Love Rekindled (Love Surfaced)

by Michelle Lynn

  “Okay.” I nod although he can’t see me. The guilt trip he’s laying on me works and I regret not calling Piper right off. “I’ll call her.”

  “Thanks. See you Thursday.”

  “Bye.”

  We hang up at the same moment I pull into Taylor’s driveway. A breath of relief escapes my throat when I spot her car up ahead and the light in the kitchen glowing. I get out of the truck and move around the house toward the front door.

  A loud crashing sound emanates from inside. Taylor screams and I run the last few steps. With my hand on the knob and shoulder against her door, I push, ready to go in. The door doesn’t budge, and I continue to throw my body into it until the lock eventually busts, easier than I expected; easier than it should.

  I stumble into the room. Taylor’s hand is on the door, and she’s peering down at me. Across the room, an older, heavyweight man is staring over at me.

  “I heard a crash and you yelled.” My eyes inspect the room, finding a broken snow globe in pieces all over the floor.

  “Who the hell is this kid?” the guy asks, and all the light bulbs go off in my head.

  “Dad.” Yep, that’s what I thought. “This is Brad. Brad, this is my dad, Dean.”

  I stand up straighter, looking Taylor over quickly to make sure she’s okay. Once I’m satisfied that nothing happened to her, I walk across the room—stepping over the shattered glass, water, and glitter—to reach her father.

  “It’s a pleasure, Mr. Delaney.”

  He laughs and stares down at my hand. “Brad? As in the dad?” His eyes are bloodshot and there’s a stain of liquid down the front of his shirt.

  “Dad.” Taylor sighs behind me, moving into the kitchen.

  “That’s me, sir.” My hand continues to hang between our bodies.

  He lays his hand in mine, gripping as hard as I will the day Emerson brings a guy home.

  “Why are you here now?”

  “Just let it go, Dad. We’re working things out.” Taylor comes into the room with a broom and I release Dean’s hand to help her.

  “Working what out? God, Taylor, you make the worst decisions.” He moves over to the couch and Taylor doesn’t grant him a response.

  “Where’s Emerson?” I ask her as we bend down to clean up the mess.

  “She’s asleep. It’s been a long couple of days for her. Thanks for surprising me.” She smiles and I can’t stop myself from matching it.

  “What did I walk in on?”

  “Apparently, his tab is due and he doesn’t get paid until tomorrow. So, he has some time to spend with his daughter.”

  “What about the snow globe?”

  “We got into a fight about my sister. He thinks we should be involving the police to find her. I don’t. Same old, same old. He’ll forget once he can get back to Carolle’s.”

  “I’m leaving,” Dean says as he gets up from the couch, weaving over to get his coat.

  “You don’t have a car. Sleep on the couch.” Taylor stands and I finish cleaning up the mess while she handles him.

  What a crappy hand Taylor got dealt as far as her family is concerned.

  “No. I want my own bed. I’ll walk.” His hand reaches for the knob and he misses.

  “Dad, you live five miles away.” She looks back at me with panic in her eyes.

  “I’ll drive you, sir.” I rise to my feet and move to the door.

  “Stop calling me sir. Actually, you call me nothing because you are a piece of shit, leaving my daughter with a baby.” I look over at Taylor and she holds her hands in the air.

  “I told you, Dad, I never told Brad about Em.”

  “Lies. All you, your mother, and your sister do is lie.” He yanks the door open and stumbles down the stairs.

  “I’ll be right back. Text me his address.” I kiss her on the cheek and jog down the steps to catch up to Dean Delaney, aka the town drunk.

  I’m able to loosely guide Dean to my truck, and Taylor’s text shows up on my phone as soon I’m situated in my seat. I enter the address into my GPS.

  “Fancy car.” He shakes his head back and forth a few times.

  I ignore his comment and the fact his seatbelt isn’t fastened. Backing out of the driveway, I spot Taylor’s silhouette in the window. I flash my lights at her.

  “Why did you come back?” Dean asks once I drive down the road a bit. There goes the hope of a quiet ride to his house.

  “I love your daughter.” I refrain from using ‘sir’ since somehow it offends him, and since he didn’t inform me what to call him in exchange, I figure nothing is the option.

  “Where were you two years ago?”

  “In a bad spot.” Wish I could say, ‘much like you are now’, but I’m not going to offend what I hope is my future father-in-law.

  “Huh,” he mumbles and looks out the window. “So you edged Sam out?” he asks, and I study the GPS, noticing we still have three minutes before we’re due to arrive at our destination.

  “With all due respect, they’re my family, not his.” I give him my most politically correct answer.

  “I might not be a fan of you, but I hate him. To go from one of my daughters to the next is sick in my book. The fact he tried to get with Taylor disgusts me.”

  I’m not sure what to say, so I don’t say anything.

  “Not that you’re much better.”

  Okay, I’ll take the hit. Isn’t that what one does when the father of the girl they love insults him? I can take this abuse up to a point, and I cross my fingers he doesn’t go over that limit.

  “I’m trying to make amends.” I turn down what should be his street, and I pray this ride will be over shortly.

  “Good luck. She holds a grudge. You see how she treats me. She won’t even look for her sister. Of course, her mother did no wrong, so her gravesite is always the prettiest one in the cemetery.”

  Just hearing the fact that Taylor keeps up her mother’s plot tears at my heart. She’s been so independent and alone all these years. I hate myself for not coming to find her sooner.

  “I’m hoping she’ll forgive me.” I pull along the curb of a small ranch house and get out before he can argue anything further. Hopefully, this is the end of my first encounter with him.

  He opens the truck door and almost falls out, but catches himself. I begin to escort him up the sidewalk, but he swats his hands at me.

  “Leave me the fuck alone.”

  Abiding with his wishes, I stop in the middle of the path, double-checking he makes it inside. He fiddles in his pocket for what seems like hours until he retrieves his keys.

  Once he’s in the doorway, he turns back toward me.

  “You can tell Taylor I’m not coming to Thanksgiving unless her sister is there.”

  I nod, and he slams the door shut.

  I jog over to my truck, turn the key in the ignition, and gun it back to my girl’s house. After a night with that asshole, she’ll need to be assured of the amazing person she is.

  Taylor

  THE MONITOR IS QUIET, SHOWING how tired Em was. I pace back and forth in front of the window, waiting for Brad’s truck’s headlights to appear out of the darkness.

  My stomach rumbles with nausea because Brad witnessed my dad and his nastiness toward me. Carolle’s Tap finally kicked him out of the bar, and a half hour into his visit, I was ready to pay his tab. Unfortunately, that would mean I’d break the promise I made a year ago—I’d never again pay for his or my sister’s vices with my hard-earned money. My daughter deserves that money, not them.

  Finally, before I leave a worn-out path on the carpet, Brad’s truck slowly pulls into the driveway. I open the door, my feet bouncing on the wet cement. Brad turns the corner of my house with an emerging smile for me.

  “Hey, get inside. This is nasty.” He glances at the snow-covered streets and the constant trickling of snow falling from the sky.

  “It’s beautiful. I love snow before the holidays. It’s after that it can go away.”

&
nbsp; Brad reaches me faster than I expected, and with one swoop, he scoops me up into his arms, leaving me no choice but to lock my legs around his waist.

  “It’s my time now,” he says, walking us up the stairs and through the door. Without letting me go, he shuts the door, and carries me to the couch.

  “So, you finished early?”

  “I did.” His lips cast small kisses along my neck while his hands explore my body.

  “Brad.” I sigh, because after my dad’s visit and everything with Sam, I need to be reassured I’m not the villain they make me out to be. For some reason, Brad’s always brought me a feeling of worth, acting as though without me, he’d be lost. I need that ego boost right now.

  “Taylor.” He stops kissing and stares into my eyes. Long and hard, we connect, and although there’s no need for words, he speaks. “I know you might not want to hear this right now, and maybe it’s too soon . . .”

  My heart slams against my chest while I wait for the words.

  “I love you.” His hands tighten on my cheeks, his nervousness apparent.

  My hands slide up his arms until they hold his hands to my skin. “I love you, too.”

  His whole body slumps, as though he’s relieved he’s not alone.

  Our eyes lock a little longer. I’d like to think we’re exchanging unspoken promises to one another. He’s healed me, and I can say without a doubt, I completely forgive him for the past.

  He crashes his lips down on mine, and as always, he hijacks all thoughts of anything that doesn’t pertain to him. Our bodies grind, my legs easing open for him to slide between, needing the relief from the fire he’s fueling within me with his body.

  “Take me upstairs,” I whisper when he breaks our kiss and veers down to my jawline.

  “Taylor, we said we’d wait.”

  How does he have the willpower to fight this?

  His hands slide around to my back and lock my hips down as he pushes his hardness into my center.

  “Please,” I beg, and he looks up at me. His eyes are pools of the lust we’re feeling at the moment. He rocks into me one more time as his eyes fix on to my lips.

  “I don’t want to take advantage.” He lays back down on top of me, pressing small kisses to my forehead, nose, and cheeks.

  I grasp his head, holding it inches above my own. “I need to feel wanted right now, and you’re the only one who can do that. I’m asking you, Brad, make love to me.”

  His eyelids close briefly, and I fear he’s about to deny my request, topping my list of utter disasters for the night. But my heart pitter-patters when he stands, and holds his hand out to me. I grip it, and he helps me up, then picks me up in his arms bridal style.

  “Your wish will always be my command.”

  I smile, wrapping my arms around him, teasing him with kisses to his neck and earlobe as he carries me up the stairs to my bedroom.

  Once we step inside, he lays me on the bed. While he shuts the door quietly, I turn on the second monitor in my room. I know Em is down the hall, but surely parents have sex with kids in the house.

  His shoulders rise when the door clicks shut, not that she can climb out of her crib yet.

  “That’s loud,” he says and stops at the end of my bed. My eyes fixate on him from the plush mattress, watching him flick the button on his jeans. The zipper slowly lowers, granting me a peek at his blue boxer briefs.

  “You have something, right?” I ask, certain we aren’t taking any chances for another Em.

  “Yeah.” He snakes his hand into his pocket, retrieving the condom. I release a breath, happy I’ll be getting my wish granted tonight.

  He smiles, twirls it in his hand and tosses it on the bed next to me.

  “Come closer,” I urge, but he shakes his head, preparing to tease me.

  His jeans drop to the floor at the same time he strips his shirt off. Good God, he’s an Adonis. I thought I remembered what he looked like, but my memory didn’t do him justice. My mouth waters seeing the rippled muscles down his stomach.

  He crawls up the bed toward me, my pulse quickening with every dip of the mattress. His legs straddle mine and his fingers dig into the sides of my yoga pants. My breathing completely stops. He scoots down the bed, sliding my panties and pants down my legs at the same time.

  I deny the impulse to cross my legs and conceal myself from his eyes. I’m not the girl he remembers with slim hips and a flat stomach. There’s more to love now, and I’m scared he won’t like that.

  Once he throws my pants to the floor, his hands glide up my sides, pushing my shirt along with them. Soon we’re skin to skin and his hands are exploring each new curve of my body.

  His hands venture around my chest and he unhooks my bra with too much finesse. The straps fall to my arms and his fingers glide them down the rest of the way, leaving me completely naked for his viewing.

  With the lights on and no blanket to cover myself, I stay still, secretly sucking in my stomach as much as possible.

  His eyes are bright with fire like a flare gun shooting off in midnight sky. “You’re gorgeous.” My body aches for his expert touch. “I’ve missed looking at you.” Each inch of my skin prickles with shivers as his eyes travel across it.

  “I’m not the same.”

  “No, you’re not.” Still, his eyes travel my stomach, hips, and thighs. Leaving a wake of scorching heat behind. “So much better.” His tongue snakes out of his mouth and licks his lips like he’s about to feast on me. Please do.

  The lust in his eyes intensifies my arousal even more, if that’s possible. At the moment, I crave the feeling of him inside me.

  I bend forward, climbing to my knees and crawl toward him. We meet in the middle of the bed, both on our knees. Our mouths collide and my breasts crush against his hard chest. My hands slide under the waistband of his boxers, yanking them down to his knees. “I need you.” I break the kiss, my mouth paying homage to every contoured muscle.

  He flips over, placing me on top of him, wiggling out of his boxers the rest of the way. I reach for the condom and his thumbs gently circle my nipples, and they peak harder from his touch.

  Remembering he enjoyed it when I put the condom on, I rip it open. My fingers stroke down his ripped stomach and a tormented groan escapes his throat. Hearing his elation to my touch only shoots a blaze of fire to my center. I unroll the condom over his long length and his hands knead my breasts without abandonment.

  Rising up, I hover over him, his hands sliding down to rest on my hips. With his guidance, I sink down on top of him.

  “Jesus,” he mumbles.

  The moan that erupts out of me stems from nothing short of sweet, sweet bliss. I haven’t been with anyone since him, and I had one thing right these past years, my vibrators are no comparison.

  I rock my hips and his strong fingers dig into my flesh, keeping me in place. Damn if he still doesn’t possess the moves to set me off.

  His eyes lock on mine, and the amount of love brimming from his eyes brings my old self out. I’m the woman he loves, and he doesn’t seem to mind the extra pounds. With the newfound confidence, I lean my hands back on his legs, giving him the full view of us together. He moves his hand off my hip and onto my clit, only enticing a deep rumbling roar from my throat. As he rubs circles, I clench harder to keep the ecstasy at bay, but the firmer he presses, the more my body soars. My toes curl as my fingernails dig into the hard muscles of his thighs. He doesn’t relent on me, and I shudder, having no more control of the hysteria whirling through my veins.

  “Brad . . .” Brad flips us again, his hand quickly covering my mouth. Just as fast as he left me, he’s back inside me, moving at a frantic pace. A minute later, he stills inside me, and falls on top of me.

  The tidal waves slow to ripples, and Brad removes his hand from my mouth. “Still loud.” He smiles down to me, a bead of sweat falling to my chest.

  “I guess so.”

  He slides off me, getting up from the bed. While he’s in the bath
room, I lift the covers and sneak under. Not taking long, he returns to the room, confused as to why I’m now hiding.

  “Taylor, we need to talk.” He walks around to the other side. “Can I join you?” he asks, the corner of the comforter in his hand.

  “Yes,” I answer, surprised and happy he asked permission.

  He smiles and moves onto the bed, quickly breaking any distance between us. Leaning on one hand, he stares down at me. After a long stretch of time, his hand reaches for mine and pulls the sheet out of my grip.

  “You are beautiful, and I don’t like it that you think differently.”

  I roll my eyes because this should not be part of the afterglow talk. I slide to sit up, taking the comforter with me. “It’s just Em changed my body.”

  “She did.”

  “Thank you for noticing.” My reply is snippy, not that I’d want him to lie.

  “Did I not get aroused? Do you have any idea how hard it was for me to hold out until you had your orgasm? Listen to me, Taylor, because we aren’t going to rehash this conversation.”

  I nod, worried about what he might say.

  “You’re gorgeous, smokin’ hot, and I’ll always want to be inside you. So, I want this whole ‘hiding your body and shifty eyes when naked’ to stop. Got it?”

  I laugh, unable to take him seriously. His hand cups my cheek and his eyes dim. “I’m serious, baby. If you’re insecure, I’m not doing my job.”

  The corners of my lips curve up at the sweet things he says.

  “I’ll try.”

  “Let’s start here.” He pulls the comforter from my hands and they reach to grab a hold of it like someone’s taking my life vest in the middle of the ocean.

  I lay in front of him naked. “There we go.”

  A few minutes later, I’m snuggled into his arms and my hand is tracing the small patch of hair on his chest.

  “Tell me about your sister,” he says, and I think about all the stories. The problem is, I don’t want to rehash anything that has to do with my dysfunctional family. His family seems perfect, and mine is all types of crazies.

  “In high school, she started using. One time on heroine and it was over, she was hooked. Somehow she graduated, and then weaved in and out of our lives for the next four years. When I went to college, I thought she had cleaned herself up. She married Sam and I assumed things were looking up for her. But she used him. See, Sam’s family owns a ranch on the outskirts of town and he was supposed to be the heir to it. April, my sister, ruined that for him. She convinced him to steal money, and now he works for his younger brother. It’s a whole sordid mess, and it only confirms my sister is a tornado. When she leaves, the people who love her are left to rebuild their life.”