Page 61 of Wing of Fire
The words made Isla’s heart swell as she glanced across the room to where Damon stood near the fiction section, deep in conversation with several of his enforcers. Even in discussion of serious matters, there was a lightness to his posture that hadn’t been there when she’d first arrived on Everflame Isle. The rigid control had softened into confident authority, and the shadows that had haunted his green eyes had been replaced by contentment.
Harper appeared at her elbow with a slice of their three-tiered cake—vanilla with raspberry filling. “This is surreal,” she said, shaking her head as she surveyed the scene. “You’re the queen of a dragon clan in paradise.”
“I prefer to think of it as the universe finally getting its act together,” Isla corrected with a grin.
“The universe,” Harper repeated dryly, “and one very determined matchmaker.”
They both turned to look at Gerri, who was holding court near the romance section.
“I still don’t understand how she knew,” Isla mused, taking a bite of cake that tasted like pure happiness. “How she could look at me in our bookstore in Cape Cod and know that my perfect match was a dragon shifter living on a secret island in Hawaii.”
“Some things aren’t meant to be understood,” Harper said, her practical nature warring with the evidence of magic surrounding them. “They’re just meant to be accepted.”
Before Isla could respond, a warm hand settled on the small of her back, sending familiar sparks racing up her spine. She didn’t need to turn to know it was Damon.
“Mind if I steal my wife for a moment?”
Wife. The word still sent thrills through her, especially when spoken in that deep, controlled voice.
“Go,” Harper said with a shooing motion.
Damon guided Isla through the crowd toward the cozy reading nook tucked in the back corner of the store. The space had been arranged with overstuffed armchairs and soft lighting, creating an intimate sanctuary away from the celebration.
He settled into one of the chairs and pulled her onto his lap with the easy confidence of a man claiming what was his. Isla couldn’t help but marvel at how right this felt.
“So,” he said, his green eyes searching her face with an intensity that made her heart skip. “Tell me honestly—is this everything you wanted for your epic love story?”
The question hung between them, weighted with significance. Isla could feel his vulnerability through the bond, and the way he was holding his breath as he waited for her answer. This man who commanded respect and inspired awe was asking if she was happy, if he’d given her the fairy tale she’d always dreamed of.
She cupped his face in her hands, marveling at the way his eyes darkened with emotion at her touch. “It’s better than anything I ever wanted,” she said, her voice thick. “I thought I knew what love looked like because I watched my parents. But what we have... it’s so much more.”
Relief flooded through the bond, followed by a surge of emotion so profound it took her breath away. This wasunfiltered joy from a man who had forgotten how to feel it for over a century.
“You saved me,” he said simply, his thumb tracing the curve of her cheek. “I was drowning, and you pulled me back to life.”
“We saved each other,” she corrected, leaning into his touch.
This was her world now, her family, her home. And this Alpha dragon with his fierce protectiveness and gentle heart was all hers.
THE END
