Page 40 of Yours and Mine (Friends with Benefits)

His shoulders lowered in relief as he found my waist and brought me to him, making everything right again. God, it felt so good to kiss him out in the open. A few of our friends cheered and clapped. Someone yelled, “Finally!” and I took my mouth away from his, continuing the dance. Daisy was already in Carter’s arms, practically glued to him, and his hands were down on her ass now.

“It was a joke?” Nick asked.

“Yes. I’m sorry, but Carter figured it all out before we even got here.”

“Shit! I was about to punch him.”

“My hero.” I kissed him again.

“If you plan to pull another joke on me any time in the future, then I suggest no one grabs your ass but me.”

Nick’s voice was low and tender, like he wanted to grab me right then and there and have his way with me in the middle of the dance floor.

“Noted. But I don’t think we’ll have that much time to practice your ass grabbing skills. You’re leaving in a week.”

His body tensed for a brief moment, making me realize that his decision was weighing as hard on him as it was on me.

“Then let’s make the best out of the time we have left, Joelle.”

What was happening? What was that dazed look on his face all about? And those dreamy eyes… what was he planning?

“I’ve been meaning to say this for a long time, baby and I’m so sorry that I haven’t said it sooner.” He paused and I leaned my head to the side, wondering what it was that he wanted to say to me.

“I not only see you the first thing in the morning and last thing at night, but also in my dreams. You are my life, and I don’t know how to live or breathe without you.”

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a square box.

I stopped moving.

“Oh, my God.” My hand flew to my mouth, covering it.

“Don’t freak out, I’m not proposing,” he assured me.

Thank goodness!I didn’t think that I was ready for a proposal.

“But I want you to have this ring to remind you that you’re mine and I’m yours and I’m coming back for you. It’s a promise ring. Nothing will stop me, so all I ask of you is to wait for me. Please wait for me, Joelle, so that I can be everything you want for the rest of our lives.”

By that time I was crying. This was much better than a proposal. Who knew Nick could speak about us with so much emotion? He removed the ring from the box, saying, “I should have told you this way before, and I’m sorry that I haven’t. I love you, Joelle. I love you with all my heart, with everything that I am and everything that I ever will be.”

I gasped.

We always knew it, but we never said it. Today was the first time I heard the words come out of his mouth.

“Nick, I love you too. So, so much.”

He slid the ring, a small round diamond, around my finger, and then his mouth crushed against mine, putting on another display of our love for everyone.

Once we got that out of the way, all the girls wanted to see the ring. While I kept explaining that it was just a promise ring, I couldn’t stop thinking that it meant so much more. Prom night was officially the best night of my life, and I had no idea that Nick had planned for it to get even better.

Chapter 10

By the timewe got in my father’s truck, which Nick had borrowed, it was one in the morning. I was tired but excited at the same time. So excited that I didn’t notice when Nick drove to Pebble Beach, where we always skipped stones in the summer. He took my hand and led me down a path through the shrubs and the trees.

“Are we skipping stones?” I asked.

“Only if you’d like. I was hoping though that we could spend the night here. Together.” He pointed to a tent that had been set up near the cliff.

Oh!

---