Page 30 of Valentine's Day Treasure

Heather moved with her mate, letting the tensions and the excitement of the day fall away, loving the smooth and sensuous texture of it all. Little by little, she felt drugged by the motion of his thrusts: in and out, in and out. His hands felt so good on her skin and she moaned, making small noises of encouragement and satisfaction. He grasped her throat gently with one hand and she slid his hand to her mouth so she could nibble on it and kiss his palm. He moved his other hand down her body, to her clit, and he caressed it softly, then rubbed it in the way she’d shown him.

Intense pleasure started in her belly, almost overwhelming her, and a pang of nausea gripped as well. She swallowed the nausea down, thinking,not now, not now.She closed her eyes and focused on the feelings of impending orgasm, then she came, hard and intense, crying out into the dark room, her growing belly a thick knot of tension that relaxed in sweet waves.

“Just like that, leannan, come all over me,” he growled into her ear.

She stiffened and squeezed both of Graeme’s hands as the waves of pleasure faded. He hugged her tight, continuing to thrust into her until he slowed and groaned out his pleasure, coming in hot spurts inside her.

Heather, feeling relaxed and sated, closed her eyes for just a moment… and without meaning to, she fell into a deep sleep, dreaming vividly…

She was a huge dragon, pink and covered in scales and spikes, romping through a forest, knocking over trees for fun. She blew fire out of her snout, then roared and snarled, just because it felt good. She felt like catching and killing something, tearing into it with her dragon teeth, and eating it raw. She looked around for something to hunt. Suddenly, the forest melted way and she was falling. She unfurled her wings and flew up, a feeling of freedom guiding her higher and higher—until she was somehow disconnected from gravity and her wings didn’t move her anymore. She floated, and then all daylight disappeared, and stars popped visible, one by one, over a vast distance above and below her. After some time, a female voice spoke softly from all around.

“Well done, Heather Herrin, Mistress of Flame, fated mate to Graeme of the line of dragen.”

Heather blinked as a shining, iridescent dragon rose over the horizon. It was immense in size, almost as large as the full moon, and twice as radiant. Clearly, this was where the voice was coming from.

“Now you are to hide my gifts well, in the manner ofdragen. The diadem is yours to do with as you like, but the circlets you must hide away and mention them to no one. When you are all together, and the time comes, you will be given a sign to distribute them.”

Confused, Heather tried to speak, but all that came out of her mouth was a plume of fire.

“Tell no one,” the massive dragon said again.

But... my mate?Heather asked inruhi.

“Your mate is the exception.”

Heather exhaled a deep sigh of relief, and then she drifted into a dreamless sleep.

16—Can’t Forget the Stew

Dahlia woke up when the bed moved, groggy, and not sure where she was. She opened her eyes and Crew was laying next to her, up on his elbow, facing her and grinning, looking hot and handsome with sexy scruff on his face, his short dark hair perfectly combed.

“Time to get up, sleepyhead,” he said.

Then Dahlia remembered where she was—in Ella’s guest bedroom.

“What time is it?” she asked.

“3:30 in the afternoon.”

He rolled and picked something up off the floor. It was her duffle bag she’d packed for their planned overnight trip.

“I’ve got all your stuff,” he said.

“Oh, ok.” Dahlia still felt sleepy. She laid her head on the pillow and closed her eyes, speaking softly. “What about my e-reader?”

“Grabbed it, plus your notebooks and pens.”

“Good.” She pulled the blanket up to her chin and snuggled into her pillow.

Crew yanked the covers down. “No way, Doll. Up and at ‘em. Everyone’s waiting on you.”

Dahlia sat up and rubbed her eyes. "Are we riding with Beckett and Cerise?"

"Not just Beckett and Cerise. Everyone's going, even Mac , Bruin, Troy and Trent. The roads are closed but the resort is still open, so we’re all going by snowmobile." He rolled off the bed and stood up.

Dahlia got up and stretched, feeling sluggish. “Snowmobile?” she said, trying to make sense of it all. She really just wanted to get back in bed and pull the covers over her head, but the heavy snowfall out the window caught her attention. She went to the window and looked around, but she could only see white.

She turned back to Crew. He held her pendant out to her. “Trevor thinks everyone should wear their pendants. You good with that?”

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