Page 26 of Falling for the Grumpy Orc
But it's not. It's so much more than just a cat house. It's the way this grumbling mountain of a man noticed something I really cared about and went out of his way to help me.
Again. And without so much as demanding aThank youin response.
We just stand there on my back porch, the golden rays of the later afternoon casting a magical glow all around us. He’s close to me, closer than he’s been since he taught me how to paint.
He looks down at me, amber eyes suddenly flaming, and I can’t move. I couldn’t even if I wanted to. And I don’t want to.
His gaze shifts to my lips, and he swallows, hard. I follow the movement of his Adam’s apple as it goes up and down and it stirs somethingin my lower belly. Heats rises in my body, pooling right between my legs as Gerralt just stares at me.
He stares at me like I’m some particularly appetizing threat. Like he’s controlling himself not to eat me alive. And I’m all for some good gobbling. With his tusks and those hard, fleshy lips. Just thinking about those on my skin has my breathing accelerate to a fast and shallow rhythm.
But as smoldering as his gaze is, he’s not moving. It’s like he’s frozen in place, encased in ice from the outside, molten lava on the inside.
That big grump is never going to make the first move.
Neither would the old Cassidy. The old Cassidy would have been waiting forever, drowning in her own insecurities. But the new Cassidy? The new Cassidy doesn’t drown anymore.
And she doesn’t have to wait, either.
I watch in fascination as my hand reaches up, then flattens on his chest. My heart flutters with a mixture of anticipation and apprehension as my head swims with the boldness of what I’m about to do.
I can feel his heartbeat, steady and strong, under my fingertips as I let my hand wander across his broad chest. His muscles are firm, sculpted, and the sheer power radiating from him is intoxicating. My breath comes in quick, shallow gasps, my body responding to his proximity in a way that's impossible to ignore. My nipples tighten, pressing against the fabric of my shirt, and I can feel a damp warmth gathering between my legs.
This is something I’ve never done before. Taking a risk, making the first move, putting myself out there like this. But it’s something I want the new Cassidy to be able to do. I want the new Cassidy not to be shy, not to be scared. And I’ll fake it till I make it.
He keeps staring as my fingers spread on the thin cotton of his shirt while my other hand reaches to cup his cheek. His skin is warm and rough under my touch, and his breath hitches slightly, a small reaction that sends a thrill through me. I feel a surge of boldness, mixing with the already intoxicating arousal that flows through my veins like a drug.
He smells so good this close, masculine and clean, like pine needles and leather. It goes to my head and makes me dizzy. A low growl starts deep in his chest, right there underneath my palm, a small, barely perceptible reaction that sends a thrill coursing through me. I feel alive, powerful, and incredibly turned on.
Every fiber of my being vibrates with anticipation as I run my finger along his stubbly jaw, then reach for those tusks I’ve dreamed about touching. He shudders, the growl in his chest deepening to a constant rumble, and I get the distinct impression that he’s barely holding on to himself.
That he’s about to break and let go, consequences be damned. And I’ve never wanted anything more in my life than to be ravished by this huge, raw, and powerful orc.
But still, he doesn’t move. His hands are fisted at his sides as he just breathes and smolders there, watching me like a creature made of lava and control. Some incomprehensible contradiction that I wish he would explain to me.
Then I do something even bolder. Something that would send the old Cassidy running into a corner in shame.
I press my hips to him, rocking against the sensation of the largest erection I’ve ever felt. Heat floods between my legs, wet and imperious.
I should be afraid, but I’m too far gone.
I crave this. I crave him. Every inch of my body yearns for his touch, his taste, his scent. I'm emboldened, driven by a primal need that drowns out any lingering doubts or fears.
"Cassidy," he finally says, my name like a warning and a plea all rolled into one. His voice is low and gravelly, a rumble that seems to resonate deep within his chest. And all the way to the place where our bodies touch, pressed against each other.
I finally do it.
I push up on my toes, both my hands going around his neck as I lean into him, and I press my lips to his.
For a terrifying moment, Gerralt just stands there as I kiss him and I’m ready to pull away and melt in a puddle of apology and shame for kissing him without his consent.
Then it’s like a dam breaks, and he’s everywhere, all at once.
His hands close around my body, one large palm covering my ass, pressing me deeper against his massive erection as the other one grips the back of my neck.
His lips press against mine, firm and demanding, and the feel of his tusks against my face sends a shiver down my spine, electrifying my entire body. His lips part and his tongue darts between them, hot and wet. I open my own lips eagerly and he doesn’t make me wait. His taste invades my mouth, clean and intoxicating as his tongue explores every inch of my mouth.
He’s not kissing me. He’s taking possession of me.
