Page 24 of Buck Wild Orc Cowboy (Brides of the Lonesome Creek Orcs #3)

Holly

H e'd like to build a future with his fated mate? She was dead.

“She, um, how would that be possible?” I asked as carefully as I could, watching his face in the moonlight.

“I've kept something from you.” He held out his arm and flipped it over. Moonlight hit his mating mark, making it gleam.

“I saw that. Gracie has one. She explained what it means. It's from your mate, right?”

“It's from you, Holly. It appeared the moment I kissed you.”

I shook my head. “No. It can't be.” The words came out hoarse, and my skin felt too tight.

He shrugged one shoulder. “I didn't tell you. I didn't want to pressure you, yet here I am, pressuring you just by showing it to you.”

I blinked, stunned, unable to process what this might mean.

“I felt I needed to be honest with you. Holding this back would be unfair.”

“Okay, so…” I started pacing back and forth in front of him while he watched with despair growing on his face.

“I've made things difficult.”

“Actually…” I wasn't sure what I thought. A week ago, I would've run from him the same way I had from Melvin, but Sel wasn't my ex. I'd seen that almost immediately.

And I liked him. A lot.

“I need to process this,” I said, coming to a stop in front of him. Every time my brain tried to figure this out, I could only think about the way he looked at me as if I was someone he'd been missing out on his whole life. My skin remembered that kiss even if I'd told my mind to forget it.

His hand lifted, and he frowned as he slowly brought it to my face where he slid a few strands of hair to the side, tucking them behind my ear.

“I understand.” He lowered his hand to his side and turned, waving for me to choose if we should continue walking or return to his home.

My home too. I already felt like it was.

The oddest and most scary thing about this was that I wasn’t terrified at the thought of Sel being my mate. I just didn’t know what to say or do about it. Whenever I thought of reaching for him, that part of me who’d been hurt told me to take care. So I hesitated and missed the chance.

We walked back in silence, but he stopped when I started to climb the back porch steps.

“I will not claim you until you ask it of me,” he said from the ground below me. Why did his voice still have that quiet certainty that made everything feel like a promise?

“I appreciate that.”

“Take all the time you need to think. Know there will be no pushing on my part. If you only want friendship, I will be the best friend you’ve ever had. Take years if you need it.”

No one had ever even given me days to decide about a thing as big as this.

There was a huge difference between being dragged into something and being asked to take part.

I didn’t know what to do with it, because part of me wanted to run and part of me wanted to sit down next to him and stay there until we were old and gray and comfortable with everything about each other.

“I appreciate that.” I’d been impulsive when I jumped into a relationship with Melvin. Despite knowing in my heart that Sel was nothing like him, I needed to be cautious. It wasn’t just me. Max was involved in any relationship decision I made.

I suspected he’d jump for joy. He liked Sel. But that wasn’t a good reason to start with someone new.

“Thank you,” he said, though I wasn’t exactly sure what he was thanking me for.

We went inside. He went to the bathroom, while I went to my bedroom— his bedroom.

I waited until he’d finished and left, locking the door behind him. Then I crept to the bathroom to use it myself.

What would an orc claiming entail? Fluttering erupted deep inside me at the thought that it might involve sex.

I couldn’t jump into something like this without looking at it from all angles.

Once I climbed beneath the covers, I lay in the dark, watching shadows flicker across the ceiling. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw his. Saw how careful he was when he said my name. Felt the echo of that kiss I’d done my best to forget.

My body wanted something it shouldn’t, but my mind kept shouting that I needed to take this slow.

Gracie stopped into the bakery the next morning, dragging me from where I was putting the final glaze on plopwoodle cookies.

With a nod to Sel, she guided me out front where we began to load small plates with goodies.

Tea and plates in hand, we sat to people watch and chat about the upcoming auction.

“Tark has agreed to be the auctioneer,” she said after taking a bite of a plopwoodle cookie, moaning and closing her eyes as she chewed.

Reluctantly lowering the rest of the cookie to the plate, she scrolled into her phone and the document where she’d taken notes.

“Signs are up. We have eleven entries already.”

“So many?” I was stunned.

“Well, five are me, Rosey, Beth, and Jessi, and we know who’ll bid on their baskets.

But the guys are super excited about this too.

Even Greel, mister very tall, green, and handsome, voiced—voiced, I tell you!

—that he’d be there and help keep track of who’s bidding.

That male rarely says a word. Most of the rest are tourists. And Sel.”

“He’s really entering?”

“He signed up.” Her eyes gleaming, she wiggled her eyebrows. “I’m sure his basket will get lots of offers. He’s well liked in town, and you’re not the first woman to stare at his ass.”

“I don’t do that,” I said with indignation. Though I did. Too much. It was nicely rounded, muscular, and his butt cheeks filled his pants well.

“Why not? It’s a cute ass.”

“You.” I gave her a pretend scowl. “Stop teasing me. We’ve…talked, but we haven’t come to any decisions.”

Who would he want to bid on his basket?

Me. I wasn’t sure how I knew it, but I did. Bidding could imply I was accepting this whole mating thing, yet I wasn’t sure I was. How could I? I’d only met him about a week ago. That wasn’t long enough to know if I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him. Was it?

“What else do we need to do?” I asked. “I don’t feel like I’m doing much here. Give me a task.”

“Someone will need to organize the baskets when they arrive, take them from people, and place them on the table up front. And number them.”

“I can do that.” It felt good to be involved in something even if this task wasn’t showy or what others might call exciting. It made me feel like I was joining this community if only in a small way.

“Perfect. I’ll put you down.” She lowered her phone to the table and lifted the cookie again, taking a big bite. “This is amazing,” she said as she chewed. “I love everything orc.”

I was beginning to think I could one day love everything orc too.