Page 33
Story: Taylor (Glendale Magic #3)
32
Alice
F rom the moment Alice saw him standing on her porch to this moment, with her topless and grinding on his lap, Alice wasn’t sure if she was sleeping or awake. She’d spent most of her time wondering the same thing.
When they’d gotten back from the cabin, he’d let her doubt his feelings, but over this road trip she didn’t doubt them at all. She’d gotten the morning text and random texts throughout the day and always a good night phone call. Some were conversations where they learned more about each other, others quick moments just to express they’d missed each other. But all of it made her feel important, like he wanted her.
The feeling of being wanted was filled her as he devoured her on the couch. His mouth had only left her body to take off her hoody since he’d picked her up, which is something she would need to fully digest later. Her brain couldn’t focus on anything besides his mouth on her nipple, his hand gripping her ass and his hard cock grinding into her heat. She needed to lose these sleep shorts and feel him buried deep inside of her.
Yes, she needed that, and he seemed to sense it. But he was still fully dressed, and she pulled at his shirt. Before she knew it, they were naked, all over each other, on her couch.
“Alice,” he grunted, “I promise I’ll take my time with you later, but right now, I just want to be inside of you.”
“Yes,” she panted.
He reached down for his discarded pants on the floor and pulled a condom out of his wallet. She took it from him, ripped it open, and rolled it down his length.
“Do you want to be on top?” he asked through gritted teeth.
“Yes.”
Then she was back on top of him, and he positioned his cock at her entrance. She slid down, taking him in fully. They gasped as their foreheads fell together. He squeezed his eyes shut, and he gripped her hips almost painfully, guiding her up and down.
“Fuck, Alice, you’re doing so good, baby,” he said, bucking his hips. “You’re going to make me come too fast. You’re perfect.”
Those words did nothing but spur her on. This was her first time on top, and while it did take her a minute to find her rhythm, Taylor seemed to like it. Maybe she should focus on her own release but the idea that he wanted her so much he could barely control himself was enough to make her not care about it. She was lost in the power of driving this incredible man crazy.
But then his fingers found her clit and moved in small incessant circles.
“Fuck,” she hissed as she continued to work him with her hips.
“I need you to come all over my cock. Can you do that? Can you come with me, baby?”
“Yeah,” she panted. Once he touched her clit, it was like the slow coil building deep inside of her felt like it would snap and flood her with pleasure. “Keep doing that.”
When he did, he added more pressure, and she broke. She tried to keep riding him, but her rhythm grew sloppy as the pleasure rolled through her. He took over, gripping her hips and bucking into her. After three hard thrusts, his punishing grip held her hips to him as he emptied inside of her.
She lay on his chest, panting as his hands roamed her back.
“I tell ya,” he said in her ear, “I’ve never been more ready to come home after a road trip.”
Alice sat back and drank him up. She loved doing it. His deep brown eyes that always bordered on pensive were filled with awe. Being so fucking gone for him, she was someone who fell hard and fast. Since their first night together at the cabin, she’d been in love with him, but part of her thought he might just be falling, too.
“Did I do this in permanent marker?” he asked, eyeing the new tattoo on her thigh. Across her thigh were his words in his handwriting in rainbow letters. His eyes flew to her with concern. “I thought I’d used the same markers we’d been able to easily wash off.”
“You did.”
He cocked his head.
“Don’t worry, I showered,” she said in a chuckle.
Her chuckle only grew as the confusion stayed plain on his face.
“I made it permanent.”
“How?”
This made her chuckle turn into a full-blown laugh. “How do you think?”
“Did you get”—he bent his head, examining her leg—“did you get a tattoo?”
She nodded. “When I saw it, it made me feel... I don’t know... It was like the part of me that I often hide was one of the things you like about me. I liked that reminder to not be ashamed.”
“Baby, you should never be ashamed of any part of yourself...” He kissed her. “I like all your parts.”
“You do?”
“Absolutely.” His hands cupped her breast, and he smiled at them. “I like all your parts.”
She laughed and swatted at his chest only for a bolt of pleasure to remind her he was still buried inside of her. He hissed at her movement as well.
“Let me clean up,” he said, guiding her off.
She ached for him as he left her. She wanted to reclaim that connection, and she was hoping they would have more time tonight.
She got up and slipped on her hoody and sleep shorts as he went into the kitchen to take care of the condom.
“So, you got a tattoo while I was gone? I was hoping to come home to dyed hair, but I’ll take a tattoo.”
“I did dye my hair,” she said.
He looked at her again with that same confused expression. She lifted her hand and let it slowly fall through her hand, showing the purple-and-teal underside.
“Do that again?”
She raised her hands again, letting her hair fall through her hands. Before she knew what was happening, he had his arms wrapped around her waist, holding her close.
“You are just full of surprises,” he said as he kissed her head.
“I have one more surprise.”
“Tattoo and colorful hair... My beautiful rainbow girl is just full of surprises,” he said, lifting her hair and inspecting the new colors for himself.
“I went to the doctor on Friday.”
He pulled back and looked at her with careful eyes. “Why?”
“I started birth control,” she said, grinning.
He hummed, holding her close. “Hmmmm.”
“I also have something else I want to show you, too,” she said, pulling him through the living room.
“What?” he asked as they rounded the stairs. He bent to grab his bag.
Once they were in her room, she put him on the bed and then climbed in next to him getting her tablet from the nightstand.
“I’ve been working. I finished the team pictures,” she said, handing him the pad.
He scrolled through incredible images she’d created of his teammates and their mascot. Then she got to ones he hadn’t seen before, like pictures with more scenes from his video game and of a popular romance period show he recognized.
“I’ve been thinking about what you said, and I was thinking I might start posting and making a social media account for my art.”
“I think that’s a wonderful idea,” he said, still scrolling.
“I actually emailed your mom,” she said. “I hope you don’t think that’s too weird. She’s helped me learn about what authors are generally looking for.”
“Really?” asked Taylor. “It’s not weird at all. That’s why I told her about you. I think it could be good... for both of you really.”
“I’m really happy you did that . . .”
“If you’re happy I did that, why do you look like you’re about to cry?” he asked, putting the iPad down and cupping her face.
“I am happy. I don’t know why I’m so emotional. You just seem to... I don’t know... believe in me or something?”
“Alice, baby,” he said, waiting for her to meet his eyes. “I do believe in you.”
At those words, a lone tear tracked down her cheek. He wiped it away and pressed a kiss to that same place he had just wiped it from. “Why does that upset you?” He seemed as if he was trying to figure her out.
“I guess I’m just not used to it. I feel like I let everyone down.” She broke his gaze and chewed on her lip.
Tipping her chin back to him he said, “Alice, I think it would be impossible for you to let me down.”
She shook her head. “Don’t say that. I know I will. I’ll forget important dates. I’ll plan something but then cancel when the time comes. I’ll get distracted and be late for everything. Sometimes, I just can’t get my act together... I don’t know. Just don’t expect too much from me. I’ll always disappoint you.”
“Baby, that’s not true,” he said, running a hand through her hair. “I can help you remember important dates, but everything else you’re describing is fine. You don’t have to be perfect all the time. Your brain is so creative and amazing, and maybe you’re a bit more sensitive to other things than most people, but that’s okay.”
She nodded and lay in bed, mulling over the words that he said. No one had ever made her feel like her shortcomings were something that didn’t need to be changed by just trying harder.
“Thank you. I try so hard to be good at life, but I can never seem to get it together. If it weren’t for my family, I’m not sure what would have happened to me.”
A comfortable silence fell between them. But even in comfort, her brain was still whirring. How did he seem to understand her better than anyone had before?
He took a breath and shifted beneath her head. She turned her head and propped her chin on her hand resting on his chest. A single crease formed between his brows. It would appear his mind was just as busy as hers was.
“Do you think maybe you’re like me?” he asked quietly. “Maybe not autistic but maybe some neurodivergence?”
His eyes held no judgment, just curiosity.
“What do you mean?”
“I’m just saying, I know you think you’re a fuck-up, but trust me, no one who is a fuck-up tries as hard as you do. I see how sensitive you are, and I know that word has probably been weaponized against you, but there’s nothing wrong with being sensitive.”
Those words sank in. To her surprise, she found herself wanting to believe them. It would be an explanation for how she has always felt. That feeling that things that came easy to most people were things she struggled with. Those things that most people were able to brush off made her cry. Being told to grow up and that she just needed to apply herself had always led her to believe the fault was a moral failing. Or that she was just dramatic and lazy, but what Taylor was saying was giving her an out... It wasn’t one she was sure she deserved.
“Do you really think I’m neurodivergent?”
“I mean, I can’t say one way or another. It presents differently in all people, and I’m not going to diagnose you even in speculation. I’m just going to say I see how hard you work and how much you care. Just because you can’t seem to live the way people think you should isn’t a moral failing. If we can find workarounds and live at a pace that is more suited for your temperament, I think you might find you feel a little better about yourself.”
Was it possible? The idea that maybe she was trying as hard as she felt she was but it was just harder for her was comforting. Maybe if she could see herself through Taylor’s eyes, she could be kinder to herself.
“All I know is I see one of the kindest, most creative people in front of me, who so wrongly believes she’s a fuck-up and too much for people. And that’s all wrong. You’re the perfect amount.”
“Taylor . . .”
I love you were the words she was holding in. She’d been holding them in for a long time, but they were clawing to get out of her throat.
“Just think about it . . . or not . . . but please, be kind to yourself.”
She nodded. He smiled at her and ran his hands through her hair as the colors hidden underneath the blonde appeared.
“You’re home for two days?”
“More or less. We have a practice tomorrow, then two home games, and we leave after the game on Wednesday night for another weeklong road trip on the West Coast.”
She sighed and pouted at him.
“I know, baby, I’ll miss you, too.”
“You’ll be gone on Valentine’s Day?” she said, suddenly realizing it. “I’ve never done the whole Valentine’s Day thing before.”
“I’ll make it up to you, I promise,” he said before kissing the top of her head.
“Maybe when you guys get back, we can go out to dinner with my dad. Then if you wanted, we could tell people...” she said cautiously hopeful.
“Yeah, I’d like that,” he said, but the little furrow between his brow never left.
“What’s wrong?”
“Do you think your dad will be mad?”
“I don’t think so, especially since it’s you.”
He cocked his head. “What do you mean by that?”
A warm smile spread across her face. “I’m just saying if I was dating another player, he might be worried about them treating me badly... But I know what he thinks of you, and I know that he won’t be too worried about you hurting me.”
He settled back into the pillow and smirked. “Well, that’s good. While I can’t promise I’ll never hurt you, I can promise that I’ll try my hardest to never do it again. Ever.”
She pushed up and kissed him. “I’ll be right back. I’m hungry. I’m going to get us a little snack.”
On her way back up from the kitchen, a sound came from Taylor’s pants. Without thinking, she pulled out the phone and an alarm was going off that said, “Good night, Rainbow.” She quickly put it back in his pants.
“Babe, your pants are going off,” she called up the stairs.
She went into the kitchen as he came down the stairs.
He was back soon, holding his phone. “Sorry about that.”
“What was the alarm for?”
“It’s nothing,” he said, holding the phone to his side. “Do you need any help?”
“Nope, just bringing up some cheese and grapes sound good?”
“Perfect.” He took them from her, and they headed back upstairs.
Did he have an alarm set to call her? He had been so attentive this time. Was it because he set an alarm and not that he was thinking about her? No. That was not a thought spiral she was going to go down. She was going to enjoy her time with him while she could.
The next morning, they woke up slowly in bed together. His phone alarm went off, and she happened to glance at. It was called “Good Morning, Rainbow.” And it was right around the time she got her good morning texts. His eyes flew to her, and he saw her peeking at the screen. With a sheepish expression, he bit his lip.
“Did you set an alarm to remember to call me?”
There was something in that that made her bristle. He needed to be reminded to think of her.
He nodded and eyed her carefully.
She nodded and moved away from him. She was so confused.
“Alice,” he said, reaching for her. “I promise, you’re important to me.”
She nodded again. “And that’s why you set the alarm?”
The relief of his face was clear.
“Yeah, I know I can get wrapped up in things, but you are a priority. This was my way of making you that priority.”
“Oh.”
When he put it that way, it wasn’t so bad. In fact, when she thought about it like that, it made her smile. It wasn’t that he didn’t care enough to remember but rather that he knew his tendency to hyperfocus and stick to the routine he’s had for years. He’d taken action to make sure she didn’t feel neglected. Their relationship might be different from what she thought it would be, but it was better that she could have dreamed.
He slid his arms around her, pulling her to him. A grin spread across his face as he pulled his hand out from under her pillow... holding her rainbow unicorn dildo.
“Hello, old friend,” he said with a smile. “What do ya say?” he asked her with a wag of his eyebrows.
“Just kiss me already,” she said, reaching for him.
“With pleasure,” he said before getting lost in her kiss.
She had waited her whole life for someone who made her feel the way Taylor did, and it was even better than she could have imagined.
Table of Contents
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- Page 33 (Reading here)
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