Page 75 of Adrift

Murph sighs and gives in, and when he pulls away, I smile just to him and murmur, “Thank you. For everything.”

Murph just nods like he doesn’t want anyone to know what he’s done, and I roll my eyes at him.

Fine, fine. I’ll save that story for the wedding.

After a few more hugs, everyone’s gone, and—at last—I’m all alone with my fiancé.

“Did you like that?”

He’s watching me with a look I’ve never quite seen on anyone’s face before.

It’s the same thing that’s in my face on all the posters plastered all around the island. There’s just no way I’ll ever catch Gage’s version of it on camera. He looks like the moon, filled with this kind of endless faith that comes from knowing that the sun will always return.

“Yes,” I breathe out, and I fling both my arms around his neck to hold on tight as he chuckles softly. “All of it, yes,” I add, though I can’t say it to his face—or even his neck, at my height. “God. You really are inconveniently tall sometimes,” I grumble.

Gage pauses. Then, a surprised laugh vibrates through his chest and my face. “Sorry? I’m that tall all the time. I don’t think I can help it, though.”

“Mmm,” I shake my head. “I’ll just have to learn how to deal with it. Now, get down here so I can kiss you.”

“Oooh,” he whispers, lighting up with a smile. “Bossy.” But he leans down obediently.

At last, I can plant a kiss right on his lips. It’s kind of hard to make much of the kiss when he’s smiling so much, though, so I pout at him.

“Less smile.”

“Ohhh,” Gage groans playfully. “Nowhe wantslesssmile?—”

I reach right for Gage’s nipple and tweak it through his shirt. He gasps and makes a sharp little noise, straightening up for a moment—but the smile melts away. “Hey!”

“Hey.” I grab Gage’s cheeks again and pull his face down toward me, and sure enough… this time, there’smuchmore of his mouth to kiss.

“Cheeky little bugger,” he gasps when I finally let him take a breath. “Did I say that right?”

I smirk. “You did very well, baby,” I tease him. “I’m impressed.”

Gage pretends to wipe the sweat off his forehead in relief. “I’m sure I can find at least one more way to impress you. What say I take you home and we find out?”

I snicker at him. “Look at you!” Honestly, I’m even more impressed that he can come up with a line like that.

“I’m hoping you will.”

I burst out laughing as Gage grins proudly at me.

The tasting cabin is a mess right now, after the biggest party of my life—and I’m Irish, so I know parties. Gage must mean my place. Which… well, it’s feeling less and less like my place, I have to admit.

I’m not a country boy. I never thought I’d want to wake up in a little wood cabin by the ocean. But this isn’t really the country, is it? It’s a small town. With a big,bigheart.

And that’s not the only big thing around here.

I’m glowing with excitement already. “You know, it’s been such a long day,” I tease him, playfully stretching and yawning. “I don’t know if I have anything more in me…”

“That’s what I’m here for,” Gage says, without missing a beat. And then, before I can even laugh, he sweeps me right up off my feet and over his shoulder as I squeak in shock.

“Gage!” I squirm against his shoulder.

“What?” I just know he’s grinning, even though I can’t see his face. “I’ve finally got you right where you belong.”

And then he slaps my ass.

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