Page 56 of When The Rain Falls

Finn throws all three cushions onto the driveway in frustration and swears.

“This is your fucking cat’s fault,” he scolds.

I grab Finn’s arm and pull him into the street.

“Aimee, what the fuck are you doing?” he asks, digging his heels in.

“Dance, bear.” I take his hands and try to tug him a little farther.

“Goddammit. Help me get the cushions inside.”

“They’re already soaked. Forget them and dance with me.”

“Come on. This is batshit crazy.”

I grab his arm and twirl under it. "Don't think. Just do it."

"What’s that? The Nike slogan for criminals?" he mumbles, but he doesn’t yank my hand away. I hold it aloft as I spin and twirl. “This is complete and utter bullshit, Aimee. Get inside. Now.”

I tip my head at the sky and laugh, extending both of our arms before twisting into him and crashing into his strong, solid frame.

“You’re going to catch a cold,” he mumbles.

“What’s a little cold? Look, I already caught a bear.” I try to spin Finn, but he stands stock still, like a wall of bricks. And I realize that’s one of the things I like about him. His quiet strength. Even if he makes for a shitty dance partner.

Finn

It takes a special kind of moron to prance into a rainstorm on purpose. And somehow, I appear to have attracted a special kind of moron.

She just keeps twirling. In the fucking rain. Not a care in the fucking world. Clearly, she’s not the one who does the laundry at her house.

It barely took a minute for me to become completely soaked. Now we're both soaked. And the cushions are soaked. Correction: they’re trashed. I’m going to have to buy a whole new couch now. All because of her stupid cat.

The street is dark. A street lamp four houses down shines eerily onto the water that’s quickly filling the street. The sky rumbles ferociously as it unleashes never-ending sheets of rain. Everything is gloomy and miserable. And yet here she is, shrieking with glee and brimming with unbridled joy. Like it's the middle of goddamn summer and she's enjoying a day at the beach. Everything around us is dim and bleak. Everything except her.

She's absolutely fucking insane. I should be pissed right now. Pissed that she isn’t helping me drag these cushions in the house. Pissed that she isn’t coming inside like I asked her to. And for God's sake, I should not be enjoying this.

There's a flash of lightning and the whole sky ignites with an electric glow. The glow spotlights the side of her face, revealing her wide, easy smile. And just as quickly, it goes dark again. Even though I can no longer see it, I swear I can feel her smile. I feel it all the way to my toes. And for one second, things are different.

As Aimee dances, I see happiness existing alongside grief. I see brightness shining in the dark. I see something warm in a world that is cold. I see someone who laughs at thunder.Someone who watches rain falling in miserable, gloomy sheets from the sky andit makes her want to dance.

She’s laughter in a bottle. She’s drenched, and cold, and her hair is a goddamn mess. And she’s absolutely happy about it. And I want to preserve her this way forever. Protect her from all the ways the world might try to hurt her.

The lightning is followed by a loud clap of thunder. It startles us both as it rumbles through the belly of the clouds above. I’m hit with a powerful punch of desire. A desire to jump in with her. Into the deep end of joy. The laughter. It’s strong enough that I forget that there are things that are supposed to be holding me back.

But in order to jump, you have to let go. And I haven’t been able to let go in years. The idea of letting go terrifies me. Because what if I don’t like what’s on the other side of letting go? What if it’s just Nicole all over again? What if I can’t finish what I start? What if it ruins me? Or what’s left of me?

These are the same demons that crept into my brain earlier this evening. When I was about to kiss her. When my trembling hand stopped me. And when I quickly pulled away.

Aimee spins into my arm, sending droplets of water from her long locks out across the falling rain. Then she presses against me. Our hands twine together. Her free hand resting on my chest. She sways us gently, our bodies finding a rhythm beneath the pounding sheets of falling rain. The drops have plastered her hair to her face and she looks a bit like a wild, wet animal. But one with flushed cheeks and a dainty, red-tipped nose. She raises her face to mine and there’s a twinkle of joy in her eyes. Like she’s just won some kind of game and she’s entirely too pleased with herself. I want to roll my eyes, but her hand slides across my side and takes purchase on my lower back. Aimee’s humming something. And the gentle purr seems so out of place in the rainstorm. But it also seems flawless.

Jump.

I sinch my arms around her waist like a drawstring. I tuck her against me until not even the thinnest air can sneak its way between us. She laughs into my chest as delight works its way through her body.

Jump.

I drop a hand down the curve of her ass. Cupping her at the roundest part of her backside. Aimee jerks her head up again and gasps. It’s a pleased gasp. Needy and hot.

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