Safe and Sound

Chapter Forty-one

(This is what inspired me to write this story a prequel!)

Taylor woke up alone. It was early. A bit earlier than that Taylor would get up. Ross usually got up after her, but that morning was different. She let out a big yawn as she sat up in bed. She gave Mushroom, who was sprawled out in the middle of the king sized bed, a pet before she got up out of bed to head downstairs. Taylor caught sight of Ross sitting outside on the deck that overlooked the lake as soon as her foot hit the floor at the bottom of the stairs. She got herself her one alotted cup of coffee before heading outside by Ross.
"Morning." She said in a soft voice, sitting down next to him. Taylor sat her cup down on the table in front of them.
"What are you doing up already?" He asked, wrapping his arm around her. Taylor leaned in, resting her head on his shoulder.
"I woke up to find my boyfriend not laying next to me. Come to find out he's sitting outside all by himself." Taylor looked up at him. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine."
"I'm sorry about Sunday."
"It's not your fault, Tay. I just couldn't get the job done."
"You had the fastest car. If the 12 would have just moved out of the way..." Ross just smiled. "What's with the smile?"
"Nothing in particular, Tay."
"235 feet."
"235 feet." Ross repeated. They sat there in silence for a while drinking their coffee before Ross spoke again. "Have you heard from Ty?"
"I did. He sent me a message yesterday morning. It was just funeral details, but it's a start."
"Do you want me to come with you?" Ross asked.
"No, you can't cancel your trip home for me. I wish I could go with, but..."
"I know. Mom is was sad when I told her, but she understands."
"Heather said she got flowers from your parents." Ross smiled. "Susan never told me about it."
"Because she knew you would cry."
"I would not."
"Taylor Leigh. You cried yesterday watching a cat video on the internet."
"But it was a cat being reunited with her babies and..." Taylor wiped the tears that slid down her cheeks thinking about the video.
"See?" Taylor rolled her eyes. "What do you have planned for today?"
"The final 23XI meeting is today, so I have to go to the shop for that. I have to clean up my office a bit since I'll be starting maternity leave in a couple of weeks."
"Already?"
"I know. We're getting close already. I'm waiting for the nesting to kick in."
"Nesting?"
"Yeah, where you just start preparing everything for the baby's arrival and..." Ross laughed. "What?"
"Taylor, you've been doing that for weeks already."
"No, I haven't."
"All those baby clothes that you, Morgan, and your mom bought a couple of weeks ago? You washed, dried, and hung them in Bennett's closet. By color. And whatever isn't going to fit him, you organized into totes in the spare bedroom."
"I like things organized."
"I know. There isn't a thing out of place in the house."
"I can't help it."
"You've been like this since the day I met you 10 months ago."
"Has it only been 10 months? Feels like a lifetime."
"We've gone through a lot in the last 10 months."
"Did you notice my organization since the first day?"
"Pretty much. That first time you invited me over dinner and a movie. Remember?" Taylor never forgot that night. It had been a week after their first date and the first night they had slept together. Taylor didn't plan on sleeping with Ross that early in their casual relationship, but she couldn't help herself. The way his lips moved across hers...Taylor was getting all hot and bothered just thinking about it.
"Maybe..." she said, fully knowing exactly what he was talking about.
"Taylor, I woke up the next morning with my clothes neatly folded on the chair in the corner of the room. I could have sworn you washed them first."
"I thought about it."
"Of course you did." Taylor went to rest her legs over his, but Ross had other plans. Wrapping his arm around her waist, Ross pulled her into his lap. Taylor straddled his hips as her hands rested on his chest.
"What are you doing?" Taylor asked as his hands roamed up her back.
"Enjoying the morning with the love of my life." Ross replied, brushing his lips against hers.
"You are such a sap." Taylor said as she returned the kiss. Ross moved his hands from her back to her knees, spreading her legs apart. "Ross." She gasped.
"What?"
"What are you..." Taylor's words got lost on her tongue as Ross's lips pressed harder against hers. His hand snaked under her oversized shirt. "I shouldn't be sitting on your lap I'm too..." Ross cut her off again.
"You are pregnant, not fat. You're not too heavy to sit in my lap. You're not too heavy to he on top. I know this has been hard for you. It is not your fault."
"I know. It's..." Taylor trailed off. "Do I have to say his name?"
"Not if you don't want to."
"I don't."
"That's fine." Ross pressed yet another kiss to her lips. Taylor leaned in, deepening the kiss between them. "Do you really want to do this out here?" Ross asked against her lips as Taylor rolled her hips against his.
"What did you say about the first time we had Tahoe sex? Nobody's going to see."
***
Taylor stood in the doorway of her now completely cleaned office. Despite only been working there for the past three months, Taylor had accumulated quite a few things. The last three months made Taylor miss how much she enjoying PR work. Even under the certain circumstances, Taylor was glad she had taken the job and stayed. Denny and Michael had created an amazing atmosphere at the shop, making Taylor feel at home.
"Hey, Tay." Taylor found Bubba standing behind her. "Ready for the off-season?" He asked, draping his arm over her shoulder.
"Oddly enough, yes."
"When's the due date?"
"Towards the end of January. Can you help me bring this to my car?" Taylor pointed to the two small boxes on the floor.
"Absolutely." Taylor moved out of the way so Bubba could grab the boxes off the floor. Bubba followed Taylor down the hall to the front door.
"What kind of plans do you have for the off-season? I know Elena is excited for it." Elena was Denny's personal assistant and Bubba's girlfriend.
"We are going on a family trip with her family to Greece." Elena's father, Niko Callas, was from Greece.
"That's the perfect place to propose." Bubba laughed.
"That's what both Blaney and Clyde told me. We've only been together just over a year."
"Ross and I have been together 10 months and I'm 27 weeks pregnant."
"You got me there." Taylor laughed.
"Nobody is rushing you two, are they?"
"Just Valeria." Elena's mom.
"Elena said she was against your relationship."
"I wouldn't say she was against it. She had her reservations about her daughter dating a racecar driver. I am now her favorite." Taylor pushed the front door opened and held it for Bubba. "We're all glad you came to work here with us."
"I'm glad I did too. I wouldn't have the friendship with Ty if I stayed at my old job. And I didn't think I would fit in as much as I have been."
"Denny was right."
"Don't say that to his face." Bubba laughed.
"My lips are sealed." Bubba put the boxes in the back of Taylor's car. She gave Bubba a hug before getting into her car to head home. The ride home was silent, the radio the only noise in the car. About half way home, Taylor's phone rang. It was her neighbor, Austin.
"Hey, Austin. What's up?"
"You got two packages delivered and I went ahead and brought it into the house for you." Austin and Liliana had a spare key to Taylor's house and vice versa.
"You didn't have to do that. I'm on my way home."
"I'm 99% sure you wouldn't have been able to carry one of these things by yourself. What did you order?"
"Nothing. Did it say who it was from?"
"I didn't really look at it."
"Okay. Thanks a bunch, Austin. I appreciate it." Taylor thought about the package waiting for her at the house the rest of the drive home. Ross was just pulling into his spot when Taylor came up behind him.
"Hey, didn't know you'd be home right away." Ross said, greeting his girlfriend. He pressed a kiss to her lips.
"It didn't take me near as long to clean my office. I've got some boxes in the back of my car."
"I'll get those."
"Austin called me on the way home."
"Really? For?"
"We got two packages." Ross looked at the empty front porch. "He brought it inside for us."
"Okay?" Taylor turned and headed to the front door with Ross right behind her. There, sitting in the living room, was a massive box with a slight small box sitting on top. "What did you order?"
"Nothing." Taylor headed into the kitchen for a knife. She came back, slicing the tape open. Opening the flaps, Taylor found a handwritten note from none other than Allegra. "It's from Allegra." Taylor handed Ross noted before sifting through the contents of the first box. "She spoiled Bennett way too much. I'll have to give her a call."
"Wait until you open the bottom box." Ross replied. Taylor turned to look at Ross.
"What?" Ross handed the note back. Taylor read the entire note. "Oh my God." Ross put the smaller box on the floor before taking the knife from Taylor. He sliced open the tape before the both saw it.
"It looks just like my car." Ross said with a laugh.
"She definitely went overboard. He can't even use it yet." Ross carefully tipped the box over to get the contents out.
"Well, nobody can say they have a Trackhouse power wheels for their unborn child." Ross said with a laugh.
"I'm definitely going to have to give her a call."
"She's going to tell you she would have done it even if you would have said no."
"Ugh, you're right. Why does your ex have to be so nice?"
"She's barely an ex, Tay." Taylor waved her hand at him.
"You need to go back to your suitcase."
"Yes ma'am." Ross gave her a kiss before heading upstairs.