image of her in the shower or tub or plain ole naked out of his mind, he refocused himself and went to get the whiskey. When Tommy reached the library, he heard Matt coming down the hall and turned to him.
“You need something?”
“Enh. I doubt you have what I need.” He chuckled pleased with himself.
Tommy had no idea what this guy’s connection to Taylor was, and that made him just a touch more irritable. Okay, he was a raging storm ready to destroy this man.
“How well do you know Taylor?”
Damn, it slipped out before he could catch it. In a time like this, the last thing he needed was his heart speaking before his brain could stop it.
“Why don’t you ask her?” When he realized Tommy’s hands were in fists he thought on what he had said, “She is your wife, after all.” His mouth split open into a shit eatin’ grin.
“You’ve been doin' good for her.” Tommy was making a statement, no question intended.
“She’s done it all herself. I’m proud of her and love her with all my heart.” Matt paused and made his own statement, “I would kill for her and want this whole fucking thing over before it started.”
Tommy’s knuckles were glowing white as he realized what he was doing; releasing his fists, he ran a hand through his hair to try and relax himself a bit. He really needed a cold shower after all the Taylor shit that had been thrown on him in such short notice. After years of wanting her back in his life, wanting to chase her down and drag her back by her hair, he couldn’t believe she was here but was so afraid to want it. It took Matt calling out Tommy’s name to bring him out of his own head.
Matt was trying to tell Tommy that he wasn’t some sleaze ball who was using or abusing Taylor and he could get on board with that. He didn’t have to like that this guy ‘loved’ his wife, but that could be dealt with later. Tommy nodded in understanding and opened the door to the library, headed for the whiskey.
Back to the bedroom in no time, he knocked first, listened for an answer then opened at the silence. Since she was still in the shower, he put the bottle down and called out. “Whiskey is on the nightstand with an ice bucket and glass.”
Nothing.
“Taylor?”
Pause.
Nothing again.
“Tay?” He raised his voice and hedged slowly around the bed.
When she didn’t respond again, he knocked on the bathroom door as a warning and opened it with maybe a little too much force. The room was billowing with steam and he heard the shower going. Walking over to the stand alone, luxury shower, the jets were shooting off three walls and from up above but Taylor was curled up in the corner, head down, knees to chest, shaking uncontrollably.
He grabbed a towel and smacked the controls off with urgency, reaching in to pull her out. She startled at his touch and about screamed until she saw his face, an inch from hers. His heart was racing and he pulled her close, wrapping the towel over her back, using it to keep her up against him. His innate instinct to protect her, shut all other senses and emotions off, pushing him through a mini adrenaline rush that kept him alive many a missions. After he ensured everything was alright, he would let himself drown in his feelings.
“It’s alright, I’m here Tay. I’m here baby, calm down. Breathe. Relax baby, you’re safe.”
He held her tight and kept on rubbing her back; he held her for what seemed like a lifetime but nowhere near long enough.
Pulling her back just far enough to see her face he asked, “Are you okay?”
His voice was thick with worry no matter how he tried to spin it.
“Y-Yes, I’m... I’m s-sorry. I j-just kind of l-lost it.” She stuttered and stammered with lips trembling still, clutching his shirt front.
She dropped her head to his chest and he cupped the back of her sopping wet hair.
“It’s perfectly understandable. I would be a little worried if this didn’t bother you to some degree.” He let out a
“You need something?”
“Enh. I doubt you have what I need.” He chuckled pleased with himself.
Tommy had no idea what this guy’s connection to Taylor was, and that made him just a touch more irritable. Okay, he was a raging storm ready to destroy this man.
“How well do you know Taylor?”
Damn, it slipped out before he could catch it. In a time like this, the last thing he needed was his heart speaking before his brain could stop it.
“Why don’t you ask her?” When he realized Tommy’s hands were in fists he thought on what he had said, “She is your wife, after all.” His mouth split open into a shit eatin’ grin.
“You’ve been doin' good for her.” Tommy was making a statement, no question intended.
“She’s done it all herself. I’m proud of her and love her with all my heart.” Matt paused and made his own statement, “I would kill for her and want this whole fucking thing over before it started.”
Tommy’s knuckles were glowing white as he realized what he was doing; releasing his fists, he ran a hand through his hair to try and relax himself a bit. He really needed a cold shower after all the Taylor shit that had been thrown on him in such short notice. After years of wanting her back in his life, wanting to chase her down and drag her back by her hair, he couldn’t believe she was here but was so afraid to want it. It took Matt calling out Tommy’s name to bring him out of his own head.
Matt was trying to tell Tommy that he wasn’t some sleaze ball who was using or abusing Taylor and he could get on board with that. He didn’t have to like that this guy ‘loved’ his wife, but that could be dealt with later. Tommy nodded in understanding and opened the door to the library, headed for the whiskey.
Back to the bedroom in no time, he knocked first, listened for an answer then opened at the silence. Since she was still in the shower, he put the bottle down and called out. “Whiskey is on the nightstand with an ice bucket and glass.”
Nothing.
“Taylor?”
Pause.
Nothing again.
“Tay?” He raised his voice and hedged slowly around the bed.
When she didn’t respond again, he knocked on the bathroom door as a warning and opened it with maybe a little too much force. The room was billowing with steam and he heard the shower going. Walking over to the stand alone, luxury shower, the jets were shooting off three walls and from up above but Taylor was curled up in the corner, head down, knees to chest, shaking uncontrollably.
He grabbed a towel and smacked the controls off with urgency, reaching in to pull her out. She startled at his touch and about screamed until she saw his face, an inch from hers. His heart was racing and he pulled her close, wrapping the towel over her back, using it to keep her up against him. His innate instinct to protect her, shut all other senses and emotions off, pushing him through a mini adrenaline rush that kept him alive many a missions. After he ensured everything was alright, he would let himself drown in his feelings.
“It’s alright, I’m here Tay. I’m here baby, calm down. Breathe. Relax baby, you’re safe.”
He held her tight and kept on rubbing her back; he held her for what seemed like a lifetime but nowhere near long enough.
Pulling her back just far enough to see her face he asked, “Are you okay?”
His voice was thick with worry no matter how he tried to spin it.
“Y-Yes, I’m... I’m s-sorry. I j-just kind of l-lost it.” She stuttered and stammered with lips trembling still, clutching his shirt front.
She dropped her head to his chest and he cupped the back of her sopping wet hair.
“It’s perfectly understandable. I would be a little worried if this didn’t bother you to some degree.” He let out a
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