Page 9 of The Passionate Orc (The Teddy Orcs #1)

N ar

I spent the entire morning running around like a madman, getting everything ready.

The perfect proposal needed the perfect setting, and I wasn't about to mess this up.

My heart pounded against my chest as I hauled the last box of fairy lights into the park.

The sun was already sinking, painting the sky in colors that reminded me of Emryn's paintings, all fiery oranges and soft pinks.

"Need some help with that, sir?" A park attendant approached, eyeing my tusks with a mixture of curiosity and caution.

I shook my head. "Got it handled." No way was I letting anyone else set up my proposal spot. This had to be all me.

Finding the perfect secluded spot under a massive oak tree overlooking the river had been the simple part.

Now came the actual work. My large fingers fumbled with the delicate fairy lights as I strung them through the lower branches.

Three times I nearly fell off the small ladder I'd brought.

Warriors of the Red Blade weren't graceful, but, by the Ancestors, I was determined.

My phone buzzed in my pocket. A text from Emryn: Still on for dinner at 7? Should I dress up?

My stomach did a little flip. Yes. And wear something nice. Not too fancy.

I'd told her we were just having a special date night. She had no idea what was coming. The small velvet box felt like it weighed a thousand pounds in my pocket. I'd spent weeks picking out the perfect ring, a blue sapphire surrounded by tiny diamonds that matched her eyes.

The white tablecloth fluttered in the evening breeze as I anchored it down with smooth river stones I'd collected. Candles went in the center—not too many, but enough to create that romantic glow once the sun went down. I stood back and surveyed my work.

"Not bad, Humperdink. Not bad at all."

My phone showed 6:30. Just enough time to grab the food and change my shirt. I'd worked up a sweat with all this setup, and showing up to propose smelling like a gym bag wasn't exactly romantic.

I'd called ahead to Cluckin' Good , Emryn's favorite fried chicken joint. The spicy chicken was her weakness, and tonight was all about making her happy.

"Order for Humperdink," I told the cashier, who did a double-take at my height before scanning the pickup shelf.

"The extra-large family meal with double potato salad?"

"That's the one." What can I say? Orcs eat a lot, and I wanted leftovers.

Back at the park, I quickly changed into my button-down shirt behind a tree.

The dark green fabric strained against my shoulders, I probably should've gone up another size, but it was too late now.

The box with the ring nearly burned a hole in my pocket as I arranged the food on real plates I'd brought from home.

None of that paper plate nonsense tonight.

At 6:55, I sent Emryn the location pin. My heart was doing gymnastics in my chest. The lights twinkled overhead, the candles flickered, and the river made those soft, soothing sounds that humans find so romantic.

I heard her before I saw her. The soft crunch of shoes on the park path, then a little gasp.

"Nar? What is all this?"

And there she was, my Emryn, standing at the edge of my little fairy light kingdom, her blue eyes wide with surprise.

She'd worn that flowy blue dress that made her look like some kind of forest spirit, her curly brown hair loose around her shoulders.

My heart did that thing where it forgot how to beat properly.

"Surprise." I spread my arms wide, nearly knocking over a candle. Smooth, Nar. Real smooth.

Her smile lit up brighter than all my fairy lights combined. "You did all this for me?"

"Who else would I do it for? The ducks?" I gestured toward the river, where a few ducks were indeed paddling by, completely unimpressed by my romantic efforts.

Emryn laughed—that musical sound that made me feel like I could bench press a mountain—and walked into my arms. I lifted her off the ground in a hug, careful not to squeeze too hard. Humans were so delicate.

"It's beautiful, Nar. I can't believe you did all this." Her fingers traced the collar of my shirt. "And you're wearing the shirt I got you."

"Only the best for tonight." I set her down gently, trying to keep my hands from shaking. The ring box felt like it was pulsing in my pocket, but I had to wait. Timing was everything.

"Is that Cluckin' Good I smell?" Emryn peered around me at the table.

I pulled out her chair with a flourish. "Extra spicy, just how you like it."

Her eyes sparkled in the candlelight as she sat down. "You remembered."

"I remember everything about you." Like how she always tucked her hair behind her right ear when she was nervous, or how she hummed while she painted, or how she looked at me like I was more than just muscle and tusks.

I sat across from her, the small table making my knees bump against hers. She didn't seem to mind, letting her leg rest against mine as I uncovered the food with as much ceremony as I could muster.

"Ta-da! Fried chicken fit for my queen."

Emryn giggled and clapped her hands. "And potato salad too! You really went all out."

"Only the finest dining for us tonight." I winked, and her cheeks flushed that pretty pink color I loved.

We dug in, talking about her latest art project and my clan's upcoming hunting trip. I'd told my clan leader I couldn't make it, had something more important to do. He'd given me that knowing look. News travels fast, even among orcs.

"This is perfect," Emryn said between bites. "The food, the setting, the company..." Her foot nudged mine under the table.

"Almost perfect," I corrected, reaching for the bottle of wine I'd been chilling in a small cooler. "Just missing one thing."

I'd practiced opening the wine at home, determined not to make a fool of myself. The cork came out with a satisfying pop. But instead of reaching for the wine glasses I'd packed, I pulled out two sturdy tumblers.

Emryn raised an eyebrow.

"Can't drink out of those delicate things," I explained, pouring a generous amount into each tumbler. "My fingers are too big, and I'd just break them. Kind of like my heart would break if..." I stopped myself. Not yet.

She took her tumbler, her fingers brushing mine. "If what?"

"If we didn't toast properly." Nice save, Nar. "To us."

Emryn's eyes softened as she clinked her tumbler against mine. "To us. And to fairy lights and fried chicken and perfect evenings."

We drank, and I watched her over the rim of my glass, memorizing every detail of this moment. The way the lights danced in her eyes. The small smudge of sauce at the corner of her mouth that I wanted to kiss away. The soft curve of her neck as she tipped her head back.

"So, any special reason for all this?" She gestured around at my elaborate setup.

"Can't a guy just be romantic?" I tried to sound casual, but my voice came out an octave higher than usual.

Emryn laughed. "A guy, yes. An orc warrior who usually thinks romance is bringing me take-out after my art classes? This is definitely unfamiliar territory."

I reached across the table and took her hand, my thumb tracing circles on her palm. "Maybe I'm evolving."

"Into what, exactly?" Her voice was teasing, but I could see the curiosity in her eyes.

"Into someone worthy of you," I said softly.

Her expression changed, all playfulness gone. "Nar, you've always been worthy. From the first day when you knocked over my entire paint display trying to help me carry it."

I groaned at the memory. "I was just trying to impress you."

"Well, it worked." She squeezed my hand. "Though maybe not in the way you intended."

We finished our meal as the sky darkened completely, leaving us in our bubble of candlelight and fairy lights. The moment was approaching, and my heart was doing its best to hammer its way out of my chest.

I poured the last of the wine into her tumbler.

This was it. I'd dropped the ring in my tumbler earlier, kept it hidden beneath my napkin, and now I carefully tipped it into her refilled glass when she was looking at the river.

The ring sank to the bottom, gleaming faintly through the dark red wine.

"Last call," I said, raising my empty tumbler.

Emryn smiled and raised hers. "What should we toast to this time?"

"To the future. Whatever it brings."

She nodded thoughtfully. "To the future." She took a big sip, then another, draining most of the glass.

I watched, breath held, as she tilted the tumbler for the last drop. The ring slid forward with the wine. Her eyes widened, and she choked slightly, quickly pulling the tumbler away from her lips.

Something clinked against her teeth. She made a surprised sound and spit into her hand.

There it was, the sapphire ring, now slightly wet with wine, sitting in her palm.

"Nar?" Her voice was barely a whisper, her eyes huge as they moved from the ring to my face.

My chair scraped back as I stood, nearly toppling over in my haste. I moved around the table and dropped to one knee in front of her. The ground was hard beneath me, but I barely noticed. Everything in the world had narrowed to Emryn's face, to the tears gathering in her eyes.

"I had this entire speech planned," I began, my voice rougher than usual with emotion. "About how you make me feel like more than just a warrior. How you saw the artist in me when everyone else just saw the orc. How you laugh at my jokes even when they're terrible, which is most of the time."

Emryn laughed through her tears, the ring still clutched in her palm.

"But really, it comes down to this." I took her hand, the one holding the ring. "I love you, Emryn Lister. I want to paint with you and eat spicy chicken with you and make you laugh for the rest of our lives. Will you marry me?"

Time seemed to stop as I waited for her answer. My knee was aching, and a bug was definitely crawling up my sock, but I didn't dare move.

Emryn's face broke into the most beautiful smile I'd ever seen. "Yes," she said, her voice firm and clear despite her tears. "Yes, I'll marry you, Nar Humperdink."

My hands were shaking as I took the ring from her palm, wiped it quickly on my napkin, and slid it onto her finger. Perfect fit.

I surged up from my kneeling position and lifted her from her chair, spinning her around as she laughed and cried at the same time. The fairy lights blurred around us as we turned, and for once in my life, I felt completely and utterly graceful.

"I love you," I murmured against her hair when I finally set her down.

She looked up at me, her eyes shining. "I love you too. Even if you did nearly make me swallow my engagement ring."

"Did I?" I feigned innocence. "Next time I'll just hand it to you like a normal person."

"Next time?" She raised an eyebrow, her arms still looped around my neck.

"Well, I've got to propose again in fifty years to renew our vows, don't I?"

Emryn rose on her tiptoes to kiss me, and as our lips met, I knew with absolute certainty that I'd found my forever.