Safe and Sound

Chapter Seventeen

This was the longest Ross and Taylor had gone without speaking to or seeing each other since they first started dating. Ross knew it was for the best as they had some issues to take care of. He just hated how shitty it made him feel. Ross walked into the race shop Wednesday morning to help with the tear down of the Pocono car. Hamlin ended up getting disqualified, as did Busch, so Ross finished ahead of him. The only good thing to come out of Sunday.
"Ross, what are you doing here?" Phil asked his driver as he spotted him on the shop floor.
"Come to help with the tear down."
"You really don't have to."
"Gotta keep my hands busy."
"And your brain off of something else?"
"Phil..."
"I know, you don't want to talk about it." He said, turning away from his driver and to the wrecked racecar in front of them. "I'm assuming you haven't talked to her yet?" He asked. Ross shook his head.
"Something in the back of my brain is telling me I should, but I just can't. I don't like secrets."
"Nobody does."
"I don't like the fact that she's keeping them and lying about it."
"Has she ever given you a reason not to trust her?"
"No, I just hate that she won't talk to me about it."
"Maybe there is a reason why. Maybe she's protecting you for some reason."
"Maybe you're right."
"I probably am."
"I get things aren't what the used to be. She's gone through a lot in the last 18 months. A lot of shit the rest of us will never go through in our entire lifetimes."
"So you understand why she won't tell you everything. Do you tell her everything?"
"Of course. I have nothing to keep from her."
"Nothing?"
"Absolutely nothing."
"What do you know about her ex-husband?" Phil asked. He watched as the facial expression on his driver change.
"Enough. More than enough."
"Are you two just going to stand there and gab or are you two going to help?" They cut their conversation short, getting to work tearing the car apart. They were almost done before someone came onto the shop floor.
"Ross? You have a delivery."
"Can you put it in my office? I'll be there in a while."
"Okay."
"Someone sending you things?"
"I guess. Let's get this thing done." It had taken then another hour before they had it apart.
"Guess we've got some sheetmetal to sell." Justin said, walking onto the shop floor. He turned to his driver. "How are you doing?"
"Better."
"Have you..."
"Not yet, but I will before the day is done. It's been long enough." Justin smiled.
"I saw someone sent you something."
"Yeah, it's in my office. I'm going to head in there soon."
"Go now. We're pretty much done here." Phil said.
"Are you sure?"
"Positive." Ross said nothing else before he left the shop floor and headed to the small space he called his office. He didn't have much in there, just his few NASCAR trophies and some photos. When Ross opened the door, he let out a laugh. Sitting on his desk, was the one thing he never suspected to be waiting for him. Taylor had sent him flowers. He knew they were from her. Ross pulled his phone out of his back pocket and called her. When she didn't answer her cell, he called her office phone.
"Taylor Kennedy."
"Miss Kennedy, you know you don't have to send flowers every time you feel guilty about something."
"Who says I'm guilty?" She asked.
"You didn't have to send me flowers. There's nothing to be guilty about."
"I fucked up."
"No, you didn't."
"I did. There is no excuse for what I did."
"I'm not mad. I shouldn't assume you will tell me everything little detail. If there are things that you don't want to tell me..."
"I haven't just been getting calls and texts, Ross."
"What?"
"There have been notes. Quite a few. That's why I was at Trackhouse. I was talking to Justin about them. I also shredded them there."
"Taylor..."
"Something is happening and I am scared shitless. When we got back from lunch that day, there was another note on my car. Count your days, time is almost up."
"Jesus..."
"I didn't want to get you involved because I don't want you to get hurt."
"I'm not going to get hurt, Taylor. How much work do you have left?"
"I'm done. I've just been sitting here."
"I'll meet you at your house in 20 minutes. Okay?"
"Okay."
***
Ross beat her there. He stood by the Tahoe waiting for Taylor to get home. He would admit that he did speed there to make sure he got there first. He'd rather be the one waiting for her, not the other way around. Ross finally caught sight of her car down the street before she pulled into her driveway. Taylor got out before walking straight up to him. Ross immediately pulled her in, pressing his lips to hers. He felt the tension in her body leave as she kissed him back. His hands settled on her hips as Taylor draped her arms on his shoulders.
"Hi." He said as they pulled away.
"I'm sorry."
"Don't. You over use that word."
"Can't help it." Ross pressed another kiss to her lips.
"God, can you two suck face inside?" They both looked over at Taylor's neighbor, Austin Cindric.
"Shut up, Cindric." Taylor covered a laugh.
"I've seen enough of you when I was walking Wallace that one night." Before Ross could say anything back, Taylor took his hand and pulled him inside Mushroom meowed loudly when he saw Ross walked into the house. Ross picked him up, giving the cat a loving squeeze.
"Can you please put the cat down?"
"In a minute. I missed him."
"He definitely missed you too. He was so depressed." Taylor said.
"We do need to talk about what you told me."
"I just want you to touch me right now."
"Taylor..."
"I love you. Whatever is coming, I know I have you, Ross Lee. And Justin, Erin, Christopher, and Morgan." Ross put Mushroom down before going to stand in front of her. He took her head between his hands, Taylor resting hers on top of his.
"I love you too, Taylor Leigh. Nothing and I mean absolutely nothing is going to change how I feel. I will never be mad, frustrated, or upset with you. You are safe in these hands, you got that?" Taylor nodded.  "Good. Now, where do you want me to touch you?" Taylor took his hand in hers.
"Here." Taylor put her hand on her neck. "Here." She moved it down to her chest. "Then here." Left breast. "Over here." Right breast. "Don't forget here." Taylor's stomach. "And of course, here." Taylor's waist.
"So start at the top and work my way down?" Taylor shrugged with a smile. Ross picked her up off the floor before walking her to the kitchen table.
"Ross!"
"What if I start at the bottom and work my way up?" Ross suggested, getting down on his knees in front of her. He was disappointed that she opted for jeans and a blouse instead of her usual wrap dresses and skirts. Ross unbuttoned her jeans. "Lift." Taylor lifted her hips, letting him take both her jeans and underwear off her hips. He tossed them off to the side. "Absolutely perfect." Ross said against the skin of her left calf. He kissed his way up her left leg before doing the same to her right leg.
"Ross..." Taylor let out, her head tipping back. Her tangled her fingers into his hair as his mouth was on her once again. She laid down on the table top, arching her back as she did. This was definitely the much deserved distraction both of them needed.