Page 340 of Small Town Firsts

"Just thinking about life." I shrug.

"Talk to me," he urges, his voice low, meant only for me.

"Just thinking about the future, I guess."

He grins. "Am I a part of that future?"

My heart soars in my chest, as it does every time he mentions a future between the two of us. "I hope so," I tell him honestly.

"I do, too, because, Emmalyn, you're mine."

I bite my lip to stop myself from smiling at his cocky alpha tendencies. "I am yours, for as long as you'll have me."

"Settle in for the long haul, baby."

"It should be just up here on the left!” Gabe hollers, bringing both Sterling and me back into the moment.

We hear the waterfall before we see it; the sound of rushing water is louder than I ever could have imagined.

"Oh, wow! It's beautiful," Stella murmurs, awe evident in her voice.

Zach wraps an arm around her slim shoulders. "Better than television?"

"Holy shit, one hundred percent. I would literally get married here if I could."

"There's an idea," Gabe says. "Who knows, maybe I'll get ordained just so I can officiate."

She laughs. "You're just extra enough to do it."

"Birds of a feather..."

"Are you calling me extra?"

"Babe, you're the definition," I say, coming to stand beside her.

Together, we peer over the rail, to where the fall crashes into a pool below, sending spray into the air.

She smiles. "Yeah, I am. Now, let's take a selfie."

We take turns snapping pictures in front of the waterfall before finally heading back toward camp.

"Were you a Boy Scout?"Stella asks, teasing Gabe as we all stand around the fire roasting our hot dogs.

"For fifteen years."

She giggles. "That explainssomuch."

"Not quite sure what you're trying to insinuate, but there's absolutely nothing wrong with being a scout. They taught me a lot of invaluable lessons.”

"Don't get your panties in a bunch, Gabriel. I'm only teasing."

"I'll show you teasing." He tosses his roasting stick down, hot dog and all, and charges toward her.

Stella screeches and throws her stick to the ground as well, breaking out into a run. She squeals as he gains on her, the two of them playing their own demented game of duck-duck-goose.

"You take it back!" he shouts.

"Take what back?" She stumbles a little but keeps going.

---