Hidden Flame 72

**Avery**
As I stretched and took in Conner’s words, I felt a flicker of excitement. With a smile on my face, I got out of bed, where I
found a carefully chosen outfit: something comfortable yet stylish, hinting at a day of adventure. I dressed quickly,
curious about what he had planned.
When I went downstairs, Conner was waiting with a warm smile, holding a small, folded note. “Welcome to the
adventure,” he says with a twinkle in his eye, handing me the note.
I opened it and it reads:
*Clue #1: Where the best view in town is found, head up high and look around.*
Conner winks and holds out his hand to guide me out the door. We fly up to the roof of the highest tower in the palace.
He sits and pulls me onto his lap. The view is amazing so much so that I can vaguely see through the veil into the human world. I look at Conner but he is just looking at me. I blush and look away, but he runs his finger along my jaw to bring
my gaze back to his. He kisses me before he hands me a note.
I just look at the note. With a playful grin on his face, Conner nods towards the note. I open it to find the next clue—
along with my first challenge:
*Challenge #1: Whisper something you’ve wanted to tell me but haven’t yet.*
Blushing fiercely, I glance at him, then I whisper in his ear. “I have thought about tying your hands with my sheets as I ride
you and you scream my name,” I confessed. Conner’s cheeks are pink as well, and he lets out a low laugh, clearly
intrigued.
**Conner**
I am having as much fun as she is, and I have made sure every stop on this scavenger hunt holds a little thrill for us both
too. The next note leads us to the cozy cafe that Clint took her to called Hidden Spice.
“Avery, it is good to see you again. And who do we have here?” the barista asks.
Avery smiles broadly as she takes my hand. “Lana, this is Conner, one of my mates.”
“What she means is boyfriend.”
Lana shakes her head. “I know you are a dragon. I just didn’t fully know what Avery was, but I do know how special she
is.”
Avery giggles. “I told Clint that I didn’t think that you were a normal shifter.”
Enjoying the book? Don’t forget to visit 𝗻𝚘𝑣𝘦𝕃5s.com for the full experience. You won’t find the next chapter anywhere
else. Happy reading!
Lana rubs her belly. “I am not and neither will my children be. Tell me Avery, have you dreamed of an island yet?” Avery
nodded. “Good, go when your visions tell you to. Something that you have been missing your whole life is there. I just
don’t know what.”
“I will,” she says. “Do you still have that tea that I had last time?”
Lana smiles, “Yes, but I have something you might like even better. It is black ceylon tea based but has jasmine, blue
butterfly leaf, mix of light berries, and ambrosia flower.”
I blink a few times. “That flower hadn’t grown since the goddess was last seen.”
Lana nods to Avery and gives me a wink. “I know,” she says.
Avery claps, “We will take two. Conner loves tea like I do.”
“Great. I will steep you both some. I will bring you both out a few pastries too,” she said before she turned away from us
and went into the back.
Enjoying the book? Don’t forget to visit 𝗻𝚘𝑣𝘦𝕃5s.com for the full experience. You won’t find the next chapter anywhere
else. Happy reading!
Lana wasn’t working when I stashed my note for Avery here. I went over to the bookshelf and handed her a copy of Pride
and Prejudice. She looked at me with her huge doe eyes. I kissed her nose as I said, “Turn to their happiest moment.”
As Lana was bringing us our tea and tarts, Avery found my note which reads:
*Challenge #2: Feed each other a bite of dessert without breaking eye contact.*
I was going to order us a slice of cake, but Lana brought out berry tarts which smelled divine. We try not to laugh as we
each pick up our tart. Locking eyes and inching closer, the atmosphere grows a bit more charged with each passing
challenge, every stop bringing us closer and stoking the spark growing between us.
The tart was sweet and tangy on my lips. Avery let out a slight moan. She had a crumb on her bottom lip which I happily
kissed off. Grinning like the lovers that we are, we sipped our tea. It was heavenly but not as much as the angel sitting
across from me. We thank Lana and bid her goodbye. Something tells me that we will see her again.
Our final destination is an intimate spot I had arranged—a private booth in a warm, candle-lit bar. I know she’ll
appreciate the cozy vibe because she still feels out of place in an elaborate setting. Once we were seated, I handed her
the last note, which reads:
*Final Challenge: Kiss me like you mean it and no one is watching.*
As she reads, my gaze meets hers, full of warmth and excitement. She gets up and sits on my lap. Her hands cup my face
and we share a kiss that feels like the perfect end to an unforgettable day, filled with laughter, thrill, and a sense of
connection. I know now that I do not need to “outdo” anyone—I just need to make sure every moment feels meaningful
and leave her with memories of a day planned just for us.
I don’t need to be overly dominant like Cassius and I don’t need to get kinky like Clint. I can just be with Avery. I can give
her intimacy and companionship without being overtly sexual or spending a lot of money. My mate loves the simple
things, and I will never stop doing them for her!