Safe and Sound

Chapter Four

Taylor could tell Ross was upset with a 15th-place finish. She understood as Ross led the most laps and was up towards the front the entire race. After a quick banter with her dad, Taylor sat in the back of the Tahoe as Ross and Henry talked about the race.
"If I could have just..."
"I know. Those guys were getting really racy."
"And a little too aggressive. That guy in the 3 drives like he thinks he's Earnhardt." Ross pulled up to the hotel that Henry and Ava were staying at. Both Henry and Taylor got out of the car. Henry assured Ross he did a great job and there was nothing for him to be upset about. Taylor gave her a dad a hug before climbing into the front seat for the ride back to her place.
"Ross..."
"So fucking close. My third win was right there. If Dillon..." Ross slammed his hand on the steering wheel, causing Taylor to jump. "Shit. I'm sorry. I..." Taylor cut him off.
"It's fine." Taylor wrapped her arms around herself.
"Tay..."
"Can we just not talk?" Ross didn't say anything else. The ride back to her house was silent, Ross thinking of ways to apologize. When they pulled into her driveway, Ross locked the doors as soon as he turned the car off. "Ross."
"I'm sorry. About the wheel slamming. I know..."
"You honestly don't really know."
"You're right, I don't. I'm trying here. I just got upset and..."
"I get it. I just wish you'd find different ways instead of..." Taylor trailed off. Ross unlocked the car and Taylor headed into the house. Did he dare to follow? He didn't want this to be the end of the conversation. Ross finally followed her into the house. He found her standing in the kitchen, pouring a glass of wine.
"Taylor."
"I never got to drink when I wanted to when I was married to Xander." She said, setting the bottle on the island. "I never got to wear what I wanted. Say what I wanted. Act how I wanted. I wasn't an actual person when I was married."
"Did he..." Taylor took a sip from the glass.
"Of course. But never where people would see so they never suspected it. Justin did though. He's the one that got me out there to go file for divorce and a restraining order. Xander broke my nose that day."
"You can talk to me about these things, Taylor."
"It's kind of hard to talk about trauma from your husband with another man." Ross crossed the room to stand in front of Taylor.
"I would never, in a million years, lay a hand on you to hurt you." Ross put his hands on either side of Taylor's face. "I would rather die than see you get hurt by something I said or did." Ross pressed his lips to hers. Taylor kissed him back as she put her hands on his hips.
"Let's go to bed."
"I'm still distracted by this dress." Taylor just laughed. Ross's hands went from her face to the string on her wrap dress. He pulled, letting the dress fall open. "I was actually thinking about it in the racecar and..." Taylor covered her face with her hands, but Ross quickly pulled them off. "Don't be embarrassed. Come on." Ross led her up to the bedroom. "Sit." Taylor raised a brow. "Please." Taylor did what she was told. When Taylor went to cover herself up with her open dress, Ross stopped her.
"What?"
"I want you to see what I see." Ross slipped his phone put of his pocket. He crossed her legs for her and put her hands on either side of her on the bed, telling her not to look at him. Ross finally took a picture of Taylor to show her.
"Ross..."
"You keep saying you're just plain. I remember what you said at Dover."
"I don't see what you see."
"I know, but you are absolutely gorgeous."
"Why are you so good to me?" She asked, putting a hand on the side of his face.
"Because you're worth it."
***
"Hey, Ross. Can we have a chat real quick?" Ross turned to his boss, Justin. They just had their Tuesday morning meeting about the 600 and of course Justin had nothing but good things to say about both Ross and Daniel.
"What's up, boss man?"
"How's it going?"
"Um, fine. Why?"
"I should probably specify. How's it going with Taylor?"
"Why are you asking? You already know pretty much everything that's been going on..."
"Because Taylor is a long-time friend and..."
"Justin, you're the one that introduced us." How could he forget? Justin remembers how flustered Ross got when he introduced the pair. It had been almost a year after Taylor's divorce to Xander was finalized. Justin had told Taylor she needed to get out there and Taylor told him she wasn't ready.  Justin was happy that Jocelyn was wrong.
"I had never seen you that flustered before. Still can't believe you two decided to casually date."
"We fixed that, remember?"
"And thank God for that one. Erin wants you two to come over to dinner again soon. Can you manage that?"
"I'll talk to Taylor." They said their good-byes before Ross was out the door. Taylor was home when Ross pulled into her driveway. She worked from home most days and of course at the track. She only worked from the office on filming days or when she had an extreme deadline crunch. Mushroom greeted him when he walked into the house. "Where's Taylor?" He asked the cat, picking him up. He purred, nudging his head against Ross's jaw. Ross walked through the house, finally finding Taylor in her office.
"Hey!" She said with a smile. "Give me a few minutes and I can make some lunch."
"I'll make us some lunch. Mushroom is going to help."
"Mushroom isn't much help." She said with a laugh.
"Bacon grilled cheese?"
"Oh, yes please. I gotta finish editing this. It needs to be up by one."
"Say no more." Ross took Mushroom to the kitchen. He gave the cat some food before starting on some lunch for him and Taylor. Ross was just about done with their lunch when Taylor came out of the office. "I think that's my shirt." Ross said with a chuckle.
"You left it here."
"I'm pretty sure you stole it."
"That's how things work in relationships. Your clothes are our clothes and my clothes are my clothes." Ross playfully rolled his eyes. "Besides, I think it looks better on me anyway."
"You're definitely not wrong. Though it would look better on the floor." Ross laughed when Taylor smacked his arm. He turned off the burner, putting an arm around Taylor's waist as he did.
"Ross!" Taylor squealed as her feet left the floor. "Where are you taking me? I'm too heavy for you to carry me."
"Nonsense." He carried her around the island and set her on the kitchen table.  Ross spread her legs before stepping between them. "I don't know why you put yourself down like that. You're gorgeous. And definitely not too heavy."
"These thighs," Taylor grabbed her thighs, "say otherwise." Ross put his hands on top of hers.
"If you didn't have any of this, what would I get to hold on to when you're on top?"
"Good God." Taylor covered her reddening face. "Is that all you think about?"
"With you? Yes. How can I not?"
"Can we eat?" She asked, changing the subject.
"Sure." Ross pressed his lips to hers. "In a minute." He snaked his hand under her shirt, finding no bra.
"Ross..." she practically moaned against his lips as she leaned into his touch. Ross pulled her to the edge of the table. Lunch was quickly forgotten as they both had an appetite for something else.