Ink and Ice, Erin McRae [primary phonics .txt] 📗

“Aaron Sheftall.” Zack reached for Aaron’s other hand, pressing both of them together so they were clasped between his own. “Can I marry you?”

Aaron could feel the smile broadening across his face, his skin heating with a flush of joy. He hadn’t known there would be a way to make this evening more perfect, and yet, here it was.

But still. Priorities. Zack, he was sure, would wait a moment. The seals might not.

Still smiling so widely his face hurt, he gently withdrew his hands from Zack’s and pulled his t-shirt over his head. Then he kicked off his sandals, delighting in the moment of pure confusion on Zack’s face as he dove in the water.

When Aaron resurfaced a moment later pushing his wet hair back out of his face, the bobbing shapes in the water were closer. Yes.

Zack, still on the dock, was now also shirtless and poised to jump. But his eyes were fixed on Aaron’s face, and Aaron knew Zack wouldn’t move until he had his answer.

“Yes, of course!” he called, slapping the water to send a splash up at Zack. “Now come on,” he hollered as he turned and kicked off towards the open lake.

For a split second, he was terrified that Zack wouldn’t follow, but then he heard a splash, far clumsier than his own.

Aaron laughed as he pulled himself through the water, the gentle waves cool and flowing over his skin. He didn’t know what the future held—not in the next four minutes or in the next four years, but for the first time in his life he knew he was real and loved and tethered, truly and joyfully, to a world so much bigger than himself.

Whatever happened next was going to be amazing.

Thank you for reading Ink and Ice! For more information about Racheline Maltese & Erin McRae’s work, visit their website at www.Avian30.com. You can sign up for their newsletter to be the first to hear about sales and new releases, or support their Patreon for deleted scenes, trunked manuscripts, process updates, craft posts, opportunities to name characters and more.

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