guilty as sin? (tayvis)

i will never lose my baby again

Taylor lay in Travis's arms, her heart racing as the weight of the moment began to settle. She hadn't planned for this—hadn't expected the flood of emotions or the way her body and soul seemed to finally align with a truth she'd kept hidden for far too long. There was no undoing it now. She had chosen Travis, and in doing so, she had chosen a future she hadn't even dared to imagine.

Travis gently kissed the top of her head, his arms still wrapped securely around her as they both caught their breath. There was no need for words. The quiet hum of the room felt like peace, and for the first time in weeks, Taylor's mind wasn't racing. She wasn't thinking about Joe, or what she might be leaving behind. All she could think about was the warmth of Travis's skin against hers and how right it felt.

"You okay?" Travis asked, his voice low and filled with a softness that pulled at her heart. His fingers traced lazy circles on her back, grounding her in the moment.

"Yeah," she whispered, resting her head on his chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. "I didn't expect it to feel like this."

"Like what?" He shifted slightly, so he could see her face, his gaze searching hers for an answer.

"Like everything's...right. I thought I'd feel guilt or fear. But all I feel is...you."

Travis's eyes softened, and he brushed a stray strand of hair away from her face. "It's always been you and me, Tay. Maybe it just took us a while to realize it."

She smiled, but it was tinged with a bittersweetness she couldn't quite shake. "Do you think it'll last? This feeling?"

Travis didn't hesitate. "I know it will. Because whatever happens next, we'll face it together."

For a moment, they stayed like that, their eyes locked in a silent promise. Taylor's heart swelled with emotions she hadn't allowed herself to feel in years—hope, trust, and something much deeper than love. It was the kind of connection that went beyond words or even time. It was as if, in choosing Travis, she had chosen herself too.

She sighed softly, her fingers tracing the lines of his jaw. "I'm scared, Trav."

"I know," he said quietly. "But we don't have to have it all figured out right now. We can take it one day at a time."

Taylor nodded, letting his words sink in. It wasn't about rushing or forcing things to make sense. It was about being present, about letting her heart guide her for once. And for the first time in a long time, she was okay with that uncertainty.

"I don't know where this will go," she admitted, her voice a little more vulnerable than before. "But I do know that I'm not afraid of it anymore."

Travis smiled softly, pulling her closer. "That's all that matters."

As the night deepened, Taylor found herself drifting into a peaceful sleep, wrapped in the warmth of Travis's embrace. For now, that was enough.

(...)

Taylor woke to the soft glow of morning light filtering through the curtains, her body instinctively drawn to the warmth beside her. Travis's arm was wrapped around her, his presence steady, grounding. She stayed still for a moment, taking it in. The room was quiet, but her mind was awake, thoughts flickering between the moments that had led them here.

There was no fear in her heart, not now. What happened last night was inevitable—it had always been leading to this. For years, she had felt the pull, the magnetic force that existed between them, even when she had tried to ignore it. Travis had been her constant, her steady, and in that, she found clarity. She didn't regret a thing.

As the memory of the night washed over her, a small, satisfied smile tugged at her lips. This wasn't a mistake. It was a moment of truth, a breaking of the silence that had hung between them for too long. Travis wasn't just her best friend anymore; he was the one who made her feel seen, understood, and wanted in a way that no one else ever had.