Page 16 of One Forbidden Night with Her Orc Boss

I hope.

I can hear the music and singing before I open the door to my house. Lucy and Branny are singingMoanasongs at the top of their lungs. Scents of delicious spicy food hit my nose as I walk through the door. They’re in the kitchen, making cookies while some kind of curry bubbles on the stove.

“Mommy!” Lucy shrieks when she sees me. A floury, doughy covered child flings herself at me and I pick her up, not minding the mess she’s making or the tears in my eyes.

“Hey, lovebug,” I whisper into her hair. My emotions are so overwhelmed, frazzled. The stress of the rescue, feeling deserted by Brann, and now this—whatever this is.

“Branny and I are making you a special dinner. He said you worked really hard today and rescued someone!” I nod, trying to smile, as I’m confident any words will just end in tears.

“Are you hungry? I’ll make you a bowl,” Brann’s low voice rumbles through all of Lucy’s babbles as she tells me about her day and the cookies they’re making. Again, I just nod.

“Lucy, can you put the sprinkles on the cookies? I’ll get your mom a bowl of curry and rice.” Brann takes her from me, and it’s so natural. As if this majestic orc always holds my daughter, is a part of our family, belongs in our kitchen.

“Sit,” he says sternly as I gawk at the two of them. I obey.

Chapter 10

Brann

My brothers were right. If I’m going to commit, I gotta go all the way, even if it is scary. Of course, I refuse to admit to them that I’m scared, just that I’m unsure of the level of commitment required.

Doesn’t matter though, I promised her I was all in. Now all I need is to not be afraid of Lucy, the star.

While Natasha eats her curry, she eyes us, or me, critically. I purposefully ignore her, throwing all my energy and attention on Lucy, who might be the brightest star in the universe. She decorates the cookies, her little body hunched over the baking tray as she places individual sprinkles artistically on each one. It’s painstaking dedication.

When I told her that her mom was a hero today, Lucy was so matter of fact. “She’s always a hero.” I had to look away so she didn’t notice my tears.

Once the cookies are in the oven, Lucy sits and eats with her mom, chatting non-stop. I wash the dishes, trying to get all the bits of flour and sugar we flung about.

“Is there more?” Natasha asks, approaching cautiously.

“For you? Always,” I say, cringing at my cheesiness. What is it about this woman that makes me want to be the cheesiest hero? Upend all my preconceived notions about myself? I take her bowl and ladle more. She wraps her arms around my waist, snuggling against my backside, resting her head against me.

Carefully, I set the bowl down and turn in her arms. “You smell so good,” I whisper into the top of her head.

“Thank you for all of this. I don’t know what to think.” There’s a question there under her words, but I’m not sure how to answer it.

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