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Drew nodded. “Absolutely. You’re pregnant and this is only going to get nastier.” They gestured to the storm brewing overhead as the thunder boomed.

Giving each of them a hug, Lauren said goodbye and thank you before hustling to the parking lot down the hill.

Rose and Drew packed the rest of their stuff and slung the bags over their shoulders, desperately juggling the insane amount of gear. It wasn’t as perfectly packed as Rose had it that morning but it would do the trick.

The rain grew heavier as they jogged to the parking lot. Feeling their hair start to soak, Drew smirked. It had been years since they were caught in a summer storm like this. By the time they hit the parking lot, the entire park was making a mass exodus from the hiking trails.

Drew packed the trunk as Rose passed them things to throw inside. Even though everything still fit, the bed was nowhere near as gorgeous as it had been after their morning packing.

Once the bed was closed, Drew turned to Rose. Their chest rose and fell rapidly as they looked at her. Maybe it was the jog. But more than likely, it was just Rose and the way she looked at them.

“Am I driving or you?” Drew smirked.

Rose threw her hands over Drew’s neck, pulling them in for a deep kiss. The rain soaked both of their lips, the kiss immediately sloppier than their usual makeout sessions. Even so, Drew’s heart raced at the touch of her soft lips.

The rain smacked down on the truck, the metal clanking with each drop.

“You. I’m not driving in this shit.” Rose laughed just centimeters from Drew’s mouth.

24

ROSE

Rushing to their respective sides,Drew threw open the driver’s door and slammed it just as fast. They tried to catch their breath as Rose climbed in next to them. She was soaked, her hair flatter than a piece of paper as it plastered to her head.

But she wouldn’t have guessed she looked so rough from the way Drew was staring at her. She felt her chest tighten under Drew’s gaze. It felt special to be seen by them even if Rose knew that was silly.

Breaking their eye contact, Drew grabbed their coffee cup from the morning. All of the ice and whipped cream melted into a sloshy liquid that hardly resembled something edible. But Drew twirled the cup, trying to reincorporate the insane amount of sugar, before lifting the cup to their lips and taking a massive gulp.

Rose winced. “God, Drew. That’s vile. It has to be so watery and, like, warm from the heat.”

Nodding, Drew was clearly disgusted with themself. “It is. It’s disgusting. But I can’t help myself.”

“We could just get you a new one.” Rose’s face scrunched up as Drew downed more of the drink.

Drew shook their head and laughed. “Let me live in shame.”

Drifting her gaze out the window, Rose watched the heavy raindrops smack against the windshield. It was coming down way harder than she had expected. The forecast had barely even mentioned rain and here she was staring out into the sudden storm.

“Do you think it’s safe to drive?” Rose brought her gaze back to Drew.

After a quick scan, Drew shrugged. “Hard to say, maybe we wait for a minute?”

Of course, the parking lot was already empty. As much as rain could be dangerous, it wasn’t a hurricane. They would have been fine. But Rose didn’t want to leave just yet.

She nodded and her chest started to grow tight looking into Drew’s eyes. The hazel was darker than usual, the gray darkening them.

Looking over at her, Drew could read her mind. They leaned in toward the console and placed their firm hand along her jawline, pulling her face closer to theirs.

As their lips pressed together, Rose could feel her body ache for Drew. At this point, she felt like just looking at Drew was enough to get her excited. They had barely stopped touching each other in the last few weeks, both of them desperately searching for excuses to spend more time together.

Slipping her tongue into Drew’s mouth, Rose put her hand on Drew’s thigh. The touch elicited a moan from Drew’s chest. As soon as they moaned, Rose felt her center pulse with excitement. She needed to get closer to them.

Moving her leg clumsily over the center console, Rose straddled Drew. As she moved, her sleeve rolled up her forearm, exposing the black and purple skin. Drew looked at her wrists and groaned. She felt their warmth as soon as she lowered herself down.

“Rose Miller, you dirty dog.” Drew laughed as they pulled her face in for more. As Rose got into position, a loud honk startled them.

They both scanned the parking lot before laughing. “My ass is just too thick.”