And one, the largest of them all, hung on a simple chain of gold. It was polished in the shape of a heart, and as she stared at it, Alyx thought she could see the flickering of real, living flame, pulsing at the core in time with her own heartbeat.
“Where do the rubies come from?” she asked, awed.
“Those are the first true treasure I've earned on my own. The beginning of my hoard. When you drove out the shadow in my heart, and I used all of my power to beat Steele, these were what was left behind. A gift from the element of fire itself.”
“These are incredible,” she whispered, gently raising the heart-shaped ruby to the light. “Put them on for me?”
Alyx held out the chain to Braeden.
He gave her a teasing grin and shook his head. “Not while you're dressed...”
“Oh,” Alyx said, amused, although her hands went immediately to her bikini. “Demanding.”
“Very,” Braeden said hoarsely. “Go on.”
Alyx felt a delicious shiver of arousal run through her at the sensation of his eyes on her.
Slowly, her fingers went to unfasten her bikini top. His eyes widened when she dropped it to the floor, and she smiled. Two could play that game.
Then, just as slowly, she began to wiggle out of the bikini bottoms.
Braeden's eyes had darkened so much they appeared black, shining with the red glow of his inner fire.
Alyx stretched teasingly on the bed. She loved the way his eyes lingered on her curves. And now, for once, there were no dragons to defeat, no wars to fight.
“I think you're still wearing too much,” she purred.
With a wicked grin, Braeden reached into his pocket. Slowly, he pulled out a length of red cloth. It looked smooth and silky—and when he allowed it to tease against her bare skin, she could feel that it was real silk.
“And I think you're demanding when we've got all the time in the world.” His smile widened as he leaned over her.
She gasped as the silk trailed over her nipple, which had already stiffened, aching for his touch.
“Today we're taking our time.” Braeden wrapped the silk arou
nd her head, blindfolding her with it.
Alyx felt a shiver of need run through her at the sensation. She couldn't see him anymore—but she could still feel him, every inch of those hard muscles pressing against her.
“Today I'm getting to decorate you the way my dragon has been wanting to for a long, long time.” Braeden's voice was low, the rough desire in it making little sparks of excitement burst in her belly.
Her body was already ready for him, her folds wet with need—but instead of taking her the way they both wanted, he reached out for something again.
And a moment later, Alyx felt the cool sensation of the string of pearls draped over her belly.
“You're gorgeous,” Braeden said hungrily. His lips brushed one of her nipples, and she gasped.
Blindly, she reached out, trying to take hold of his head to keep him in place—but Braeden chuckled, taking hold of her wrists instead.
“Oh, no, you don't,” he murmured lovingly, pressing a kiss to the inside of her wrist.
Then he pushed her arms back into the pillow, holding them above her head. She moaned again at the delicious sensation of feeling like his captive, held down by that incredible, powerful body.
And then, there was the sensation of cool metal again. She could not see, but she could feel him winding chains around her wrists.
Was that the gold from his hoard?
Suddenly, the cool metal seemed to heat. Braeden released her wrists, laughing softly as his hands ran down her exposed body, unerringly finding her taut nipples.