picked out to improve ratings.

They'd even followed her here to try to make her return to the reality show, but Tark scared them off.

“Wow,” I said when she'd finished.

“They were incredibly manipulative. I'm glad they're no longer a part of my life.”

I could see why. “And now you and Tark are happily married.”

“Mated. That's what orcs call it. I suppose we could do the human thing and say I do, but so far, we haven't decided if we want to. We love each other. The fates blessed our mating, and who needs anything more than that?” She turned her wrist palm-up and pushed her sleeve back.

“My mark came through the first time we touched. Well, he claimed me at the same time.”

“What does that entail?” I pictured him flinging her over his shoulder and running all the way to the foothills where they'd…

Okay, so I needed to slow my imagination down because I was picturing Sel flinging me over his shoulder and running all the way to the foothills instead.

“I love it.” Gracie tapped the circular mark on her inner wrist.

I stared with recognition tickling through the back of my mind.

I’d seen one like it before. Not exactly the same, but similar, and on Sel’s forearm. The other day when he rolled up his sleeves in the bakery.

Now I knew what it meant.

I studied what some might call a tattoo on her wrist, its shape still echoing inside my thoughts.

It was silly to feel anything at all about a mark on someone’s skin, but my thoughts had wandered to him more often than I'd ever admit. And now I knew it wasn’t some vague mystery why he kept some distance between us.

It was grief. A permanent one. He’d been mated before, and she and their child had died.

No wonder he wouldn’t move on. Losing someone like that would carve deep.

The idea of him carrying that pain made my chest ache, though not with pity. Respect, for sure. He kept going. He worked. He showed up. He treated people with care, including me and Max

Gracie finally looked back up at me, eyebrows raised, waiting, though I wasn’t sure what she was waiting for.

I took a slow breath. “I like Sel.”

Her expression didn’t change. She only sipped the last of her tea.

“I probably shouldn't,” I added. “My judgment isn’t exactly… I haven’t always made the best choices when it comes to people. Relationships. Love.” The words tasted like something scraped off the bottom of a pot. But still, I said them. Maybe for the first time without flinching.

Gracie set her cup down.

I lowered my voice even more and spoke carefully.

“As I said, my ex wasn’t great. He used charm like a tool.

He always knew how to twist things. It started simple, and I shrugged any uneasiness off.

Tiny rules, like what I wore, or who I could text.

Then it got worse.” My chest felt tight.

I looked down at my hands. “I almost always had bruises. Max was only a toddler when it got really bad. I was still too scared to speak up. I’d lost all my words around him.

I didn’t even recognize myself by the time he hurt me badly enough I had to go to the ER. ”

Gracie took my hand lying on the table and squeezed it. I didn't see any judgement in her eyes, just quiet understanding.

“I pressed charges, and he went to jail. I had to do it. For me and Max. He never hurt Max. I made sure of that. But when he threatened us with a knife…”

“You took everything on yourself.”

“I had to,” I said. Saying it out loud made me feel vulnerable in a way I never had.

“If I’d waited for someone else to save us, we’d still be there.

I couldn’t let that happen.” I cleared my throat.

“He served time. Not nearly enough. He got out a short time ago, and he quickly found me.

Max knows, of course. Even though he was only five when Melvin broke my arm, my son remembers.

He's as afraid as me, though I did my best over the past seven years to never mention him. I guess the memories are stamped in his mind for life.”

“You took the job and moved here.”

“I saw Melvin on the street, watching my apartment. I knew it might happen so we had bags packed already. Cash. Fake IDs, even. We ran and maybe we're still running.”

“Lonesome Creek is like a sanctuary. It was for me.” Her penetrating gaze met mine. “I’d bet anything it could be for you too. Let's tell our guys. Then they can all be watching out for you. Do you have a picture of Melvin?”

“No, but I'm sure I can find something online from the trial. Taking this job and moving here was the first risky thing I’ve done in years. I want to be someone who isn’t scared all the time.”

“I’m proud of you,” she said. “You got out. You made a new life for yourself and Max. That takes strength.”

I hadn’t expected kindness to make my throat hurt, but it seemed to be happening a lot lately.

She glanced toward the street, then back at me. “Healing doesn’t mean you have to run into something new headfirst, especially a relationship. But don’t talk yourself out of something real, either.”

I opened my mouth. Shut it again.

“I’m serious.” Warmth filled her eyes. “Sel’s a great person. What you see is what he is. He won't change or turn mean. He's not masking anything bad. He’s patient. Strong. Protective in all the right ways. But never pushy. He wouldn’t rush you. He’d wait.”

“Why would he wait? I don't even know if he likes me in the same way.” Although, that kiss… I couldn’t reconcile it in my mind.

“It's not my place to say, but don’t give up on something with him yet.” Her lips curved up on one corner. “Ask him about matings.”

I could ask him. Someday. Maybe. Yet wanting more than peace could be dangerous.

The thought of starting with someone new… My chest fluttered.

Gracie nodded pertly. “If you feel something, don’t lock it down because you’re scared. You deserve the best things life has to offer.”

A tiny part of me believed her.

A bigger part hoped I could someday believe it with all my heart.