Page 50 of Loving Taylor
She was beautiful so it could easily be some guy who had taken more than a shine to her. But my gut was telling me it was more than that. I believed it had something to do with her past.
But the only way to find out was to ask her. I remembered our conversation earlier over burgers when I had asked about her parents. Her reply had been curt and short. Was she hiding something?
Our physical arrangement was blurring into something more and I wasn't sure I could even stop it anymore. With the threat of someone trying to harm her, I was forced into finding out more so I would be able to do my best to protect her.
"What do you think?"
I pressed my lips together for a moment. "I think it has something to do with her past. Has Jordan mentioned anything about her?"
Slater shook his head. "No."
"It might not be best to tell Jordan about what happened until tomorrow."
"I wasn't planning on saying anything to her tonight." There was a light in his eyes when he spoke about her and I wondered if that happened to me when I spoke about Taylor.
"You getting serious with her?" I studied him.
"I like being around her." And that was all he was prepared to admit. He shrugged.
I wanted him to be happy but there was also a part of me that didn't want him to get hurt. He had been through so much already and I wasn't sure he could cope with more. Like me, we’d had our fill of the dark side of life, so any more and there was a chance we would spiral out of control.
"You need help clearing up?" I asked when I surveyed the kitchen, which looked a mess with empty cans and cups.
"No. I'll get Eric to help me."
Slater began to clean up and I exited the kitchen. Jordan had passed out on the couch. I studied her for a moment, hoping she wouldn't hurt my friend. But there wasn't much I could do other than give him advice. It was his life to lead.
I hadn't planned on being gone for that long but when I re-entered my room, Taylor was curled up asleep with her phone in her hand. I took her phone slowly from her and put it on the bedside table. I picked her up gently so as not to wake her and opened the covers to settle her in the bed. She moaned softly against my neck and I tightened the hold on her, only allowing myself to savor it for a few moments before I laid her on the bed. Still sleeping peacefully, she tucked her hands under the pillow while I pulled the covers over her.
Then I stood back. At least with me I could protect her but I couldn't be with her every moment of every day. The worry I had felt earlier returned and my mind began to work through possible solutions but I was still hoping Taylor would be able to throw some more light on the subject.
Feeling tired, I kicked off my shoes and stripped down to my boxers before I switched off the lights and I got in beside her in the bed.
For a while I lay there unable to go to sleep but eventually the soft breathing beside me lulled me to sleep.
Half asleep, I reached out and put my hand on her hip. The movement beside me jolted me out of my semi-sleeping state. My eyes adjusted to the darkness to see Taylor sitting up beside me. She was breathing hard like she had just woken up from a nightmare.
"Hey, it's just me," I soothed, sitting up. I hadn't meant to scare her when I had reached for her. It had only been to assure myself that she was safe beside me.
She breathed in sharply like she was going into a full-blown panic. She put her hand to her head. Needing to ease her fear, I pulled her close to my chest and held her. She wasn't alone and I wasn't going to let anything happen to her.
After a few minutes, I could feel her heart beat slow down and her breathing return to normal.
"I'm sorry," she mumbled from the safe cocoon of my arms.
"It's okay." Absentmindedly I stroked her hair. She looked up at me as I released her.
She looked every inch of the innocent and naive girl I had met the first time. I tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear. I watched as her tongue swept across her bottom lip.
It was difficult to suppress my body's response to her but now wasn't the time for that. Then, before her movement registered, she kissed me, taking me by surprise.
