Page 22 of Bidding on Her Orc Boss

But that’s not for me. I’m just Zana, the data nerd who’d rather code than socialize. Still, as I sit here in this impossible-to-get-into restaurant with this impossible-to-ignore orc, I can’t help but feel a tiny spark of hope. Maybe, just maybe, there’s more to this evening than I thought.

I can’t helpbut let my gaze wander around the restaurant, taking in the diverse array of couples and groups. A pair of elven women feed each other delicate morsels with their long, graceful fingers. The taller one leans in, whispering something that makes her partner’s pointed ears twitch with delight. At another table, a burly werewolf carefully cuts up a steak for his petite human partner. Even the formidable Dean the Dragon tenderly tucks an errant hair back under his mate’s hat.

My chest tightens unexpectedly. I’ve never felt so...alone.

X’s deep voice cuts through my thoughts. “Something wrong?”

I shake my head, plastering on a smile. “No, no. Everything’s fine.”

His brow furrows, those sea glass green eyes studying me intently. “You’re a terrible liar, you know that?”

I sigh, knowing he won’t let it go. “It’s just... seeing all these couples. I’ve always been alone, and I’m usually fine with it. But sometimes, in moments like this...” I gesture vaguely at our surroundings, “I feel the loneliness hit me like a ton of bricks.”

X leans back, his expression unreadable. “Surrounded by love and feeling left out, huh?”

I nod, feeling stupid for admitting it. “Pretty pathetic, right?”

To my surprise, X’s large hand reaches across the table, covering mine. “Not pathetic,” he says gruffly. “Human. Or, well, you know what I mean.”

His touch sends an unexpected warmth through me, and I find myself fighting a smile. “Thanks, X. Who knew you could be comforting?”

He withdraws his hand, looking almost embarrassed. “Don’t go spreading that around. I have a reputation to maintain.”

I chuckle, feeling the heaviness in my chest lighten a bit. X clears his throat, his gaze meeting mine with an intensity that makes my heart skip.

“Isn’t there somewhere you can go for... companionship?” he asks, his deep voice surprisingly gentle.

I shrug, tracing patterns on the tablecloth with my finger. “I crash at my friend Caro’s place sometimes, babysit her kids. They’re little terrors, but I love them. I volunteer at shelters too.” I pause, realizing how pathetic that sounds. “But it’s not the same, you know?”

X nods, his expression thoughtful. I suddenly feel exposed, like I’ve revealed too much of my lonely little world. Time for a subject change.

“Enough about my pity party,” I say, forcing a smile. “Tell me about you, big guy. What’s your story?”

X’s lips quirk in what might be a smirk. “Not so different from yours, actually.” He leans back, his massive frame dwarfing the chair. “Been alone most of my life too. Parents gone early.”

I blink, surprised by the admission. “I’m sorry,” I murmur.

He shrugs, a gesture that looks oddly graceful on his hulking green form. “It was a long time ago. My aunt took me in – Urul’s mother. Saint of a woman, putting up with me and her own boys.”

“Sounds like you found a family after all,” I say, genuinely curious now.

X’s eyes soften almost imperceptibly. “Those cousins? They’re my brothers in every way that matters.”

I find myself smiling, picturing a younger X surrounded by rowdy orc boys. “So you’re not the lone wolf you pretend to be, huh?”

He snorts, but there’s amusement in his eyes. “Don’t go ruining my image now, Zana. I have a fearsome reputation to uphold.”

I chuckle, realizing we have more in common than I’d thought. A spark of curiosity ignites, and before I can stop myself, I blurt out, “So what brings you to this side of the Obsidian Rift anyway? Business expansion?”

X’s lips curl into a smile that makes my heart do a little tap dance. His golden eyes lock onto mine, intense and... something else I can’t quite name.

“You,” he says simply.

I blink, certain I’ve misheard. “Come again?”

He chuckles, a low rumble that I feel in my chest. “Well, the idea of you. Vormugh Enterprises isn’t just about expansion and territory. It’s about the promise of finding our mates, starting our families.”

My cheeks flush hot. “Oh,” I manage, eloquent as ever. “I’ve, uh, heard about that before. Otherkin mates seem pretty intense.”

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