Page 33 of Secrets of the Dragon's Heart

The words of the ceremony washed over her, the feel of Cameron’s big hands wrapped around hers warmed her from the inside as no one else could, and when the moment came she was ready. In front of the small gathering of people, she pledged her love to the man she’d always dreamed of but never imagined was real, then listened as he spoke the same words, tears streaming down her cheeks. Before he kissed her, Cameron reached up and brushed them away with his thumbs, his eyes sparkling with moisture.

Lunch flew by in a storm of good food, well wishes, and congratulations that left her slightly breathless by the time Cameron finally led her away from the gazebo. “We did it,” he said, lifting her up and spinning her around when they were out of sight. This time, when his mouth came down on hers, his kiss was demanding, igniting the passion between them.

When they finally pulled apart, chests heaving, Cameron groaned. “I don’t know if I can wait until tonight, but I don’t want our first time as a married couple to be a quicky in the bathroom,” he said. “We’d better go get changed and get down to the beach before we don’t make it there at all. Tonight seems like a long time away from now.”

“What’s wrong with a quicky in the bathroom?” she asked. “I can’t get this dress off by myself, you know. I can’t reach the zipper. If something happens, it wouldn’t be our fault.”

Cameron swept her into his arms and started for the door to the community center. “Where did you leave your clothes?” he demanded. “There had better be a lock on that door.”

When they finally emerged from the dressing room, they found everyone waiting for them in the lobby, and she felt her cheeks turning pink. “Kennedy’s zipper got stuck,” Cameron said, but the grin on his face said it all, and she wanted to disappear into the floor. “Let’s go get this hot air balloon thing over with. I’ve got a honeymoon to go on.”

“We’ve been waiting forever, that must have been one stubborn zipper,” Zach said, slapping his brother on the back as he walked by. “I’m sure Marie could have helped with that.”

“Can we please stop talking about my zipper?” she asked, her face flaming with embarrassment. “We have other things to worry about.”

“Kennedy’s right,” Max said, getting to his feet, a look of amusement on his face. “We’ve got an audience out there waiting for a show. We’d better not let them down.”

CHAPTER 20

***CAMERON***

One end of the hot air balloon resting on his shoulder, Cameron followed Max down to the beach, trying to ignore the crowd that had gathered and the boats that bobbed off the shore. “For someone who had no idea what they were doing, you certainly got everyone’s attention,” he said to Kennedy, who was walking next to him. “I wonder if Walter is on one of those boats?”

“Oh, he’s out there. He posted something about us perpetuating a hoax, and he swears that the dragon he saw was real, I didn’t think he knew what that word meant,” Kennedy said, an evil glint in her eyes. “He’s so sure of himself, he’s not going to back down, and he deserves everything he gets. Maybe this will end this thing between us once and for all.”

“Remind me not to get on your bad side,” he said, grinning at her. “You’re vicious when you’re angry.”

“You could never get on my bad side,” she said. “You have no idea what this man has put me through. He’s almost as bad as my last boyfriend.”

“Ex-boyfriend, you mean,” Cameron said, unable to hide the flare of jealousy. “You never mentioned him.”

“He’s not worth mentioning; he stole my byline and then got me fired from the paper where we were both working,” she said. “I used to have really lousy taste in men.”

“Used to?” Cameron asked.

“Well, you’re definitely not a loser,” she said, then shrugged her shoulders. “Maybe I ended up with the wrong guy every time because I had to wait to find you.”

“Are there any more ex-boyfriends I should know about?” he asked, trying to keep his voice light. “Just so there aren’t any surprises.”

“I just married you, Cameron,” she said, looking at him. There’s no one for me but you, and there never will be.”

“Good, I just wanted to make sure,” he said, grinning at her. “You’re everything to me, Kennedy.”

“Will you two knock that off,” Max growled. “You’re starting to gross me out. Save it for the council.”

“I have something special planned for us later,” he said, then looked over his shoulder at Max. “It was Max’s idea.”

“Oh, God, don’t remind me,” Max said, a scowl on his face. “All this love crap is making me sick, it makes perfectly normal men act like…well, I don’t know, but it’s never going to happen to me, no matter what this island thinks. Now, can we just get on with this balloon thing? I’d like all these people to get away from my island.”

Stella, Keith, Montgomery, and Mateo were already on the beach setting up the basket and the blower that would fill the balloon with hot air and send it soaring into the sky. Harrison waved to them from his post, keeping the crowd back, and Marie was already shouting orders at them as they set the canvas-wrapped bundle down on the sand and then began to unwrap it. A few minutes later, the balloon was spread out on the sand, the emerald, brown, and gold fabric shimmering in the sunlight, and he stood staring down at it for a second, a weird feeling in his stomach.

“I think we’re ready to start,” Kennedy said, taking his hand and giving it a squeeze. “Are you ready?”

He nodded. “You were right, it is a little strange,” he said, then shrugged. “I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.”

Keith made everyone back away from the burner. There was a loud pop, and then the sound of hot air rushed through the blower. They all looked at each other and sighed with relief when the balloon began to fill with air. Then, they took their places on the guide ropes, watching as the dragon slowly came to life. There was a gasp from the crowd on the beach, then excited conversation and cheering from the people on the boats off shore, and Cameron looked over at her and grinned.

“Do you want to go for a ride?” he asked. “It seems only fitting.”

---