Page 42 of Hearts on Fire

Instead of a reply, I guided him inside me. Heat spread through me from where our bodies connected, not painful but invigorating. Like licks of fire, my desire sprung back to life. He thrust deeper inside me, and I wrapped my legs around his hips, bringing us closer.

Once again, he was making love to me when we both knew he’d be leaving in the morning. Only this time, it wouldn’t be for good. It wasn’t forever. Because our forever now had a chance to be spent together.

He found my lips as he pumped harder into me. I raised my hips, meeting his thrusts. He slipped a hand between us.

“With you.” He pressed a finger where I needed him most.

“Oh yes…” I rubbed hard against him.

I gripped his arms, falling over the edge. And he fell with me.

“Amber, my spark…” he panted, dropping his head to my shoulder again. His chest rose and fell rapidly. “You’re burning inside.”

It really felt like I was on fire. It spread through my body, making the air around me shimmer like over a hot desert floor. But I didn’t feel sick or feverish. I felt powerful. Life coursed through me, inextinguishable.

I laughed, exhilarated. “You set me on fire, my dragon.”

He kissed my face. “I don’t know how I’m going to survive a whole day without you tomorrow.”

“Make sure you do.” I looked at him sternly. “Youhave tosurvive to come back to me.”

He smiled, kissing the finger I wagged at him. Grabbing me, he slid back into the water. As I floated on the surface, my head resting on his shoulder, he played with my hair.

“I’ve lived for over a hundred years,” he said. “But there’s only a handful of memories of me in existence right now. And you have most of them.”

People who would know him in the future weren’t born yet. And those who knew me in my world in the past weren’t here.

Here, in the present, there were just the two of us, he and I.

Twelve

AMBER

“Amber!” Mother’s voice was followed by the rapid knocking on the door to Elex’s bedroom. “Open up, please.”

There was urgency in her voice and worry. Always worry.

Elex left that morning. I was alone in his room. He’d brought me breakfast and said he’d arranged for my meals to be delivered for the rest of the day. I didn’t think Mother was the one bringing me my midday meal. But she certainly sounded like she had something important to say.

After tying a cloth over my head to hide my hair, I padded to the door and unlocked it.

“Can I come in, please?” She snuck by me into the room, without waiting for my answer.

“What’s going on?”

Once I locked the door again, her shoulders relaxed somewhat. She lifted the lace of her hood, folding it back, then walked toward the windows, taking in the lavish furnishings of the room.

“It’s nice here.” She stroked the carved mantelpiece over the fireplace.

Flames danced cheerfully inside it, making the room warm even with one of the windows open. I didn’t want to close it. It was still rather chilly outside but sunny. The mountains dripped with flowers, making for the most wondrous view.

Elex wasn’t supposed to come back until tomorrow morning, but there was a tiny hope that he might return earlier. Deep inside, I thought he’d love to see the window open when he came home.

Mother regarded my outfit that consisted only of a pearl-white caftan embroidered with multicolored beads and golden thread.

“Nice,” she repeated.

“Is everything all right?” I asked, wondering what brought her here.