Emerge (Evolve Series #1)(65)

feel so content?

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.”