Taste of Commitment (Whisky and Risky #2)

17. Taylor

Taylor

“Dinner is served!” Isla announces as Ryder and I carry out platters of shepherd’s pie potato skins. The aroma of the cooked vegetables and seasoned meat has had my mouth watering all afternoon.

I was on my way to a castle museum tour this morning when a loud crash sounded from the kitchen. I poked my head in to find an embarrassed Isla had dropped and shattered her coffee mug. After some light coercion, she agreed to let me help her prepare dinner with her this afternoon. In all honesty, I think I needed this afternoon more than she did. Being in the kitchen does something for me that I can’t explain. It’s like my own personal therapy session. It fills something in me, that I’ve never been able to feel anywhere else. That feeling started when I was younger and would spend time in the kitchen with Camila’s mom, Elena. Being in the kitchen with Isla today brought me right back there.

“You’ve outdone yourself, honey. This smells incredible.”

“Ay, thank you. But it was Taylor here who did all the work.” Her hand rests against my arm and she leans her head towards me. Her soft lavender scent fills my lungs and my chest feels heavy.

“Ahhh, you ladies are the dream team then.” James lifts his wine glass, nodding to me, and I fight through the odd sensation and smile.

“Sorry, I’m late.” A young woman enters the room, out of breath. “I got held up at the shop.”

“You’re just in time, sit.” Isla motions for her to take the empty seat to my left. She smiles at me, her short, sleek black bob swaying as she sits, waving and saying hello to everyone.

“Hi, I’m Sophie.”

“Taylor,” I say, extending my hand to her.

“Ooo, solid grip.”

I look across the table to Liv, whose eyes stay trained on her plate in front of her, and I can only guess that it has less to do with how excited she is about her meal and more about the man with dirty-blonde hair sitting next to her.

“Where’s Knox?” Sophie asks. I didn’t want to be the one to bring him up, but it’s not lost on me that out of everyone at the table tonight, the only person noticeably absent is the six-foot-four rugby player.

“I talked to him earlier,” Liam says, picking up his fork. “He said he had his first physical therapy session today. I figured he would be done by now, but maybe it ran late.”

“Or maybe he’s hitting on your girl.”

Laughter erupts around the table as Sophie lifts her glass to Liam, who glances at Oliva out of the corner of his eye. I uncomfortably shift around in my seat, avoiding the fire of jealousy that just sparked to life in my stomach.

The rest of dinner passes by with a few jabs between Sophie and Liam, many compliments on the food, and zero appearances from Knox .

I bring my plate into the kitchen where James stands at the sink, rolling up his sleeves.

“Taylor, you didn’t have to bring that in here.”

“It’s not a problem at all. I don’t mind helping.”

“You’ve helped enough today,” Isla says, taking my plate from me and handing it to her husband. “But as much as I enjoy your company darling, dishes are where I draw the line.”

Wrinkles form around her eyes and mouth when she smiles up to me. Every time she looks at me, I wonder if she sees the question in my eyes. How can she can look at me—someone she hardly knows—with so much affection and understanding? As if in answer, she dips her head slightly and even though her mouth doesn’t move, the squeeze she gives my hand says, I see you.

“What should I do with this?” Liv asks, lifting a covered plate.

“Leave that out. I’ll have someone bring it down to Knox.” Isla squeezes my hand once more before taking the plate from Liv.

“I can take it to him.” All three heads turn to me and I clear my throat. “I mean, since you won’t let me help with the dishes, at least let me do this,” I offer, holding my hands out.

“Thank you, my dear,” Isla says.

“Better you than me,” Liv says, handing me the plate as she exits the kitchen.

My knuckles tap against the green-painted wood of Knox’s front door three times.

No answer.

I almost turn to leave before remembering I’m not in the city anymore, and so I try the handle .

Success.

“Knox?” I call out from the cracked doorway. If his truck being packed out front didn’t indicate he was home, the stone fireplace crackling to my right would have been the tell. A dim light on the counter illuminates the kitchen and dining area and a soft glow beams from somewhere around the back corner. I should leave the plate on the counter and run my ass back up to the main house.

I don’t.

I set the plate down and creep around to the back door. I physically rear back when I spot a shirtless Knox, soaking in the hot tub built directly into his screened-in deck. Water drips from his dark hair, plopping down the ridges of his shoulders before rolling down his corded back.

He had his physical therapy today. He’s probably in pain and trying to relax and you’re Joe Goldberging him. Get a fucking grip.

“You gonna keep staring or are you gonna get in?” His booming voice startles me and I freeze.

“I wasn’t staring,” I lie.

“No?” He doesn’t look at me, but he sinks lower, dropping his head to the edge of the tub. “Just saving content for your spank bank then?”

“You wish.” I open my mouth to tell him about his food so I can leave but I bite my lip instead when he twists, looking over his shoulder at me.

“Get in, Nova.” His voice is like gravel and my feet move solely from the pull of his gaze alone. I stand on the other side of the hot tub and consider for the length of one breath if I’m really going to do this. His chin dips once and that’s all it takes before my hands are running along my bare legs, sliding my pants down .

“Tough day?” I grip the hem of my sweatshirt, debating one last time if this is a terrible idea.

It is. It definitely is, but his gaze dips between my thighs and I feel the weight of them, heavy and burning as if he is already touching me there.

“Better now.”

My breath accelerates as I lift the sweater over my head and lower myself into the searing water. The night air is cold, a direct contrast to both the water and the warmth pooling between the apex of my thighs. My white T-shirt clings to my body like a second layer of skin and through the steam, I almost miss the way his jaw flexes when his eyes land on my nipples. I need to splash some water on the tension building, and fast.

“True or false?” I say, and his eyebrow quirks up. “You sing in the shower.”

“False.”

“Interesting.” I dip lower into the water until I’m covered up to my chin.

“True or false?” he asks, still sitting firmly on the opposite side of the hot tub. “You snore.”

Rude. I was trying to let him get off easy, but now that I know he’s going to play dirty. “True.”

He smirks at that and rises to his feet. Water slides down ridge after ridge of defined muscle. My gaze trails along the dark hair that starts below his belly button and continues down past his black shorts that cling to the lowest parts of his hips.

“True or false. You’ve had a crush on a cartoon character.”

“True.”

My mouth parts, and I spit out the water that seeped in. “Who? ”

“I don’t think that’s how the game works,” he says, shaking his head.

I bring my attention back to his face, and his lips are turned upward because I’ve been caught staring.

“True or false? You’ve thought about me.” He wades through the space between us, and I narrow my eyes at him. I’m a lot of things, but I’m not a liar. He hovers above me and I tilt my head up to look at him rather than his thick adonis belt a mere inch from my face.

“True.” The way his lip quirks up makes me both hot and annoyed. “True or false? This is where you bring all the Stoney Meadow girls for a hookup.”

“False.” His substantial arms find the rim of the tub, resting on either side of me. “No one other than me—” He dips his head down to me. “And now you—have ever been out here.”

Between the pressure from the jet blowing into my back behind me and the heat from his eyes, I could combust at any moment.

“True or false?” He lowers his body back into the water in front of me, and his large hand leaves the edge of the top and drops to my thigh.“You didn’t wear a bra because you know it drives me crazy.”

“False.” I wrap both of my legs around his waist. “I didn’t wear a bra because I don’t like them, driving you crazy just happens to be a nice benefit.”

A deep groan rumbles from the back of his throat as he pulls my body flush to his.

I reach for his gold chain but at the last minute, my middle finger trails over the thick red scar that stretches from his clavicle down his shoulder. “True or false? You want?—”

“True.”

“You don’t even know what I was going to say.” My arms wrap around his broad shoulders, one of his roping around my lower back.

“If it has to do with you, I don’t need to know. The answer is true. Yes. Every time.” Aching pleasure floods my entire body, and I arch my breasts into him further. My nipples rub against his chest and my hips grind along the slabs of muscles down his stomach. My heavy breathing mixes with the steam from the tub, and his eyes are dark on me.

“I still think this is a bad idea,” I manage to whisper.

“Why?”

“Because I’m leaving.” The words coming out of my mouth completely negate the way my fingers dig into the hair at the back of his neck and the way my hips involuntarily rock back and forth on him. “Maybe we should make some rules.”

“I’m not big on rules.”

“Honestly, me neither, but it might help.” I pause my movements enough to think.

“Alright then, love. What are your rules?” He dips his head, running his nose along my jawline and down my neck.

“What if we promise not to fall for each other? No feelings and we remain friends.”

“I’m not going to promise that.” My heartbeat thrums against my ribcage.

“Why not?”

“Because I can already tell how easy it would be to fall for you.”

My eyelids grow heavy and my chest heats as the warmth of his lips presses into my skin.

“And besides,” he murmurs against my neck. “There’s nothing friendly about the way I want to fuck you.”

The beat of my heart could probably be heard all the way back up at the main house. My thoughts race a mile a minute as I stare into his eyes, frozen. I didn’t think getting into this hot tub with him half-naked would lead to a game of checkers. I knew what I was doing, but my body is begging me to do one thing, and yet my mind is pleading with me to pause.

The idea of catching feelings for someone, or getting attached to them, has never crossed my mind. I’ve always just assumed it was because I knew better. I wanted nothing to do with it. I never thought twice about it. But looking at the man in front of me, my heartbeat tells me it might not have anything to do with how well I’ve combated these feelings before and everything to do with it not being the right person.

I watch my fingers trail along the long red strip running down his tan shoulder. I feel his eyes still on me. My tongue wets my bottom lip, and I pull the corner of it between my teeth, my gaze flicking up to his eyes. My breath stalls in my chest at the hunger in his eyes. This might be a mistake later, but right now…

A slow smile spreads across my face and I shrug.

“Fuck it.”

The second the words leave my mouth, his large hands thrust into my hair, and his lips come crashing down onto mine. His mouth parts open, and mine follows. The heat from his tongue is warm, but the heat in my core is a burning fire. There’s nothing gentle about his kiss. It’s full of need as if he’s been starved for this. He tugs lightly at the back of my head, and the gentle sting tingles all the way down to that weight that sits unbearably between my legs now. I shift slightly, looking for any bit of friction I can get. Soft tendrils of his hair slide through my fingers and we pull apart, our breathing shallow. His mouth descends along my jaw, past my ear, and down my neck. Pleasure floods through my entire body. My limbs are heavy even though I’m near floating .

His erection lifts under me, and a moan escapes me as I continue to shamelessly grind myself against the ridges of his stomach. I lower myself just enough so that the head of his cock sits right at my most sensitive spot, and I bear down, rubbing my clit over him.

“I bet you could get yourself off just like this, couldn’t you?” Yes. Beads of sweat pool at the nape of my neck, and my whimpering moans grow louder as I feel my orgasm building. “Show me, Nova. Show me how you make yourself cum.”

His lips settle on mine again, and my stomach dips when he pulls my bottom lip into his, giving it a light suck before nipping it. My hips buck harder in response, and I feel his smile beneath my lips.

“You like that, Nova?”

Fingers tangle in my hair again, and he tugs my head back, exposing my neck. His wet mouth sucks at the most sensitive part, and that’s all it takes. My thighs shake around his thick body, and my lungs struggle to take in any air as waves of pleasure begin rolling through me.

I haven’t yet caught my breath when his hands wrap around my waist and lift me out of the water. The backs of my thighs hit the heated wood as warm water drips down my body.

“Fuck,” he moans, eyes glued to my nipples that are so hard they might very well cut right through my shirt. The sight of him standing before me, possessively gripping the tops of my thighs, is too much. I run my fingers through the longer strands of wet hair on the top of his head, giving it a little tug, and his eyelids dip briefly.

“Knox—”

He releases his grip on my legs only to trail his knuckles up my thighs, leaving my skin to pebble beneath his touch. The backs of his fingers drag across my hips, and down my pussy stopping right at the top of my slit.

My head tips back, and my eyes close as a small moan escapes my lips. The wide pad of his thumb moves with a feather-light touch across my overly sensitive clit. Instinctively, my back arches forward, and without missing a beat, his warm, wet mouth is wrapped tightly around my nipple. Through the cotton of my shirt, he sucks, flicks, and moans against me. I’m lightheaded as I press further into him and when he drops his hand from between my legs I nearly cry from the loss. His fingers dip between my hips and the fabric resting against them.

“Lift.” His jaw is set tight, and his eyes follow when my lips part. I rest my hands on the wood floor behind me, propping myself up, and he makes quick work of sliding the black cotton underwear down my legs, discarding them over his shoulder.

I drag my hand down his chiseled chest to the top of his swim trunks and pinch the drawstring between my fingers. His hand covers my wrist, stopping me. “Not yet, Nova.” I pull back and try to close my legs, but his massive size between me doesn’t allow it. Flutters erupt in my stomach when he lowers himself back into the water, eyes never leaving mine. “I’ve watched you cum, now I want to taste you.”

His mouth descends on me, pulling my clit into his mouth, and I can’t tell which stars are real and which ones are the ones he’s making me see.

“Oh, fuck, Knox!” The cool night air around us fades away, and I drop back on my elbows, squeezing my eyes shut, and whimpering as his tongue runs circles around me. His answering moan vibrates against me like he can’t get enough and when his fingers dig into my hips, pulling me tighter to his face, I know he can’t.

“Fucking hell, Taylor,” he murmurs against me. His index and middle finger run down my slit, splitting my lips for him, and the exposure, the anticipation, and the throbbing pressure is all too much. He runs a flat tongue straight up my center, and my body squirms under him. His forearm wraps across my waist, the weight of his hand splaying across my stomach. My eyes open wide when he pulls my clit into his mouth, once again sucking with just the right amount of pressure.

“Oh my god.” I’m starting to get dizzy. My core hollows and flexes, and I gasp for air. My fingers tangle in his hair when I can’t take it anymore and I cry out, “Knox, I can’t.”

“You have the sweetest little pussy.” His tongue rolls over licking and lapping me up. “Cum in my mouth, Taylor.” Lick, nip. “Now.” Suck, lick. “Fuck, I could cum just from the taste of you.” His lips hold tight around me, but his tongue moves over my swollen, throbbing clit in a perfect figure eight.

Only now when I drag my eyes down to him do I notice his corded shoulder muscles and the way his biceps are flexing. The water moves in silent waves beneath his arm and holy shit. The idea of him getting off from going down on me brings me all the way to the edge. My core and legs squeeze tightly, as the pressure shoots out, sending an overwhelming tingling sensation from the root of my hair to the tips of my toes and when a deep grunt pulls from him, vibrating through me—I soar over the ledge. White hot light coats my vision, and the moan that escapes me isn’t sweet or light.

My back rises and falls displacing the water that has spilled over around me. My body feels immovable and unbearably heavy as I lift to my elbows. Knox stands to his full height still between my legs. His hands cup the backs of my arms, and he helps pull me up the rest of the way before dropping his forehead on mine. Our heavy breathing mixes with the sweet smell of arousal, the steamy salty air, and Knox. My lungs expand as I pull in the deepest breath I can manage.

“Glad you finally decided to come by, love.”

I smile, shaking my head against him. “Just so you know, this was not my plan.”

“Me either.” He nips my bottom lip. “It was so much better.”

Knox towers over where I lean against the door to my room. His wet hair slicked back under the hat he threw on before driving me back up here. “You didn’t have to walk me all the way to my door.”

“Yeah, I did.”

My post-sex rituals usually consist of a high-five, and a ‘see ya around,’ but not only do I not think that will fly with Knox, I can’t even bring myself to want to be so casual about it.

“Right well, thanks for the sweatshirt,” I say, twisting the oversized sleeves around my hands. “I’d say I’ll get it back to you tomorrow but that’s probably a lie.”

A smile tugs across his lips, and then they press into my forehead. My heart skips a beat as I lean into him slightly.

His deep voice rumbles against my skin when he says, “Keep it, I’ve got your underwear.”