"Taylor," Michele sighed into the phone as she stretched beneath the weight of her light down comforter. She closed her eyes to the shafts of mid-morning light streaming through the blinds, and let her mind adjust to a state of wakefulness.

"Hey, baby," his voice washed over her in undulating waves of warmth, filling her with a contentment she'd hadn't felt in weeks.

"How are you?" she asked, unable to stop the smile that was spreading across her face.

"Great. Everything's going good. We finished..." Michele let her mind drift into the blissfulness of his sweet voice as he filled her in on his activities during the past 2 and a half weeks. The brothers had dove head first into their recording, anxious to get the record out by Christmas. They were following their typical schedule of recording at night, which left their days full of nothing but much needed sleep. Michele's photography kept her busy during the day, causing she and Taylor to just miss seeing each other. They'd gotten together for a dinner date right after the guys had started in the studio, and they hadn't seen each other since.

"That's wonderful, baby. I'm glad things are going so well," Michele said and she could just see Taylor smiling in pride on the other end.

"They're going so well in fact..." Taylor's voice took on a slightly mischievous tone as he trailed off.

Michele's mind ran wild with anticipation, "in fact, what?"

"Someone has the afternoon off," he sing-songed and Michele grinned.

"Get over here," she growled into the phone and Taylor laughed, although the sudden jolt of heat that rushed into his boxers assured him the situation was anything but funny.

"I'm on my way."

--

Michele dumped the remaining contents of the lavender bubble bath into the tub and gently swirled her fingers through the hot water. The past few weeks had left her longing for Taylor's touch and since his raspy voice had reached her through the phone, she was outright aching for him to fill her. The gentle rumbling of his truck in the drive caught her attention and she shrugged her white silk robe around her naked body and hurried in the direction of the back door.

Taylor used his key and they met in the kitchen in a tangle of desperate limbs and lips. Her eyes barely had time to take him in before he was in her arms. She all but tore his wifebeater off, anxious to feel his hot skin against hers. His lips bruised hers as his hands slipped inside her robe, igniting her body with his touch. Michele had managed to get his belt buckle undone before his kisses made her so weak with desire that she was helpless to do anything else. His eager manhood sprang from his boxers and rested anxiously against her stomach. She felt her body flood with desire and anticipation as his hard length pressed assuredly into her.

"Baby," Taylor breathed against her ear as her lips' attentions on his neck threatened to send him to the brink of insanity. He released a ragged breath when she began to suck on the sensitive spot below his ear. "Baby, if we don't slow down," he swallowed around a calming breath, "this is gonna be over before it starts."

Michele nodded wordlessly against his shoulder, taking deep, even breaths that matched his.

"We have all afternoon. I wanna make this last," he whispered as she kissed a trail across his collarbone before planting a kiss in the center of his chest.

"I have a surprise for you," she coyly raised her eyes to meet his. His eyes glazed over and a sudden jolt of emotion coursed through her. She realized just how much she'd missed him, and just how much she loved him. "Come on."

--

Taylor sighed as he sank down into the steaming bath, his muscles instantly starting to relax. He hadn't realized just how worn out he was until he stood in the coolness of Michele's bedroom, her fingers comforting his body as she undressed him. His eyes worshipped her body as she stepped into the tub with him, his hands reaching out to smooth over her curves. She sat across from him, her bubble-covered legs stretched out over his.

Taylor dropped his head back against the tub as her hands worked a lather up and down his smooth chest, her nimble fingers making sure to faintly brush his nipples. He closed his eyes and sighed, his mind drowsy with contentment and relaxation.

"You're not falling asleep on me, are you?" her hot breath teased his lips. He sleepily opened his eyes and nodded, a satisfied smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. She placed her lips over his, coaxing his tongue out to meet hers as she let her slippery hands ease down his stomach. She closed a fist around his manhood, kneading it back to the hardness she'd felt before. She watched as his lips parted and a light spattering of red crept onto his cheeks.

"Oh..." he managed as she increased her rhythm, his body aching with weeks' worth of pent-up emotion. He circled his hands from her hips to her hot center, finding her body more than ready for him. He prompted her onto his lap and she fit her slickness down over him, shifting slightly so he could fill her to the hilt. "Fuck..." he nearly came from her tightness, but she held onto him, keeping him from thrusting.

The tension that built as she held him still inside her proved to be too much for either of them and she released him, sending his lower half into a frenzy as his dick shoved inside her again and again. She rode him fiercely, sending water splashing over the edge of the tub as she met him stroke for stroke. Michele kept her eyes trained on him, watching his face contort with emotion as his release finally came. She surrendered her own body only when she felt his hot seed burst inside her.

They lay collapsed in exhaustion and satisfaction until their breathing had calmed and the water had long since cooled.

"I've missed you, baby," Taylor's voice sweetened the silence. "I've missed this."

"Me, too," Michele sighed as his lips branded her forehead. "I could lay here with you like this forever."

"We'd starve," Taylor said practically and Michele burst into giggles. "And freeze."

"Nah," she said, playing along. "We might be hungry for a little while, but then we'd eat those yummy bath crystals over there," she pointed with her toes to the opposite end of the tub, "and all would be well."

"But I'd still be cold," he mock whined, but grinned when Michele turned to face him, a mischievous gleam in her eyes.

"Not if I can help it."

"You working next weekend?" Taylor asked around a mouthful of grilled chicken sandwich.

Michele shrugged, washing down a swallow of her own sandwich with a sip of iced tea. She got up from her stool opposite his at the kitchen counter and walked into the living room, Taylor watching her hips sway beneath the t-shirt she wore. She came back, flipping through her day runner as she walked. "Looks like I'm free."

"Pencil me in, then," he laughed and she playfully smacked him on the back of the head as she went back to the counter.

"What's next weekend?"

"Hanson family barbecue up at the lake," he said in a voice imitative of his father.

"Sounds like fun," Michele said, getting up to place her empty plate and glass in the sink. "What time ya'll going up?"

"Mom and Dad'll probably go up Saturday morning with the kids," he said, coming to place his dishes beside hers. "Me and Ike and Zac usually leave the day before."

Michele visibly stiffened at the mention of Zac's name and Taylor draped a reassuring arm around her shoulders. "Maybe this'll be a good time for you guys to mend your fences."

"I don't know, Taylor," Michele sighed. "I'm beginning to think Zac doesn't want to work things out. I mean, three weeks ago, he was furious with both of us. Now, he's treating you like nothing ever happened and he won't even say a word to me. He thinks I betrayed him."

Taylor wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into him, brushing his lips across her forehead. "I'm sorry, baby. I wish this had never happened."

She pulled away suddenly, her eyes searching his. "You wish what never happened? Us?"

"No, no..." he said soothingly, smoothing wispy strands of her away from her eyes before cupping her cheeks in his hands. "You're the best thing that's ever happened to me."

She offered a watery smile as his lips descended on hers, a few salty tears melding into the kiss. "I love you, Taylor," she mumbled against his shoulder as he circled his arms around her.

"I love you, too, baby...so much..." he said, slipping his hands behind her thighs and scooping her up into his arms.

"Where are you going?"

"To show you."

--

Michele tried to lose herself in the rhythm of Taylor's chest rising and falling, but her mind was filled with nothing but anguishing thoughts of Zachary Hanson. She and Taylor had managed to make love twice more before he fell into a content sleep in the quiet, mid-afternoon lull of her bedroom. She'd slept fitfully for about an hour before the relentless thoughts began badgering her, pulling her into consciousness.

She wished she felt as confident about the Zac situation as Taylor did. But maybe he was right. Maybe he knew Zac better than she did. Maybe she didn't really know Zac at all. That thought pained her more than anything: that the relationship she and Zac shared wasn't as strong and profound as she'd believed, that it was something he took lightly and threw around. She knew all their times together were worth something, that they were at least worth fighting for.

The shrill ringing of what sounded like a cell phone shook her from her reverie. She slipped from the bed and found the source of the ringing on the floor underneath Taylor's shirt. Even though it was his, she answered it without hesitation. "Hello?"

"Hello?" As surprised and unsure as the voice on the other end was, Michele knew immediately who it belonged to.

"Zac..."

"Yeah, hi."

"Hey," she sat on the foot of the bed, tugging the comforter around her.

"Is Taylor there?" he asked quietly.

"Yeah, but, um, he's asleep."

"Oh."

"Zac..."

"Just tell him that Ike's looking for him. I gotta go. Bye." And with a click, he was gone. Michele let the phone slip from her fingers as that familiar gut-wrenching nausea began to fill her insides again. She turned around, letting her eyes wash over Taylor's sleeping form, wishing she could grasp some of the confidence and hope he possessed. She crawled back up to him and replaced her head on his chest, letting his heartbeat drown out the despair.

--

"I'm not sure if this is such a good idea, Taylor," Michele said from her perch in the center of her bed. She sat cross-legged, absently rifling through a bag of Doritos while Taylor criss-crossed the room picking random garments from her closet and dresser.

"What? Me packing for you?" He asked, his eyebrows raising when he pulled a leopard print nightie from the top drawer of her bureau. "This looks like fun."

Michele grinned when he held the nightie up to himself in front of the mirror before tossing it in her duffel bag. "No, although I'm beginning to wonder if I'm gonna have anything other than lingerie to wear on this little trip," she said, trying to peek into the bag before Taylor tugged it out of her view.

"So, what is it?" he asked as he zipped the bag and chunked it to the floor. "Zac, still?"

Michele frowned at the hint of irritation that tainted his voice. She furrowed her brow when he sighed and walked out of the room. She got up from the bed and stalked after him.

"What the hell was that all about?" She found him sitting on the couch, flipping through the channels with the remote. He was looking at the TV, but it was evident his mind was somewhere else. His eyes bore an intense, distant glare. "Well?"

"I'm just tired of this, Michele," he threw the remote down and shrugged past her, going back into the bedroom. She stared after him in disbelief, but followed him anyway.

"Tired of what, Taylor?"

He spun around to face her. "All I ever hear from you anymore is Zac this and Zac that and I'm fucking tired of it. I wish both of you would just grow the hell up."

Her eyes stung with tears and she tried to suppress the anger that was welling up in her throat. "Well, I am so fucking sorry I've inconvenienced you, Taylor. Forgive me for forgetting that the world revolves around you.." She strode to the bathroom and slammed the door behind her.

A few moments later, Taylor's voice appeared on the other side of the door. "Michele...? Baby, I'm sorry," his tone was soft and sincere. Michele raised her eyes when she saw the doorknob turn, but she looked away when Taylor slipped into the bathroom. His heart pained when he saw her sitting on the edge of the tub, head in hands, tears silently dripping to the cold tile. He knelt in front of her, placing his hands on her knees. When she failed to acknowledge his presence, he began smoothing his hands along the sides of her bare thighs to coax her into opening up to him. She finally raised her eyes to his, Taylor's brow creasing at the trails of tears staining her cheeks.

"Baby..." he brushed her hair from her eyes, his lips erasing the wetness from her cheeks. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for yelling. I didn't mean to."

"I know," Michele nodded. "I'm sorry, too. I just don't know what to do, Taylor."

"I know this his hard for you. It's hard for me, too - watching two people I love fight like this," Taylor said, taking her hands in his.

"I'm sorry. This is all my fault," Michele said, a fresh wave of tears welling in her eyes.

"It's no one's fault, Chely," Taylor said reassuringly. "We can't be blamed for falling in love."

"I don't know why Zac can't see that," Michele looked helplessly at Taylor. "He's supposed to be happy for me, Taylor. He's my best friend."

"I thought I was your best friend," Taylor whispered, a brief glint of pure hurt evident in his eyes.

"Baby, you are..." Michele cupped his face in her palms and met his eyes pointedly. "You are." She punctuated her statement with a potent kiss, only pulling away after she felt assured she'd gotten her point across. They smiled as they parted, Michele swiping away her remaining tears.

"And since I'm such a good friend and all," he met her lips with his again. "I'm gonna make sure you guys work things out this weekend, even if it means locking you in the bathroom for the entire trip."

"If you lock me in the bathroom, we can't play with all that fun stuff you packed." Michele smiled coyly, biting her lower lip.

"Good point," he grinned. "Guess I'll have to find another way. But you guys are gonna work things out. I love both of you way too much to let things keep up like this."

Michele smiled at his sincerity and slid down into his arms. "Thank you, Taylor."

"Ninety-two bottles of beer on the wall, ninety-two bottles of beer. Take one down..."

"TAYLOR!" Michele and Alexis both yelled at the top of their lungs. Alexis spun around from the front seat of Isaac's SUV with a look in her eyes telling Michele to shut her boyfriend up or else.

"Tay, honey, that's annoying as all hell," Michele smiled politely at her boyfriend. "So stop. K?"

"Well, you're the one that told me to find something else to do," he grumbled, sinking down lower in his seat to pout.

"Because I'm not gonna sit here and let you feel me up with 3 other people in the car," she whispered, making sure no one else, especially Zac, who sat on the other side of Taylor in the back-seat, could hear.

"Why not?" he whined and Michele shot him a pointed glare. He stuck his bottom lip out in defeat and settled back in the seat.

Michele turned her gaze back to the window. They'd left Tulsa around 1 and had been driving for nearly two hours, with another two to go. Surprisingly, the trip hadn't been that bad so far. She'd dreaded it almost to the point of wanting to back out, but Taylor's comforting words and promises had reassured her. Still, she'd felt apprehensive when they'd stopped by earlier to pick her up and she'd seen Zac sitting the back-seat. Their eyes had barely met when he helped Taylor shuffle the bags around to make room for hers. She figured then that the ride up was going to be hell, but things were going smoothly so far. She and Zac hadn't spoken, but the tension she'd expected wasn't there. She sighed and leaned her head on Taylor's shoulder, grinning when she realized he was still singing under his breath.

"Damnit," Zac's voice broke the temporary silence as she rifled through his backpack. "I can't find my damn Nirvana CD."

"Which one?" Taylor opened one eye and looked at his brother.

"Nevermind," Zac said, searching though the contents of his bag once again. "I was listening to it right before we left. I must've left it in the stereo. Damn."

"Um, I brought mine," Michele said quietly, darting a glance over at Zac. "You can listen to it if you want."

"Okay," Zac nodded and Michele pulled her CD holder from her bag and removed the CD. She held it out to Taylor, but he kept his arms folded and acted like he didn't see her. She passed it on to Zac herself, both pretending not to notice as their fingers brushed when they made the transfer. "Thanks."

"Anytime."

Taylor opened his eyes once he was sure he wouldn't be needed to pass the CD and grinned at Michele. "You're terrible," she whispered and briefly kissed his cheek. He turned and tried to kiss her back, but she pushed him away. He stuck his tongue out at her and resorted to sitting and sulking again, but not before an evil grin curled his lips.

"Ninety-nine bottles of beer on the wall. Ninety-nine bottles of beer..."

--

"Wow, this place is beautiful," Michele said as she stepped out of Isaac's truck. A rustic split level log cabin sat nestled in a grove of dense trees, a glistening lake serving as the perfect backdrop.

"Yeah, I forgot - you didn't come last year," Taylor said as he walked up behind her, placing his hands on her shoulders.

Michele nodded. "That was when Preston was in the hospital," she said, referring to her brother and his bout with appendicitis. "But, I'm here now.. And this place looks amazing."

"It is amazing," Taylor whispered in her ear as he circled his arms around her. "Lots of piece and quiet, big screen TV, a jacuzzi......waterbeds."

A shiver ran through her as Taylor's hot breath tickled her ear. Even though she appreciated Taylor's plans to fix things with her and Zac, she wanted this trip to be a chance for them to spend some much needed quality time...alone.

"I call TV," Zac said, as he rushed past them, his bags thrown over his shoulder, one of them no doubt housing his Nintendo or Playstation.

The rest of the group gathered their bags and followed Zac. The interior of the house screamed comfort and family, and had a nice, lived-in look. Michele couldn't wait to get settled in. Isaac and Alexis deposited their bags in one of the upstairs bedrooms while Taylor showed Michele around downstairs and Zac set up his game system.

"You guys wanna go out on the lake with us?" Isaac asked as he and Lexi walked into the kitchen where Taylor was watching Michele put away some of the food they'd brought with them.

"Nah," Taylor said, faking a yawn. "I think we're gonna go take a nap."

Isaac grinned at his brother and gave him a congratulatory clap on the shoulder as he and Lexi went out the back door, Michele rolling her eyes at her boyfriend's choice of words.

"You're just dying to test out those waterbeds aren't you?" Michele smiled, coming to stand in front of Taylor's chair.

"I've already tested the waterbeds," he said mischievously with a hint of arrogance.

Michele raised her eyebrows and placed her hands on her hips. "Oh really?"

He smiled sheepishly, a blush rising into his cheeks. "Well, not exactly.....tested, as in, with another person....you know....but...." he fumbled.

Michele laughed and tugged him up to meet her lips. "So, let's go."

--

Michele stood at the bedroom's only window, looking out over the lake. She could see the boat Isaac and Lexi had taken floating leisurely along as it's occupants busied themselves with something other than rowing. She smiled as she watched them, wishing she felt as carefree to express herself as they did. She felt guilty when her mind drifted to Zac, who was sitting alone downstairs playing some video game. He had pretended not to notice when Michele and Taylor snuck upstairs, their arms wrapped around each other. She knew this weekend, she and Taylor would have to keep their public displays of affection to a minimum due to the entire family's presence. But the fact that Michele would have done it just for Zac's sake bothered her more than she would've liked. As much as she loved and respected Zac, even after he'd been so hateful, she couldn't think of one good reason why she should hold back with Taylor because of him. As she watched Ike and Lexi's boat drift slowly out of view, she realized that her entire relationship with Taylor had been built around Zac. Since the first night she and Taylor had made love, her first thought was always how it was going to affect Zac. She knew Taylor was right: Zac would, in fact, get over it. And when he was ready, he'd accept it and move on, and they'd get back to being friends again.

A gentle peace settled over Michele as she felt Taylor's hands slip around her waist. He rested his chin on her shoulder for a moment, enjoying the view she'd been appreciating. She dropped her head back against his shoulder when she felt his lips on her neck. She sighed, savoring the feeling, before turning around and meeting his gaze. A new energy coursed through her as she stared into his eyes, a feeling of honesty and purity washing over her. For the first time, she realized, she wasn't going to let herself feel ashamed - ashamed of touching him, of making love to him, of loving him.

She pressed her lips to his in what was perhaps the most earnest kiss they'd ever shared. His arms held her securely to him as his lips met hers again and again. She parted his lips with her tongue, that feeling of wanting to drown in him controlling her once again. After she'd tasted him fully and left him breathless, she trailed her kisses down his chest, leaving damp spots in the thin cotton of his wifebeater. When she reached the waistband of his cargo shorts, she peeled his shirt up and kissed her way back up his torso, his stomach clenching under the attentions of her mouth. She lifted the shirt over his head, ruffling his hair. She took his hands and lead him to sit on the edge of the bed, his weight sending a gentle ripple through the water.

As she stood over him, his cheeks lightly flushed, his hair smoothed out of his face, the evidence of his arousal making itself known through his shorts, the only thought that came to Michele's mind was how beautiful he was. He was the only man she'd ever felt like truly giving herself to in a complete and unadulterated surrender. She knew there would always be a piece of her that belonged to him.

Her fingers found the top button of her camp shirt and she loosened it from it's buttonhole. Taylor's hands covered hers. "Let me." Michele bit her bottom lip as Taylor's nimble fingers unthreaded each button, his mouth tasting each new inch of skin as it was exposed. When he reached the bottom, he pushed the shirt from her shoulders, his hands sliding around to unclasp her bra. Once the satiny fabric had been dropped to the floor with their other garments, he ran his mouth along each breast, his tongue tasting their centers. Michele tunneled her fingers through his hair as he pleased her, her body flushing under his touch. His mouth trailed down her stomach and when he reached the drawstring of her shorts, he languidly untied them and slipped them down her legs. His eyes washed over the length of her body as she stood before him in nothing but a pair of white lace panties. His mouth then followed the descent of her panties as he hooked his fingers in the waistband and slowly slid them off.

When his tongue began to delicately tease her womanhood, she gently pushed him away, guiding him to lay back on the bed, his body undulating with the movement of the water. She kept her eyes locked into his as she unbuttoned his shorts and tugged them off to the floor. She kissed a trail from one knee up to the hem of his boxers, Taylor sucking in his breath as her mouth closed over his straining erection through the thin fabric. He slid further back onto the bed, allowing Michele to crawl over him, her softness brushing his hardness before she came to straddle his waist. She rotated her hips over his, sending the water spasming out around them, and bringing a grin to Taylor's face at the effect.

Michele raised on her knees to kiss him, Taylor sliding his boxers down his hips and kicking them off. As her tongue worked it's way into his mouth, he grasped his penis in his fist and slowly guided it into her. Michele gasped at the sudden sensation, but settled back on him, his hardness filling her completely. His hands guided her hips as she rocked into him, the undulating water creating a unique and fluid addition to their motions.

Taylor raised his lips to hers as he thrust into her. She laced her fingers through his, balancing herself atop him when he fell back onto the bed.. She mindlessly rotated her hips over his as her orgasm approached, her contracting prompting streams of his warmth to explode into her. Michele collapsed onto his chest, the paddle fan chilling their sweat dampened bodies.

Michele suddenly raised her head from his chest, tilting his face to hers.. "I love you, Taylor. I just want you to know that. I love you more than anything."

"...than anything, I do," he completed in song, Michele grinning at him, but knowing he was sincere. "Seriously, I love, you too." He brought his lips to hers, sighing as they met. Michele settled her head back on his chest, her fingers swirling random patterns on his stomach.

"And you know what else?" he asked in all seriousness, Michele raising her eyes to look at him. "This bed is fun."

--

"You're not supposed to stand on waterbeds, Taylor," Michele told her genius-of-a-boyfriend as he tried to pull the string on the ceiling fan.

"I don't care. It's freezing in here," he said as he hurriedly slid his naked body back under the covers with her. "Zac must've turned the thermostat way down."

'I'm sorry' he almost said before he noticed her eyes didn't revert to the dullness they usually did whenever someone mentioned Zac's name. They retained the sparkle and glow that usually followed their love making, and he wondered what brought about the sudden change. He opened his mouth to ask, but was cut off by a knocking at the door.

"Tay..." Zac's voice barely floated through the thick wooden door. "I need your help." His voice was quiet and Michele wondered if the sense of urgency she heard in it was only her imagination. Deciding not to take any chances, she jumped from the bed and quickly dug a long t-shirt from her bag, Taylor taking her lead and shrugging his boxers back on.

"What is it?" Taylor asked as he flung the door open, half-expecting to find Zac near death or something. Instead he saw what appeared to be Zac tightly wrapped from head to toe in a thick animal-print blanket. Michele stifled a laugh and Zac rolled his eyes. "Um, Zac?"

"It's freeeeeezing down here," he said, shivering slightly from within his cocoon. "I can't get the damn thermostat to work."

Michele released an inward sigh of relief; she he had known more than likely that nothing was wrong, but the mere thought of the possibility made her shiver. She and Taylor followed Zac down the stairs, Michele realizing that Zac hadn't been exaggerating. The heat she and Taylor had generated with their afternoon activities must have shielded them from most of the cold, because it was downright like an ice box downstairs.

Taylor padded across carpeted floor to play Mr-Fix-It with the thermostat, leaving Michele and Zac standing at the foot of the stairs. Michele wrapped her arms around her body and rubbed her hands up and down the goose-fleshed skin of her arms. She stole a glance over at Zac, who was still huddled in his blanket. "Punkass," she whispered, not even thinking to hesitate before using one of the nicknames she'd coined for him.

"What?" he asked incredulously, trying to hide his surprise that she'd initiated a conversation.

"You scared the crap out of me," she said. "With all that, 'Taylor, I need your help.' I thought something was wrong with you - other than the usual of course."

Zac resisted the urge to roll his eyes, but couldn't keep the makings of a grin from working it's way to his lips. Michele smiled. "You look like a doof."

"Your boyfriend looks like a doof," Zac corrected, gesturing over to Taylor who was standing in nothing but his boxers, scratching his head while he stared at the thermostat.

"Can't argue with that," Michele said, starting to turn to Zac when Isaac and Alexis strolled in through the back door."

"Why's it so cold in here?" Alexis asked as she and Ike walked in and surveyed the scene. "And why are ya'll standing around in your underwear?"

"And why is Zac dressed like Yoda"? Isaac asked, shooting a confused glance at Lexi when the room's other three occupants all burst into laughter.

The gentle rolling of the water beneath her stirred Michele from a content sleep. Her eyes fluttered open as Taylor turned over, sleepily draping an arm around her. A stream of what she guessed to be mid-morning light poured in through the uncovered window. Michele closed her eyes against it's brightness and snuggled deeper into Taylor's embrace. A feeling of sereneness she hadn't woken to in a long time filled her senses as she listened to his gentle breathing. She didn't know if it was because of their peaceful surroundings, or the warmth of his body lying next to her that had her feeling so refreshed, but she was grateful. It had been a while since she'd woken in Taylor's arms and she'd quickly remembered that the feeling was incomparable. His warm breath tickled her forehead and she sighed, her mind lazily drifting to the previous night's events. She knew they were the real reason her heart felt so content and her body felt so at ease.

After Taylor and Isaac finally managed to get the thermostat fixed, the group decided that a trip to the jacuzzi was in order. Michele and Alexis whipped up a quick dinner and by the time darkness had fallen, the guys had the steamy jets going full force. The warmth of the pulsating water had been a welcome feeling, moving to relax their travel-tensed muscles and melt away the chill that had enveloped them. An ease of conversation that had long been amiss flowed between them, the entire group talking and laughing as the night wore on. Michele and Zac had somehow ended up beside each other in the round tub and though their chatter didn't carry it's usual openness and friendliness, it wasn't nearly as tense as it had been of late. The entire group seemed to take notice of it, and it made for an altogether more pleasurable evening. When the clock began to hover around midnight, the group decided to call it a night, everyone exchanging 'goodnights' around sleepy yawns. Zac had decided to camp out in front of the TV, Michele whispering a quiet goodnight to him as she and Taylor began their trek up the stairs. He offered a sleepy smile in return, Michele's heart filling to the bursting point with emotion and hope.

By the time she and Taylor had gotten upstairs, that emotion had been funneled into desire and was aching to be released. She couldn't remember the exact number of times they'd made love, but she knew it was the most mind-blowing, passion-riddled experience of her life. He'd fucked her hard shoved against the thick wooden door, and made love to her slowly and sensually, his lips exploring every bare inch of her body. They'd collapsed around 4 am, their sweat-drenched bodies literally drained of energy. Michele had fallen quickly into a deep sleep, her body fulfilled and her mind finally at ease.

"Good morning," Taylor's raspy voice interrupted her reverie and she sleepily opened her eyes to the stormy blue of his. Images of their wild night passed between them before their lips met in a sealing kiss.

"Morning," she whispered, slipping her knee between his thighs. A blush rose to his cheeks when her face made it evident that she'd felt his dream-induced hardness strain against her stomach. He licked his lips when her hand slipped beneath the sheets to lightly grasp him, her cool fingers a pleasant contrast to the heat of his hardened member. "And here I thought I wore you out last night.." she smirked, her lips playing into a coy smile.

"I'm always ready for you, baby," he said, suddenly rolling over onto her, her knees instinctively steepling at his sides. He kissed a trail from her lips down her taut stomach to the heat emanating from between her legs. Michele arched her back as his tongue darted out to taste her. His name escaped her lips in a moan as he traced her opening, the tip of his lithe tongue slipping into her wetness. She tangled her hands in the sheets as his mouth covered her, a steady gentle suction driving her composure to slip and a shuddering orgasm to course through her.

He kissed his way back up her body before delving into her wetness, her tightness only affording him a few strokes before he spilled inside her. He rested his body down on hers with a contented sigh, his lips brushing across her collarbone. Michele closed her eyes as her fingers sifted through his hair, letting her body recover and relax. When she felt herself begin to drift off, she prompted Taylor off her. He pulled out and rolled to his side, enclosing her in his arms again.

"Good morning," she sighed when her eyes met the comfortable gaze of his. She loved the blue his eyes turned when his body was recovering from the throes of an orgasm.

"Very good morning," he smiled, his lips briefly meeting hers. "I love you."

"Mmm, I love you, too," she returned between his insistent lingering kisses. "Tay, no, we need to get up; get out and do something."

"Nooo," he whined, tugging her body closer to his, letting his kisses trail down her neck. "Let's just stay up here. There's tons of stuff we can do."

"Hmm," she sighed as his mouth continued it's assault and his hand slid from her waist to cup her breast, his lips moving to suckle at it's center.. "Hmm....listen..." she said suddenly, Taylor's head darting up. Once the gentle rolling of the bed stopped, the light strains of children's laughter could be heard. "Your parents are here," Michele stated the obvious.

Taylor exhaled a frustrated breath and rolled over onto his back. "I was hoping they wouldn't get here till lunch time. Damnit."

"It *is* lunch time, baby," Michele said as she slid from the bed, the green numbers on the bedside clock reading 12:37. She dug her robe from her bag and slipped it on, brushing the tangles from her hair in front of the dresser mirror. "I didn't realize we'd slept so late."

"We had a long night," he smiled, his lips branding her jaw as he came to stand behind her. Her reflection smiled wryly at him as she handed him the brush.

"I'm gonna go take a quick shower," Michele said, gathering her toiletries from her bag. Taylor raised his eyebrows and moved to get his own stuff, Michele shooting him a glance that said she'd be showering alone. He opened his mouth to object, but she cut him off. "No buts. There are kids in the house, now. We can't take any chances." He accepted her reasoning, but pouted anyway, Michele rolling her eyes as she left the room.

--

Michele was slipping a tank top over her head when Taylor walked back into the room, rubbing his damp hair with a towel. She practically had to shove him out the door after she'd walked back in after her own shower wearing nothing but a towel. He'd showered in half the time it had taken her, but still managed to miss watching her get dressed. Michele, however, sat on the edge of the bed enjoying the view as he purposefully took his time in finding something to wear and then putting it on. She grinned when she noticed how much he seemed to be enjoying sauntering around naked in front of her.

She circled her arms around his thin waist as he brushed his hair in front of the mirror, resting her cheek against his wifebeater covered back. "Taylor..." she warned when he took one of her hands in his and brought it to cover the lump that was forming in his khaki shorts. "You need to calm down, dude." Still, she gave him a little squeeze before she backed away to find her shoes.

A tiny knock resounded at the door just as Michele slipped on her sandals.. She made sure Taylor was presentable before she opened it, finding a bathing suit clad Zoe on the other side. She crouched to her eye level with a smile, Zoe instantly throwing her arms around Michele's neck. "You look mighty pretty this morning," Michele said, unfurling one of her blond curls only to watch it spring perfectly back into place.

"Mommy says lunch is ready," her sweet voice brought Taylor to the door. She curled her arms around his legs in a quick hug before she turned and bounded back into the hall and down the stairs.

Taylor and Michele descended the stairs hand-in-hand, a blush rising to Tay's cheeks when they met his mother at the foot of the stairs. Michele smiled shyly as Diana raised her eyebrows in a knowing look. "Come on, you sleepyheads. I fixed some sandwiches."

They joined the others, which only included Diana, Zoe, Alexis, and Isaac, in the kitchen to eat. Isaac was hurriedly gathering up the remainder of his lunch as Zoe tugged anxiously on the hem of his shorts. Michele could see the other kids were running through a sprinkler in the backyard through the sliding glass doors. Ike and Lexi finally made it to the door, Zoe giggling wildly when she was free to join the others in the water.

"She has been itching to do that since we got up this morning," Diana laughed as Michele and Taylor took a seat on the bar stools. "She put that suit on last night and refused to take it off. I'll be lucky if I can get her out of it tonight."

Michele chuckled as she dumped a handful of chips in her plate. She loved being in the Hanson household and being surrounded by all the love and warmth it exuded. "Thanks," she said to Diana when she placed cans of Dr. Pepper in front of their plates.

"You guys have fun last night?" Diana asked as she turned around to place some of the sandwich fixings back in the refrigerator. Taylor nearly choked on the bite of sandwich he was chewing, his face flushing a deep crimson as he took a swallow of his drink to wash it down.

"Yeah," Michele said, without missing a beat. "We all got in the jacuzzi for a few hours - just talking and stuff. It was fun. This place is really amazing."

"You should invite your parents next time," Diana turned back around with a smile. "I mean, you're practically family now, anyway."

"Thank you," Michele blushed, grinning when Taylor met her eyes with a smile. "You guys really make me feel at home."

"Foooood. Need fooood," the groggy, sleep-deprived zombie formerly known as Zac rambled into the kitchen, his hair sticking out all over his head in a tangled mess. He was wearing a wrinkled version of the clothes he had on yesterday, his eyes squinted into narrow slits against the harshness of the light.

"Hey, Zacman," Taylor chuckled at his younger brother, thinking he probably looked just as worn out when he first woke up this morning.

"Morning," he grumbled, sneaking a chip off Michele's plate before brushing a brief kiss across her cheek. Michele froze, completely taken aback by his actions, Diana and Taylor doing the same. Zac had made it around the island and was reaching for the fridge before the realization struck him. He paused mid-reach, his eyes widening and not daring to meet Michele's.

"Habit," he whispered, his face momentarily shielded by the refrigerator door as he got a drink. He sat down at the end of the island, his gaze slowing raising to meet Michele's. The glint of emotion she saw in his eyes disappeared almost as quickly as it came, Zac turning his attention to fixing himself something to eat.

"Yeah."