After the Storm

Chapter Eighteen

"No, we don't. Why, are you afraid?"

My eyes narrowed an eighth of an inch. "How'd you guess?"

Taylor smiled and brought one arm behind his head to scratch the back of his neck. "Because the majority of dogs are probably bigger than you."

True. But it's not just big dogs I'm afraid of. 

"I hate to be that annoying kid in the back seat during a road trip, but are we almost there?"

Taylor checked his blind spot before he changed lanes. We had been driving for a while now—maybe twenty minutes?—and it was almost twilight. My favourite time. I either loved or hated a darkening sky. There was no in between. When it was daytime and dark, I hated it, but come late afternoon, especially on a summer evening, I loved it when the sun disappeared.

"Yeah, we're actually only about two minutes away now."

That was sobering information, but not completely unexpected considering that Taylor had just turned into a residential neighbourhood. My teeth captured my bottom lip and I tried to inhale a deep breath.

"You still okay?"

I looked over at where the softly spoken words came from. With a small smile on my lips, I nodded. I'll admit, hearing that we're so close to his house—and his family—did invite some of the anxious feelings, but it wasn't anywhere near what I was feeling at the airport, thank goodness.

But even if the feelings were as bad as those hellish ones, I doubted they would last long. As the Jeep turned on to a street lined with bungalows, a large hand came to my thigh and squeezed.

If there was some way for Taylor to feel my pulse from where out bodies were connected, he'd probably think I was on the verge of another attack.

He'd be mistaken. Anxiety wasn't the cause of the increase in my heart rate this time.

"Okay, this is it," he said as he pulled into a driveway. "This is where I grew up."

Taylor pulled the keys out and leaned back in his seat. He watched me take in the house. It was small, a bungalow, with white and gray painted brick.

"It's cute," I murmured.

My voice wasn't all that shaky. A small victory.

"Ready for my family to become obsessed with you?"

"As I'll ever be."

It wasn't until Taylor was out of sight and grabbing my suitcase out of the trunk that I allowed myself to smile at his words. He was probably just trying to calm my nerves, but it was still nice to hear.

I let him lead the way up the short walkway. For some reason I was expecting him to knock, but he had a key on him. Obviously. This was still his home.

Taylor smiled and winked at me as he pushed open his door.

Of all the things I could possibly be thinking in that moment, I thought about that scene in Twilight where Bella accuses Edward of dazzling people. Because that's what comes to mind when Taylor winks.

It's actually a thing of beauty. He manages to keep the other eye wide open and smile, all while not looking constipated.

And that's how I managed to be thinking of her son's sexy wink when I met Sofia Hudson for the first time.

"They're here! You're here!" a woman who was pretty much the older, female version of Taylor practically squealed. "Come here, look at you!"

Taylor was right. She was a hugger. I was still standing in the entryway when she pulled me in to a warm hug. It was the type of hug that felt so genuine and loving that you couldn't help but melt into it and wrap your arms around the other person in return.