Page 15 of My Orc Pen Pal

“Mate?” Her voice had gone unnaturally high, her eyes wide as she backpedaled toward the bathroom. “Mate? You called me that last—Oh myGod, Akhmim, what are you talking about? We haven’t even had sex yet! I—I barely know you! I’m not your Mate!”

The scent of her panic finally broke through the haze of my arousal, and I stopped, confused. “Youdoknow me, Rosemary. Just as I know you.”

“We’repen pals. That’s it! Last night—this morning—was fun, sure, but…” Wide eyed, she was gripping the doorjamb. “Dude, it wasfun. It wasn’t like…forever. Why are your eyes glowing like that?”

Ohfuck.

Was it possible that she didn’t feel the same strong connection I did? Or did she feel it and not understand it? It had to be the latter, because everything I’ve heard and read is that when an orc finds his Mate, theknowinggoes both ways. Humans didn’t have aKteer, but Rosemary should be feeling the same connection, the same attraction.

She just wasn’t letting herself understand it.

And she was afraid of it.

Although myKteerwas urging me to take her in my arms and comfort her, I tamped down on my primitive desires and backed toward the bed, sitting to pull on my clothes,and watching her from the corner of my eye. Exhaling, she edged toward the door to the bedroom, as if looking for an escape, and I hated that I’d made her feel like she couldn’t trust me.

As she opened the door to the hall, I stood to button my pants, and her concerned gaze darted back to me. When I knew she was listening, I nodded.

“To answer your question, an orc’s eyes gleam green when he is in the throes of a powerful emotion. In this case, it’s almost certainly the Mating Heat.”

“Mating Heat,” she repeated in a small voice. “Like…you just need to mate with someone, and I’m here?”

“No,dkaar. MyKteer”—My claws extended as I pushed my fingers against my chest, digging into my skin—“my heart and soul recognize that you are my Mate, the female I will be devoted to for the rest of my life. That is why my eyes are glowing.”

That is why I’m feeling like I have hot coals buried beneath my skin.

She was eyeing me, chewing on her lower lip in consternation. Now it popped out, and I tried not to groan at how erotic that was. “That sounds…intense.”

“It is. I know it might seem sudden to you?—”

“I just met you last night!” A bark of laughter escaped her lips, and she dragged her hand through her hair, gathering it over one shoulder. “Maybe I shouldn’t have invited you in. I shouldn’t have kissed you or jumped all over you.”

Ineededto go to her, to assure her she was wrong, and thatthis…this was right. But instead, I busied myself with shrugging into my shirt.

When I could control myself, I straightened. “You didn’t just meet me last night. I’ve known you—the real you—for months, Rosemary. I’ve shared everything about my heart and my soul, and you’ve told me things you haven’t told anyone else.”

“Because I never thought I’d meet you in person!” she wailed.

I inclined my head. “Be that as it may,I know you. You know me, and I know you’re my Mate. We have a saying—well, it translates toThere is a knowing.” I resisted the urge to dig at my chest with my claws. “I can feel our connection, and I hope one day you will too. I would ask…” Curling my hands into fists, I took a deep breath and lifted my chin. “Give me a chance to prove it.”

“What?” she asked, confused.

I held her gaze. “I know we are Mates. Let me prove it to you. Give me another date—no,tenmore dates. I’ll prove it over the next ten dates.”

Her eyes narrowed. “One more date.”

It was limiting, but myKteersoared at the knowledge that she was considering it. “Seven?”

To my surprise, especially after her outburst, I saw Rosemary’s lips twitch. “Twodates.”

Ah. We were bargaining? I nodded firmly, trying not to let my triumph show. “Twelve more dates.”

Her laughter burst from her. “Who taught you to haggle? You’re bad at it.Threedates. I’ll give you three more dates, Akhmim, but…” She shook her head, her expression turning serious once more. “I have to warn you. I like my life.”

Feeling far more hopeful than I had a moment ago, I nodded in agreement. I think I would agree toanythingat that moment. “I like your life too.”

“I mean, I like it the way itis. I don’t believe in…well, it doesn’t matter. I’m just saying, you can’t show up in my life and declare yourself my Mate. Imightbe willing to call you my boyfriend though, and we can start over. This?” She gestured between us, then to the messy bed. “This didn’t happen. We’restarting over, okay?”

“Okay. But I get three dates to change your mind?”

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