Page 90 of To Match A Dragon's Fire

I smiled bigger as he made a slight motion, almost as if to nuzzle my palms. I could feel his restraint—the excitement bubbling just under his scales—and that was all Kieran.

A gentleman of a beast.

My dragon.The thought sent chills dancing over my spine.

“Then you’re my human.”He huffed haughtily.

Oops. I hadn’t meant to send that thought.

I trailed my hands along his scales, moving toward his beautiful eye that watched me with the same desire Kieran showed as a man.

“You’re magnificent,” I told him, feeling the beast preen at the compliment.

“Come to my shoulder,”he said as he lowered himself down so I had a ramp to climb.

I took a step back, tapping my finger against my lip as I tried to think this through. “It’s been a long time since I’ve swung a lasso.”

“You’re not bridling me, love.”Kieran dropped even closer to the ground.“Let’s see you ride bareback.”

I scoffed at the challenge in his tone, hoisted myself up onto his foreleg, and then crawl-walked up to his shoulder.

Butterflies swooped in my stomach as I climbed onto his back. The scales lay in a pattern providing footholds sort of like big shingles of armor that I could slip from if I wasn’t careful.

But I’d always been surefooted.

Perks of growing up on a ranch.

Between his shoulder blades and wings was a natural concave where I could sit while clinging to the back of his neck.

“It’d be safer with reins,”I thought aloud, sending that worry to him.

My thigh strength wasn’t what it once was, but I was willing to take the risk.

“Do you trust me?”Kieran’s wings stretched out.

“Yes.”I nodded, leaning closer to his body and trying to get a firm grip.

The scales were much smoother than they looked from afar. More like stone attached firmly to his skin.

“I won’t let anything hurt you.”He started to walk as his wings extended behind us.

Each step he took came with the slow beat of his wings that began to pick up speed.

My heart thumped so hard it was trying to escape my chest and adrenaline raced through me, making me lightheaded.

Kieran lifted off the ground.

I squeezed my eyes shut. Fear threatened to choke me.What was I doing up here?

I wasn’t a kid anymore.

This was dangerous. Reckless.

“Ember?”

“Mmm,” I moaned out loud.

“Open your eyes.”His voice was a soothing caress in my mind, coaxing me to obey.

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