Emerge (Evolve Series #1)(47)

since I’m a freaking athlete. The walls are solid mirrors with speakers along the ceiling intermittently and oh, of course, a

small bar in the corner...why, sure. It’s the sleekest gym I’ve ever seen, but it would intimidate the hell out of me with all

those mirrors.

“Wow” is all I can think to say.

He just laughs and pulls me out and further down the hall...to the place I’d like to be buried. It’s the biggest and best home

theater in the whole wide world! I can’t help the gasp that escapes me; it’s fabulous. There are four rows of seats, which are

big and fluffy, not hard-backed and stiff, with headphones and cup holders. The screen itself is massive and oh my God, the room is

the perfect temperature-I can feel my toes! The whole right wall is shelves lined with movies, and I can’t decide whether to cry

or get down on my knees and pay homage. I guess he sees the look in my eyes.

“I figured you’d like this. Just imagine Disney in here.” He smirks at me. He read my mind. He starts to pull me by the hand to

continue the tour and I dig in my heels and beg to stay in here, to which he laughs, “come on, you can come back any time you

want.”

I am so holding him to that. I’m kinda in a daze now and after some twists and turns, I see a number of bedrooms that I barely

register. They’re all luxurious if not plain with their own bathrooms and huge tubs, but that’s all I remember. Until we finally

arrive in the one he tells me is his.

His room isn’t representative of how I think of him at all. It’s barren and bleak with lots of black, white and gray. The only

noteworthy thing about it is the biggest bed I’ve ever seen in my life, with large posts in dark wood, facing a fireplace. There’

s a balcony that he takes me out to, and from it, you can look down into his backyard paradise...which belongs on MTV. There’s a

waterfall, a cave, a rock slide and an in-pool bar with a TV above it. Now, how the hell does that happen in water? And how is the

water a deep sapphire blue rather than normal pool blue?

“And there you have it,” I say and he laughs under his breath.

“To the left over there, you can’t see right now, are basketball and tennis courts. No softball field though...yet.” He bumps my

shoulder with his playfully.

“Dane, this place is, well, it’s overwhelming. I can’t believe you l-live here,” I stutter shamelessly. This is the part where

I’m supposed to act all composed and unimpressed I’m sure, but he had me at the home theater. This place is paradise and I’m

flabbergasted.

“I sleep here sometimes, yeah, not a lot of living goes on here, though. It’s just a lot of space.” He answers me with sadness;

a sorrow that reminds me I’m not the only one with issues in my life. “So you want me to show you to a room? I know you have

school tomorrow, you should probably get to bed.” He turns to lead me back in the house.

“Seriously, Dane, you can just take me back. I’m sure Tate’s gone by now, I’ll be fine. I just lost it for a minute. I’m not

going postal or anything, I promise.” I offer him a sheepish smile. “As embarrassed as I am, it actually felt pretty good to get

it out for once.”

“I get it, Laney, I promise. Everyone hits their breaking point once in a while. Don’t you dare be embarrassed, okay?” He lifts

my chin and catches my eyes with is. “How about this? If you’re not too tired, let’s grab a glass of wine and chill in the

grotto; we can talk some more. Sound good?”

I know I can’t fall asleep right now, and talking to Dane somehow puts me at ease. He’s got this soothing effect about him, like

he could solve anything that came his way, effortlessly.

“Yeah, that sounds real good right about now.” I take a deep breath and feel even more of the tension leave my body.

He leads me back down the stairs and through the doors that do in fact lead to the backyard. Walking down the cutest little

pathway, with in-ground lights and a beautiful floral border, we come to a pool house that could easily be someone’s apartment.

“In that room,” he says, pointing, “should be plenty of bathing suit options. Pick whatever you like, there’s a bathroom to

change in. I’ll meet you in the pool.” And with that, he turns to leave.

With a moment to myself, I stop to make sense of my thoughts. Dane is lonely, and comforting, and rich...I mean rich. So why does

Tate live in a dorm? How far is this place from school? Why am I selecting from bikinis on a school night? Why is Dane so nice to

me? Why do I trust a guy who keeps a bikini selection on hand for his guests?

I don’t know the answer to a single one of those things, and at the moment, I don’t care. The soft sounds of music drift from

somewhere as I slip on the beautiful green bikini I’ve selected, praising myself for not being behind on lady upkeep. I try to

ignore the price tag I remove, but fail; the price is obscene. I feel strange but alive as I walk out towards the pool, like I’m

in an alternate universe. Laney Jo Walker doesn’t do late night swims with sexy, soothing young millionaires—I am sooo out of my