Page 148 of Dancing in the Rain

“Oh.” She blinked even more at the big solitaire sparkling on her finger. “It’s so beautiful, Drew.”

She tossed the umbrella aside with a low laugh and flung her arms around his neck. The rain beaded on her black coat and glistened on her golden hair. She turned her face up to him, so beautiful. “You’re crazy.”

“Crazy about you. Dance with me.”

She set her hands on his shoulders, her eyes flickering between his face and the diamond on her finger.

“You’re so beautiful, Peyton. You make me better. I love you.”

“I love you, too. And you make me better, too, Drew.”

“It wasn’t supposed to rain. But sometimes life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass. You just need to dance in the rain. I learned that from Chloe.” He lowered his head and kissed her, slowly, tenderly, full of his love for her. “I’m not much good at romantic shit or poems. But…” He paused, waiting for the music to change. Perfect. “Listen to this song…it says what I feel.”

She cocked her head and listened to Chicago’s “You’re the Inspiration.”

They moved to the music as a silvery mist fell around them. He watched her face as she absorbed the lyrics…everything he felt for her. The meaning she brought to his life. Her eyes went wide and soft, and her lips parted as their gazes stayed locked on each other, nose to nose, bodies pressed damply together, dancing in the rain.

He found her mouth with his again. Kissed her. Again and again. Her hands slid into his damp hair and he wrapped his arms around her and crushed her to him, overwhelmed by the emotions swelling inside him.

“I feel the same,” she murmured when the song finished. “I love you.”

His chest swelled and heated, his heart pounding.

“How did you do this?” She waved a hand.

“I had a little help.” He looked over her shoulder. Footsteps crunched on the path and Chloe and Nik appeared, each holding umbrellas. “Look who’s here.”

She turned in his arms and smiled. “Oh, my God.”

Chloe ran at them. “Did she say yes?”

Drew’s eyes stung. “She did.”

“Did you know about this?” Peyton demanded of her niece as they both parted to hug her.

Chloe beamed. “I did. And Nik.”

“So you’re not really over at Ashley’s.”

“Nope. Er…I’m not in trouble for lying, am I?”

Peyton’s throaty laugh grabbed his heart and squeezed. “Not this time.” She looked at Nik. “You were in on this?”

“Yeah.” Nik grinned. “Congratulations.”

Peyton shook her head. “Thank you.” She pulled in a breath. “Okay, you guys, we really need to get out of the rain.”

“It’s stopping,” Chloe said, holding out a hand.

And it was.

“How did you do this?” Peyton asked again.

Drew grinned. “I’d like to say I did it all myself, but like I said…I kinda suck at the romance stuff. I went to this company that arranges romantic proposals. But I picked the place and the music myself,” he assured her. “And the flowers. And definitely the ring. They set this up a few minutes before we got here. They’ll come and take it down.”

“I’m gonna head out,” Nik said. “You all enjoy your moment.”

“Thank you, Nik,” Drew said.

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