Don't Close Your Eyes

Awaking with a jolt Taylor looked around. It was dark and he was in that motel he had been staying in for the past several months. He was sweating all over. He blamed the sweat on the hot Georgia night that was at hand. He had the same damned dream again. The one he had been having for months now. It wouldn't go away no matter how hard he tried. In the dream he had been making love to Liz. He had been with her again and for him that had been enough. It had been all he needed.

Rolling over he made a face as he looked at the brunette who was sleeping away beside him. His wife Natalie. He had married her two months ago and now he wasn't even sure why he had married her. She was nothing like she had seemed to be before they got married. Before they got married she seemed like an innocent and sweet southern belle. A lot like Liz was. But now that they were married he had found out just how devious and controlling she could be. He couldn't get away from her for a second to breathe. She always had to be right up his ass.

Slowly getting out of the motel bed Taylor got dressed as quietly as possible, not wanting to wake Natalie up. He had to leave without her. He knew that much. Once he was dressed he sat down at a table and grabbed a piece of paper and pen. Once he had both he wrote her a short note.

After writing the note he headed outside and to the jeep he had bought last year. Getting in and starting the car he opened the glove compartment and got the picture of Liz he kept in there out. He had to hide it in there after Natalie had tried to burn it once. He had luckily gotten it away from her in time.

Turning out of the motel parking lot Taylor frowned as he drove. He remembered leaving Oklahoma two years ago. He regretted leaving. More importantly he regretted leaving Liz behind. But at the time when he left he wanted nothing to do with his old life and that meant nothing to do with Liz either. He had done what he did best. He had left.

Getting on the interstate he knew it would be a few hours before he was with her again but god he hoped time flew. As he drove he put the picture up on his visor so he could see it. After he had left she had convinced his mother to give her his new address. She ocassionally wrote to him though he never wrote her back. She had stopped writing a year ago. In the letters she wrote about her miscarriage and what she hoped their baby would have looked like. This miscarriage had been hard on her. He knew that much.

Feeling a tear go down his cheek as he thought of her miscarriage Taylor felt his heart break. That had been the main reason he left. He felt responsible and he blamed himself for it. At the time they had been arguing. When she told him she thought she was having a miscarriage he had accused her of lying. She had done that a few times just to avoid arguments. Lie about something. When he had realized she wasn't lying though he took her to the hospital but it had been too late. Their child was gone.
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Smiling as she smelt coffee brewing Liz slipped out of bed and reached for her blue silk robe. Once her robe was on she went downstairs where she found Zac in the kitchen. He was still in his boxers and his hair was a mess, "How long have you been up?" she asked seeing the sun hitting his back slightly. He looked beautiful standing there in her kitchen half-dressed and with the sun hitting him like that. He was almost like a fine chiseled god.

"Not long," Zac shrugged as he sipped coffee from the mug in his hands. It was brown from all of the creamer he had put in it. "Do you want a cup?" he asked raising his eyebrow. His brown eyes were shining as he looked her over. She was wearing his favorite robe. His mother had bought it for her the first Christmas she had spent with his family in 2001. Even then he had been infatuated with her. Even then it had been obvious just how infatuated with Taylor she was.

"Please," Liz smiled at him as she brushed some of her brunette hair out of her eyes. She was thinking of getting it cut soon. It hadn't been this long since Taylor left. That was the first thing she had done after he left. Change her hair. She had dyed it a darker shade of brown and cut it off. It had been part of her coping mechanism. It had helped just like Zac always checking on her everyday had helped. It had been one of those days of him checking on her when everything between them had started. She had simply asked for his help in putting on a necklace. Who had known that just by doing that she would have had one of the most intense orgasms of her life. Oh he had helped her with the necklace alright and then he had went down on her. A few weeks after that she had taken his virginity and the rest was history between them.

Zac looked at her as he saw the look on her face change. Walking to the cabinets where the cups where he grabbed a mug and got it down. Walking back to the coffee pot he poured her cup and added some cream to her coffee as well, "Here you go," he said as he carried the coffee over to her after stirring it some.

Hearing Zac, Liz was brought out of her thoughts, "Thanks babe," she said as she leaned over and pecked his lips. Smiling she sipped on her coffee as she walked over to the table. She was glad things were better between them now. That their love making earlier had eased his worries for the moment.

Smirking after Liz pecked his lips Zac watched her walk over to the table, "I was thinking of taking a shower and then going over to see my mom today," he said as he sipped the last few drinks of his coffee and then putting the mug in the sink.

Nodding at his words Liz looked at him, "I'm sure your mom would love to see you," she said knowing it had been a few weeks since he last saw Diana. They had only been home for a week. They had decided to take a small summer vacation and had flown to Hawaii. It had been last minute planning but they both had needed that time away. Zac was beginning to get overloaded with his college courses and she had been overloaded with her long shifts at the hospital where she worked part time as a secretary.

"Yeah she probably would," Zac nodded as he smiled some. Moving away from the sink he headed towards the bathroom. Getting in he shut the door and stripped out of his boxers. Walking over to the shower he opened the sliding glass door and stepped in, turning the water on as he did. Stepping under the warm water he sighed content. The water felt nice on his skin.

Finishing her coffee Liz stood up and put the mug in the sink. Hearing the water in the bathroom start she walked towards the bathroom and she opened the door. Seeing Zac through the sliding glass door she slowly peeled off her robe and walked towards the shower.

"I hope you don't mind the company," Liz said as she looked at him and soon she stepped under the water to where he was at.

Zac heard Liz and he lifted his head some, "I definitely don't mind the company," he said as he looked her over. "You are beautiful," he muttered as he leaned in and kissed her lips. He could still faintly taste the coffee on them as he did so.

"I thought we were showering," Liz muttered on his lips as she kissed him back. Zac could be a horn dog when he wanted to be. He was different than Taylor in that aspect. While Taylor and she had,had a very active sex life he wasn't always coming onto her when the opportunity arose like Zac did.

Smirking as he kissed her more, Zac let his hands cup her cheek, "We are," he muttered on her lips as well. They were showering..and they were about to do other things as well.
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Taylor smiled to himself as he finally arrived in Liz's neighborhood. He knew she still owned the old house they had shared together before he left. The friends he did keep in touch with had told him that much. Arriving in front of her house he parked his jeep and got out. Seeing the old house again he smiled as he walked to the porch. Once on the porch he took a deep breath trying to get his nerves to go away. Heck he had nothing to be nervous over. This was the woman he loved. The woman he had come back for. Raising his hand he knocked three times and waited on an answer.

Zac who had just gotten out of the shower made a face when he heard a knock on the door, "I'll get the door," he said to Liz as he wrapped a towel around his waist. Making sure the towel was secure he smiled and then opened the bathroom door. Walking down the hall and towards the door. Opening it he was about to say something but froze when he saw Taylor. He felt his whole world crumbling right in front of him.

Liz nodded as she heard Zac. Staying in the bathroom a bit longer she tie dried her hair as best as she could and then she reached for her robe and put it back on. She decided she would get dressed after whoever was at the door was gone. Walking out of the bathroom she walked down the hallway to the front door. Getting there she froze in her tracks not far from where Zac stood. There on her porch was Taylor. Jordan Taylor Hanson. He had returned to her. She wanted to faint from shock.

Looking up as the door opened Taylor looked confused when his younger brother Zac opened it in just a towel. It was apparent he must have just gotten a shower. Hearing footsteps coming down the hallway not long after Zac had opened the door Taylor watched as Liz who was clad in her blue silk robe that he had hated froze in her tracks. He could tell her hair was damp which meant that she too had just gotten out of the shower. Swallowing hard he soon added up the pieces as his mind only came to one conclusion. Liz and Zac were together.

"Are you two dating?" Taylor asked finding words and finally breaking the unspeakable silence that had lasted the past five minutes between all three of them. He was still in shock over the sight in front of him and god he wanted to be wrong about his conclusion.

Glaring some when Taylor finally talked Zac crossed his arms, "It's none of your business if we are or not," Zac said his tone being harsh and bitter. Who did Taylor think he was showing up like this with no warning. "But yes, we are dating," he nodded. He could have sworn if looks could kill Taylor would be dead right now. Looking back at Liz he saw the look on her face as she kept staring at Taylor. She already had stars in her eyes. Hesitantly he moved aside knowing that Liz would allow him in anyway. No matter if Zac wanted his ass gone on the next bus out of Tulsa.