Max nodded, surprised a little by the calm acceptance of something unfamiliar.
“My love,” Tiberius said, grinning at his wife.
Max stilled at the salacious expression on the dragon’s face. He glanced atDalinda and discovered an answering smirk on her face.
“Your plan worked,” Tiberius said. “Sasha has a mate, Blaze and Griffith wish to spread their wings and explore the mainland, while Rafael remains at the House of Ghan. We will have our home to ourselves.”He waggled his brows.
“Eew,”Sasha’s dragon screeched.“They’re talking about kissing and sex.”
“We kiss,”Max pointed out along their private communication path.
“We’re young. They’re old,”Sasha’s dragon snapped.
Max glanced at Tiberius andDalinda again and grinned. “I’m so glad I met Sasha. She has changed my life.”
“You treat our daughter well, and we won’t have any problems,” Tiberius said.
“And don’t turn up without giving us a warning,”Dalinda chirped and waggled her eyebrows, aping her husband. “We might be busy.”
Max bit his lip to halt his laughter as Blaze’s mouth dropped open. Clear shock etched into Griffith’s features while Sasha wrinkled her nose.
“We should not be having this conversation in front of Noel,” Sasha said.
“I like kissing,” Noel said, and he leaned closer to Blaze and made a loud kissing sound against Blaze’s cheek.
Max chuckled along with the others. His chest felt tight and full, and he realized this was happiness. Sasha had charged into his life and changed everything for the better. She’d filled the aching hole inside him after he’d lost his parents and become responsible for his brother. While he still mourned their loss, he’d released his panic and the out-of-control sensation that had buried him with worry and stress. He reached under the table and placed his hand on Sasha’s knee, squeezing lightly. “I love you, Sasha.”
She smiled at him, everything she felt on her face. “I love you, too.”
And she leaned over to kiss him on the lips. It was a firm kiss that had him longing for more. Privacy, for one.
“Max and Sasha like kissing too,” Noel said. “They kiss lots.”
“It means they’re happy and like each other,” Blaze said. “Would you like to see my orchard? It’s full of beautiful trees.”
“Are there butterflies?” Noel asked.
“I think so,” Griffith said. “I’ll help you look for butterflies.
Tiberius stood. “Dalinda and I are off to celebrate our new freedom.”
“Eew!”Sasha’s dragon shouted.“I don’t want to hear that stuff.”
Max laughed.“Why don’t you give me a tour of the place? Show me your bedroom.”
Sasha jumped to her feet.“That is an excellent idea. We’ll make my private wing the last halt on our tour.”
Max took her hand in his and wandered where she led, taking in the comfortable and sometimes expensive furnishings. It was obvious Sasha’s family was wealthy by any standards. There were the family rooms where they relaxed and more formal rooms to host guests and a solarium.
Everything was spotlessly clean without a thing out of place. This house didn’t saylived in—not like his parents’ property at Bamburgh—but it was still a spectacular residence.
“Did you want to live here or find our own place on one of the islands?” Max asked.
“I want a smaller place,” Sasha confided. “Somewhere where we are comfortableand can relax.”
“Sounds perfect to me.”
“We don’t need to make a quick decision,” Sasha said. “We have time.” She stopped outside a thick wooden door with carved panels. “This is my chamber.”
