It's All Coming Back To Me Now

by Ms Isabella

Joe Cruz has never gotten over the woman who broke his heart when she left to join the Navy. Flight Nurse Taylor Williams has always regretted never being able to get over Joe Cruz. When they run into each other at a scene, will they act on their unresolved feelings? Final chapter now up. Please feel free to read and review. Thanks! Jaylor.

5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"Hey, Cruz! It's closing time! Get the hell out!" Hermann called from the bar.

"Leaving in a minute, Hermann! Geeez…." He turned back to Taylor. "Closing time. Guess I'd better go home, but I don't want to."

"We could always go to my place," she offered. "I have cold beer and munchies." She had enjoyed the evening catching up with him.

"We could do that," he agreed.

They finished their beers, and Taylor fished in her wallet for a five dollar bill. Joe looked at her curiously.

"Tip for the bartender. He did a good job keeping the beer coming."

"Yeah, he was trying to figure out what was going on with us. Don't let him fool you."

Taylor made her way to the bar. Hermann made his way over to see what she wanted. She handed him the bill. "Thanks for all of your service tonight. It meant a lot."

Hermann eyed the bill. Tips didn't come often in the bar. Not that the guys at 51 were cheap, but bartenders were often overlooked on the tipping scale. "Thank you, Ma'am. It's appreciated. Come back any time."

"I will," she promised. "You have a nice place here."

She joined Joe, and he took her hand as they left the bar.

"Who's the fox with Cruz?" Hermann asked.

Otis shook his head. "He won't say, but I think they might have known each other before."

"I would say so. They were getting pretty cozy at the table."

Inside Taylor's apartment, they sat on the sofa and turned on a replay of the Hawks game. Joe stretched his arm across the couch, and Taylor snuggled in as close as she could. He held the bowl of chips on his lap, the dip container sat on the coffee table. During intermission, she got up to refill the chip bowl and replace the beer.

"It's like you never left," he observed.

"Now I am wishing that I didn't."

He set the chip bowl on the coffee table and turned to her. "We can't go back, Taylor. But we can go forward. If you want to."

"I want to," she said. "Do you?"

"Yes."

He moved forward, she moved forward to meet him. Their lips met. Joe groaned. After all these years, he was kissing Taylor again, and Taylor was kissing him back. He wanted to pinch himself because he was certain he was dreaming, and he didn't want to wake up if he was.