Chapter 19
Taylor placed the last of the breakfast dishes in the sink, thankful that her back was facing Oz. He had been home a week and they had spent every minute together when she hadn't been at work. Every wonderful sensual moment. He had turned out to be like no one she had ever known. At times she felt as if she had fallen into a fairy tale or had been woven into one of Oz's romantic fantasies he wrote about.
A wistful sigh escaped her, recalling her early morning alarm of his mouth on her. The way he worshipped her body with each touch erased memories of the past replacing them with new hopes and dreams. Dreams of a long life together.
“Hey.” Oz appeared next to her, leaning his ass against the counter. "What are your plans for the day?"
She lifted her shoulder, keeping her focus on the sink as she wiped it dry.
"Darlin', you know I have to go. Things like this are going to happen.”
She knew club business would happen. Runs and rallies would happen. But a day with the families at the Landing with kids fishing and running around and dinner wasn't what she imagined to be a mandatory event.
"We were all gone last week. Today is family day, a 'thanks for not bitching' day, 'you're still important' day. Call it what you want. It's become a regular thing.”
"I get it. And I know you'll enjoy your day."
He tugged the washcloth from her hand that she continued to scrub the sink with, even though it had been dry after the first couple of passes. It fell to the clean steel bottom of the basin. "Come here." He maneuvered her between his feet. Her hands fell to rest against his chest.
"It's a family thing," Taylor said.
"Yeah," Oz confirmed.
"You've never asked me to go with you.”
"No. I haven't."
Taylor's heart ached. She had tried to make amends with everyone.
"Look at me.” He curled his finger under her chin lifting her gaze to meet his. “I told you that I would never force you to be a part of that. And I won't. As I recall, you stated that if you never saw another motorcycle in your life, it would be too soon.”
"Someone wise once told me that all clubs are not the same. And I know for a fact, all bikers are not the same. Because mine is pretty perfect.”
"Perfect, huh?”
Taylor smiled. "Yeah. And your name is true. You’re the whole deal. You led me past the heartlessness and ignorance of fear and taught me how to find my courage and strength. But most of all love. I love myself now. Something I’ve never done before. With the knowledge of that incredible feeling, I’m free to share that with others."
"All you have to do is say the word," Oz told her.
"You’ve supported every decision I’ve made,” she reminded him. “I want to support everything you do. I would like to go with you.”
His kiss was knee-buckling as always. She gasped for breath when he released her, squeezing her ass check. “You know I love you,” Oz whispered.
“No more than I Iove you,” Taylor said.
Oz grinned. "Then let's go spend a day with our family.”
“That sounds nice. But I don’t have a helmet.”
“I’ve got you covered.”
Taylor laced her fingers with his and followed him outside to the motorcycle. She hadn’t been this excited to be on a bike in what felt like forever. But Oz had transformed her world. Correction. He had guided her to learn how to become the person she wanted to be. Yes, Travis had been a godsend and her rock. She smiled. She loved knowing no one other than she and his parents called him that. It meant more to her than she thought he realized.
Oz flipped open a saddlebag. "You sure?"
“One hundred percent.”
He lifted a black drawstring bag and held out. “This is for you.”
He had bought an extra helmet. How sweet.
“Look at it.”
Taylor glanced up toward Oz then loosened the drawstring and peaked into the cloth bag. She sucked in a breath. Yellow outlined in black just like the butterfly on her suncatcher. “It’s beautiful.” She pulled it out.
“It’s an original. Just for you.”
Taylor ran a finger over each small butterfly scattered along one side of the black helmet. “But how did you know I’d need one?”
Oz grinned. “I had faith in you. You should know by now how much I trust your decisions. And if I don’t, I’ll let you know.”
Trust my decisions. Nealy’s voice echoed through her mind. Doesn’t demand me to obey him. He tells me because he knows better than I do about certain things. Don’t question those things because of trust. He loves me and wants what’s best for me. I’m fully free to make my own decisions.
Taylor fell against Oz and threw her arms around him. The helmet still dangling from her fingers, she felt her world shift. This was what love was about. What life was about. Respect and trust. And a full life was a balancing act of those plus so much more, such as timing and guidance. How lucky she was that Oz was wise enough for the both of them to understand that.
“You gonna put in on?”
“Yes!” Taylor bounced onto her toes and pressed her lips to his. She stepped back and put on the helmet. “I love it. Thank you. And I trust you, too.”
“Good. Now come on Butterfly, let’s go.”
One more kiss and they were on the bike, pulling onto the road heading to their first club event together as a couple. Taylor wrapped her arms around Oz. She had never been this happy. And she did trust him. With everything she had, especially with her heart.
THE END