Page 23 of Bidding on Her Orc Boss

X nods, his expression suddenly serious. “They are. It’s different from a marriage agreement on paper. Sure, there’s loyalty and partnership when you marry someone. But mates?” He leans in, his voice dropping low. “We’re bonded down to our blood and bone. Forever.”

I swallow hard, my mouth suddenly dry. “That’s... wow. Heavy stuff.”

“It is,” X agrees, his eyes never leaving mine. “But when you find the right one, it’s worth everything.”

I take a long swallow of wine, hoping it’ll calm my racing heart and stop me from blurting out something embarrassingly stupid. X’s words echo in my head, and I can’t shake the feeling that he’s talking about... us? Me and him? But that’s crazy, right? We just met. I’m just a data nerd who prefers algorithms to actual human interaction. He’s a freaking orc businessman who probably eats CEOs for breakfast.

“So,” I start, trying for casual and probably failing spectacularly, “this whole mate thing. How does it, um, work exactly? Is there like, a magical spark? A big neon sign that says ‘Congratulations! You’ve found your soulmate!’?”

X chuckles, the sound sending a shiver down my spine. “Not quite so dramatic,” he says, his golden eyes twinkling with amusement. “It’s more of a feeling. A pull. Like everything in your life has been leading you to this moment, to this person.”

I fidget with my napkin, suddenly feeling very warm. “And you’ve... felt that? Recently?”

He leans in, close enough that I can smell a hint of pine and something distinctly... him. “What do you think, Zana?”

My brain short-circuits. “I think...” I start, then pause, desperately trying to formulate a coherent thought. “I think I need more wine.”

X’s laugh is rich and genuine. “Allow me,” he says, reaching for the bottle. As he pours, his fingers brush mine, and I swear I feel a jolt of electricity.

“Thanks,” I mumble, lifting the glass to my lips. “So, uh, how about them sports teams?”

He raises an eyebrow. “Sports teams?”

I groan internally. “Sorry, I’m terrible at this. Small talk, I mean. People in general, really. Give me a complex dataset and I’m in my element. But this...” I gesture vaguely between us, “is way out of my comfort zone.”

X’s expression softens. “You’re doing just fine, Zana. Better than fine, actually. You’re... refreshing.”

I snort. “That’s a new one. Usually, I get ‘awkward’ or ‘hermit-like’.”

“Well,” he says, his voice low and warm, “I happen to find awkward hermits quite charming.”

Chapter Twelve

Xnaurl

As I sitacross from Zana, I’m acutely aware of every curve of her body, every flick of her dark lashes. The candlelight dances across her tan skin, and I want nothing more than to trace its path with my fingers, my lips. I clench my fist under the table, willing myself to focus on the task at hand.

“So, Zana,” I begin, my voice gruffer than intended. I clear my throat. “I’ll cut to the chase.”

She raises an eyebrow, a smirk playing at the corner of her mouth. “Uh oh. Should I brace myself?”

I can’t help but chuckle. Even in tense moments, her wit shines through. It’s one of the many things I adore about her. “No need for that. Unless you consider good news something to brace for.”

“In my experience, good news usually comes with a catch,” she quips, taking a sip of her wine.

I lean forward, my elbows on the table. “Fair enough. Here’s the deal: Urul and the board have finally realized what a disaster I am at overseeing HR and staffing.”

Zana snorts, nearly choking on her drink. “You don’t say?”

“Hey now,” I growl playfully, “I’m not that bad.”

“Wasn’t it you that proposed a ‘bring your pet to work’ day. For remote workers.”

I feel my cheeks flush green. “It was a morale-boosting initiative! And you all talked about how you loved your pets. There was a poll in the workspace chat channel and everything.”

“Uh-huh. And how did that work out for you?”

I grumble, remembering the chaos of that conference call. “Moving on. The point is, they want me to stick to my strengths: real estate development and negotiations.”

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