With you.
“I remember feeling blown away during my first visit, too.”
The morning sun was quickly warming into one of those picture-perfect California days as they made their way under the arched bridge, past colorful posters of the park’s most famous attractions, then emerged near City Hall. And she got her first glimpse inside the park.
Heavenly had to gasp; she’d never seen so many people at once. Dr. Beckman didn’t seem at all fazed by the crowd. Everyone from toddlers to great-grandparents looked eager for the adventure ahead.
“Take this park map.” He plucked a pamphlet from the slot beside him and put it in her hands. “You’ll need it. This is a big place.”
Heavenly tucked it into her pocket as he led her past the fire station and the town square. When she rounded the corner at the Emporium and got her first glimpse of the long stretch of Main Street USA, she froze, hardly noticing when someone bumped her from behind.
At the end of the road stood the most magical structure of all: Sleeping Beauty Castle.
“Oh, my gosh. It’s…” The castle of Disney movies. The icon people instantly associated with Disneyland. The place she’d been most longing to see. “Everything.”
“Then we’ll be sure to check it out, but there are lots of other things to see. Did you know”—he drawled, his deep voice caressing the shell of her ear—“Main Street was inspired by Walt Disney’s hometown?”
“The charm is so turn-of-the-century.”
“Want to explore?”
Everything around her looked so quaint and interesting. “Can we go in there?”
When she pointed to the Emporium, he ushered her in that direction, smiling as she oohed at vignettes in the windows depicting scenes from their movies and aahed at cute plush characters.
Slowly, they wound their way along the busy street, moving from store to store, tempted by bright lights, shiny toys, and the scent of fresh popcorn. They ducked into the cinema to watch Steamboat Willie, the first distributed debut of Mickey and Minnie Mouse.
Ten minutes later, she emerged into the sunlight, all smiles. She stepped off the curb to dash through the crowd, lured by the scrumptious smells of sugar and vanilla. Suddenly, a protesting horn startled her. Dr. Beckman wrapped his arm around her middle and yanked her back against him—and out of the path of an oncoming trolley filled with parkgoers.
Heavenly pressed a hand to her chest and dragged in a calming breath.
“Careful,” he whispered against her ear, still holding her tightly.
She gave him a shaky nod…then realized her backside was plastered against his hard abs and muscled thighs.
Her heart began thumping in an all-out gallop that had little to do with fright. Heat rushed over her. Everything in her panties began to ache.
He often had that effect on her. And he was probably thinking she was an idiot for not watching where she was going.
“Sorry. I was looking around and…” she blurted. “Thank you.”
“It’s all right. I’ve got you.”
His low-voiced assurance made her shiver. Her nipples stiffened. Through her T-shirt, they pressed hard against his bare forearm. Was there any way he could fail to notice?
“I’m okay now.” She tried to wriggle free. Of course she’d rather stay in his arms, but he’d soon know she didn’t think of him as a mere friend if she did.
“You sure?”
Heavenly gave him a shaky nod.
“Is that a yes?”
How was it possible he sounded even closer? His voice lower? That he held her even tighter?
“Yes.”
But he still didn’t let go. She glanced over her shoulder at him. His dark eyes pierced her, hooded, narrowed, focused. And she felt his penis swell, thick and as hard as a lead pipe.
A silent gasp parted her lips. Their gazes fused. Then his hips seemed to press and roll against her backside. She hadn’t imagined that, right? Heavenly didn’t think so. And well…she could tell with Dr. Beckman that it wasn’t a small world, after all.
In that moment, he imprinted his body on hers. She answered in kind, turning wet, her breathing unsteady. Awareness flared in his eyes.
He knows I like him.
The urge to babble and cover her embarrassment was too much to resist. She pushed out of his arms. “Gosh, I’ve been here five minutes, and I almost got myself killed.”
Slowly, he stepped back. “I’ll try to keep you alive a bit longer. What would you like to do next?”
Heavenly couldn’t stop thinking about Dr. Beckman as a man. Her stirring desire messed with her ability to talk like a normal human. Had he been hard simply because he was male…or because he wanted her?
She must seem totally unsophisticated to him. She always did bumbling, inept things. And yet, she would have sworn he was looking at her like a grown-up, sexy woman.
A gaggle of children, their voices shrill with excitement, ended the moment. Heavenly watched as they flocked, parents in close pursuit, toward a living, breathing Cinderella, all dressed for the ball. Yes, she knew it wasn’t real, but she could barely muffle her thrilled gasp behind her hand. “Sorry. I don’t mean to get excited.”