My Orc (Secret) Boss (Eastshore Isle #7)

Epilogue

Memnon

I sighed happily as my Mate’s strong fingers wove through my hair. She was tying beads into a few small braids, the way she did each Sunday. She said it reminded her of her childhood, and since it reminded me of my home, I couldn’t object.

Out in the salt marsh, a heron picked its way through the rising tide, looking for periwinkles and finger mullet.

Here, on what used to be the Gary property, I’d found peace.

“What are you thinking about?” Maya murmured, tying off one of my braids.

I was sitting on our porch, one leg bent and my arm resting on the knee, as she sat behind me in one of the four patio chairs. I’d only wanted to get two—we only needed two, after all—but she insisted we needed enough to entertain friends. And my brothers.

“What do you mean?”

Finished with her task, she slid her hands across my shoulders and down my chest, resting her chin on the top of my head. “Oh, you’re smiling.” Her fingers drew little circles on my chest. “You’ve been doing that a lot more.”

Humming, I clasped her arms, pinning them against my heart. “That’s because I’m happy . I’ve heard it’s common to smile when you’re happy.”

“Yes, I’ve heard that too,” she teased. “What are you happy about?”

What wasn’t there to be happy about?

In the months since Maya had become my Mate, we had seen so many changes.

Our landscaping company had taken off, and she’d renamed her store Nature’s Gift , to encompass both businesses. She’d made me a full partner in both, although I didn’t work much in the store because she said I lacked people skills .

I was happier digging in the dirt, anyway, and we had a waiting list of jobs here on the island. The first one we did together, though, after the park was done, was turn a whole section of community land into a garden, and with her managing it out of her shop, we already had every plot requested for next spring.

My leg was improving. The injury had long since healed, but the muscles were strong enough now that I rarely limped, except when I was tired or really sore…or trying to evoke pity from my Mate.

As for the shop itself, Maya had insisted on paying me rent and a paycheck. No matter how much I told her I wasn’t going to take it, because we were Mates, partners , she insisted. So I marched her into the bank and added her name to every single account, investment portfolio, and deed I owned.

After that, she realized it was silly to worry about such a thing, and Sakkara began to help us both manage our money. And he wasn’t even smug about it, the ass.

But once she didn’t have to worry about rent, I remembered to tell her about how I was considering buying the Gary property. Her eyes had lit at the thought, and I knew she found it as special as I did.

It had taken a few months of surveying and red tape, but eventually we had what we wanted; a tiny home perched right here on the bank overlooking the creek and the marsh.

Okay, it wasn’t exactly tiny , because neither was I. But it had been small enough to get into the property without cutting down any significant trees, and the utilities were eco-friendly too.

The best part of the whole house? This porch. I built it right over the place where the old fallen log used to lie, and the view is just as good. The grass is still there, stretching out toward the water, but we added a few improvements.

“Memnon?” Maya slid her chin from my head to move her mouth near my ear. “What are you happiest about?”

Since her lips were caressing the tip of my ear—hello, erogenous zone—and her question had been teasing, I knew what she wanted to hear. Luckily, it’s what I wanted to say.

But I wasn’t going to give in so easily.

Still clamping her to me, I leaned forward, planted my free palm, and rolled to my feet with a grunt. Maya squealed in surprise and ended up dangling down my back. “Memnon!” she laughed, kicking me with her dangling feet.

I stretched, then propped my fist on my hip as I surveyed the view, pretending to ignore her squirms.

“ Memnon !”

“What was the question? What made me happiest?” My gesture took in the water, the marsh, the live oaks bending low over the creek. “Being here. Being calm . After a decade of chaos, a decade of missing home, I hadn’t realized what I really missed.”

That hadn’t been what I’d intended to say, but once the words were out, I knew they were the truth. Eastshore Isle and its nature wasn’t home , but it evoked the same peace, love, and joy in my heart.

As did the female who now clung to me, no longer struggling.

“I feel the same way,” Maya whispered.

In a quick movement, I swung her around to my front and lifted her against my chest. She made no sound, but her arms settled around my neck from this angle.

I held her gaze. “Thank you, dkaar ,” I murmured, “for giving me all this.”

Her brow twitched. “We bought the land and the house with your savings.”

Perhaps. “But you are the one who makes it a home. Without you…” I buried my face against her neck. “I love you, Blossom.”

I felt her grin, which shouldn’t be possible, but my Kteer knew her well.

Her fingers tightened in my hair, pulling me up to face her. Yep, she was smiling. But her dark eyes had also gone sort of soft, focused on my lips, and my cock leapt in response.

What was that about being calm and at peace? Suddenly, I was thinking about something else entirely.

“Mate,” she whispered, just before she used her grip on my hair to guide her mouth to mine.

Gods below, I would never get tired of hearing that word from Maya.

With my Kteer rumbling in my chest, I hefted her and strode toward my favorite part of the porch; an outdoor mattress strewn with pillows and a cozy blanket for the evenings.

I could already smell her arousal as I knelt, laying her reverently down on the canvas. When she began to eagerly pull off her clothing, I knew she wanted this as much as I did.

We rarely made love in our big bed inside; this is where I wanted to taste my Mate, claim her. Under the spreading limbs of the live oaks, under the sun and the stars, under the eye of everything that was and everything that will be.

“I love you,” I told her again as I joined her on the mattress.

Maya merely hummed in agreement and pushed my shoulder, rolling me over onto my back.

“I want—” I began, ready to insist she allow me to taste her before we began.

“Later!” Her lips were tugged into a frown worthy of a general, but her eyes sparkled wickedly. “It’s my turn to play.”

This was payback for the three orgasms I’d wrung out of her last night while we were supposed to be watching a movie, I was sure of it. “Blossom,” I groaned as her small hands clasped around my cock.

I expected her to stroke me—maybe even take me into her mouth—but she surprised me by swinging one leg over my thighs until she was straddling me. She planted her hands on my chest, lifted her weight on her knees, and scooched forward, until she sat, covering my cock.

I groaned again as she grinned.

My eyes fluttered closed, so I could focus on the sensations. She slid forward, her wet pussy bracketing the underside of my cock, trapping it against my stomach. Each of my ridges was sensitive as fuck, and I could feel her lips fluttering around them.

The noises she made told me I wasn’t wrong; they reached right down to my Kteer and made the damn thing howl.

“That’s right, Mate,” I crooned, running my hands up her thighs and her sides to cup her breasts. “Use my cock to make yourself come. So fucking beautiful.”

She froze, and I knew she was moments from exploding. So I was surprised when she suddenly leaned forward, scrambled for my cock, and sank down atop it.

“ Yes ,” she groaned as her climax burst over her. I loved the way she clamped her thighs around my hips, and rode me, her little rocking movements pulling my ridges through her channel.

So fucking beautiful .

I began to move, loving the way she milked me, loving the way she owned her pleasure, taking what she deserved from me. Each time she rocked forward, I thrust upward, meeting her to sink deep within her. Her inner muscles continued to spasm, and that thought, more than anything else, sent me soaring.

I don’t know how long we rocked together in the ancient, primal rhythm. The noises we were making likely scared the heron off, but I couldn’t care. I was one with my Mate, and she was perfect.

“Memnon,” she gasped, arching against me as I cupped her tits to roll her nipples. I wanted to pull her forward so I could put them in my mouth, but I knew from experience that I wouldn’t be able to sink so deep inside her.

So instead, I dropped one hand to her curls and lifted the other to her braid. I wrapped the plait around my hand, using it to guide her as she bounced atop me, and I planted my heels, flexed my hips, and?—

“Now, Memnon!” she commanded.

I found her clitoris and caught it between my knuckles, causing her to arch against my hold and scream wordlessly, another climax tightening her core, pulling me deeper and deeper…

With a roar, I spilled inside her, filling her with my seed, claiming her, marking her as mine. Mine .

The world would know now. My scent, my Mate, my forever .

But still, when she collapsed, breathing heavily against me, my lips twitched. Thank fuck for birth control, huh? We weren’t ready for kitlings—not sure I’d ever be—and the science of orc-human sexual relationships had taken a few big jumps in recent years.

“Oh, God,” she half-moaned, half-laughed. “I only just cleaned this blanket too.”

“That’s okay.” When she squirmed upward, my cock slipped from her core, but I was now able to kiss her. “Worth it.”

Her lips curled beneath mine. “Maybe. But I’m going to make you clean up out here while I go take a shower.”

My brows rose because I could be really happy just lying like this for another few hours. “What’s the hurry?”

“Memnon!” she scolded, pushing herself upright. “Tonight, remember? The barbeque?”

With a groan, I let my head thunk down against the pillows. “My brothers are assholes.”

She smacked my chest lightly as she clambered off me. “No they’re not. They’re happy for you—for us —and it’s important for them to see you’re settled and happy too. Simbel’s bringing Rissa and Trick, so that should take some of the heat off you.”

When she’d suggested this barbecue, I’d agreed to it—anything to keep my Mate happy. But now I was ready to scowl again at the thought of having to share her with any other male, even ones I knew.

But she was smirking when she leaned over me to drop a kiss on my forehead. “I promise you don’t have to do anything more than stand at the grill, drink a beer, and scowl at anyone trying to make small talk. I’ll be the polite one.”

“Deal,” I growled, reaching up to cup the back of her head and pull her down into a real kiss.

Unfortunately, she had the wherewithal to pull away before either of us got too invested in it.

“Love you,” she whispered against my lips, then straightened and began to collect our strewn clothing.

I propped my hand behind my head and stared up at the canopy of leaves over me. My Mate loved me, and I had a home and a purpose. I was helping to make Eastshore Isle a better place not just for us, but for everyone, including my brothers.

And every day, I got the opportunity to glory in all the natural wonders around me.

I felt my lips tugging upward into a grin. Guess I’d better go start seasoning the meat. And cleaning up out here. Anything to keep my Mate happy, after all.

Speaking of which…

My grin grew as I rolled to my feet. Maya was in the shower right now, yeah? Maybe she needed some help with her hair. Or washing her curves. As a dutiful Mate, I should probably join her and find out.

I hurried into our home, and behind me, the heron fluttered back to its perch.

At peace.