11 Rings and Things

As soon as Taylor and Amanda decided they were going to marry, they went to the court house and filed for a license and were assured it would be ready the following day. After that, Taylor drove to the mall and dropped off Amanda and Lissa into Gina's care. She was Chris's sister and Amanda had met her a few times when she came into Scarpa's to eat or tease Chris about the women he hit on.

"Ok, baby, I'll meet you back here in two hours and then we'll get some dinner. After that we'll go home."

"Taylor, what about all of our stuff. I can't just leave it all at the apartment, besides there's stuff there I need, stuff that Lissa needs."

Taylor sighed; he just wanted to get them all home and safe in his house. "Ok, we'll stop by there first and then go home, ok?" Amanda nodded and he kissed her quickly on the lips and placed a kiss on top of Lissa's head.

He watched them as they walked into the mall, Lissa practically skipping and chattering up a storm. Things could be so different if the unthinkable had happened only a few hours ago.

If Lissa had been hurt at school. Or worse. He knew that he would've lost Amanda too. She wouldn't be able to deal with losing Lissa and would fall apart. She was strong, stronger than her mother had ever been but Lissa was her whole life. And now they were both Taylor's whole life.

With a small chuckle he climbed back into his van and headed for Matty's. He got there ten minutes later and Matty gave him a hug.

"You all right man?"

"Yeah, thanks. Shit, Matty, that little girl scared the fuck out of me. If anything ever happened to her," Taylor trailed off.

"She's safe now, Taylor. You're getting her out of there, getting them both out of there. Everything will be alright."

"Yeah I know." Taylor grinned, "Can you believe I'm gonna get married?"

"Never thought I'd see the day. Always knew when you feel, you'd fall hard and fast."

Taylor nodded and was feeling very reflective and open. "I love her so much, Matty," He normally wouldn't admit his feelings so easily to Matty or anyone else for that matter but he couldn't hold it inside.

"How's the sex?" Matty asked with a grin. Taylor usually always had some sort of story to tell. They were always discreet about sharing their exploits and it never made it back to the women or anyone else. Just the two of them.

Taylor laughed out loud at that, "We haven't had any yet."

"WHAT?" Matty choked out, his eyes bulging in disbelief.

Taylor shook his head, "We haven't had any yet. We were close once, then her phone rang and we had to go and get Lissa."

Matty laughed until tears came out if his eyes and Taylor scowled at him. "Oh, that's good, Tay, that's rich. A woman, whom you've got a good hundred pounds on, has you so wrapped around her finger that you're marrying her before you sleep with her. What if the sex sucks?"

"That's not possible. She's all tiny and fiery. I'm almost scared for when she finds the power of it. Fuck, Matty, she's gonna hurt me. Once she knows what she really does to me," he shook his head, "Man, I'm a goner."

"That you are, my friend. That you are. I called Gino and he's closing down the store for an hour for us." Matty told him.

Taylor's heart started to pound. He was on his way to buy an engagement and wedding rings. How had this happened? He pulled up to Tiffany's and took a deep breath.

"You sure about this?" Matty asked Taylor again, just to make use.

"Yeah. Always thought you'd be married first. Thought maybe I'd have you to help me through this."

"I'm here for whatever you need, Taylor." Matty took a deep breath and rubbed his forehead, "You got money?"

Taylor couldn't believe that Matty was offering him cash. He knew if he took it, Matty would never want it back. It was they way he was. Whatever Matty had, so did Taylor. "No, man. I'm good. Thanks for the offer though, means a lot."

Matty nodded again and opened his door, "Come on them, lets go pick out a ring."

Taylor looked around and rubbed his head. There were so many different sizes, shapes and colors. Should he get white or yellow gold? Platinum? Round, princess or oval cut? Teardrop?

"I want to get something that fits her. She's so small, I don't want it too big. I don't think it would look right if it was too bit?" He said it more as a question and looked at Gino, the salesman.

Gino nodded, "Yes, that's right. How small is she?"

Taylor grinned, "Little over a hundred pounds, give or take. She's only about five-three. Tiny, with lots of red hair and dark brown eyes," he trailed off, lost in a memory of the woman he loves.

Matty and Gino smirked at each other. They'd known Gino almost as long as they've know each other. He was the son of a man that Matty's dad knew. Not too connected, not like Matty but there was a link there. Gino knew who and what Taylor was and he found it amusing that someone so strong and violent could be swept away by a little slip of a woman.

"Ok, Taylor. Lets see what we got. Does she wear any other jewelry?"

"She's got her ears pierced but she never wears earrings. No other rings. Don't think they ever had the money for one."

"You want gold or platinum?"

"Which is better?"

"Well, platinum won't discolor like white gold and well, gold is gold. Personally, I'd go with the platinum. You wear a silver chain and the Star of David, I think it's tacky to mix white and gold together." Gino told Taylor honestly.

"Good, cause I like the white look better. I want it simple. Only one stone. I think the round one."

Gino pulled out a ring and set it before Taylor. Taylor picked it up with shaking hands and tried to listen to what Gino was saying about cut, and clarity. All Taylor knew was, this was the ring.

It was a one karat, round stone, in a thin, platinum band. There was a matching wedding band to go with it.

"That's it," Taylor whispered. He didn't even look at the price. He didn't care if he had to pay for it the rest of his life.

"What size ring does she wear?" Gino asked Taylor.

Taylor just blinked at him as panic set in. "I don't know. Matty, I don't know what size she wears,"

"Hold on a sec," Matty said as he called Gina and asked her what size she wore. Then he told Gina to have Amanda try on her ring. He snickered once and then hung up the phone. "She's a five,"

"Five? You sure?"

Matty nodded. He was the one that bought Gina the ring, he was sure of it's size. Gina wasn't as small as Amanda but she had very thin hands. "Yes, I'm sure. I bought Gina the ring, Taylor."

Taylor let out a bark of laughter, "You and Gina? When the fuck did that happen? How come you never told me?"

"It kinda just happened and with everything else going on, I never got a chance." Matty said with a slight blush.

Taylor grinned, "So, hows the sex?"

It was Matty's turn to laugh, "Fantastic, but don't let Chris know. Now lets get back to the rings and out of my sex life,"

"Yeah, ok. Least you got one," he grumbled and then smiled when he realized that after tomorrow, he would too, "I just want a plain matching band. Something wide. I also need something for a nine year old girl."

Gino just raised his eyebrow at Taylor and took him over to necklaces. Taylor chose a diamond L, in platinum with a matching chain.

The total of all his purchases were well over ten thousand dollars and he know if Amanda ever found out, she'd be pissed. He didn't care. It was his money, he had it, and a lot more, in his savings from his parents life insurance policy. His father made sure that Taylor was taken care of if something ever happened to them. Something did, and now Taylor was using that money to build a new life with the two girls he loved more than anything.

Taylor dropped off Matty and couldn't get back to the girls fast enough. They were waiting for him when he pulled up. He jumped out and opened their doors. He kissed Amanda on the lips. "Did you get everything you needed?"

She blushed a deep red Taylor noticed the Victoria Secret bag and grinned. He leaned in to her and dropped his voice to a seductive whisper, "Is that for me?"

Her lips parted in a small gasp and he couldn't stop himself from kissing her deeply. Lissa giggled in the back seat and he winked at her.

He ran around the van and jumped in, "Now we go to you place and get what you need for the next few days. I can have Matty or someone else box up the stuff while we're away."

"Away?" Amanda questioned him with an odd look.

"Yeah, away. You know, honeymoon?"

"Taylor, we can't take a honeymoon. Lissa has school and I have work," she whispered to him.

"Already been taken care of."

"What do you mean?"

Taylor rolled his eyes, "I mean, the honeymoon's already been booked and Lissa's been taken care of. She starts school on Monday. She's gonna stay at Matty's house,"

"Taylor, no."

Taylor looked over at Amanda and frowned. "Nothing will ever happen to her there. You have my word, Amanda. Matty will protect her with his life, just like he would if she was my own flesh and blood. She'll be safe and have a big house to explore." Taylor turned and looked at Lissa, "Would you like that, Lissa? You remember my friend Matty?"

Lissa nodded and looked back and forth between Taylor and Amanda, "I'll be ok Mom. You need to have some fun and not worry about me."

Amanda gave her a strained smile and gave Taylor a look that promised him that they weren't done talking about this. He just shrugged.

They got back to Amanda and Lissa's place and Lissa started collecting her stuffed animals and some clothes. They have very little in the way of extras or toys.

Amanda pulled Taylor aside, "I really wish you would have talked to me about this, Taylor."

"Why? So you'd have more time to come up with reasons why we can't go? No, Amanda, we're going. I want to have a honeymoon with my wife. I want to be able to spend the day in bed, touching you, every inch of you. A nine year old will prevent that. Don't get me wrong, I love her so much, but we need a little time for just the two of us. Besides, it's only for a week and she'll be fine."

"Don't you think it'll look strange for Matty to have a small girl with him?"

Taylor scowled down at her, "No. Matty's dating Gina. Lissa knows her and likes her, right?" Amanda nodded, "They're both gonna look after her,"

"Well, what about Benny?"

Taylor sighed and rubbed his head, "Listen, I know you're worried about this but I've known them my whole life. They are a part of me, who I am and they're not going to go away. Nothing will happened to her while she's there. In fact, it is one of the safest places she could ever be." He pulled her close and looked her in the eyes, "Can you trust me, Amanda? You know I'd never put her in harms way."

Amanda put her head on his chest, "I know, Taylor. I just don't know how to deal with anyone else being directly involved in her, our, lives. It's always been what I say." she smiled up at him, "I've never had to share her."

"Will you share her with me, Amanda? I want to love her like my own daughter,"

Amanda felt tears well up in her eyes. The stuff Taylor was saying and doing for her turned her heart to mush. He may be solid muscle and dangerous, but inside, he was the sweetest, most thoughtful man she'd ever met.

"Yes, Taylor, I'll share her with you."

He smiled and she felt her heart pound. He lowered his mouth to hers and nibbled on her lower lip, "Maybe while we're away, we can work on expanding the family."

"I don't know about that, Taylor," Amanda replied breathlessly.

It was the truth. She wasn't sure that she was ready to have a child. She wanted some time with Taylor, to get to know him better but when he looked at her like that, she forgot all of her protests and wanted to give him anything he wanted.

"Hum, we'll see, baby. I want my child growing inside of you. I want Lissa to have a brother or sister. I want her to see what a real family is. We're a family now, baby, the three of us and I'd like to add to that. Soon."

"What about work, money."

Taylor chuckled, "Don't worry about that. You can work if you want, until we have babies, but you don't need to. I've got money, baby. I want you to be home, taking care of our children, of Lissa."

"Taylor," Amanda said as she pushed away from him slightly. They could hear Lissa chatting to her friend Sam on the phone in the background. Amanda moved away anyway just so they wouldn't be overheard, "I'm not marrying you to get out of here or so I don't have to work anymore."

"I know," he said as he stalked toward her, with a seductive look on his face. "I can't wait to make love to you, Amanda,"

"Taylor, I'm serious,"

"So am I," he defended.

"You're impossible," She tried to sound angry but she couldn't keep the smile from her face.

"I'm horny, baby," Taylor muttered against her neck as he backed her against the counter. He dropped his voice to a whisper, "I can't wait to have your legs wrapped around me. I can't wait to make you cum again," Amanda let out a small gasp and felt her knees go weak at his words, "You remember what it felt like, when I made you cum?" She nodded, her eyes were huge as she looked up at him.

"Every night, baby, I'm gonna make you feel that good every night." Taylor kissed her, showing her what he meant. He kissed her like they were alone. Like he was going to take here right there in the middle of her tiny kitchen. He only pulled back when he heard Lissa hang up the phone, "I love you, Amanda."

She sighed, "I love you too, Taylor. So help me God, I love you too."

Taylor smirked and stepped back, "Now, go get your shit. I want to go home."

She wrinkled up her nose at his choice of words and walked passed. He slapped her on the ass, making her jump and burst out laughing.

Taylor was so happy, he was besides himself. He was about to get married to the girl of his dreams and have an instant family. A family he's always longed for but never imagined he'd ever get. Yes, life was good for Taylor Reese.

As Amanda gathered her stuff, she looked around her small apartment. The place she'd called home since she was sixteen years old. There were so many memories tied to this place that she was feeling choked up. She knew life with Taylor would be interesting and she'd be happy. That Lissa would be happy.

Together, the three of them, would make many more happy memories. She sighed and sat down on her bed. Tomorrow, she'd be losing her virginity to a man she loved. Her husband. Grinning like a school girl she giggled.

Late at night, when she would picture her husband, he was nothing like Taylor. He'd be normal size. Lean with lots of blonde hair and blue eyes. He'd court her with chocolates and flowers and would never swear or make sexual innuendo's to her in the middle of the kitchen, in front of Lissa.

He'd be an accountant or a business man. Middle management. Nothing too fancy, just an average man with an average life. How did she end up being swept up into Taylor's net?

Thinking back on the first time she saw him, she knew he was trouble. That's why she tried to ignore him. A lot of fat good that did. Taylor was not a man to be ignored. He pushed and kept pushing until she was hopelessly in love with him, just like he wanted her to be. And she wouldn't change it for anything.

Tomorrow, she would be Mrs. Taylor Reese.