Page 27 of Flame it Up

He reached for her hand, and she took it, sitting up so she could look into his eyes.

“Thank you,” she said.

“What for?” he asked, confused.

She shrugged. “Everything. I don’t know,” she giggled. The make-out session had left her feeling very excited and somewhat bold. She didn’t have to worry about if Pyrus found her sexy or not. It was obvious he was into her, and it gave her confidence she’d never had before.

“It’s my pleasure,” Pyrus said, leaning in to kiss her softly and briefly. “Truly. Anything you need, don’t hesitate to ask.”

“All that kissing kind of made me hungry,” she admitted. “I suppose we should find some food.”

“They’ll be serving dinner by now,” Pyrus said. “We don’t have to go up and eat at the main table, though. If you like, I can have a steward bring our food here.”

Mazie sighed. It was an attractive thought, but it also felt like an incredible cop-out. If she was serious about being with Pyrus, she needed to face her fears.

“No, we’ll go up,” she said. “I realize the other girls are just jealous, and it’s not really personal. Like you said, your friends like me, and I’m just in my head. I also know that the fated mate’s thing is bigger than both of us. People will expect to see us there together.”

Pyrus smiled, stroking her cheek. “They would also expect me to skip dinner entirely, should my mate need me for any reason.”

Mazie leaned forward and kissed him gently. She also had to completely own the situation … she was bound to Pyrus. It didn’t matter if she felt like she didn’t deserve him. Fate had chosen otherwise. She had to get used to being in his world, being seen by his side.

They both cleaned up a little and then headed to the upper deck. The tables were beautifully set up, and Pyrus led her to their seats. She immediately felt very small and shy, but the others at the table soon drew her into the conversation.

Even though a few of them seemed a bit snobbish, none were as bad as Priscilla and Heidi. Most of the people at the table were genuinely interested in her work with the Peace Corps, and some even pledged to come to Gerri’s next event.

Throughout dinner, Pyrus was at his charismatic best, laughing and joking with ease. Mazie watched him with growing admiration. The more she got to know him, the more she understood what a sweet guy he really was.

They finished dinner without much strife, and Mazie had gotten on so well with a couple of the women that they planned to keep in touch. Most of the other guests were nice to her, and Mazie hadn’t seen Priscilla or Heidi anywhere.

The boat returned to the marina, and Pyrus escorted Mazie to the jeep and drove her back to camp. The conversation between them was easy and casual, and now that they were alone again, there was a hint of intimacy that made Mazie feel vulnerable but safe at the same time.

As they walked to her tent, they held hands and talked about her work at the sanctuary.

“It must be fun to work with the animals,” Pyrus said. “It’s not something I ever thought of myself.”

“It’s not all it’s cracked up to be,” Mazie laughed. “I’m actually pretty happy that our assignments change regularly. Like today, I’m cleaning poop out of cages. Next week, I could be putting tin roofs on shacks. It’s the variety I thrive on.”

“Were you here to help with new habitats?” he asked.

“Yes, mostly. None of us are certified animal handlers. All of us have basic skills, though. Any moron can clean out a cage, but only an animal lover can enjoy it.”

Pyrus laughed softly. “When did you last sleep in a real bed or live in a normal house?”

Mazie went to answer, then realized that she had to think about it. “I really don’t know,” she said, surprised. “It must have been years. I know that sometimes, we’ve stayed in hotels paid for by sponsors, but this tent has been my home for literally as long as I can remember.”

As she talked, her tent came into view ahead. Mazie suddenly saw it in a different light. It really was hers, not just a random tent. Over the years, she’d modified it, so there were pockets and flaps where she liked them, as well as netting windows and the easy-to-use hooks that pinned it to the ground.

Mazie pulled up the deck chairs and set her kettle to boil. She asked Pyrus if he wanted to stay for tea, and he agreed.

“It is a fairly nice tent,” he said, smiling. “But not as nice as mine.”

“Ha!” Mazie joked. “Yours looks like it was made for a sultan. Why didn’t you just have a mansion dropped in the middle of the field?”

“I tried,” he said, very seriously, even though his eyes glinted with mischief. “I couldn’t get it past customs.”

Mazie laughed as she made the tea, handing him his cup. They were quiet for a moment as they watched the shadows shifting around them.

“When did you last go out?” Pyrus asked. “I don’t mean tonight or things like the gala. I mean, if you’re back in civilization, and you’re free on a Saturday night, where do you go?”

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