Heart of the Dragon

by Deborah Smith

  “Then you’ve got nothing to worry about.” Rebecca stroked his hair and kept one hand against his cheek. She caressed the taut golden skin slowly. “What happened to you didn’t change the good, caring, strong spirit inside you. That spirit makes you so special. After Audubon told me about your childhood, I wanted you more than before.”

  “Becca.” His arms went around her in a desperate embrace. She returned it, clinging to him silently. They held each other in the rain, with their heads bent together and eyes shut. The stark power of the emotions between them made her shiver and press herself closer as his arms tightened possessively.

  “I love you dearly,” he whispered. “God, I’ve wanted to say that for so long.”

  She kissed him, starting a chain reaction that became a joyous, tearful reunion. They swayed together and collapsed on the wet, soft carpet of grass, touching, hugging, their legs entwined and hands moving quickly to destroy all the old loneliness.

  “I have a bedroom,” she announced breathlessly.

  He stopped kissing her long enough to say, “Do you? How thoughtful of you.”

  “I knew I’d need it for something besides sleeping someday.”

  “I expect it’s a pleasant place.”

  “With a queen-sized bed and beautiful Thai silk coverlets. Mayura gave them to me.”

  “Becca, are you trying to seduce me?”

  “Are you trying to resist?”

  He slid his arms under her and looked at her with devotion. “Not anymore. Not ever again.”

  He carried her into her bedroom and stretched out beside her on the cool, plush covers. Lifting her mouth to his, she quivered at his deep sighs. He sounded relieved and truly relaxed for the first time. They shared a look brimming with tenderness.

  “Marry me,” he said.

  “Yes.” She drew her hands around his head and cupped his face gently. “Marry me.”

  “Yes,” he answered immediately. “I’ll cut back on my traveling, and when I can, I’ll take you with me. And I’ll always encourage your career.”

  “I’ll move to Virginia.”

  “We’ll build a new house, if you don’t like mine.”

  “Someday we’ll have children. And they’ll love you as much as I do.”

  “That’s more than I can imagine.”

  “I’ll pick out a dog who doesn’t snore.”

  A startled laugh burst from him, then another, and then she began laughing too. They held each other and rocked silently, lost in the warmth and hope of the future, giddy with emotion. He undressed her tenderly, then let her do the same for him.

  They savored more kisses, and took a long time for promises, caresses, serious smiles, urgent whispers, and the slow, wild melting into each other’s bodies that made them complete. The rain lulled them to sleep under the magnificent silk spreads, wrapped in each other’s arms inside a cocoon of trust.

  Kash woke to the soft scratching sound of her pencil moving confidently over paper. She was propped up close beside him, barely out from under the covers. He raised his head from the pillow of her breasts, kissed each of them, and looked up at her. In her hand was a small drawing pad she kept on the nightstand. “Oh, no, another dragon,” he said solemnly.

  Grinning, she slid down beside him and nuzzled his cheek. “See?”

  This time there was a pair, looking pleasantly sly as they curled their tails around each other. Kash touched the drawing with a fingertip. “You’ve finally made him look happy.”

  “That’s the she-dragon.”

  “Well, the other one looks happy too. How can you tell them apart?”

  “That’s a question only dragons can answer. It’s very personal.”

  He tossed her pencil and pad aside, then pulled her to him. “Let’s spend a few dozen lifetimes figuring it out.”

  She put her arms around him and smiled. “Now, you understand.”