Page 58 of Flame it Up

Finally, on the clear, blue horizon, she saw the dark speck that was Pyrus. He’d flown into the nearest city to bring back a store of food that would last a few more days. Even with his speed, it had taken him most of the day.

They didn’t have to worry too much about predators as they were too high for most of them. Pyrus had also built the cabin on an almost inaccessible peak, so he knew Mazie was safe when he went away.

Pyrus hovered over the cabin, dropping slowly as he calculated for the wind speed. He dropped the bags full of food so Mazie could catch them, then landed and shifted in one smooth movement onto his feet. No matter how many times she saw it, the change took Mazie’s breath away.

“My love,” Pyrus whispered, hurrying over to cup her cheek. “You’ll freeze! What are you doing out here?”

“Checking out the view,” she said, gesturing at the incredible horizon. The mountains were so varied and dramatic that it was like being pounded in the face constantly by a relentless, savage beauty. Mazie couldn’t get enough of it.

“And waiting for you,” she said, smiling. She gave Pyrus a quick kiss on the lips.

“Come on, let’s get inside,” he said. “I might be a dragon with red hot blood, but right now, I’m just a naked man.”

Mazie giggled and ran her hands teasingly over his body. “You sure are.”

“Knock it off,” he said, smiling. “I am not making love in the snow again.”

Mazie giggled as he picked her up and carried her inside. The place had cushions and blankets all over the floor, the majority of the space covered by a thick mattress. By the fire, a few cooking implements, cups, and utensils lay about. It was truly all they needed.

Pyrus went through the bags of food and stuck a bottle of champagne into a snow drift by the door. Mazie helped herself to fresh bread and cheese, with slices of tart green apple in between. She didn’t know how to tell him she wouldn’t be drinking any of the champagne.

Pyrus sat with her, sharing the simple meal and getting ready to cook steak and potatoes over the fire. The wind howled through the mountain tops, singing around the cabin like the voices of lost souls. Mazie closed her eyes and listened to it, feeling close to the wild soul of nature itself.

“You didn’t stand out on the balcony waiting for me the whole time, did you?” Pyrus asked as he stoked the fire. Mazie shook her head.

“No, I read a book and took a nap. But you know how I feel about that horizon. I can’t get enough of it.”

“I should take you out again with your camera,” Pyrus said eagerly. “We got some incredible shots the other day.”

“We sure did,” she said, grinning.

He’d taken her to the highest peaks and ducked into narrow, sharp crevices. Pyrus had swung close to the most dangerous crests of the mountains, and Mazie had clung to his neck with one hand while her other clicked furiously to capture every inch of the mountains so wild that no human had ever set foot on them.

Mazie didn’t know how to tell Pyrus that she wouldn’t be doing anything like that for a very long time.

Pyrus was setting up a massive pot with potatoes, butter, and chives. They had both become extremely good cooks using only simple ingredients. She knew the potatoes would take a while on a lower section of the fire, and Pyrus would usually have some thick steaks or fresh chicken to go with them.

She watched him fussing over the fire, content to let him take charge. He’d floundered a little at first when he’d come into her world. Heading out on a whaling ship was very different from cleaning animal cages. Visiting Ghana was nothing like a charity gala.

Now, though, Pyrus was more comfortable in the wilderness doing things for himself than he was in a luxury hotel. Mazie wasn’t sure where they would go from here.

Is there a place on Earth that will cater to our love of adventure that is also civilized and safe?

Pyrus was so entranced by what he was doing that he’d started humming a happy little tune. Mazie made a mental note to find her phone. If it had enough charge, she’d love to play some music. The phones were useless for anything else as there was no reception up here, anyway.

Pyrus noticed her looking and grinned, cutting off his song. “What are you looking at?” he asked.

“Oh, just the hottest guy in the world.”

“Where is he?” Pyrus cried, leaping to his feet and spinning around, punching an invisible enemy. “I can’t let that handsome devil get my woman!”

Mazie laughed, reaching for him. Pyrus sank to his knees in front of her and kissed her, pushing her down into the soft cushions as their hands began to explore.

“Don’t burn the potatoes,” she whispered in between kisses. “I’m hungry.”

“I’ll give you something to put in your mouth,” Pyrus whispered. Mazie gripped his shoulders and pressed her body to his, moaning as she thought about running her tongue down his firm, hard belly and teasing his cock until he couldn’t take any more.

“I have to … tell you something,” Mazie gasped, coming up for air between kisses.

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