OBSESSED WITH TAYLOR JAMES

by Toye Lawson Brown

  “Good for her. Hey, I can be your chauffeur today,” he piped with excitement.

  She pulled the headband off her head looking at him strangely. “I can handle it. Besides my manicure and pedicure, I have a hair appointment, and that can take hours.”

  “I don’t mind waiting. I haven’t seen Sabrina in ages. It will be fun to catch up with her too.”

  She frowned. “Dillon, seriously, you don’t have anything better to do than cart me around to my appointments?”

  “I don’t have any plans today. How cool will I look to the women as they watch me wait patiently for you to be finished? They’ll wish they had a man so content with waiting patiently for their woman.”

  She curled her eyebrows. “Dillon, I don’t know where to begin with that, but I will say you make a good visual but with the wrong woman. You should help Kelly with planning the wedding since you have free time today. I’m sure she would appreciate the help without her asking you.”

  “I don’t want to do that.”

  “Man, get with the program. This wedding is going to happen, and you are a major part of it. Warm those dang cold feet and get your act together.”

  “Why do we have to get married? Why can’t we continue to live together and omit the legal documents? This is Kelly’s dream, not mine.”

  “You proposed!”

  “I did that because she was pregnant. She isn’t pregnant anymore.”

  Taylor paced the kitchen. “Is there someone else, Dillon?”

  “What?”

  “Are you seeing another woman and that is why you don’t want to get married now?”

  He dropped his chin to his chest. She threw her hands in the air. “Dillon! Is the silence a way of saying there is? Have you been intimate with this other woman?”

  “Taylor, I haven’t done anything with any other woman.”

  “You better not be lying to me. I would be so disappointed in you if it came out later you did cheat on Kelly before the wedding. She deserves better than that.”

  He got off the stool. “She deserves better than me anyhow. Apparently, I’m the only one that recognizes that, and if I walk away from her, then I’m the bad guy.”

  She went over to him placing her hands on his arms. “Talk to her. Maybe you aren’t having cold feet but serious doubts. You should not enter into a marriage with doubts. Is there a nice way you can ask her to postpone the wedding? A little counseling will help you get over your doubts.”

  He shuddered from her touch. “I do talk; she doesn’t hear what I’m saying.”

  “Then speak louder. You are a litigator. You make a living getting people to listen and do the right thing. Put that to use for you.”

  “I will try to talk to her again, but she will start to cry and I will back down as usual. I’m going to go so you can get ready for the baby shower.”

  She hugged him. “Maybe we can have breakfast in the morning. Call me in the morning if things are okay between you two.”

  He closed his arms around her body. Her skin had cooled from the air conditioning in the house. He was close enough to smell the sweat clinging to her neck. A smell he didn’t find offensive but an aphrodisiac that awakened every male signal in his body. He loved her, and life would be so much better if he could just tell her how he longed to be with her.

  He pushed away from her smiling. “Go shower. I’m gone. I will call you in the morning.”

  She followed him to the front door. “Thanks for stopping by and I hope it works out. You know I love you and Kelly to death.”

  He nodded. “Yeah, I know. Have fun tonight.” He skipped down the stairs and got into his car. Reversing from the driveway, he lingered on her figure standing in the doorway and sighed. How he wished he could have that vision of her watching him off every day for the rest of his life.

  *****

  Taylor closed the door locking it. She shook her head thinking about Dillon’s comment about him being her man. This was growing old with her. She had pleaded with him to stop joking about that, especially when he would do it in front of Kelly. She also wanted him to stop doing it because it made her uncomfortable since Kelly was also her friend.

  She didn’t mention to Mario how uncomfortable Dillon’s references made her since technically they had not come forward as a couple. It would also give him fuel to boast his argument regarding Dillon’s attraction for her. The sneaking around like teenagers was her idea and an issue to be addressed with him again. She was ready to come clean with everyone about their relationship and let the chips fall where they may as far as Dillon was concerned.

  The doorbell rang, as she climbed the first two steps to go upstairs to shower. She backed down the steps to look through the peephole. A smile crossed her face. Unlocking the door and yanking it open, she pulled Mario inside. “What a sight for sore eyes,” she said kissing him.

  He broke the kiss letting his hands rest on her hips. “I beg to differ. I’m getting an eyeful and I like what I see,” he said as his eyes roamed her barely dressed body.

  “I’m a mess and stink from my morning run. I was on my way to take a shower. Make yourself comfortable—I’ll only be a minute.”

  He released her stepping back. “That is not a true statement. Men take a minute in the shower; women take hours. Why don’t I come back when you’re done primping and grooming, and we can spend the day together?”

  She stomped her foot. “I would love to spend the day with you, baby. Only, I can’t. I have a party to attend this afternoon.”

  He hunched his shoulders. “If you don’t have a date, I would be happy to go with you.”

  She patted him on the cheek. “It’s a baby shower.”

  “In that case, I rescind my offer. What time will the baby shower be over?”

  She calculated in her head. “It starts at 4:00 so maybe 7:00pm or 8:00pm tonight. I can’t imagine it will go longer than that; she is eight months pregnant and will tire easily.”

  He walked over to the door. “I will meet you here at 9:00pm and I’ll bring the booze.”

  Taylor braced her hands on his hard chest pushing him against the door. He was wearing a snug-fitting navy blue T-shirt and dark blue jeans. The characteristics of his upper body were hard to ignore. His muscular arms strained against the sleeves of the T-shirt outlining the hardness of his muscled chest and flat stomach. The shirt tucked inside his jeans give form to his athletic hips and toned buttocks. His body filled the relaxed denim material like the male models for the 501 Jeans ads on television.

  She kissed the tip of his nose. “The booze is fine but don’t forget to bring that other important item.” His look of confusion caused her to arch an eyebrow. “Come on, counselor, you know what I’m talking about?”

  A salacious grin unfolded across his face. “Are you sure you are ready?”

  She ran her hand up his thigh. Feathering her fingers across the fly of his jeans, she pressed the palm of her hand flat against it. He pulsated against her palm. “Oh, I’m sure. And, if you don’t leave now, I won’t make it to my scheduled appointments or the baby shower.”

  His hand grasped the base of her neck dragging her head towards him. His lips sought hers to weld them together in a passionate kiss. Her lips parted as Mario’s tongue invaded her mouth. He tasted sweet to her. Their moaning in the small space bounced from wall to wall.

  Mario hands wandered her body. His fingers tracing the curves of her side, moving up her body until his thumb rested underneath the band of her sports bra. Taylor inhaled when his thumb touched her nipple causing it to harden.

  He lowered his head running his lips over her plump nipples poking through the bra. Through the material of the bra, he sucked a nipple into his mouth. Taylor, head fell back from the pleasure slamming her body. Using her hand, she lifted the bra so he could get to the actual flesh.

  He used the flat of his tongue to tighten the nipple harder. Taylor’s hands ran down his broad back to rest at the waist of his jeans. She tugged t
he T-shirt pulling at it up until it was free from his jeans.

  As he feasted on her breasts, she moved her hands under his shirt feeling the definition of his hard muscles. She had never touched his bare body and the heat of him pressing against her was too much for her handle. Her legs were shaking trying to support her weight. He popped her breast from his mouth to switch sides. That sent the juices flowing through her loins.

  She unbuckled his jeans slipping a hand inside to greet what was pressing hard against her abdomen. He rolled the spandex shorts from her hips taking her underwear with them. His fingers found the other set of lips in need of attention. He inserted a finger causing her to cry out.

  “Which way to the bedroom,” he whispered in her ear.

  She started to answer him when a hard knock hit the other side of the door. Mario’s back was against the door supporting her weight. He became still, and she stopped moving. Her heart was pounding as she clung to him.

  She could not see through the peephole from her position. She tried to gather her senses. Her voice, not under control came out high-pitched and squeaky. “Who is it?”

  “Dillon. I forgot my legal pad on the kitchen table. Can you let me in so I can grab it? I don’t have your keys with me.”

  She put a finger to Mario’s lips as he removed his finger and helped fix her clothing. “Um, give me a second to put my clothes on. I was getting ready to shower.”

  “Hey, you don’t have to get dressed on my account,” Dillon responded from the other side of the door.

  Mario opened his mouth to say something, but Taylor vetoed him. “Baby, go upstairs; I will get rid of him,” she whispered.

  Keeping his voice low, he seethed. “Why the hell does he have keys to your house?”

  “I will explain it to you later. Just go upstairs and wait for me.”

  He adjusted his pants and went upstairs. Taylor made sure she was decent before opening the door. “Hey. I didn’t see a legal pad in the kitchen, are you sure you had one with you?”

  “Humph, I could have sworn I had it with me. I was working on my notes waiting for you to come home. You looked flushed….are you okay?”

  “Yes, I’m fine. I started cleaning, and now I’m hot again. She pushed him outside the door. “I hate to rush you off, Dillon, but I really have to get moving or I’m going to fall behind. I’ll talk to you tomorrow for sure.”

  “Ok. Whose car is that in the driveway?” He asked noticing it was the same car he suspected was Sabrina’s.

  She peeked over his shoulder. In need of a quick lie, she noticed Sebastian’s driveway blocked off by sawhorses and yellow tape. “Oh, my neighbor is having his driveway worked on. I told him he could use mine to park his car. He must not have seen my car in the garage.”

  “Cool. I will see you at breakfast in the morning.”

  Once again, she watched him drive off. This time she locked the screen door and the front door to make sure Dillon could not get in if he returned. She dropped her head sighing. Now to deal with Mario and quizzed on why Dillon had keys to her house.

  Mario was sitting on her bed watching television when she entered the bedroom. He did not appear to be angry or upset. She went to the closet removing her bathrobe. “He’s gone and I’m going to take a quick shower.”

  “Wait. Do you want to explain to me why this man who is marrying another woman has keys to my woman’s house?”

  She lowered her hands. All she wanted to do was take a hot shower and go get her hair and nails done as planned. “Mario, I have explained this to you before. Dillon and I grew up together. He is like family to me. He has a key in case something was to happen to me, and he needed to get into the house.”

  “Why is that, Taylor? You have family close by, and you have me now.”

  “My sister is busy with her own husband and my parents moved to the other side of town a long time ago. As far as you go. You just came into my life. We have not exchanged keys yet.”

  “Get the key back, Taylor. There is something strange about the man, and I don’t like the way he looks at you. He is always following you around at work and now after work. What is his deal?”

  She folded her arms taking a long hard stance. “I’m going to have to stop you right there. Dillon was my friend long before you and I got into whatever we are having. I’m not going to dictate who your friends are, and you will not dictate who mine are. Are we clear on that?”

  He got off the bed going over to her. Her stiff body language repelled his advances. “Taylor, I am not trying to pick and choose your friends. I am making a personal assessment concerning Dillon. He has serious issues surrounding him.”

  “Dillon has always been this way. You don’t know him, so you are judging him. He told me today that he wants to postpone the wedding but doesn’t want to hurt Kelly’s feelings.”

  “Why does he want to do that? What would be his reason for doing that?”

  “They were getting married because Kelly was pregnant. Sadly, she lost the baby. If he tells her, he doesn’t want to get married he believes she will have a meltdown.”

  Mario walked around the bedroom shaking his head. “So, let me understand this correctly. He got this young lady pregnant and offered to do right by her. She miscarries and he decides there is no reason to get married and wants to end the relationship….am I correct so far?”

  “If you put it that way…..yes, you are correct.”

  “If he loves this woman, why not marry her and try again for a family.” He held up a finger stopping her from answering. “I will tell you why. Dillon is not in love with this woman but with you. He wants to be done with this woman so he can be with the one he loves.”

  She shook her head. “I see why you are at the top of your field. You’ve assumed the answers and are now prosecuting him without letting him make his case. I’m going to take a shower. Please see yourself out.”

  He took her elbow before she could bolt from the room. “We are not ending this on a sour note. I have hit a nerve, and I apologize. But, Taylor, I am seeing Dillon from outside the box. I am not saying these things about him to make you angry with me.”

  “Even if he does have a slight crush on me, I’m not feeling the same about him and he is aware of that. Mario, I want to continue what we have, but I can’t if you are going to go insane every time Dillon is around me. What happened to you trusting me?”

  “I do trust you and will keep my sanity intact. But you are wrong about Dillon. I’ve dealt with many crimes of passion before turning corporate litigator. Dillon does not have a crush on you—he wants you in a romantic way. You know this, and that is why you are keeping us a secret.”

  She tugged at her ear as he struck a nerve under her skin. “What am I supposed to do, Mario? He is my friend. He has been there for me whenever I needed to cry on his shoulder. I can’t just slam the door on him and never speak to him again.”

  “You are enabling him, Taylor. He has to learn to accept we are together and get over it. You don’t need me to tell you how obsessive people can become dangerous. If Dillon’s crush on you grows to an obsession, he will not hesitate to harm you in order to keep other men from being with you.”

  She rubbed the chill from her arms even though she was not cold. “I suggested he and Kelly get counseling to work on their relationship. Maybe that will cure him of having any feelings for me other than friendship. Once they rekindle the flames of their love, we’ll be home free to let everyone know about us.”

  “That was a smart suggestion but I wouldn’t count on that curing his desires for you. Taylor, you are pale. I didn’t mean to frighten you.”

  She shook an ill-feeling away from her mind. “No, I’m okay.” She turned to go into the bathroom thinking about Dillon saying he did not have her keys with him. She debated if he carried the keys all the time or if he had been inside her home without her knowledge.

  When she stopped at the entrance of the door, Mario became concerned. “Taylor, what’s wrong?�
�

  “Mario, when you come back tonight, will you stay the night with me? I will call a locksmith to have the locks changed, but I don’t want to be here tonight by myself.”

  “Sure, call me when you are ready to leave the baby shower, and I will be on your porch by the time you get home.”

  She nodded. “Okay, but will you stay until I’m done with my shower?”

  He began to pull his T-shirt over his head. “I have a better idea—I will join you.”

  She beckoned him off. “No, no, your idea is not better. I definitely won’t make it out of this house if you join me in the shower. Go back to watching your television program or read a book until I’m done.”

  “Ah, tu me estas matando!” He exclaimed pulling his shirt down.

  *****

  He waited to hear the shower water running before going downstairs. He did not trust Dillon Stevenson and if Taylor asked for the key to be returned, he had to make sure Dillon did not have another way to access her home. Checking the front door, he saw she had secured it. Mario went into the kitchen and checked those doors and windows. She had the window over the kitchen sink raised an inch, but the window was not big enough for a person to squeeze through otherwise.

  In the basement, he found areas that were accessible for a person to enter the home. He looked around for any tools. He shook his head. This was a typical female occupied home. She did not have a tool in sight.

  He pushed at the window over the dryer with the palm of his hand—it opened easily. He stuck his head through the opening to see which part of the house the window faced. It was the backyard and low enough to be out of view of the house located across the fence. It didn’t help a large pine tree stood two feet away blocking any light from the streetlights.

  He heard Taylor calling his name as she came near the basement steps. “I’m here,” he yelled to her.

  The heels of her shoes tapped against the linoleum covering the wooden stairs leading to the finished basement. “What are you doing down here?” She asked switching on the lights. She had applied makeup and combed her hair into a neat ponytail. She had on black skinny jeans and a salmon-colored blouse that matched the high-heeled sandals she wore.