Dungar dismounted first, lifting me down with the same easy strength he’d shown back in town. His hands lingered on my waist longer than necessary, and when I looked up at him, his dark eyes held an intensity that made my breath catch.
“Welcome to my home,” he said softly.
“Thank you. I don’t know where I’d be without you.” The words felt more prophetic than simple, but I chose not to examine them and the feelings that came with them now.
Inside, the house was exactly what I’d expected from Dungar, everything meticulously organized and spotlessly clean. But it also felt warm and welcoming. The living room held oversized furniture clearly built for an orc’s frame, including a big leather sofa, a matching armchair, and a coffee table that came up to my chest mid-thighs. Built-in bookshelves lined one wall, filled with neatly arranged volumes that ranged from law enforcement manuals to what looked like poetry collections.
“No TV?” I asked, noting the absence.
“I prefer reading.” He winced. “Though I do have a tablet for streaming if you’d like to watch something.”
Of course he had a tablet. The documents organized into color-coded folders, I’d bet.
“Let me get your clothes started in the washer,” he said, taking my bag from my hand. “Then I’ll show you around.”
The hallway off the kitchen led past the living room to a bathroom that had clearly been designed with human guests in mind; normal-sized fixtures and a shower with shelves inside I could actually reach. The washer and dryer were there as well, tucked behind double doors.
He carefully placed all my clothing inside the washer and got it started.
“I’ll show you where you’ll sleep,” he said, gesturing for me to leave the small room.
He led me to the bedroom at the end of the hall. I stopped in the doorway, my mouth going dry.
The bed was enormous, clearly custom-made for an orc’s height and build. The covers lay rumpled from where he’d slept, and I found myself picturing him there, all that green skin and muscle sprawled across the sheets. My imagination helpfully supplied images of what he might look like without clothing, and heat pooled low in my belly.
“You can have the bed,” he said quickly, moving to smooth the covers. “I’ll sleep on the couch.”
“Dungar, I can’t take your bedroom. This is your home.”
“You’re my guest.” He pulled fresh sheets from a perfectly organized linen closet in the back right corner. “And my deputy. It’s my responsibility to make sure you’re comfortable.”
There it was again, that careful distance he maintained even as his eyes told me a different story. He wanted me. I could see it in the way he looked at me, feel it in the tension that crackled between us. But he was giving me space, letting me set the pace.
The mating bond revelation had shaken me more than I’d admit. Not because the idea horrified me, but because itdidn’t. The thought of being connected to Dungar on some mystical level should’ve sent me running. Instead, it felt like everything I’d been missing was clicking into place.
I was falling for him in a way that terrified and thrilled me at the same time. And if ancient orc magic had recognized what my heart was already feeling, maybe that wasn’t such a terrible thing.
“I should start dinner,” he said, efficiently changing the sheets, even making military corners on each end. “Are burgers all right? I can grill them on the back deck.”
“Burgers sound perfect.”
An hour later, we sat on his deck under an oversized umbrella eating what turned out to be the best burger I’d had in years. The equally oversized patio furniture made me feel like a child, my feet dangling from the chair.
“I’ll order you some human-sized furniture,” Dungar said, noticing my predicament. “I didn’t think about how awkward this would be for a human.”
“Actually, I kind of like it.” I grinned, swinging my legs. “It’s like being a kid again, except the food is better, and I don’t have a bedtime.”
His answering smile warmed me through because it felt genuine. “My brothers used to tease me about my attention to detail, but I never considered that some details matter more than others.”
“Your attention to detail is one of my favorite things about you.” My cheeks warmed. “I’ve never felt this safe with anyone before.”
His expression shifted, taking on a softness that made my heart skip. “You’re safe with me, Riley. Always.”
We cleaned up together after we’d finished eating, moving around his kitchen. He washed while I dried, and we fell into the kind of comfortable rhythm that usually took couples months to develop. It struck me how domestic it felt, how right.
Neither of us mentioned the sleeping arrangements.
When the last dish was put away, Dungar led me back to the bedroom.
