Sunshine in the Dragon's Heart

by Jaime Samms

  Sunny had touched them all. He loved them all.

  Emile heard Fernforest barking and padding along the path long before he saw him. As soon as the dog spied him, his tail waved so ferociously his entire body waggled in a merrily drunken line towards Emile. A wave of relief washed over him.

  “I’m coming,” he half laughed as Fernforest jogged up to him, butted his head against his shin, then shimmied around behind him to herd him the rest of the way towards the creek and the little bridge spanning it into Sunny’s yard.

  The instant he stepped foot onto the bridge, the door to the little house at the top of the slope burst open. Before he’d reached the other side, Sunny had him in his arms.

  “You woke up,” Sunny whispered against his skin. “You woke up.”

  Any reply seemed too obvious to utter, so Emile simply held on to his lover and revelled in the way his magic fluttered, flared, then settled, linked to Sunny’s in a way he would never have thought possible.

  “Come inside,” Sunny said after a moment. “Please. You don’t have to stay, but—”

  Emile gripped Sunny’s chin, turning his face so he could cover his mouth in a kiss that promised much more than simply staying. The circuit of magic between them melded and flared once more, burning brighter than anything Emile had ever felt on his own side of the Fold.

  It ignited a heat that was far more immediate than just magic, so when Sunny stepped back and took his hand, Emile followed willingly into the house and up to Sunny’s bed.

  THEIR LOVEMAKING burned fast and hot and died out quickly, leaving them both sweaty and sated and tangled in the sheets.

  “I guess lying in the sun regenerating your magical core kind of takes it out of a guy, huh?” Sunny said as they lay in his bed, both naked, with sun streaking across their bodies and a light breeze floating the scents of late summer through the room. He was so overwhelmed to have Emile back, he didn’t want to jinx it with too many questions or by bringing up all his worries. But there were so many questions. So many worries.

  “I suppose it does.” Emile stroked Sunny’s face, pulling his thumb repeatedly along his eyebrow as if he was trying to smooth out the tiny wrinkles.

  “I thought maybe….” Sunny frowned, and Emile leaned in to kiss the spot between his eyebrows. His hand was warm on the side of Sunny’s jaw, his breath sweet wafting down over his face. “You were so still. I didn’t know if—”

  “I’m here now.” The blankets behind him rustled. His scales glinted in the sunlight, a swath of darker pink glimmer just under the milky skin along his hip.

  Sunny reached over to caress the spot. Heat warmed his fingertips, and he sighed. He couldn’t feel the pattern of scales under his palm. None of the rigid, glass-like sharpness of when Emile was fully dragon translated, even though Sunny could clearly see the outline of each delicate plate.

  “Can you transform?” he asked. “Or, change? Shift? Whatever you call it?”

  Emile chuckled and the blankets shifted once more. The very tip of Emile’s tail stroked the back of Sunny’s hand, and Emile leaned in to kiss him again.

  A lot of kissing and touching later, after the sun had moved to throw shadows on the far wall and Sunny was feeling languid and relaxed despite his semihard dick, he found himself staring up into eyes too brilliant blue to be human, too intense to look away.

  “Can you stay?” Because of all the questions and worries he had, that was the only one that mattered.

  “You don’t mind that I have scales?”

  “I think they’re pretty.”

  Emile raised one elegant eyebrow, and Sunny’s face heated.

  “Thank you.” He kissed Sunny’s forehead, then snuggled down until his head was on Sunny’s shoulder and his arm, a leg, and his tail wrapped around Sunny. “There’s no reason for me to go back, Sunny.”

  “You’ll have to bring Glimmerleaf back. Eventually. He can’t stay here.”

  “He likes it here.”

  “He’s… hard to explain. I mean, if anyone were to see him.”

  Emile chuckled. “Fortunately you’re a recluse, so no one will come calling who will need an explanation.”

  “And Daisy already knows about him.”

  “Hmm. Daisy. I’ll get to meet her soon, yes?”

  Sunny chuckled. Daisy had called more than a few times, demanding to know what was happening and why she hadn’t been invited back. She was obviously as curious about Emile as she was worried about Sunny. But she had sworn to him that she would never spill their secrets, just as long as she got to see Glimmerleaf again. She was that kind of awesome.

  “She’s coming for a visit on the weekend. She’s been worried ever since I got back. I mean. Of course, she has. I thought I’d never see you again.” Even with Emile curled around him with all the possessiveness of a dragon curled around his hoard, the cold pit of that possibility that had opened in Sunny’s gut the instant he had stepped home through the Fold still hadn’t closed.

  “I’m here, Sunny. Hakko has vanished. Ananth will be busy with their eggs and the hatchlings when they come. Rokkan’s rule will go easier without me there to remind the other Houses what the Sires of Corcaird tried to do.” He smiled sadly but kissed Sunny’s temple. “There is no other place for me to be than here with you. No other place I want to be.”

  “And so you’ll be here when Daisy comes this weekend.” For some reason saying it out loud made it more substantial.

  “How long is that?”

  “I’ll show you a calendar tomorrow.”

  “A what?”

  Sunny leaned his cheek against the top of Emile’s head and closed his eyes. “Everything, Emile. I’ll show you everything. Later.” For now he was content to have his dragon back in his bed, and his dog and his salamander curled cozily together out in the cedar grove. And there was a dryad at the end of his driveway pushing blooms out of his rose bush any time Sunny smiled at it, and water sprites splashing in the creek at the end of his lawn. Beyond that, he caught occasional glimpses of the poplar dryad, and he was sure there were smaller, more timid pine spirits as well. He hadn’t dared approach the willow tree, but he had no doubt she was still there, waiting and guarding the passage between worlds.

  The matters of his unnaturally robust garden and the nightshade that had well and truly taken over his bridge were interesting. He suspected it was more than his love for the land that encouraged the plants to grow so happily. Later he would have to ask Emile if it was possible that brownies had tunnelled under the Fold to set up house with his front yard as their roof. It would explain why everything was thriving so wonderfully.

  As he sank towards a contented sleep of his own, it occurred to him that he’d come a long way from the city to find his solitude. Instead he was surrounded by more life than anyone would ever believe. He chuckled to himself. Hadn’t Mom always told him there was magic in the natural world and all he had to do was believe it was there?

  He held Emile close. If believing in magic had brought him all of this, made the dream of the home he’d wanted come true, then believing in love had brought Emile back to him.

  “Are you all right?” Emile asked.

  “I am now,” Sunny whispered. He felt the bond between them heat and knew he didn’t have to say the words of love for Emile to feel it and know the truth.

  More from Jaime Samms

  Beauty is only skin deep, but some marks—and what they represent—are impossible to escape.

  Eric resents his comfortable college life and the restrictions his family’s expectations put on him. Dwayne, his best friend Angel’s cousin, is a pierced and tattooed ex-con trying to rebuild his life. Eric sees only the tattoos and the way Dwayne’s upbringing have dictated his future. It takes a surprising revelation from Angel to force Eric to see past Dwayne’s defenses to the generous heart beneath and to realize it’s time for him to break free of his own instilled beliefs. The men can’t keep apart, and they gradually learn that everything they though
t they knew about each other might be wrong.

  Opposites attract as two men from very different backgrounds move from enemies to lovers in a story of understanding, compassion, and redemption.

  Dance, Love, Live: Book One

  Dusty has finally landed a job he thinks he’ll be able to keep long-term, even with his broken brain and bum knee. He didn’t anticipate that cleaning a dance studio would reawaken his yearning to dance—even though he is no longer capable—or that meeting the studio’s director would rouse his dormant libido. Or his sleeping heart.

  Conrad thinks his life is finally complete with his successful dance studio and a steady stream of students. When Dusty arrives, he rediscovers his thirst for a man who will let him hand over control and give him the undivided attention he’s never had. The trouble is, Dusty isn’t sure he’s worthy of the studio director’s submission.

  To make their relationship work, Dusty will have to trust his ability to dominate the powerful and beautiful dancer, and Conrad will have to stop talking long enough to hear Dusty’s promises.

  With so many fences between them and happily ever after, two men wonder if it’s worth opening the gate.

  Ten years ago Eddie Crane, an actor on the rise, loved his costar and dreamed of the day they could be together. But his love, with his submissive nature, couldn’t handle fame, and before Eddie could help him, he died in a car accident—with Eddie at the wheel.

  Now, guilt-ridden, Eddie buries himself in bad decisions and prays that a stunt—on or off camera—will go wrong.

  Teenaged fantasies about the actor on his wall distracted Arthur Pike from real life—his dead father, runaway mother, gruff grandparents, and his unrequited love for his cousin’s straight husband. Now grown and off the farm, Pike is a horse stuntman hired to teach a reluctant Eddie to ride.

  Pike is drawn to Eddie’s dominant nature despite the sadness clinging to the actor. Eddie let one lover down, but in Pike’s submissiveness, he sees the possibility for redemption.

  Singer Coby Kennedy and his drummer twin, Bruce, have a band called Patchwork Heaven. They have been rising steadily up the country music charts, but unfortunately, that rise has attracted unwanted attention. Faced with anonymous letters, sinister gifts, and the wanton destruction of their personal space, they hire The Detail, a specialized security firm. Coby never anticipated Gregor, The Detail’s owner and his personal guard, would be quite so intriguing.

  As the stalker gets closer and more violent and questions pile up, Gregor fears his past might get in the way of him finding who is threatening his client when he becomes suspect number one. Even though Coby is convinced Gregor is not behind the threat, Gregor is not sure he’s the right man to keep Coby safe, either from the stalker, or from his own interest in the singer.

  Off Stage: Set One

  Damian Learner and his grunge band, Firefly, are on a meteoric rise to success. If they get the right break, fame awaits. Seeking more professional management, Damian independently strikes a bargain with the best agent in the business, Stanley Krane. Unable to afford the penalty for breaking old contracts, Damian agrees when Stan’s best friend, country and Western megastar Vance Ashcroft, offers to buy him out of his old contract.

  Overwhelmed by a crippling loan, secretive guilt, Stanley’s expectations, and a volatile relationship with Lenny, Firefly’s lead guitarist, Damian disintegrates. Bad habits of too much sex, booze, and drugs create a rift in the band. Finally Vance, with his understanding of Dominant/submissive behavior, sees that submissives Damian and Lenny are falling into chaos, clinging to each other to try to avoid the inevitable crash.

  When the pressure to perform becomes too much and the unthinkable happens, Damian and Lenny have to decide: accept that they need something they can’t get from each other, or burn out and take Firefly with them. Vance is ready to claim Lenny, but even Stan’s hesitant agreement to give Damian the direction he needs might not be enough for Damian—or the band—if he loses Lenny.

  Readers love Jaime Samms

  Off Stage: Beyond the Footlights

  “This was such an amazing read…. I am now hooked on this group of men and the trials and tribulations that they are all going through.”

  —Gay Book Reviews

  “I loved every book in this series and this one no less than the first two. It’s been my genuine pleasure to read Lenny, Trevor and Kilmer’s stories.”

  —Jessie G Books

  Like Heaven On Earth

  “You definitely don’t want to miss out on this series as each one will leave you wanting more and leave you with a sense of joy and warmth.”

  —Diverse Reader

  “This was a brilliantly written story that stole my heart.”

  —Two Chicks Obsessed

  Like You’ve Never Been Hurt

  “This is an intriguing story about passion, broken dreams, and the wonders of family and friendship.”

  —Three Books Over the Rainbow

  “Like You’ve Never Been Hurt is a worthy second installment in a series that I feel gets stronger with each new story.”

  —The Novel Approach

  JAIME SAMMS has been published since the fall of 2008, although she’s been writing for herself far longer. Often asked what’s so fascinating about stories where men fall in love with other men, she’s never come up with a clear answer. Just that these are the stories that she loves to read, so makes sense they are also be the stories she loves to write.

  These days, you can find plenty of free reading on her website in addition to her stories scattered across several publishers.

  Spare time—when it can be found rolled into a ball at the back of the dryer or cavorting with the dust bunnies in the corners—is probably spent crocheting, drawing, or watching movies. She also loves to garden, weather permitting, since she is Canadian! She has a day job, which she loves, and two kids, but thankfully she also has a wonderful husband who keeps her fed and caffeinated.

  She graduated some time ago from college with a Fine Arts diploma and a major in textile arts, which basically qualifies her to draw pictures and create things with string and fabric. One always needs an official slip of paper to fall back on, after all….

  Website: jaime-samms.com

  Facebook: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000982219151&ref=tn_tnmn

  Deviantart: dontkickmycane.deviantart.com

  Twitter: @JaimeSamms

  Amazon Author page: www.amazon.com/author/jaimesamms

  By Jaime Samms

  Better

  Bound to Fall

  Eugene and the Box of Nails

  The Foster Family

  My Rugby-playing Twink

  New Linen

  Not As Easy As It Looks

  Patchwork Heaven

  Paying the Piper

  Permanent Ink

  Renegade

  Scars on His Heart

  Stained Glass

  Still Life

  Sunshine in the Dragon’s Heart

  Wishing on a Blue Star Anthology

  DANCE, LOVE, LIVE

  Like No One is Watching

  Like You’ve Never Been Hurt

  Like Heaven on Earth

  Dance, Love, Live Anthology

  OFF STAGE

  Off Stage: Right

  Off Stage: In the Wings

  Off Stage: Beyond the Footlights

  Off Stage Anthology

  WINGS OF FAITH

  Angel Elegy

  Angel Requiem

  Published by DREAMSPINNER PRESS

  www.dreamspinnerpress.com

  Published by

  DREAMSPINNER PRESS

  5032 Capital Circle SW, Suite 2, PMB# 279, Tallahassee, FL 32305-7886 USA

  www.dreamspinnerpress.com

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of author imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is
entirely coincidental.

  Sunshine in the Dragon’s Heart

  © 2018 Jaime Samms.

  Cover Art

  © 2018 Tiferet Design.

  http://www.tiferetdesign.com/

  Cover content is for illustrative purposes only and any person depicted on the cover is a model.

  All rights reserved. This book is licensed to the original purchaser only. Duplication or distribution via any means is illegal and a violation of international copyright law, subject to criminal prosecution and upon conviction, fines, and/or imprisonment. Any eBook format cannot be legally loaned or given to others. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the Publisher, except where permitted by law. To request permission and all other inquiries, contact Dreamspinner Press, 5032 Capital Circle SW, Suite 2, PMB# 279, Tallahassee, FL 32305-7886, USA, or www.dreamspinnerpress.com.

  Digital ISBN: 978-1-64080-973-4

  Trade Paperback ISBN: 978-1-64080-974-1

  Library of Congress Control Number: 2018951848

  Digital published December 2018

  v. 1.0

  Printed in the United States of America