Page 23 of My Orc Contract Husband
“Tarkhan, if we did this…”
Desperate now to convince her she didn’t want to take such a risk, I blurted, “You don’tknowme. You don’t know what I’ve done!”
“I know you’re sweet and gentle and caring.”
Her hand went to my shoulder, then my cheek. My lungs forgot how to breathe as her other hand rose to cup the other cheek. Sitting before her like this, with hertowering over me…it felt like a benediction. As if she were one of the old gods, blessing me.
“Sami,” I breathed.
“Would you?” she asked. “Is this ridiculous? Seriously, tell me what you’re thinking.”
Unable to stand her achingly beautiful gaze, I closed my eyes and considered my heart. “I think…” I swallowed. “I think we would be a good match. Convenient. We both need this, yeah?”Behind my closed eyelids, I could still feel the weight of her attention.
“Yes,” she murmured, and I remembered the faint scent of her arousal when I’d carried her into the barn.
Stifling a groan, I took a deep breath. “It doesn’t have to be permanent or real. Just a legal marriage. You get the protection of my name.” Was I trying to convince her or myself? I forced my eyes open. “I wouldn’t let Montgomery hurt you, Sami.”
The promise fell from my lips with the weight of an oath, and I meant every word.
She still stood staring down at me, her small hands cupping my cheeks. Her touch was the anchor I desperately needed, holding me to this moment, this impossible conversation.
She was still staring down at me, her small hands cupping my cheeks.
“Are we seriously considering this?” she whispered.
I am.
The thought was so loud in my head I was surprised she couldn’t hear it.
But instead, my tongue flicked against my tusk again. “You tell me.”The nervous habit betrayed me, but I couldn’t help it. Everything about this moment felt balanced on a knife’s edge.
“I…I don’t know.” Uncertainty flickered across her features, but underneath it I could see something else—hope, maybe, or possibility.
From the way her brows were drawn in, the way she was chewing on her lip, I could tell she was waiting for a sign from me. I needed to commit. So I straightened my shoulders and reached up to pull her hands away from my cheeks.
Holding them gently in my hands, I met her gaze.
“I like you, Sami, and marriages have been built on far worse foundations. I’ll keep you safe, for however long you need to be safe.”
She nodded. “And you’d have your mortgage.” Her voice was steadier now, more confident, and I felt a flicker of pride at the change.
Honestly, at that moment, I couldn’t care less about the damn mortgage. But distractedly, I nodded. “Right, that too.”
Sami suddenly backed away, pulling her hands from mine. “The rain’s stopped.” Had it? I hadn’t noticed. “I’ll…” She glanced over her shoulder. “Let me think about it, okay?” The loss of her touch was immediate and sharp, leaving my hands feeling empty and cold.
“Of course. I’m not…” I rubbed the back of my neck. “Sami, I’m not pushing for this, it’s just an option.”
“Right. Good.” She glanced over her shoulder again, backing toward the door. “I’ll…I’ll call you, okay?” She looked suddenly uncertain again, young and vulnerable in a way that made my chest ache.
“Yeah,” I muttered as she turned and hurried out into the August humidity. The air that rushed in through the open barn door was thick and heavy, carrying the scent of wet earth and summer storms.
As if she hadn’t just huddled on my lap and sobbed. As if I hadn’t been ready to kill to protect her. As if we hadn’t discussedmarriage.
But in that moment, I knew the truth; fuck the mortgage. If marrying Sami Shayson would keep her safe, I’d do it a thousand times over.
The realization settled into my bones like truth, unshakeable and absolute. This wasn’t about convenience anymore. This was abouther.
Chapter Six
