A Cup of Complicated: Chapter Twenty Three

Elliot

What the hell…

I heard her laugh, and as hard as it was to turn away from Taylor, I let myself.  Sure enough there she was.  Three years since I’d seen her, and it had to be tonight? Her hair is more blonde than I remember and the rock on her left hand is new.  Bigger than what I’d given her.  While she is laughing at something, her husband looks bored, and I wonder if he’s happy with her for the briefest moment.  I can hear Taylor talking, and I want to find my way back to her, I do, however, I can’t seem to pull my eyes off Meaghan for a few seconds more.  Finally, I break, wondering how I can explain this without her getting upset.  I try to form a sentence, but the anger that I am feeling is doing a number on my speech.  It isn’t often that I’m left speechless, but here we are.  

“It is okay Elliot.  I’m not mad or upset; I just feel a little bad for you that you have to go through this…” she says.

I believe her when the words come out of her mouth, and I finally find the courage to look up into her bright eyes, giving her a wink.  It’s taking everything in me not to keep looking over at Meaghan, not because I’m not happy with Taylor, but because I’m curious… and angry as hell at what she did to me. A small part of me wants her to acknowledge us in some way, but mostly I just hope she doesn’t. As our waiter is taking our order they walk past us, she never once looks in our direction, and I feel like I can breathe again.

“Crisis averted?” Taylor asks.

“Yes, cupcake, crisis averted, now back to our regularly scheduled program,” I say letting a smile spread across my face.

The look on Taylor’s face when we stop next door at the piano bar is priceless.  She’s all smiles as we make our way in and find a little table near the back.  The two musicians are incredible and as we take it all in, cocktails in hand, I wait for them to start with my request.  See I know the owner and I called a few days ago and asked if I could make a request for tonight.  I explained what we were doing, and why it meant so much to me and sure enough, I got the text today stating that the musicians agreed.  When they start Tiny Dancer, I watch as Taylor lights up.  We’d been discussing favorite songs a few weeks ago, and I remembered it was one of her favorites of all time and so getting them to play it was a must.  Now I’m just waiting for their version of My Girl to follow, and with it, I’m going to pull the little box out and give her gift number one.

I know what a tiny velvet box usually means, but we aren’t quite there just yet.  This little velvet box holds something special that I wanted to give, something that every time she puts it on, it reminds her of me.  I’m nearly bursting at the seams waiting, and as the song finally starts, I take her hand, and mouth the words to her.  She was giggling at my goofy faces as I reach down and pull out the box.  The giggling stops, and she stares me in the eye when she catches sight of it.  
“Elliot…” she says softly.

“You are my girl Taylor, and this is just the beginning of your birthday week surprises.  Open it,” I say pushing it a little closer to her on the table.

She takes the box in her hands and slowly opens it, peeking in at first before opening it the whole way.  Her grin compares the Cheshire cat from Alice in Wonderland it’s so big as her fingers delicately touch what’s inside.

“Elliot, these must have cost a fortune!” she exclaims.

“You’re worth it cupcake,” I say leaning in closer to her across the table.

Tiny little Tiffany’s earrings in sterling silver met her eyes when she opened the small box. I’d wheeled back and forth through that store for almost an hour trying to decide on what to get her. My eyes had caught on the tiny little circular earrings, with their Roman numerals etched in them. The saleswoman had explained that they were part of the Atlas collection, which meant nothing to me but they reminded me of Taylor and her style so much that I couldn’t take my eyes off of them. I had briefly hung back a moment at the engagement rings as she prepared the sale and had already picked what I would get her in the future.

“Elliot, thank you,” Taylor says, breaking me of the memory.

“You’re welcome Taylor,” I say leaning across to kiss her as the song comes to an end, “there is more to do tonight, cupcake, the night is still young.”

“What else do you have up your sleeve?” she asks as I hear my name coming from somewhere past her.

Coming towards us is Meaghan, obviously tipsy as she struggles to remain steady on those dagger heels. I must look panicked because Taylor is watching me strangely.

“See Brian? I told you I saw him. I knew it was him,” she slurs getting closer, as her husband looks on embarrassed.  

“Hello, Meaghan. How have you been?” I ask through clenched teeth.

She extends her left hand as if she expects me to kiss her bony knuckles, “I’ve been well, very well Elliot.  It seems like you haven’t been lonely.” she says wiggling the fingers of her left hand to show off her giant rock.

“Taylor, this is Meaghan.  Meaghan, this is my girlfriend Taylor,” I snarl out.

“Nice to see you again Meaghan,” Taylor says with a little wave.

“Oh my god, you’re Daves little sister! I couldn’t figure out where I knew you from at first but now, I remember you,” Meaghan Says flailing her arms around.

“I’m Brian.  Meaghan, maybe we should let them get back to their date?” Meaghan’s husband says looking quite uncomfortable.

I wheel out from the table and extend my hand to him. I’m familiar with how he’s feeling, having been on the receiving end of her drunken outbursts. Obviously, she hasn’t changed a bit as I see her look away from me, cringing noticeably as my chair becomes visible. She’s staring pretty intensely when I look down to find Taylor’s hand resting on my thigh.  I cover her hand with mine, “it was nice seeing you Meaghan, and nice to meet you, Brian, however, our night isn’t quite over yet and we should get going,” I say smirking.

“Yeah nice to meet you Brian, and good seeing you Meaghan, but I have big plans for this one later if you know what I mean…” Taylor says wagging her eyebrows suggestively at me.  

I wish I could take a picture of the look on Meaghan’s face when the words come flying out of Taylor’s mouth like it’s nothing.  My girl is wicked quick; I think as we head for the door.  Despite our little interruption, I feel like our night is going pretty well and as we head off into the night for our tour, I can’t stop looking at this beautiful girl next to me.

Taylor

Whatever that heavy makeup wearing gold digging wench is, smart is not it.  She left Elliot, the most genuine, wonderful, caring and perfect person I ever met.  I don’t know how someone could do that and when I saw the opportunity to verbally slap her across the face, I took it.  Elliots look of shock and enjoyment made it even better.  If only he weren’t so antsy to leave, we could have given her a good show; I think as I climb into the car.  I would have reveled in every second of it too.  

“What are you thinking about, Tay?” he asks.

“Just about shoving how awesome you are in bed in that self-absorbed bitch’s face,” I answer honestly, eliciting a chuckle from him.

“I can’t say that I didn’t enjoy that at least a little.  Her face was priceless!” he says, his laugh deepening.

I’m watching him on and off as we leisurely enjoy our tour of the city, the way his eyes light up as he spouts off facts about this or that, or the way his lips form a truly genuine smile as he looks at me.  It’s a very different Elliot from the one I met all those months ago.  Even with seeing his ridiculous ex-fiance tonight he’s smiling and laughing.  I can only hope that when we go to court about Nathan that I can be this cool about it.  I know what just thinking about him does to me, not to mention having to be in the same room as him.  This has been the first time in days that I even got a reprieve from my never ending Nathan nightmare and here I am right back in those thoughts.

“Hey, Taylor, what’s going on?” I hear him say as he curls his fingers into mine.

“I’ve just had the best time tonight, and well, I let my mind fall back to reality for a few moments…” I answer locking eyes with him.

“Don’t, not yet cupcake.  Just a little longer without thinking about it,” he says softly, brushing his knuckles across my cheek.

I shiver then, the way he touches me so different than I’m used too. He easily brings me back to the moment as he turns as best he can into me, his lips crushing down on mine with a frenzy.  His gentle touch has given way to his lust, and as the car rolls smoothly down the road ahead, I wonder briefly just how long this tour is going to go on.

Elliot

It almost feels normal; I think as I let my hands explore her.  It’s strange really, the freedom I feel in the back of this car with her.  How for just a tiny sliver of time I’m just a guy in the back of a black car with his hands all over his girl. I let my hands come to rest on her cheeks, holding her face so close to mine and I let my eyes meet hers.  I want to get lost in the blue of her eyes; the deep clear irises thin in the dim light while her lids seem heavy with want. I don’t wait another moment before taking her lips hard and gentle at the same time if only I’d prepped for this.  Instead, I take the opportunity to let my hands roam a little further south on the continent that is her body, finding that sweet spot under her dress.  Her body arcs at my touch, and she whimpers softly, as she snuggles her face into the crook of my neck.  I can feel her warm breath hitch as I caress her warmth through the thin fabric of her panties.  Her nails are digging into my shoulder as I continue to drive her to the brink with just my fingers and it is the hottest damn thing I’ve ever participated in.  I feel the familiar tingling rising in my body just watching her get off and I never want this night to end.

“Elliot?” I hear her calling out from down the hall.

“Kitchen,” I answer, checking the pancakes in the pan.

I flip a few before piling the finished ones on the plate, and I can feel her watching me, “Morning, cupcake.”

“How am I so lucky to have this handsome, sexy man cooking me breakfast?” she smiles when I finally turn to look at her.

“Seems to me that you hit the domesticated man jackpot,” I say laughing.

I watch her seductively walking across my kitchen, barefoot and draped in my purple shirt from last night and the thoughts enter my mind.  The things pre-accident Elliot would be doing, pinning her hard against the fridge, lifting her body onto my own, laying her gently on the table and ravaging her body.  These thoughts pop up a lot, and mostly I can barrel through them, but for some reason this morning I’m struggling to let them go.  I turn back to the pancakes as her arms encircle my neck, and her head comes to rest on top of mine.  

“How quickly you can go from smiling to sulking…” she whispers bringing her mouth to my ear.

I grunt in response, going back to flipping pancakes.  My body, well the working parts are responding to her touch and yet as I draw my eyes down, nothing. Not even a twitch.  

“Taylor, if I don’t pay attention to these we are going to be eating burnt discus’,” I say flatly, angered by the lacking response.

“Turn it off…” she says, refusing to back off.

I shrug her arms off and lean forward some to try and create some space, but she follows, and my irritation grows.  The mixed signals are only adding to the frustration I’m feeling at not being able just to be… a man…

“Fine Elliot, if that is how you want to end that amazing night and start our day, then fine,” she says, finally backing away.

I instantly regret the ignorance I’ve thrown at her and now not only am I angry at the situation but also at myself.  I watch her disappear behind the wall, and the last glimpse I have of her is the skin of her butt cheek.  Jesus, she was naked under my shirt, I think. I flip the burner to off and move the pan to a cool burner before racing down the hallway after her.  Nearly wrecking into the door to the bedroom I’m surprised to find it closed and I know that I’ve pissed her off.

“Tay,” I say, softly, hesitating to open the door.

“Yeah I know, Elliot, I know you’re sorry, that it’s hard… or not hard, I know but god you practically gave me whiplash in there,” she says.

My jaw nearly cracks I’m clenching my teeth so hard at her words about my dick, and it’s lack of proper sexual etiquette. She’s never gone that far before and while my vision clouds with red I’m trying hard not to explode. I decide to remain on this side of the door because I know that if I cross that threshold, I won’t be able to control my mouth or temper long enough to stop her from walking out on me.