Tempting Taylor (14 page)
Authors: Beverly Havlir
Cooper sat on the couch with his eyes closed, cradling a
glass of scotch in his hand. He was having a hell of a time sitting here,
trying to calm down, when all he wanted to do was take Taylor to bed and fuck
her until all thoughts of leaving were gone from her mind.
He knew he’d been hard on her but he didn’t know of any
other way to deal with the matter. When he’d found out that their pictures were
all over the internet, he knew he had to deal with the problem head on. The
best defense was to go on the offensive. Tackling the issue was the only way to
go. No messing around. No skirting around the issue. Now he wasn’t so sure his
strategy had worked.
It was a fucking cosmic joke that he wanted to be with a
woman who wasn’t enamored of the supposed glamour of his life, who wasn’t
attracted to his money, who wasn’t with him to get her face and her name out
there in the papers. Instead Taylor had been singularly determined to keep
their arrangement a secret. She’d turned down his dinner invitations so many
times he’d finally stopped asking. It was galling at first, but he’d adjusted.
He’d known he’d have to be patient. But their photographs taken at the gallery
had forced his hand. The time had come to confront Taylor and this silly
friends-with-benefits situation he’d initially agreed to. Things had evolved.
He was ready for it. But was she?
The door opened and shut quietly. He found Taylor in front
of him, looking unsure. His heart skipped a beat as he waited for her to speak.
She bit her lip and took a deep breath. “I think we just had
our first fight.”
Long seconds passed before he spoke. “Fighting implies we
have a relationship, that we’re more than just fuck buddies. According to you,
we’re simply that.”
Taylor flinched at the crude words he used to describe them.
“I deserve that, I suppose.” She shoved her hands in the back pockets of her
jeans, which thrust her succulent breasts into prominence. Her eyes were soft
and luminous. “I overreacted.”
He forced himself to look away in an effort not to be
distracted.
The urge to haul her in his arms was overwhelming but he
resisted. They needed to hash this out and hopefully start over with a clean
slate. The fact that she was still here was very encouraging.
“I apologize.” When he didn’t answer, she bit her lip and
looked crushed. “Maybe we can talk later.” She turned to leave.
“Taylor.”
She paused with her hand on the knob.
Cooper went to her. He couldn’t let her go. There was too
much at stake. “Do you want to be with me?”
Her beautiful eyes shimmered with unshed tears.
“Being with me means you have to endure the media attention.
Good and bad.” He had to force this out into the open. It was now or never. “I
don’t seek it. I don’t want it. It’s just there. I do believe that they will
tire of me as soon as the next media sensation comes along.”
There was nothing more in this world that he wanted to do
than touch her. But that would only provide a distraction they didn’t need.
“But I’m done hiding. I want everybody to know you’re mine.”
He held her gaze, willing her to see what he felt.
“I would never willingly seek public attention and I would never
ever let anybody hurt you.” Unable to stand the distance between them, he
enclosed her in his arms.
Taylor looked him directly in the eyes. “I love you.”
His heart swelled with emotion. “I love you.”
“I know what to expect,” she said softly. “Doesn’t mean I
have to like it.”
“I know. I wish it could be different.”
“Me too. But it’s not enough to drive me away,” she stated
firmly.
“Are you sure? It’s not going to be easy.”
“I’m sure. If that’s what it takes to be with you, then I’ll
have just to grin and bear it.”
Happiness bloomed in his chest. “They’ll tire of us soon
enough, when they see us as a boring couple. They’ll move on to the next juicy
scandal.”
“Promise?”
“Oh baby, you can bet on it.” Cooper kissed her, secure in
the knowledge that all was right in the world.
Summer decided to come early. Memorial Day was warm, the sun
shining high overhead. The Sinclairs’ backyard was dotted with tables and
chairs. The delicious smell of barbecuing meat wafted in the air. Emily McKay
waddled over to where Taylor sat, sitting with a heartfelt sigh.
“I feel as big as a house,” she complained. “Tay, I can’t
see my feet over my tummy.”
Taylor laughed. Emily was blooming and she knew it. In a
couple of months, she was going to give birth to her first child and Taylor
couldn’t wait. She’d gone through the pregnancy with Emily, nursing her through
her morning sickness at work, and had squealed with excitement at the sonogram
of her baby. “Devlin worships you and that’s all that’s important.”
Emily smiled with pleasure. “True. He’s awesome with foot
rubs. He won’t let me do a thing for myself. He wants me to just sit down all
the time and relax and,” she lowered her voice conspiratorially, “pregnancy has
made me more…”
“Horny?” Taylor supplied.
A flush covered Emily’s cheeks. “Yeah. Weird, huh?”
“Totally natural,” Taylor declared. “I don’t hear Devlin
complaining.”
“No, he isn’t.” She snapped up a sweet roll from a nearby
tray and munched on it. “He’s enjoying it way too much.”
Taylor glanced across the yard as Cooper stood with the
McKay and the Sinclair men. They had accepted him into the fold as if he were
one of their own. Taylor’s heart swelled with love. They’d been together for a
year and she had never been happier. These days, the media rarely covered Cooper,
only when he was attending a charity function or when it was about business.
Taylor had developed a tolerance for the occasional picture in a magazine or
newspaper. Other than that, their life was pretty quiet. He’d asked her to move
in with him and she had agreed.
“No regrets?” Emily asked.
Taylor smiled. “Not one.”
Devlin called everybody together as the meat finished
cooking. There was good-natured ribbing as the guys jostled one another to get
food. Soon all the chairs were taken up as everyone began to eat. Cooper
watched Taylor as she fixed plates for both of them and made her way across the
yard to him.
“Marry me, Taylor.” His words rang loud and clear across the
distance that separated them.
She stopped in her tracks. Conversation ceased as everyone
turned to stare at her. Emily elbowed Devlin, who had sputtered and choked on
his beer.
Her heart clenched with emotion. Incredible happiness
suffused her entire body and tears welled in her eyes. Her hands shook. “Yes.”
It was all she could say.
Cooper had a broad grin as he walked toward her. Somebody,
she didn’t know who, took the plates from her nerveless fingers and placed them
on a nearby table. She ran to him and jumped into his arms.
“Man, what is it with this family and marriage proposals?”
Alex groused.
Eric slapped him on the shoulder. “You’re probably next.”
Riley rolled his eyes. “Shit’s contagious.” He jerked his
head toward his younger brother Jake. “It could be you next time.”
Jake shook his head vehemently. “Hell no.”
“Shut up, you guys,” Emily admonished, eyes glistening with
tears.
“Oh great,” Devlin muttered. “Babe, please don’t cry.”
“It’s the hormones,” Emily sniffed. “I cry at everything
these days.”
Taylor hung on to Cooper, ignoring the comments flying
around her. “I love you.”
“I love you. Let’s get married. Soon.”
Happiness suffused her. “Yes, yes. Soon.” There was nothing
more in this world that she wanted than to become his wife.
A lifelong reader of romance, Beverly realized that
traditional romance books lacked extra "oomph" or spice, to make them
truly exciting reads. So, putting pen to paper, or in this case fingers to the
keyboard, she set about writing Romantica. Now she's completely hooked.
Juggling writing with a husband and two active kids, Beverly
always finds the time to bring her characters to life. A vivid imagination
helps, as well as being a true romantic at heart. Her characters inhabit her
head, talk to her and make their personalities known. She is more than happy to
let them take her where they lead.
Beverly welcomes comments from readers. You can find her
website and email addresses on her
author bio page
at
www.ellorascave.com
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Beverly
Havlir
Pleasure Seekers 1:
Contract to Pleasure
Pleasure
Seekers 2: License for Pleasure
Pleasure
Seekers 3: Pursuit of Pleasure
Pleasure
Planet
anthology
Ellora’s
Cave Publishing
Tempting Taylor
ISBN 9781419943836
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Tempting Taylor Copyright © 2013 Beverly Havlir
Edited by Elizabeth London
Cover design by Syneca
Cover photography by Lev Dolgachov and Africa
Studio/Shutterstock.com
Electronic book publication March 2013
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