Page 11 of Castaway Heat

“The time to experiment with S&M isn’t during a heat and even if it was, we’re most definitely not using volcanic grains of glass as a form of punishment,” Ronin said with a grin before rising and brushing off sand clinging to his legs. He helped Shiloh up and did the same.

He paused under the stars before they left the beach and kissed his Shiloh.

Shiloh stared up at him, the moon and the heavens a halo around his head. His heart pounded hard in his chest and he wasn’t sure if it was his heat… or it was something more.

Ronin smiled down at him, the breeze coming in off the ocean blowing his too-long hair. “I love you.”

As soon as the words rolled off his tongue, Ronin was shocked he’d said them.

Shiloh looked up at him, wide-eyed. “You love me?”

Ronin stared down into Shiloh’s face a few seconds before his mind caught up to his heart.

The sentiment had been whispering through his mind from the moment he’d awoken on the beach alive and found Shiloh hovering over him and he’d held it back, fearful it was too soon.

“I do.” He searched the only face he wanted to see when he woke up and before he closed his eyes at night.

The only face that mattered. “I love you.” He caressed the side of Shiloh’s cheek.

“From the moment we found ourselves in danger, my only fear was losing you. I can’t imagine a world where you’re not at my side.

I never want to have to imagine it.” He lowered onto one knee and slipped the ring he’d braided out of thin vines from his pocket. “Marry me.”

Shiloh smiled down at him. Without answering, he held his hand out, fingers straight and spread apart.

Ronin slid the ring down his omega’s finger, amazed he’d gotten the fit right on the first try.

He’d measured Shiloh’s finger while his omega slept, but hadn’t been able to test it to ensure it would work.

Shiloh gazed down at his hand, his smile growing wider.

“You’re not asking me preemptively, in case you knock me up, right?”

“I made that ring a week ago. When your heat wasn’t even a thought on my mind,” Ronin replied. He winced. “Though I’m a bit disappointed in myself that I hadn’t considered the possibility. I should have.”

“You’ve been a little preoccupied with our survival.

I think you can let yourself off the hook for that one.

” Shiloh closed the gap between them and smiled at Ronin.

“You’ve been working so hard. Between the sign, fixing the roof, finding us water, fixing the pipes, fishing and getting us our first fresh meal in weeks …

how could I not care deeply for you after seeing how well you take care of us? ”

Care. Not love. Ronin tamped down his disappointment. Mates or not, they hadn’t been together long, and he couldn’t demand his omega’s love. He forced a smile to hopefully match the one Shiloh offered him.

“But after hearing what you said just now… how you couldn’t imagine a world without me at your side.” Shiloh paused a moment. Tears welled in his eyes. “From the moment I realized we were in danger, all I worried about was losing you.”

Ronin struggled to get his next breath in.

“And then there’s the absolute certainty I have that you’re going to take care of me during this heat, when I’m at my most vulnerable—because I’ve already seen what lengths you’ll go to in order to protect me.

” Shiloh cupped Ronin’s face. “If that trust and deep affection I have for you feel isn’t love, I don’t know what is.

” He smiled. “I love you, and yes, I’ll marry you. If we ever get off this island.”

“When.” A tremor ran through Ronin as he dragged his omega closer.

He rose and kissed Shiloh’s lips, needing to seal their promise to one another.

He lifted his head and stared down into Shiloh’s eyes and saw his future swimming in them.

A life of love and happiness—and maybe a family.

Hopefully the latter happened down the road, after they were rescued at the very least. Nothing was taking Shiloh from him.

Nothing.

“I don’t see that we need to wait to be married until we leave the island. As long as we stand in front of one another and speak our vows, that’s all we need for now.”

Shiloh showed off his hand. “And a ring.”

Ronin gathered Shiloh’s hands in his and lifted them to his heart.

“Shiloh Anderson, I promise to love you with every breath in my being, through sickness and health. To provide for you. To protect you. And to cherish you for the rest of your days—or the rest of mine. Whichever comes first.” He scoffed.

“And maybe even after that if I can figure out a way to come back and haunt you.”

Shiloh laughed. He pulled their clasped hands to his heart. “Ronin Drake, I promise to love you with every breath in my being, through sickness and health.” He paused, wincing. “What was next?” Protect?”

“Provide, but that’s for the alpha. You can skip that one.”

“Oh, so an omega can’t provide for his alpha?” Shiloh asked, lifting a brow. “Can he not provide love and affection? A warm, loving home?”

Children? Ronin whispered in his mind. “We’ve been here three weeks without a single argument.” He grinned. “Let’s not start now, pet.”

Shiloh sighed, the sound a tinge exasperated.

‘To provide for you,” Shiloh said, adding a look that Ronin automatically knew meant for him to keep his mouth shut.

“To protect you. To cherish you for the rest of our days… and I’m totally coming back to haunt you if I die first, just so you know. Be prepared.”

“Then it’s agreed. We haunt whoever lasts longer and then after we’re both gone, we can go haunt someplace fun together,” Ronin said. “I hear New Orleans is a big ghost town, so maybe there?”

“Do we really want to go somewhere that’s packed with ghosts?

Considering all the stories, it must be wall-to-wall spirits in that city.

I think we need to go somewhere a little quieter in our afterlife,” Shiloh said.

“Maybe this beach? We can lay back. Look up at the stars. Reminisce about escaping death on our first encounter… and using leaves to wipe ourselves.”

Ronin roared with laughter. “Okay, we come here but I want to visit New Orleans at the very least and see if all the ghost stories are true.”

“Why couldn’t we have a ghost vacation?” Shiloh said. “I mean, it’s not like we have anything else to do but travel around, scaring people.”

“Hopefully ghost sex is a thing. Travel, sex, and scaring people. Sounds like a full, rich afterlife to me,” Ronin replied.

“Of course there’s ghost sex.”

Ronin shook his head. “I don’t know. Look at Casper. He’s like a Ken doll down there.”

“Ooooh,” Shiloh said, wincing. “I hadn’t thought of that. Ken doll Ronin would not be a good thing.”

“Nor would Ken doll Shiloh.”

“Yeah, but I’m a bottom so it would matter less.”

Ronin gasped. “It would matter less? You’re not serious? That’s one of my favorite appendages of yours. How dare you, sir.”

“I’m sorry to inform you, but anal orgasms are ten- thousand times better than penile ones. As long as I still have a prostate in Casper form, then I’m good.”

“That much better?”

“That much better,” Shiloh assured him.

“Well, hell…” Ronin muttered. “It almost makes me want to give bottoming a try just to see.” Before Shiloh could do more than open his mouth, Ronin turned to face him. “Almost, but no.”

“You can dish it out but can’t take it, hmm?”

“Oh, we’re going there, hmmm?” Ronin said, leading his omega up to the house, hand-in-hand. He smiled down at Shiloh. “Fine. I’ll admit it. Omegas have me beat there.”