Taylor x Travis: In Every Life

not what it looks like

Taylor's POV

"Oh hey Taylor!" Andy smiled at me as I walked into the gym lobby.

"Hey, how are you?" I asked as I hugged him.

We chatted for a few minutes since the training session wasn't over yet, and apparently they had a few trainers that had come by and were taking the guys through a few exercises. Travis' car was getting fixed so I'd come to pick him up in mine, just finished with a studio session. After a few minutes, the doors to the gym room the team used opened and the guys started to come out, all of them greeting me with a smile as they went past. I talked to Patrick for a minute since we had plans in a few days with him and Brittany, and then I waved him off as he went to shower. Saying goodbye to Andy, I moved over to the doors since I still hadn't seen Travis come out.

Pausing in the doorway, I peeked in to see if I could find him. After a moment, I located Travis over by the weights racks, helping one of the trainers put them away as they chatted casually. I swallowed when I looked the trainer up and down; tall, skinny, with sleek brown hair, clad in tight shorts and a sports bra. I could see the muscles in her body as she moved, the glittering smile on her face as she parted her lips to laugh at something Travis had said. She was gorgeous. Flawless.

As I watched Travis pick up a heavy weight, the woman shifted closer and placed her hands around his arm like she was stroking his muscles that flexed with the effort, smiling coyly up at him. My throat tightened as she rubbed a hand up over his shoulder, standing so damn close to him. Tears welling up in my eyes, I turned away and rushed out of the door.

Almost running across the car park, I climbed back into my car and locked myself inside, trying to control my breathing, but panic was rising. Travis had let her put her hands all over him, he'd been so close, hadn't pushed her away. Was he cheating on me? That woman would have sessions with the team a few times a week, and Travis was friendly by nature. He would have been nice to her, chatted with her. I couldn't stop the images from forming in my brain; they cleaned up together, got close, had a quick fuck in the shower before he came home to me and told me he loved me.

Putting my head in my hands, I leaned back and tried to control my breaths, trying not to start hyperventilating. I had thought Travis was different, that he loved me more than the men who had cheated on me in the past, that he'd never do anything like this. He'd shown me so much care and love and attention, lifting me up as high as he could and opening his arms whenever I needed him. All for nothing.

A tap on the window made me jump, and I dropped my hands from my face, looking over to see Travis standing by the door. A lump in my throat, I reached over and unlocked the door for him. I'd locked down, my body numb. Normally I would immediately call it off and tell him to get the hell out of my life, but Travis was the love I'd never known existed, the man I'd jump in front of a gun for. I loved him.

"Hey baby." He smiled as he got in, putting his bag on the floor. "How was the studio?"

"Fine." I murmured, turning the car on. Travis closed the door before reaching over, his fingers brushing my chin. Flinching, I pushed his hand away before he could pull me into a kiss.

"Baby?" Travis blinked at me. "Are you okay?"

"Mhm." I nodded once, pulling out of the parking space.

"Taylor." Travis placed a hand on my thigh. "You wanna tell me what's going on?"

"Nothing."

"Well why are you acting so weird?"

"Tired."

"You slept for eleven hours last night."

"So?"

"So there's something you're not telling me."

I didn't respond. I just drove, trying to keep my face clear of emotion as I did so. Travis' hand remained on my thigh as I drove us back to the house, my panic sticking in my throat. I wanted to pack a bag and then I'd talk to him about it, so that if things went south I could get myself out quickly. I'd written The Bolter for a reason. That was me. I had gotten my heart broken too many times, and I couldn't handle another time.

When we got home, I walked inside and went straight down to our bedroom, pulling out a suitcase. I started shoving clothes inside, just enough that I could go to one of my other houses and be okay. Travis walked in and blinked at what I was doing, dropping his gym bag and putting his phone down. I didn't acknowledge him.

"Baby?" He asked carefully. "Can you please stop and talk to me about whatever's going on? You're scaring me."

"When I'm done." I said quietly.

"No." Travis grabbed both of my wrists, pulling me around so that I landed against his chest. "Tay I don't mean to pull you around but you're really freaking me out and I need you to stop and talk to me. You look like you're packing to walk out."

"Yeah well maybe I am." I snapped, pulling at his grip on me to no avail.

"Baby why?" Travis whispered, his eyes softening with fear and worry for me. "Baby what happened?"

"You tell me!" I shoved at his chest. "I saw you with that woman!"

"What woman?"

"At the gym!" I yelled at him. "I watched her all over you, touching you, and you didn't do shit to stop her!" I shoved at his chest again, trying to push him away from me. "You said you'd never do that!" I couldn't help but sob, shaking my head.

"Baby, baby." Travis caught my hands as I fought him, wriggling as he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close. "Hey, hey, hey." He hugged me close, arms tight around my back so I couldn't move. "Shh, just stop. Please baby, let me explain."

Travis' arms were so tight around me that I could barely breathe, my arms trapped between my chest and his. I shuddered as he rubbed my back gently, trying to stop me, calm me down. After a long moment, Travis pressed his cheek against my hair, letting out a sigh.

"Baby I told her to stop touching me." He said quietly. "That was the first time she'd been that friendly, and when she started touching my arm I stepped back and told her I wasn't comfortable with it because I felt like it was cheating on you." His hand rubbed up and down my spine gently, trying to soothe my breathing. "She said she wanted to get to know me better and I told her no, and that I wanted her to stay away from me. She had her hands on me for about ten seconds because I wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt and I didn't want to be rude, but as soon as I realized she had intentions I stopped her. I promise you Tay baby, I would never, never want anyone else but you. You're the love of my life and I know I'm spending my life with you. There's no one who could ever come close."

I sniffed, tears welling up in my eyes as I nodded. Turning my face into his shirt, I slipped my arms higher around his neck and hugged him tightly. Travis let out a sigh and buried his face in my neck as I closed my eyes and nodded, clutching him tightly. God, of course he'd never do that. I'd only seen the part where that woman had touched him, but I'd left before I'd seen the rest. I believed him, because I knew he would never lie to me.

"I'm sorry." I whispered.

"Don't apologize baby, but if there's ever anything you worry about I want you to talk to me straight away." Travis murmured. "I want you to feel like you can trust me enough to talk to me."

"I do trust you, I just panicked." I breathed. "I'll talk to you first next time I promise."

"Thank you baby." Travis sighed. "I'm the one who's sorry for making you think I might ever do that to you."

"I don't." I pulled back to look at him. "Travis I don't. I just got scared and I didn't think abou the fact that you'd never."

"Never." He whispered. "Baby I love you so fucking much it hurts."

Surging up on my toes, I kissed him hard, suddenly desperate. Travis buried his hands in my hair and pulled me close, and as he kissed me back, any worry or fear at all he would ever leave me faded away like it had never existed.