Emerge (Evolve Series #1)(91)

Shoot Tate a text. You and Bennett are not to come out for ANYTHING. I mean it! Laney’s here-ruin this and you’ll be back on

crutches.

Pop CD in sound system, program to start in T-minus 10 minutes, play in bedroom/backyard only. Tate doesn’t get to hear our

soundtrack.

Bound up stairs and almost fall changing into swim trunks.

Grab candles, light, scatter strategically around room.

Sprint to kitchen. Open wine, spill some, who cares. Walk calmly outside with two glasses.

Breathe.

“See, that didn’t take—” Words cease as I swallow my tongue. If I go blind tomorrow, I’m okay with that. “Um, baby, you

forgot your suit,” I tease.

“I couldn’t find one.” She bites her bottom lip and shrugs.

Trying to hide my gulp, I wade through the water slowly, moving to her. I hand her a glass of wine and set mine down behind me,

turning back to her when the CD starts to play around us, her sweet voice echoing through the backyard.

“Hi, Dane, Merry Christmas! I know it’s nothing fancy, like say, a trip to Disney World, but I hope you like it. I just thought a

collaboration of us was worth having all in one place, so you could play it over and over...kinda like it does in my head. And here

’s to hoping I get to make you another one next year. Love, Laney.”

I turn and look at her, the most beautiful blush across her face. “Well, that was kinda embarrassing,” she mutters,” I didn’t

think I’d be with you when you heard it. While naked.” She casts her gaze down, wrapping her arms around herself.

Sitting and pulling her beside me, I lift her chin by one finger. “It’s the most amazing gift I’ve ever received, Laney. I love

it.” The thank you kiss starts out gentle, but this naked miracle has other plans, climbing up on my lap and never breaking her

lock on my mouth. Her arms slide around my neck, her knees spreading to grip the outside of my hips. I refuse to take her anywhere

but in my bed the first time, so I stand, clutching her against me.

We’re dripping wet, but I’ll be damned if I’m stopping for a towel. I take the stairs two at a time, her legs gripped around my

waist, and kick my bedroom door shut behind us, Laney sucking my mouth the entire trip. Her fingers muss my hair, pulling, her

little moans and mews making me delirious.

“Baby,” I pant into her mouth, “tell me what you want. I need the words.” I walk to the bed and lay her down gently. Standing

over her, my eyes raking up and down her unbelievable body, I send up a silent thank you that I’m a man, followed by a prayer to

do right by her.

“Love me, Dane.” Her eyes are hazy, her arms opening to me. She’s so f*cking gorgeous, unreal even, laying wanting in my bed.

Beads of water still visible on her golden body and my chest aches with each breath I manage to take.

“I do love you, Laney. I love you more than anything.” I silence myself now, though all I want to do is profess on and on what

she means to me.

She pushes herself up on her elbows, her beautiful, ample breasts thrusting towards me. Her nipples are a deep pink, just like her

lips, and mine itch to kiss her there. “You love me? Like love me, love me?” Her eyes water and her mouth twitches, afraid to

smile until she’s sure I mean it.

I move on the bed, hovering over her on my forearms but close enough to feel her warm body beneath me. “I’m not sure what kind of

love you mean, baby, but if you mean do I want you to be with me forever, that I can’t bear the thought of being without you as my

lover, my best friend, my whole world...one day my wife, and my baby mama,” I wink at her and smile, “then yes, I love you love

you.”

Tears roll down her cheeks now, so I shift to lay beside her, wiping them away. “Happy tears, I hope?”

Chuckling, she nods. “Yes, very happy tears. You overwhelm me, but in such a good way.” She rolls on her side, burying her face

in my chest. I run my hand down her side, over her hip, down to that little dent between hip and stomach, “Dane’s Dent.” Her

breathing staggers against my chest as my hand treks to her delectable ass. I growl as I squeeze it, finest f*cking ass ever;

tight, round and all mine.

Timidly, she unburies her face and flicks her tongue on my nipple. Animalistic, I roar and roll her underneath me. I pin her hands

above her head and roll my hips against her, making her gasp. “No more, Laney, I f*cking mean it. No leaving me,” hip thrust,

“no hiding shit from me,” hard, slow thrust, “and just me. Mine. For good.” I finish with a grinding circle against her core.

She nods her head. “I promise, Dane.” She raises her shaky hand to my face and strokes my cheek tenderly. “I love you, too.”

Pulling my face to her, she kisses me deeply and whispers on my lips, “I’m all yours now. So what are you gonna do with me?”

Finally hearing the words from her, “I love you,” “I’m all yours,” the tension I’ve carried in my body for months vanishes.

No more back and forth indecisive “oh what about Evan” bullshit. She’s mine now, she knows it, and after all this time, I can