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His sigh was the longest she’d heard yet. Apologies didn’t come naturally to him. “I just saw how they looked at you, and I could relate a little too much. The idea of anyone loving you the way I love you. It was unfathomable until I realized you have the power to make anyone fall.”

She blinked down at him and heat traveled from the base of her chest to the very top of her head. She was sure if she looked up, there would be visible steam rolling off.

A slow shit-eating smile took up space on his face. “Are you blushing, Rowan Dahl?”

“That was the first time you’ve said it.”

“It may be the first time I’ve said it, but I’ve felt it from the moment you called me after I closed the gates of Draconis.”

She let out a disbelieving scoff. “You didn’t even say goodbye after that call.”

“If I have it my way, I’ll never say goodbye to you.”

This, more than anything else, deteriorated any anger she’d felt towards this man. She snapped her fingers, and the candles reignited. She beamed at him as he took his seat and revealed the meal underneath a silver plate cover, keeping his food warm.

A tomahawk steak the size of her head sat over a bed of different colored baked potatoes basted in garlic and herbs. His eyes slid to the touch that had actually taken her the longest to get a hold of. Mushrooms taken from the town he’d spent the first years of his life with his parents. They were characteristically bone white and as long as asparagus.

The sight of them transfixed him.

“Do you hate them?” She asked after he didn’t make a single move.

“These are…rare. How did you find them?”

She waggled her eyebrows. “I have a source for all kinds of rare delicacies. Anya mentioned it was the only thing you ever asked her to prepare that she could not accommodate.”

He fell silent again.

Rowan’s heart sank. Preparing the mushrooms had been as tedious as finding them. “If they’re not good, you don’t have to force yourself to eat them.”

“Thank you.” His voice was softer than Rowan even knew it could go.

Relief made her smile. “You’re welcome.”

By the time they finished their meal, they had moved to the hammock, the distance of the bistro table top too far for either of their liking.

Using superior core strength, Alessandro placed the plates on the floor as Rowan held the champagne bottle they’d been drinking straight out of.

How the hell had she gotten here? And she wasn’t thinking about the odd beach the cabin hadn’t moved from since the night Rowan cleansed Antoni Barros. The wings still sat on the pearly sands, the weeping willow and oak tree monstrosity swayed behind them, growing at a concerning rate.

She was referring to the fact a man she’d never thought would know she existed had his arms wrapped around her and they were listening to the waves crashing in front of what was now their home.

“So I’ve been thinking.” She began the proposal she’d been considering for the last couple of days.

“Ahh, I knew you were trying to get me drunk for a reason.” He teased, hand playing with the snow white strands of her hair. Much gentler than when he’d first showed up.

“Since you are kind of handing off duties to Stone and the office is under renovation, we could go missing for a month. Let the mark settle.”

He picked her up as if she weighed nothing.For a moment she thought he might have used a spell, but, as she had to keep reminding herself, he was the Dragon King.

He settled her over his hips, hunger blazing in the glowing silver eyes staring up at her, hardness just underneath the thin layers of their clothing.

“Woman, you were just born to make all of my dreams come true, weren’t you?”

She grinned wickedly, “Of course. Iamthe Dragon Queen.”