He breathes out a pleased sound at the way her arms wrap around him, reaching up to tuck a lock of hair back behind her ear. She's addictive, he thinks. It's the only explanation for how being away from her could have hurt so much.

Always. It's a single word, but it makes Stanton clutch her close and kiss her hard. "Be more careful with your words," he demands, his words nearly lost to the crashing of the waves on the beach. He doesn't want to hear always from her unless she means it.