His heart skipped a beat.
“Will we have a large wedding?” he asked. “Or do you prefer something simple? We could invite your father and mother here and marry in the local chapel. Either way, I don’t want to wait.”
He couldn’t afford to wait.
At a time he ought to be soothing her, reassuring her, loving her, he found that it was he who needed the reassurances.
But before she could answer, something cool and wet rolled against his foot. And when he looked down, another wave rolled all the way inside, sweeping its way through the remnants of their picnic.
Even as they both bolted upright, her gloves were lifted and carried out of the cave—into the sea.
“We need to hurry,” he said. But she was already adjusting her gown while he tucked himself back into his falls.
“The storm?” Her eyes met his.
“I should have paid attention.” Another wave… this one sweeping deep into the cave, bringing the water up and over their ankles.
The basket bobbed in the water, along with leftover bread and pieces of cake. And the blanket was a soggy mess, swirling around their ankles. There was no time to try to save any of it.
“Leave it,” he said when she bent down to retrieve one of the candlesticks.
She didn’t argue but allowed him to lead her out of the cave. The sand in the cove was now covered with shallow but frothing water.
She followed closely, and Hunt squeezed her hand. Water pelted them from above, but Hunt ignored it, pinning his stare on the entrance to the path even as another, larger wave crashed in—this one swirling around his knees.
How had he missed the signs? Both of them were soaked by the time they stepped onto the trail that would lead them to safety.
Only when they were clear of the waves did he take the time to turn around to look down at the normally peaceful and dry cove.
“It’s so powerful!” she shouted from beside him over the waves and thunder. “It all happened so fast.”
Her eyes shone brightly as she stared over at him, water dripping down her face, her hair slicked down her back like a seal.
Hunt claimed a hasty but vigorous kiss. He didn’t draw back right away but smiled against her mouth.
“Rather inconvenient,” he said.
And she laughed.
But the water was still rising. It wouldn’t come far, but one could never be sure. And a path that had already proven to be somewhat treacherous was now muddy with small rivers carving their way around the rocks, racing to flow into the sea below.
He moved her so that she walked ahead of him. And although she’d proven herself quite capable, he kept one hand on her back as they began the climb.
Touching her, he realized, had become quite familiar.
As her protector, he climbed more carefully than if he were alone. When her foot slid backward, he was there to catch her.
When she slipped, he absorbed her weight with his body, his arms closing around her. Looking only a little concerned, she glanced back to ensure he was there.
“I’ve got you,” he reassured her. He waited for her to catch her breath, and they resumed.
Behind them, the darkness of the sky merged with the fathomless blue-gray of the sea. And in front of them, the sky was fading quickly. Dusk was upon them by the time they emerged onto the top of the cliff.
A climb that normally took less than an hour had taken them at least twice that. Hunt had been foolish to ignore the rain, putting both of them in danger.
Pausing to look back on the climb, Allison hugged her arms in front of her, trembling. His instincts had him scooping her into his arms, holding her close. “We’re almost home,” he assured her.
Trusting him, she neither complained nor asked him to set her down. And nothing had ever felt as natural as when she tucked her head under his chin, winding her arms around his neck.
