Page 6 of Only for You: Tap and Taryn

“What are you going to do? I don’t think a ‘sorry’ is gonna cut it, old man.”

Tap was talking to himself. He’d argued himself into and out of the truck a dozen times since the sun rose.

“Yeah, she was keeping a secret, a pretty fucking big one, but I can understand where she was coming from.” He stared out the windshield, watching the wind play with a field of blue flowers. It swirled back and forth, making waves of bright color.

Tap exited the truck and walked over to where the blue flowers were. He took a picture of one and did a quick search online.

“Forget-Me-Nots.” It felt too perfect. “Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.”

He pulled his pocket knife out and made quick work of gathering stems into a bouquet.

Once he was satisfied with the girth of the stems in his hand, he headed back to the truck.

Lightning flashed, followed by a boom that shook the ground underneath his feet.

A moment later and the bottom dropped out of the clouds, drenching Tap before he could make it to the truck. “Dammit.”

Staring at himself in the rearview mirror, he laughed, the sound undulating and unsettling.

“What’s not to love, huh?”

Driving up to her house, he glanced down at the flowers, stems akilter, blossoms tangled into a mat of blue. “Forget-Me-Nots please work your magic.”

He was rain soaked, working hard to keep his ego in check.

When she answered the door, Taryn stared at him from eyes he saw were swollen from tears.

“I can’t stay away.”

“I don’t want you to stay away, Tap. I want you right here where you belong.”

“I’m sorry, Taryn. More than I can say. I trust you.

I should have trusted you.” Tap held out the bouquet, a little ragged from the downpour and trip.

“These are Forget-Me-Nots, and that’s something I want you to believe in.

I can’t forget you. Not through the years you were gone. I love you, honey.”

Taryn reached out and grabbed his wrist, pulling him into the house and into her arms. Tap wrapped her up and buried his face in her neck.

“I love you too, Tap. I’m sorry too. I should have told you what was happening. I won’t make that mistake again. I’m going to be an open book.” Her arms tightened around his shoulders. “I love you.”

Tap backed her into the house. Making an instant decision, he lifted her and made the short trip to the bedroom.

Clothes fell away in a blur of touching and kissing. Tap noted when she was bare and groaned. “I’m so fucking in love with you, Taryn.”

“Don’t leave again,” she begged.

“I won’t,” he promised, burying his cock deep, their cries echoing through the room. “You’re stuck with me, honey.”

***

The next day saw a test of their vows. Taryn called Tap at work, voice shaking. “He’s here again, Tap.”

“Hang up and call the police, Taryn.”

“I already did, they are on the way, but he’s been pounding on the backdoor for a while. What does he want from all this.”

He heard the fear in her voice. “What’s he saying? Same crazy claims?”

“It started with a phone call right after you left.”

Tap’s muscles tightened. He’s got surveillance on her. “Right after? That sounds like more than a coincidence. What did he say?”

Tap reached out and grabbed the arm of a fellow EMT. “Find out how far out the cops are from Taryn’s house. Her ex is there, trying to break in. She called them first.”

“Jesus, Tap. Go, we’ll cover your shift.”

That settled him, and he realized he’d been jangling his keys for a while. “Yeah, I’m on my way.” He spoke to Taryn, “Baby, I’m on my way. Fifteen minutes, max.”

He could hear Ricky in the background say something, and then silence. “Taryn? What’s going on?”

“He’s leaving. He’s in his car and is driving away. What does that mean, Tap?”

“Means he doesn’t want to get introduced to the local cops. Can you get a license plate? What kind of car?” Tap’s gut tightened even more. Ricky wasn’t one to just give up. This would be a strategic withdrawal, and meant they’d have to be even more on alert.

“Same car as yesterday.”

“Good, because I have the info the cops will need. Stay on the phone with me, Taryn. At least until they get there. I’m on my way.”

A week later Ricky showed up at Taryn’s work. Tap had already talked to her boss and coworkers, so they destroyed any chance the asshole had at getting to Taryn. Not physically. Mentally was another thing, though. Being on guard against another foray was grinding down both of them.

***

Tap pulled up in front of the local coffee shop. He was on a mission to get Taryn’s favorite drink, not caring that it was more flavors and whipped cream than it was coffee.

He looked to the side as he eased from the cab of his truck and paused in place. The car three down the row looked exactly like the one Ricky was driving. He turned and scanned the faces of folks inside the shop, holding his breath until he identified the man one back from the counter.

“Hey asshole.” Tap stepped to the side of the line, nodding at folks he knew.

“Mrs. Bennett, Mrs. Lahmeal, good to see you.” He stopped next to Ricky who was staring at him with an expression of disbelief.

“Asshole, why are you still in town? Taryn has been clear with her wishes, and she never wants to see your face again. I’m sure there are folks back in the slime you crawled out of who’d be happy when you returned. You need to go home, man.”

The coffee shop owner had left her station at the register, and she came up beside Tap. “This is the guy that’s harassing Taryn?”

“Yup. This is the guy.”

“Banned.” She pointed to Ricky. “You’re banned from this place of business, as is my right to do. I’m not going to serve you. I’ll make a couple of calls, and you’ll be kicked from the hotel, too.”

“Denise, you’re a good friend.” Tap glanced over at her and smiled.

A blow his high on his arm and Tap whirled to find Ricky with both paws up, as if this was a civilized boxing match.

“You do not want to do this.” Tap easily dodged the next punch. It was slow and telegraphed. “Seriously. Just stay away from Taryn. Not a hard ask.”

“Calling the cops.” Denise already had a phone up to her ear.

“No need,” Ricky said, but still danced back and forth, as if he were a bantam fighter facing an opponent.

“Lotsa need,” Tap said and reached out with one hand, grabbing both of Ricky’s hands and yanking the man through the door and into the parking lot.

Ricky struggled to regain control of his hands, but Tap hadn’t been lifting weights just to ensure he could be an asset at an accident.

He might not have known it, but this was the reason. “Bad guys lose, good guys win.”

A cop car slid to a stop next to them, red and blue lights bathing the storefronts along the street. “Let him go, Tap.”

“Come get him. I’m holding onto him for you.”

Minutes later Ricky was secured in the back of a patrol car, Tap and Denise had given their statements, and they were just waiting on an all clear.

The sound of a straining engine pulled Tap’s attention to the end of the street, where he saw Taryn’s little SUV halted at the periphery of the situation.

He lifted a hand to the cop and pointed at Taryn. “I’m going to be just over there.”

The cop nodded. “If he’s called her today, we’ll want to talk to her anyway. Get your girl, Tap.”

Taryn flew into his arms, shaking. Her first words explained why. She was furious. “You could have been hurt!”

“For you? Worth it.” Tap grinned and kissed her softly, aware of their audience. “I’d do it every day, and twice on Sundays.”

She smiled, but the tight lines in her face told him that her fear lingered. “What if he doesn’t stop?” she whispered.

“Then we fight. Together.”