Page 133 of That’s My Orc, Tusk Off

“Don’t try.” I pushed back against him. “Give me everything.”

One of his hands left my hip and slid around to my front, finding my clit. The combination of him filling me and his fingers stroking was too much.

I gasped. “I can’t⁠—”

“Yes, you can.” His voice was hoarse in my ear. “Come for me, Willa. Let me feel it.”

His ridges vibrated harder, the waves cresting in a pattern that matched the circles of his fingers, and it was too much.

Everything went still.

I shattered. Every organized part of me that liked filing systems and counted good things gave up and let go. I came with a cry, my body shaking, and he followed me over, his grip tightening on my hip as he thrust once, twice before going still.

We stayed like that for a long moment, both of us breathing hard, before he withdrew carefully and helped me collapse onto my side. He curled around me, pulling me back against his chest, his arm wrapping around my waist.

“The ridges,” I said. “You didn’t tell me they could do that.”

“I wanted to surprise you.” His hand traced lazy circles on my hip. “Did it work?”

“I think I left my brain somewhere on the ceiling.”

His laugh rumbled through me. “Good.”

We lay in the dark, our breathing gradually slowing.

“I need to clean you up,” he said after a while.

“In a minute.”

“Willa—”

“Just hold me for now.”

His arm tightened around me.

We stayed like that until my body stopped trembling and my heart rate returned to something approaching normal.

He rose, kissed my shoulder, and slipped out of bed.

Water ran in the bathroom, and he returned with a warm washcloth and cleaned me gently. When he was done, he climbed back into bed and pulled me against his chest.

“You know,” I said, “if this is what happens when I reorganize your spice cabinet, I’m going to mess with your things more often.”

His laugh vibrated through me. “You can mess with anything you want.”

“Dangerous offer.”

“I mean it. Reorganize it all. Make it yours. Make it ours.”

Our mating marks caught the moonlight coming through the window.

“About what you said earlier. Know that I’ll always care,” he said softly. “That’s not conditional. That’s not something you have to earn.”

Tears prickled the backs of my eyes. “I’m still learning that.”

“We both are.” He kissed the top of my head.

I pressed closer, my ear against his chest, listening to his heartbeat.