Page 17 of The Orc's Promised Bride

“You’re still recovering.” He gently took the pouch back. “There’s no shame in accepting help when you need it.”

She bit her lip, clearly conflicted, then gave a small nod. The small sign of trust pleased him far more than it should. He crushed more berries in his palm and dipped his hand into the water, creating a rich lather, then paused, waiting for her permission.

She slowly slid her arm around his shoulder, bracing herself as she held out a shaky leg. Her fingers gripped his skin, sending sparks of awareness through his body, but he made himselffocus on his task, rubbing the soapberries in quick, efficient strokes from ankle to knee.

Her breath caught when he reached her thighs, but he did his best to keep his touch impersonal and detached, even though his cock throbbed against the tight leather of his pants. The simple domesticity of helping her bathe somehow felt even more intimate than seeing her body through the wet cloth.

Moving to her arms, he worked methodically from fingers to shoulders. Her skin was silk-smooth beneath his calloused palms and he saw her pulse jumping visibly at her throat.

The mate bond thrummed between them, making it harder to maintain his distance. What would it be like if their circumstances were different? If he could take his time, explore her delicate skin, kiss her all over, tease her until she begged for him?

He washed under her arms and across her upper chest but couldn’t bring himself to dip beneath the cloak. A male could only take so much.

“Done,” he said gruffly. “I’ll dip you back under to rinse you off.”

“Could… could you wash my hair first?”

“Your hair?”

She nodded, not quite meeting his eyes. The bond pulled at him as he settled onto the boulder and drew her carefully onto his lap. The water lapped at his legs as she settled against him, fitting perfectly despite the size difference.

He worked more of the crushed soapberries through her dark waves, watching the suds form under his fingers. Her hair felt like silk, softer than anything he’d touched before. As hemassaged her scalp, she relaxed against his chest with a small sigh of contentment.

His chest ached at the trusting gesture. After her earlier fear, this surrender meant everything. Her eyes drifted half-closed as he worked, her expression peaceful. The simple act of caring for her filled him with a satisfaction he’d never known before.

But then doubts started to creep in, souring his joy. Why was she here? She hadn’t come in answer to his prayer. What if the gods had other plans for her? What if this growing attachment would only lead to heartbreak?

Still, he couldn’t stop his fingers from threading gently through her hair, couldn’t resist memorizing how she felt in his arms. He’d never wanted to protect and cherish someone the way he did her.

But she’s not mine.

“Need to rinse,” he said gruffly, suddenly surging to his feet. Her arms tightened around his neck as he waded deeper, then stopped mid-stream. “We’re going under.”

She squeezed her eyes shut and held her breath as he submerged them both, swirling her quickly through the water to clear the suds. When he lifted her back up, droplets sparkled on her eyelashes. Her face hovered level with his, close enough that her breath warmed his cheeks.

Her dark eyes met his, the look in them making his pulse race. One delicate finger traced the curve of his left tusk, sending a shiver through his entire body. No one had ever touched him there before.

“Do orcs kiss?”

The whispered question stripped away his last shred of resistance. He shifted her in his arms, angling her head carefully so her mouth would fit between his tusks. The morning sun caught droplets of water in her hair, making them shine like diamonds.

He brushed his lips against hers, as sweet and soft as he’d imagined. He lingered there, their mouths barely touching, and her tiny sigh of pleasure broke something loose inside him. The bond flared, demanding more.

He slowly deepened the kiss, his tongue teasing hers, careful not to cut her with his tusks as he encouraged her to respond. She tasted even sweeter as she opened to him, and his blood heated, rushing south as the mate bond sang. When her tongue shyly stroked his, need blazed through him like wildfire.

His arms tightened around her, crushing her against his chest, and a low rumble of approval vibrated in his chest as the stiff little points of her nipples pressed against his bare skin. She moved urgently against him, echoing his passion, and he lost himself in the sensation. His tongue swept deeper inside her mouth, claiming her, demanding more. His hand swept down her back, gripping the perfect swell of her ass and pulling her even closer.

Then he realized she wasn’t responding to his kiss - her small hands were pushing frantically against his chest, trying to get away from him. Horror crashed through him as he released her mouth, reality slamming back. What had he done?

CHAPTER 10

Cold water rushed around Jana’s body as Lothar held her as far away from his body as he could, although he kept his hands on his waist keeping her suspended in the water. Her heart still thundered in her chest, but the tight band of panic loosened as she forced herself to take long, slow breaths. She focused on her surroundings - the sound of the stream, the icy swirl of the water, the warmth of Lothar’s hands steadying her.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, her voice shaking. “I shouldn’t have asked you to kiss me when I knew-”

“No.” His deep voice cut through her apology. “The fault is mine. I should not have held you so tightly, should not have demanded more.”

“It wasn’t your fault at all.” She wrapped her arms around herself, though whether from cold or memory, she wasn’t sure. “I have… issues with feeling confined. Being restrained.”

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