Dylan and Taylor (Soul Mates 101 Series) (22 page)

“This was all my idea. Dylan doesn’t know about it yet. I’m going to surprise him tomorrow. I’ve already found a place and put a deposit down, but I wanted to talk to you about it before I sign the lease.”

“You have to come over here a few times a week and visit. I missed you so much while you were in New York,” Mom says.

“I promise I will. Thanks for supporting me. I don’t know how I’d spend a night away from him.”

Dylan

Taylor and I are playing guitar on my bed. It’s Friday night, and we’re back to sleeping at my place. She bugged the shit out of me the whole first week we were home to play for her. I finally did, and I have to say I’ve found my biggest fan. I didn’t think we could get any closer when we returned from the cabin, but we have.

“It’s not fair that my dad’s a rock legend and you play better than me.” I’m getting that pouty, sexy look from her.

“I know, and it’s fantastic.”

She leans over the bed and swats me. “Dylan, that’s mean.”

“That’s going to be your punishment for not telling me I was meeting Vincent. I’m going to remind you quite frequently that I play better, but for now, I’ll serenade you since I’m an awesome boyfriend like that. I mean, I don’t need you mad at me when I’ve gotcha in my bed.”

“You big flirt.”

I give her my killer grin. “You love it.” I play ‘Sunshine’ by Jonathan Tyler and the Northern Lights for her. When I’m finished, she takes both our Fenders and puts them on the floor before she crawls up the bed to me. We keep saying we’re going to write a song together, but we can’t keep our hands off each other long enough to accomplish it.

Sliding my tongue between her rosy lips, I roll over onto her and sweep her mouth until I meet her warm tongue. Our fingers slowly trail through each other’s hair, but all I can think about is her sinful, tight body under me. She’s sweet like sugar all over, and I always want a taste. I move down her body, lifting her shirt, and she squirms as my tongue plays along every inch of her smooth stomach.

“You were made for me, Taylor. From that pretty hair down to those black painted toenails that drive me wild. This perfect body was made for me to pleasure. You got that, sweetheart?”

“Always,” she says as her fingers grip my hair.

I unzip her jeans and look up at her. “It’ll only ever be for me.”

Taylor

It’s Saturday morning, and I’m at Dylan’s. Since my parents are back home, I spent the night here. I can hardly keep the apartment a secret. If he’s ready to move in with me he can, but if not, at least he can stay with me at night.

I’m going to sign the lease this afternoon and surprise him by taking him there tonight after he goes out with his friends. I’m on the couch waiting for Dylan to get out of the shower when Cody comes into the family room.

“Dylan’s playing at the Mystic Playground tonight. He doesn’t want you to know, but I know you want your dad to hear him sing. Austin and I think he’ll get over it, but Matt thinks he’ll flip.”

“Thanks, Cody. He’ll be aggravated at first, but I believe he’ll be OK with it once he knows how great my dad thinks he plays, and I have no doubt Vince will love him.”

Cody fidgets with his ball cap. “He’s never going to do it on his own, so that’s why I’m telling you.”

Dylan told me he was going to be with his friends tonight. He didn’t lie since they’re all going, but he still kept something from me. I wish he felt he could tell me since we’ve been playing guitar together. The fact he didn’t shows he’s not any closer to letting my dad hear him, and he’ll never believe he’s good enough until someone like Vincent tells him so.

I go home at noon to speak with my dad. He agrees to go, and as soon as I tell the girls, they all insist on going, too. I can’t wait to surprise Dylan with the apartment. I finally feel whole. He filled the void in my life and healed my broken heart, so I want to make his dreams come true, and tonight is the first step.

Hannah

Brett and I meet the rest of our friends at the Mystic Playground to watch Dylan perform. We don’t arrive until we know he’s on stage. Brett has me nervous. He thinks Dylan is going to be upset with Taylor for planning this, especially when he finds out Vincent came to listen.

I hope not. Aside from the tension between Matt and Morgan, everyone in our circle is getting along. Morgan is sitting next to me, looking gorgeous as ever, and I can’t help but eavesdrop on her conversation with Matt when the band’s between songs.

“I don’t know,” she says.

I see Matt pick up her hand. “I’ll do better, OK?”

“You said that when we left the cabin, and that was weeks ago. You’ve only called me three times, and it was to come over and have sex. You never take me out. I can’t do it anymore.”

“Morgan, please. I … I’ve missed you.”

“You have?”

“Yes, a lot. Stay with me tonight. I’ll take you to dinner this week. I’ll do better.”

I missed part of their conversation from the noise, but Morgan appears pleased. I swear he better not hurt her. I’m nice, but I’ll get out the claws if he continues jerking her around. Maybe he finally realized that Morgan isn’t going to bow at his feet any longer.

Taylor walks up to our table with Vincent. The guys stare with gaping mouths. He’s wearing a hat and sunglasses. I’m sure it’s to help disguise his appearance as much as possible. The guys are star struck, and it’s humorous seeing them look so nervous around another male.

We’re all in awe as we listen to Dylan play. I’ve been around musicians long enough to know how talented he is. He really captures the audience’s attention when he does a couple of solos. When the show’s over, Vincent speaks.

“You’re right, Taylor. He has a gift. I need to get him in a studio, so I can hear him without the other shitty sounds.” Several people recognize Vincent as the crowd clears out. Suddenly there’s a lot of commotion as people stop to talk to him and get autographs. “Darlin’, I have to get out of here. Tell Dylan I’ll be in touch with him real soon.”

“OK, Dad. I’m so excited.” It’s sweet watching how much she gushes over Dylan. Vincent leaves, and after most of the place has cleared out, Dylan starts walking toward us. I see the expression on his face, and it’s not a happy one.

“I warned you. He’s going to lose it,” Matt says.

Wow. I’ve never seen Dylan look this angry. Brett was right. This is going to be ugly.

Dylan

I finish up my set and pack up my guitar. What I see when I spot my friends fills me with fury. They told the girls, and every one of them are here. “Which one of you told her?” I point to the guys, glancing at each of them.

“I told her. I thought you’d be glad after you found out Vincent was here,” Cody says.

Rage rushes through me. How could they not warn me ahead of time that the girls and Vincent were going to be here, so I could’ve been better prepared? “You all need to leave, and you need to take Taylor with you.” I haven’t even looked at her. I can’t. She obviously has no regard for my feelings. Feelings I’ve expressed to her repeatedly.

“We need to quit trying to go to fucking bars together. It’s a fail every time,” Brett says pissed.

Taylor’s swiftly in front of me. “Sweetie, I’m really sorry, and it’s all my fault. Don’t get mad at your friends. I made them tell me.”

I fight tears from filling my eyes. I can’t trust her, and that’s a deal breaker. “We’re finished, Taylor.”

“What? NO! You don’t mean that. You’re angry, but I know you don’t mean that.” She’s looking at me, her eyes filled with panic. I quickly walk to the exit. She’s right on my tail and sobbing by the time we get outside. I can’t stand to hear her cry.

“Dylan, please stop and talk to me. I know you don’t mean what you said. I’m sorry.”

I turn around as anger and disappointment ooze and fester at the surface. I told her I wouldn’t yell at her anymore, so I speak slowly and calmly. “I covered this with you several times, and you still went behind my back. I was kind and respectful to you when I asked you to give me space about pursuing music, even telling you I’d consider it.

“I forgave you quickly when you had me meet your dad with no warning. I spent so many months trying to earn your trust that I missed the part where I can’t trust you.”

I get into my truck and hear her screams the entire time I’m peeling out of the parking lot.

My heart’s being ripped from my chest, witnessing her hysteria, knowing how bad I’m hurting her, but I’m too furious to put her feelings first. I may be a happy, fun guy with a big heart, but honesty is a quality you have to have to be in my life. Taylor and every one of my friends have betrayed me.

Hannah

Taylor drops to the ground. It’s almost February, and she’s sitting on the cold pavement with no coat on, her fists clenched next to her as she screams at the top of her lungs. Chelsea and I try to get her up, but she won’t budge. Brett and Austin pick her up and put her in my Land Rover. The guys look in shock as they witness something I’m certain they’ve never seen in their lives.

Taylor kept herself protected for years by putting a wall up from more hurt and rejection after what she received from her parents and Sam. She finally let it down with Dylan, so the fact he’s walking away is causing all that pent up pain to pour out of her. Chelsea gets in the vehicle with us. “She can stay at my house tonight. She can’t be alone.”

I look to the back seat. “Breathe, Taylor. You’re going to end up at the hospital if you don’t breathe.”

“God, Taylor, stop crying. Dylan loves you like crazy. He’ll forgive you, but you have to give him time,” Brett says, sounding pissed.

“I—I have to go—” Sobs. “—talk to him,” she pleads.

Brett shifts his body while driving and points in the back seat. “No, don’t let her do that tonight. She’ll only make things worse. I’ve never seen Dylan this angry, and he’s not going to get over it in an hour.”

This is a nightmare. If Dylan doesn’t forgive her, then Taylor will shut herself off from the world for good.

Dylan

Taylor has turned my world upside down, and I’ve tried to deal with the changes, but my limit’s been reached. I don’t know how I’ll ever let her go, but I can’t be with someone who’s going to drop bombs on me every day. She has little patience and is used to always getting her way. As much as I love her, I don’t know if I can deal with how spoiled she is.

The house is empty when I get there. My friends know better than to come home for a while. Needing to get out of town, I pack a bag and leave a note for them. Taylor’s pleas will be hard to resist, and I need to be around people I can trust, so I get into my truck and start the two hour drive.

Taylor

I spend the entire night awake, crying and texting Dylan. The pain I feel inside is like no other I’ve ever felt before. Half of me has been torn away. I feel as if I’m bleeding out, left listless, languished … loveless.

Chelsea’s phone buzzes with a text early in the morning, and she looks at me with an even more worried expression than the one she’s been giving me all night.

“Taylor, please don’t freak out even more, but Dylan left town.”

I bawl, and my eyes sting from all the salty tears I’ve shed. I can barely open them from the swelling.

She rubs my back. “I have to call Hannah. I’m sorry, but I’m exhausted. I’ll have her take you back to her house.”

“If he can leave me here when we haven’t slept apart, then he isn’t going to forgive me.”

“He will, Taylor. He needs what’s familiar right now. He’s had a lot of changes in his life in the last month. Austin said Dylan’s parents still live in the house they were in when he was born. He probably needs to be around something that he feels doesn’t change.”

“I didn’t mean to hurt him. I thought I was helping. I rented an apartment and was going to tell Dylan last night. We haven’t slept apart, so I wanted him to be able to stay with me whenever he wanted. Please don’t tell him. I’m afraid I’ll scare him off more.”

“Everyone knows you had good intentions, but you’re going to have to be up front with him from now on. When you get to Hannah’s, you need to get some sleep.”

“That won’t be possible without Dylan.”

Creature
Comforts

Dylan

I’ve been sitting in front of my parents’ home most of the night. I didn’t want to wake them early on a Sunday. I haven’t slept and have been going insane from having so many hours to think about Taylor and what’s happened since I met her.

My phone has went off at least every fifteen minutes. She has text me countless pleas for forgiveness, and every last one of my friends, including the girls have text an apology. I know they care and are genuinely sorry, but I can’t go back right now.

I finally turn my phone off. My heart hurts from the pain she’s in, and I hate that she hasn’t slept. I know how sorry she is, but that’s not the issue. It’s whether I can trust her, and I don’t think I can. I knock on the door at eight o’clock.

“Dylan, are you OK? What are you doing home?” my mom asks anxiously. She’s in her robe.

Tears escape, and I’m grateful to see my dad isn’t up to witness it. “Mom, I can’t talk about it right now, but I’ll be fine. I just need to be home for a few days.”

“Are you in some kind of trouble?”

“No, Mom. I fell in love. I have to talk to Nate.”

I can’t believe I shared that with my mom. I go to wake up my younger brother. He just turned eighteen and will be a freshman at Vanderbilt next year. Nate’s really mature for his age, and we’ve always had a close relationship.

I normally tell him everything, but I haven’t had a chance to tell my family about Taylor since I’ve been with her almost every free minute. I never thought I’d be asking my brother for advice at his age, but all my friends are too close to Taylor. I need to talk to someone who’s looking in from the outside.

Nate

“Nate, get up.”

I open my eyes when I hear Dylan speaking to me. I’m on my stomach when I lift my head and see him. It registers in my brain that he shouldn’t be here, so I quickly sit up. “Why are you here?”