Chapter 8
***TAYLOR***
Aloud knock on his door woke Taylor on Saturday morning. “Rise and shine, it’s almost parade time,” Ryan called. I brought coffee and a breakfast burrito. I’m coming in. Don’t hurt me.”
He groaned and pulled the pillow over his head. “I just got to sleep, you idiot. Leave me alone,” he mumbled. I’m not going to that stupid parade; I’m going to stay here and sleep.”
“Sorry, buddy, you have to go, it’s in the rules, and you knew that when you joined the fraternity. Besides, it's for a good cause, you don’t want to let those kids at the orphanage down,” Ryan said, setting the steaming mug down on the nightstand. “Come on, drink some of that, you’ll feel better.”
“Founders day, what a joke, it’s just a way for the businesses around here to make money, the charity thing is just a cover,” he grumbled, sitting up. “We’re the ones doing all the work, building floats, setting up booths, cleaning up all the mess, I’m glad this is the last year I have to do this.”
“Oh, come on, it’s a lot of fun too,” Ryan said, handing him the mug. “It’s a hoot dressing up and being in the parade, we made a lot of money with our booth last year, and the dance is really fun. Try to look on the bright side.”
“If you’d only gotten a few hours of sleep last night,” he growled. “You’d see that there’s no bright side.”
“Hey, don’t take it out on me, I’m just the messenger,” he said. “It’s not my fault you took that job at the hotel working overnights. You could always come back and work with me delivering pizza again if you hate it so much.”
Hating that he’d lied to his friends about his job, he took another gulp of the scalding coffee. “What’s in that burrito?” he asked, hoping to change the subject before he had to lie again. “I’m starving.”
Ryan laughed. “I knew that you’d come around,” he said, handing over the foil-wrapped package. “Eat up, we’re leaving in ten minutes.”
By the time the parade had wound its way halfway through the route they were supposed to follow, Taylor was having fun even if he did feel like an idiot in the Hawaiian shirt, lei, and grass skirt he’d been forced to wear.
The sidewalks were lined with people cheering and waving their arms, hoping to catch one of the cheap leis they were tossing into the crowd as they slowly crept down the street, and it was fun watching people’s faces when they caught one.
As they approached an especially large group of people, he reached into the bag at his feet to be prepared, but to his disappointment, it was empty.
He turned to find Hattie and a new bag, but Malcolm was already there, holding one out to him with a big smile.
Without a word, he took the bag and turned back to the crowd, and Malcolm did the same, but facing the other side of the street.
He was only halfway through the bag when the float came to a stop, and he had a chance to catch his breath.
“Phew, I don’t know about you, but I could use a break,” Malcolm said, rubbing his arm. “Hopefully we’re stopped while one of the bands plays for the judges. That should give us a few minutes.”
Taylor grabbed his water bottle, took a big swig, and wiped the sweat from his brow. “This is fun, but it’s a lot of work,” he said. “How much further do we have to go?”
“A couple more miles, I think,” Malcolm said. “Just think, this is the last time we’ll have to do this. That’s a little sad.”
He wasn’t sure that he agreed, but before he could say anything, he caught a scent on the breeze that he knew belonged to only one person.
Scanning the crowd, he finally spotted Emily ahead of them, standing with three other women, and a wave of warmth washed over him.
Caught completely unprepared, desire quickly spread through him making his entire body tingle, and he sucked in a shocked breath.
“Hey, you look like you just saw a ghost,” Malcolm said. You’re white as a sheet. Maybe you should drink some more water.”
He did as he was told when a bottle was shoved into his hand, but the water didn’t help, his body was awake, tingling and tightening as he watched Emily laughing with her friends.
Cursing under his breath, he tore his eyes away, wishing he could find someplace to hide, suddenly feeling very exposed in his silly outfit.
“Emily is here,” he said, thinking about jumping off the float and losing himself in the crowd. “I look like an idiot; she can’t see me like this.”
“Hold on, you mean the Emily from class, the one you’ve been complaining about for two weeks?” Malcolm said, scanning the crowd. “Where is she?”
“Down the block in front of us,” he said, ducking behind Malcolm when she looked their way. “She’s got black hair and she’s wearing a red tank top with some jeans.”
Malcolm searched the crowd again, “You mean the one with the three blondes?” he asked, then let out a low whistle. “Dude, she’s hot, you didn’t share that little fact when you were bitching and moaning about her.”
“What difference does it make?” he asked, giving his friend a dirty look. “She’s impossible to deal with even if she’s…well you know.”
“Is she seeing anyone?” Malcolm asked, watching Emily with a predatory look on his face. “I could overlook her personality if she looks like that.”
“Back off Malcolm, she’s not for you,” he said, a wave of jealousy washing over him. “She’s too smart for you, for one thing.”
“Since you don’t want her, I don’t see what difference it makes,” Malcolm said, a challenge in his voice. “Unless you’re claiming her, I figure I’ve got as good a shot as anyone.”
He was tempted to let Malcolm embarrass himself, but the thought of him getting close to Emily sent a white-hot rage shooting through him. “She’s off limits, Malcolm,” he growled. “Leave her alone, or you and I are going to have a problem.”
“Okay, okay, I get the message,” Malcolm said, a grin on his face. “I just wonder if you do.”
***Emily***
Emily was having way more fun than she thought she would at the parade, and it got even better when she saw Taylor coming down the street on a float.
He was wearing a ridiculous outfit that included a grass skirt, and she was tempted to get out her phone and take a picture to harass him with later.
Instead, she settled for waving at him when they made eye contact, an amused smile on her face as she enjoyed his embarrassment.
She didn’t think it could get better, but just as the float reached them, the parade stopped again, and she was staring straight up at Taylor.
“That’s a nice outfit,” she called, grinning at him. “Did you make it yourself?”
“Very funny, this wasn’t my idea,” he called back, giving her a dirty look. “It’s all part of the fraternity thing, I was volunteered.”
“Well, you pull it off well,” she called back. “Those shorts really show off your legs, and that shirt, well…it’s something. I should get a picture of this to look at the next time I need a good laugh.”
She didn’t know what she expected, but it wasn’t Taylor jumping down off the float and stomping over to her.
“Don’t you dare,” he growled. “I do this because all the money we raise this weekend goes to charity, and the more ridiculous we look, the more people come by our booth. So, give me a break, Torres, I don’t see you up there humiliating yourself. ”
She hesitated for a second, trying to decide if she’d gone too far, then decided that Taylor was being too sensitive.
“I’m sorry if I wounded your manly pride.
I was just teasing you,” she said. “Honestly, riding on a float looks like fun, you’re just a spoilsport.
Besides, you don’t look that bad, that skirt really does do something for your legs. ”
Taylor growled at her again, then looked down at his legs and shrugged his shoulders. “Fine, I give up. Get it all out,” he said, holding his arms out. “Make fun of me as much as you want.”
“Well, now it’s no fun,” she said, trying to look sad. “You ruined it.”
“Good, now maybe you’ll shut up,” he said, a satisfied look on his face. “Now, let’s go.”
“Where are we going?” she asked, confused. “You’re in the middle of a parade.”
“You’re getting back on that float with me,” he said. “You said it looks like fun, and I’m sure we can find an extra grass skirt for you.”
“No way, I’m not getting up there,” she said, then looked behind her at Valerie, who was staring at them with her mouth hanging open. “Besides, I’m here with my friends, I can’t just ditch them.”
“Bring them with you, we could use a few attractive women on the float,” Taylor said. “Come on, don’t tell me that you’re chicken to get up there.”
She looked over her shoulder at Valerie, who was already vigorously nodding her head. “Fine, but I’m not wearing one of those skirts,” she said, following him back to the float. It would look silly with what I’m wearing.”
“That’s the point,” he said, grabbing her by the hips and lifting her onto the float. “Don’t be a spoilsport, it’s all in good fun and it’s for a good cause.”
Her heart was pounding too hard to reply.
The feel of his big hands on her hips had stirred something inside her, and it took several seconds before the tingle of desire faded away.
A second later, he was standing next to her, so close that she could smell the soap he’d used in the shower that morning, and it felt like her entire body was short-circuiting.
Thrills rushed through her, sending a wave of warmth washing over her.
She found herself thinking about what it would feel like to have those hands touch her.
Shocked at the path of her thoughts, she stepped away from him, realizing too late that they were trapped on the tiny float together.
A second later, it started to move, and she knew that her chance to escape was gone.
She was stuck riding the parade out with Taylor.
“Come and meet Hattie,” Taylor said, a grin on his face. “She’ll find you a grass skirt.”
Before she could refuse, he grabbed her arm and pulled her to the back of the float where an older woman was handing out plastic bags of leis and waving to the crowd. “Well, now, who do we have here?” the woman asked when she saw Emily. “Did we pick up a passenger when we stopped?”
“Four of them,” Taylor said. “Hattie, this is Emily, she’s my partner for the mid-term project in Professor Whitmore’s class.”
The older woman raised her eyebrows in surprise and smiled welcomingly. “Welcome abord, Emily,” she said. Let’s get you a skirt and a bag of leis to throw; there are no free rides around here.”
“Oh, I don’t…” she tried to protest, but Hattie was already shoving one into her hands.
“Go on put it on, times wasting,” Hattie said. “You’ll look adorable, don’t worry.”
A few minutes later, she was standing next to Taylor flinging the flower necklaces into the crowd having more fun that she thought she would. “Okay, so this might be a little fun,” she said, grinning up at him. “You even look like you’re having fun.”
“Told you it wasn’t so bad,” he said, a pleased look on his face. “And now you can’t make fun of me anymore, you look just as silly as I do.”