Page 42 of Summoning the Orc

“First of all, who evenusesthe word hoochie anymore,” I scoffed and she giggled up a storm. “Second of all, how can anyone expect me to keep it in my pants when my mate is as sexy as he is?”

“No one expects it,” she cackled before switching to her serious voice, “but I know you, and I know what it has to mean if you’re sleeping with him. How bad is it?”

I sighed, shaking my head as I moved back to the pan, making sure my eggs weren’t burning. “The prognosis is critical,” I admitted.

“Well shit, you know what that means, right?” she demanded. “I have to buytwosets of baby clothes so our little ones can match.”

“I willmurderyou,” I told her and she started laughing again.

“Come on, Becks, this is everything I’ve ever dreamed of. Our babies will grow up together!” she insisted.

“I mean,” I said, biting my lip and allowing myself to dream.“Thatwouldbe pretty great.”

“Now we just have to find Rudgar’s mate and our little clan will be complete,” she sighed happily.

“Alright, Miss Matchmaker, let’s not try to sell him on the open market,” I joked, rolling my eyes as I plated our eggs and then started with the bacon.

“Are you cooking right now?” she demanded, “because youknowhe’s going to be upset if you try to feed yourself after the first time you have sex, right?”

I froze, my eyes widening as I looked down at the meal I was making.

Oh shit.

I forgot that. It was part of the orc mating ritual. They needed to feed their mate after their first night together to prove that they could provide for them.

Shit, shit, shit.

I was about to put everything away when a tousled-looking Rok entered the kitchen, horror filling his eyes as he looked from the plate of eggs to me and back again.

“Gotta go,” I told Pen, hanging up the phone and then holding my hands out to Rok in a placating gesture. “Okay, this isn’t what it looks like,” I started, but his brow furrowed, as he hurried forward.

“I’m sorry, my Becca. So sorry. I should have woken—”

“No,” I gasped, grabbing him around his waist and tucking myself against him, fitting so perfectly, it eased some of the tension in my body. “It’s my fault. I forgot that you’d want to feed me and I thought I would make breakfast for you instead. It’s a human thing and—”

“Is this,” he asked, running his hand down my back, his voice slow and considering, “something you’d do for a mate?”

I nodded, nuzzling against his chest. “I guess. It’s a human thing. I just wanted to thank you for a wonderful night together.”

“So you aren’t upset that I didn’t hunt for you this morning?” he asked, his voice cautious.

I pulled away, my eyebrows sweeping up. “Hunt? I don’t expect you to hunt for meever, Rok, much less the morning after giving me the best night of my life.”

His beaming grin was contagious. “The best night?”

“The best nightever,” I insisted, biting my lower lip.

“Me too,” he told me, nuzzling his face into my hair. “I still can’t believe it really happened. I keep thinking I’m going to wake up back in my lonely cave without you.”

My heart broke for him, but I shook my head. “Never. You’re never going to be alone again. I’ll never allow it.”

His chuckle rumbled in his chest. “Thank you, my Becca,” he whispered, “and I’m so honored that you’re performing your mating ritual for me.”

My eyes widened and I pulled away, nodding. “Yes, this isdefinitelypart of a mating ritual,” I said, my voice stiff since I was terrible at lying.

He beamed, looking over at our plates. “What do I need to do?”

“Eat,” I told him, pressing a quick kiss to his lips. I tried to pull away, but he tugged me back for a deeper kiss, and my knees went a little weak before he released me. I stumbled toward the stove, realizing that I’d burned the bacon.

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