Page 12 of The Orc's Promised Bride

He was stirring the mixtures when a rustle from the bedroll drew his attention. She had pushed herself up on her elbows, grimacing as she tried to get her feet under her.

“Don’t.” He dropped the big wooden spoon and crossed to her side. “Your ankle needs rest.”

Color flooded her cheeks.

“I need to…” She gestured vaguely toward the trees. “You know.”

“Ah.” He bit back a grin at her shyness. “Then I will help you.”

“You absolutely will not.”

Her chin jutted out, dark eyes flashing. Such a determined little female. But determination wouldn’t heal her ankle, and he shook his head.

“You can’t walk. Putting weight on your ankle will only make it take longer to heal.”

“I’ll crawl if I have to.”

What had happened to make her so reluctant to be touched? He took a breath, forcing his voice to stay light.

“How about this - I’ll support you over to those bushes. You should be able to brace yourself against the tree trunk. I’ll turn around and wait until you’re finished.”

She looked from him to the bushes, and then her shoulders slumped.

“Fine.”

He bent over and offered her his arm. She gripped it, trying to pull herself up but she couldn’t without putting weight on her ankle.

“Put your arm around my shoulders,” he suggested. “I’ll carry you.”

She stiffened, then sighed.

“Fine,” she grumbled again.

Her arm slid around his shoulders, the contact sending a ripple of awareness through him. When her fingers curled around his bicep, his entire body came alive. The mate bond vibrated, and he couldn’t hold back a low rumble of pleasure.

“Sorry,” he muttered as he gently lifted her off of the ground.

Her fingers tightened on his arm, then loosened. She felt so right, tucked against him, even though she wasn’t as relaxed and trusting as she’d been in her sleep. The need to hold her, to protect her, rose again and he ruthlessly pushed it back. Instead he focused on getting her safely over to the bushes, then lowered her carefully to the ground as she grabbed the tree trunk.

He kept his arm around her until she nodded, then forced himself to let go and step away. He turned his back, trying not to listen to the rustle of leaves and branches.

“What do you call this?” she asked finally, and he turned.

She had managed to get her shirt pulled into place, but now she was holding a leaf with a red tip.

“That is a redwood leaf. The sap can be used as an antiseptic.”

She nodded thoughtfully, crumbling the leaf between her fingers.

“We have a similar plant. So much is the same. But some things are so different.”

She studied his face and then her eyes traveled speculatively down across his body. He knew it was only curiosity, but his cock stirred nonetheless. He fought back his reaction and gestured at the cooking pot.

“Breakfast should be ready.”

She started to take a step towards him and he hurried back to her side.

“Please, allow me.”

---