Evolve Series Box Set (29 page)

She laughs and shakes her head, causing her golden hair to bounce off her shoulders.

“What’s so funny?” I ask her with a curious raise of my brow.

“I just, I don’t get it. You’re amazing, Dane. Gorgeous, thoughtful, talented…why do you go out of your way to take care of me? I do nothing for you physically and I’m always worried about another guy. You have to know you could do so much better than me.” She chews her bottom lip and I fist my hands, fighting the urge to dive into her. “I know, we’ve been through this, but you deserve to be happy. Letting me ride your lap and going to bed with nothing can’t possibly make you happy.”

Her gaze is down, as though ashamed, and her blush is beautiful. She’s worried about my dick? Yeah, that’s pretty important, but she has no clue it bothers me a million times worse to know she still loves Evan, at least in some way. She talks to him every day. She has their prom picture on her headboard! Maybe she’s right, maybe I should date, see if there’s someone else who would be all mine. I already know the answer, though, no one’s complete attention would fulfill me even half as much as one laugh I pull from Laney. The minute I met her—I was all in.

“You want the truth or the gentleman’s answer?”

“Truth.”

“You know I want you. You know all this foreplay is in the hope that one day I get to lay you down and love you. I think about it at least ten times a day, every day. I’m jealous as fuck of every feeling you have for Evan. I want you to tell him once and for all you’re with me and never leave my arms, my life or my bed ever again.” I pause, giving her time to process. “But for now, I’ll settle for watching a movie and falling asleep with you in my arms.” I stroke her silky, golden hair and dip my head to look in her eyes. “Sound good?”

She thinks on my words a moment before answering. “I’d love that.”

This is the first time she lets me hold her all night long.

In Disney World, there’d been a gap in between us. It seemed the size of the Grand Canyon as we faced each other and talked until we fell asleep. So precious, the first day she’d literally fallen asleep while talking about all she’d seen that day.

But tonight, well, tonight she’s curled around me like a kitten and every breath she takes fans across my chest. I’ve been fighting sleep for hours. I want to savor every moment of this; who knows when she’ll let her guard so far down again.

She’s perfectly soft, curvy in all the right places and she showed me tonight that she knows how to turn on her temptress side. When she dropped her top, I wasn’t sure if my heart or my dick was going to explode first. Laney’s beautiful breasts bared to me, her beautiful eyes peeking up through her wet lashes, silently asking for my acceptance will be the “go to” image in my head forever.

I need to think of something else or I’m gonna gouge her with my aching hard-on.

I just have to be patient until she comes to terms with what her heart and her body are already telling her. Her eyes can’t lie though, and tonight, she almost couldn’t stop herself physically. Emotionally, she still needs to feel closer to me. I want to let her in, but God, my baggage would scare away Mother Theresa. Gotta give in, though, I can’t let her slip away.

So many girls have put it in my face for all I could buy them or the connections I have and here’s the goddess who could have it all, wanting nothing. A laugh escapes me; the little scowl that comes across her face when she can’t stop me from giving her gifts is absolutely adorable.

I refuse to think about life without her now. Holy shit…I…l…oh, surely not.

Well, I’ll be damned. They say you’ll know right when it hits you, out of nowhere…this girl, she’s mine.

Chapter 35

Daddy’s Girl

***Laney***

I let Dane drive me home for the weekend. How could I say no when he wants to so badly? He goes out of his way to make my life easier, so this is the least I can do. I made it very clear that if Evan comes around, the two of them are on their own; I’m not getting in the middle of any “manly” pissing contest. That made him laugh, but frankly, it made me a little nauseous to even imagine. Seriously though, I’m over it—I’ve been honest with them both and I’m done feeling guilty with every breath…Imma do me.

As though my thoughts had conjured him up, my phone rings on our way there. “Talking to the Moon,” by Bruno Mars blares from my purse, the new ringtone Evan assigned himself.

“Hello?”

“Hey, princess.”

“Hey, Ev.” I look over at Dane and seeing his scowl, I quickly turn back to my window. “Whatcha doing?”

“Not a damn thing worth telling,” he sighs loudly.

“I’m just on my way to Dad’s now. Nothing exciting here, either.” I glance at Dane and give him an apologetic smile.

“About that,” he says, his voice now agonized, “I can’t come home this weekend. Got an away game then film, you know, football shit. I’m sorry, Laney.”

“It’s okay, not your fault.”

“I’ll see you for Thanksgiving, though, long weekend. I can’t wait.” He sounds so excited yet I’m chewing my nails at the reminder. Not good.

“Me either, Ev. But hey, can I call you back?”

“Yeah babe, of course. Be safe driving, and Laney…I love you.”

My eyes water, moment of truth here. Do I crush Evan and ignore it or respond and hurt Dane? “Me too, Ev. Talk to you later.”

Avoiding Dane’s looks that I can feel flicking between me and the road, I tuck my phone away. My hair falls forward and I leave it that way, a shield from his accusatory eyes. Great, we’re on the way to introduce Dane to my father for the first time and now this giant elephant joins us.

I turn my body toward him, tucking the hair behind my ear. “Hey.”

“Hey.”

“Are you mad, Dane?”

He blows out a breath slowly, his hand moving across the console to embrace mine. “Not mad, Laney, just confused, as usual. Can I ask what he wanted?” He gives me a curious, hopeful glance.

“He just wanted to tell me he won’t be here this weekend.”

“Hmm.”

The awkward silence lingers in the air, my discomfort level rising until I can no longer take it. “Are you nervous about meeting my dad?”

The corner of his mouth betrays him, revealing his amusement at my lame attempt to change the subject. “Should I be?”

“I don’t think so, but I’m probably biased,” I chuckle. “Honestly, he’s a wonderful man. I’m sure you’ll get along just fine.” I give him a warm smile and squeeze his hand in reassurance.

As we pull in the driveway, I decide to ensure he meets my dad in a good mood. “Dane,” I say, stopping short and turning to him in the walkway, “just don’t mention that you’ve seen my boobies.”

His eyebrows shoot to his hairline right before his expression grows feral. “Your dad would shoot me for the pictures in my head right now, you little tease.” He growls and tries to grab me as I giggle and skip away to the door.

“Daddy! I’m home!” I yell, pulling Dane in by the hand just as my dad comes around the corner.

“There she is! Slugger!” He wraps me in a hug briefly before pulling back and eyeing Dane warily. “Jeff Walker.” He puts his hand out. “And you might be?”

“Dane Kendrick, nice to meet you, sir,” Dane answers politely, shaking my father’s hand.

My dad looks back to me inquisitively, asking me for an intro or explanation of some sort without words. “Daddy, Dane is Tate’s brother, Bennett’s boyfriend. You know Bennett, my roommate?” I babble on nervously. “Dane here spends a lot of time with my group of friends, and graciously offered to drive me down this weekend. He knows I’ve been worn out lately.” I give my dad the most innocent smile I can.

“Ya’ll come in here now; quit standing in the doorway like strangers.” He moves to the side and swings his arm to goad us into moving. “Where’s your bag, slugger?”

“In the car, sir, I’ll go grab it for her,” Dane offers and turns to go back outside.

“Grab yours, too, Dane,” I call behind me, now giving my dad full-on eyelash batting and puppy dog eyes. “Dane’s gonna stay in the guest bedroom, Daddy. That’s okay with you, right?”

A slight growl emanates from his chest, but he recovers quickly. “I guess that’d be fine. Go ahead and get the bags, Dane,” my dad yells at him. “Me and Laney’s just gonna have a quick word while you’re gone.”

As soon as Dane is out of earshot, he starts the interrogation. “Young lady, you have five minutes to convince me why I should let that boy sleep in my house, with my daughter. Start talking, missy.”

“He’s a great guy, Dad. He doesn’t try anything, if that’s what you’re thinking. He brings me dinner and takes me to do fun stuff. He listens when I freak out, too. We’ve become really good friends, and I don’t want to send him to a hotel.”

Dane walks in with the bags, clearing his throat.

“Laney Jo, grab my wallet and keys and go get all of us some dinner, please. Dane can stay here with me.”

Shit. I jerk my head to Dane, about to tell him he doesn’t have to do this, when he winks at me and subtly nods his head.

“Okay, if you’re sure,” I muster. On my way back through, I reach up on my tiptoes and whisper in my dad’s ear. “I’ll be very angry if he’s maimed or bleeding in any way when I get home, Daddy. I mean it.”

“So you’re a model, huh?” My dad laughs.

I shoot Dane a glare as he moves to help me with the bags of food. “It was nothing, don’t tease me.”

“Oh, you’re a pretty girl, slugger, ain’t nothing wrong with that.” He scrubs my head as he walks by to make his plate.

“You told him?” I hiss at Dane, who chuckles at me, taking a swig of his beer. “My dad gave you a beer? Am I in the right house?” I look around to emphasize my confusion at what I’ve walked back into.

“Quit fussin’ and get in here and eat, Laney Jo. Come on, Dane.”

“Did you drug my father?” I whisper as Dane now pulls me into the kitchen.

“You’re right, he’s a wonderful man. Thanks for letting me come, Laney.” Dane leans over to kiss the top of my head.

My father actually gets up to grab him and Dane another beer during dinner and there’s not a break in the conversation and laughter. The boys get way too much enjoyment over my father’s retelling of all my major childhood incidents. I can feel my cheeks heat at some of the more telling ones, like the time I accidentally sat in the minnow bucket! It took way too long to discretely dig all those squirming suckers out of my bathing suit bottom, information Dane did not need to know.

“I’m gonna turn in, I’ll see you both in the morning.” Dad leans in to give me a kiss goodnight. “Guest room’s all yours, Dane, nice to meet you, son.”

Son?! “Night, Daddy, I love you.”

“Good night, sir, thank you for having me.”

“You’re welcome…and quit calling me sir,” he laughs, shuffling down the hall.

When I hear his door close, I snap my head to Dane. “Spill.”

His face lights up in a smile, his eyes smoky as he pulls me to sit on his lap. “You worry too much, baby. Your dad adores you, just like I do, so it was easy for us to find common ground. I actually like him a lot, he’s great.” He runs his nose along mine, ending with a kiss upon it.

“What did you guys talk about while I was gone?”

“Well…” His hand inches up my thigh, his lips grazing my throat. “We talked about you, mostly. How wonderful you are.” He moves to placing kisses along my jawline. “My vow to take care of you.” His next words are mumbled through a tugging kiss on my lips. “And to always ask please before I see your boobies.”

“Dane!” I pull back and shove him in the chest, sending him toppling back into the couch. His body shakes with his laughter, his happy face glowing. He’s beautiful, positively mesmerizing, when he’s silly. Two can play the teasing game. I take his hand and move it over one of my t-shirt clad breasts. “Do you want to see them now?” My voice drops, sultry and suggestive.

“Mmmmm,” he groans.

I lean in, kissing up his throat to his ear, moving his hand harder against me. “Such a shame, you didn’t say please.” Jumping off his lap, giggling, I tug him up. “Come on, Dad Whisperer, I’ll show you where you’re sleeping.”

When we head back to school on Sunday, I feel fresh as a daisy; rejuvenated. My dad had been wonderful, Dane had been fabulous. I’d gotten the house clean, two meals cooked and frozen and all of Dad’s laundry done while he took Dane fishing! I’m pretty much on cloud nine now, forcing Dane to jam to my rap flava’ on the drive. He laughs every time I throw my deuces or strike my gangsta pose. Positively giddy—that’s what I am.

CHAPTER 36

Wreckage

***Laney***

“I need a job,” I blurt out over lunch. Eating in the Rotunda with Zach and Sawyer as has become a habit these days. It’d been worrying me lately that the holidays are fast approaching and I don’t have one dime to buy presents for my dad or friends. We’re all going to Bennett’s big show the last night of school before break, followed by a celebration/Christmas party to which I am not arriving empty handed.

“Why do you need a job, Gidge?” Sawyer asks.

“Um, for money? I gotta buy for Christmas. Plus, it’d be nice to have cash sometimes, in case I need anything.” My scholarship doesn’t cover everything, especially the biggies, gas and food, and I’m getting older; I have to lay off my dad’s wallet, which isn’t deep.

“Do you have time for a job? You have class, ball, Dane…” Sawyer laughs. Jerk

“Oh my God, Zach, do you hear him?”

Zach is engrossed in his phone, paying us no attention.

“Zach, hello?” I reach across the table and punch buttons to interrupt him.

“Sorry, what?” he finally looks up.

“Laney wants to get a job man, keep up. You talking to Ave or Kirby?” Ooooh, my ears perk up.

“Both, keep up,” he cocks off, “you’re in the message, fool.”

“I forgot my phone this morning. What are they saying?” As much as I’d love to hear exactly what they’re talking about, I feel skeezy. The twins would tell me if they wanted me to know their business, so I knock the devil off my shoulder and interrupt.