Dylan and Taylor (Soul Mates 101 Series) (14 page)

I get in, and she sits as close to me as possible before resting her hand on my leg. Every time she moves around, I see her twins bobbing up and down out of the water. They’ve been against me, but I haven’t had a good look at them, and I sure haven’t had them in my mouth.

Taylor peers up at me with a mischievous grin, and I feel busted for my dirty thoughts. “Guys, I want to hear about some of the girls Dylan’s brought home over the years.”

My heart rate jumps from sixty to a hundred in a second. “No, you don’t want to hear about that.”

“I think that’s a great idea. There were some damn funny ones,” Austin says.

Now, she’s gazing up at me with amusement and satisfaction.

“The house we live in was built in the fifties. It’s big and looks even older than it is. Dylan convinced a girl that it was the childhood home of Thomas Edison,” Austin says, laughing.

“I think she actually thought you were smarter because of it,” Matt adds. Everyone cracks up at my expense.

This can only get worse. “I think we can stop there.”

Taylor bats her eyes at me. “Oh, no. That just makes me want to hear more.”

Matt throws his head back and laughs like he just thought of a story. “Remember the girl Dylan convinced to litter box train her Chihuahua? He told her if she let it outside, an eagle would carry it off.” Laughter erupts from all the group.

“In those women’s defense, they were drunk. Their intelligence wasn’t exactly at the forefront,” I say, chuckling.

Taylor pats my arm. “Aww, sweetie, that doesn’t make you look any better.”

“Let’s not forget the handful of girls that thought you were still a virgin,” Cody says.

“Hey now, I fulfilled their fantasy and made them feel special. They will forever believe they were my first.” I’m of course dramatic when I say the last sentence.

Taylor rubs my thigh as she looks up at me. “Sounds like you might be a little full of yourself.”

“At least I didn’t take advantage of women that were sober enough to realize it.” Everyone laughs including myself as I smile down at her pretty face.

She gazes back at me with those soulful, chocolate eyes. “It’s sad to say, but somehow that does seem to make it sound better.”

I swear she’s the coolest chick ever. We can’t stay in the hot tub long because of the outside temperature, so after running through the cool air to get back inside the cabin, we begin drying off quickly to warm up.

Taylor is oblivious to the show she’s giving the guys every time she bends over or moves around with her towel. With every passing moment that my feelings grow for her, I’m more understanding to Brett’s behavior with Hannah. I’m completely getting the jealousy component, something I’ve never experienced until Taylor.

I can’t take the guys drooling over her body another second. OK, some of it’s probably paranoia since all my friends seem to really care about their own girls, but I still can’t stand this, so I take Taylor’s hand before she’s finished drying off and lead her to the stairs.

When we get to her room, she turns around and puts her arms around my neck. I barely put my hands on her waist. “You need to put on some clothes.” That came out a little harsher than I meant it to.

“Why?”

“You were practically naked in front of the guys, and trust me, they noticed.”

Whoa, she looks pissed as her arms drop from my neck. “You barely want to touch me, which means there’s a big possibility that we don’t have a future, so you don’t have any right to be angry that I’m barely dressed in front of the guys. What am I supposed to wear in the hot tub, anyway?” She begins waving her arms around.

“I don’t get you, Dylan. All you’ve talked about is how you want to be with me, make me happy and see me smile, yet the second you find out about Vincent all that changed. I’ve been trying all day to be those things for you.”

“Taylor, take a breath. I told you I need time to process this.”

“Then why did I wake up this morning from you kissing on me?”

“I said I was sorry. I thought I could do it, but I couldn’t, so that’s why I ended up getting out of bed and why I’ve been trying to keep some distance.”

“I can tell you have no intentions of touching me. If this is how it’s going to be, then we have a real problem, and you most definitely don’t get to go around acting jealous!”

“I asked for a little time, and you’ve been teasing me all damn day! I’m afraid if I touch you too much, I’m going to cave, and I don’t know if I want to do that.” Shit, now her eyes are bulging out of her head. Nothing is coming out of my mouth right.

“Oh, don’t you worry. My behavior won’t be misconstrued at teasing ever again! If you honestly don’t know if you want to have sex with me, then that mean we’re only going to be friends, so get out of my room. I don’t want a
male friend
seeing me dress!”

“Taylor wait.”

“Get—out!” she shouts as she launches her towel at my face. I throw it to the floor and walk out of her room, hearing the door slam behind me. That woman makes me nuts!

All I want to do is throw her on the bed and shut that mouth of hers up with mine, but she had to go and be the daughter of the most legendary guitarist in fucking history!

Time for Change

Hannah

Brett and I are in the kitchen alone when I hear Morgan bark at Matt again in the great room.

“Has Matt mentioned that he and Morgan are having problems?” I ask quietly.

Brett looks at me. “No, but I know what he’s doing. I just don’t understand why.”

“What do you mean?”

“He won’t admit how much he cares for Morgan, and I think he wants to believe he has some kind of control over her. I don’t know what I expected to see exactly, but I guess I thought when he finally found someone he really cared about, he’d treat her good. I’d like to believe the way I treat you.”

“You do treat me good. I don’t expect you to tell me everything your friends share with you, but I asked because I’m worried Morgan’s about to put him on the road, and I really don’t want to see them break up.”

“I’ve been telling Matt since summer to let her go if he isn’t going to treat her right, so unfortunately, there’s not much else I can do, shortcake. He doesn’t want to listen.”

I hear Cody speaking. “Did you all hear Taylor yelling?”

Brett and I walk into the great room where our friends are except for Dylan and Taylor.

“What’s the problem?” Brett asks.

“Taylor was screaming at Dylan, and then I heard a door slam. I was in my room.”

“They’re both stubborn,” Brett says.

Austin looks toward Brett and me.

“Sounds like two other people we know.”

“Hannah and I haven’t been that way since we got together.”

Austin smirks. “Well, maybe there’s hope for Dylan and Taylor yet.”

Brett pulls me close in his arms. “Baby, we have to try out that monstrous grill on the back deck. I don’t care how cold it is, we need to grill those steaks on it.”

“OK. If you like it that much, we’ll get one that big for home.” There are at least a few things he’ll let me buy him. He kisses my forehead.

“Come on guys. Let’s get a beer and get this grill going.”

Dylan

When I head downstairs to get something to drink, I notice the guys on the back deck through the floor to ceiling windows that go across the back of the cabin. I run upstairs to get my coat and join them.

“What’s Taylor pissed about now, Dylan?” Cody asks.

I swear I can’t get any peace this week from anyone.

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

Cody smirks. “She wants to have sex, and you won’t, right? Never thought I’d see the day.”

“I’m sorry I’m not living up to your expectations of being a total dick to her.”

“Why are you this angry? Do you care about her that much?” Brett asks.

“Yes, and right when I thought Taylor and I had worked out the kinks and weren’t going to fight anymore, she dropped this bomb on me. I pretty much told her I don’t know if I’ll ever touch her again, so she’s majorly pissed.”

“Of course she’s going to be pissed. You basically told her that you don’t know if you’ll date her. What do you expect?” Austin asks.

“I should’ve worded it different. I just need time to think.”

“Yeah, to decide if you want her or not. That’s not going to fly with her when you wanted her before this news,” he adds.

“I do want her … bad.”

“I’ve spent enough time with Lorna and Todd to see that they’re just everyday people. They’re a singer and a manager, working like everyone else, except they get paid a shit load more money than most people.

“What I’m getting at is I don’t see them as these special people who are better than me, and I wish I’d seen that right away,” Brett says.

“Buddy, she’s not gonna be like Hannah. Jasmine told me Taylor’s been a loner all her life, so she’s not gonna chase after your ass. You’re giving her a reason to put that wall right back up. You better watch it, or you’re going to lose your chance with her,” Cody says.

“I have to find a way to accept this. I don’t want to lose her.”

Brett points to Matt. “I know I’ve said it many times, but you’re going to be in the same situation, bro, if you don’t quit stringing Morgan along.”

“She isn’t going anywhere. She tells me she loves me all the damn time.”

“She’s only going to stick around so long if she’s not hearing it back,” Brett says.

Matt doesn’t respond. He turns around and looks toward the back of the property while taking a drink of his beer. I don’t know what the hell is going on with him. He seemed really happy the first several months he was with Morgan, but he’s changed. Rumor is, he’s about to lose a great girl. I can’t be a dumbass and lose Taylor, too.

Taylor

I get into the shower, fuming over what just transpired with Dylan. I could hardly stay focused as he stood in front of me with that gorgeous body. He’s lean and toned, every muscle contoured just right. I can’t even think about those abs, and there he stood, showing it all off in his swim trunks.

His wet, wavy hair shined, and his green eyes glistened under the longest lashes I’ve ever seen. They’re criminal. Ugh! I notice I’m practically scrubbing my skin off in the shower. He led me to believe I’d grown into this sexy woman. I guess not since all he sees now is a daughter he doesn’t want to touch. I finish getting ready and go downstairs to sit with my girlfriends.

Jasmine takes hold of my hand. “What’s wrong? We heard you yelling at Dylan.”

“He basically told me he needs time to decide if he can move forward. I mean, what kind of shit is that? I should’ve never trusted him with my heart. I knew all along he’d treat me different because of Vince, but he pushed and pushed until I let my guard down. For what? So I can be rejected by someone else?” A few tears run down my cheeks, and I swiftly wipe them away.

“I think Dylan feels like he’s being disrespectful to Vincent. Dylan may have been a horn dog over the years, but one thing he is with those important to him is honest and loyal, so this is probably tearing him up since your dad is so important to him,” Morgan says.

“I know how much he looks up to my dad, but I wish he’d realize how normal and screwed up Vincent Page really is. He shouldn’t be treating me different because Vince can play a guitar.”

Jasmine shakes her head. “I still can’t believe Dylan’s turning down sex. Who’d a thunk it?”

“If he’d never had sex and wanted to wait until he’s married that would be different, but I know too much about his man slut ways. He’s just being a chicken shit,” I say, a laugh finally escaping me.

Jasmine points her finger at me as if she has a revelation. “Ignore him and have fun. Tempting him and offering yourself up didn’t work, so play hard to get. He’ll worry he’s losing his chance with you, and I bet he’ll come around.”

“No worries there. He accused me of teasing him today, so there’ll be no more flirting from me. He’s the one being a tease.”

Hannah high fives me as I sit next to her on the couch.

“Amen sister. I finally walked away when Brett did that, and he came begging. If Dylan truly wants to be with you, he’ll come around. He better do it soon, too. I defended his ass to get you together.”

Hannah is so cute when she tries to sound tough. She doesn’t have a mean bone in her tiny body.

***

I decide to sit at the very end of the table, opposite of Dylan, and focus on conversation with my girlfriends. I’m not drinking tonight. I’m too worried I’ll end up drunk and act desperate for him. He’s messing with the wrong woman. I’ve had a heart of stone for years, so I’ll die a lonely old woman if need be to keep from having it obliterated.

Shit, who am I kidding? He’s already turned my heart into a sweet syrup that’s clinging to him. I love Dylan. The bastard. Tears fill my eyes, so I hurriedly try to think about something else.

“Let’s play poker,” Brett says as everyone finishes dinner.

Jasmine claps. “Oooh, let’s play strip poker.”

“Hell no, Jasmine,” Austin says.

She frowns. “You all are no fun.”

Hannah glances to all the guys. “I see how it is. If we were all single, you guys wouldn’t hesitate.”

“Damn straight, shortcake, but we’re engaged, and I’m not down with my friends seeing you naked. I’m sure they feel the same about their girlfriends.”

Cody takes his ball cap off and pulls it back down on his head. “I don’t want them seeing you naked, Jasmine.”

Her eyes light up, and it’s so cute. I’ve learned over the years that Jasmine isn’t much different than myself. She just protects her heart in a different way.

She’s a big flirt and makes everything a joke that way she doesn’t have to recognize or acknowledge her feelings, but she can’t seem to resist Cody. I mean, he is adorable, and he’s earned her trust, being a friend to her first all these months.

She sashays over to him and throws her arms around his neck. “You’re a sweetheart, Cody.” His face turns red as his gleaming blue eyes gaze at his dark eyed beauty. He hugs her, and I’m ill with envy. I have to play poker to take my mind off of all this love stuff.