| Taylor wound up calling Dea, just to make sure he wasn't kidding himself about her, because of Emma. They made plans to hit the beach with Zac and Emma, since Emma said the surf was supposed to be 'awesome' that afternoon. Taylor was impressed with Emma's ability and he had to give Dea a little credit, she DID try. But only at Emma's insistence and if she promised to stay close to her. After about 40 minutes, Dea was through trying. Taylor went up an laid on the beach for a bit, and listened to her chatter as he watched Emma and Zac in the water. He knew in his heart that he could not have Emma, but he wished he had been lucky enough to meet her first. It also did not prevent him from wanting to know what it was like to have her arms around him, or to have her lips meet his the way she was kissing Zac, as she straddled her surfboard in the water. "TAYLOR?" Dea poked him in the arm. He looked over at her. "What?" he asked. "What is so fascinating about your brother and his girlfriend making out? I was talking to you.." she demanded. "Sorry Dea...but they are about to get hammered...look.." he grinned and she turned her head. "OH NO!!" she squealed and giggled as a semi-large wave crashed over them, knocking Emma off her board and sending Zac's flying out of his hands and toward the shore. They came up out of the water, laughing, Zac grabbing Emma's board and pushing it toward her. She got back on, kissed him again, then headed farther out, yelling over her shoulder for Zac to wait, she'd get his board for him. They all watched as a huge swell started and Emma paddled like hell to get on it. She jumped up and crouched perfectly on her board, slicing across the wave at high speed. It started to curl over her head and Taylor thought for sure she was going to wipe out, but she shifted her weight to stay in the tube. "Holy shit..." he breathed and stood up to watch. Zac was equally enthralled with the way Emma had taken the wave, whooping from the water in encouragement. Taylor found himself cheering her on loudly as well as Dea sat shaking her head. But almost back to shore Emma lost her balance, making for a nasty wipe out. "Oh shit.." she muttered just before she hit the shallow water. Zac swam like crazy and Taylor ran down the beach, Tay reaching her first and giving her a hand out of the water. Zac came up behind and grabbed her board before the next wave sent it slamming into her. "Emma? Baby are you okay?" Zac asked as he moved her board so she could lean on it. "Hell yeah!" she giggled. "What do I look like? Some sort of wus?" She pushed her hair back off her face and threw her head back, laughing at the looks of shock on the brother's faces. "Holy shit that was the best wave I've caught in about three YEARS!" she let out a whoop and headed back out. Zac looked at Tay grinning proudly. "That's MY woman, baby!! WOOOOO!!" he paddled like hell to get back out there with her. Taylor shook his head and chuckled. 'Peas in a pod' he thought, wishing like hell once again that he'd met her first. He flopped back down next to Dea and listened to her ramble on about Emma being slightly insane and not acting like a normal female. "There's nothing wrong with her, Dea." Tay told her. "She's just having fun.." "It's a rush...come on, try it again...." he urged. "Emma won't let you get hurt and neither will I." "No thanks. That was a nasty spill...I don't like the idea of three months in a cast. With my luck, I'll break something. You go ahead, I'll watch." she told him."I don't wanna leave you sitting up here alone, Dea." Taylor said, honestly. "Go, Tay. I'll watch. You look awfully cute ridin' that board." she said sweetly."Dea are you sure? I don't want to come back up here and have you all mad at me.." he said. "I won't be.." she said and gave him a shove. |
| "Deanna...are you sure? I already feel bad enough about the other night.." he told her truthfully. "Yes, Taylor. GO...I like watching..." she shoved him again. "Don't let Emma out do you this time." she laughed. "I'll be back soon.." he promised, running backwards toward the water. "Okay.." she agreed, and drew her knees up to her chest to watch He did come back up before Emma and Zac, but not as soon as Deanna would have liked. She didn't complain a whole lot, but she decided that his preoccupation with Emma and Zac was too much for her to handle any more that day and insisted that they split up for dinner. Emma grabbed Dea by the arm and dragged her aside. "Dea, what's wrong hon?" she asked, genuinely concerned. Dea sighed heavily. "Easy for you to ask...you have TWO men making slobbering idiots of themselves over you." she quipped. "What in the world are you talking about?" Emma asked her. "Taylor hasn't paid a lick of attention to me all afternoon. I keep catching him watching you and Zac." she complained. "Honey we were SURFING. It's something you do when you're at the beach. If I'm just down here hanging around I find myself watching. I'm sure he didn't mean to neglect you." Emma assured her, telling herself that the next time Taylor came into the bar she would rip him a new asshole. If he wasn't interested he shouldn't call her and lead her on like that. "Dea we are ALL sandy and wet, to go somewhere else you'd have to change and shower and all that crap. We're hungry NOW. The place we're gonna go has a deck and the best Mexican food you ever had. Just be a good sport for a little while longer and then I," she pointed to her chest, "will give you guys the boot, okay?" Emma smiled and gave the girl a hug. "Okay Emma, but only because YOU asked." Dea answered. "Thank you." Emma smiled. "You should have stayed in the water longer Dea. You could really be good at surfing if you did it enough." Emma commented. "When you change your major to dance, I'll surf." Dea teased. Emma shook her head and tugged her by the hand up to the concrete showers. Zac and Emma exchanged knowing glances as they recalled the last time they had used this shower. Zac had to change his train of thought quickly, or risk being thoroughly embarrassed. The four of them rinsed off, pulled T-shirts and shorts over bathing suits and swim trunks, hoisted boards, wet suits, and shoes and returned them to the little surf shop before getting in their vehicles and meeting at the little mexican place that Emma loved so much. Dinner was more enjoyable, with Emma there to put Dea at ease, Taylor thought and realized that he should NOT call her again. He felt bad, realizing that he was using Dea to push Emma out of his head. Dea was sweet and she didn't deserve that, even if she wasn't what he wanted in a woman. The four of them ended up staying together after dinner, staying at the beach. Zac and Taylor went to the conveince store on the corner and brought back a case of beer and a fifth of whiskey for Emma, both realizing she preferred that to beer, while Emma and Dea spread a blanket out and rounded up some driftwood to make a fire. Emma had the fire lit by the time the guys got back, so they passed out the beer and Zac handed Emma the bottle of whiskey, leaving it in the brown paper bag. Dea complained that beer was leaving a bad aftertaste in her mouth, so Emma offered her the whiskey, if she didn't mind sharing the bottle. |