Never Ever (8 page)

Chapter Twenty Two:

Taylor

I beamed when I saw Livi swimming towards me. I had seen the stress etched on her face when she was talking to Baily. I wanted to reach for her hand and pull her to me. I wanted to kiss her temple to make her smile. And pinch her ass to make her laugh. I wanted…to know where the hell my balls had gone? Two nights wrapped in Livi and I sounded like a sentimental douche. Gross.

Cole sent a wave of water into my face, breaking my inner monologue. “Alright ladies, what is the game plan for the rest of the day? The night? Y’all still want to head into town and go to the bar?”

Allie was floating on her back, sporting some oversized black shades. I thought she was asleep until she suddenly answered Cole. “I say we spend the rest of the day being lazy. And then we all shower and head out for a night on the town. I wanna dance with an old cowboy.”

I chuckled, “An old cowboy? What’s the difference?”

Kate cocked her head, “What’s the difference? How about everything. Livi, you have a way with words. Why don’t you describe it for them?”

Liv threw back her head and laughed, “That is an impossible thing to put into words.”

I reached under the water and ran my hand up her inner thigh. I loved the way chill bumps broke out on her arms. “Try.”

She closed her eyes as if she was hunting the right words down in her head. “When you dance with an old cowboy, there is never any rush. You feel it in the way they hold you, steady and respectful. They want nothing from you, other than your company for a song or two. They take care of you for the short time that you belong to them. They have an unwavering rhythm. The way they dance is so ingrained in who they are, there is never a miss step. It’s just peaceful and calm. For those 3 minutes, nothing else matters except for the nice man holding your hand.”

I wanted to be that man. I wanted to make Livi’s world perfect, even if it was just for a few minutes. But I couldn’t say those words. It terrified me that I was even thinking them. I couldn’t tell her that I was silently praying that I danced like an old cowboy. So instead I said, “You know I’ve been told a time or two that I have an unrelenting rhythm.”

Livi rolled her eyes and sent water flying into my face, “I said unwavering, you jack ass.”

Cole narrowed his eyes, “Do you have to be old to dance like an old cowboy?”

Allie, still floating, answered. “Of course not. It’s in the
way
you dance. Not your age.” That woman was like a piece of Styrofoam.

I tuned the rest of the conversation out when it turned to the Disney channel and some kind of dancing man show. I sank down in the water to my shoulders and reached out for Livi’s hand. She smiled without looking in my direction. My head was going a mile minute. What the hell was my deal? I’d had her, I got what I needed, a few times. Why was I still so bent out of shape over this girl? She was just a girl. Okay, so maybe she
was
gorgeous and sexy and smart and funny and adventurous and compassionate. AND she wrote fucking porn for a living. But still, she was just a girl. And yet here I was, just wanting to hold her hand.

Kate put her hands on Allie’s stomach and pushed her under water. “That’s enough. It’s unnatural how well you float. Let’s head home, I want to take a nap.”

Allie came up looking like a drowned cat, shades and all. “You are so lucky I am too hung over to make any sudden movements.”

As those two started heading back towards shore Baily turned to Livi, “You going to jog home too?”

My heart did a small victory dance when Livi looked to me for the answer. It meant she was with me, jog or no jog. I shrugged, “That’s up to you, Sugar.”

Livi tried to hide her smile at the pet name when Baily gave me a dirty look. “Let’s ride back with them. I want to have enough time to lay down before I need to shower.” She pulled her hand out of mine and grabbed my dick. Oh, by lay down she meant fuck. Nice, me too.

***

When we got back to the house, Baily tried to ruin my life again. “Liv, why don’t you come and nap in the house. It’s so much cooler in here.”

I must have accidentally growled out loud because Cole came up and patted me on the back, I guess he thought I was choking on air.

“Uh. I, uh, don’t want to lay on the couch. I’m all wet.”

I really did choke that time. Cole didn’t bother to come to my rescue again.

“And there isn’t enough room for me in y’alls beds.”

I held my hand in the air, “You know Livi, you can always share my bed if you want to stay inside.”

Baily put her hands on her hips, “She’s. Married.”

I snorted, “Does that mean she isn’t allowed to nap in the a.c.?”

Baily narrowed her eyes and took a step towards me. “It means she can’t share a bed with another man. Ass.”

Liv dropped her head. I couldn’t tell if she was irritated with me or with Baily. Kate rolled her eyes and walked out of the room. “I am fine on my nice little porch bed. Thank you, all, for the concern. And Baily, please stop reminding me that I am married.” She slammed the door and I heard her throw the lock in place. Oops. Oh well, I was planning on using the side entrance anyways.

Chapter Twenty Three:

Livi

I peeled off my wet clothes and pulled on a t-shirt and shorts before flopping down on the bed. I was starting to get a head ache. Baily was eventually going to cause a scene. Tonight we would start drinking, I would let Taylor hold me and touch me and Baily would lose her shit. She’d climb on her moral high ground and start preaching about the sanctity of marriage. Patrick was never a stellar husband. Baily knew this, but for some reason she was hell bent on making sure I toed the line this weekend. I heard the side door open and couldn’t stop my smile. “Must you antagonize her?”

Taylor sighed and crawled into bed, “Yes. I must.” He rolled on top of me, not doing anything to shield me from his weight. He kissed my nose, “I’m sorry. I’ll try and be better with her, I promise. I don’t want to stress you out, I just want her to mind her own business.”

I laughed humorlessly, “To Baily? Everything is her business.”

Taylor kissed his way down my neck and nibbled on my collar bone, “Yeah? Well guess what? WE aren’t her business. We are two single adults, willing and able to have an amazing weekend fling. And on Sunday, when you tell them the truth, she’ll realize that.”

I nodded, “Right. Sunday. When I tell my friends all about my failed marriage and my weekend fling drives one direction while I fly the other. Can we skip Sunday? Can I just go right to Monday?”

He smiled against my neck where he was raining kisses again. “Why Monday? Don’t people usually hate Mondays?”

I leaned my head back and closed my eyes. “I work from home, Mondays don’t bother me all that much. And Monday is when my life goes back to normal and I don’t have to explain anything to anybody. All I have to do is unpack and do laundry. Maybe write a few sex scenes.” I said the last part to torture him.

Taylor rolled us over, placing me on top. “But my little literary porn star, there is no me on Monday. Doesn’t that make you just a little sad?”

I rubbed my hands down his chest, scrapping lightly with my nails. “The truth?”

He nodded, “Yes, please.”

I flicked his nipple, punishing him for making this moment too serious. “I know I’m supposed to keep emotions out of it. But, I’ll miss you when I leave. I’m not going to cry for days or anything.” I grinned and flicked his other nipple. “But, I’ll be bummed.”

He sat up, cupping my face in his hands. For once, his eyes held no humor, no laughter. “You are the most amazing woman I have ever met. Ever. I…I’ll be bummed too.”

I ran my tongue along his lower lip, satisfied when I heard him groan. I didn’t want to talk about Sunday. I didn’t want to admit that I genuinely liked him and that I would most likely tear up when we said good bye. Taylor was funny, charming, smart and sexy as hell. He made me feel wanted, he made me feel special. I would without a doubt feel his absence in my heart. I didn’t mean to let him in. But somewhere between spooning and doin’ it against a tree, I did. Taylor rolled me back over, pinning my hands above my head. Within seconds he had us both naked. “You in a hurry?”

He answered with his mouth around my nipple, “Yes. I want to make you scream so loud I have to cover your mouth so your friends don’t hear. And then I want to take a nap.”

My laughter was cut off by the sensation of him entering me slowly and to the hilt. “Mmmmm….okay….” Usually Taylor was everywhere, his mouth and hands a blur of pleasure. His body taking mine hard and unyielding. But this time it was like everything was happening in slow motion. He flowed in and out of my body at a tantalizing pace. “Oh wow. Oh Taylor.”

His mouth was at my ear, “Do you like it like this too, Sugar?”

I nodded, I couldn’t seem to find my voice. Every time he would burry himself inside me he would grind his hips against mine. Every grind brought me closer and closer to the edge. I knew my moans and whimpers were getting too loud. I was giving him everything he wanted. He molded his mouth to mine, absorbing my cries as I came. I felt him pull away slightly.

“Look at me Livi.”

I opened my eyes and watched him fall apart.

Chapter Twenty Four:

Taylor

Holy mother fuck. I was staring up at the ceiling while Liv slept nestled against my side. Any other girl and I would have been contemplating how I could slip out of the bed without waking her. Livi? I was contemplating how for the first time in my life I had just made love to a woman. I have fucked, banged, nailed, screwed, boned, and laid. A lot. But never have I ever, until just now, made love. I couldn’t tell her with words how I felt about her. She would have either run for the hills or laughed in my face.  So instead I showed her how much she meant to me. I even wanted to look into her eyes as I came. Could I be any more of a pussy? I submit that I cannot. I closed my eyes and pulled Livi closer to me as I finally drifted off to sleep.

***

I woke up alone. And damn it all to hell, I was sad about it. I left out the side door in search of people. The house was a flurry of activity and noise. There were blow dryers running, music blaring and girls going from one room to the next. I walked into “my room” and found Cole laying on the bottom bunk. “Hey man, are you hiding? Good call. Breathing in that many aerosol fumes has got to be a health hazard.”

Cole chuckled and reached for a cup on the night stand. “Yeah there was too much estrogen in there. They are all getting ready in the same bathroom. Makes absolutely no fucking sense.”

I went and sat next to him on the bed, stealing his drink. “Jack already? The sun has barely set.”

“It seemed appropriate to start drinking early. Baily and Livi kind of got into it for a few minutes. I hate it when people argue. I’m from a broken home you know.” He took his drink back.

Broken home, shomken home. Cole’s parents got divorced
last
year. “Yes, you poor emotionally stunted little boy. What were they fighting about?”

“What do you think?” He handed me back the jack and coke.

I took a long swallow, “Me?”

He shrugged, “Baily asked Livi if she called her husband-

I felt compelled to add, “
Ex
-Husband.”

Cole rolled his eyes and continued talking. “-back. Livi told her that she hadn’t and that she wasn’t planning on it and that she should just drop it. Baily got all bitchy and told Livi she needed to wake up and realize that she was making terrible choices this weekend. Livi told her to shut it. Then Allie turned the radio up and started singing.”

I let out a sigh and laid back on the bed. “So basically Baily thinks that Livi is cheating on her husband and I’m the big bad wolf who’s making her do it?”

“It’s not like you are being subtle, either one of you really. You are constantly looking at Liv like you are five seconds away from mounting her and she looks at you like you’re both savior and sin.”

I scrubbed my hands down my face, “Ugh! I know. I just can’t seem to help myself around Livi. I want her. Like all the damn time. You want to know the worst part?”

“Of course.”

“It’s not just that I want to hump her in every room of this house. I want to hold her hand and rub her back and kiss her forehead just to be sweet. You were right last night, I like her. Like, like her like her.”

Cole’s eyes widened in surprise at my confession. I couldn’t blame him. All of this was 100% out of character for me. He slapped my cheek, hard. “Snap out of it right this got damn second. You are Taylor Hill. You don’t ‘like’ girls. You fuck girls. I told you at the beginning of this trip, SHE ISN’T FOR YOU. Now get your head on straight and be the arrogant asshole I know you can be. Acting like you want more will only hurt her in the end. Because we both know, commitment isn’t your thing.”

Commitment wasn’t my thing. Well, neither was spooning, or fucking without protection, or making love, or any of the other crazy things I’d wanted since meeting Livi. I knew deep down that Cole was right. That the best thing for Livi in the long run was to just be the old Taylor. The one who only wanted sex and wouldn’t care enough to try make her smile or laugh. Wouldn’t put in the effort to try and make her feel special. The old Taylor was a dick. And for once in my life, the thought of being the old me, made me want to puke. I looked up when Allie stuck her head in the door. She was wearing the smallest dress I had ever seen and a pair of boots. “Hey boys.” Allie had a smile that could melt a glacier. “Would y’all mind making us some drinks?”

Cole stood and walked towards the door, “Tay needs to hop in the shower, but I would be more than happy to help you lovely ladies with your pre-game.”

Allie gave a little smirk. “Y’alls pre game too.”

I stood heading for the bathroom, “We can’t pre game, y’all hired us to drive your drunk asses around.”

“Baily hired a driver.” Allie turned and headed back towards the kitchen.

Cole grabbed her arm and pulled her back in the room, “What do you mean Baily hired a driver? She hired us. To drive you.”

Allie shrugged, “It’s Baily. Who knows why she does anything? She just said that it was our last night and we all needed some fun. So she called the local cab company and paid them out the ass to have someone drive us all in the suburban.”

Cole let go of Allie and spared a glance in my direction, eye brows raised in question. I was just as confused as he was, “Well…either Baily just really wants to have some fun tonight. Or…she’s plotting my murder and she wants me to be too drunk to fend her off.”

Allie laughed all the way to the kitchen. Cole shook his head, “Don’t joke, man. I could see Baily knowing how to pull off the perfect murder.”