Mated to the Earth Dragon (Elemental Mates 2)

In fact, her entire face was very close.

She smelled like the hot chocolate they’d shared earlier, and something earthy and vaguely spicy—like sun-warmed soil and herbs crushed underfoot when exploring a forest.

The dragon within him longed for her with such a sudden, fierce need that Damon felt it like a stab right into his heart.

If he’d lost her; if he’d never met her again... He would have died. Or gone insane. All of a sudden, he understood why some dragons went mad. This bond between them was stronger than anything he’d ever experienced. Stronger even than his dragon’s power.

If he’d lost her, his dragon would have been lost as well.

His heart was pounding in his chest—or was that her heart? Dimly, Damon could hear two distinct, frantic drums, beating faster and faster.

Her eyes were wide and dark. They were so close that he could see the shadow of her eyelashes on the vulnerable skin beneath her eyes. He wanted to press a kiss to it. He wanted to pull her close and swear that he’d forever protect her.

Instead, a heartbeat later, their lips met, and Damon felt a rush of heat singing him from the inside, so powerful that even his dragon was silent for once.

Distantly, he heard Sarah whoop.

Then Autumn relaxed against him, her lips warm against his own. She was warm and soft in his arms as well, and he realized with surprise that he’d pulled her close without even consciously doing so, her gorgeous curves melding against his body.

“Alright guys, that’s enough,” Sarah commanded. “Seriously! Make way for the others.”

She giggled when Autumn and Damon hastily pulled apart.

Autumn raised a hand to her lips, as if she couldn’t believe what had happened. Damon’s own heart was still racing—and his entire body was tingling with the overwhelming awareness that this was right. She’d been meant for him. Sweet Autumn, more precious than any jewel, the one woman who could ever make his dragon abandon his duty...

A moment later, Sarah pushed the phone back into Autumn’s hand.

“You two are super cute!” she said and giggled again. “Let me know if you want more kissy pictures at the waterfall later on.”

“Kissy,” Autumn echoed faintly. Then she gave Damon a small, tentative smile. “Uh... thanks,” she mumbled. “I’m not good at pictures.”

“Me neither,” he said. “Maybe we should do some more practicing?”

“But not here, and not right now,” Sarah’s grandmother said, jokingly wagging her finger at them as she came closer. “Because now it’s time for my George and me. Sarah, would you? I believe I want one of those kissy pictures as well, as you kids call it.”

“Grandma,” Sarah groaned, but obediently pulled out her phone.

Hastily, Damon made way for them, reaching out for Autumn’s hand. “Come, let’s explore the waterfall.”

Autumn immediately followed along, by all appearances as eager as he was to escape their company’s teasing.

They’d made it half-way down the path before she spoke up again.

“It was very nice,” she said. “Sorry, I’m not used to this...”

“Neither am I,” Damon admitted.

At her surprised look, he gave her a chagrined smile. “I work too much to have much time for dating—and I never really saw the appeal. My dad and my mother met and fell in love in one of those fairytale romances—and I always thought that it should happen just like that. It seemed worth holding out for—that spark of specialness.”

“Oh,” she said a little weakly—until suddenly, a real, amused smile broke over her face. “It was more than just a spark, wasn’t it? A geyser of specialness, you could say.”

Amused, he laughed. “It was. And it did feel special—special enough that I’m looking forward to our dinner.”

“Me too. Really. As long as it’s not one of those specialty restaurants,” she then hastily added.

“What, not fond of pickled goat’s testicles?” Damon couldn’t help but tease.

Autumn gigged, and he carefully grabbed hold of her with both hands to help her past a rock that was damp from the waterfall.