Page 36 of My Orc (Secret) Boss

Wait,Mate?

That’s what he said earlier, isn’t it?

I confess, I hadn’t been paying attention, what with the mouth full of cock and all that.

My confusion—and focus on his words—had startled me into stillness, so when he pulled my dress over my head, I was suddenly kneeling there naked for all the world to see.

No.

For all ofhimto see. All ofnatureto see.

Even though my skin went all prickly, I found myself grinning, rising to meet his challenge. I’d never thought of myself as an exhibitionist, but there was no one to see us but the herons and the finger mullet.

I reached for him at the same time he reached for me, and my breasts—nipples already hard little pebbles—were crushed against him.

“Do you understand, Maya?” he rumbled, his fingers running through my long hair. When had he pulled the tie from my braid? He spread the locks across my back and over my shoulders. “Mate.”

No, I didn’t understand, I was half-mad with need! But I did my best to focus, even as I rubbed my breasts back and forth across his skin. “Mate,” I repeated in a murmur. “Like…Giza and Harper. Jess and Karnak.”

“Yes.” His finger clasped my chin, lifting my gaze to his serious one. “Humans have marriage, but orcs have Mating. It is aknowing, Maya, deep inside.” He released my chin to gather myhand and press my palm against his chest. “Here. Iknowyou. I know I belong to you and…”

“I belong to you,” I finished in an awed whisper. It was… It was true. “Mates.”

“You understand?” His eyes flared green. “Mine.Mate.”

It was somehow more powerful than a declaration of intent, or trust, or even a proposal of marriage. It was just…a certainty. “There is a knowing,” I whispered, relaxing against him. “It’s true. It’s all true.” Iknewhim. I knew Memnon, and I knew we belonged together. All that worry about obligation or workplace romance? Irrelevant now.

“Maya, I want you,” he murmured.

Since I could feel his cock pushing against my stomach and could still taste him on my lips, I smiled shyly up at him. “I want you too. I—I love you, Memnon.”

With a wordless growl, he lowered his nose to my hair, inhaling as his hands pulled me closer. “Love you too, Blossom. But this? More than that.” His touch roamed my body as we both knelt there, sending my need higher and higher. “The Mating bond is…biological. MyKteer…” Another growl, then his mouth dropped to my shoulder. “Claim you,” he rasped.

Primitive. Primal.

Here, among the glory built by Mother Nature and preserved by man, it seemed fitting.

“Yes.” I arched into his hold. “Memnon,yes.”

“Mate,” he rumbled again as he turned and lowered me onto the shirt he’d spread atop the grass.

My hair spread out around me, and when he reached for my panties, I lifted my ass up so he could pull them off. Then he kissed his way up my body, even as his hands caressed my skin. The breeze was cool, but Memnon? So very hot.

He settled between my legs, and I thought he was going to cover me with his body. But he wrapped his hands around my knees andlifteduntil my ass was in the air, my weight resting on my shoulders, and I was staring up at him in shock…

Until he lowered his mouth to my wetness, and then I’m pretty sure my eyes rolled back in my head. “Memnon—” I began, wanting to tell him not to bother with this and just get to the wholeclaimingthing.

But then his tongue slid inside me as his tusk scraped against my clit, and I jerked against him. “Memnon!”

I felt his lips curl, then he nuzzled against my clitoris as his tongue found my g-spot, and I exploded.

Too quickly.

Before I could decide if I wanted to be disappointed or breathless, Memnon was lowering me. My legs were still twitching, my core still spasming as the orgasm throbbed through me, when he braced one palm beside my head.

“Mine, Maya,” he panted.

And I knew I was finally going to get what I wanted. Grinning, I reached up to wrap my arms around his neck. “Yours. And you are mine.”Mate.

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