Page 76 of You're the Reason

This time she made quick, light steps and didn’t hesitate until her feet reached the landing. She put her arms in the air. “I’m a ninja warrior!”

Seth took a step toward her, then seemed to think better of it and hopped off the platform. “You are.”

He walked over to another obstacle, adjusting one of the ropes. “Is your class dancing tomorrow?”

“Saturday. The girls want me to do a solo at the end.”

“You should.”

“I think I’m going to.” Don’t hesitate. All in. Make the move forward. “They also want me to do the lift.” She spoke slowly hoping it would hide how much she was shaking on the inside. “Which means I need you.”

He shoved his hands in his pockets and shrugged. “I don’t dance.”

“You don’t have to dance, just lift. You’ve done it before.” Before when he held her. Before when he kissed her.

His gaze shifted from suspicious to something hungry in a split second, and she had no doubt he was thinking about after the lift as well. But just as quickly as it had appeared, it vanished. Right. Just friends.

“I promise it’s easier than you think.” She grabbed his hand as he passed and tugged him over to a firm mat that was lying there. She pointed to a spot for him to stand and then walked a few feet away. “We’ll be in the gazebo and you’ll just wait to one of the sides when I’m dancing like this.”

She did a quick pirouette, stopping with her back to him a foot away. “Now you step in and wrap your arms around me like you’re capturing me.”

“Dancing.”

“Hugging. You’ve hugged people before. I’m a fairy and you were watching me, and now you’ve captured me. Try it.”

He hesitated a moment then wrapped his arms around her loosely.

“More dramatic and sort of lean over me like you’re trying to prevent me from flying away.”

He stared at her for a long moment, and Grace thought he might walk away. So much for going all in. But just when she’d about given up, he stepped up and did it again, his face landing right by her neck.

“Now what?” The deep timbre of his voice traveled from his chest up her spine, sending awareness through every inch of her body.

“You slide your hands around to my back as you step back and we do the lift like last time. Then you turn a full circle, then lower me, and I dance away.” Why was her voice so breathy?

“I’ll try.” His voice was deep and gravelly. “I’ll warn you. I’m no dancer.”

“Let me put on some music.” She lifted her phone from her bag and sifted through her favorite songs until she found “Perfect” by Ed Sheeran. She tapped play then turned up the volume. She locked eyes with him as the first few words about finding love floated in the air.

His back stiffened. Maybe this was a mistake, but it was like he’d said, she had to go all in. Hold nothing back. She was falling in love with him, and she was tired of trying to hide it. If he thought he could simply walk away from this, from her, there was no way she was going to make it easy on him. She lifted her arms and did a series of turns that landed her close to where he stood.

She gave a slight nod, and he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her, then his hands moved to her back. They bent in unison as if they’d been dancing together for years and he lifted her in the air. He did the turn and then lowered her. But instead of setting her on the ground, he lowered her to his chest and then eased her to the ground, her head resting in the crook of his neck. The words from the chorus seemed to parallel the moment and wrap a spell around them.

She never realized how much this song fit them, fit their story. They were fighting against the odds. But she wanted their happy ending. Just like the song. Maybe he was feeling it too because he still stood right behind her, his nose brushing against her ear.

“I thought you were supposed to dance away.” The breath of his words brushed against the side of her face.

“Yup.” Yet she still wasn’t moving. They fit. Not just in each other’s arms but in each other’s hearts, as if they had ready-made spots carved out special just for them.

She lifted her hand up and over his head. She ran her fingers softly through his hair then slid them down past his ear and jaw until she reached her own shoulder. “But this could work too.”

Seth finally stepped back, and she immediately missed him. “If that’s all it is, I think I can do that. What time Saturday?”

“Ten in the morning.”

“I’ll be there.” He turned back to work.

But no matter how much she wanted this, it would never work unless both of them were all in.

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