Never Felt This Sensation

Beaming Sunlight

Remember how I said the last chapter wasn't too explicit? This one...is different...

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Hayley always thought that Los Angeles looked best in the early afternoon. Everybody on the West Coast had always praised the sunset, which she agreed was beautiful, but the way the bright blue sky shimmered the matching teal ocean was a sight she never got tired of.  Nothing in Nashville resembled it. 

She sighed contently on the terrace and took in the view before her, appreciating how the sunlight showcased both the soft pastels and vibrant artwork that covered the buildings below. 

Even better, she thought and smiled to herself, was that she was not there to admire the view alone. 

Well, technically, she was on the terrace by herself at the moment, as Taylor was in the kitchen making drinks for them to sip on outside together before they went to dinner within the hour. 

Time away from band life continued as they started spending more time alone with one another. The hiatus has been difficult in a way, both Hayley and Taylor have missed the nights of writing songs and rocking out stadiums, but they were thankful that the break has given them a chance to get to know each other. 

Granted, they had known each other for the past fifteen years, but they came to learn that the strains and joys of romance reveal elements of a person that had never known before. Every moment they shared felt so familiar yet so novel at the same time. In many ways, those old friends had become new people to one another. 

Not counting the hundreds of nights roaming the cities of foreign places on "dates", this trip to LA was Hayley and Taylor's first vacation together. It was a welcome change of pace. Not having to lie about where they were, explain why they were with each other so long, or craft an excuse to escape the crowd to be intimate - here, thousands of miles away from everything they had to evade, they could take their relationship for what it was. 

"Taylor?" Hayley called out. "You almost finished with those drinks?"

"Yeah", he replied as he was placing the finishing orange slices on the glasses of their cocktails, "Just a second."

Moments later and he met her outside on the balcony with the bright orange and red concoctions in his hands. They were impressively beautiful, Hayley noted. 

"Wow, T. Didn't know I was dating a bartender all this time." She joked as he handed her one and sat down beside her. 

"Thanks, I was actually thinking of quitting music to pursue a career in cocktails." Hayley laughed. "Oh so when we went out for drinks last night that was actually just you job hunting?"

"Exactly." He said in a deadpan voice. "Take a sip, guess what it is." 

Hayley did what she was told and sipped a bit through her straw. She gave a puzzled look but after one more hit she smiled and realized what she was tasting.

"Sex on the Beach."

"Nice! You got it." He leaned back and smiled at her, playing with the fabric of her pink sundress. 

"How very forward of you." She blushed while taking another sip. "Shame we're not on a beach right now."

Now Taylor was blushing as well. The two shared heated eye contact before deciding to continue their time on the balcony and finish their drinks. She rested her head on his shoulder as the effects of the alcohol began to sink in. 

"You know, T, I know I said you could be a bartender, but I think you put a little too much vodka in these." 

"No, you're just a lightweight!" He defended.