Page 51 of Rough Riding Orc Cowboy

I scooped her up in my arms with all sorts of thoughts slamming through my mind. Protect. Defend. Comfort. All the things I wished I could offer my mate.

Beth let out a startled gasp and clutched my vest. But she didn’t pull away or fight me.

“You’re bleeding.” Damn me for sounding so snarly. But when I couldn't find her, and she didn't appear when I called, and then I heard her cry out… Red filled my eyes, and my overwhelming urge to challenge whoever might even think of harming my mate had consumed me.

“It’s just a cut. I scraped it on a branch. I'm sorry.” Her eyes shone with tears.

She was badly hurt. I could tell this. But I was going to fix it.

The forest was a blur. I darted around trees, my boots thudding on fallen leaves and branches. When a small gray creature hopped out ahead of us, I leaped over it, landing squarely on the other side. I kept going, aiming for the meadow ahead.

“Why are you apologizing?” I asked.

“Because I messed up,” she sobbed.

“You didn’t. I’m the one who messed up. Hold still. Don’t move, or you’ll bleed more.” Hurt more.

Die.

Her breathing stuttered. “I—I was just trying to help.” Her words tumbled out fast. “I wanted to dosomething. I wasn’t thinking. I mean, I was, but I didn’t mean to…” She sucked in a deep breath and more words shot out with the air. “I just?—”

“You did nothing wrong,” I barked.

Tears slid from her eyes.

Panic twisted through my guts. I didn't understand half of what she was saying, but none of it mattered. Herwound had to be taken care of, and I needed to make sure she wasn't more seriously injured.

Tightening my grip on her, I burst from the woods, barely registering the startled stares of our guests still near the river as I barreled across the open camping area. The gazebo was too open, too exposed. She was hurt. She needed comfort. Privacy to cry if the pain got too bad.

Kicking the tent flap aside, nearly knocking over the structure, I ducked inside where I lowered her onto the sleeping bag with more care than a big orc like me should be capable of.

“Where else are you hurt?” I snarled, breathless with fear. My hands hovered over her, but I didn’t quite dare touch. Yet I had to. I needed to make sure she was alright. “Did it—are you hurt anywhere else?”

She only blinked up at me, her lips parting in surprise.

That wasn’t an answer.

I carefully ran my hands over her shoulders, down her arms, along her sides. Along her thighs.

A shiver wracked her frame.

Damn, she was cold. I latched onto the edge of the sleeping bag and wrapped it up over her back, her head, tucking it under her chin while she gaped up at me. Then I ran my hands along her legs, all the way up to her hips. Her belly. Even her back beneath the blanket. A startled breath escaped her.

I froze.

She froze.

Heat shot through me, tighter than a hand around my throat.

Beth’s eyes locked onto mine, wide and darkening with… I couldn't quite believe what I thought I was seeing there.

My muscles twitched, and I ripped my hands back and lurched away from her, stumbling over the blanket and dropping onto my chest on the ground.

“Fates—Beth, I—” Sitting up, I dragged a hand down my face, scrubbing hard. “I didn’t— I wasn’t— I mean, I was— but not like?—”

Flames crawled up my neck. My pulse slammed in my throat, and my ears must be bright green by now. I made myself stop spewing words before I gave myself away.

She didn’t look angry.

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