Page 78 of To Match A Dragon's Fire

All that was missing was a huge library full of old texts I could study and some dusty novels on the side.

Okay, and a rolling ladder.

Then I could die a happy woman.

I’d never gotten to use my degree outside of school, so I was probably useless at doing anything more than admiring the runes. But I felt like a kid again, excited and nervous and bouncing on the balls of my feet as we hiked up the mountain.

Walking next to Kieran did nothing to ease my excitement. Every absentminded brush of his fingers against mine and his soft, goofy smile had my heart beating a mile a minute.

I’d had plenty of lovers—and mistakes—throughout my life, but I couldn’t think of a single one that’d made me feel like this. It was like the possibilities were endless and the future was wide open.

Ironic, because we were heading to read about the end of the world, but I was enjoying myself too much to care.

“You’re taking this surprisingly well.” Kieran stepped to the side so I could walk ahead as the path narrowed.

The trail was a bit more overgrown than I remembered. I used to be able to take Mule up this way, so maybe his hooves helped to keep the path maintained.

I glanced over my shoulder, curious to see if Kieran was checking out my backside.

He was.

Fighting a smile, I kept walking. “It’s not like we didn’t realize things were crashing and burning with the earthquakes and power outages and everything else. Honestly, it’s kind of a relief to know there is an actual plan for the end of the world. At least someone has their shit together. The rest of us are just scrambling to make the best of whatever time we have left with no clue what’s going on.”

Saying that out loud made me realize how truly dark our situation had become.

But a breeze blew through the sagebrush, cooling my skin, and the path opened back up again under the shade of the pinyon trees that led to the old caves tucked deep into the side of the mountain.

If nostalgia had a scent, it was this.

Kieran laced his hand through mine. His callused palm was cool despite the heat.

“I misjudged you,” he said softly, speaking more to the trees than to me.

“I did the same.” I gave his hand a gentle squeeze. “But I’m glad we started over, neighbor.”

“Neighbor?” He glanced at me from the corner of his eye. “Is that all you want from me?”

My lady bits were screaminghell no,but I couldn’t help the tease, “Is that all you want to give?”

I shrieked as he spun me towards him, walking us a few short steps until my back touched the bark of a tree. “No, Ember. I want more. I want… everything you can give.”

“Are you sure?” I asked, breathless as I looked up at him. My heart was seriously getting a workout lately. “There’s a lot of me to take in.”

The way his hands roamed down my sides, reverently like I was something precious, and the hunger in his eyes had me holding my breath.

I didn’t think this was teasing anymore.

“It’s not…” Kieran shook his head as if he’d heard my inner thoughts. “You aren’t too much. Whoever made you feel that is a liar. You’re more than I ever thought to ask for. You’re mine.”

I smiled. “Yours, huh? Just like you tried to take my land?”

A growl rumbled in his chest as Kieran reached behind my neck, tangling his fingers in my sweaty hair and holding my head still so I couldn’t look away from his eyes that burned a redder auburn as his pupils merged to diamond slits.

“No.” He spoke to my soul, staring into my eyes. “I’ll give you whatever land you want. I give you my protection. My body. My heart. It’s all yours anyway. Fate decided it belonged to you, mate.”

I was dizzy from his proximity, drunk on the sound of his voice and sipping the sweetness of his words, so it took me a moment to understand.

And when I did, my face fell. “Mate?”

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