“Kaz.” Atria’s cautious voice filtered in from a great distance. “Big guy, you’re growling.”
He hitched her up, holding her more securely against his chest and the hot bar of his erection. “Room’s not right,” he grated. “Doesn’t smell right. I need—” He lost his train of thought as another tearing growl rattled from his chest.
She stroked the back of his neck with soothing fingers. “Tell me.”
“Ineedyou in a nest.”
“I… Okay?” She craned her neck to look over her shoulder. “The bed?”
He lifted his lip at the neat bed with its crisp, folded sheets and thin duvet. Gods, he felt like he was going insane. Kaz had never given a shit about blankets before, but now he felt a visceral sort of repulsion at the sight of the bed. He couldn’t bond with his matethere.
Breathing hard, he announced, “Needs more blankets. Pillows. Things that smell like you and me.”
“Oh, I see.” Atria clasped his cheeks and gently turned his attention away from the bed and back where it belonged: on her. Speaking in a soothing cadence, she asked, “I saw there’s a door over there. Is that a closet?”
“Yes.”
“Are there blankets in there?”
It took him a moment to search his memory. “Should be.”
His mate gifted him with a radiant smile. “Okay, perfect. I’ll look for some while you go get our bags. Maybe we could… I don’t know much about orcish nesting, but would having our clothes on the bed help?”
Kaz’s cock jerked. In that moment, he wanted to see her spread out on his clothes, hair knotted and his release dripping between her thighs, more than he wanted anything in his life.
He had to remember to temper his strength when he smashed his lips against hers.Such a smart, beautiful, thoughtful mate,he thought, drugged on her taste and the soft, surprised sounds she made when he sucked her tongue into his mouth.
Only the looming presence of the cold, uncomfortable bed was enough to pull him back from the brink of pressing her against the wall. “Blankets,” he breathed, reluctantly lowering her back onto unsteady legs.
“Blankets,” she agreed, considerably more breathless than a moment before.
Kaz gave her a gentle push toward the closet before he raced out of the bedroom. He intended to grab their suitcases from the family room first, but took one look at the grocery bags and shuddered. It didn’t bother him before, but now that he’d given in to the urge to nest, the idea of smelling rotten fish and eggs while he wastryingto luxuriate in his mate made him gag.
He wasn’t particularly delicate and not at all organized when he shoved their groceries into the refrigerator, but it didn’t matter. They were taken care of.
That done, he snatched up their bags and hauled ass back to the bedroom.
Kaz halted just outside the door, stopped by some invisible force that compelled him to hastily remove his boots before he crossed the threshold.My mate’s in there our nest is in there can’t wear my shoes bring in dirt not in the nest—
He was breathing hard by the time he stepped out of them. Leaving them half-untied in the middle of the hallway, he rushed into the bedroom.
When he careened inside, he slammed the door with his heel and searched for Atria. Already the room smelled more like her, morealive,and when he spotted her carefully draping a fluffy comforter over several other blankets inside the nook, that taut feelingsnapped.
Her eyes were down, her brows furrowed, and her lip tucked between her teeth. As he watched, she carefully placed a pillow amongst a mound by the stone headboard.
Atria wasn’t orcish. He doubted she had any idea what to do with a nest beyond, perhaps, what she’d seen in movies or entertainment feeds, but she was giving the task her complete focus and concentration anyway.
I get to spend my life with this woman,he thought, chest squeezed so tight he could no longer draw breath.I get to love her.
And then she turned to look over her shoulder at him and asked, “Am I doing it right?”
“Yes,” he answered, tone gruff.
Kaz strode over to the foot of the bed and dropped their bags onto the floor. Kneeling, he quickly opened them both and, ignoring the folded envelope beneath his emergency supplies, extracted all his softest clothing.
He shot her a smile when he threw them onto the bed. Atria erupted into giggles. The sound was like little bubbles of joy popping in the air. “Where should I put your shirts? Somewhere special or just all around…”
“Wherever you want,” he replied. It was immeasurably pleasing, discussing this with her, havingfun.Affection glowed so hot in his chest, it felt like his heart had turned to burning coals.
