Chapter 35
After the most soul-changing sexual experience that leaves me possessive and unequivocally claimed, I carry Taylor to the bathroom, setting her down while I turn on the shower.
“This bathroom is stunning,” she says, spinning in a circle to take in the double vanity, massive walk-in shower, and a clawfoot soaking tub on one side of the enclosure.
“I’m glad you approve.”
I remove the hair tie haphazardly holding her hair up and lead her into the shower, pulling her back to my front and letting the hot water from the dual shower heads soak us.
Once her hair is wet, I lather shampoo through the strands, cherishing the way her body leans into mine as I take my time rinsing the shampoo from her hair before adding conditioner and then cleaning her body.
She washes my hair when I drop to my knees in front of her to reach her legs and I press a kiss to her stomach. The feel of her hands all over my body and the intimacy of her bathing me has my heart racing and my cock hardening all over again.
“For an old man, your dick seems to be fully operational,” Taylor quips.
“I’ll show you how operational it is.” I push her back against the wall, plunging inside her in one stroke as I dirty us both up all over again.
When we’re finally clean and exhausted from pleasure, I wrap her in a towel while I dry her hair.
“A girl could get used to this,” she sighs.
“What’s that?”
“You, taking care of me, drying my hair, looking sinfully delicious in nothing but a towel slung low on your waist.”
Kissing her quickly, I say, “If that’s the case, I’ll do this every day.”
“I like the way that sounds—every day.” She gives me a smile full of happiness and joy and I’d do anything in the world to have her look at me like that for the rest of my life.
I turn off the hair dryer and stow it away under the sink. “Are you hungry?”
“Starving. Do you want me to order something?” She walks back into my bedroom and rifles through my drawers until she finds a shirt to wear. “Wait, what time is it? Don’t you have to work?”
“I didn’t have anything important today.” I tap the screen on my phone to check the time. “It’s almost two. Did you have anything to do?”
She shakes her head. “I texted Allie earlier that I was taking the day off. I just wanted to be with you and figure this out.”
“Me too. How about we cook something together and then veg out on the couch this afternoon like old times.”
Taylor beams up at me. “Sounds like a plan.” She spins on her heel and leaves the room. When she bypasses the kitchen, I call after her. “Where are you going?”
“I need underwear.”
“Underwear is optional, honestly frowned upon.”
Her musical laugh echoes and settles deep in my chest.
While I arrange ingredients on the counter, Taylor fiddles with the music until a pop playlist sounds over the wireless speakers.
Dancing around my kitchen in nothing but my shirt and socks with her hair in a ponytail, she looks the opposite of the ball buster she shows to the world.
I’m honored to be one of the few people who get to see this side of her.
Looking down at myself in joggers and no shirt, I realize she makes me feel like a twenty-something again and it has me wanting to swap my daily suits for jeans, business meetings and fancy dinners for more nights at the dive bar or on the couch.
“What can I help with?” she asks, washing her hands.
“Can you chop the garlic and parsley?”
“Yes, chef.”
Caging her into the countertop from behind I nip her ear. “Watch it.”
She presses her ass into my groin, always teasing me. “What if I don’t want to?”
“Dangerous. A menace to society, that’s what you are.” I slap her behind and go back to the stove.
We work in tandem, preparing a late lunch and basking in this newfound bliss of being truly together. Taylor occasionally flits around the kitchen, singing and dancing, and I find myself dancing along with her.
“I’m going to clean off the table outside so we can eat on the terrace.” She continues to make herself at home and it’s the most like home this place has ever felt.
When she comes back inside, I hold out my arm, and she leans into my side as I put the finishing touches on our very late lunch. Together we carry everything outside and I barely make it through the meal with all the moaning and groaning she’s doing on the other side of the table.
“Movie marathon?” I ask, clearing my throat and willing my dick to calm down. As much as I love sex with her, I don’t want today to be all about that.
She perks up. “Mission Impossible?”
“Like I’d suggest anything else.”
Quickly, we clean the kitchen before gathering drinks and snacks.
When I sit in my normal spot on the couch, she sits in the middle seat directly beside me and lifts my arm to the couch behind her.
I play with her hair, watching the action flick but occasionally glancing at her out of the corner of my eye.
After all, watching her is my favorite pastime and I’m helpless to look away when she’s so close.
“Bathroom break,” she announces when the first movie ends, running to the hall bath. I chuckle and head to my bathroom, making a pit stop to check my phone for any missed calls from Teresa just in case.
When I come back to the living room, Taylor is texting on her phone. “Hey, no phones.”
“Don’t act like you didn’t just check in with Teresa.” She rolls her eyes at me. “I needed to check in on Gabby. Her and Chase got into a fight before he left.”
“I was curious what was going on with him. He’s been off this away series.” The team left town Sunday night for a three-day away stretch. They’ll be back late tonight for a day off tomorrow and then a weeklong home stand.
“She’s been really quiet lately and it worries me, but she keeps things close to the vest until she’s ready to talk about it.
Hopefully this stuff with Chase blows over once he’s home and they can have a conversation.
” Taylor drops her phone back on the table in front of the couch and lays down in my lap.
“They’ll figure it out. Just like we did.
” I drape the blanket from the back of the couch over her and she graces me with a sweet grin.
Pressing play, we spend the rest of the day snuggled on the couch watching movies, and when the Troubadours play later that night, we watch that together too.
Then I take her to bed, strip her down, and we lose ourselves in each other’s bodies.
It hits me as sleep overtakes me that I never want to spend another night without her again.
“Hey, Mills, what are you doing here?” Taylor asks, subtly dropping my hand as we step off the elevator and walk toward my office.
Normally players aren’t in the office on off days, and it’s pretty early considering how late they landed after the game last night.
“I was looking for Gabby. Have you talked to her?” If I’m not mistaken, he seems worried and jittery at Gabby not being in her office.
“We texted last night, but I haven’t seen her or talked to her this morning,” Taylor answers, looking at him curiously.
“Beth?” I call out to Gabby’s assistant. She pokes her head into the hallway. “Have you seen Gabby?”
“Oh, she texted this morning and said she was taking a sick day,” Beth responds and ducks back into the room.
“Weird,” Taylor muses.
“I have to go.” Miller pushes past us, urgently jamming the button on the elevator. When it doesn’t open fast enough, he gives up and runs to the stairwell.
“What was that about?” I ask.
Taylor watches the entrance to the stairwell with a scrunched brow. “I have no idea.”
“What do you have going on today?” I press a hand to the small of her back, directing her down the hall to my office.
“I have a meeting with Mary soon to go over final numbers from Bark in the Park as well as any outstanding items related to Chase’s community service appearances. We have the final status meeting with him next week and I want to be sure everything is wrapped up perfectly.”
“I’m sure it will be. You, Gabby, Mary, and the entire team have done an amazing job. I should talk to Teresa about sending you all a gift to celebrate.”
“There’s only one gift I want to celebrate with.” Taylor leans up and bites my jaw. “You.”
“That can be arranged.” I palm her ass and give it a tight squeeze.
She kisses me deeply and I’m close to laying her down on the table in my office when she drops back and says, “Later. Right now, I have to go.”
“Tease,” I call after her, readjusting myself in my pants, something I’ve been doing a lot lately with Taylor around.