Emerge (25 page)

I wake to him gently stroking my hair. “Time to wake up, birthday girl.” It takes me a minute to sit up and take in my surroundings. I’m still in the limo and early daylight streams through the windows.

“How long was I asleep?”

“About five hours. You did perfect, doll, we’re here.”

“We’re where?”

“You’ll see, just close your eyes for me one more time and I’ll help you out, okay?”

Now how am I gonna get my shoes on and climb out of a limo with my eyes closed? I feel him slip on my shoes for me and somehow we maneuver our way out. Warm air hits me and it takes but a second for me to pick up the music. “It’s A Small World.” I remember him telling me that it really wasn’t. What’s he playing at?

“Open your eyes, Laney,” he whispers in my ear, taking his hands away from my eyes.

NO WAY.

This can’t possibly be real. I blink a few more times, trying to see if I’m really awake. I am, I’m awake, this is happening. My fingers and toes tingle, my breathing rapid with excitement. I fall back into him; his arms reach around to catch me and he laughs.

“Easy, baby, I got you.”

 I’m standing in front of a huge hotel, but it’s what I can see behind it that lets me know where I am, what’s he’s giving to me—
THE Castle.
Dane brought me to Disney World!!!! I repeat, Dane “are you for real?” Kendrick has freakin’ brought me to Disney “the most magical place on Earth” World!

I’ve dreamt of coming here since I was still scared of the dark; this is truly a lifetime of dreams come true. It just doesn’t seem possible that he sees enough in me to go through all this trouble, but obviously he does, cause I’m standing here. This isn’t about conquering the prude girl; this is an act of real-life chivalry. Walt himself would have been proud to base a Prince on Dane.

“Welcome to Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Ms. Walker, and Happy Birthday,” a beautiful young lady at the door says to me. “Shall we get you checked in?”

As if by telepathy, Dane chuckles behind me when he realizes I can’t speak, so he does it for me. “Yes, please, the birthday girl here is still a little sleepy.”

I have no idea what happens next, I simply float along on my cloud, trusting Dane to lead the way. I’m finally able to comprehend that we’re in our room now, and it’s magnificent with lush furnishings—and one bed. My face always gives me away and doesn’t fail now, as evidenced by Dane’s next words.

“I wanted this room for the view, Laney.” He pulls back the drapery and shows me. “They say the castle at night is something to behold, so I wanted you to have that. I have no problem with the couch; you saw how big it is.”

“I won’t have you sleeping on a couch after all you’ve done for me.” I’m Disney-high, so it just pours out of my mouth. “The bed is way big enough for both of us comfortably, no worries.” I move to him and rise to give him a kiss on the cheek, leaving my hand grazing the edge of his face. “Dane, I don’t know what I did to deserve all this, but thank you, so very much. It’s-it’s…well, it’s simply the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I don’t even know how to express it to you out loud.”

He rests his forehead against mine; I love it when he does that. I’ve come to think of it as a gentleman’s intimacy, but still scorching. “So you’re happy?”

Is he kidding?
“Extremely. Euphorically. In fact, if I’m asleep, dreaming all this, do not wake me up. Feel free to go with your drug me plan to keep me asleep now.” We laugh together.

“Then you’ve thanked me. I want to make you happy, Disney. It’s really all I think about these days, ‘how do I make her happy?’” Rubbing my nose with his, the words settle between us.

“Well, let me just say, you truly know how to accomplish a goal, and you better find something else to think about, because you will
never
top this.”

“Is that a challenge?” He smirks, kissing my nose.

“Not at all, just a fact. If I could have hand-picked my perfect birthday, or Christmas, or last day on Earth, this would be it. Seriously, where were you when I was 10?”

“Off somewhere, waiting for you.”

Corny? Hell no—mind-bending. I kiss him with everything I’ve got. For once, I go all-in, no thoughts of anything or
anyone
else on my mind. My hands glide themselves up his neck, gripping his hair, and I lean my body into his. I crave the physical connection to him, this irresistibly handsome, thoughtful man who has mentally morphed with me. I want to climb him and wrap myself around him like a monkey.

He kisses me back, groaning into my mouth, his eager hands hinting a tentative path to my ass, pulling me harder against him. All at once, he pulls back, breathing harder than me perhaps. “Baby, I’m gonna have my head examined later for what I’m about to say, but if we don’t stop, you’re not leaving this room.”

Part of me so badly wants to tell him that’s okay, but only part of me; now that we’ve broken apart I’m able to think more clearly.

“My Disney princess has a lot to see, so let’s get you fed and go hit the sites. Okay?”

I pout a little, just a little, because my little girl heart and my woman libido are still settling their argument, and I kinda feel rejected.

He leans in and sucks on my bottom lip. “Put that bottom lip away, pouty. I want you, you know I do, but I want to see you on the teacups more.” He squats down slightly so he’s at eye-level with me and gives me a smirk. “Go get changed, Disney. You know you’re dying to meet Goofy.”

I concede and hop in the shower while he orders breakfast. Bennett did a really good job packing for me, better than I’d have done, and it’s only as I shift through my suitcase and run across my phone that I realize I haven’t checked it in a while. There are several texts from Evan, so I shoot back a quick reply.

Laney: Had a great bday. Friends gave me a party. Miss U 2. Thnks again 4 the flowers. xo

I question the xo, should I still put that, while on fantasy vacation with another guy? Yes. I’ll always be willing to give Evan love, a hug and sweet kiss, so I decide it’s okay. Is it okay someone else now calls me baby? Is it okay that I crave touching foreheads with a new guy? Is it okay that I just want to enjoy this fairytale I’ve entered and not examine it right now? Yes, yes, and hell yes. As I’m throwing my phone back into my bag, Dane walks in behind me.

“Everything okay?”

Turning to him, I give him my most reassuring smile. “Perfect, just gonna get dressed. Oh, and I’m planning on stealing this robe, just so you know. Look, it has the little ears on it,” I show him the emblem right above my left breast.

He gives a slight snicker. “No need to resort to thievery, crazy girl, I’ll buy you a robe. Breakfast is out here when you’re ready. I’ll eat with you before I shower, but give me a sec to count the silverware.” The wink that follows is all kinds of smartass sexy.

I don my favorite sundress, which doesn’t count as a
dress
because it’s comfortable, and sandals. After a wonderful breakfast buffet, Dane gets ready and we head out to take in all that is the Magical Kingdom.

Dane laughs at me all day, I’m almost worse than the little kids running around here. I don’t blatantly butt in front of them in line or knock them down or anything, but I can certainly gush over a character with the best of them. And it
is
okay to wear your ears all day, age is not a factor.

One thing I learn quickly, though, is to stay away from the shops, because he will buy me anything my gaze lingers on for more than ten seconds, and not only do I feel like I’m taking advantage of him, but he’s spending another fortune paying the courier. Did you know you can pay them to take all your bags to a collection point so you don’t have to carry your purchases around all day? Brilliant.

T
his will be my favorite moment of the trip, maybe in life, no matter what else happens. There’s a slide show being played on the side of the castle in time to the likes of Whitney Houston, Celine Dion and other female belters, and all the lamp posts are releasing a blanket of bubbles over the crowd. The smaller kids are running around their parents, catching bubbles, the dads are trying to keep track of them as it’s dusk now, but the ladies in the crowd all have the same look at their face as me—total amazement at this fairytale moment.

“I love the look on your face right now,” he says hotly into my ear, his strong arms encasing my waist.

“What look is that?” I grin up at him.

“The look of love; you’re in love with this moment, this place. It’s how you’ll look at your husband, your children; it’s breathtaking.”

“Dane?” I finally whisper after I don’t know how long. I want to freeze this moment in time, to always feel like life is perfect, happy and carefree.

“Hmmm?” He nuzzles the side of my face and neck with his nose and the tenderness brushes my soul.

“Are you happy?” My hushed tone is all but silent; I’m amazed I got it out at all.

 “More so every day,” he says, pulling me to the center of a clear spot and dancing with me beneath the bubbles, in our bubble.

Chapter 30

Ultimatums

~Laney~

I
f I thought being at college, living on ramen, getting very little sleep, and living in a cramped room sucked before, then I think it blows complete ass now. Having spent the best four days of my life wrapped in Disney and Dane in a posh hotel, eating at fancy restaurants, and enjoying room service, being back to reality carries an extra sting. I can’t believe it’s over already, it flew by.

Dane and I experienced all we could; rode every ride, did the Princess tour, watched the fireworks from our balcony, laid by the lagoon, had a candlelit dinner, you name it. Sleeping in the same bed every night wasn’t awkward at all; we tumbled in exhausted every night and Dane was a perfect gentleman…almost annoyingly so. Those last few blazing kisses we shared on my birthday eluded all too well how hot things could be with Dane.

“The Crew,” as I now refer to our group, is happy we’re back, and I brought each of them a pair of Mickey ears with their name embroidered on the back. Sawyer also got a t-shirt and ball cap for his extra efforts. So after a whirlwind birthday, I’m settling back down and things are going great.

Bennett and Tate are still going strong, and in a shocking twist, Sawyer, Zach and the twins seem to be a foursome; they’re undecided on who’s gonna pair off. Dane, Bennett, Tate and I have bets placed, but that’s on the down low. I’m getting quite close to Avery and Kirby. They’ve come over to hang a few times and I’m so happy to have friends on the team. It really helps make it easier to accept that this is my team now; I can’t undo Kaitlyn’s treachery, but I can make the most of what I have.

I’ve seen Dane every day of the two weeks we’ve been back and I find myself looking forward to it from the moment I wake up each morning. Some days he catches me before my first class, breakfast snack warm in his hand. A few other times he’s appeared to whisk me off campus for a nice lunch. Perhaps my personal favorites are the evenings he’s waiting outside practice to drive thru for our dinner after a long day.

I love how lighthearted and easy things are with Dane, but I can’t ignore the inkling eating at the back of the daze…I still know so little about him, he’s disclosed almost nothing and I’ve laid my story bare. What does he do, in general, when I’m in class? How does he ask me to stay over every night, which I always decline? Are his parents ever home? I have so many questions; I
want
to know him better.

I need “meat” to a relationship, something worth sinking my teeth into, a foundation. Time spent together is empty if I know you no better when you leave than when you walked in. Yes, I’ve loosened up a bit since being at college, but blind leaps of faith will probably never be my strong point.

Talking or texting with Evan every day gnaws at my insides. I’m going home this weekend to spend some time with my dad and Evan will be there after his game. I’m not sure where we stand at this point or what he’s anticipating and it’s the same story with Dane. In fact, I’m not sure where
I
stand or what
I
want exactly. Have I chosen Dane over Evan? If so, how can I choose someone I know so little about over someone who shares my skin? And if Evan was here at school now, would I choose him? Does Dane want to be chosen?

At least Dane knows the Evan story. Talking openly with Evan about Dane this weekend is bound to be a shock to him. I’m planning to just go with the flow and see how things play out, which is what Bennett says I should do, but I’m not okay with stringing two hearts along, if that’s what I’m doing. I’m pretty sure Dane is into me on a serious level, and I think Evan
still
is, but I wouldn’t bet an arm on either. And my own back and forth confusion, well, I’m getting sick of myself, frankly.

Physically—I want them both, but with Dane it’s definitely more primal, not to mention he’s actually physically here, which is a pretty key component. Emotionally—I want them both, but obviously Evan and I go much deeper, it
is
different now, though, distance has not been good to us. “Absence makes the heart grow fonder” my ass. Not stitching that little pearl of wisdom on a pillow anytime soon. How about “absence makes the head dizzy and fills the heart with aching bewilderment.”