Page 40 of Bound to the Orc Guardian

A carpet of luminous moss covers the floor, glowing in a mixture of pale pink, lavender, and light green. The pink kind also climbs the walls, lighting the vaulted space overhead. A stream flows from the left, ending in a pool with wisps of steam rising over it. The air is warm and pleasantly humid after the cool, crisp breezes of the mountains.

“Ohhhhh!” Selena sighs. “It’s magical, and I mean that in every sense of the word.” She stretches out her free hand, her brow creasing in concentration. “Can you feel it? It feels… I don’t have the words.”

It takes me a moment to release her, but I finally let go and set down the packs. Then I stand and close my eyes. As one of the Wild Fae, orcs have magic that connects to nature. Even if mine works with leather, I still have some basic awareness of the magic in wood, metal, stone, and plants. The magic here is deep, seeping slowly up through my feet. “It’s a connection to the very heart of Alarria. It comes up through the ground, and it’s in the water and the plants.”

“I think it… feeds them, so they can make light. And then the light each makes feeds the ones around it in a continuous loop.” She looks up at me, awe filling her beautiful eyes. “It’s harmonious and lovely.”

“You’re lovely.” The words slip out without conscious thought, so I attempt to explain. “Not just your physicalform, which is beautiful, but the way you see the world. It’s so very lovely.”

“You think I’m beautiful?” She moves to face me and picks up my hand in both of her small ones.

“What you are goes beyond beauty. You are life itself, personified.” I lift my other hand, cupping her cheek. “I feel as if I’ve lived in a dark cave for years, and you’ve burst in, my own magical sunshine, bringing light and color and warmth, so much warmth…”

“Ay!” Her eyes glisten with tears. “That’s the most beautiful thing anyone’s ever said to me, and if you don’t kiss me now, I’m going to explode.”

One last burst of reason grips me. “I’m too—”

“No. None of whatever you were going to say.” She taps a finger to my chest. “Kiss me now.”

A growl rumbles through me. Pure instinct takes over as I scoop her into my arms and crush her to my chest.

Her mouth tastes sweet, exactly as I imagined. As soon as the tip of her tongue flutters against mine, I’m lost. Nipping at her lips with my tusks, I demand she open for me. The second she does, I groan, diving in, ready to devour.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Selena

Yes! All the yes! My body sings with delight as Sturrm eats at my mouth like a man starved. A similar hunger rises within me, and my core clenches as his tongue moves over mine. I’ve never wanted anyone this much, never needed a man like I need him.

My hands fist in his shirt as I try to climb him, wanting more. Mierda, I need to work on my upper body strength!

We break apart, panting, staring into each other’s eyes.

“This is the first time we’ve been truly alone,” I say. “No Dash waiting right on the other side of a thin tent wall.”

“What areyou saying?”

“I want you to make me scream.” I smile. “Because if it’s good, I’m a screamer.”

“Make no mistake, my dear Selena.” His dark eyes flash with intensity as his arms tighten around me. “It will be better than good. You will scream my name.”

“Lots of talk. I’d rather get to the doing.” I point to the pool. “And I want to start with that.” The cleaning cloth is amazing—it even freshens up clothes—but dios mio, I really want a bath.

Sturrm gives me another fierce kiss, then sets me on the ground. His huge hands stroke over the leather jacket, the tingle of his magic rippling over me. “I love seeing you wear this, knowing I made it for you.”

I’m probably not supposed to like the possessiveness of that statement, but if the way my thighs clench is any indication, I sure do.

“I love taking it off you even more.” His voice drops to a raspy growl that caresses my skin, leaving goosebumps in its wake.

Sturrm slides it from my shoulders and peels the buttery leather down my arms. The jacket’s repaired, none of the holes made by the bird beaks visible. He fixed it for me just like he fixed what the evil thing did to my soul. My protector. The man who saved my life.

As soon as he tosses the jacket onto the packs, his hands are back, slipping under the hem of my shirt. They glide upward, leaving licks of fire everywhere they touch my skin. His eyes bore into me as he pulls the shirt over my head and flicks it aside. One finger brushes along the strap of my bra. “I have dreamed of that day in the forest, of the way this damned scrap of fabric hid your breasts from my view.”

My thighs clench. “Seems like you better do something about that.”

He keeps tracing the various straps, a familiar scowl creasing his face.

I take pity on him and guide him to the clasp on the back. Those clever fingers of his figure it out quickly, and the aqua lace releases its firm grip on my chest. Relief makes me want to shrug the bra from me as quickly as possible, but I also want him to undress me, so I rein in my usual impatience.

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