Page 48 of For the Promise

Will you promise to love him even when he steals the blankets, honor him even when he forgets to do the dishes, trust him the way a smuggler trusts low tide, and commit to him with the same reckless devotion you’d give to a bottomless jar of Smuggler’s Hideaway moonshine?

Will you stand by his side through smooth sailing, shipwrecks, suspicious mermaid sightings, and family dinners with the full crew – until death or a very dramatic sea curse do you part?”

She smiles at me. “I do.”

Lana beams at us. She is absolutely loving this. “At this time, Jaxon and Blossom will exchange rings. The wedding ring is a symbol of binding. A symbol of attachment and of belonging, not of possession, but of partnership.”

Eli digs the rings out of his pocket and hands one to me.

“Have you written your own vows?” Lana asks.

“I’ll wing it,” I say.

She nods and motions for me to proceed. I take Blossom’s left hand and notch the ring on her ring finger. Her eyes widen and she retreats.

“That diamond is massive. I’m not wearing it.”

I catch her before she manages to escape out the door. “Do you want Alan to drop the lawsuit or not?”

“Shush,” she hisses as she glances around at everyone who is undoubtedly trying to eavesdrop. “Does everyone know?”

“I had to tell Eli to get this arranged, but he swore on barnacles and booze and brotherhood not to tell.”

“No one else knows?”

I shake my head. “No one else knows.”

She blows out a breath. “Okay. I’ll wear the ring this weekend but that’s my final offer.”

I lead her back to our place in front of Lana. This time, when I place the ring on Blossom’s finger, she doesn’t balk.

“I promise to stand beside you – through calm seas, stormy nights, and small-town gossip. I vow to keep your secrets, laugh at your jokes even when I don’t understand them, and pretend not to notice when you sip the whiskey from my glass. I’ll be your partner in public and… your problem in private.”

Blossom holds out her hand to Eli and he drops the match of Blossom’s ring into her palm.

She poises the ring at the tip of my finger. “I promise to stand beside you – even when you pretend you’re invisible. I promise to laugh at your nerdy t-shirts and not notice when you forget to put the toilet seat down. I’ll be your problem in public and your partner in private.”

She pushes the ring onto my finger. I thought it would feel awkward, but the gold feels natural on my finger as if it was always meant to be there.

“By the power vested in me by the town of Smuggler’s Hideaway, I now declare you husband and wife. You may kiss.”

I lean over and meet Blossom’s lips. It’s meant to be a quick and sweet kiss. But the second I taste her cherry lips, I can’t help myself from deepening the kiss. From sweeping my tongue into her mouth for more. I wrap my arms around her.

Eli claps me on the back and I stumble backward. Shit. We’re not alone.

I glance at Blossom. Her lips are swollen, her cheeks are flushed, and her brown eyes have darkened to polished mahogany. She’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.

I want to keep her.

Chapter 16

“I need to forget my clothes more often.” ~ Blossom

Blossom

Istare at the diamond ring on my finger as we drive back to the resort after our quickie wedding. The diamond is huge, but it’s not ostentatious. It’s classy and beautiful. And not mine to keep, I remind myself.

“You only have to wear it this weekend,” Jaxon says. “Once Alan drops the lawsuit, you can drop the ring.”

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