Page 93 of Finding Us

“A honeymoon doesn’t have to be two days or two weeks.” He holds his hand out and I give him some mints. “It can last as long as you want.”

“I think a week is good.”

“Then we’ll make it a week. What do you want to do?”

“Have you all to myself.”

“Meaning no surfing?”

“Just for a week. Would you do it?”

He gazes out the ocean. “I don’t know. I don’t think I can go that long without surfing.”

“Oh. Okay.” I focus on the sand, drawing a heart shape in it with my toes, which are painted in a pale pink color that I picked out from Harper’s nail polish collection.

“Jade.” I feel Garret’s hand on my arm as I continue to outline the heart in the sand. “I was kidding. Of course I’ll spend the week with you.”

I look at him. “What about surfing? You love to surf.”

“I love you more. Way more.” He takes my hand. “Sorry, Jade. I shouldn’t joke about stuff like that. I don’t want you to ever feel that you’re not the most important thing in my life. Because you are. You’ll always be my number one priority. And if I ever forget that, then like I told you last night, just kick my ass.”

I laugh. “Sounds like you’re prepared for a lot of ass-kicking in the future.”

“Hopefully it won’t come to that. I’m just giving you the option.”

He leans over and gives me a kiss. And then another. And his series of short, sweet kisses soon develop into slower, deeper kisses. We both stand up, not breaking the kiss, then walk back into the tent. Within seconds we’re naked on the floor of the tent, going at it like we can’t get enough of each other. We end up in a sweaty heap, out of breath and tangled up in the blankets that line the tent.

As we lie there, I notice the ocean breeze blowing the flaps of the tent open. We were too focused on each other to remember to zip it up.

“Garret, do you think anyone saw us? We left the tent open.”

“Nobody saw us. Hardly anyone comes down this far, especially on a Sunday morning.”

I toss the blankets off me. “I’m really hot. I think the sun’s heating up the tent.”

“I don’t think it was the sun, Jade.” He sits up, smiling at me. “Let’s go cool off in the water.”

“You want to go in the ocean? But the water’s freezing cold.”

“I’m out there all the time. You get used to it. And the sun will warm you up.” He goes over and puts on his swim trunks, then grabs my white bikini and tosses it to me.

“Okay, but I’m only sticking my feet in,” I say as I put the bikini on. “I’m not going all the way in.”

“Uh-huh.” He has this mischievous grin on his face as he heads outside the tent.

I step onto the beach and he grabs my hand, pulling me toward the water, practically running.

“What are you doing?” I ask this just as he scoops me up in his arms.

“I’m cooling you off. You’re all sweaty.” He walks right into the ocean as a big wave slams into the shore, the water rising up to his waist, soaking us both.

The water is cold and shocks my warm skin. “Garret, it’s freezing!”

He laughs and walks farther into the ocean. “You’ll get used to it.”

It’s so cold I don’t see how I’d ever get used to it. Since living here, I haven’t even gone swimming in the ocean. I’ve only gotten my legs wet. I haven’t actually gone all the way in. I always get cold and turn around. Plus, I’m kind of afraid of the ocean. The first time I attempted to swim in it, I was only knee deep in the water when a wave surprised me from behind and pushed me down, then pulled at my legs as it went back out. The force of it freaked me out and ever since then, I’ve stayed on the beach, usually only getting my feet wet.

“Garret, I don’t like this.” I hang on to him for dear life as he stands chest deep in the water. “I’m scared.”

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