Title: A Work Break (The Taylor Way)
Disclaimer: I don't own anything OC related.
Rating: T
Author's note: So this is just a little one-shot created for a collection of stories from the Townwood fans on the Fanbolt threads. We thought it would be fun to do a book like Henri-Michel’s but we called ours A Season for Unpredictable Love…and this is one of my contributing chapters. Please do read and review….whether it’s good or bad I always welcome people’s opinions. Thanks, Ave x x x

A Work Break (The Taylor Way)

The sun was beginning to set on a rather long day, and Ryan kept reminding himself that he had only 3 more hours to get through before he could go home. It had been a slow shift, the restaurant hadn’t been particularly busy and his mind kept wandering to what had happened the night before in the closet with Taylor. The late night party had turned into an early morning walk of shame, managing to sneak back into the pool-house just before 6am only to have to be up at 9am to start work at 10.30am. A 12 hour-shift; he was surprised he had lasted as well as he did, not only with the lack of sleep but the confusing thoughts as to what in the hell was going on with Taylor.

Yes. Taylor Townsend. He couldn’t quite believe it himself. He had spent pretty much the entire evening attached in one way or another to the girl. But what did it mean? She had made it pretty clear that she was well, attracted is probably too tame a verb to use, but there was something there. He felt it that night when she kissed him in that stunning red dress, and he felt it too the night before in the closet. She was different to what he remembered from Harbor. True she was still very much a go-getter, an over-achiever with more than just a little weird aspect to her character, but for some ungodly and inexplicable reason he in turn was attracted in a very big way to her, both physically and emotionally. He just didn’t know how he was going to deal with it.

He was just thankful that he had another 3 hours to think about it and distract him before he had to go home.

He couldn’t have been more wrong.

Taylor breezed into El Pavo Guapo like a whirlwind, seemingly unstoppable she was like a runaway train and almost ran Ryan over in her tracks as she rounded the corner heading through the doors. She feigned a shocked look on her face, hands firmly on her hips, staring directly into his eyes with conviction. He almost feared for his life. But it was her beauty that was rendering him powerless to move, or speak.

“Ryan! It’s good to see you, what an unexpected surprise to see you here!”

Her tight white jeans clung to her legs for dear life and the equally fitting black blouse she wore drew the focus towards the curve of her hips, and well everything else. Ryan tried hard to focus.

“Uhm Taylor…hi.” Dammit, sure he wasn’t one for big sentences but come on; he could do better than that couldn’t he? After all, considering what they had gotten up to the night before, they were hardly strangers!

“I can see you’re as surprised to see me as I am you.” She wasn’t surprised at all; she was on a mission to make sure he didn’t get the opportunity to avoid her after their rendezvous in the closet. Taylor had had plenty of experience of that.

“Taylor I work here, so it’s hardly a complete surprise. What are you doing here?” He was so unnerved at her just showing up. He enjoyed her company and of course, making out with her was pretty much better that he could ever have expected it, but he thought that they were taking it slow, the last thing he needed was her turning into a stalker girlfriend type, hell she wasn’t even his girlfriend yet!

Taylor sensed that he was uncomfortable around her, and was quick to make sure he knew why she was there, well her cover-reason anyway.

“Well I was in the mood for the macho nacho burrito wrap, and of course this is the best Mexican restaurant in town.” She smiled towards him in what she thought was a convincingly sweet way.

She was cute when trying to get her own way, but Ryan wasn’t stupid. Oddly, he wasn’t insulted that she thought he’d fall for that, in fact he was intrigued as to why she felt the need to make an excuse. He realized that she must have picked up on his “rabbit-in-the-headlights” look.

“Uh yeah the last time you used that excuse it ended up with me kissing you to help you get divorced. And I’m pretty sure I remember you telling me last night that you don’t actually like Mexican food.” He smiled easily at her though. He could tell how much she liked him, as if her rhyming off his qualities the night before hadn’t done enough to convince him.

Ryan had managed to pull away from Taylor long enough to ask her why she had gotten him involved in her plot to secure the divorce from her husband. She explained simply that she had nobody else, and if she was going to make up a fantasy lover to convince the French lawyer she had been unfaithful with then why not him? After all she did think that he was hot, so forcing herself to eat Mexican food so as to get onto his radar in order to convince him to help her was but a minor obstacle to overcome.

“You’re something else, you know that?”

“Well turns out I cast you perfectly in that role, I’m very rarely wrong about these things. And I mean, who knew what a great actor Ryan Atwood would be?”

Taylor knew that Ryan could tell she wasn’t just there for food.

“My my, I didn’t know you were so quick witted, quick witted and funny, I think that you might be spending too much time around Seth. But anyway, you’re right, I’m not here to eat, I came to see you.”

“Well now there’s a surprise.” Ryan said a little dryly, grabbing the dishtowel he had over his shoulder and began cleaning up the dirty tables.

“Perhaps not, but what I had in mind will be.” Taylor came up behind him and pushed him down the corridor towards the toilets and storage cupboards.

Ryan found himself doing as he was told, but his mind was certainly not following.

“Taylor what the hell are you…? I’m supposed to be working, I can’t just….” She was still pushing him from behind, her slender fingers wrapping around his broad shoulders; it made the hairs on his neck stand up.

“Ryan I know that you normally have a break around now…” ok that was a little bit creepy and not doing anything to put his mind at rest, “…so it’s completely futile trying to resist. Now just follow me.”

How the hell did she know where she was going? And how on earth did she know so much about him and his life? If it wasn’t for the fact that she was Taylor Townsend and that he found her incredibly attractive, he would be looking for the nearest exit. But she strode confidently past him, looking over her shoulder seductively, with that knowing look in her eyes, and he was hooked.

As they got to the end of the corridor Taylor leaned backwards against a door, displaying those curves to Ryan once again, letting her curls fall loosely over her shoulders.

“Ok, so what’s going on? You’ve managed to get me to do as you say, so what exactly are we doing here?” Despite being highly confused about just what the hell was going on between them he couldn’t help but want to be pressed up against her, experiencing the way she felt against him, he wouldn’t deny that last night she was very keen on letting him find out. So he moved a little closer, putting his right arm over her, leaning against the door.

Taylor was a little startled by his move towards her; she thought this would be a lot harder, convincing Ryan to forget his awkwardness. But she wasn’t about to lose control of the situation.

“Well, I figured that you might be, well avoiding me after, you knows, last night, so I decided to take the bull by the horns, so to speak and confront the situation head on. I mean Ryan, I am nothing if not forthright and honest, and I know that can be a little…” Stalker-ish Taylor, stalker-ish is the word you’re looking for he thought, “…well off-putting, but I just wanted you to know that I can give you plenty of space if you like…”

Ryan couldn’t help but snort; if this was giving him space then he was very much mistaken. But it was amusing listening to her ramble.

“…well apart from this of course, but what I meant is, no pressure. Remember what I said, whatever happens, happens. Although I was hoping that you’d let me add a little excitement to your break at work.”

She definitely had him on a hook and was reeling him in. She sounded completely sincere, despite her being renowned for getting what she wants. He liked her approach though. Taylor saw the look of intrigue in his eyes and sidled up to him, leaving only an inch or two between them, she could almost see the spark ignite within him.

“Keep talking.” He wanted to hear more of her proposal.

Taylor could hardly contain her grin, so she bit on her lip instead and Ryan almost died there seeing her look so completely wanton, clearly lusting after him. He was feeling pretty much completely cool about what it was that was happening between the two of them, if she made life this interesting for him he wasn’t going to complain. After everything he’d been through, having a little fun with Taylor wasn’t going to do him any harm. That is unless anyone caught them and he got fired.

Taylor closed the gap even further, barely a hair’s breadth between them now.

“Why talk? You know what they say Ryan, actions speak so much louder than words. And I know you’re not a fan of talking.” With that she captured his mouth with hers, pulling him into this incredibly longed for embrace, which he didn’t seem to be resisting. She was pleased her plan seemed to be coming together splendidly.

Ryan backed her up against the door and she was completely engulfed by his body, almost amazed at how much he seemed to want her, especially considering how shocked and intimidated he was when she turned up at El Pavo Guapo.

“Definitely preferring the not talking…” he mumbled into her mouth, his words almost catching in the back of her throat. Ryan reached around and opened the door. He bundled Taylor into the dark, closing the door behind them, spinning her around and pinning her back against it all in one fluid motion, “…but we don’t want to get caught.”

In the pitch darkness he reconnected with her lips almost as if there was this magnetic force drawing him in, his inability to see in the blackness of the cleaning cupboard failing to be present any problems. Feeling her in his arms was enough, as he drew his hands down her side to rest on her hips, pulling her up to him. When the hell did he become so adventurous? He didn’t know but he had a feeling that it was the effect that Taylor seemed to have on him. She was intoxicating, and he couldn’t get enough. She kissed him with conviction, committed to the moment. Pressing her up against the door he felt as though he wanted to lose all control with her, he wanted to see if she would do the same, Ryan wanted to see what the real Taylor Townsend was about because quite clearly there was more to meet the eye.

They kissed each other hungrily, pawing at each other, desperate to take advantage of being alone, barely able to see each other it made the whole situation and atmosphere more heated. They continued for what seemed like hours, both feeling as though they wanted so much more, Taylor certainly could feel just how much Ryan was enjoying their clandestine meeting, it was pressed firmly against her slender thigh. And she was ready to submit to him, feeling him through his jeans with her tiny, but magic hands.

It was then they heard the voices.

“Where’s Atwood, his break finished five minutes ago? It’s not like him to just walk out.”

Ryan finally managed to pull away from Taylor, gripping her tightly though so she knew that it was not the way he expected their meeting to end.

“I got to go. I’m sorry.” Ryan took advantage of the darkness and rearranged himself and his clothes so as not to give away what he’d just been up to. Thank god he had that service apron to wear and cover himself; otherwise the customers might think twice about leaving him a tip.

“Oh…of course, no problem, silly me, I totally forgot you were still at work.” Taylor too managed to fix her shirt and promptly tied her hair back in order to do something about the ‘dragged-through-a-hedge-backwards’ look she had going on. Ryan had a thing about taking her head in his hands, running them through her hair as he kissed her. It gave her goose bumps so she wasn’t about to start telling him off for messing it up.

As Ryan opened the door and the light from the corridor filled the tiny storage cupboard he could finally see Taylor’s face in its full glory, blushing but gorgeous; those beautiful hazel eyes, staring up at him, hoping for some kind of response.

“Maybe we can continue this later? I finish work at 10.30pm, how about meeting me later, at the pool house?” He flashed her one of his smiles, one that made her heart skip a beat and her tummy do that flip floppy thing.

“Well that would be just super Ryan, I’ll see you then.” And with that she scooped up her bag and strode confidently out of the cupboard, readjusting her shirt once again now being able to see clearer. She marched along the corridor and Ryan swore he could see the bounce in her step. It made him laugh a little to himself. Where on earth did she get her energy? He followed her, and reached her just as she neared the opening for the restaurant.

“Uhm Taylor?”

She stopped and turned back to see him approaching her. “Uh-huh?”

He continued walking, and didn’t say anything. In full view of everyone in the restaurant he kissed her on softly, yet passionately, with a peck on the cheek. He continued on, not looking back until he had replaced his apron and lifted the crate of glasses from the kitchen hatch. When he turned his head all he could see was her seeking support from the wall. He hoped that this would be the start of something different, a little bit of fun and if it turned into something else then so be it. What he definitely did know was that it would make going to work a lot less dull, especially with the energy and light Taylor seemed to carry around like an accessory. He finally found the words to speak.

“I just wanted to say thanks for stopping by, and uh, feel free to do it again. You know when my breaks are.”

He knew she didn’t mistake the mischievous look in his eye as she wore the exact same gaze. Maybe they weren’t so dissimilar after all.