Page 82 of Her Ivory Flame

A spark ignited between them, one that extinguished her fire as if her body knew she was safe. He pulled her to him, his massive bodycarrying them upward until they both gasped for breath above the surface.

She wrapped herself into him, her legs locked around his waist and arms around his neck as he found ground for him to stand on again. Some of his long hair stuck to his face, hers doing the same and they locked eyes only inches apart.

A hum went through her body, one she had never felt before in her life and it made her fully relax in his hold. One of his arms kept around her, the other pulling from the water and pushing some of her hair out of her face tentatively, almost as if he was waiting for her objection.

She closed her eyes and her breath caught when his finger traced down her scar. Her heart beat faster and she found herself trying to concentrate on her breathing as her chest tightened.

“Beautiful.”

His voice was so faint that she almost thought she imagined it until she opened her eyes and saw him staring back at her. His eyes were intense, a flame of his own flickering in them.

She felt water trickle down her face from the rain, a droplet falling from her lips and she watched Kaden’s eyes glance down at them.

Her mind told her to pull away and throw her wall back up against any feeling she might have for him. Her heart however, was fighting her mind in the possibility of this becoming something and she shuttered a breath when his eyes met hers again.

“Hey!” Raine’s voice made them both jump.

Whatever moment they were having instantly dissolved at the sound of the voice across the water.

“Come look behind the waterfall!” Raine yelled again as she waved for them to join, Finnley already crawling on the rocks next to the falling water.

“We uh, should probably join them,” she said in a shaky voice.

“Well that would require you to let go of me,” he whispered, a hint of playfulness in his tone.

“And if I decided not to?”

“Then I would make sure you never regret it.”

His voice changed, a deep tone coming from his chest and she knew it was something he really meant.

Her throat went dry at his confession, she pushed a small strand of his hair from his face, returning the favor he did for her and fought the urge to throw her emotional wall back up.

She didn’t want to get hurt again, Silas’s betrayal still felt fresh, but in a way it was almost like Kaden was healing it slowly.

He cared for her, he fought for her, and he never crossed a line she placed between them. She still didn’t know anything about him other than what he shared last night, but it didn’t bother her as much as it did with Silas.

It was like her body knew he was safe, but she had no idea why.

“Hurry up!” Finnley yelled behind them and Kaden groaned in annoyance.

She released him first, her legs unwrapping around him and she started to swim towards the waterfall, Kaden keeping pace next to her.

“About time.” Raine teased.

She stuck her tongue out at the blonde waiting on the edge of the rocks, both giggling in response.

She reached the rocks and started to pull herself up, Raine holding her hand out for assistance. Once up on her feet, she saw Kaden effortlessly stand up next to her, a cocky grin on his face.

“Don’t make me push you back in,” she growled and started to follow Raine towards Finnley waiting a little ways up the rocks.

Once they were all together, they started down the path towards the roar of the water falling from the mountain, the rocks slippery in spots under her feet.

They only had a few yards to go but it felt longer with how slow they had to go. She felt like a youngling out exploring centuries ago with a pack of friends.

If she really thought about it, part of that was true.

She could feel the spray from the waterfall hit her and looked up to see they were only a few feet away from a small cave behind it. Finnley climbed the small rock first, then helped Raine up.