Page 29 of My Orc Pen Pal

“Oh good.” His lips were smooshed against his tusks because of the way I was holding him. “Because I’m in love with you.”

“No, you don’t understand.” I gave his face a little shake. “I love you—Well, okay, yes,obviouslyI love you, trust, have faith in you, blah blah blah. But my point is…” I gave his head another little bob. “Ilove you. Enough to commit to you. Forever.”

His eyes had widened. “You want to…” Blowing out what sounded like an exasperated breath, he wrapped his fingers around my wrists and pulled my hands away so he could speak normally. “Are you talking about marriage?”

I tried not to be offended by his wary gaze.

“Marriage. Love. Mating. Whatever.”

His expression turned neutral, as if he didn’t quite want to share what he was feeling. “Dkaar, Mating is notwhatever. It is…” He shook his head. “I wish you could feel a fraction of what I feel for you. It is a knowing, a certainty.”

My smile bloomed, and I moved my palms to his chest, his fingers still holding me.

“Ido. I’m sorry it took me this long to figure it out. Idofeel the same certainty, the knowledge that you will be a good partner for life. Not just because you are a good male, but because you’ll put me first in everything.”

He looked offended. “OfcourseI would.”

“And I will putyoufirst.” I cocked my head, considering. “Until we have kids. Then I suppose we’d have to reevaluate what order of importance—What?”

Akhmim had gone pale at my mention of children. “You…you want kitlings?” he rasped.

“Of course I do. You met my family. I want abunchof kids. Your kids.”

With a little noise that might’ve been a growl of satisfaction, he crushed me to him. “Dkaar,” he whispered hoarsely against the top of my head. “I never considered…”

“That I would want children?”

I felt him shake his head. “That I would ever be lucky enough to be Mated. I grew up knowing I would live my life alone, and once we crossed into your world, and I saw how the humans treated us, I assumed that was my lot in life. A Mate? Kitlings? Impossible dreams.”

Grinning, I poked him. “Not so impossible. You’re a good guy, Akhmim. Any lady would be lucky to have you?—”

“Not any lady,” he growled, pulling away to glare down at me. “You.I am your Mate, and you are mine. I will not look at another female with desire for as long as I live.”

Wow. That was a pretty epic vow.

“Well, for what it’s worth…” I smiled up at him, a little shy. “I can’t imagine looking at another male with desire. Not while I haveyouin my bedroom.”

He didn’t respond to my teasing, but his serious gaze flicked across my face, as if seeking the truth. “You mean it, Rosemary? You feel this connection between us?”

“I do,” I whispered, willing him to hear the truth in my words. “I thought it was just…friendship. Lust. Blah blah blah?—”

“You said theblah blahpart earlier, but I want the real words.”

“Okay.” I took a deep breath. “I love you, Akhmim, and I’m sorry it took me so long to get my head on straight. I thought marriage was just about finding a good partner for life. And itis, but you’ve made me realize it’s about more than just a partnership. It’s trust and faith andlove.”

“You keep talking about marriage.”

I grinned. “Because that’s what I know. But we can call it Mating if that’s what you prefer. It sounds like Mating is everything I’m realizing a real marriage should be but often isn’t.”

Slowly, Akhmim nodded. “I have seen this. To an orc, it’s impossible to imagine committing yourself to someone for life andnotloving and trusting them more than youlove and trust yourself. You are…” He shrugged, as if at a loss for words. “You are the other half of me that I didn’t realize I was missing.”

“So…you love me?”

Finally, his smile bloomed, and he readjusted his hold on me. “Of course I love you, Mate. That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you.Showyou.” He flexed his hips forward, so I could feel his hardness pressing against my stomach. “You doubt my commitment to making you happy?”

Since this last part was said indignantly, I burst into laughter. “I definitely do not, and I will thank my lucky stars each day I found you.” Smiling, I tipped my head back to hold his gaze. “And so, I guess there’s only one question.”

“What is it,dkaar?”

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