Free On A Run by Kimberly Livingston

man’s body. It was this powerful combination that was so attractive to her.
    “I am guessing that being first at the gate would be fun. Six fifteen it is.”
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

CHAPTER SIX
    Linda and the kids met back up with Daniel and Hannah for dinner. Standing in a long line to get cafeteria style food didn’t seem like much fun to Hannah, but as they set their trays down in the atrium of the restaurant and sat around the table, eating larger than life portions of food, looking out on Main Street, Hannah relaxed and smiled.
    It had been a very long time since she had eaten with any company at all, and she found that she mostly looked from person to person as they excitedly talked about their favorite parts of the day. The four of them seemed like a close knit family, finishing each other’s sentences, yet listening with respect even to Christopher while he was explaining in great detail why the runaway train was a safe ride.
    “Is your food okay?” Daniel’s voice directed at Hannah startled her. She hadn’t realized how tired she was.
    Hannah looked down and saw that she hadn’t, in fact, eaten anything.
    “Oh I am sure it is. I must be tired and I… I guess I was just zoning a bit.”
    She was embarrassed and felt her chest tighten and her breath shorten – a feeling she realized she hadn’t felt since right when she entered the park.
    “Yea, not many people have the stamina for this park that Daniel has” Linda teased “He is like the Energizer Bunny when it comes to Disney – he just keeps going and going and going!”
    “I am sorry, I should have let you rest more. Are you okay to stay… ?” Daniel’s words trailed off, he didn’t want Hannah to go, especially without sharing with her his favorite part.
    “I’m good, really, don’t worry about me. I will be fine after dinner.” Hannah realized it was a phrase she often used when she was in an uncomfortable situation. ‘Don’t worry about me’.
    But she felt like Daniel did worry about her, and it made her feel more secure than she had been in years. While Sheila took care of Hannah to a point, Hannah knew she was pretty much on her own. Today she didn’t feel this. She felt like she was being cared for.
    “Don’t worry, after dinner we pretty much stake out a place to watch the fireworks from so we won’t be walking around so much. They are very much worth the wait.”
    Relieved, Daniel went back to his dinner, the conversation began where it had left off, and Hannah took a bite of her fried chicken, which was amazingly good. She suddenly realized she was starving and ate along with the rest of her company.
    As they left the restaurant, dusk was beginning and the crowds were swelling. Daniel once again took Hannah’s hand, this time also holding onto Anastasia’s who held Christopher’s who held Linda’s who led them through the crowd to an obviously well-known destination for this family. The group of them parked themselves under a street light, just off of the busy sidewalk. The main street of Disneyland all around the front of the castle was already filled with people, most of who were sitting on blankets or park benches. Linda pulled a small blanket out of her bag and she and the children sat down. But Daniel stayed standing and, as the crowd filled in around their designated space, Hannah found herself being pushed closer beside him.
    She looked up into his eyes as he talked about how long his family had been coming here, and found herself mesmerized by the lull of his voice. Hannah could smell his cologne, wafting toward her on the light breeze. She noticed his lips as they moved, they were so soft looking that she felt the urge to reach up to touch them. Better than to lean up and kiss them, which is what she truly wanted to do. Hannah’s whole body ached to lean into this man and feel the protection of his arms curl around her body. She hadn’t been in a relationship in her adult life, not since her