Beautiful Sacrifice (The Maddox Brothers, #3)(34)

I nodded, and he reached his arm around me, pulling me gently against his side. I fit perfectly under his wing, his chest warm against my cheek. He rested his jaw on my hair, content.

Comfortable in the silence, comfortable with each other, we just breathed, existing from one moment to the next. The rain tapped against the window, making oceans of the streets and drenching the islands of cars passing by.

Taylor pressed his lips to my temple. My chest heaved, and I buried my chest into Taylor’s damp T-shirt. He held me close, letting me cry.

His arms were safe and strong, and even though there was no space between us, I needed him to be closer. I gripped his T-shirt in my fist and pulled him tighter against me. He obliged without hesitation. I cried quietly until I was exhausted, and then I took a deep breath. I waited for the embarrassment to set in, but it never came.

A soft knock on the door announced Phaedra and the mug of tea she had brought back for me. She also had Taylor’s cheesecake. “The boys took theirs to-go, too. They said to call whenever you’re ready.”

Taylor nodded, not relinquishing his grip on me.

Phaedra put the dishes on the table. “Falyn, drink your tea. It’ll help.” She nodded her head and crossed her arms over her middle. “It always helps me.”

I leaned forward and then returned to the security of Taylor’s arms, taking a sip. “Thank you. I’ll be back down in a little bit.”

“Don’t you dare. We’re slow. I’ve got it taken care of. Just take the rest of the day off. I’ll see you for dinner.”

“We’ll be down,” Taylor said.

Phaedra offered him a small smile of appreciation, the wrinkles around her mouth deepening. “All right then.”

She closed the door, and once again, Taylor and I were alone, wrapped in each other’s arms under the blue blanket.

“I wasn’t prepared for how good this feels,” Taylor said. “Every muscle in my body is relaxed.”

“Like you’ve never sat and held a girl before.”

He was quiet, so I looked up at him.

“You’re full of it,” I said.

“I don’t really …” He trailed off, shrugging. “It’s not my thing. But this is kind of awesome.”

“What is your thing?” I asked.

He shrugged again. “One-night stands, angry women, and fighting fires.”

“If you weren’t sitting here with your arms around me right now, I’d say that makes you kind of an *.”

He considered that. “I’m okay with that.”

“Why am I not surprised?”

He chuckled. “This surprises me. You surprise me.”

I smiled, feeling another tear slipping over my lips. I reached up and wiped it away.

“Here,” he said, offering his T-shirt.

He touched the cotton to my lips as I looked up at him.

“Why did you stay away?” I asked.

“Because of this. You make me feel weird.”

“Weird?” I asked.

“I don’t know how else to describe it. Any other girl, I could bag and not think twice about it. Not you. It’s kind of like that feeling you got as a kid, right before you did something you knew would get you an ass-whipping.”

“I have a hard time believing you’re that intimidated.”

“Me, too.” He paused. “Falyn?” He took a deep breath, as if saying my name was painful, and he rubbed his eyes. “Fuck, I thought I wanted to know, but now, I don’t think I do.”

“Ask me,” I said, readying myself to dodge the truth.

“Just tell me one thing.” He paused, unsure if he wanted the answer. “Does your connection with Eakins have to do with my brother?”

I sighed, relieved. “No. I just looked up the fire today.”

“So, you know about Travis.”

“No. I didn’t have time to get a good look, and you don’t have to tell me.”

Taylor rested his chin on my hair, his muscles relaxing again.

I was glad he couldn’t see the look on my face. Just because I wasn’t involved with the fire didn’t mean I didn’t have an agenda. “Taylor?” I said with the same hesitation he’d had in his voice.

“Ask me,” he said, repeating my earlier response.

“I do want to go to Eakins for a reason. I was hoping you’d take me there. I’ve been saving. I have enough for a plane ticket. I just need a place to stay.”

He took a deep breath and slowly blew it out. “I thought that might be where you were going with this.”

I winced. “It’s not what you think. I agree, it’s a coincidence. But I’m not trying to find out anything about your brother.”

“Then tell me.”

I chewed on my bottom lip. “What if I prove it to you—that it’s not about your brother? Will you consider it?”

Taylor shrugged, confused. “I guess so.”

I stood up, leaving him for my bedroom. I pulled the shoebox out of my closet and returned to the sofa, pulling out an envelope and shoving it at him. “The address on your license is on this street.”

He looked at the return address, frowning. “This is next door to my dad’s house. How do you know the Olliviers?”