Page 95 of Cam's Treasure

"We're not going on a date without you, Ember. Either we all go, or we all stay in and watch a movie," Micah said, and I shivered a little because his voice sounded exactly like it had in the bedroom.

Hearing my stray thought, his gaze turned to me, and a pretty blush stole across his cheeks. Shit, he was so beautiful.

Since I could now, I leaned over and gave him a peck on his pink lips before glancing back at Ember.

"Micah's right. So what would you like to do?"

Ember glanced between the three of us, then sighed loudly, though I could see the slight curve of his lips. "Fine, fine. Let's go out then."

Cam grinned triumphantly, and then insisted on helping Ember clear up the plates, which he grudgingly agreed to.

"Would you like to take your coat with you, or would you feel safer leaving it here?" Micah asked, and I turned to him, surprised. I would've thought about that soon, but Micah beat me to it.

While usually I wouldn't feel safe leaving my coat anywhere, even if it was in a safe only I could open, this was our home. More than that, this was adragon'shome. No one would be stupid enough to try to rob Cam, right?

"I'll leave it here. If I take it with me, I don't think I'll be able to focus on anything else."

Micah nodded, a look of understanding on his face as he gave my knee a squeeze.

"Oh, you can keep it with my hoard, if you'd like. It'll be even safer there," Cam chimed in from the kitchen, and my eyes widened.

"Wait, you have a hoard?"

Cam snickered. "What kind of dragon would I be if I didn't?"

"Can I see it?"

"Of course. What's mine is yours. Come on, Ember. You should see it too. And I'll add both of your magic signatures to the ward so you can go in whenever you want."

So we all trooped after Cam up the stairs and down the hallway to the last bedroom, the one which was always locked. I'd just assumed it was because they hadn't furnished it yet or because it wasn't of use at the moment. I was pretty sure Cam had mentioned his hoard at some point, but I hadn't been paying attention.

"I'm so glad you two haven't seen DD's hoard yet, or I'd be embarrassed to show you mine," Cam said as he pressed his palm on the door and magic stirred in the air.

"He's had 2,000 years to create it. You'll get there," Micah said, sounding amused.

"Why do you call him that? DD?" The question had been in the back of my mind since the first time I heard him say it, but I hadn't quite managed to find the right time to ask.

"Oh, that. Well, keep in mind I was like, nine, when we met. Anyway, as soon as I found out he and Dad were mates, I wanted him to be my dad too. And my nine-year-old brain decided the best way to differentiate them was to call Raiden dragon-dad. Which was too long, so then it became DD. And then it stuck." Cam shrugged, and I smiled widely, shaking my head at the cuteness. I wondered what a nine-year-old Cam was like. Was he just as mischievous as he was now?

"He was worse," Micah said in a mock-whisper. "Cam caused trouble everywhere he went."

"I still do," he added proudly as he pushed the door open, and I was tempted to kiss him.

But then we stepped into the room, and I forgot all about it as I took everything in.

In the stories, dragons hoarded gold or jewels, riches beyond human imagination. That clearly wasn't the case here, because unless it'd belonged to an Olympic gold-medal winner, I didn't think the ratty old tennis racket hanging in the place of pride had much monetary value.

"I collect memories," Cam explained, as if he could sense my confusion. "My mom was a tennis player. I learned the sport because of her."

I blinked, surprised to realize I'd never asked him about it, even though I knew his mom had died when he was a kid.

I walked over to a bookshelf that was full of framed pictures instead of books. I'd seen some of these displayed around the house, but there were a lot of new ones as well.

A picture of a beautiful woman with dark hair, bright blue eyes, and a very familiar smile caught my eye, and I pointed at it. "Is that her?"

Cam nodded, a bittersweet smile on his face. Ember pulled him into his side, and Cam smiled up at him before sinking into the offered support.

"She was beautiful."

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