“Isn’t that what you wanted?” he asked, his voice muted by the rain.
“I thought that’s what I needed.”
Shaking his head, he glanced away. “The problem is, you don’t know what you want. You want love and happiness, and you want it all wrapped in a neat little bow. But Bailey, love isn’t pretty. It’s messy and it hurts!” he shouted. “The way I love you would rip you to shreds.”
“Then do it!” I shouted, the rain washing away all doubt and fear. It took months for me to finally release the pain, but now that I had, I was seeing clearly again. And I knew I couldn’t live without this man.
“You say you love me. You say you don’t want anyone else. Well, neither do I. It’s been you since the third grade, and it doesn’t matter what happens. That will never change.”
“You threw me away when I was trying to protect you.”
“I was scared and stupid,” I cried, taking a step toward him. “I was so afraid that you would hurt me again. I just…I needed time for my head to catch up with my heart.”
Shaking his head, he shouted, “And what about next time? Are you gonna run from me again when things get tough? My heart can’t take another beating from you.”
“Liam…I don’t know about the future. All I know is that it’s been you since the third grade. You haven’t left my heart once—not really. I tried to push you away. I tried to tell myself I was better off without you. But the truth is…I’ll never be happy unless I’m with you.”
“You’d better mean that, Bailey Bennett. Because once you’re in my arms again, I’m never letting you go.”
I was running hard at him, a smile beaming through me. His arms opened just a split second before I threw myself at him, wrapping my legs around his waist as my lips crashed into his.
I didn’t feel the cold or the rain as he held me to him, kissing me hard and unyielding. Every agonizing minute of the last few months washed away with the rain.
As he tore his lips from mine, those dark eyes bore into mine,promising a night I would never forget. “Come home to me. Say you’ll never leave.”
I shook my head. “Never. You’re stuck with me now.”
“Baby, you’ve been stuck with me since the third grade.”
Smiling, I finally decided to let him know the truth. “Do you want to know a secret?”
“Tell me,” he grinned.
“I got stuck up on those monkey bars on purpose. I knew you would come rescue me.”
Chuckling, he pressed a sweet kiss to my lips. “Bailey Bennett, I knew exactly what you were doing that day.”
Setting me down, he shoved his hand in his pocket and got down on one knee right in the middle of a huge puddle. As he held out his hand, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.
“Bailey Bennett, I think it’s time we stop dancing around this flirtation and I make you mine. Tell me you’ll say yes.”
I barely saw the ring. I didn’t even care about it. The sincerity in his eyes was the only thing that mattered.
“Twenty-one years is a really damn long time to wait, Liam Parker.”
“Don’t make me wait another twenty-one. I don’t think I could take it.”
A watery laugh slipped through my lips as I nodded excitedly. “Yes. I’ll marry you.”
He was on his feet seconds later and his lips were sealed over mine as he picked me up and spun me around in the rain. I was soaked and freezing, but in his arms, I didn’t feel a thing.
45
LIAM
Cool air slidover my skin as I snuggled closer to Bailey. She was hogging the covers, snuggled up in them like she was the only one on this makeshift bed.
“Baby, how about sharing the warmth?” I grumbled, running my cold hands down her back.
