Page 73 of Bound to the Orc Guardian

“Oh, Sturrm.” Her lips tremble, so much joy and emotion shining in her eyes I don’t know what to say, so I kiss her again.

A loud throat clear comes from the open entrance to our cave. Dash says, “You two better get decent. I don’t think I can hold them back any longer.”

My head whips around and I sit up, yanking up a fur to cover Selena. “Who?”

The sound of numerous feet—numerous tiny feet—echoes from the tunnel, and I relax.

A tiny frown of confusion mars Selena’s brow, human hearing not as acute as mine. “Sturrm, what is it?”

“It’s a surprise.”

“You don’t strike me as the kind of guy who likes surprises.”

“I don’t, for me,” I say. “But for you…” Selena’s exactly the type to like good surprises, so I don’t ruin it.

Her pleased squeal as Reevie and the other dragon babies tumble into the cave is all the thanks I need. Selena sits up and tucks the fur into her armpits, using her upper arms to hold it in place over her impressive chest.

They pour over her legs like a flood, all of them demanding head scratches, with the tiny reddragon the most adamant.

Two of them who are pushed to the back climb onto my lap, huge gold and purple eyes staring up at me beseechingly. “Please, pleeeeeze.”

“How can I refuse?” A grumbling laugh shakes my chest as I rub around their feathery crests, feeling the first tiny bumps of future horns. They lean into my touch with a trustful innocence that does things to my chest. Even though I like younglings, they normally keep their distance from me, scared off by my frowns. But Selena’s joy and delight shines brightly enough for the both of us. I am the moon, reflecting her bright sunlight, so I appear appealing and approachable.

It’s yet another thing to love about my sunny bride.

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

Selena

Dios mio, my plan worked.

Something shifted in Sturrm last night—I can feel it.

Happiness hums through me as I give love and snuggles to the dragon babies. Reevie tries to crawl up my chest to get closer to me, little claws catching in the fur and almost making me have a wardrobe malfunction of my own.

“Okay, okay,” I say. “Why don’t you let us get cleaned up and dressed, and we’ll meet you in the main cavern?”

“Promise?” Reevie’s big, amber eyes look up at me, melting my heart with feignedpitifulness.

“I promise.”

A chorus of excited cries fills the cave, and the dragon babies run for the open doorway, wings half raised to help their balance.

As soon as they’re gone, Sturrm scoops me into his arms and carries me over to the pool. Even though my healing powers have taken care of any soreness from all the sex, the hot water still feels wonderful as he sinks us up to our necks. Then he stands me against the rock face so the waterfall pours over me like a hot shower.

“Oh, this is so good,” I moan. “We should have done this last night.”

His eyes find mine as I pull my face from under the spray and slick my wet hair back over my head. “You are not satisfied with what we did?”

“It was perfect,” I hurry to say. “I wanted you fast and hard and didn’t want to wait even a single second longer.” Didn’t want to give him the chance to talk himself out of us being together.

His hands are gentle but swift, moving with precision as he runs the cleaning cloth over me. The waterfall wets it, making it tingle with constant magic as it slides over my skin and hair. A girl could get used to this.

The thought pulls me up short. I always think that phrase when something nice happens, assuming whatever it is will never last. But that’s not what’s happening here. Sturrm is myhusband! I get to have his care forever.

A piercing joy goes through me. For the first time in years, I’m no longer alone. I don’t have to carry it all. I have help, the best, strongest help.

I havehim.

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