Page 89 of The Orc's Thief
Between one thrust and the next, Tessa comes. She squeezes her eyes shut and buries her face in my neck as she cries out, her climax dragging me down with her. My knot throbs as I spill inside her, filling her up like I’ve wanted to since the moment I met her.
Tessa’s hiccupping breaths are the first sign that something’s wrong. She clings to me, her hands trembling on my shoulders.
“Hey, what’s wrong?”
I take her waist to pry her away from my chest, but she squeaks and holds on tighter. It’s not until I feel the hot fall of her tears that the worry really hits, and my knot deflates instantly. I slip out of her, the mess of our hours together sliding free. Swearing, I fumble for my shirt, wipe her gently, and lower her onto the covers.
“Fuck, I’m so sorry.” My stomach turns at the thought that I might’ve hurt her. “What did I do?”
But she shakes her head and pulls me close, curling in a ball until I wrap her in my arms and tug the blanket over her shivering body.
“S-sorry,” she chokes between sobs. “Don’t know—what happened.”
The vise around my chest loosens. “I didn’t hurt you?”
“No,” she yelps. “No, no. Just—hold me.”
My thundering heartbeat slows the second she’s in my arms again. I don’t know what else to do, so I tuck her close, drape a leg over hers, and kiss the crown of her head. “Shh. You’re safe. Come on, breathe with me.”
“I’m sorry,” she repeats, quieter now, her trembling easing. “I’ve never…”
She trails off, and I ache to know what she was about to say. I stay silent, smoothing my hand up and down her bare back.
“I didn’t know it could be like this,” she whispers at last. “I didn’t expect it.”
It hits me—Tessa’s never let herself be this vulnerable before. Or maybe she had, once, and was punished for it. No wonder the intensity scared her.
“Me neither,” I murmur into her hair. “It’s never felt like this.”
She tilts her chin up, squinting in the dark. “Really?”
I nod, knowing she’ll feel it with how close we are. “I told you. I’ve never given my knot to anyone. But this was more than that. I expected things to be different with my mate, but not like this.” I hold her tighter. “It shook me, too.”
“Well, at least you didn’t blubber all over me.” Tessa sniffles. “I’m sorry for scaring you. You truly didnothingwrong. That was…perfect.”
I puff up with pride at her grudging confession. “I’ll remind you of this the next time you’re angry with me.”
She snorts and pinches my side. “Don’t test your luck.”
In the morning, I wake to find Tessa already up, stoking the fire. I’d gotten up after our lovemaking and put more wood on the dying embers to keep us warm through the darkest part of the night, and now she’s doing the same for us. I lie back, watching her putter around the dusty space, tiptoeing as if she doesn’t want to wake me. It’s adorable—her footsteps are still louder than any orc’s. But she’s trying her best, all to let me rest a while longer.
She bends over the saddlebags to draw out some pears and cheese for our breakfast, and I can’t stay silent anymore.
“That’s a nice view to wake up to.”
Tessa startles and drops the cheese, then whirls on me, glowering. “You’re awake? Why didn’t you say anything?”
“I just did,” I point out. I push myself up and stretch my arms over my head. “I see you’re dressed.”
Her gaze dips from my face to my abdomen, and her cheeks turn a pretty shade of pink. But instead of joining me in bed, she picks up my pants and underwear from where I’d discarded them last night and chucks them at me. “You’d better get ready. We can’t linger.”
Ah. She’s put her armor back on after the night we had. I stifle a grin, dress quickly, and step outside to wash. At the well, I rinse out my shirt from last night, doing my best not to get hard at the scent of our mess clinging to the fabric. I splash cold water on my face and grit my teeth against the flood of memory—Tessa’s body, moving on top of me.
When I return to the cottage, fully prepared for more cold behavior from her, Tessa sidles up to me, a shy smile tugging at the corners of her lips.
“I’m sorry for snapping at you,” she murmurs, placing her hands on my chest. “You surprised me, is all.”
She goes on her tiptoes, and I meet her halfway for a sweet kiss, our lips brushing tentatively. Then the little vixen licks my bottom lip, tasting me, and I can’t help but do the same. The taste of her is mixed with the sweetness of the pear she must have already snacked on, and I could stay here for hours, just exploring her.
