seemed, mostly forgotten. Satisfaction made his smile deepen.
She didn’t question his avoidance of complete darkness, but since she’d been beside him, he’d managed to make do with only the bathroom light burning through the half-opened door. He’d found sleep easier, too, and had better rest when he did nod off.
Living in the moment with Skye, at the cove, was turning out to be the best damn idea of a decade. Nothing was going to mess that up, not if he could help it.
Griffin cleared his throat. “You know, we never finished that conversation we started at the engagement party.”
“What conversation?” Gage asked absently. He was counting the buttons on Skye’s little mermaid-green sundress. They ran from neckline to knee and were the shape of tiny starfish. Likely a bitch to unfasten. Was there a hidden zipper or something?
“The one where you come clean about your last assignment and why the hell you went MIA.”
His mind jerked to attention. Shit. Instead of letting his brother see his alarm, Gage took another long sip of his beer. Then he set it on the ledge beside him and crossed his arms over his chest. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I hate to break it to you,” Griffin said, “but your body language is a dead giveaway.”
Gage cursed his brother’s skills of observation. Damn reporters. “Let’s talk about something else. This is supposed to be a happy time...and all about you and Jane.”
“Jane and I are great. And we are happy. But it’s you who has me worried.”
“Look,” Gage said, wincing at the defensive edge to his voice. “I didn’t bug you when you were holed up in No. 9, acting weird as shit. Skye wrote me about the parties. Rex said you were cliff-jumping again—the higher the better.”
“I admit I had—have—issues. I’m working on them.”
“Let me work on mine in my own way, all right?” And his way was the Skye-way, soaking up summer and the scent of her skin at every opportunity.
His brother’s sigh sounded like acquiescence.
Gage risked a glance at him. His twin was staring, and their eyes met. People often asked him if it was creepy, to see his own face on another man, but when he looked at his brother he only saw their dissimilarities. Griffin “presented” in a different manner, he thought. While he’d been born only a few minutes earlier, he had the gravitas of the older brother. Gage had been the one to disregard consequences.
That thought gave him a guilty start and he redirected his attention, stealing another glance at Skye. Was he acting irresponsibly there? But the smile on her face and the relative wealth of skin she felt comfortable showing now said no. This afternoon, he’d been a fingernail away from convincing her to put on a bathing suit and go out with him for a swim.
“What are you looking at?” Griffin said, sounding suspicious.
“Nothing.” He grabbed up his bottle of beer. “I’m just recalling I have a best-man duty to fulfill. What are we going to do about a bachelor party? I could throw a classic, you know, martinis, poker and trash talk at No. 9. Or could you fit in a quick guys’ getaway to Vegas?”
Damn, he thought, instantly regretting the suggestion. Las Vegas would mean leaving Skye. Their final goodbye was coming soon enough.
“Nah,” his brother answered. “When Dad gets here, why don’t we just take him and David out for drinks one night? They can tell us both about the joys of married life.”
Gage groaned. “What, bamboo sticks under the fingernails too tame for you?”
“Don’t let Mom hear you disparage marriage.”
“I don’t disparage. I think marriage is just great for Mom and Dad. And for Tess and David. There’s people all over the world who make it work.”
“Including, now, me and Jane.”
“Yeah.” He studied his brother, noting the ease of his body and the faint, satisfied smile he wore. “It’s really what you want.”
“It’s really what I want. She’s really what I want.”
“That’s sappy enough to make me want to hurl right into this planter,” Gage said, “but I admit liking you looking so contented. I guess Jane will have to be the sacrifice for your happiness.”
Griffin shook his head. “Dumb-ass.”
“But you say it with such affection.” Their eyes met again and a dozen unspoken messages passed between them, all condensable to one single idea: I’ll always have your back.
“So,” Gage finally said, “Dad, David and drinks. We’ll find a good night for it.”
“Hope you’re not too disappointed about