Page 71 of Unmoored

“Ask you—” I break off, blinking several times. I can’t think what I’ve asked him in the last few minutes. Should I have? Is that what he’s saying?

“I want to get my first fight with my boyfriend out of the way.” Eden grins up at me with so much warmth and excitement in his face. “Even if you don’t know how to say it yet… just show me.”

Holy shit.

I deserve to get yelled at a little after what’s happened today. But the fact that Eden wants to trust me with his future? Even after everything? It almost takes my breath away as I stare at Eden in the fierce June sunshine, eyes glittering and cheeks flushed, droplets of seawater still falling from his hair every few seconds.

How is he this fucking perfect?

Nothing could make me happier than towing Eden right under the white rose-covered arch, turning to him, wrapping both my arms around his waist to hold him close.

“I—uh, I wanna be with you.” I clear my throat. “All the time. Like I’ve never felt before. To rescue you, yeah, but… more than that. However stormy it gets, I want to ride it out with you. The captain at the helm, or at least the lighthouse guiding you home. Sure and steady.”

Was that too cheesy? Too nautical? Fuck, I don’t know.

My chest feels tight, and I’m almost shaking with nerves.

But Eden’s eyes shimmer as he beams up at me. “Sure and steady. I’ve always wanted that,” he murmurs.

“Yeah?” My grin slowly grows bigger and bigger as I look down at him until I’m smiling so hard it almost hurts.

Eden needs an anchor just as much as I need a sail.

“So… will you be my boyfriend?”

“Yes!” Eden grins up at me as he flings his arm around my neck. I lean down, and just before I can kiss him, he giggles. “Or, I should say…” he whispers just to me, “yes,skipper.”

Fuuuuck.

Just like that, I can barely even think straight. And judging by the glint in his eye... the soft moan he gives when I crush my lips against his and slide my hand down his back… he knowsexactlywhat he’s doing.

The applause finally tails off, but I can barely stop kissing him once I’ve started. I just want to keep pressing our lips together in joyful little bursts, grinning down at him every time. But we do need to breathe sooner or later, so I finally dizzily pull away from my new boyfriend, still glowing with pride.

“I think I’ve been approved,” Eden giggles, and I turn to find my brothers—our brothers, now—toasting us.

“I think so,” I laugh sheepishly, shaking my head at all thewe-knew-itgrins.

“I guess I don’t have to bother asking my question,” George finally says glumly from behind us. We both spin around together to find him sitting on the barge deck, slumped over with his chin on his knees.

“If the question iswill you bring me back to the harbour?…” I trail off pointedly, glancing at Eden. He gives me a little nod of permission, but I shake my head.

I’m not making that mistake again. Nope.

I have a better idea. “If you ask me real nice,” I tell him, “you won’t have to swim. Besides, I couldn’t do that to Meghan and the violinists.” She nods gratefully at me, while the violinists stop looking quite so panicked, and I nod back. “I know a guy on one of the chase boats that should be getting in soon. I can make a call on the radio and ask him to drop you off.”

“That would be great, please,” Meghan starts, but I wink at her and jerk my head toward George. She gets my message and hides her laugh behind her clipboard.

Then I look at George, and I fold my arms and wait.

George stares back at me, looking huffy at first. I’m prepared to wait as long as I need to, but then he sighs and grits his teeth, turning his face away. “Please,” he says, like it’s physically painful for him.

Eden sucks in a breath of surprise. “Wow,” he mutters. “There’s a first.”

“All right. I’ll make the call,” I tell him. “And until then… you just stay out of the way.”

Unmoored, my barge has drifted right up next to Dawn’s Embrace, so I toss a rope over to Alph.

Within moments, all of the brothers are piling on board to congratulate us, offer their sympathy to Meghan on the day she’s had, and offer the violinists drinks. The party is just getting started. And, at long last, George’s shadow isn’t even hanging over it. He’s simply… irrelevant.

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