Page 46 of My Orc (Secret) Boss

Here, on what used to be the Gary property, I’d found peace.

“What are you thinking about?” Maya murmured, tying off one of my braids.

I was sitting on our porch, one leg bent and my arm resting on the knee, as she sat behind me in one of the four patio chairs. I’d only wanted to get two—we only needed two, after all—but she insisted we needed enough to entertain friends. And my brothers.

“What do you mean?”

Finished with her task, she slid her hands across my shoulders and down my chest, resting her chin on the top of my head. “Oh, you’re smiling.” Her fingers drew little circles on my chest. “You’ve been doing that a lot more.”

Humming, I clasped her arms, pinning them against my heart. “That’s because I’mhappy. I’ve heard it’s common to smile when you’re happy.”

“Yes, I’ve heard that too,” she teased. “What are you happy about?”

What wasn’t there to be happy about?

In the months since Maya had become my Mate, we had seen so many changes.

Our landscaping company had taken off, and she’d renamed her storeNature’s Gift, to encompass both businesses. She’d made me a full partner in both, although I didn’t work much in the store because she said I lackedpeople skills.

I was happier digging in the dirt, anyway, and we had a waiting list of jobs here on the island. The first one we did together, though, after the park was done, was turn a whole section of community land into a garden, and with her managing it out of her shop, we already had every plot requested for next spring.

My leg was improving. The injury had long since healed, but the muscles were strong enough now that I rarely limped, except when I was tired or really sore…or trying to evoke pity from my Mate.

As for the shop itself, Maya had insisted on paying me rentanda paycheck. No matter how much I told her I wasn’t going to take it, because we were Mates,partners, she insisted. So I marchedher into the bank and added her name to every single account, investment portfolio,anddeed I owned.

After that, she realized it was silly to worry about such a thing, and Sakkara began to help us both manage our money. And he wasn’t even smug about it, the ass.

But once she didn’t have to worry about rent, I remembered to tell her about how I was considering buying the Gary property. Her eyes had lit at the thought, and I knew she found it as special as I did.

It had taken a few months of surveying and red tape, but eventually we had what we wanted; a tiny home perched right here on the bank overlooking the creek and the marsh.

Okay, it wasn’t exactlytiny, because neither was I. But it had been small enough to get into the property without cutting down any significant trees, and the utilities were eco-friendly too.

The best part of the whole house? This porch. I built it right over the place where the old fallen log used to lie, and the view is just as good. The grass is still there, stretching out toward the water, but we added a few improvements.

“Memnon?” Maya slid her chin from my head to move her mouth near my ear. “What are you happiest about?”

Since her lips were caressing the tip of my ear—hello, erogenous zone—and her question had been teasing, I knew what she wanted to hear. Luckily, it’s what I wanted to say.

But I wasn’t going to give in so easily.

Still clamping her to me, I leaned forward, planted my free palm, and rolled to my feet with a grunt. Maya squealed in surpriseand ended up dangling down my back. “Memnon!” she laughed, kicking me with her dangling feet.

I stretched, then propped my fist on my hip as I surveyed the view, pretending to ignore her squirms.

“Memnon!”

“What was the question? What made me happiest?” My gesture took in the water, the marsh, the live oaks bending low over the creek. “Being here. Beingcalm. After a decade of chaos, a decade of missing home, I hadn’t realized what I really missed.”

That hadn’t been what I’d intended to say, but once the words were out, I knew they were the truth. Eastshore Isle and its nature wasn’thome, but it evoked the same peace, love, and joy in my heart.

As did the female who now clung to me, no longer struggling.

“I feel the same way,” Maya whispered.

In a quick movement, I swung her around to my front and lifted her against my chest. She made no sound, but her arms settled around my neck from this angle.

I held her gaze. “Thank you,dkaar,” I murmured, “for giving me all this.”

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