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I’m all for gender equality, but I sure as fuck won’t let my girl carry a pack better suited to a six-foot-six orc.

Now she marches on the trail ahead of me, her long ponytail swinging, and tells me about her family. She doesn’t know it yet, but I’ll do her one better soon and introduce her to mine—my mom will love her, and so will my brothers.

We make good time to the trailhead and load our gear in the back of the truck. I’ll have to return some of the stuff to the center, where I borrowed it from, but that’s not what’s bothering me.

I’ll have to take Lainey home. To her apartment building. And then I’ll have to leave, because despite talking about our future together, we haven’t actually discussed our living situations.

I want her with me. I wasn’t kidding about that. Already, I know I won’t be satisfied with dates and dinners and occasional sleepovers.

But the last thing I want is to rush her. Make her feel as if we need to be moving on my timeline instead of hers.

We get in the car and I navigate onto the winding road down the mountain. The tension in my gut increases. I stare ahead, not wanting to spill my plummeting mood onto Lainey. This has nothing to do with her, just my expectations.

“You’ll break something if you keep clenching the steering wheel so hard,” she comments after a long moment of silence. “I’m also worried about your teeth. I’m pretty sure grinding them like that is bad for you.”

I dart a glance at her. “What?”

She sends me a wry smile. “I don’t know about you, but I usually feel better if I share whatever’s bothering me with someone else.”

My heart stutters at her easy invitation. It’s been so long since I had someone close asking me to share my thoughts—a partner who stood by me. Family is great to have, but there are things I can’t discuss with my brothers, or worse, my mom.

But this woman… She reaches over and puts her hand on my thigh, squeezing slightly before just resting it there, a silent encouragement. She doesn’t push, doesn’t demand I share things with her, only offers to listen to whatever I have to say.

“I want…” I scrub a hand over my face, trying to put my feelings into words without sounding too obsessed. “I’d like to spend time with you.”

“Sure,” she says. “I’d like that, too.”

“No, you don’t⁠—”

I press my lips together before I tell her she doesn’t understand. How can she, if I haven’t bothered explaining things to her?

“It’s okay,” she says softly. “Whatever it is, we can figure it out. If you’ve changed your mind and you want to take things slow, I get it. We barely know each other, so I’d⁠—”

“No,” I bark. “What? No, that’s not what I’m trying to say. I’m— I’m trying to ask you to move in with me, Lainey. I don’t want to spend any more time apart than we need to. And I get that you need your space and to make sure I’m not some weirdo living alone on the mountain, but I’ll do everything I can to make it safe and comfortable for you.”

I’m breathing hard by the time I’m done talking. The leather of the steering wheel creaks under my grip, so I take a deep breath and lessen my hold on it.

“Stop the car, please.”

Lainey’s voice is calm, and she’s staring straight out front. She doesn’t look upset, but I veer onto the shoulder the moment there’s enough space and stop the truck. I stare at her, worry churning in my gut.

She unclips her seat belt, but instead of getting out of the truck, she turns so she’s fully facing me and reaches to cup my cheeks with her hands.

“Stop worrying,” she commands. She shakes me once gently. “I’m not going anywhere. And I don’t think you’re a weirdo. I’d love to move in with you.”

Relief surges through me, but before I can lean in to kiss her, she frowns and holds up a finger.

“Wait. I will say that I want us to communicate.”

Her voice is stern and clipped now, and it turns me on to see her taking control like this.

“Okay.” I grin, nuzzling into her palm. My tusks slide over her skin, and I can’t resist a slow lick of the inside of her wrist. “I can do that.”

“No, I mean it, Bowen.” She shuffles closer and tugs my head down so we’re eye to eye. “No more brooding and worrying. If you want something, you discuss it with me. We do things together from now on.”

I nod, more serious this time. “Yeah, I get that. Sorry for getting all weird. I just imagined having to leave you at your apartment and it…didn’t sit well with me.”

She strokes her thumb over my cheek. “You do know we both have jobs? You’ll be gone for days at a time sometimes, and I like my work, so I don’t want to change that.”