The Pursuit of Passion (Taylor & Adam)

by Liv Bennett

  Isn’t the answer clear to her? Hasn’t she already found out I fell madly in love with her the first time I saw her? “I couldn’t love her the way she deserved.”

  “Well, you did love her for many years before the breakup, didn’t you?”

  “I don’t feel well enough to talk about it. Maybe another time.”

  “But you feel well enough to lick my finger.” A hint of smile flickers around the corner of her mouth.

  “I’ll always feel well enough for that and more.” I narrow my eyes, as I scan her up and down. Even on my deathbed.

  “More?” She snorts and arches an eyebrow. Even that brief sound is like music to my ears.

  I open my mouth to speak but close it immediately. How could I forget my promise that I would not chase Taylor anymore? She hasn’t sued me for sexual harassment because she thinks I’m essential to her company’s success. Now she won’t even decline my advances because of the fucking bullet hole in my chest.

  “I’m sorry,” I whisper and drift my eyes away from hers. “I promised myself I would stop bothering you.”

  “For that you’ll have to stop existing.”

  I look up at her again to see whether she’s serious. Can she hate me that much?

  “Just kidding.” She taps her hand on my thigh, a little above my knee. I inhale sharply at the brief touch and try to think of the face of the man who attacked Taylor in order to keep my cock from growing, or it’ll be pretty obvious under the thin layer of the bed sheet. But her bare thighs and hard nipples make it impossible for me to think of anything other than having her.

  Ahh, would it be so bad for her if she pulls that skirt up, sits astride me, and slides down on my cock? Would it be so hard? I wouldn’t even need a lot of time to come. I bet with the years of desiring her, it’d take only a few thrusts. A simple thing for her would mean the world to me. It would even cure me faster than the medications.

  Feeling her wet and tight around me. Shit, I’m afraid I won’t be able to keep my promise, and worse yet, I’ll shamelessly use my heroic act to my advantage.

  “I talked to your doctor before coming in. He is thinking about releasing you tomorrow. I’m glad you’re recovering quickly. I hired a housekeeper to run the errands for you everyday for the next few weeks until you’re back on your feet again. All expenses are on me, of course.”

  I shake my head no. “I already have one. Keep your money for yourself. And, I don’t want you thinking you owe me a thing because I saved you. Anyone else would do the same thing. Believe me, I’m not special.”

  “You may be right. Anyone would do it. But, it was you who came after me that night. You were there for me when I needed you most. Who else would do that? Please, let me at least give you this. A small gift among the many I want to give you.” She takes a breath break and looks down at the rose in her hand. “Something happened that night. Since Jack’s death, I’d felt indifferent toward life, even hoping death would come sooner rather than later. But, looking death in the eye made me aware that I’m not ready for my life to end anytime soon. And, it’s thanks to you that I’m still alive. You have to accept what I’m giving you, or I’ll have to force you to take them.”

  “Now you’ve made me curious; what other gifts I’m gonna be forced to take.” Will I have a say in what kind of gift I should get?

  “Just wait and see.” She shakes her head, smiling, and gets up. “I talked to Adrianne. She’s coming to stay over the weekend. I’ll pick her up at the airport tomorrow. Just so you know.”

  “Shit. Can you please shoot me once more so I can avoid her? She may be my sister, but she thinks she’s my mother. She’ll turn my weekend into hell.”

  “Come on. It can’t be that bad.”

  “Yeah, just wait and see. Well, thanks anyway.”

  “You’re welcome.” She checks her watch and turns back to face me. “I gotta go. Visiting time is up. See you tomorrow.” And for some outrageous reason, she leans down and brushes my cheeks with her soft and wet lips. One of the many gifts she’ll force me to have?

  I wave her goodbye and drift into a comforting sleep full with X-rated dreams of Taylor.

  The next day, about half an hour after breakfast, I put on my clothes with the help of a kind nurse, dump the pajamas into the small handbag Taylor brought the day after the surgery, and get back into bed. I’m still sore and easily exhausted. The bullet might be gone, but its effects are still in full force.

  A knock on the door pulls me back from sleep.

  “Hi, Adam.” Bree pops her head out behind the door. “Am I disturbing you?”

  “No, come in.” I set about straightening myself in the bed, as Bree enters and closes the door behind her. I frown. “Isn’t Taylor coming, too?”

  “She left to meet your sister at the airport. She’ll drive her directly to your place, and I’ll drive you home, unless you want your sister to see you like this.”

  “Good point.”

  “The nurse should bring the release documents any minute. Do you need any help putting on your clothes?”

  “No, thanks. A nurse helped me earlier. I’m all set to go.” I throw the bed cover off to show her my clothes.

  “So, Friday, huh?” Bree says, but I don’t respond. I know where she’s going. “Have you already given Taylor your invitation card? What did you write this time?”

  I shake my head no. “That’s over. I won’t bother her again. And I’m in no condition to take her out anyway.”

  “What? Why the change of heart? Has it gotten too dangerous being around her?” She grins, moving her eyebrows up and down playfully.

  “Yeah, right.”

  “Then why?”

  “Well, for one thing, she should have already realized by now that I love her. If she wants me, she knows where to find me.”

  “And the other reason?”

  “I think I overdid the wooing thing to the point of suffocating her. She needs some space to breathe and let it sink in, I guess.” I hope I’ll stick to my promise, but a part of me is flashing me a devilish smile, and I know how easily that part can take control over me when I’m around Taylor.

  Oh, Taylor. You always bring out the bad in me.

  CHAPTER 5 - TAYLOR

  Adam’s sister, Adriana, comes out almost an hour after her plane lands. Wondering what has kept her so long, I wave at her when she appears at the arrival gate. She hasn’t changed much since the one and only time I saw her at my wedding reception. Only extra pounds around her belly, which should be understandable for a woman with three kids.

  With the earbuds of her phone at her ear, she shakes my hand and briefly asks me how I am before she heads out toward the exit. Her expressionless face showcases how little she cares about my answer. Does she think of me as her private chauffeur, or something? I work on keeping my steps close to her for the possibility that she may want to focus her attention on me, rather than her phone.

  “Don’t forget the basketball training of the girls at four… Yeah, the dinner is in the freezer… No, the lasagna is for tomorrow. Chicken curry soup is for today… Please just follow the order I wrote down on the fridge. They like their soup after the training…Yes… I said yes. Just heat up the oven before you put the food inside. We’ve talked about this… Okay, I gotta go now. I have a dinner to organize.” She finally presses the end button, but still keeps on occupying herself with the phone rather than initiating small talk with me. Once inside the car, I peek at the screen of her phone and see pictures of iceberg lettuce, olive oil, and cucumber. Is she doing online shopping?

  “We can pull up by the Whole Foods if you want,” I ask her and turn the key in the ignition.

  “No, thanks. I’ve come here to see my brother, not to shop.”

  There goes my friendly offer and only attempt to talk to garbage. She keeps herself busy with shopping online, until we reach the parking lot of Adam’s apartment building. And, when we enter the elevators, her phone rings. From Adriana’s words, I assu
me the caller is from the online shopping store. “Five pounds black angus… Two whole chickens… Twelve lamb chops… No, ten pounds of Bintje potatoes… Yes… Yes… Oh, pecans too. What brand of olive oil do you have?”

  Is she planning to have a feast? She doesn’t want to lose time with shopping, but she will with cooking if she is planning to use all that food—enough to feed a small town.

  She continues talking while I unlock the door to Adam’s apartment. It wasn’t difficult to get a spare key to Adam’s apartment after the shooting. After I help Adriana place her suitcase by the door, she waves me her thank-you and strides to the kitchen. I glance at my watch, wondering when Adam and Bree will arrive and head toward the bathroom to wash my hands. The condo is large enough to feel lost inside. Just as I open the bathroom door, I hear giggles coming from the end of the corridor. Bree and Adam are supposed to arrive at least half an hour later, but from the sound of it, they’re already here. I step back and walk in the direction of the voices.

  “Wow, are you solid,” I hear Bree saying. Is she in the bedroom with Adam? What are they doing in there? I feel my body go stiff in shock, and my jaw clenches tightly.

  I stop a few feet away from the door and hold my breath to hear more of their conversation. I hear Adam’s murmurs, but it’s impossible to make out what he’s saying. All of a sudden, the door swings open, and Adam stands beside it, wearing a white shirt with buttons undone, revealing most of his torso, and a pajama bottom is hanging down from his hips.

  I’d be a liar if I say it’s not a sight to behold.

  I swallow a gulp and clasp my hands behind me to stifle the urge to run them over the bulging muscles of his chest and stomach. Maybe I should start considering a topless Friday at work just for him. That’d be the worst day, in terms of productivity for sure, given my eyes are still glued to his washboard abs.

  When I finally realize I’ve been sweeping him up and down for long enough to be defined as awkward, I force a casual smile at both of them. “Oh, you’re here. I thought you were still at the hospital and wondered what the noise was about.”

  “Oh, my God, Taylor, did we scare you?” Bree asks, her face growing serious.

  “No, no. Well, just a little.” I glance at Adam, only briefly though, or I’m sure I’ll blush deep red, thanks to the shameful finger-licking incident at the hospital that managed to become engraved on my memory. “So, Adam, how… how are you?” I step aside to let them pass, but mostly to escape Adam’s stare.

  “Much better.”

  “Don’t be a hero, Adam.” Bree nudges him with her elbow. What is going on with the two? Then she turns to me. “He was complaining about the pain in his chest when I was driving him home.”

  “That was because of the seat belts.” Adam shakes his head and strides away.

  “How are you feeling now? Does it still hurt?” I ask.

  He shakes his head to answer. “Where is Adriana?”

  “In the kitchen, organizing a feast,” I whisper guiltily, hoping Adriana doesn’t hear it.

  “There you are.” Adam spreads his arms wide open as he enters the kitchen. I stay at the doorway and study Adriana. She drops the phone on the counter top and throws herself into his arms.

  Careful! His scar is still tender, I want to say as she hugs Adam tightly, but I manage to keep it to myself.

  “Is it here?” Adriana pushes aside Adam’s shirt to view the bandage on his chest and scrunches up her face. “Oh, my God. My poor brother. How could they do this to you?” She hugs him again and turns her eyes to me. “You’re lucky that you got out of it without a scratch,” she says to me.

  Without a scratch? You, bitch!

  “Come on Adriana, don’t be mean.” Adam comes to my rescue. “The guy was full on kicking and hitting Taylor when I found them.”

  Bree clears her throat beside me and steps inside to introduce herself to Adriana. “I’m Bree, Taylor’s secretary. You two look so much alike. Are you twins?”

  “For God’s sake, no. I look nothing like this old fart,” Adam says.

  Adriana pinches him in the arm. “We’ve got just three years difference, and I’m an old fart. I’ve got three kids. What have you got?”

  “A bullet in my chest and a condo full of pretty ladies.” Adam flashes a beautiful smile, but I can see the smile doesn’t reach his eyes. Is he jealous of Adriana’s family?

  “You’re right about that. You’ll have another pretty lady coming for the dinner.” Adriana turns to us, well, to Bree actually. “I’m going to cook a special dinner for Adam’s release from the hospital. You’re both welcome.”

  Adam eyes me and Bree. For some strange reason, my stomach begins fluttering as his eyes rest on mine; as opposed to the usual nausea I feel when he stares at me. “Adriana is a professional cook. She caters important events in New York. You shouldn’t miss the chance to eat her food for free.” Then he looks back at Adriana. “Who else is coming?”

  “First, promise me you’ll not be mad at me.” Adriana holds Adam’s hands between hers.

  “Who is coming?”

  “Pat, but only because tonight is the only night she’s available. I want to see her now that I’m in L.A. It’s been months since she and I last met. Please tell me you’re not mad.”

  Pat? Adam’s ex? As much as I’d love to stay and witness how the two interact with each other after their sensational breakup, which occupied the tabloids for several months, and see how Adriana will manage cooking all that food, I suppose it’s better for me to leave Adam alone with Pat. For all I know, they will pick up where they left off, and get back together again. I only need to find an excuse for not joining the dinner.

  Adam runs his hand through his hair and breathes heavily in and out of his nostrils. I wish I knew what is going through in his mind. “Wait a minute.” He takes a step away from Adriana. “Does Pat know the dinner party is at my apartment? Did she actually agree on eating at the same table with me?”

  “Yes, of course she did. She doesn’t hold grudge against you, anymore,” Adriana answers and looks at Bree again. “I’m counting on you, girls. Don’t leave me as a third wheel with them.”

  “I’d love to meet Pat Carter.” Bree claps her hands and makes an enthusiastic jump on her feet.

  Adam tabs on his foot, shaking his head. “Why third wheel? It’s not gonna to be a date.”

  “Well, maybe not tonight’s dinner but the next one.” Adriana winks and claps her hands, following Bree.

  I’m sure I’ll feel uncomfortable being around Pat. She tried to be friends with me when she was still with Adam, and I always felt she and I clicked on a personal level. Maybe if we’d met in different circumstances we would have become good friends, but her breakup with Adam and then Jack’s death put a stop to our fragile relationship.

  Looking at Adam, I can see I’m not the only one uncomfortable at the prospect of meeting with Pat again. His expression turns suddenly serious and maybe even a little hostile. “You’re playing with fire, Adriana. I don’t want her getting hurt again. She and I are finished. No point in trying to rekindle something that’s long dead.”

  “You must still feel something for Pat, otherwise, why haven’t you dated another woman for such a long time?” Adriana asks.

  Did he really not date another woman? Or perhaps he just doesn’t talk about his conquests to his sister? Must be the latter. I wouldn’t want to share my private life with her either, given her nosiness, which I’m witnessing only a few minutes into their conversation.

  Adam let out a long breath full of frustration and glances at me before he turns to Adriana. “I don’t want to discuss it. You can invite whomever you want. I’ll be resting in my bedroom.”

  My time for flight. “Can I get a rain check? I… I’ve already other plans for tonight.”

  “Really?” Adam raises an eyebrow. Come on. Among all the people, he should be the one who should understand my reasons for not wanting to stay for the awkward dinner party.
r />   “Yeah, I’m running late, already.” I look down at my watch, as if to show them how terribly late I am.

  “Well, thanks for driving Adriana over here.” Adam moves toward me, his eyes drilling into mine. “I’ll walk you to the elevator.”

  After saying goodbye to Bree and Adriana, I follow Adam out. He stands very close to me as he presses the elevator button, his eyes holding my gaze. I’m wearing running shoes, so I’m barely reaching his shoulders.

  “I won’t be at work for some time.” He stares in my eyes, his face serious and sad at the same time, making me wonder whether his scar is hurting. “Will you come and visit me?”

  “Of course, I will. I’d like to call you, too, if you don’t mind.” Which is true. Although I don’t want to tell him that I feel a huge debt to him, so as not to upset him, and I feel like he is now my responsibility, as if I’m his guardian and he’s an orphan.

  A sexy orphan, though.

  His sweatpants are brushing my skirt; his musky scent mixed with some hospital chemicals fill my nose. The curls of his hair fall all over his forehead as he looks down at me, and I want to reach up and run my fingers through them to smooth them. How furiously my heart is beating at his close proximity doesn’t escape me. I can hardly ignore his beautiful face and the toned muscles and the smooth dark skin of his chest under his undone shirt. Even though I know he works out regularly, seeing him half naked brings some naughty thoughts to my mind, like spreading my hands all over his muscles, up and down on his chest and across the v-shape of his belly toward the waistband of his sweats.

  “Are you seriously asking me that? I’d die for your calls. Not really die, of course. But you know what I mean. Call me any time you want.” Cautiously, he lifts his hand and places it on my shoulder and, for some weird reason unknown to me, I don’t jerk away. He looks surprised by that fact, too.

  The elevator doesn’t look as though it’ll come anytime soon. The last time the elevator delayed nearly cost me my life and Adam’s. But, this time, I don’t mind the long wait. I could even stay longer if he licks my fingers again. I shudder at the thought of the pleasure his tongue gave me in that brief moment at the hospital.