Safe and Sound

Chapter Ten

"Happy birthday!" Taylor was bombarded by the Bell's as she opened the door to her house. The week in Oklahoma was great, but Taylor was glad to be home. Lauren's wedding went off without a hitch and they all partied well into the early morning. Taylor's confession to her siblings about the truth about her marriage and divorce brought the five of them even closer, much to Taylor's delight. She had been honestly scared about telling them all the truth. Especially Chelsea.
"You really didn't have to show up." Taylor said, letting the couple into the house.
"Yeah, well, we're here anyway. With breakfast cake." Morgan held up the container in her hands. Taylor excitedly clapped her hands.
"My favorite."
"Where's loverboy?" Christoper asked as they headed into the kitchen.
"He went for a run. He should be back soon."
"You didn't go with him?" Taylor looked at Christopher. "What?"
"I don't run. Can't run anymore."
"I keep forgetting about the knee injury."
"Low impact exercises for me."
"Except for..." Morgan smacked her husband in the chest. "Ouch."
"Do not finish that sentence." Taylor just smiled. She grabbed a few plates, forks, and a sharp knife for the cake. As she was cutting slices, the front door opened and Ross walked into the house. "Cake?" Christopher asked as Ross walked into the kitchen.
"For breakfast?"
"Tradition. Taylor always has cake for breakfast on her birthday." Ross walked over to Taylor.
"Cake for breakfast."
"Lemon raspberry with cream cheese frosting. Taylor's favorite." Morgan said as Taylor plated up cake.
"I know you just got back from a run and..."
"It's your birthday, of course I'll have some."
"We also brought you a present."
"You didn't have to. The cake is more than enough."
"Nonsense." Morgan finally set the gift bag on the counter in front of Taylor. Taylor reached into the bag, pulling out something from her childhood. Ross watched as Taylor's eyes lit up.
"Oh my God."
"Your mom told me about how Lauren ruined yours as a kid because she was mad that she didn't get one."
"How did you find it?" Taylor asked, picking up the tiny lamp.
"Ebay."
"What is this?" Ross asked, leaning in to look at Taylor's present.
"It's just a little room. There were so many of them. I saved up my allowance for 6 months and bought one myself. I was so excited."
"Lauren broke it?"
"Yeah, she was mad that she didn't have one, so she broke it. I was devastated." Taylor said as her phone vibrated on the counter. It was a text from an unknown number. Taylor frowned.
Happy birthday, hope you're not celebrating too much
"What's wrong?"
"I just got this weird text." Taylor set her phone down.
"What did it say?" Taylor handed her phone to Ross to read it. "That is weird."
"And it's from an unknown number." Taylor took her phone back, setting it down on the counter. She picked her fork back up and took a bite of her cake.
"What are you doing?" Ross asked.
"Eating cake." Taylor replied, taking another bite.
"But not the frosting."
"I'm saving the best part for last."
"Don't questioned it." Christopher said taking the final bite of his slice. "She's been doing that since I can remember." Christopher and Morgan had to head out, leaving Taylor and Ross to finish slices of cake alone. Taylor looked over at Ross with a smile on her face.
"What? Is there something on my face?"
"Just a bit of frosting. I'll get it." Taylor reached up, using her thumb to clean it off.
"Thanks."
"There may be some left." Taylor said, sticking her finger into the leftover frosting on her plate.
"Where."
"Right here." Taylor turned back to him, taking the frosting and wiping it on his neck.
"Why would you do that?" Ross asked, reaching up to wipe it off. Taylor stopped him. She leaned up, putting her lips on his neck to clean the frosting. "Christ." He muttered his breath.
"That's better." Taylor turned back to the rest of her cake.
"You can't just do that." Ross said, sticking his fingers into the frosting on his plate.
"Why not? You had a problem and I helped." Ross grabbed her arm, turning her towards him. "Ross!" She squealed as Ross wiped the frosting from his hand all over her, from her jaw to her neck, and down to chest.
"I think you have a mess on your hands." Taylor rolled her eyes at him. "Let me help you clean that up." Ross wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her to him. He pressed his lips to her jaw, cleaning the frosting off.
"Ross..."
"I'm not done." Ross trailed his lips down to her neck, following the trail he made. Taylor arched her back as she tangling her fingers into his hair. "You know what I love the most about these dress you're always wearing?" He asked against her skin.
"Hmm?" Taylor couldn't form any words.
"I can do this." Ross looped the tie of her wrapped dress around his finger before pulling the knot loose. When Taylor went to cover herself,
Ross immediately grabbed her hands and put them on the counter. "Don't you dare." Taylor uttered an apology, not making eye contact with him. "Hey." Ross tilted her head up to look at her. "I hate it when you do that."
"I'm sorry."
"I wish you didn't feel this way about yourself."
"Old habits die hard." Ross pressed his lips to her, Taylor tasting the frosting he just licked off her. "Did you like the cake?"
"Yeah, but I found something a little sweeter I'd like to try." Taylor's brows furrowed in confusion before she realized what he meant.
"Ross..." Ross got down on his knees in front of her. He hooked his fingers in the sides of her underwear and slid them down her legs. "Ross."
"Relax. Don't act like we've never done this before." He replied as he laid her leg over his shoulder.
"Not in the kitchen."
"I beg to differ." He said, peppering kisses on the inside of her thigh.
"Not this though."
"Who is going to walk into the house unannounced? It's just you and me. Relax and enjoy it like I know you're going to." Taylor took a deep breath, but lost that breath with the first touch. Her head fell back as she arched her back.
"Oh God." Taylor panted as she tangled her hand into Ross's hair while her other gripped the counter behind her. She ground her hips into his face, chasing the high he was putting her. When she finally tipped over the edge, Taylor could barely stand. Her legs felt like jelly. "Uh..." Ross stood up.
"You okay?" He asked.
"I...think...I..."
"I think we need a shower." He said as Taylor picked up her underwear off the floor.
"That sounds like a great idea."
"Happy birthday, Tay." Ross leaned in, pressing his lips to her. Taylor tasted herself on his lips, something she had only experienced once before.
"It's turning into a pretty good one."