OBSESSED WITH TAYLOR JAMES

by Toye Lawson Brown

  “I’m seeing how safe your house is. Taylor, take a look at this. I pushed on this window, and it opened with no problem. An intruder could slip inside while you are sleeping, and you would have no clue he is in your house.”

  “Will you quit scaring me? I’ve lived here for five years and never had a break-in.”

  “You’ve never had a person obsessed with you before either. Do you have any nails and a hammer? I can fix the window where it can’t be accessed from the outside.”

  “I want glass block windows but I haven’t had time to get the estimate.”

  “I’ll take care of it myself.” He went over to where she was standing. The scent of her perfume emitted from her body. The blouse she wore was low-cut and showed an ample amount of her cleavage—more than he cared for her to display to others. “I want you to pack an overnight bag and put it in your car. You’re spending the weekend at my place.”

  “I can’t spend the night. I’m having breakfast with Dillon in the morning.”

  “I’ll go with you.”

  “How do you propose I explain your being with me?”

  “We’ll think of something in the morning. Now get upstairs and pack a bag. Your car can stay here; I will take you where you need to go today.”

  “Mario, I have a lot to do before the baby shower. Trust me—it would be better if I drove to my appointments.”

  “Don’t worry about me…I can handle sitting on my butt reading outdated magazines while you do your girly stuff.”

  “I give up. Who is more obsessed—you or Dillon.”

  “My obsession is keeping you safe from Dillon. Even if he returns the key, he may have copies other ways to get inside the house. Please, appease me by cooperating…please?”

  She groaned not address his comment about Dillon being dangerous. “We’d better go. Sabrina has a habit of taking her time with clients, and since I’m family she won’t cut me any slack.”

  Chapter 6

  Mario sat wedged between two women reading a magazine while waiting on Taylor in a beauty salon filled with talkative women. Sabrina was her only sister and two years younger. She was also a stylist working towards opening her own salon.

  Taylor enjoyed the feel of Sabina’s fingers massaging her scalp, followed by the warm water rinsing the fragrant shampoo from her hair. Even in a tranquil state, she sensed her sister’s vibes bouncing off her. “I know you are dying to ask, so ask,” she said to her sister not opening her eyes.

  “I don’t want to be nosy.”

  “I can read your mind, Sabrina. You’ve been aching to ask me about him since we walked in the shop.”

  “Yeah, screw all that since you mentioned it. So, who is the hunk and how did you train him to sit and wait for you in a beauty shop?”

  “His name is Mario Infante, and we’ve been hanging out for a month; nothing serious yet.”

  “I should have known. He is Hispanic, and you are crazy for Hispanic men. So how is Dillon accepting the new man in your life?”

  “Dillon doesn’t have a voice in what goes on in my life. His place is with Kelly.”

  “He might have a place with Kelly but you are the one he wants.”

  “Sabrina, I’m so sick of hearing that. I have to stop spending time with him unless Kelly is around. Heck, even Mario, believes Dillon is obsessed with me.”

  Sabrina sat Taylor up in the chair and wrapped a dry towel around her hair. “I never said anything about Dillon being obsessed. I’ve always knew he wanted more than a friendship with you. It was obvious when we were kids he was crazy about you.”

  She walked with her sister back to her station. Glancing at Mario, she saw he was engaged in close conversation with the woman sitting next to him. She sat in the swivel chair with pangs of jealousy shooting through her body. “Who is that woman Mario is talking to?”

  “You don’t remember Megan Wiley? She went to high school with us.”

  She adjusted the pink plastic cape to cover her lap. “The Megan Wiley I remember weighed about four-hundred pounds and was a total bitch.”

  Sabrina laughed. “She looks great since she dropped the weight but her attitude is still the same if not worse.”

  “She looks too great if you ask me. Is she your client?”

  “Dang, Taylor, you aren’t getting jealous because she is talking to him?”

  “What could they be talking about? He’d better be informing her, he is not available! And if I see one drop of drool curl on her lip, I’m going over there.”

  “Wow, you have him locked-down like that? He isn’t allowed to have a conversation with another woman?”

  “Of course I don’t have him on a leash, but there should be boundaries.”

  “Boundaries are set when you make it official. He does have to work, and I’m sure other women are employed at his place of business.”

  “He probably has female clients and other female friends I’m sure I don’t know about.”

  “So why are you trippin’ over him talking to Megan? You are feeling the same way Dillon probably does when he has to watch you with him. Actually, how does he treat Mario or has he met him yet?”

  “We all work together at Cartwright and Associates. Dillon doesn’t know Mario and I are seeing each other. He suspects it, but I won’t confirm it.”

  “Ooh, so Mr. Hottie is an attorney also. Well, sister, I think you need to confirm it and make a commitment with him and stop pussyfooting around with Dillon.”

  Taylor pursed her lips eyeing her new man. Their actions earlier flooded her memory. Oh, what could have been if Dillon had not interrupted again? Mario must have her heated stare as his head lifted in her direction. He winked, releasing that addictive and sexy smile. She returned the flirt use of body language with a sexy smile of her own.

  Taylor drew in a deep breath licking her lips. Sabrina tapped her lightly on the head with the end of a comb after catching the signals passing between them. “Hey, this is a family beauty salon. Get a room after I’m done with your hair.”

  “Sabrina, you are right about me putting my stamp on Mario. Do you mind taking my gift to Selma’s baby shower? Something suddenly came up, and I won’t be able to make it.”

  Sabrina swung the chair around to face her sister. “You can’t do that! Selma is the only close cousin we actually like. Taylor, you have all night, after the party, to mark your territory with Mario, don’t do this to Selma.”

  Taylor rolled her eyes upward. “Why do you do this, Sabrina? You have me all worked up and then burst my balloon by making me feel guilty about ditching a baby shower. I’m not staying long.”

  “Bring him with you. It’s a co-ed baby shower. Edward will be there. And you should bring that tasty morsel to dangle in front of the females in the family we can’t stand. I can see their faces and hear the comments,” she giggled. “Taylor James snagged a man that fine…humph.”

  Taylor slung wet hair from her face saying, “It would be fun to do that but no way am I subjecting him to that crew. It is too soon to introduce him to our crazy family.”

  Sabrina sat the basket containing hair rollers in Taylor’s lap and began setting her wet hair. “Are you ashamed of us?”

  “Will Uncle Vernon be there entertaining the guests with his off-colored jokes?”

  “Shoot, I forgot about him and his colorful sense of humor. He would be the one difficult to explain to an outsider.”

  “He is difficult to explain to people who know him.” She handed her sister another roller. “Mario did offer to come with me.”

  “Then bring him. You might as well get him used to the dark side of the family. Not all of us are Howard graduates or rising star attorneys.”

  “Please, Sabrina. The deadbeats of the family just want free legal advice from me. My accomplishments otherwise, mean nothing to them.”

  “Every family has their share of assholes, Taylor. Not only do I have them on our side but on Edward’s side of the family as well. I have the regulars that
always want me to do their hair but never have the money to pay me.”

  “Can you imagine if you’d stayed in the medical profession? You would have them asking you for drugs all the time.”

  “I’m surprised we are normal,” Sabrina said securing another roller in Taylor’s hair. “Um, can I ask if that is why you haven’t introduced me to him? Are you ashamed of me and what I do for a living?”

  Taylor swallowed the lump in her throat. She had neglected to introduce him to Sabrina. “I am not ashamed of what you do. You keep me looking fabulous and you are successful. I admire how you pursued another career after deciding you didn’t want to be a nurse anymore.”

  “I made a lot of money as an OR nurse. I gave it up to be a hairstylist.”

  “You followed your passion and that took guts, Sabrina. Please don’t take it as intentional that I didn’t introduce Mario to you; I had a hectic morning and seriously, I totally forgot. You know it’s been ages since I’ve had a man in my life.”

  Sabrina grunted a dry laugh. “True, Walkman’s were still in style the last time you had a boyfriend.”

  Taylor sat the basket of rollers on the counter and got out of the chair. Sabrina caught the rollers falling from her hair asking. “Where are you going?”

  Taylor stopped in front of where Megan and Mario were sitting, interrupting Megan’s story. “Excuse me, I need to borrow him for a minute,” Taylor said taking hold of Mario’s hand unhinging him from between the two women doting him with attention.

  “Well hello, Taylor James. How have you been, girl?” Megan asked. She stood to allow Taylor to check out her slim figure.

  “Megan, it’s nice to see you too. You look awesome,” Taylor said. She couldn’t lie. The woman had the body of a goddess, and since she and Mario had not consummated their relationship, Megan’s flirting might put ideas in his head.

  Megan put her hand on her hops thrusting her breasts high. “It was time for me to take charge and change my life. Did you become a lawyer? I remember that being one of your goals in high school. Plus you haven’t changed a bit—older but still somewhat attractive.”

  Oh, no she didn’t just call me old. Taylor said to herself. She was not about to let the sideways dig at her age slide. “Yes, I did finish law school and I’m currently practice law. But since my sister works in a place you frequent praying their magic will keep you looking young then, I’m sure you know this already.”

  “I haven’t been coming to this salon long and Sabrina doesn’t do my hair, so we don’t talk much.”

  Taylor hunched her shoulders. “That explains why she didn’t mention you to me either. Anyhow—what are you doing these days?”

  “I own and operate a health and wellness gym for women on 4th Street. You should stop by and check it out. If you want to keep a man happy, you have to keep the body toned and not droopy,” she said eyeing Mario’s frame from head to toe.

  Taylor’s eye flinched. The large shapeless cape hid her body and at thirty-five, she definitely was not droopy. “Wonderful, but I’m pretty busy with work to drop everything in the middle of my day and workout. Besides, I exercise by walking or running at least eight miles, give or take a mile.”

  Megan wrinkled her nose. “You only do eight miles? I’m sure you will work your way up. I’m a marathon runner myself. I have calves of steel,” she said propping her leg on the chair in front of Mario.

  Taylor nudged him with her elbow daring him to touch or look at Megan’s toned leg. He got her warning and kept his head faced in the direction of the large picture window, watching the traffic whizzing on the busy street and pretending to distance himself from their conversation.

  Taylor folded her arms across the cape crushing it to her chest. “I’m sure that strength will come in handy if you need to push something with your legs.”

  “Well, it was good seeing you. I figured you’d probably married that pitiful white boy that used to follow you around school all the time. He was in love with you, girl.” Megan touched Mario on the chest. “Make sure to have her tell you about him. That boy had jungle fever bad. I wish I could remember his name; he was such a dork.”

  Taylor tried to keep a smile on her face but Megan was pushing her to release her claws and dig in. “As you can see, I didn’t marry anyone and I’m dating Mario. Oh, by the way, thank you so much for entertaining him.”

  “Good timing because I was about to make my move on him,” she said fluttering her eyelashes.

  Mario frowned looking at Megan. “I told you I was with her….”

  Megan cut him short. “I have to go, Mandy is ready for me. Take care,” she said hurrying on her way.

  Taylor gagged. “Ugh, why do women who lose a lot of weight become the biggest pains in the ass? The nerve of her to say I’m drooping.”

  Mario said following in step behind her. “Thank you for rescuing me from her clutches. I don’t know about her weight loss but she’s an aggressive flirt; not something I like in a woman.”

  “Um-hum, I bet she was. But don’t thank me yet. I’m about to introduce you to my sister Sabrina. But thank you for not mentioning Dillon.”

  “I wasn’t going to say anything about him. But, I’m excited to meet your sister; that means I am making progress with you.”

  She gave a weak smile. “Well you might decide to run for the hills after meeting other members of my family beside Sabrina. Some of them are different.”

  “I’m not running anywhere,” he said placing his hand on the small of her back.

  Sabrina stood at her station with a huge smile on her face. Anxious to meet the man her sister gushed over, she extended her hand to him first. “Hi I’m Sabrina; Taylor’s sister.”

  Mario shook her hand. Her features were identical to Taylor, and he assumed they were twins. “Hello, I’m Mario Infante. Are you twins?” He asked looking at each woman at the same time.

  Sabrina shoved Taylor in the chair to continue rolling her hair. “No, we aren’t twins. I’m two years younger and married.”

  Mario nodded. “It is obvious you aren’t the recipient of the baby shower tonight.”

  “My husband and I don’t have any children yet. Maybe one day. Do you want marriage and a family, Mr. Infante?”

  Taylor dropped her head in her hands. “Oh, my God…she did not go there.”

  He placed his hand on Taylor’s shoulder after her slip of the tongue. “Yes I do….one day when the right woman comes along. Please call me Mario.”

  “Okay, Mario. My sister is a great woman who can’t or won’t commit to a man. It will take some coaxing on your part to get her to come around. I hope you have patience because she really is worth the wait. My parents, and me included, want her to find happiness with the right man. You could be that man.”

  “Is that right? Is there anything you care to share to help me along with the process of getting her to come around?”

  “Probably nothing you don’t already know. Taylor is an amazing and inspirational woman. Did she mention she mentors high school girls who want legal careers? She has made such a difference in these young women’s lives.”

  He looked down at Taylor. Her hands were covering her face to hide her blushing. “No, she did not. We are still getting to know one another. I’m sure she would have gotten around to mentioning that to me.”

  “There is a lot to learn about Taylor James. You should come to the party tonight. Men will be there, and I think you will have fun getting to know the James’ crew.”

  “Sabrina!” Taylor hit her sister in the shin with the tip of her freshly pedicured toe.

  “I was led to believe only women would be at the baby shower.”

  Sabrina rubbed her stinging shin. “Men are attending this baby shower. Dang, Taylor; that hurt.”

  “Sorry, it was a reflex action to get you to shut your mouth,” Taylor said gritting her teeth.

  Mario laughed. “No need to fight. I understand Taylor not being comfortable with me tagging along. We’v
e just been going out a month.”

  “I don’t understand that, Mario. Most women aren’t comfortable with a potential boyfriend watching them get their hair done.” Sabrina rolled her eyes at her sister. “Explain how are you comfortable having him watch you do this, Taylor?”

  Taylor bunched the cape between her hands. “Leave it to me to have a sister that is a hairstylist, yet is putting me on the stand. Mario, if you want to come to the party, you are more than welcome to join me.”

  He crossed his arms boasting his broad chest and strong arms. “Taylor, I am not putting you on the spot. If you don’t want me to come, I’m okay with it.”

  She relaxed the muscles in her face and softened her tone. “Really, I changed my mind thanks to my sister bullying me. You should meet my mother and father and get it out of the way.”

  “Gracias, Taylor. I will not embarrass you.”

  She patted the bulge of his forearm groaning. “I’m not worried about you embarrassing me. I’m afraid we will embarrass you.”

  Sabrina rolled the last curler in Taylor’s hair securing a hairnet around her head, saying, “Thank goodness it is settled. Taylor, take a seat under a dryer so I can get to my next client.”

  “Gladly,” she said stretching her back. Turning to Mario, she said, “Mario, I will be another couple of hours, why don’t you go home and change clothes. By the time you return, Sabrina will be done with my hair.”

  “Good idea. Adios, senoritas,” he said giving Taylor a kiss on the lips.

  Sabrina set the temperature for the hairdryer cooing. “Oh my goodness, does he speak love terms to you in Spanish?”

  “Sabrina, I melt every time he does. For the first time in my life, I can actually see myself falling in love.”

  “I want you to have the love and commitment of a good man. Promise me you will take heed to what he is saying about Dillon.”

  “Dillon is harmless and I’m letting Mario spook me for nothing.”

  “Okay, Taylor, but love crimes are committed by the person we least expect. Dillon seems harmless to you, but if he is suffering from an illness, you cannot put anything past him.”