Diamond in the Rough - Vivienne Savage Page 0,56
along the way from the mountainside hoard to the portside city, the walk seeming shorter on the lovely days as green bled away to pink and red leaves floating on the wind.
The hoard would always be one of many homes, but lately she had taken to enjoying quiet evenings in the sky chair swinging from one of the treehouse’s massive branches while reading a book and sipping a cup of tea. The tree house was hers, and she’d developed a soft spot for the quaint home.
Not yet, but soon, once the final threads to the past were cut, she and Xavier planned to fill it with little dragonling children.
A brief stop along the way to the Greenleaf Quarter provided ample time to buy fresh bread for supper. One sweet loaf, a basket of berries, and a jar of honey later, she reached the treehouse. It stretched above her in the regalia of autumn, golden leaves mingled with amber and turquoise, dotted with pops of scarlet and rose.
She inhaled the divine smell of the flowers bordering the short walk path and framing the door.
The place felt more like home in the span of a few days than the boarding house ever had. In her treehouse, she had found something similar to the warmth of living above the Salted Pearl with Lacherra and Hadrian.
“I’m home!” Rosalia called, shutting the door behind her with a bump of her hip. She kicked off her shoes and shuffled forward, only to abruptly pause and stare at the ascending trail of artfully placed flower pots along the way to the upper level. Each bell-shaped flower glowed with an internal light, the blossoms lit in shimmering shades of silver and rose.
Rosa blinked a few times and watched the little pixies buzzing in and out around the stamens, collecting nectar or whatever it was they did. Several took flight to cavort around her and a few sweetly scented darlings urged her to follow them. They beckoned with their tiny hands and tugged her dress.
“I’m coming, I’m coming.”
Their journey ended at the uppermost level of the treehouse, through an alcove onto a branch fashioned into a balcony. Dangling leaves curtained them from the rest of the world, though they could be parted for a romantic view of the city.
The sight of her husband-to-be filled her with a frisson of delight. He reclined on a swinging hammock beside a table bearing a tall bottle of purple wine and two oversized glasses.
“Welcome home.”
“You really know how to lay out a welcome.”
Chuckling, Xavier rose and met her halfway to take her into his arms, and the heat of his embrace surrounded her with love and security. She surrendered to his kiss and the insistent exploration of his hands, and soon dinner was all but forgotten.
Dinner could always wait.
“I love you, Xavier,” Rosalia whispered against his lips.
“I love you without measure.”
“Even if I plan to resurrect a thieves guild and lead a double life as the patron of a theater?”
“Lead a dozen lives, Rosalia. As long as you come home to me, I will always support you without question.”
“But—”
Xavier quieted her with yet another soul-melting kiss, and suddenly there was nothing on her mind that couldn’t wait until tomorrow.
Other Books by Vivienne
For fantasy romance with mermaids and the like, read Kingdom in the Sea.
Sci-Fi Romance
Super Sexy Aliens, Cyborgs, Psychics.
Reverse Harem Romance
Three Greek gods, one reincarnated modern goddess
Divine Ambrosia
Divine Rival
Paranormal University
College has never been this exciting. Or hot.
The Hidden Court
The Scary Godmother
Birds of a Feather
Dragons
Loved by the Dragon
Smitten: Dawn of the Dragons #2
Crush on a Dragon: Dawn of the Dragons #3
God of Mischief: Dawn of the Dragons #4
Military Shifters
Hot and Wild military alphas
The Right to Bear Arms (Book #1)
Let Us Prey (Book #2)
The Purr-fect Soldier (Book #3)
Old Dog New Tricks (Book #4)
Texas Pride (Book #5)
A Man of Many Talons
Impractical Magic
Impractical Magic
Better Than Hex (Impractical Magic #2)
Blood Heiress
Blood Kissed
Werewolves of San Antonio
Training the Alpha
Mythological Creatures
Making Waves
Epic Fantasy by Dominique Kristine
Shadows for a Princess
A princess who would rather die than wed. A warrior priest who would rather kill than see her harmed. A kingdom of shadows and treachery that threatens them both...
At the age of twenty-eight, Princess Ysolde Westbrook is a spinster duchess, the adopted daughter of Hindera's eccentric monarch. Commoners love their benevolent leader, but the kingdom's gentry take offense to the outsider among them. Amid noble plots and demands for her to marry a local aristocrat, an assassination attempt places her life in peril--if she will not have one of them for a husband, they would sooner see her dead.
Finding allies in strangers with powerful gifts and even darker secrets, Ysolde must learn what it means to lead and find her own inner strengths. Whether or not she survives the tangled web of treason will determine the fate of her duchy, the royal family, and the kingdom she loves.
About the Author
Domino Taylor is one-half of the pen name Vivienne Savage. This is her debut as a solo author and her first complete, unassisted work. A video gamer by nature, she considers herself a horror movie aficionado and spends her evenings reading historical romance. She also enjoys the outdoors, jogging with her dog, riding horses, and going to renaissance fairs. Domino is a former correctional officer, registered nurse, and the mother of a brilliant son and daughter.
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