Call Me Michigan

by Sam Destiny

  “Girl, stop or you won’t … Tay,” he growled, and she laughed quietly, not relenting the grip she had on him.

  “Won’t what?” she teased, and he stilled his hips, thinking that this would change anything really, but it didn’t. Instead, she was grinding against him until he thought he’d have to lose his mind. Pulling out, he turned her and made her back hit the mattress, then he was back on her, feeling how she wrapped her legs around him, drawing him closer. He captured her lips in a kiss, holding her close as he thrust strongly into her a few times, making sure his pubic bone rubbed her exactly the right way. Her back bowed off the sheets, a low moan making its way past her lips. He captured them; letting his tongue taste all of her while meeting the movement of her hips harder, feeling her tremble under his hands.

  Taylor’s nails dug into his back, spurring him on until she shattered beneath him, coming apart with a long, drawn-out shiver. Only after she had come down from her high, which he lengthened with deliberately slow movements, did he allow himself to come, taking nothing more than three quick jerks of his hip.

  “I love you,” he mumbled against her shoulder, kissing the skin there until their breathing had evened out again.

  “Right back at ya, cowboy.” She smiled, and he got up, vanishing in her en suite bathroom to clean himself up before getting a washcloth, wetting it with warm water and then going back to her. He cleaned her up before discarding the cloth in the sink again to join Taylor in her bed. She had pulled on her panties and a shirt. He followed her example and pulled on his boxers, not ready to deny Taylor the feel of his skin under her hands. He knew she loved to roam her palms across his chest.

  “Are you excited for tomorrow?” he asked as he cuddled her close. She brushed her fingertips across his heart, drawing lazy circles.

  “Walking with the kids to get candy? Yes. Having a high school memorial bonfire? Hell yes. It’s going to be fun. Well, for us that is, since we’re a couple and so are Kelly and John. We’ll have to make sure Brad and Ash don’t feel left out.”

  Mason nodded against the top of her head before kissing it. “There’ll be more people, but it’ll still be nice. Like old times.”

  “We should get to sleep. I have a feeling it’ll be a short night tomorrow. Plus, your daughter is up at the crack of dawn.” She laughed, and Mason went onto his elbows until he could look at her in the light of the night table lamp.

  “Our daughter,” he corrected, and then leaned in to kiss her long and sweet. She sighed against his lips, a sound of contentment, and he turned off the light before falling asleep with her in his arms. It really was the only thing he knew he wanted forever. She should never again be sleeping away from him, and he’d make sure that she knew that soon, too.

  Taylor leaned back in Mason’s truck, wondering if she’d ever been happier. The trick-or-treat run with Tim and Becca had been successful and so much fun; the little girl had a hard time stopping. After two hours, though, Taylor had insisted they finally went home. Besides the fact that it was getting late, she was impatient to have a carefree evening with their friends and the man she loved.

  Rubbing her palm across his thigh, she saw how he gave her a strained smile. Something was off with him. She’d already noticed how tense and absent he’d been once his daughter had started telling him all about her evening. Where he usually was attentive and amazing, he had been distracted, barely nodding when prompted to.

  Taylor had tried asking him about what was wrong, but he’d only given her an irritated shrug, asking her what she meant.

  “We’ll be late,” he stated, and she giggled.

  “Late? We can be late for something that has no starting time?”

  “We were supposed to meet Ash at eight,” he growled, and she turned in the seat until she could see his face, watching him.

  “So? It’ll be half past when we’re there. Breathe.”

  “I hate bein’ late,” he only replied, and she placed her hand on his arm.

  “Stop the truck, Mason,” she instructed, and he glanced at the clock. “Right now,” she enforced, and he sighed in defeat, parking it on the side of the little road. She unbuckled herself and then him, moving until she straddled his lap, framing his face. As much as she was not going to have hot truck sex with him, she was ready to kiss him until his tension melted from his shoulders, giving her the feeling that he’d enjoy this evening as much as she would.

  “What are you doing, Tay? I –”

  She interrupted him with a kiss, feeling how he tried to gently push her back until he suddenly relaxed into her touch, drawing her closer to kiss her deeper. She felt how his fingers cupped the back of her neck while the second hand squeezed her hip.

  “Feeling better?” she asked, resting her forehead against his as they had kissed each other breathless.

  “I’m feeling fine,” he replied, and she gently bit his bottom lip.

  “Liar. You’ve always been the worst at that. It’s you and me, Mase, no matter what’s coming. You and I will be weathering the storm and dancing in the rain, no matter,” she promised, and it was only then that his whole body seemed to go lax, all tension finally drawn out of his muscles.

  “I should’ve kissed you twelve years ago when I drove you home, and you told me I could be anythin’ I want,” he groaned, and she laughed. As much as she regretted the time they had wasted, she wasn’t sure they had needed it to realize they belonged together forever, ready to live through everything life would be throwing at them.

  “You became a helicopter pilot in the emergency team,” she whispered, remembering that she had wanted to comment on that.

  “You wanted to be a nurse. I figured if you’d ever be back here, we’d be working together somewhat, so yeah, I became and EMT in the heli. Best job ever. As much as I love the farm, this is the better part of me, and it’s only because of you. Otherwise, I would’ve stayed on the farm and nothin’ more. Thank you for encouraging me when I didn’t know I needed it.”

  He softly brushed his lips over hers again, and she cupped his cheek, kissing his nose before going back for another taste of him.

  “I’ll always be there to tell you how amazing you are,” she promised, and a smile broke across his face. Satisfied with her handiwork, she moved back into her seat, letting him take her down to the lake.

  Ash was waiting for them in the parking lot, not even giving Mason a look. “You were supposed to be here an eternity ago,” she fussed, pulling Taylor along before she could protest. She threw a glance back over her shoulder at her boyfriend, but Mason just gave her a helpless shrug before throwing his college jacket at her. She caught it, glad that at least one of them had thought about bringing more along than just a sweater and a scarf, but she’d been so excited and overheated, it simply had slipped her mind.

  “Why in the world are you in such a hurry? And where are we goin’?”

  “I wanted some time with you before everyone’s gathering at the bonfire!” Her best friend tagged her along until they stood by a keg. Ash filled a cup for herself before handing Taylor a can of lemonade.

  “Umm … you know, I’d be totally fine with a beer,” she stated, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

  “You ain’t getting drunk today,” Ash replied, and Taylor snorted.

  “I said one beer, not I’m going to get drunk off my ass,” she retorted. Ash watched her face for a long time, making Taylor arch a brow in question before she went forward and got herself a cup while a grumbling best friend put the can back into the cooler.

  “Fine,” Ash conceded, and Taylor shook her head.

  “What is wrong with everyone? You seriously act weird,” she fussed and then took a sip from the red cup. She didn’t often drink beer, but some occasions like bonfires or football games just called for the bitter tasting liquid.

  “So where to next?” she asked as Ash contemplated something, her brow furrowed and her eyes focused somewhere far off.

  “Can we walk the corn maze
?” she wanted to know, and Taylor gaped at her. For real?

  “Yeah, because I love that so much?” she stated, shaking her head in disbelief.

  “For old times’ sake,” Ash pushed, and Taylor gritted her teeth. How bad could it really be? She was older now, knowing that the things inside that maze were fake. Then again, she had known that back then. Glancing around, she hoped to find Mason, seeing as he had saved her all those years back. Maybe she could get lucky this time around, too.

  “Fine,” she gave in, and Ash clapped in excitement, grabbing her hands and conveniently producing two tickets from her pocket as if she had known Taylor would go with her anyway.

  “Leave the cup. We don’t want ya to spill anythin’ when you get scared,” Ash explained and then tugged on her hand as if she were on a deadline.

  The guy manning the entrance nodded at them, giving Ashley a look that made Taylor wonder what she was missing.

  “Don’t start screaming, ladies, it’ll only spur on the people more.” He grinned, and Taylor absolutely didn’t like the smug way he looked at her.

  It took less than ten steps into the maze to remind Taylor why she hated the cornfield horror. Around the first bend, there was a guy with a chainsaw, and Taylor started to walk faster, not caring where she went as long as she got away. Ash still clung to her hand, pulling her toward another bend without giving Taylor a chance to protest.

  “I hate you. Ashley, I hate you forever,” she fussed as they ran into an artificial spider web. She hated those things, and nothing had changed. Ash just pulled her along until she suddenly froze, turning three hundred sixty degrees on her heel.

  “Shit, we’re lost,” Ash fussed, and Taylor stared at her, feeling that something was up.

  “Of course. That’s why it’s a maze.”

  “No, I … I mean, yes, but I don’t mean it like that.” She nodded, and her smile couldn’t be more plastered on.

  A woman came around the bend, wearing white clothes, but that wasn’t what made Taylor’s skin crawl. She backed up before the longhaired woman could get any closer to her. She remembered that woman from a long time ago, and she still had huge spiders covering her body, one slowly crawling across her hand.

  “Right isn’t always right,” the woman mumbled, coming slowly closer even.

  “Got it. Thanks,” Ash called out, grabbing Taylor’s hand again as a cacophony of screams and sounds of horror welcomed them just two more turns into the maze.

  “How far in are we?” Taylor wanted to know, and Ash grinned.

  “Not yet far enough, but wait … I think … stay put. I’ll just check out which way to go before the huge spider comes,” Ash explained and then she was gone. Taylor stared after her. Together, she had been halfway okay, but alone? No way would she move any further until –

  The sound of a fiddle reached her ears and while everything was possible, she knew that this didn’t belong to the Halloween sounds. Curious, she moved forward, suddenly finding strung up lights and rose petals leading her way. A nervous tremble overcame her as if her body knew something she hadn’t realized yet, and her throat got dry.

  She knew by the closeness of the bends that she was nearing the center of the maze. She pushed up the arms of Mason’s jacket, smiling to herself at the comfort it provided, even though Mason was God-knew-where.

  The music grew louder, being nice and slow, something romantic. More rose petals covered the ground, and finally, she rounded one more corner, her hands flying up to her mouth as tears instantly sprung to her eyes. Mason stood in front of a plywood panel covered in pictures of her. She recognized a few, knowing Ashley had taken them back in high school. Some were newer, and she hadn’t seen those before. As much as she wanted to explore that more, the man in the middle holding a single red rose drew her eyes. Candles were burning to the left and right of him, and the fiddle music changed to a Ben Rue song. It was something about not being able to wait until someone became his wife.

  A tear slipped down her cheek, and she bit her lip, stepping closer until he could reach out to take her hands in his.

  “Don’t cry before it gets serious,” he joked, but she heard the tremor in his voice.

  “I feel played,” she fussed softly, wiping away the tears before placing her hands in his again.

  “You were. Anyway, Taylor,” Mason started, and she felt her heart ready to beat out of her chest.

  He was going to ask her to marry him, and while they hadn’t been an official couple for long, Taylor felt as if she’d been working toward this moment her entire life.

  “Taylor, when I first fell in love with you, it was the way you smiled no matter what life threw at you. I fell in love with the way you made a rainy evening in my truck the most amazin’ evening ever. I fell in love with the way you made it possible for everyone to feel as if they were just right. Everyone loved you because you just gave them the feeling that no matter who they were, they were great. When you returned, I fell in love with the way you devoted your life to your brother and the way you wanted only the best for Tamara without thinking about yourself. Every day, somethin’ new makes me fall for you. I never had a doubt in my mind that you were the one for me. Not when you threw me out for cleaning up your mess, or when you screamed at me just because I’ve been an ass.” She laughed through her tears, and he gave her a heartwarming smile.

  “I’m glad I have no makeup on,” she sniffed, and he framed her face, kissing her softly.

  “It’s another thing I love about you because you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met. I could probably name a million things that made me fall in love with you, but Taylor, seeing you with Becca, the way you love her unconditionally, is probably what sealed the deal for me. I never want to lose you again. Last night, knowing that you weren’t with me, sucked. I couldn’t and wouldn’t sleep without you by my side. And I plan to never again be without you unless I’m on shift. So,” he whispered and then went down to his knee, holding her hand.

  “Taylor Collins, I always knew you were going to be my wife, and I would do anythin’ to fulfill this wish. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, and you’ve been my girl since this night twelve years back, even if you didn’t know it. Make it official. Become mine.” He swallowed while she was crying harder by the second. “Will you marry me and my daughter, Taylor Collins?”

  He opened a black box, presenting her with a deep brown-pink, heart-shaped diamond ring, framed by tiny clear diamonds. It was breathtaking, but Taylor would’ve married him even if had he presented her a plastic ring shot at the local fair.

  “Yes! Oh my God, yes!” She didn’t wait until he placed the ring on her finger. Instead, she fell to her knees and threw her arms around his neck, kissing him. This was better than anything she could’ve ever dreamed.

  ***

  Mason was shaking from head to toe, kissing her another time before he pulled back. “Let me at least put this on your finger,” he demanded, and she laughed, holding out her hand while standing up again. Her slim fingers were trembling, and he kissed her fingertips before pushing the ring down her finger, feeling as if finally he could breathe again.

  She was his, forever and longer. Resting his forehead on her hand in relief, she kissed the top of his head.

  “You didn’t think I’d say no, right?” she asked in disbelief.

  “Of course, he did! You have a tendency not to do what people expect of you,” Tamara announced, stepping forward from behind the plywood board. She was crying, carrying Becca and holding hands with Tim. Ashley, Kelly, and Brad stepped forward, too, all looking emotional.

  “You traitor,” Taylor sobbed, hugging her best friend tight before taking Becca from her sister’s arms.

  “You deserved it. So much.”

  “And now, I’ll take the babies back, and you all go and enjoy the bonfire. I simply couldn’t miss this,” Tamara announced. Only then did Taylor seemed to realize the whole extent through which he had gone. Mason could see it on her
face as it dawned on her.

  “How long have you planned this?” she wanted to know as Mason led her out of the maze. His friends had promised that they’d clean up all evidence and make the maze scary again while he could take care of his now fiancée.

  He led her over to the bonfire, the diamond on her hand sparkling in the warm glow, but nothing compared to the beaming expression Taylor wore. He could see wayward tears clinging to her lashes, her hair falling freely around her face and down the back of his jacket. It was amazing seeing his name on her back, knowing that soon she would be a real Stiles.

  “Spring,” he mumbled as they sat down and she turned to him.

  “Spring?” she asked.

  “Spring,” he repeated. “I want a spring wedding. It’ll be warm enough not to be muddy, but still not too hot so you can wear whatever dress you feel like. The fresh green of the leaves will look good on wedding pictures. Spring brings everythin’ into bloom, and if we marry then, it’ll be an eternal spring for us,” he rushed out, worrying that she’d call him sentimental.

  “Well, whatever, Mason. I’m yours, and as long as you’ll wait at the end, I’ll walk down the aisle, not caring when or what I wear,” she assured him. Mason beamed at her, kissing her deeply before pulling her into his arms, knowing this evening would turn out better than anyone had anticipated.

  Especially now that he no longer had any reason to be nervous.

  Thanksgiving came and went, and snow started to cover everything around. Tim had begged Taylor to celebrate over at the Stiles’ farm, and Tamara had readily agreed. Space was limited, but Stella had offered her bedroom up to Tamara and Timmy, sleeping on the makeshift bed in Becca’s room. The little girl was excited about having everyone around, and while by now no one was thrown off by her being called mom, Timmy had picked up calling Stella grandma.