Page 66 of Wrangling the Orc Cowboy

My mate was wounded. I wanted to hunt the chumble mother down and… I wasn’t sure what I’d do but tell her sternly never to harm Gracie again. But she’d hurt her ankle.

I carried her all the way to town and placed her gently in a chair inside the main room of the saloon, holding my finger in front of her face. “Wait here.”

Before she could so much as grunt, I was racing out of the saloon and barreling down the street toward the general store with my arms spiraling. Inside, I rushed to the medicinal area and while Aunt Inla stared at me, a bemused expression on her face, I snatched up some stretchy bandages and spun, roaring back to the saloon.

Gracie had remained in place, and I skidded to a stop in front of her, holding the coiled wrapping up.

“I will tend your wounds.” I dropped to my knees in front of her and gently placed her injured leg on my thigh.

“I twisted it running from the chumble,” she said, frowning at me. I suspected this frown was not a good thing despite her telling me the redness was. All of this was so complicated.

“Your ankle is swollen,” I gasped, staring down at it. “Is it terribly painful?”

“Not too bad. It hurt at first, but I don’t think it’s broken.” Now she looked as bemused as my aunt. “Why didn’t you tell me what the mark meant? I don’t even know when I got it. I’ve been occupied the past few days, but I assume it appeared sometime after you were licking my palms. Which I’ll point out is an orc mating ritual you should’ve also explained.”

“You’re right.” I couldn’t meet her eyes. Instead, I focused on peeling the wrapper away from the stretchy bandage and slowly winding it around her ankle. “I messed it up.”

“I can understand why you might not have told me in that instant. Who introduces themselves by saying the stranger in front of them is their fated mate?”

“Not me.”

“Yeah, not you.” I caught the wry twist of her lips out of the corner of my eye. “But after we were together… That would’ve been a great time to tell me.”

“I felt horrible about the redness. I couldn’t stand that my big, bumbling body had done that to you. If I’d stayed, I know I would’ve done it again. Over and over. As many times as you’d let me.”

“I would’ve let you do it a lot.” Her voice came out soft. Was her justified anger fading?

Here I was, trying to makesomethingwork well in my life but failing at everything I tried.

Sharga soared in through the gap above the swinging saloon doors and landed on Gracie’s shoulder. He rubbed his face against her cheek.

“Aw, good to see you too, Shargie,” she said sweetly, stroking his feathers. “I missed you.” Her sweetness faded as she stared at me. “I missed you too. Not a text. Not a phone call. Nothing. Do you know what I thought? I’ll tell you. I thought you had fun andwere rejecting me, maybe planning to stay away until I gave up and left town.”

“Never, Gracie. Never!” I’d finished wrapping her ankle and didn’t know what to do with my hands. After carefully placing her foot on the floor, something occurred to me.

I stayed on my knees, where I belonged, and drew the object I’d made her from my pocket, extending it to her on my open palm. “This is for you. It’s not much. I carved it and hope you like it. Hope you will accept my apology for everything and…” I needed to stop talking and give her a chance to at least see my offering.

Would she reject it—reject me?

She carefully took it from my palm and held it up, examining it from each angle. “It’s a miniature of Sharga. So perfect. So pretty.”

“I thought you’d like a friend. I have Podar and Sharga, but you never had a pet. It’s not alive, though it could be in your heart.”

“Tark.” Her voice was coming out creaky, and her eyes shimmered with tears.

“I’m messing this up too, aren’t I?” I should get to my feet and walk out of the saloon. Leave her alone. I’d thought I was protecting her by leaving her but instead, I’d hurt her.

“No, you’re not.” Sobbing, she flung herself into my arms.

Chapter 24

Gracie

Tark was breaking my heart and putting it back together again.

He held me while I cried, though the tears were mostly happy. We had more talking to do, but our relationship was new. We’d figure this out some way.

He kept patting my back, something he must do with his pets when they were in pain, and it felt good. So did him holding me.

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