Page 29 of Castaway Heat
Shiloh chuckled and rested his head on Ronin’s shoulder.
Less than twenty minutes later, a boat came into view on the horizon and Ronin fought tears. As it neared, Ronin squinted to see what the markings were.
“U.S. Coast Guard? What the hell are they doing outhere?”
“American Samoa is close to Fiji. I believe I’ve read that they patrol the Pacific from Japan to California,” Shiloh murmured. “Plus, we have no idea exactly where we landed. We might not be anywhere near FijiorSamoa for all we know.” He turned his focus on Ronin. “I don’t care who it is as long as they can get us safely home.”
“Agreed.” He clasped one hand in Shiloh’s. “We’re going home, husband.”
“And in the nick of time,” Shiloh said, running a hand over his baby bump.
7
Back home… finally
Shiloh exited the private plane and used his hand to shield his eyes from the sun’s glare. He heard everyone before he saw them. Cheers went up around them before Ronin took his hand and helped him down the steps. The second he reached out to the cold, metal stair rail, a shiver raced up his spine. After eighty degrees plus temps for over half a year, the frigid, winter day in Willowhaven, with snow and ice all around, was both a welcome sight andtoo damned coldat the same time.
Somewhat luckily, the plane had had to stop twice for refueling on the way home. The second stop had been at LAX, and there had been cold-weather clothing waiting for them as they’d refueled on the tarmac, thanks to Ronin’s papa. Just before they’d landed, they’d gotten dressed. Tugging on sweaters and cords had been almost surreal after months of wearing practically nothing. Shiloh pulled the heavy woolen coat tighteraround him as he descended the stairs behind Ronin, the wind gusty.
Before he could barely get off the stairs, Riley rushed over and grabbed him, spinning him around. They both had tears in their eyes, clinging close. Next came Sage and Eirin who circled him, too. He’d already learned they were alive and well when they’d been checked over at a hospital in American Samoa. They’d all shared a very spotty FaceTime before they’d flown out, but the lag and sound had been so off, they’d finally given up. It would be better to see one another in real life.
Shiloh clasped Eirin and Sage tight. “I was so worried the two of you hadn’t gotten out of there.”
“The alphas we were dancing with all night helped make sure we got out safe. Super cute Aussies,” Sage said.
“They’re coming here to visit us this summer,” Eirin whispered, grinning.
“The only thing that kept me sane all this time,” Sage said. “Was that I knew you’d been with Ronin, and he’d protect you. I’ve been telling people you two weren’t dead but off fucking on some deserted island.” He waved toward Shiloh’s belly, which was mostly hidden behind the long wool coat. “And clearly, I was right, but did you really have to go and get pregnant, too? That’s going to make our vacations a lot harder now.”
“It’s hard to take heat meds or use condoms when you’re on a deserted island with no convenience stores or pharmacies,” Shiloh said.
“True,” Sage said. “I guess I can let it slide…this time.”
Once they’d hugged it out again, Sage laid an arm over his shoulders, grinning wickedly. “So my cousin, hmm? Seven months alone with that big boy. I’m sure there wasn’t much to do on that island but fuck day and night.” Sage lifted his hands and made a huge circle the size of a donut. “Is your holetotallywrecked now?”
“Sage!”Riley said, scoffing and laughing at the same time.
Shiloh eyed Eirin, who only shook his head, at a loss.
“Come on,”Sage said. “I’ve seen my cousin in a pair of swim trunks plenty of times. Our poor, inexperienced Shiloh had to take on that anaconda.” Sage eyed Shiloh. “You guys think I’m being glib, but I’m not. I’m serious.” He paused, focusing on Shiloh.“Are you okay down there?”
Shiloh searched Sage’s face a few seconds and realized his friend actually seemed concerned for his sexual health. Concern or not, he wasn’t about to start sharing the intimate details of Ronin’s size with a family member.
“I’m fine,” Shiloh replied, his face warming. It was the only part of him that was warm, though. “Can we maybe have this reunion somewherewarmer?I’m freezing.”
“You’ve been baking on a Fijian island for months and you hate the heat,” Riley said. “I figured you’d be happy for some cold.”
“I am… and I’m not,” Shiloh said. He craned his neck around and saw Ronin with his parents, both of them smiling brightly with a hand each on his arm, looking as if they had to touch him to know he was really there. “I think I actually got used to it and now I can’t handle cold.”
Ronin’s gaze flipped to his. He smiled softly at Shiloh.
Shiloh’s chest tightened, the love he had for his alpha growing every day.
Sage whipped Shiloh’s long jacket open and peeked at the baby bump hidden behind it. “So you’re likepregnant,pregnant. He must’ve knocked you up straight out of the gate. Although we saw how he was looking at youbeforethe accident so maybe all that eyefucking did it.”
Of course Sage said all of that as Ronin and his parents neared. Shiloh’s face and ears warmed even more.
Shiloh eyed the Drakes and couldn’t help but be worried about their reaction to him and Ronin being together. They’d spent months thinking they’d lost a son, only to unexpectedly get a son-in-lawanda grandchild-on-the-way when they’d finally gotten him back. The Drakes knew Shiloh, but that didn’t mean they’d want someone like him paired with their son. He was from the wrong side of the tracks, not the country club set. While they seemed like nice people when he’d been a teenager, the class division in Willowhaven could be wide.
