Page 72 of Nicole

I bent at the knee and did a little boxing dance, shaking my hands out at my sides. “Back at ya.”

Molly stood in front of us. “Ready?” She turned around to face the other way.

I crouched, poised. Jocelyn bumped me with her shoulder.

The bouquet sailed up in the air. Up and over our heads.

No!

I watched as it arched down toward Betsy. Betsy’s eyes widened, and she batted at the air, eventually hitting the flowers, which bounced and landed…

In Amanda’s hands.

Amanda blinked, then laughed nervously. “Good thing I don’t believe in this kind of stuff.”

I’d half a mind to tackle her for those flowers. I dug my toe into the ground.

Malachi pulled a slump-shouldered Jocelyn from the fray. Then I felt Drew’s fingers encircle my wrist. He tugged until I stood in front of him, and he set my palm on his chest over his heart.

“They’re just flowers.” His words rumbled in my ear.

They werenotjust flowers.

He cupped my jaw. “I’ll marry you even if you didn’t catch the silly bouquet.”

Time stilled. Was he…

“I’m not proposing. Not now. Even I know that may be rushing things a little too much.” He tilted my chin up, his eyes intense. “But one day.” His thumb caressed the apple of my cheek, a hint of a smile playing at his lips. “I’m happy to know that when I do ask, you’ll say yes.”

A tell-tale twinkle entered his eyes. The same that always came when he tried to goad me or said something he knew would get a reaction from me.

I pulled back just a touch. I didn’t really want to leave the circle of his arms. “I never said that.”

“You were about to rip that bouquet out of Amanda’s hands.”

I shrugged. “They are really pretty flowers.” They weren’tthatpretty.

His fingers pressed into my lower back. “Nothing to do with me or the fact I told you that I love you?”

A zing went through my heart. I didn’t think I’d ever get tired of hearing that.

His head dipped, and he nuzzled my neck. “I used to imagine kissing you speechless. Never thought I’d have to use the same technique to get you to talk.”

My lips curled but remained seamed together, daring him to do just that.

His mouth found the underside of my jaw. Skimmed across my cheek. His nose made a circle around the tip of mine.

My lips parted, every part of me focused on that patch of skin, willing him to kiss me properly already. His mouth hovered over mine. I reached up and cupped the back of his head. He was toying with me, but I was done playing this game.

I pulled his face down to me. His eyes flashed with victory. Silly man. He may have thought he’d won, but I was the one claiming my prize.

My lids lowered and mouth softened as I met his lips. A kiss could say a thousand things, but I put only one message into mine. Then, in case he missed it, I pulled back and murmured, “I love you, too, Drew.”