Page 71 of Feathers and Scales

His contagious happiness tempted a shy smile from her. Not wanting to ruin the moment, she allowed silence to fill the space between them.

Tree limbs rustled as the spring air brushed past them and tickled her face. Branches shifted as a squirrel leaped from one tree to another.Birds called to each other. She absorbed the ambiance with renewed pleasure.

She enjoyed the unique experience of following a predator in the woods. Daxton moved with ease, steps nearly silent when compared to her clambering. He anticipated logs and brushwood, moving around the barriers with ease. He was one with his surroundings, like he was one with his dragon side. She tripped over another root, caught herself, and sighed. Though she wouldn’t be graceful in the forest, she longed to have a similar connection with herself.

In most of her lives, she was an oddball among her kind. She belonged with books in a library, but they couldn’t give her the sense of companionship she needed. Daxton had been accepting of her. Even her abrasive nature hadn’t pushed him away, and he found her mind attractive. He never made her feel weak but seemed to want to help her become stronger. He felt like the puzzle her pieces fit into. Her pragmatic mind said she was making a wide stretch, but for once, she didn’t want to listen.

“You getting tired?”

She gazed up as Daxton’s distant voice called back to her. Daydreaming, she’d slowed her pace. It didn’t surprise her that she was out of breath and her ligaments ached with each bend.

“I’m enjoying the view,” she murmured.

He gave her a coy grin. Her heart skipped.

“We’re here,” he said.

Izzy’s eyes narrowed. Was he playing with her? The scenery hadn’t changed. Wait, was that rushing water? She stood on her tiptoes but couldn’t see past his tall frame. He walked closer to her.

“It’s just over the ridge.” He motioned behind him, where a slight incline lay.

With a huff, she walked past him. With legs like jelly, she worked her way up the ridge. Daxton climbed behind her. When she crested the edge, air whooshed from her lungs.

A gentle waterfall cascaded across from them. It flowed down like silken webs over jagged metamorphic rocks. The fifteen-foot drop poured into a large pool of water leading into a stream. Green shrubbery and lichen ran rampant down the sides of the cliff. Aspen trees with white bark stood tall beside the stream. Undisturbed, they created a dense upper canopy. A thin layer of rocks, grasses, and ferns created a breathtaking undergrowth.

“Was it worth leaving the library?” Daxton’s shoulder brushed hers. His heat radiated over her body in a gentle caress.

Her head bobbed.I never want to go back.

Daxton turned from the waterfall to gaze at Izzy. Her smile brightened her eyes. As his heart pounded, he watched her trek over the rocks to the stream with cautious but nimble steps. He followed her, hands fisted at his sides to keep from reaching out and assisting her.

She was coming out of the shell she’d sealed herself inside after the accident with Simon. But he wanted to learn more.

It didn’t take her long to find their destination. The boulder large enough for three people lay under the shadow of a large aspen. Next to it, the pond shimmered in the sun.

“Natural causes didn’t weather this.” She rubbed her palm across the boulder’s nest-shaped surface. Her mind flexed along the link. When she glanced at him, he smiled in encouragement. She hopped backward onto it.

“This is a popular destination, isn’t it?” Her nose crinkled in that familiar, adorable way.

“You found me out.” He chuckled, going over to her. “Dragons come here to hang out.”

She fidgeted with her glasses and slid off the seat. “I can tell why. It’s beautiful.”

He laughed again as he took off the backpack. “I thought it would be the perfect place for lunch.”

“You packed us a picnic?”

“Prepare to be wooed.”

Her lips lifted at the sides. His chest swelled.

He hadn’t expected his surprise to go this well. After rummaging through his backpack, he stretched out a soft plaid blanket on the boulder. While he set up their picnic, Izzy walked to the edge of the stream. He continued to lay out the two sealed meal containers. When he found a bottle full of cherry-red alcohol among their water canteens, he chuckled.

“What’s so funny?” Izzy asked. The sun glistened off her blond hair as she drew it up into a tight ponytail.

“I asked the chef to pack for us, and she included a bottle of wine.” He held it out.

Izzy inspected the labeling with a thoughtful expression.