***
The feel of Taylor’s body shaking wakes me, and I instantly feel pain in my muscles from the cold. She whimpers when I pull by body away from hers, and it’s the cutest damn sound. I put my hat on and climb up front to turn on the Escalade. “Taylor, you need to come sit up here for a few minutes and warm up.”
“I can’t. I’m too cold.”
“You have to. It’ll help if you move around some, and there’s a little heat up here now.”
She reluctantly climbs up front and leans forward in her seat, letting the warm air blow on her. Burying her face in her hands, she starts to cry again.
What is it with women and all the crying? “Please don’t cry. I feel like I need to do something, and I don’t know what else to do.”
She lifts her head and looks over at me. “I had no idea we could end up in this dangerous of a situation. I’m scared, cold, and I feel so much guilt over this.”
“Don’t. I’m sure you haven’t had any kind of hardship to imagine something like this happening.”
“What’s that supposed to mean? You just think my life’s been a picnic, don’t you?”
That did it. She’s ticked. “I didn’t mean it that way.”
“Just because someone has money, Dylan, doesn’t mean they have a good or easy life.”
“I don’t think that, but like I was saying earlier, I wouldn’t have a clue about your life, so why don’t you share why it hasn’t been a picnic, and I might understand you better.”
“No. You’re one of the enemies.”
“You were burned by a man, so you think we’re all scum. I figured that was your problem.”
“How is that my problem? The men I should’ve been able to trust let me down.”
“You’re going to live a lonely life if you don’t give another man a chance. Look, I don’t want to fight with you. Try to focus on being in the cabin or better yet, the hot tub. I bet Hannah will have someone looking for us when the snow stops, but I promise I’ll find a way to get us out of here when it’s daylight if she doesn’t.”
“Hannah will send someone,” she says.
After warming up, we climb in the back again, and I think I might be on the verge of chipping away a tiny piece of her defensive wall.
Taylor
I wake from the cold, and my body is trembling.
“Dylan, I’m freezing.”
“OK, I’ll start the truck again. I’m going to sit in the passenger seat, and I want you to sit with me. I’ll try to get you warmer.”
Once Dylan gets in the passenger seat, I climb over and curl up in his lap. I’m scared, and I can feel my muscles seizing from the bitter cold, so I’m not about to stay away from him. He’s the link to my warmth, and the next thing I feel is his hat as he puts it on my head.
“This will keep you warmer.”
He’s being very good to me, and I don’t deserve it. I feel the warm heat blowing out from the vents as Dylan’s arms wrap around me. I look over and see the window cracked. “Why is the window open?” I ask, straining to speak from the cold.
“The tailpipe is blocked by the snow, so we have to do it while the vehicle is running, or we’ll get carbon monoxide poisoning. I’ll roll it up when we turn off the ignition.”
“Dylan, I’d be dead already if you weren’t here.”
“You wouldn’t be in this mess if I’d done what my gut told me,” he says somberly. I feel him pull me tighter against his firm chest before he rests his head on top of mine. Burying my face against his neck, I push my body as close to him as I possibly can.
“Thank you, Dylan.”
***
My body shifts as he reaches over to start the SUV. The clock on the dashboard shows two o’clock. This is going to be the longest night ever.
He turns on the overhead light. “You’re shivering and pale, but the gas light is on, so I can’t leave the heat going. Our only option is to get in the back again and try to keep each other warm.”
It’ll be too painful to move, so I lay my head back on his chest. “No … I li—like it here, and I don’t think I can move.”
“Sweetheart, I’m not keeping you warm enough up here. We have to try something else.” He turns the ignition and light off.
I’ve never felt this cold in all my life and cry out from the loss of his warmth as I climb into the back. I’m sitting with my knees pulled up to my chest when Dylan climbs between the seats. “You have to undress,” he says.
“What? Are you in—insane?”
“I know it’s going to be painful as you take off your clothes, but then we can generate some body heat.”
“I’m not ... sleeping with you undressed. I—I draw the line there. This isn’t like the movies,” I stammer.
“You’re right. This is real, and you can hardly finish a sentence. I’m not going to let anything happen to you. Did you bring a bikini to wear in the hot tub?”
“Yes, but what does that have to do wi—with anything?”
“I’d probably see you in it, right?”
“Yes, but I wouldn’t be tou—touching you in it.” I’m becoming more irritated from my body shaking and his ridiculous request.
“We don’t have a choice. I didn’t go with my gut last time, and it got us here. You’re not talking me out of this! You can leave your bra and panties on, but do it now.”
I want to tell him not to yell at me again, but I don’t have the energy. I stare into his eyes for a few seconds, and all I see is genuine concern. This man I’m always a bitch to is doing anything and everything to keep me safe.
Knowing he isn’t going to take no for an answer, I turn away from him and start stripping off the layers. He does the same, and once we’re both down to our underwear, he spreads our clothes out. I’m grateful we have little light.
“Lie down,” he says.
I do as I’m told and rest on the clothes, facing away from him like before. I can’t believe I’m letting him order me around.
“No, Taylor. Turn back toward me.”
I close my eyes and feel a fleeting moment of relief for my body shaking. At least it’s preventing him from seeing how nervous I am. My feelings are changing for him, so I have to ask about the woman he said he liked.
I’m not getting any closer to him if he’s dating someone. After rolling over, I look at him in the dim light, his breath warming my face. He pulls the blanket over us and slides his arm tight around my waist. “Dylan.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Um … you said you started liking someone after Hannah. Are you dating her? If so, we probably shouldn’t do this.”
His breathing becomes louder, and he’s silent for a bit. It’s a simple question, so what’s taking him so long? “No, I’m not with her.”
He sounds sad. “Oh, OK. Sorry I brought it up, and I’m sorry it didn’t work out.”
He reaches his hand out from under the blanket and cups the side of my head. “It was you, Taylor. It’s always been you.”
The cold air I instantly suck in hurts my lungs. That was not what I expected to hear. I’ve always known he finds me attractive. He told me when we met, but I thought he couldn’t stand to be around me after the way I’ve treated him for months.
Not knowing what to say in response to the heartfelt words from his lips, I shove my body against his and bury my head to his chest. He snakes his arm back around me even tighter, and the next thing I feel is a kiss on the top of my head.
“We don’t have much longer. I believe Brett and Hannah will call for help since they haven’t heard from us,” he says.
Hot and Bothered
Dylan
The effect from our bodies pressed together is immediate. We’re both shivering less, and having her against my core feels as if I’m warming from the inside out. I imagine being with Taylor in a warm bed, her head resting on my chest as I breathe in the wonderful smell of her hair. I can’t believe I got the nerve to tell her I care about her, but it was t
he perfect opportunity.
I think about the fun I made of Brett when he was holding Hannah on Olivia’s porch. I now grasp how Brett fell in love with Hannah and felt the need to continue protecting her. Holding Taylor this close, knowing she’s counting on me to protect her, makes me want her even more. I feel a strong need to uncover her pain and get her to trust him.
***
My eyes fly open as I realize I’m aroused. I jerk my lower body away from Taylor. She stirs and pulls her head away from my chest. “What’s wrong?” she asks.
“Nothing, are you OK?”
“I guess. I think I’ve been asleep for a while. I’m still cold, but you were right, this helped a lot, so why’d you have to wake me? Now I’m going to feel how chilly it is again.”
How do I tell her this without getting a smack to the face? “I’m sorry, and ... please don’t hit me when I tell you this, but my body is aware you’re up against it.” Taylor sits straight up. Damn, I’d love this view of her chest in the daylight.
“OK, this is getting awkward, but you know what? I don’t care. I’m freezing, and your body is keeping me warm, so please let me sleep against you.”
I was almost hoping she would said no. This is going to be difficult. After she faces me under the blanket, I shroud her in my arms, feeling our skin rub together once again. Focusing on my breathing, I try to calm my nerves.
I’m working overtime not to take advantage of the situation we’re in, but I want to kiss her so damn bad, among other things, especially when she keeps pushing her body against my lower half. “Taylor, I ... um ... I want to keep you warm, but I can only keep my junk so far from you when you keep scooting against me.” I’m getting frustrated.
She pulls back and looks up at me. “I know, and if you don’t care, then I don’t. You feel good, so please … I won’t get mad. I judged you wrong, Dylan. I’m sorry.”
I can literally feel the pulsing in my neck as blood pounds harder through my veins from her words. My body’s on fire, so I close my eyes, fighting the urge to kiss her. I feel her shove her way against me once more, and I can’t resist entwining my legs with hers.
Big mistake. It feels like sparks are ricocheting through my body as the lust I feel for her goes off the charts. If someone had told me yesterday that I’d have my hard dick against Taylor’s panties, I would’ve told them that they were on crack. I can’t stop thinking about how I could be inside of her in seconds if given the opportunity. Next I feel Taylor’s soft lips moving their way up my neck. What the fuck?
“Sunshine,” I whisper.
“Hmm?” she says as she continues barely touching her lips to my skin.
“I don’t want you to think later that I took advantage of you while we we’re stranded, and if you continue, then I’m going to have to kiss you.”
“I won’t think that, and I don’t mind.”
What is she trying to do to me? I begin massaging the back of her long, dark hair. The warmth of Taylor’s body compared to the cool, exposed silky strands confirm that my skin against hers is keeping her safe. I continue to massage her hair, trying to warm it the same way.
My heads above her, and my eyes are closed as I desperately try to behave. I go to pull away, worried I’m going to screw up what could be my only shot with her, but when I move my head back and look down at her, she’s staring straight back at me with the same hunger in her mystic brown eyes.
Unable to resist, I lean in for a kiss that she meets. We press our lips together repeatedly, never using our tongues. I then kiss the corner of her mouth and work my way to her neck. I’ve never shared a kiss like this before, and it’s causing me to want her like there’s no tomorrow.
“Sweetheart, if we don’t stop, we’re going to be doing a whole lot more in the back of this Escalade. I’m trying not to take advantage of you when you’re freezing, but you’re making me feel really good.”
“No, I’m sorry. I started it. I don’t know what’s gotten into me, but I’m enjoying it, too.”
“I think we should stop before we can’t,” I say as I move away some. She buries her face into my chest and falls asleep.
***
A loud noise outside wakes me. I sit up and look out the back window. “Taylor, wake up. There’s a plow truck.” I lie back down and pull on my jeans before throwing on my shirt and hat. Climbing over the seat with my coat, I look back at Taylor.
“Get dressed. I don’t want any man seeing you practically naked, and please stay in the vehicle.” I jump out and wave my hands. The plow truck stops behind us, and two burly, middle aged men get out.
“We got a call that someone might be stuck out here. Do you need medical attention?”
“I don’t think so, but hold on a second.” I open the door. “Taylor, how do you feel? Do you think you should be checked out at the hospital?”
“No, I should be OK once I warm up.”
I study her for several seconds, trying to determine if she’s being truthful. “I’m good, Dylan.”
I shut the door. “I think we should be OK once we get indoors. We were headed to a cabin about six miles ahead.”
“If we get your vehicle moved over, we can plow all the way up there. I’m sure there are others who live back here that would like to be able to get out today,” the driver of the plow truck says.
“Thank you. You don’t happen to have any gasoline do you? I can pay you.”
“We have some, and you don’t need to pay us. We got a call from someone wanting to pay us about five times what we charge to come look for you and plow. Let us help you get this vehicle pulled over.”
I get in and start the SUV. The tires begin to spin, but with the help of the two men, we’re able to get it moved enough to get the plow truck through. I fill the gas tank and get back in the vehicle, cranking the heat to high.
When Hell Freezes Over
Dylan
“Oh, thank goodness,” Taylor says.
“We have to sit here for a while as they plow, but at least we can keep the heat on. I’m pretty sure Hannah was behind this.” I rub my hands together in front of the vent.
“I knew Hannah Banana would come through for us. Thank you, Dylan. Thank you for keeping me warm.”
“We kept each other warm. You definitely did your part, and I don’t mean that in a perverted way.”
“I know, but you did more, and I owe you big time.”
“You know what I want?”
“What?” I sense her hesitation.
“I want you to keep a smile on your face and cut me some slack.” I reach my hand over and squeeze her leg.
“I’ll try, but I’m not like my girlfriends, especially Hannah. I don’t fit in with you all.”
“I disagree. I’m not gonna lie. I believed that until I spent this time with you. You’re not the person you portray to others.”
“Yes, I am. I’m a defensive bitch most of the time and for good reason. It’s how I protect myself from getting hurt.”
“Why are you doing this?” I ask.
“Doing what?”
“You know what, and you need to cut it out. You’d get along with everyone if you’d show them who I was lucky enough to see.”
“I can’t do that, and I don’t want to tell you the reasons why.”
“Why, Taylor? Is it because you don’t trust me? Unbelievable. After what we just went through, I can’t believe you’re falling back into this.
“If you want it that way and would rather be alone then fine, and it shouldn’t surprise me that you’re doing this when we’re about to be out of this mess. You were probably being nice to me, so I wouldn’t be pissed at you all night.”
“Yes, Dylan. I kissed you because I didn’t want you mad at me,” she says sarcastically. “I see now that along with thinking I’m a bitch, you also think I’m a fantastic manipulator with that comment, and the one about me giving you puppy dog eyes.”
“Taylor, a part of me actually enjoyed being stranded wit
h you, but I should’ve known you’d do this right before we made it to the cabin. God forbid any of our friends think that you might actually like me!”
“I told you not to yell at me!”
“Oh please, you want me to act this way so you can keep going around with that steel wall of yours, acting like you’re better than every one of us. The second I laid eyes on you, I wanted you, but then you had to open your big fucking mouth!”
Taylor lays her head against the window, and I see the tears flowing. Why does this always happen with us?
“I’m sorry, Taylor.”
“Don’t talk to me, Dylan.”
“Please look at me. I said I’m sorry.”
She finally turns toward me. The girl’s tired, cold, and now she’s sad again because I can’t keep my big mouth closed. I grab her hand that’s still cool.
“I don’t want to argue with you. Last night was rough, and I hate that you were suffering from the cold, but it was also one of the best nights I’ve ever had.”
“I trust that you’d always protect me. You proved that, but I can’t trust you with my heart. I’ve heard about your ways with women.”
I let go of her hand. That was a low blow. “Instead of asking me about my past and hearing the truth from me, you’ve already passed judgment.”
“Oh please, Dylan. Are you going to deny that you’ve screwed a lot of women?”
“You want the truth? I’ll give you the truth. I have slept with a lot of women, and each one of them were happy, willing participants, but I didn’t have feelings for them. I guess it’s impossible for you to believe that I could want to be with one woman from here on out because I think she’s great and might be the one?
“You should feel pretty damn special because I sure as hell haven’t ever wanted that before. I should’ve known last night wouldn’t earn me any more respect from you since you think you’ve got me all figured out.”
Dylan and Taylor (Soul Mates 101 Series) Page 3
