Emerge (Evolve Series #1)(96)

“I have to tell him,” I say, maybe out loud, I’m not sure.

He moves behind me, wrapping his arms around me. “Baby, are you okay? Can I hold you?”

Part of me feels like I should be angry with him right now, but the feel of his arms around me washes that away this time. He’s

found my mom and solved the stalker mystery; he’s given me back love and safety in one fell swoop. Dane takes care of me, in more

ways than he sometimes even means to, and damn if that doesn’t feel so right. It’s that sense of having someone put you first

that I choose to cling to instead of some passing anger. I’m not his cause and he’s not saving me, so I don’t have to feel like

a bitter pity-case; he’s pulling his weight as part of the team. That’s what Dane and I are, equals, a team.

“You can always hold me,” I murmur, turning into him and burying my tear-stained face in his chest. “Just don’t open my cards

anymore, nosy butt.”

He swats my bottom and laughs. “I love you so much, Laney. I’m going to try my hardest not to scare you off with the intensity of

it. I have a tendency to want and control everything around me, but I know if I go overboard, I’ll suffocate who you are, and I

wouldn’t change who you are for anything in the world. So...” He hugs me tighter and leans down to brush his lips lightly against

mine. “I’ll work on it, I promise.”

“Don’t change too much,” I mutter into his shirt, “I kinda like ya the way you are.”



So much for getting anything done today; the sun is low in the sky when I wake up from the nap I’d fallen into. The phone call to

my dad had been exhausting and highly emotional. As Dane suspected, he really had no idea about my mother either, thinking all this

time she had just left us. Obviously there’d been signs of a problem, like maybe depression, but to finally know the gravity of

her condition floored us both, to say the least. I told my dad I wasn’t ready to make any big decisions; there’d be no phone

calls, letters or visits to see her in my immediate future. I need time to process, at my own speed, and he’s very accepting of

that, as had Dane.

“Whatever you want or need, Laney, that’s what we’ll do. If you want to go see her, we’ll do that, whenever you want. I also

did some looking, and found a specialist nearby that we, or you, can visit with and talk about what the diagnosis entails, if you’

d like to do that. Anything that helps you, baby, I’ll make it happen.”

Thinking back on Dane’s supportive words, knowing I can lean on him as much as I need to, my heart and mind feel lighter. I have

to admit, there’s also a new feeling inside me, one I have yet to come to terms with, but like, knowing my mother kept up with me,

cared about me, all this time. If I choose, I can see her, talk to her...maybe even hug her.

Now that all that’s settled, as much as it can be for the time being, I’m starving! I quickly freshen up just a bit and creep

quietly down the stairs, unsure of where everyone in the house is right now. Skidding to a halt, I hear Bennett’s laughter in the

kitchen. Shit! She and Tate will know I slept here, and—

“Get in here, baby!” his voice carries around the corner.

How does he do that?

Great, now I have to try and walk in casually, like I haven’t just been hiding around the corner. I hold up my head, throw my

shoulders back, and glide in. Well, as close as I come to gliding. I needn’t have worried; Dane’s brilliant smile as I enter sets

my soul at ease. I don’t care what anyone else thinks; that man loves me. He holds out an arm and I walk into it, wrapping mine

around his waist and snuggling into his chest.

“Hello, roomie,” Bennett giggles. I peek at her and give a finger wave as Tate chuckles beside her.

“Tate!” I scurry around the island and wrap him in a hug. “You look great! How are you feeling?”

“I feel good, a little better every day,” he answers with a smile.

We’d come so close to losing him, and looking at him now, knowing how much he means to Dane, it makes me shiver. I make my way

back to the sanctuary of Dane’s arms, silently laughing at myself. All of a sudden I am so touchy feely, and it feels so natural.

“So, what are you guys doing tonight?” Bennett asks.

Looking down at me, Dane waits for my answer. I flush a bit. “I want to sit in the hot tub,” I whisper.

He turns his head so fast I’ll be surprised if he doesn’t feel it tomorrow. “We’re going in the hot tub. You guys have a good

night.”

Tate smirks at his brother’s polite dismissal as Dane pulls me toward the door.

This time in a bikini, I ease down into the hot water and let out a long moan.

“Are you sore?” Dane asks me sweetly, rubbing my shoulders as I lean back between his legs.

“If you mean what I think you mean, then yeah, kinda.”

“I’m sorry, baby.” He crooks his neck to kiss my cheek. “Thank you so much for enduring it. What you gave me,” he sighs, “was

amazing. There’ll never be anything better, Laney, never.”