| As he was looking at me, I could tell he had something to say. I was afraid to ask, but I did anyway. "Taylor...what is it? What are you thinking?" I asked, and I was almost holding my breath. He continued to gaze into my eyes for a long moment, without saying anything. "Tay? Are you ok?" I asked. "I'm fine, Jess. I was just thinking..." he began and then stopped. "What?" I prompted, wondering why all of a sudden he was at a loss for words. I stroked his hair again. "I think I'm falling in love with you." Oh my god. He did say that. Whoa. Ok. I was still in shock as he touched my face, "Jessie..I know it's so fast..I do. But you make me FEEL so good. And not just like this, either. I can't explain it. But that's the..." I put my finger to his lips again. "Tay..it's allright...I know...I feel the same way. I just was a little shocked to hear you say it, that's all. I can't explain it either. But here we are..so now what? Because, I can't bear the thought of you leaving." I said and laid my hand on his cheek. "I just can't." "I know, Jess. And I don't want to..but we will figure it out, Ok?" he said firmly. "Ok.." I sighed and snuggled into his arms. He pulled the blankets over us and wrapped himself around me and we fell asleep. We were awakened with a shock as the door burst open and slammed against the wall. I pulled the blanket up around me as Taylor sat up and yelled, "Zac! What the hell are you doing?" Zac was standing in the doorway with his hands on his hips. He tried to look angry, but I could tell he was trying not to laugh. "Get up you lazy butts!! I'm not an answering service, Jess. And your damn phone is driving me nuts, the dude who keeps calling, says he's your trainer, won't take my word that you were asleep. So now you're not. So answer it." then he grinned. I groaned. "IT'S SUNDAY for cryin' out loud! what the heck?" Just then, the phone rang again. Taylor and Zac looked at me expectantly. "Well, are you gonna get it?" Zac asked still grinning. "UGH! " I groaned, and opened the phone. "What is it Eric?" I sighed. "It's Sunday... I need a day off!" My ear was assaulted with a tirade I had never heard out of him before. I pulled the phone away from my ear and winced. After about 30 seconds I had had it. |
| "ERIC! SHUT THE HELL UP AND LISTEN TO ME!!! " I screamed into the phone. Finally, silence at the other end. Both Tay and Zac looked at each other in surprise and then back at me. "THANK YOU! NOW..you do NOT get paid to run my personal life and I will NOT put up with this shit for one more second, do you understand me?" I shouted. "I am taking today off and also TOMORROW. I will go to work tomorrow night and be back in the gym to train on TUESDAY MORNING...IS THAT CLEAR?" I raged. "Good. Now, I am going to hang this phone up and I will not answer it again until Tuesday. I'm gonna take my friends sightseeing today..so don't bother to call me again." I slammed the phone shut. "OF ALL THE MUSCLEHEADED, IRRITATING, ASININE, IDIOTIC MORONS!!" I shouted and switched the ringer off. "I've been training like a maniac for the last 6 months, what the heck has gotten into him?" I shook my head and realized that Taylor was looking at me in pure shock and delight, and Zac was on the floor doubled over with laughter. Even Ike and Lacey had come in to see what all the upraor was about. Ike was grinning from ear to ear and Lacey's mouth was hanging wide open. "What?" I asked innocently. "He was acting like a complete and total jerk and deserved every word. Jeez! He's not my mother..." "You sure told him, Jessie!" Lacey giggled. "We could hear you all the way in the other room." "I'm sorry guys, but damn!" I grinned sheepishly and wrapped the blanket tighter around me. I grabbed a pillow and hurled it at Zac. "Knock it off, Zac!" I grumbled. "It wasn't that funny.." "Yes it was, " he stated matter-of-factly. "You should have heard yourself," he said as he tried to control his laughter, "But seirously, Jess..you should consider another trainer. That guy's an ass." "Oh! get out of here you goofball and let me get dressed.." I said mock irritably. I hurled another pillow as he headed out the door. It hit the door just as he closed it behind him. I flopped back on the bed and looked up at Taylor, who was looking at me strangely. "What?" I asked and turned onto my side, propping my head up on my arm. "Remind me to NEVER piss you off.." he said with a grin. "But are you sure you wanna take that much time off? I mean..he is your trainer..." the sentence trailed off. "Taylor," I began, "I know what I am doing, ok? Everyone needs time off. Even when you compete. There IS such a thing as overtraining. Which I have been, I need to rest my leg or I wll tear my hamstring again. And besides, I want to spend today with you." "Good.." he whispered and pulled me into his embrace. I tilted my head up and kissed him. He moaned, "Damn Jessie...." and kissed me more fully. Just then there was a loud pounding on the door. "Now what?" Taylor groaned loudly. "Hurry up, you guys!! We're gonna get breakfast and get the hell out of this hotel room today!!" Zac's voice came booming from the other side of the door. "Even Lacey and Ike aren't as bad as you two." he muttered. "COME ON!" |
| I giggled. "I guess we better get moving." "Oh, all right." Taylor grumbled. "But I want you all to myself later." he said firmly and kissed me again. "Don't worry, baby." I said. "But I am starving and Zac mentioned food." He laughed. "As small as you are, I wouldn't think you'd eat so much." "You'd be surprised." I told him. "Ok let's go then.." We got out of bed and took our turns in the shower. Fortunately, I had a spare set of clothes in my gymbag, which was down in my car. Taylor sent someone to get it and poured me a cup of coffee. He brought it to me just as I was trying to fasten my locket around my neck. He watched me struggle with it a moment then set my coffee down and helped me with the clasp. "There you go." he said and kissed me on the neck. "Thanks." I answered and turned to put my arms around him. I hugged him tightly to me and he kissed the top of my head. Just then the door flew open again. Zac took one look at us and rolled his eyes. "Come on you guys! Unwrap so we can go DO something.." he whined. I couldn't help but giggle. "We're coming Zac, I hope you left me something to eat." I teased and tugged Taylor along behind me. |
| When we got to the dining area of the entertaining room, Lacey and Ike were just about finished eating. "You guys should be REALLY hungry by now.." Ike teased. Lacey hit him on the shoulder. "Leave them alone, Ike.." she reprimanded. "I think they're cute." " I think I need a barf bag.." Zac stated and rolled his eyes. "And waste all that breakfast? Are you nuts?" I teased him. "Didja leave any for me? Because I AM starving.." I gave Tay a sideways glance and he grinned and sipped his coffee, without saying a word. I sat down at the table next to Lacey and Tay sat down next to me. We ate breakfast and chatted, trying to decide what to do with a whole day. We finally decided not to plan anything, just go wherever we felt like. We all piled into Ike's rented SUV and took off. It was a beautiful, sunny day and we decided to head to the lake, there was a nice state beach that I used to run sometimes. It was fairly secluded and had lots of hiking trails that ran through the dunes and woods. |