Page 43 of My Orc (Secret) Boss

Memnon nodded. “After that, all that mattered wasyou, Maya. Making you happy, pleasing you. Whether that meant at work or at home or…”

He trailed off, and for the first time, I swear I saw his cheeks darken.

Oh my. Was heembarrassed?Was my big, strong Mateembarrassed? “Or in bed?” I teased.

“I pleased you,” he grunted, looking away.

“You did.” My smile was a little impish as I moved closer. “And I understand. Last week…I knew there was something going on with you, but I didn’t know what.”

“It was the Mating Heat,” he admitted with a sigh. “I’ve seen it happen. I just never thought it would happen to me. I was desperate to claim you completely, to start building our forever, but I didn’t want to do it while I was lying to you. But then…” He shook his head, something like disgust flickering across his expression. “I think I convinced myself that since we were Mates, as long as I could makeyouunderstand what that meant, everything would be okay.”

I remembered the things he did to me yesterday beside the creek, and the way he made me scream his name last night. The way he’d focused on my pleasure again and again in the last week, as if determined to break some kind of record.

Just the memory of it made liquid heat pool between my thighs, and from the way his nostrils flared and that spark of green lit in his eyes, I knew he knew it too.

So I took a deep breath. “I forgive you. Biology makes us do weird things sometimes.”

“Oh, fuck, Blossom, you have no idea,” he groaned in what sounded like relief, crushing me to him. “I’m sorry,” he mumbled into my hair. “I can’t promise I won’t screw up again, but I promise to talk it through with you when I do.”

“Deal.” I wrapped my arms around his middle, loving how perfectly we fit together. “Because that’s what Mates do.”

He groaned again, only this time it sounded like it was pleasure. “Gods below, I love you, Maya.”

It wasn’t the first time he’d said those words, but my breath caught at how casually he’d uttered them now.

Mate. Mine. Beloved. Blossom. Dkaar. Forever.

Everything he had said to me in the last days? They meant the same thing.I love you.

So I smiled against him. “I love you too, Memnon. Mate.”

He shuddered, and I squeezed him tightly, letting the joy flow from me into him.

Pushing up on the toes of my work boots, I lifted my lips to his. Memnon was smiling as he bent, prepared to kiss me?—

“Well, hello there, Maya,” a voice purred from behind me.

Memnon’s expression immediately clouded—and bycloudedI meanturned into a thunderstorm—as I tried to turn toward the newcomer. And I saytriedbecause Memnon’s hold on me tightened possessively.

“Go away, Geoffrey,” he snarled.

Ah. Geoffrey the Asshole?

But I was too buoyant, too full of joy, to let anything dampen my day. Yes, Memnon had screwed up, but he’d talked me through his choices, which made sense, and he apologized. It was comforting to know he was as fallible as me.

Finally, I managed to pull from his hold and turn to offer Geoffrey a false smile. “Hello, Mr. Harrison. We’re having a private conversation?—”

“Don’t be silly.” He oozed even closer, projecting the same confidence of a used car salesman in a ‘90s movie. “I know thismonsterbought you at the auction, but I decided that was merely because you didn’t have a chance to?—”

“Memnon didn’tbuyme,” I blurted, finally able to form indignant words at his horrible claim. “My landscaping services were up for auction, and he’s going to use them to make Eastshore better!”

Geoffrey waggled his brows. “I could use some of yourservices, if you know what I mean…”

Behind me, Memnon’s warning growl made me consider stepping aside and allowing him to tear the asshole limb from limb.

But I didn’t, becausethink of the paperwork!

“Come on, Maya.” Geoffrey reached for my hand. “All jokes aside, I’m very wealthy. Did you know? I can show you a good time.” His thumb was making little circles on the back of my hand as he gave me what he probably thought was a winning smile. “How about I take you out to a nice dinner, and then show you the hot tub on my balcony? It looks out over the beach.”

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