Watching You: KJ Elite Inc.

by Unknown

  Before heading up to the room, she took her sweet time walking around the kitchen and living room; smiling at the same feeling that there always was; home. Taylor stood savoring every familiar piece. Once in the living room, Tommy picked up a throw pillow and before thinking, chucked it square at her back and stood smiling, waiting. Taylor turned around ever so slowly with her lips puckered in amused disbelief.

  “Really?”

  It was rhetorical, but he nodded still and couldn’t help his smile. Smiling was definitely contagious – at least for Taylor and he had to do whatever he could to wipe that disheartening frown off her beautiful face.

  She backtracked it on over to the love seat and picked up a pillow of her own. Then another. Her frown turned into a malicious yet mischievous smirk and she hurled them at his head before turning and running as fast as she could for the front staircase.

  Tommy ducked and ran to the left, for the back staircase off of the kitchen that landed him directly in front of Taylor’s bedroom door.

  “You better hide, woman.” He threatened playfully.

  With Tommy in front of her door, she wasn’t able to make it into her room but she was upstairs and watching him from the other side of the second story, prepared to run.

  “Whatchya got?” She taunted.

  Studying her little frame, rocking side to side, Tommy devised a plan and answered back, “Come over here and find out.”

  “See, I already fell for that once.” She laughed out.

  “Aw, so you did. C’mon, do it again. You know it’ll be fun.” He wiggled his eyebrows exuberantly.

  “I don’t succumb to peer pressure, as you know, Mr. Kane.”

  “All too well, Mrs. Kane.”

  “Shh!” She jumped at his clever call out of her new-ish legal last name.

  “Who do you suppose is going to hear us?”

  “The walls.”

  “The walls have eyes, not ears – or so they say.”

  Tommy straightened and with deliberate slowness, creeped to the right. Around the banister and to her, who was looking flush.

  “What are you doing?” She asked.

  “Walking.” He said.

  Sexy and light. He was drawing her in.

  “I love it when you leave your hair down like that.” He said, pointing to her chocolate locks, curling around her bare arms.

  “You always did.”

  He noted the color of her succulent lips and could already smell the strawberry gloss. Tommy longed to taste it, always. Once was never enough.

  “What?” She asked, putting her hand to her face, self-consciously.

  “You’re stunning.” Perfect in every way.

  “I’m wearing…” she had to look down and be sure. “Khaki shorts and a navy tank top. There isn’t a lot about that that says runway model.”

  As he got closer, she turned to face him automatically, instead of running. She should have run. When Tommy was just before her, he grinned like the trouble he was and tossed her over his shoulder in a fireman hold.

  “I should’ve known.” Taylor didn’t fight, but crossed her arms over her chest in a defying move that really accomplished nothing. With her hair falling in her face, she blew out a hot breathe and then smacked his rear as hard as she could manage from her position.

  “You want rough baby, I can give you rough.” He chuckled, walking into her once-upon-a-time room.

  Taylor looked around, letting all of her teenage angst and woes sink back into her. To have the problems she thought she did back then, today, would be too good.

  “The uh, ladder, is still outside of your window.” He said with a smile in his voice. Reminiscing on nights spent climbing in the dark, praying his ass didn’t find the double barrel of a daddy’s shotgun.

  “I’m surprised my dad didn’t burn it once I left.”

  “Your mama threatened him within an eighth of an inch of his life.”

  “That’s very specific.” She laughed, still looking around and touching random trinkets. What she could reach anyway.

  “She was not in an entertaining mood for the first few months. Everyone was on egg shells because one wrong word and…” He cleared his throat and shook his head.

  “You don’t need to hear about all of that. It was so long ago and it’s all over now.”

  She nodded her head and not that he could see her, he just knew from the movement.

  Taylor eyed her old round bed; turquoise chevron sheets still a bit stirred from when she half-assed made it that morning. She bit down on her lip and shrieked in surprise when Tommy seemed to read her mind; he took the two steps over to it and flung her forward, tossing her as kindly as possible onto her back, falling on top of her with care.

  They laughed together and Tommy could feel Taylor soften beneath him, while she went up in flames on the inside for him.

  “What’re you smiling about?” She huffed out, around the puddle of hair that landed on her face. He just shook his head but kept on smirking at her while he moved some of the hair off of her face.

  She wiggled her brow and it was doing something all too familiar to him. Tommy groaned and made note of his growing hard-on.

  “Don’t look at me like that, Annie.”

  “Whatchya gonna do about it?”

  Her adorable button nose and perfect lips were enough without adding the flawless skin, naturally tinted cheeks and come hither eyes.

  Noting his company, despite their history, Tommy stood and turned away before adjusting himself in his suddenly steel cage of death, jeans.

  “You look different physically, but in my heart, you’re exactly the same.”

  “That’s because I haven’t changed.” He said.

  “No… there’s something there, that wasn’t there before.”

  “Can we not go there?”

  “I get it.” Is what she said, “When you’re ready” is what she thought so loudly it almost hit him in the face.

  “You’ve only gotten a tiny glimpse into what haunts me, baby and that’s because I told you.”

  “I think you need it, too. To talk, I mean.” Yeah, when he was ready.

  She sat up and tilted her head at him, studying him and of all the emotions she was emitting, pity was not one of them.

  Thank God for her.

  “I know where my mama is supposed to be – where is yours?”

  The proof was in the pie.

  Tommy loved pie.

  No number of days or minutes could make a difference; Tommy and Taylor were made of the same cloth and even if she needed to hash things out, she knew when Tommy just needed time to process and reorganize the boxes in his head before he made a move.

  Despite the change in topic, he was still flying at full mass, plus some, so he decided to stay standing. Covering himself with his hands. And a pillow. Or two.

  “Uh…market.”

  “Ah.”

  And just like that, her captivating eyes morphed into a raging, troublesome, totally worth it, wicked storm of forest green. While most everyone wouldn’t see the difference, he could see it as well as feel it, regardless of the distance between them. In the back of his mind, his conscience was yelling something about better intentions and doing the right thing, the honorable thing. Technically though, he wasn’t doing anything wrong since they were already wed. His inner devil grinned and winked.

  “I can’t seem to recall the last time we did anything in here…” She suggested.

  Devil wins.

  “Please, allow me the pleasure of reminding you.” He stalked slowly over to the bed and she jumped up onto her knees, hit with a wave of the giggles.

  “Come here, Annie.” Tommy inclined with a crook of his finger.

  Teasing.

  It was so much better than bickering incessantly.

  In a blur of colors, body parts and laughs, they collapsed onto her bed, Tommy on top, covering every inch of her body with his.

  He nuzzled her neck and slid his right hand in
to her hair to cup her head and move her where he wanted her. Taylor’s legs fell apart and Tommy took advantage by nestling himself between them. His other arm made its way down her body and around to palm her amazing ass. So perfect in his hand, he kneaded and gave a swat to it just like she liked. Taylor moaned into his mouth, pushed her butt into his hand further.

  “Fucking clothes!” He growled.

  The floorboards creaked and a familiar voice hollered at the duo, entangled together.

  “Thomas James Kane!”

  Oh, fuck.

  “Ma’am?” He responded, automatically. Tearing his lips from Taylor’s was never easy.

  Taylor burrowed herself deep into his chest and squeezed his biceps with all her might.

  “My daughter is halfway across the world, waiting on your phone call and you bring some two bit hussy into my daughter’s bedroom to do unspeakable things when you think I won’t be home? No offense, honey, I don’t even know you.” She said, softening her voice to, who she didn’t know was, Taylor. “You ought to be damn ashamed of yourself. Don’t you have your own home to desecrate? Stay where you are, I gotta find my shotgun.”

  “Halfway across the world?” Was the first thing he could think to ask.

  Anything to stall her from getting any type of weapon.

  “Matter of fact, forget the shotgun, I’m gonna call your mama.”

  Even worse.

  “No!” They both shouted.

  “If you think for one second…” Vicki began.

  “This isn’t what you think, ma’am.” Tommy fought for the right words to say without telling her that it was in fact her own daughter beneath him in a very compromising situation. Y’know, without actually telling her that it was in fact her own daughter beneath him in a very compromising situation.

  “Well, boy, you better get to explaining before I whoop your fourth point of contact. Oh, and make it real good.”

  She put her fists on her hips and leaned to the side with that attitude that left no room for guessing.

  She was pissed.

  Like mother like daughter.

  “I thought you were supposed to be in town? Weren’t you at the hospital with Mr. Jameson?”

  Duhhh.

  “If that is your defense, you are beyond help.”

  Tommy opened his mouth to start again but just as soon as he did, two other voices sounded out from the staircase, bickering all the way.

  “Who is that?” Tommy asked, trying for innocently curious.

  “Mind you not, Thomas. They are the last of your worries.”

  “Ma’am…” He struggled, fighting desperately not to reveal Taylor.

  “There’s no way out of this.” Taylor whispered into his neck, panicking.

  Still straddled between Taylor’s legs, which were now tightly tangled around his waist apparently attempting to squeeze the life out of him, Tommy shifted. He turned to get a better look at the woman in the doorway who was nearly on fire with a ferocious anger. Taylor was likely right, there was no way out of this.

  The voices from the staircase were now standing just behind Vicki, and the faces of Mrs. Davenport and Mrs. Wilmington lit with shock, quickly transformed into amusement.

  Damn it all to hell in a flimsy hand basket.

  Chapter 15

  “Oh, my!” Mrs. Wilmington chirped, excitedly.

  She was a stocky woman with a head of dull red hair, hazel eyes and the most outlandish taste for clothes, who owned and ran the corner coffee shop on Main Street. Which naturally made her the town’s gossip queen.

  It wouldn’t matter if everyone found out it was me or Cleo-freakin-patra underneath Tommy right now, because in about five minutes, everybody and their mama was about to get a play by play.

  Mrs. Wilmington was in heaven and surely, by the tapping noise, had already whipped out her phone to notify the presses.

  I’ll kill whoever taught her how to work that damn thing.

  While my heart rate was through the roof, Tommy was mostly keeping his cool.

  Mostly.

  “Mrs. Wilmington, Mrs. Davenport.” He greeted impatiently.

  Ever with the manners.

  “Oh, Thomas. What have you gotten yourself into?” Mrs. Davenport exclaimed.

  She always had had a soft spot for Tommy.

  I could only imagine their facial expressions as I kept my face buried in Tommy’s expansive chest. No matter how this played out, we were caught and I was screwed; not only had I been lying to my mother, as had Tommy, but we were just about to have sex in my parent’s house like a bunch of weirdo cat burglars.

  Anyone that claimed we would laugh about this one day was getting hit in the face. Repeatedly.

  With a 2x4. It may even have rusty nails in it.

  I was steeling myself to face the music when wonderful ole’ Mrs. Wilmington hollered for whomever else was downstairs to “Come see this!”

  My life was over as I knew it. But if I was going down, I was taking Mrs. Wilmington with me.

  Tommy’s chest rumbled and I could only guess he was growling his frustration and anger under his breath.

  Right there with you, bud.

  “Oh, Doris, really? It’s bad enough. He needn’t have an audience to his indiscretions.” Mrs. Davenport chided, clucking her tongue.

  I gave his whole body another squeeze when three more voices sounded off at the doorway.

  “What the hell is this? Is the whole freakin’ book club here?” I whispered pretty much to no one. Tommy seemed to hear me because he chuckled half-heartedly.

  “And just what is so funny, son?”

  Fuck.me. Upside down and turned around, running.

  Word of advice to the unfortunate like myself: Never say it can’t get worse. It always freakin’ does. Just saying it can’t is like challenging karma and the Devil and God and Santa Claus, too.

  “Oh, hello, ma.” Tommy answered to Mrs. Cynde.

  Ain’t no rest for the wicked, they say.

  “Thomas James, what in the good lord’s name is going on here?” There was not a more heartbreaking sound in the whole world, than the disappointment laced with confusion and embarrassment of one’s parent.

  Oh, yes there was – two parents sounding like that.

  Tommy was working so hard to come up with any excuse even remotely plausible for this little pre-dick-ament, I could feel it. There wasn’t one though and we both knew it.

  It was like being caught with Noah when I got here – the God’s were not forgiving or even sort of regretful to my situation.

  I had to run through my brain and figure what I did to deserve all of this and honestly, I kept coming up with one stupid rash decision that I made almost six years ago. Damnit.

  Almost painfully, I slowly let go of Tommy and reassured him when he squeezed me tighter to him.

  “Are you sure?”

  “Sure of what, son? Sure that I’m about to put you in a hospital bed right next to Taylor’s daddy? Absolutely.” My mama resounded, hurt.

  “No ma’am. I was asking her.” He answered, keeping his manners intact for sake of keeping his life.

  My mother would surely have answered him back had I not peered around his inflated biceps and smiled, naively.

  Tommy stood straight, adjusted himself, again, and pulled me up. I was so busy focusing on my mother and purposefully trying to block everyone else out that I hadn’t realized my shirt was nearly off. He pulled at it quickly. Always protecting my honor, this man. Too bad he was the one who stole it! I chuckled to myself and said a nearly inaudible “Thanks” to him.

  “Hi, mama.”

  I held my arms up awkwardly, causing me to lose my balance and as Tommy caught me, a bright ass light flashed.

  In my moment of temporary blindness, Tommy shouted a few something’s and the crowd of woman all began hollering chaotically. I got bits and pieces of the various words being yelled about at one another but couldn’t seem to function without my eyesight. So much for all
your other senses kicking in extra when you lose one.

  My big bad bodyguard lightly shoved me back to sitting on the bed and chased after a blur of red that was darting around the second floor of my parent’s house. Cynde and my mother slowly approached me like I was a zombie or a rabid dog and took care in reaching out for me.

  “Taylor Ann?” Cynde queried.

  “Well of course it’s Taylor, you loon! Who else would it be?”

  “I’m not the one who called my daughter a hussy!” Cynde shot back, fairly.

  “Oh, hush, you!” She shooed Cynde’s response and brought the attention back to me. I was busy trying not to laugh out loud at the giant of a man I called my husband chasing a stout little ball of fire around the second floor staircase banister. He hurried after her reaching for her camera and hollered something about the lack of security in her hobby.

  She was quick for her age and build.

  Our mothers were each pulling on one of my arms and yelling at me in that way that was too gentle to be called yelling. But I knew it for what it was and I was lucky one of them hadn’t throw me over their knee. Yet.

  An hour later, our mothers had me sitting at the kitchen island with a mug of apple cider, while they huddled over me. They tried desperately not to bombard me but it was fair that they should because I hadn’t been honest with either of them. Tommy stood off in the corner of the kitchen, holding all of the cabinets up with his hip in that sexy pose men seem to pull off flawlessly. Easy for him, he was no longer in the hot seat, after having announced I had a stalker. It’s a damn good thing I’m not claustrophobic. He stood silent and watched, expressionless.

  Let me in, I thought to myself, trying to communicate telepathically to Tommy.

  His gaze lifted from my mug to my eyes and all I got was a solid, “You’re already in.”

  Did I say that out loud? Or was I super bad ass Jedi Taylor? I’d take the latter if it was an option.

  “So you’ve been here the whole time?” Cynde asked what mama thought.

  I was afraid to look at her so I looked back down into the murky liquid and quietly, shamefully, nodded my head.

  “Just tell us you aren’t the big client they put Tommy on.”