Page 16 of The Orc's Promised Bride

“This isn’t going to work, is it?”

“Will you let me carry you? It’s not far.”

She bit her lip, then nodded.

“Okay.”

He scooped her up as if she weighed nothing, cradling her against his chest. The cloak stayed wrapped around her, but she felt exposed in a different way. His warmth seeped through the thin fabric, and his familiar scent - pine needles and leather and something uniquely him - surrounded her. Her heart started to race.

She’d been in his arms after he rescued her, but this felt different. Something had shifted during those fever-addled days when he was caring for her. She was alert now, aware of every point where their bodies touched, of the steady rhythm of his breathing, of the play of muscles beneath her fingers where she gripped his shoulder for balance.

She didn’t want to let go.

As if sensing her thoughts, his arms tightened, pulling her closer against him. He looked down at her and for a second, desire blazed in his eyes. Then his expression shuttered.

“Here we are.”

The stream tumbled over moss-covered rocks, crystal clear and inviting despite the chill rising from its surface.

“It’s quite deep here,” he said. “Comes up to my waist.”

Which meant it would reach her ribs. She frowned, trying to work out how to manage getting in and out with her bad ankle. Before she could form a plan, he strode straight into the water, still holding her.

She gasped as the cold water hit her like an electric shock and clutched his shoulders, pressing closer to his warmth.

“Oh God, that’s freezing!”

He turned back toward the bank. “We should?—”

“No, wait.” She tightened her grip on his shoulder. “Could you… could you dip me under first? I want to get my hair clean.”

He paused, then nodded. “Take a breath.”

She inhaled and squeezed her eyes shut as he dipped down and the icy water closed over her head. He lifted her up again immediately and she broke the surface gasping and laughing, water streaming down her face.

The laughter died in her throat as she caught his intense stare. His gaze was fixed on her chest, and she looked down to see the thin cloak clinging to her breasts like a second skin. Her nipples were clearly visible through the wet fabric, and her body’s response to the cold only made them more prominent.

Her first instinct was to cover herself, but she hesitated. Instead she raised her eyes to meet his, her tongue darting out to lick the drops of water from her lips. A shiver went through him and the arm around her tightened, his hand pressing against the base ofher spine. His gaze went from her breasts to her mouth and he started to lower his head.

CHAPTER 9

Lothar’s breath caught as Jana’s lips parted. The thin fabric of the cloak clung to her curves, leaving little to his imagination. Her nipples pressed temptingly against the wet cloth, hardened from the cold water. He’d been unable to avoid seeing her body as he cared for her but he’d done his best not to look, and in truth, he’d been too worried to do more than tend to her. But now that the fever had broken and she was on the mend…

“Gods,” he whispered, unable to look away from the tempting sight before him. Her scent, clean and fresh from the stream, filled his nose. His cock jerked, fully erect despite the icy water. The mate bond thrummed between them, urging him closer, urging him to taste her. But as he started to lower his head she shivered, sending ripples through the cold mountain water, and the movement snapped him out of his daze.

“Ready to get out?” He did his best to keep his voice gentle, focusing on her comfort rather than his rising desire.

When she nodded, he carried her to a sun-warmed boulder at the edge of the stream, his hands lingering on her waist toensure she stayed steady. Then he pulled a small leather pouch from his belt and shook out several berries.

“Crush them between your hands, then rub them over your skin,” he said, demonstrating the motion. The berries created a light foam that smelled of summer meadows. “They clean better than plain water.”

She took the crushed berries with shaking fingers, but her movements were uncoordinated, weak from the fever, and they slipped between her fingers.

“Here.” He caught her hand as she nearly toppled sideways chasing after them. “Let me help before you fall in.”

She clutched at his arm, her skin cool against his. The mate bond surged at the contact, making his pulse race. He wanted to pull her close, to warm her shivering form against his body, to claim her as his mate. But her earlier fear of his touch held him back and he pushed the feeling aside, focusing on her needs rather than his desires.

“I can do it,” she insisted, though her voice wavered.

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