Dylan and Taylor (Soul Mates 101 Series) (21 page)

“It’s nice to see you so happy, Taylor,” he says.

Dylan

I get back into my old Chevy pickup and look at the rental car receipt. I’m grateful Hannah paid for it, but it bugs me every time the girls insist on spending money on me. I don’t mind so much when it’s dinner or smaller things, but the trip is eating at me. Taylor’s going to insist on doing the same thing, and I don’t know how I’m going to deal with it.

Cody’s in the kitchen when I get home. “What took you so long? Did Taylor not want you to leave?”

I guess I shouldn’t share about the sex on the side of the road. “I met him.”

Cody’s head snaps toward me. “Already? Oh, man, what was that like?”

“He’s cooler than I imagined and seems happy that I’m with Taylor. I even had a drink with the man.”

“Awesome, bro. Now you don’t have to sweat it.”

“Taylor knew ahead of time that he was waiting to meet me, and she didn’t tell me. I wasn’t happy about it.”

“She probably thought you’d die from a panic attack if she told you first.”

“I’m a little stressed from all that’s happened this past week.”

Cody smirks. “Just a little?”

“I’ll be in my room cleaning. Taylor has that same persistent personality as Hannah, so I’m sure she’ll be trying to come over here soon. Her bedroom is larger than most of this house.”

I spend the evening cleaning and trying to process all that’s changed in my life in such a short time. I’m feeling inadequate when it comes to being with Taylor. I don’t know if I’m enough. There’s nothing else I can offer her. Well, I can make her feel pretty damn good. My cell phone buzzes at eight o’clock, pulling me out of my dirty daydream.

Taylor:
I miss you already. I couldn’t wait any longer to tell you.

Me:
I miss you, too, sunshine. My room’s not the brightest.

Taylor:
You made me smile. I love you.

Me:
I think you’re sucking up because you’re worried about your punishment.

Taylor:
I have no idea what you’re talking about. I’m looking forward to my punishment.

Me:
Stop that.

Taylor:
You started it.

Me:
True, and I’m going to have to get better than you at this game.

Taylor:
Good luck with that.

Me:
Time will tell, sweetheart. I love you and will text you at ten.

Taylor

Lying on my bed with my knees pulled up, I keep rereading my text messages from Dylan. I want to know what he’s doing every second. I should’ve asked him what he’s doing right now. Uugh! How did I get this way over a man? I stare at the ceiling. Why did he have to say that stuff about punishing me? Now I’m horny and fantasizing about his hands touching me.

Sex was so good in the back of the Escalade. I need to buy one. Maybe I should buy him one. I have enough money. No. He’ll get pissed at me. After the argument we had when we were almost to the cabin, I bet he planned all along for us to have sex back there, just so he could say we did it, and I liked it.

Oh, I’m so going to call him out on that one, but I did like it, and he’ll make me tell him I did. Ugh. Needing a distraction, I decided to call Hannah.

“Hi, it’s Taylor.”

“Is everything OK?”

“No, I miss Dylan, and I can’t talk to him until ten. I don’t know how I’m going to do this.”

Hannah’s giggling.

“What’s so funny?”

“The way you are with each other. I guess I should have realized it would be all or nothing. You’re both very intense.”

“He was mad at me earlier. I had Dad waiting for us at the door, and I didn’t tell Dylan beforehand.”

“I bet he was mad.”

“I knew he would put it off forever if I didn’t make it happen.”

“True, but he’s had a lot to take in.”

“That’s what he said, but I was trying to cause him less stress in the long run. I guess I should’ve waited. He was being all weird about being in my room.”

“Brett didn’t want to be in my room, either. I’ll have him talk to Dylan again.”

“Please, and tell him to tell Dylan to stop being a candy ass.” We both laugh before I end the call.

Dylan

My phone rings at nine o’clock, and I’m a little disappointed when I see Brett’s name pop up. It’s ridiculous that I’m missing Taylor already.

“Hey, man,” I say.

“Your girl’s already crying that she misses you.”

I can’t help but crack a smile. “Did she call Hannah?”

“Yes, and I heard you met Vincent.”

“It was the craziest shit. He fixed me a drink and told Taylor not to run me off.”

“I’m jealous. You’re freaking out now that you were in their house, aren’t you?”

“Yes, and don’t say anything about this to Hannah, but I don’t know how I’m going to be enough for Taylor.”

“Look, Vincent is always going to have money to give her, and she knows this. She just wants you for your body, man.”

“I might be able to live with that.”

“Seriously, if you think too much about this, then you’re going to screw it up. This stuff was hard on me, but I’m already dealing with it better, so you’ll adjust.”

“You’re right. I just need to see what happens. We didn’t sleep apart one night at the cabin, so I’m not looking forward to it, and that’s probably why she’s cryin’ to Hannah.”

“Maybe her daddy can buy you all a house.”

He’s loving this payback shit a little too much. “Hell no! You tell Hannah not to give her any ideas. I wouldn’t put it past Taylor one bit.”

“I was joking, dude. Taylor told Hannah you didn’t want to be alone with her in her room. I’m supposed to tell you to stop being a candy ass.”

“That woman’s in a lot of trouble when I get my hands on her. See ya, douche bag.”

“I bet you a case a beer that she’s in your bed tonight.”

“Nay, man. I’ll probably lose.” I hang up and watch the next hour pass by slowly. At ten o’clock I text Taylor.

Me:
So I’m a candy ass, huh?

Taylor:
Umm .... he wasn’t supposed to literally say it.

Me:
Are you going to continue being a pain in my ass now that we’re back in the real world?

Taylor:
You know it turns you on.

Me:
You’re right it does. I’ll be expecting to see you when I get off work tomorrow. I love you, sunshine.

Taylor:
I’ll be missing you until then. Love you, too.

Exhaustion from the stress of the day has me optimistic I’ll fall asleep fast. Wrong. At eleven o’clock, I turn on my TV. The radio comes on, and the TV goes off at twelve o’clock. Later, I glance at the clock and see it’s almost one. I can’t sleep without her. Why didn’t I ask her to stay here? Right then, my phone buzzes, and I can’t grab it fast enough.

Taylor:
I’m staring at a big white house, and I hope the warm teddy bear I desperately need to sleep with is in it. Would you happen to know him?

Me:
Yes, and he needs your cute ass in his bed—now.

I run to the door in my boxer briefs. She’s more adorable than a damn puppy in her pajama pants with her hair up messy and that excited grin on her face. I swoop her up into my arms and carry her to bed.

Barely letting her feet hit the floor, I pull her into a hug. “Baby, I’m so glad you showed up. I haven’t been able to fall asleep without you.”

“I was worried you’d get mad at me for waking you since you have to get up early for work.”

“That wouldn’t happen even if I was sound asleep. Now, get in my bed.”

“You have to take my clothes off first.” She gives me a sexy look.

“We’re sleeping tonight. If you take your clothes off, then I will not get up for work tomorrow.”

“I really need to feel your skin.” Now she’s giving me a pouty, sexy look. This is going to be painful.

I point to the bed. “After work you can be naked in my bed all you want, now get in.”

I pull her as close to me as I possibly can. “Now I’m home, sunshine.”

***

Six o’clock comes too damn soon. It’s torture pulling myself away from Taylor. I damn well know better than to wake her before I have clothes on, so after I shower and dress, I rub her arm. “Wake up my ray of sunshine. I have to go to work.”

Taylor sits up in bed and rubs her eyes. “No, come back to bed.” She pulls on my arm.

“You have no idea how much I want that, but I have to go. I’ve already been off a week. I only have to work today and tomorrow, and then I’ll have a couple of days free again.” I run my hand through her hair.

“OK, but can I still see you this evening? We can take a nap if you need to.” She lets out a big yawn.

“I’ll be waiting all day to see your gorgeous face, so you need to be here at five o’clock. Come on, I’ll walk you out.” I open the front door, and my mouth drops open. “That’s yours, isn’t it?” I point to a Black Mustang Shelby.

“High school graduation present. You can drive it whenever you want,” she says all nonchalant. No big deal. These girls are spoiled whether they want to believe it or not, but I know they can’t help that their parents are famous and loaded. I can’t say I’d complain if mine were.

My eyes scan the car several times. “You have no idea how much I love this car.”

“I hope not as much as me.”

“I’ll show you later that I love you more. Now get in. It’s cold outside, and you can’t get sick on me.” I kiss her and let her go. Why is it so damn hard to be away from her?

Let’s Get Acquainted

Taylor

I’m about to knock on Dylan’s door when Cody opens it. “Damn, Taylor, I couldn’t miss seeing you pull up in that ride. Dylan’s in the shower and said to wait in his room.”

“Thanks, Cody. You can go check it out. Just leave the keys on the kitchen table, but you better wait to drive it. Dylan might get pissed if you drive it before him.”

“He’d definitely cry about it.”

Dylan opens his bedroom door with a towel wrapped around him and shuts it as fast as he can when he sees me on top of his bed. I’m naked with one of his ball caps on backward. I’m leaning back on my elbows with my leg pulled up, posing for him.

“I have to be living in a dream. Taylor, you are so sexy. I want to attack you, but I don’t want to stop enjoying this view.”

“You can soak it in a few more seconds, but then you better be on top of me.”

***

I glance at the clock. “Sweetie, wake up. It’s seven.” I realize Dylan and I fell asleep after our awesome sex. He opens his eyes and pulls me to him.

“We need to go get something to eat, and you can drive the Mustang.”

He kisses my forehead. “Sure, I’m sorry I fell asleep.”

“Don’t ever apologize for falling asleep with me. Can I stay with you tonight?”

“I was hoping you would. I’d rather your dad not know you’re here, but I sure as hell won’t turn you away. Your parents are cool, Taylor. Our families are very different. My parents are strict and way more reserved, but they’re good people.”

“I wish my parents were more like that when I was growing up.”

“I’m sorry. I don’t know if they were worse than what I’ve heard, but that’s bad enough.”

“They had addictions, so I’ve forgiven them. It was bad, Dylan. When they were in their worst years, there were always people doing drugs and having sex around the house or hotels. We had nannies to cook for us and take us places, but my parents didn’t want them around when they were partying heavily.

“Even though Tory isn’t much younger than me, I felt like her parent growing up. Dad liked to yell when he wasn’t using. He couldn’t deal with the stress of his career and having a family.” I see Dylan’s eyes water before he buries me against his chest. “It’s OK. Things are much better. They got help, and they’re good parents now.”

He strokes the back of my hair, keeping me tight against him. I know he doesn’t want me to see his face.

“Taylor, I’m sorry. I can’t even count the times I yelled at you before we worked everything out between us. You cried and told me not to do it, but I did it over and over.”

“You didn’t know, and I wasn’t exactly making it easy for you.”

“No. It wasn’t ever your fault, not when you were growing up and not now. Even arguing, people need to keep their cool. Unfortunately, it’s a bad habit that I have, and I promise to work on it.”

“I do it, too. I know we’re going to fight. We’re too much alike. We just have to promise not to say stuff we can’t take back, and we have to always work things out. I don’t know how I’d function without you.”

“You’re amazing. I love you so damn much,” he says before he rolls onto me. Life feels pretty perfect.

Moment of Truth

Taylor

Dylan and I haven’t slept a night apart. I stayed at his house the first couple of weeks we were back home, and this week he stayed with me while my parents were on a trip. He’s against sleeping at my house, but he also feels bad that I don’t have the comforts I’m used to, so he finally gave in. He’s starting to dig my comfortable bed and huge shower, especially when we’re in it together.

We have sex every day and usually several times, unable to get enough of each other. We love that no matter how busy we are during the day, we can be molded together every night. We keep saying we need to sleep apart, but it never happens, and neither of us really want it to.

My parents get back from their trip, and I sit them down for a much needed talk. “I want to get an apartment.”

“Is this because of Dylan?” Mom asks.

“It’s no secret I stay over there all the time, and it’s not really the environment I want to be in. He lives with three other guys, and I know they’re sick of me being there. I have plenty of money in my account to pay for it since I came back from New York early.

Dad runs his hand over his goatee. “You’re an adult, and I’m not living in the dark ages. I know Dylan is going to stay with you, so instead of him sleeping in my house, I’d rather you have somewhere nice for the two of you. I don’t want you sharing a bathroom with all those dudes, anyway.”