Page 10 of One Forbidden Night with Her Orc Boss

Chapter 7

Tasha

The afternoon is acomplete blur. I’m disappointed by the wetness in my panties that I can’t get rid of. I’m distracted by the freedom that being on the back of Captain Suthorn’s bike gives me. My head spins around the rest of the checklist I have to complete for work, wondering how I’m going to get any of it done with this blasted captain kissing me like I’m the air he needs in order to survive.

The island is beautiful. Our ride confirms to me that I made the right choice in moving us here. But part of my brain screams that I need to run away, or at least look for what other jobs I can do if this goes sour for me. Because being jobless and homeless and off this island might just rip me apart.

It’s taken five years to stitch my life back together after I told my ex-boyfriend he was going to be a father and he walked away. I cannot let myself fall into that miasma of sadness and self-loathing again. I have to keep it together for Lucy; have to keep her safe.

So that is what I do. Every time I sense his eyes on me, I think about Lucy. Every time I hear his voice, I think about Lucy yelling in delight for me.

And I make it through the rest of my shift. And the next. All without incident. I scoop up the fire tower kiss and put it in the bin with the one-night stand and re-bury it in my mind. It means nothing. Doesn’t feel like nothing, but it can’t mean anything.

After work, Lucy andI head to the library so we can get library cards. The librarian and her assistant, practically leap across the circulation desk to wrap us in hugs and quiet squeals. Laughing (quietly) at the confusion on my face, the librarian, Betty, introduces themselves and explains. “It’s been a while since we had new people in town. And a new young book lover! We just revamped our story time!” Before I ask Lucy what she thinks about the idea of story time, she’s down the aisle of books with August, the assistant. Together, they pull picture book after picture book off the shelves. My heart swells.

“No matter where I go in town, everyone is welcoming and at puts me at ease, like this is my home. It’s a little overwhelming,” I say as I sign for my new library card. Betty nods sympathetically.

“It’s a great place to live. But it is a small town. Word travels fast. August, my assistant, is mated to Bjorn Cragbeard—”

“Ooh,” I say, seeing the puzzle pieces connect with how they seemed to know who Lucy and I were when we walked through the door.

“Yes,” Betty grins at me. “And my mate is Grev Cragbeard, Bjorn’s brother. So yeah, we’re pretty tight and up in everyone’s business. Now, tell me what the last three books you read were.” Betty pushes her glasses up on her nose, and it looks like she means business.

“Don’t forget about me!” A smiling face appears from around the bookshelf, waving her hand wildly at us. She steps out from the bookcase and hustles over, a thick stack of books tucked under one arm. “I’m Poppy. Also mated to a Cragbeard brother.”

Betty laughs at her. “I didn’t forget you. Didn’t realize you were eavesdropping.”

“Nice to meet you,” I say, holding out my hand. We shake, and I feel an instant camaraderie with these women. “How many Cragbeard brothers are there?”

“Four,” they say in unison.

“Urk is a hermit. He lives on the edge of the mountains with his mate, Anne. She’s sometimes successful in getting him to come socialize. But mostly it’s our three boys hanging out. Koru, my mate, owns and operates the brewery in town.” Says Poppy as her eyes sparkle at the mention of Koru.

Is it silly to want that? The sparkle when I speak about someone who loves me, other than Lucy. The friendship between these women who might normally not associate with each other. I dive into the bookshelves, unwilling to follow those longings any farther.

Thirty minutes later, we have a new Moonfang Haven Library reuseable tote bag stuffed full with picture books on unicorns and kindness, and several medieval romance novels for me. I don’t have brain capacity right now for serious history reading, but a love story sounds perfect. We have a standing weekly date to return to the library for August’s story time, and Lucy is excited about helping pick out the next week’s book.

On our walk home, I ponder Betty, August, and Poppy who seem so happy to be here, and so happy with theirmates. Even if things go sour with my job at search and rescue, I hope I can find work so we can stay here. This island is the balm my soul needs.

Three nights after“the incident” which is what I call the fire tower kiss—because if I call it by what happened, I spiral out of control—a voice hollers my name on our evening walk. I freeze just as Lucy looks up at me with pure delight on her face, as if I’ve just given her a giant ice cream sundae with a cherry on top.

“Brann!” she squeals, pumping her tiny, plump fist into the air, then taking off running toward him. The feeling that I’m watching a slow-motion trainwreck is very, very real, and not at all what I want for my daughter and me.

Captain freezes, eyes wide, as he watches my pride and joy barrel down the sidewalk at him. Then, the strangest thing happens. His lips tug upward into a smile along his tusks. It’s the scariest smile I’ve ever seen, because I know it’s fake, but Lucy doesn’t seem to care. She smacks into his legs again, and for a millisecond I wonder if she’s just knocked down the monolithic orc captain. But he finds his footing, picks her up and spins her in the air. Her own personal rollercoaster. She squeals and giggles in delight. “Again!”

I think I might be sick.

When I reach them, he’s set her down, but they’re both laughing and smiling. “Did you hear his joke? Branny, tell Mommy the joke!” She yanks on his arm, using it as a pendulum to leap and swing into the air as he gives me a sheepish look as I cross my arms at him.

“Branny? Want to tell me the funny joke?” My voice sing-songs, mocking him.

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