Page 63 of Broken: Taylor

“You ever stay in a relationship too long?” Allison wanted to ask about Felicia, but it was too soon.

Taylor studied her for a moment and drank from his glass. After draining the contents, he poured another and refilled hers. “I need to tell you about Felicia and me.” He reached across the table and took her hand.

“She wasn’t just my partner.”

Allison held her breath for his declaration of being in love with Felicia.

“Felicia was my best friend. During our years as partners, we spent twelve hours together daily. Every day, day in and day out we sat in a squad car or walked our beat. We knew more about each other than anyone else, I figure.” He hesitated. By the pinched expression, he struggled to keep it together.

“Anyway,” he continued. “It was hard for both of us after the...shooting. Not only did we suddenly have to spend days and weeks apart, but also then I was medically retired. Now I see what happened, but back then it was so hard. We tried to reconnect the only way it seemed to work. We needed a reason to be together. So...”

Allison wanted to pull her hand away, while at the same time, she needed to hear what came next. “You became lovers,” she finished the sentence for him without meaning to.

Taylor nodded. “Yes. Both of us knew it wasn’t love. I mean not that kind of love. I am not sure why we did it. Sometimes it felt bad, like as if I was ruining things. We argued one day, just after you moved into town. We finally realized that what we were doing didn’t work. So, that is why Felicia came to town often and I went to Billings. We hung out and did things together so that we’d not miss seeing each other so much. I think being partners for so long meant we became co-dependent on one another. Anyway...I need you to understand. Felicia and I were trying to become best friends again.”

A tear trickled down Allison’s face as she realized how horrible it was going to be for Taylor for a long time. Not only had he lost his children, his father, his marriage, and now his best friend as well. Life had certainly given him a raw deal.

He didn’t say anything, but instead looked down to the table. “I hoped you’d understand.”

Obviously he mistook her tears for being angry with him. Allison covered his hand with her free one. “I am crying because I hate that you lost your best friend. I am so sorry Taylor. I can’t imagine my life without Leah or Tori.”

He swallowed with difficulty and attempted at a smile. “Good thing I’ve got you. Luke, Tobias and Eric too.”

“But she was closer to you than any of us. She was your other half in a way wasn’t she?”

“What about your mother? Leah told me you keep in touch with her.”

Taylor nodded. “I do...did. She’ll never get out of prison for killing my dad. Although I felt responsible in some way, it took Felicia’s death to make me realize I need to sever all ties with her. I called her one last time to tell her she wouldn’t be hearing from me any more.”

“How did she take it?”

He gave a one-shouldered shrug. “Frankly, I don’t really care. She ruined our family over money. She deserves what she gets.”

“Things will get better. I’m here for you. What do you want to do most? I will do what I can to help.”

Instead of a reply, he grinned and blew out a breath. “Let’s strip and try out the hot tub.”

“Are you serious? It’s freezing out there.”

“Let’s work on you becoming closer than anyone in my life.”

The words made her gasp. Before she could recover, Taylor pulled off his shirt and pushed his pants along with underwear off in one fell swoop. “Come on, catch up.”

The sight of the very nude well-built hunk walking away made her mouth water.

The jetsof the Jacuzzi did a poor job of covering her cries of passion. The combination of cold air hitting her body as she bent at the waist over the side of the tub with the heated water from her thighs down was as exciting as what Taylor did at the moment.

His right hand cupped her sex while he moved in and out of her from behind. His husky grunts in her ear were enough to make her wild.

“Damn you feel so good,” his deep words penetrated through the fog of delirium and Allison moaned.

The tempo of his fingers between her folds sent her into a frenzy as she cried out.

Moments later wrapped in blankets, they sat in front of the fireplace.

“I think I’m finally beginning to thaw out,” Allison said and picked up her cup of hot cocoa Taylor had made. “Not sure I want to try that again.”

His warm gaze met hers and he sighed. “Yeah, I think my ass was blue.”