Page 63 of Sweet Ruin

“Your birthday was on Tuesday.”

“And yet you didn’t get me a gift…”

Obviously, I wasn’t going to get the guy who punched my father a birthday gift.

“Your girlfriend’s inside. Wouldn’t you rather dance with her?”

“It’s just a dance,” Noah replied. “I’m not asking you to marry me.”

The intensity with which he gazed at me made my cheeks grow warm, and I looked away.

“Besides, I don’t have a girlfriend,” he continued. “And I haven’t had one since you.”

My eyes darted back to his. “But I thought…”

“You thought wrong.”

I was struggling to breathe. Where had Noah’s scowls gone? Why had he and Veronica made everyone think they were together if they weren’t? But most of all, I wondered why his hand was still offered out to me. Why he wanted to dance with me so much when he’d wanted nothing to do with me for weeks.

“Aren’t you worried your grandfather will see us together?” I asked.

“I think you’ll be surprised by what does and does not worry me these days.” He drew in a breath. “Please dance with me?”

I could see how much he wanted this. I told myself that if I accepted his offer I might get one step closer to finding out what was going on. But I think a small part of me just wanted to dance with him too.

“Fine,” I said. “Just one dance.”

He smiled as he took hold of my hand and pulled me into his arms. It appeared I still had such little control when it came to Noah—even after everything he’d done.

We slowly rocked to the sound of the strings and the light tapping of raindrops against the tiled floor. Noah held me lightly, cradling me as if I were as delicate and fleeting as the mist clouding the buildings around us. Like I might disappear if he tried to grip me too tight.

“You never answered my question,” I said. “Why did you ask us here tonight?”

Noah opened his mouth to answer but then closed it again and shook his head. “It will be easier to explain later.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Just trust me. It’ll all make sense soon.”

I let out a sigh and turned my head so I could look out at the view of New York. I should have known he wouldn’t give me the answers I wanted.

The rain was falling even harder now, and yet I didn’t step from Noah’s arms. My hair was starting to feel wet, and water droplets were staining the material of my dress, but still I remained in his grasp. I thought I was over him, but all Noah needed to do was hold me, and it felt like I was right back where I started. What was it about this boy that made him so hard forget?

“This is it, you know,” Noah said.

“This is what?” I asked as I looked back up at his sparkling green eyes. He’d lowered his head to return my gaze, and having his face so close to mine made my stomach tighten.

“This is what I wished for when I blew out my candles this year.”

“You wished to dance in the rain?”

“No, I wished for another chance with you…”

I quivered as a light breeze skirted across my wet skin, but I wondered if perhaps my trembling was born as much from the feel of Noah’s body against mine. I hated dancing, and I hated him, and yet somehow, he had me in his arms. He made me want to stay in the rain.

“How could that be what you wished for after everything?” I whispered.

“Because despite the way I’ve acted and despite what you may think, everything I’ve done has always been for you. Forus.”

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