Finding the key exactly where Koti said it would be, I walk up the front steps and approach the front door. I know it’s wrong of me to go inside Taylor’s house without her knowledge, but I figured I’ve earned the right to snoop a little bit. Seeing as she stalks me and not only hunted down my ex-girlfriend, but talks to her on the regular.
The inside is just as quaint as it is on the outside. Her decor colors of choice are soft creams and light blues. There’s a small sectional in the modest-sized living room, along with a flat screen hanging from the wall, two tall bookshelves overflowing with books, end tables, and a coffee table. Her kitchen holds stainless steel appliances and the counters are a pretty peach and brown granite.
Family pictures hang from the walls down a hallway. Most of them are of her, her sisters, and brother. One has an older woman in it, and she’s surrounded by a younger Taylor and her siblings. The resemblance between the quadruplets and their mother is uncanny.
I open one door and deduce it’s her office. The room next to it is a bathroom. Opposite of that is a linen closet.
I come to the last door at the end of the hall, knowing it must be her bedroom because it’s the only door left. The thought that going in her room might be crossing a line pops in my head, but I don’t let it stop me. You can learn a lot about a person from their bedroom, and I find myself wanting to know more and more about Taylor.
I open the door and only make it one step inside when I freeze.
Holy fucking hell.
My gaze snaps from left to right, taking in the space with stupefied eyes. There’s so much of me in here. Multiple posters hang from the wall. A framed magazine with my half naked body on it sits on her dresser. She’s got stacks of every single CD Grey Water has ever produced. At the end of her bed is a blanket with my face on it. She must have had that made because I’m pretty sure I’ve never seen it before. A band shirt is framed, hanging beside a painting with, you guessed it, my face on it. A couple different bobble heads with my likeness sits on her nightstand. It looks like she owns every piece of band paraphernalia ever created.
Damn near every surface in this room has some form of my face on it. It’s fucking crazy to see.
“Oh shit.”
The squeaked words come from behind me, and I spin around. Taylor stands just outside the bedroom door, her face pale.
“So, uh,” I toss a thumb over my shoulder. “This is a little intense.”
“You were supposed to wait for me outside,” she says with no ire in her tone. She’s probably still recovering from finding me in her room.
“I decided to wait inside. By the way, you need to talk to the kid next door. He gave away the location of your key way too easily.”
She shifts on her feet and takes a step inside the room. Her gaze darts around, her expression comical because it looks like she’s on the verge of freaking out.
“You weren’t supposed to see all this.” She remarks once she brings her eyes back to me.
I cross my arms over my chest, keeping my expression neutral. “Is there anything of Grey Water that you don’t own?”
Her voice shakes with nerves when she answers with one word. “No.”
It’s fucked up, but I’m kinda enjoying her anxiety. It’s so different from the confident and no-fucks-given attitude she’s had up until this point. I have no doubt she’s probably wondering if I’m going to call her a freak and storm out of her house, leaving behind a demand to stay far away from me.
“Come here,” I demand in an even tone.
She hesitates only a second before she’s walking across the room and stopping in front of me. Uncrossing my arms, I wrap one hand around her hip and tug her closer.
“Are you obsessed with me, Taylor?” I ask.
She twists her head to look around us. “I’m pretty sure the evidence shows that I am,” she answers with a wry smile.
“How long?”
“The first time Grey Water hit number one in the charts.”
I whistle. “Wow. That’s dedication.”
Her shoulders lift.
I drop my hand from her hip and take a step back. “I think I’ve changed my mind about taking you out on a date.”
Her expression drops, and it takes herculean effort to hold back my smile. Her eyes fall from mine to look at the center of my chest.
“I get it,” she says quietly. “Anyone would be freaked out by all of this.”
“Take your clothes off.”
Her head snaps up, and the frown she gives me is adorable. “What? I thought—”
“I said I changed my mind about taking you out, not that I wanted to leave. I found something I want to do more. Fucking you senseless sounds pretty damn good right now.”
“Really?” She still sounds uncertain.