Page 79 of Falling for the Orc All-Star

My breath makes frosty clouds as I laugh. “No public nudity in the aquarium.” I stop and look in my shoulder bag.

Wallet, lipstick, gum, spare keys, dog treats, mini first aid bag... Tea canister. Not that we’ll need it.

“You know, when I said we couldn’t do things at my mom’s house, I didn’t just mean at the house. I meant during the long weekend. We need more space. And privacy.” I blush, recalling some of the things we’ve gotten up to in the weeks since Halloween—and the things we haven’t.

It was only a matter of time until our sexcapades gave King a little setback, and the heat of the moment ended up being a painful reminder that he needs to take it easy, even if he’s healing fast. One attempted “pinning” me beneath him in his bed led to Kevin yelling at him, and another week back in the immobilizer.

“Hey, I’m back in a hinged brace, and I’m putting weight on it in controlled situations.”

I remember the night he grabbed me while I rode him, crushing me to his chest as he came, and then tried to roll us over so he could be on top, to drive in harder and deeper.

It’s 30 degrees outside, and I’m suddenly feeling like I’m in a tropical jungle. “The key is controlled situations, baby,” I murmur, fanning myself. “You were out of control when you tweaked your knee. I loved it—but not the aftermath.”

King chuckles. “Worth it all. No, I know we need room. And privacy. Hey, did I tell you that Orcs typically spend like the whole winter alone their first year? All the privacy. A long, long honeymoon.”

“Yes, and they marry in the summer.” My cheeks turn pink, but not because of the cold. King doesn’t need to know that I browsed through a couple of bridal magazines when I went to get my hair and nails done at Hot Tips last night. Knowing that Orcs don’t wed until the summer gives me a mental timeline. I know that we’re serious. And now I have an idea of what King might expect, or at least want.

What hethinkshe wants. There is a lot of time between now and summer. Plenty of time for him to change his mind. For things to go wrong. And hey, holiday dinner with the side of the family who isn’t super thrilled about my life choices, and his future mother-in-law seems like a great endurance test.

Or the start of a break-up story.

“Well... If you don’t want a summer wedding, I don’t mind breaking with tradition. I do it all the time. Just ask my father.” King’s voice turns a bit bitter. “What do you want, lover?”

I know I want him to call me that forever, especially when he growls it a little bit, like something primal comes out in the words that he uses to describe me. I know I want that and a thousand other sounds from him. I know I want him. Every inch. Particularly that knot that we haven’t managed yet, and houses without neighbors, soI can scream as loud as I want, so I can listen to those roars that he muffles with my breasts coming out full-throttle.

Mom’s house is definitely out.

“I want to have planned ahead and gotten a hotel,” I mumble to myself. “Well, not that I failed to plan, Mom just would have been so upset if I came home but didn’t stay with her.”

“Hotels have thin walls,” King says in an innocent voice. “So it wouldn’t be much of an improvement.”

“I think you have no idea how much less clean up there is with non-Orc lovers.”

He lets out a low growl. “I’ll clean you up if that helps.”

My toes curl, and the jungle heat sinks from my face into my center. “No, no. I just meant, at a hotel, it would be more private. I could drink my tea in peace, for a start. What if my mother or my cousins ask for some?” I pale. I’m not having my mother and aunts turn into horny she-demons, having menopausal sexcapades during their Black Friday shopping sprees.

“Just leave the tea at home. I’m not with you because you’re incredible in bed—even though you are.” King lets out a lovestruck sigh.

“You’re so sweet. No, I need to keep taking it so I stay slippery and stretchy inside. Especially since I hope we get to— Oh, God! Should you be talking like this in front of—who’s driving you?” I suddenly realize that I can hear engine noises, which is good, because otherwise we’d never make it to Baltimore in time, but that also means we have an audience. “And can you tell them to step on it? The dogs know I’ve packed bags. They know I’m leaving for more than a few hours. If I don’t put them in the car soon, they’re going to start panic howling, thinking I’m leaving them behind.”

“Well, about that. We don’t have an audience.”

King turns down the street, his double-cab black pickup that’s been sitting in his garage back on active duty. “Hey, pretty lady. CanI give you a lift?” King slows down in front of my house and hangs out of the window.

“King! You’re driving! Like driving-driving? I know you got cleared, but I thought you’d have to ease into it!”

“I figured I’d start now. —Not for long drives, but my legs fit better in this truck than they do in your car, no offense. Wanna take turns driving? I put the camper shell on the back so we can put the luggage back there, and I put down towels over the backseat so the dogs can shed in peace.” He puts the truck in park and slowly opens the door; there’s something different about the way he’s moving. I look for the crutches, but I don’t see them.

“What are you... Oooh.” I stop and stare as King emerges. He’s leaning on a beautifully carved staff that looks like glistening stone, and he’s wearing a hinged plastic brace over his jeans. The thick black and red hockey jacket clings across his wide shoulders and hangs open to show off the fitted red sweater.

Wow. That’s my boyfriend.

“I still have the crutches on the floor in the back. Kev said I could try this stick for short walks.”

“It’s a beautiful walking stick. Cane. What is that material?”

“Shed and carved gargoyle skin. Genesis made it for me.”