Guarding Her Heart | t.swift

Chapter 59: Tumultuous Triggers and Tender Trust

The early morning sunlight streamed through the windows, casting a warm glow across the living room as Taylor strummed her guitar, her fingers moving across the strings with practised ease. She mumbled under her breath, trying to find the right chord progression, the right melody to match the lyrics she'd been working on. Her notebook lay open on the floor, pages filled with scribbles and half-formed ideas, the remnants of her sleepless night.

Quincy, who had woken up moments earlier, stretched and yawned before quietly slipping out of bed. The sound of Taylor's guitar drew her to the front of the house, where she found the singer deep in thought, her brow furrowed as she tuned her guitar. She leaned against the doorway, content to watch Taylor work, her heart swelling with affection as she observed the dedication and focus on the singer's face.

It was in that moment, as Taylor twisted the tuning nut, that she caught sight of Quincy's tall figure in the doorway. Startled, she turned the nut too far, causing the string to snap and whip back against her hand. She flinched, more out of surprise than pain, but before she could even process what had happened, Quincy was at her side, moving the guitar aside and gently taking her hand in her own calloused ones.

Calloused fingers traced over the angry red mark on Taylor's palm, her touch careful and soothing. Seeing that the string hadn't broken the skin, Quincy leaned down and placed a soft kiss on the spot where the string had struck, a gesture so tender it left Taylor breathless. She wasn't used to being fussed over like this, especially not by someone as stoic as her bodyguard, and the gentleness of the action made her feel inexplicably warm inside.

"Are you okay?" Quincy asked, her voice low and filled with concern.

Taylor nodded, her heart fluttering in her chest. "Yeah, it just stings a little."

Quincy rose to her feet, her hand lingering on Taylor's for just a moment longer before she moved to the kitchen. "I'll grab a cold cloth for that," she said, her voice taking on a teasing tone as she rummaged through the drawers. "Gotta be careful, I'd hate to have to start fighting off guitars, too."

Taylor couldn't help but laugh at the mental image of her bodyguard wrestling with a guitar. "I'll be more careful, I promise. I'm sure the fans wouldn't appreciate me staying out of a guitar's way."

Quincy returned with a damp cloth, pressing it gently against the singer's hand to soothe the swelling. Blue eyes watched her with a soft smile, heart swelling with a mix of affection and gratitude. She loved how Quincy could be so strong and protective, yet so tender when it came to her.

Before either of them could say anything more, the front door swung open, and Austin walked in, as loud and boisterous as ever. "Morning!" he called out with a grin, carrying a tray of breakfast pastries and coffee. "Figured I'd show up with a peace offering for dropping by unannounced."

Quincy and Taylor exchanged a quick, amused glance as Austin plopped down at the table, setting the tray in front of them. Quincy helped Taylor up from the floor, and they joined the youngest Swift at the table, where the scent of freshly baked croissants and steaming coffee filled the air.

As they ate, the three of them fell into easy conversation, sharing stories and jokes, the atmosphere warm and relaxed. Taylor, however, found it difficult to focus on anything other than the green eyed brunette. She kept stealing glances at her, her eyes lingering on soft lips, the memory of their kiss from the previous night still fresh in her mind.

Quincy, on the other hand, was trying her best to pay attention to Austin's animated storytelling, but she could feel those blue eyes on her, a constant presence that made her heart race. She wanted nothing more than to turn and catch Taylor's eye, to share another of those silent, meaningful looks, but she forced herself to stay focused on friend, nodding along to whatever he was saying.