"Zac, change it to the movie channel," Taylor instructed.

Zac did as he was told and changed it to channel twenty-three. None of them had ever seen the movie, they had never even heard of it, but the channel remained on twenty-three. Zac layed contentedly on the floor wrapped up in a blanket with a pillow supporting his head. Taylor and Peachy layed snugly on the bed situated across from the television. Peachy felt warm and comfortable laying with Taylor. They weren't touching, but she could feel his body heat penetrating through the blanket that separated them. The familiar butterflies returned when he situated himself so his leg was against hers. She couldn't understand why she was feeling like this. The simplest of touches sent electrical currents through her body. Taylor probably thought of it as just being comfortable.

She wished she could read him. She wanted to know how he felt about her. The way he treated her in public was a dead give away that he didn't like her, but then all of a sudden, behind closed doors, he was laughing at her jokes.

"What movie is this?" Peachy asked to no one in particular.

"I don't know," came Zac's muffled response from the floor.

"It's kind of stupid," Taylor commented, moving so he was laying on his side.

Peachy let out a disapointed sigh. Why did he have to move? She couldn't tell what he was trying to do. He began to hit the pillow between them. Bringing his arm up and then letting it fall. She looked at him in confusion and he just smiled that toothy Taylor grin of his. She couldn't help but smile back. Laying back down she began to wonder if he was hinting something. Does he want me to lay there? She thought. She wanted to, but she couldn't. Everything in her told her it was okay, but her body wouldn't allow her to lay where his arm was falling.

"I'll be right back," Zac said standing up and heading to the door. "You guys want some cookies and milk?" He asked before leaving.

"Yeah," Taylor answered.

That was all Zac needed. He was out the door and running down the hall to the kitchen. Peachy and Taylor were alone. She felt abandoned all of a sudden. Taylor was still there, but without Zac there, it was like her chaperone hadn't come. Taylor moved again and was once again touching Peachy. She couldn't stand it. She leaned back into him and layed her head on his pillow. There, she told herself. I did it. Her heart was pounding, but everything seemed alright. Taylor didn't seem to object to her current position, and she was glad, it had taken a lot of guts to do what she had done, he better like it.

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes as she felt Taylor's fingertips on her neck. She could feel his warm breath on her back, and she wondered if he planned on kissing her. The hand traveled down her back, landing on the bare skin where her tank top had risen. Peachy didn't dare say a word. She wanted him to touch her. She liked the way he was making her feel.

When Zac came back in the room, the hand disapeared and they both sat up. They grabbed their cookies and glasses of milk and gave no signs what-so-ever of what had just been going on. Zac held onto his share of the snacks and went back to his spot on the floor. Peachy couldn't help but wonder if that was it. Was this whole thing like a game to him? She wondered if everytime they were alone, he would advance more and more. Why can't he just talk to me! She screamed inside. He was so confusing, she didn't know what he was ever thinking anymore.

Peachy ate her cookies in silence. It was like some sort of ritual. Each of them sat eating the cookies silently and taking sips of their milk after every few bites. The sight sent a smile to her face.

Zac placed his glass on the small coffee table and layed back down. Taylor did the same. Peachy's heart skipped a beat when he lightly grazed his fingers against her shoulder. She wanted to relish in his touch and touch him back, but every ounce of her being was telling her to stay calm and just go with the flow. But she didn't know what the flow was. She had never been groped before. She had never been in this kind of situation before, and the fact it was with Taylor made it all the weirder. Peachy placed the glass gently on the table and cautiously layed back down. She wondered if the exploration would resume.

As she expected, Taylor's hand found its way back to her stomach. Peachy lay facing the television. She was trying to concentrate on the dialogue between the characters, and the story line, but Taylor's fingers lightly grazing her stomach consumed all her concentration. The way his fingers felt the wasteband of her shorts, the way he would gently move her tank top further up sent chills down her spine. Good chills, she told herself. Her breathing picked up when she could feel his hand move up her body. The realization that he was headed to her chest sent her hearbeat into a frenzy. I can't let him do this to me, she told herself. But the farther up he went, the more she anticipated the final destination. She closed her eyes and wished everything was different. This wasn't the right place for this. They needed to be alone, and she needed to be able to look at him. The fact he couldn't see her face as she drew in each shakey breath made her wonder if he didn't even care. She didn't know what was going on in that head of his.

The hand finally came in contact with her breast. Her eyes were closed and her breathing an unsteady confusing jumble of air. She couldn't believe she was allowing him to do this. Using all the sanity she had left, she placed her hand over his. When the hand drew back slightly she went after it. She was determined to let him know she liked it, even if she couldn't tell him with words at the moment.

"I'm cold," Peachy whispered as she wrapped her fingers with his.

"I'm not," Taylor mumbled from behind her. She could almost hear disapointment in his voice and it hurt her. She hadn't meant anything. It was all new to her that she didn't want it to be done wrong. She hoped Taylor could understand that without actually hearing it.

Peachy removed her hand from Taylor's and placed it back up under her head.

"What's going on," Peachy tried to regain interest in the movie.

"I know, this movie is pretty stupid," Taylor said from behind her. Peachy could sense that he was feeling the same as her, which sent her at ease.

"Uhh, I don't know," Zac muttered, lifting his head out of his blanket so they could understand him.

Peachy sighed and wished she could get up and leave and feel uneffected by him. Taylor. She had to keep herself from turning to look at him. She wanted to see him in this state. Peachy felt like she had a bit of control over him. Like he would do it, if she just simply asked him. She wanted to ask him to touch her again but she felt herself cowering. It was so hard.

In a moment of pure blind lust, she turned and pressed her lips to his. It all seemed to happen in slow motion. She could feel the nagging in the back of her mind. She longed to feel his lips against hers, and when she couldn't take it anymore, she turned and saw him there, he seemed to be waiting. It was exciting, but she quickly ended the kiss and sat up. She grabbed his hand and he began to do the same. I want this. I want this. I want this, she repeated in her mind. Her heart was racing and she couldn't help but wonder if Taylor felt the same.

Peachy stood up and let go of his hand. She wasn't about to risk Zac seeing them together like that. Her relationship with the whole family could be at stake. She headed to the door, not even turning to see if Taylor was following her. She padded down the hall and opened the door to her room. She could sense Taylor's warm figure behind her. She could feel every inch of her body caught up in an uncontrolable shiver. She wanted him to touch her again like he had on the bed.

Peachy pushed the door open and headed inside. She turned and watched Taylor as he walked in and closed the door behind him. Her heart was beating furiously and she was convinced he could hear it. As if sensing it, Taylor walked up to her and placed his hand over her heart. She drew in a deep breath and closed her eyes. What do I do now, she pleaded with herself. It was like she was lost in an ocean and she didn't know which way to go.

She drew in a deep breath the moment before their lips connected. This is it, she told herself. You can't turn back. I won't let you turn back. Peachy held onto Taylor, unsure what to do with her hands. Taylor's hands were grazing her neck, and her face, and her chest. Never had any action seemed so wonderful.

Taylor parted her lips gently with his tongue. He wanted desperately to taste her like no one before. He wanted to feel her against him. He continued feeling her body, and she began to run her fingers through his hair. Taylor parted momentarily to draw in a deep breath. His thoughts circled around the bed. Could he do that? Would she object? He didn't know what do to, and he didn't know what she wanted to do. As if answering his thoughts, Peachy began to tug at his shirt. It was something he had been through before, but now, it was something he wanted. He wanted to prove to himself that he could be comfortable without any clothes on in the presence of another person. Peachy's hands made it under his shirt and she began to feel around. Everything was so new and she wanted to explore everything.

The air around them began to get stuffy. Peachy felt as if a million blankets were being placed over them and they were to find their way out. In one motion, she grabbed at the hem of her tank top and pulled it up over her head exposing her bare chest. Taylor drew in a breath. He could feel his excitement rising and he knew that he wanted to see more. He placed a gentle kiss on her neck and began to run his fingers over the waist of her shorts. He could feel her hot breath on his neck as he began to roam the territory. She ran her fingers over his back and on his neck, and knew that she was ready. She pulled on his shirt, and soon had it over his head. He stood up as if to let her see him and she began kissing him in places she had never kissed before. His colar bone, his chest.

Taking lead, she guided him over to the bed and flipped on her bedside lamp. The only noise they could hear was eachother's breathing. Taylor couldn't help but wonder if this was wrong. Only hours before, he had thought she didn't like him. The way she treated him at the banquet made him wonder if that kiss they had shared before meant anything to her. She had said it did, but he didn't know if she had been lying. Peachy was so confusing to him anymore. He felt so many things toward her, but would never allow himself to act upon them for fear that she would push him away. But here he was standing with her, touching her naked body. His heart beating rapidly and her kisses devouring his neck. He liked this, and it scared him that it didn't mean anything to her.

When Peachy layed back on the bed he had to control his excitement. Contrary to popular belief, this was new to him. He had never been in this kind of situation, and he knew she hadn't either. He wanted to do this right, for her. She leaned her head back and allowed him to kiss her neck, relishing in the contact. Part of him didn't know if what they were doing was wrong. The other part kept telling him to go on and finish this. He struggled to think of consequences, he didn't know if this might ruin their friendship. What about his relationship with Reggie? Could this ruin that?

Taylor placed his lips over Peachy's and could feel her tongue gliding over his lips. She wanted more, he was sure. He could tell by the hunger in her kisses and the way she would let out small moans. Taylor opened his eyes long enough to see her's tightly shut.

"I'm done," he whispered breaking the kiss.

"What?" Peachy breathed. He had seemed so ready and willing.

"I can't do this anymore, we need to stop," Taylor went on.

Peachy nodded in agreement, although her body kept screaming for more. Suddenly she felt uncomfortable without her shirt on. Sitting up, she grabbed it off the floor and put it back on. How was she supposed to go to bed now without thinking of him? How close they had been. A part of her was mad that he had stopped, and she couldn't help but wonder if it was her.

"I'm sorry," he muttered from his seat next to her.

"It's okay," Peachy assured, even though she didn't know if she really felt that way. She looked at him and couldn't help but lean closer. She leaned over and placed her arm around him. "I still love ya," she smiled.

Taylor smiled back, wondering what would happen if he decided to start kissing her again. He had to admit he liked kissing her. He liked the way she felt against him, but at the same time, it seemed wrong. The way she looked laying on the bed sent shivers up his spine. It was like she knew what she was doing, like she had done it before. Could she have been in this same situation before? Was he just another guy to her?

He stood up and turned to face her. "I'm gonna go to bed," he said.

Peachy nodded. She wanted him to stay and sleep in her room, but she knew she better not push anything.

She let out a disapointed sigh when the door opened and Taylor walked out closing it behind him. How could she get it out of her mind? Was it possible for her to close her eyes and not see him? She layed back into bed and pulled the covers up. Reaching over, she turned the bedside lamp off and closed her eyes. Pictures of Taylor haunted her. He was everwhere. Peachy couldn't help but wonder what he was doing, and thinking. Maybe he was thinking of her.

Taylor stopped at the bathroom on the way to his room. He looked at himself in the mirror and took a deep breath. I was so close. How could I let myself get so close? He didn't know how he would be able to face her again. She was there with him for the next two months, going the same places he would be going. I went too far. Guilt started to seep through him. What would have happened if he had allowed it to go further? The friendship between them wouldn't be there. Instead, it would be a relationship, and he didn't know if he could do that with his best friends sister. He wasn't about to put his friendship with Reggie on the line. But he had followed Peachy out of that room. He had wanted it. Did that mean he didn't care about Reggie?

Staring at his reflection in the mirror Taylor had a sudden urge to throw something. He was getting too involved with Peachy. Way too involved for his liking. He wanted things to be simple like they were before. He had enjoyed the butterflies he got when they touched, but that's where he wanted to keep it. He didn't want to delve into the relationship world just yet.

Reoccuring memories of the way she felt, and the way she looked kept flooding his mind. Running his lips along her neck and touching her in places she had never been touched. Laying with her on the bed, her racing heart. It was all real. She had been there, and so had he, and they had liked it. Why am I feeling so guilty then? Taylor stood up straight and looked at himself one last time before heading to his room. If he saw Peachy again, he was just going to pretend nothing had happened. Things would be so much easier that way.