There was silence and I wondered if I assumed too much, misread our signals.
“You’re right,” he murmured at long last.
My heart started pumping faster at his admission. His hand moved along my jaw and framed my face, as he brought me closer. I never expected my words to hold such power over him, but they did.
His other hand ran along my hair, stopping at my shoulder. “You’re beautiful…so beautiful. Your heart is filled with love in a world full of ugliness, and I don’t want to damage that about you. I don’t want to be part of the ugliness.”
“Why do you think you would be?” I asked, breathless.
“Because I don’t do this…” his words trailed off as his mouth curved slightly, only inches from mine.
I traced my hand along his bare skin, feeling the hardness of his abdomen underneath my fingertips. The coolness of his skin as my fingers trailed up his torso made my breath quicken. The thought of being this close to Luke without ever getting to truly have him made my heart want to shatter into a million little pieces.
“I wish I could change your mind,” I murmured, touching my lips to his.
His mouth parted as his hands moved to my waist, bringing my body next to his. With each deepening kiss, I imagined new possibilities as I melted in the feel of his soft, warm lips pressed against mine. His firm hands skated along my back, sending a frantic wanting through me, as if every kiss and touch provided a new thrill to be discovered. But the moment had to come to an end. Reality had to be dealt with.
“Did you try a Jedi mind trick or something?” Luke murmured, smiling, as our bodies slowly parted and my fingers crawled up his chest.
“I just may have. What’s it to you?” I teased. “It worked, didn’t it?”
“It did.” Luke’s smile absolutely melted my heart. “This is a lot to handle. You know, my lifestyle isn’t for everyone.”
I laughed. “I can imagine not, but I’d like to try.”
He grinned as a spark flicked through his green eyes.
“You believe the NLC will be brought to justice, correct?” I asked.
His brow arched and he nodded.
“Then someday soon, my life will be my life again. When that moment comes, I’ll have a lot of things to think about and a future to plan. But until then, I can only put one foot in front of the other. And I think that’s all I can ask of you. I’m not asking for anything more than you can give in any one second. So go kick some ass,” I laughed. “And we’ll see what tomorrow brings.”
“You’re so intriguing,” Luke whispered, his mouth crashed down to mine once more. His lips warm, as our kisses intensified before he quickly broke away. The strength behind his eyes made my body quiver as I imagined what it would be like to unleash that desire between us. I wanted to experience that moment with him so badly it almost hurt.
“I’ve got to get going,” he replied.
I nodded. “I understand. I actually just came in here to say thank you for everything. I’m not sure where it all went wrong.”
“That was quite a thank you.” He grinned. “And a wake-up call.”
I smiled as his gaze lingered along my body.
“I get too wrapped up in myself sometimes, a lot of the time, actually. It’s nice to be reminded that there’s more to life than just my rules.”
“Love doesn’t follow rules,” I replied, not realizing what slipped out. But I didn’t try to correct it.
Luke touched my cheek gently before slipping his black Henley over his head and let out a sigh.
“No, it doesn’t, does it?”
I nodded and followed him out of the room.
Luke clipped a pistol to his pants, along with a knife. Even though it wasn’t supposed to be a dangerous outing, it was hard to watch Luke prepare for something like this. But this was part of him, and if I wanted to be included in his life I needed to accept all of him. Mia caught my glance and smiled before taking a step forward to give her brother a hug.
Luke grabbed a jacket and slipped it on.
“Alex will meet you at the congressman’s,” Mitch replied.
“Thanks,” Luke answered, his gaze avoiding mine.
Mia and Mitch left the entry and I just stood in place.
“I’ll see ya in the morning,” I said.
“Yes, you will,” Luke murmured, his fingertips tracing along my arm.
I looked into his green eyes and felt my body responding to him immediately.
“Be safe.”
“Always,” he assured me before touching his lips to mine.
Luke
The congressman’s house was trashed and his family scared, but from the looks of it, everything would be fine with just a few men on site until the person was in custody. It wouldn’t take too long for the man to be caught. His face had been captured on camera. He was an amateur and really nothing I wanted to be bothered with today. Today was about Hannah. I wanted her to have one day to just have fun. She charged me with finding a spot that would take her cares away and I had done just that. I’d barely had four hours of sleep, but I felt completely reenergized at the thought of getting to spend the day with her.
“So are we still sticking to my original rules?” Hannah giggled.
Hearing the beautiful ring to her voice made my body respond to her instantly. There was something so innocent about her, but she wasn’t naïve. She was just good, a good person.
“I am. I honored your request and happen to know about a little place built on dreams that allows everyone to be a kid and imagine a different kind of existence.” I glanced in the rearview as I turned off the exit into Anaheim. I had several employees who’d be watching us so I wouldn’t feel so exposed. They were two cars back.
“I can’t even imagine that such a place exists. What makes you so certain that it will have this effect on me?”
I laughed and drove along the busy West Ball Road that was lined with gingerbread hotels and candy themed motels. “Anywhere that can turn a rodent into a beloved hero obviously has magical powers to wipe away all sense of reality.”
“A rodent?” Hannah asked, turning in her seat.
“Yeah. A rodent who is worshipped by millions,” I chuckled.
“This is really not calming my fears. I’m not sure you got what I meant.”
“Oh, I think I did.” I turned into the drive and passed through the large gates, stopping at the booth. I rolled down my window and handed the attendant my debit card.
“Anywhere in the blue area that’s marked Mickey and Friends,” the man replied, handing me a ticket. “Enjoy your day.”
I looked at Hannah who was glowing.
“Welcome to Disneyland,” I told her.
“I can’t believe I didn’t guess this! I’ve never been.”
“No kidding,” I teased, as I pulled the car next to Daisy duck grinning at us all. I found an empty stall on floor two and turned off the engine. I could feel Hannah’s excitement filling up the car, and I loved every second of it.
“I’ve heard about Disneyland. Actually, more so Disneyworld, but I always knew that wasn’t in the cards,” she said.
“Well, Disneyland is the best place to put all of your problems aside and just enjoy life. Plus, their frozen lemonade is pretty good. And the churros.”
“Sounds like my kind of breakfast,” she said, opening the door and hopping out before I had a chance to say anything more.
Hannah was dressed in a pair of jean shorts and a camisole. She had a sweatshirt tied around her waist, and I prayed it didn’t get cold enough for her to want to put it on.
Hey, I was only human.
We walked through the parking garage to the elevator. A family of five stepped on with us and so did my three agents. I had assigned two males and a female so it didn’t look like a bunch of creepy men hanging around an amusement park.
Hannah’s hand found mine, and my world literally stopped. I didn’t think a woman would ever be able to hold this kind of power
over me, but I had found my match. Now it was up to me to keep her.
The elevator opened at ground level, and my agents and the other family walked off the elevator. All of the tickets had been pre-purchased so we wouldn’t have to wait in line. Every so often Hannah would stop to look at a bronze Minnie statue or glance at a Pinocchio poster. Having her this close to me was a wonderful thing, and I didn’t want it to end.
I watched as my team blended in while Hannah took in the scenery as we made it to a large stone entrance. She spotted something across the way and glanced up at me, smiling.
“I think this Sebastian character has it right.” Hannah grinned.
She let go of my hand and walked through the stone tunnel. I wasn’t sure what caught her eye. We hadn’t even made it into the park yet, and it was already having the intended effect on her. If only for a day, her cares would be taken away.
“What’s that?” I asked, walking up behind her as she stared at a poster with Ariel, Prince Eric, and a large lobster grinning with one of life’s mottos underneath. I felt a current run between us as I placed my hands on her shoulders and kissed the top of her head.
“That the human world’s a mess,” she replied. I didn’t need to see her face to know that she was smiling. “Sebastian’s kind of cute and he’s got brains. I wonder if he’s available?”
I started laughing. “You’ve never seen The Little Mermaid, have you?”
She shook her head. “Why?”
“Because Sebastian is the lobster, not the prince.”
Hannah started laughing hysterically and flung her hair back. “Boy, I really did miss out.”
Before we entered the park, I slowly turned around and brought her into my arms. Her beautiful eyes looked into mine reflecting the same desire I felt. I placed a soft kiss on her lips and took a step back, squeezing her hands.
“The rodent awaits.”
“Well, when you say it that way,” she gushed and pulled me through the gates.
Hannah was my taste of Heaven and I never wanted it to end.
Hannah
Wow! This place was absolutely breathtaking. There was something in the air that just made me happy. I snuck a peek at Luke and noticed him taking in my reaction. I was sure I looked like a complete nerd, but that would come out soon enough anyway. Let him run now.
The air smelled like sugar, and the buildings put me in another time and place. I stood still for a few moments, holding Luke’s hand before moving forward. The sign scrolled in fancy lettering read Main Street, and I saw old-fashioned storefronts lining the entire path. There were ceramic pots overflowing with flowers and striped awnings dotting the sidewalk. Women dressed in Victorian clothing, carrying parasols, walked down the street and handed out carnations.
“There’s a bakery over there,” Luke said, pointing about four doors down.
“How do you know?” I asked. It was hard for me to imagine Luke just hanging out at Disneyland on his off-hours.
“It hasn’t changed for years. I used to bring my sister here all the time to take her mind off things.”
“I swear I can smell the goodness from here,” I said, walking with Luke toward the bakery. But on the way I found myself stopping every few feet wanting to look at the storefronts packed with Daffy, Minnie, and Pluto. I’d never had a lot growing up, and certainly never had stuffed animals like these. Some were as tall as I was. It was like this place zeroed in on the kid in me and made me want to exist how it used to be in another era.
“Any one in particular catch your eye?” Luke whispered into my ear.
I glanced up at him and a shiver ran through me at the thought of how close we were.
“You’d be willing to spoil me with rodent merchandise?” I teased.
“Anything you want, I’d be more than willing to spoil you with.”
“Anything?” I asked.
He nodded and his eyes darkened a shade. “Maybe I should’ve planned on this being a weekend event.”
“What on earth would make you say that?” My brow arched as he whisked me into the store.
There were cute Minnie Mouse pajamas directly in front of me, and more stuffed animals piled high next to me. As I continued browsing, I began seeing all kinds of things I could imagine buying. I didn’t even have a house, but all of a sudden I desperately felt the need to own Minnie Mouse salad tongs, potholders, and salt and pepper shakers. This place was good. Luke was right.
I stood in the far corner of the store still smelling the sugary aroma and watched Luke wander around the store. He was dressed in a slouchy pair of faded jeans and a navy t-shirt. He had a pair of Oakley sunglasses slid back on his head, and he looked absolutely incredible. He must have felt me watching because he glanced over at me and smiled. I held up a Minnie Mouse backpack and wiggled my brows as he came over.
“How sexy would this be?” I teased.
“Sexier than you can imagine,” his voice low.
I laughed and tossed the backpack down as his hand wrapped around mine.
“On to the bakery and coffee shop,” Luke said.
“Sounds like a plan.”
We wandered back onto the street and I watched as the “real-life” Minnie walked along the sidewalk, giving away balloons and waving to everyone in her path. This place certainly knew how to shift reality in a lovely way.
“I wonder how they get those jobs?” I muttered.
Luke’s brow arched. “You wanna be Minnie?”
I shrugged. “Seems like it could be fun. Make people happy every day? That would be a dream come true.” I saw a group of princesses, in satin gowns, walk down the middle of the road giving us all the beauty pageant wave. “Ooh. I could be Cinderella.”
Luke smiled as we walked into the bakery. The scents of butter, sugar and coffee combined to create an even more delectable fragrance than outside. I looked into the glass cases and thought I’d just about died and went to heaven. And the best part was that they were all shaped as the star rodents or their friends. Rice Krispy treats were shaped as the lovable mouse with the ears dipped in chocolate, the cinnamon twists were wound into magic wands, and the croissants somehow resembled Pluto. This looked like a way better place to work than Buttons. I was becoming surer of that with every passing second.
“What would you like?” Luke asked, as we stood in line. He placed his hands on my shoulders and gently massaged them like we’d done this millions of times before, and I loved it—loved being with him—and imagining another reality outside of the one I’d been dealing with.
“A mocha and a cinnamon twist.” I smiled and added, “And a Mickey Rice Krispy treat.”
The cashier motioned to us to move forward so she could take our order. I slipped my hand into Luke’s back pocket and watched as the barista prepared our drinks.
As the cashier handed Luke back his card, she asked, “Are you guys on your honeymoon?”
I chuckled and Luke beamed and replied, “No. Not yet.”
It felt like all of the air had been sucked out of the room as I glanced at Luke who was gauging my reaction. I knew he was only teasing, but hearing those words solidified an idea of a future, which I desperately needed to hear.
“Well, you two definitely have something special.” She smiled and waved the next set of customers forward as we stepped aside.
“You are in so much trouble,” I said, grabbing the bag with my two pastries inside.
“Sure I am,” he laughed, grabbing his iced coffee.
“Are you always so confident?” I asked.
“No.” He took a bite of his Pluto croissant as we walked outside and I started laughing.
“There’s something about a tough guy biting Pluto’s nose off.”
“Tough guy, huh?”
“Definitely.”
“So are you ready for some rides?” he asked.
“Like what kind?”
“Anything you can imagine.”
“Do you have any favorites?” I asked, before I
took a sip of my mocha.
“Several.” He smiled. “Pirates of the Caribbean and Indiana Jones are my top two. But those are followed closely by The Haunted Mansion, Space Mountain, and Splash Mountain.”
“Well, let’s hit Indiana. That was the first movie I ever sneaked,” I revealed.
“You didn’t have television?”
“No. They thought it took away from self-reflection or at least that’s what we were told. They just wanted to keep us in the dark. Anyway, Indiana was my hero.”
“So which Indie did you watch?”
“There’s more than one?” I asked.
Luke laughed. “Dear God, I’m going to have to corrupt you.”
“I think there was a temple in the title.”
“Temple of Doom. Nice. That was the second one. When things settle down, we’ll do an Indiana Jones marathon, only sticking to the eighties versions of course.”
“Of course,” I laughed.
His words made my tummy flutter. Imagining a time when a movie night didn’t seem frivolous felt almost in reach, like a real possibility. And getting to share it with him was beyond words.
“There’s Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade,” he continued, as we walked along the path where the makeshift town turned into something of a jungle. We’d left the old-fashioned delights of fragrant bakeries and ruffled parasols for jungles and Tiki torches. Disneyland was an incredible place.
“As long as there’s popcorn involved in our marathon, I’m totally game.”
“It’s a deal. So did the pastries fill you up?” he asked, as I tossed the bag away.
“For now. But I keep seeing people with corndogs walking around, and I don’t know how long I’ll last without one.” I rubbed my hands together, and he squeezed me closer as we walked by little shops with safari-themed novelties.
“Your wish is my command,” he laughed.
“That’s what I like to hear. Oooh, wait! Check this out.” I grabbed a hat that looked just like the one from Indiana Jones and plunked it on his head. “Now that’s what I’m talking about. That’s completely sexy.”
Hidden Sins Page 21