Under My Skin (Skin Deep #2)

Under My Skin (Skin Deep #2) Page 27

When we got home, I headed toward my bathroom to take a long, hot bath. Before I reached the doorway to my room, I heard Chloe behind me.

“Ummm…Allie? Do you think…could I talk to you for a second?” she asked, hesitantly.

I nodded at her, curious to see what she wanted to talk about. I motioned for her to follow me, noticing that Brandon and Jackson were also watching very curiously. She came into the room behind me and sat cautiously on the edge of my bed. “What’s up?” I asked.

She swallowed audibly. “Well, I just don’t want you to think that I’m…I don’t want to be in your way.”

“Chloe where the hell would you get an idea like that? You’re Jackson’s sister, where else would you go?” I shook my head. “I’m sorry if I gave you that impression, because that’s not it at all. I just wish there was something more I could do, something I could say to make it better for you. I don’t even really know the whole story, just the little bits you told me and Emma. Jackson hasn’t said anything, so you don’t have to worry about that, and I’m not going to pry into your business,” I said firmly.

“I really don’t want to talk about it. I haven’t even really said much more about anything to Jackson, though I know it pisses him off every time he looks at me. I’m just glad the bruises are fading. But, it’s just…well, the other night you came by the room and saw Brandon in bed with me. I was so scared that you were going to hate me…think that I was trying something with him. I’ve known him for a very long time, him and Luke, and-”

I cut her off with a wave. Time to eat some crow. (Or something like that) “I don’t think you’re trying anything with him. You have nightmares, he heard you and wanted to help. I don’t have a problem with that at all. And if I gave you that impression, then I’m sorry. That’s my fault. This whole relationship thing with your brother and Brandon is so new to me…I…yeah, I don’t know. I’m sorry if I upset you.”

She shook her head at me vehemently. “You didn’t upset me at all! I just was so scared that you were mad. And I haven’t really taken the time to tell you thank you for everything you’ve done for me. You took me in when I showed up on Luke and Emma’s doorstep looking like I’d gone twelve rounds with Mike Tyson.” She chuckled wryly at her own small attempt at humor before continuing. “You let me tag along with you guys and you’ve been so nice…everyone has been so great about everything.”

I moved closer to the bed and leaned in to give her a hug. She wrapped her arms around me and held on tightly for a moment. I could feel her take a deep, shuddering breath and knew that I’d just taken a weight off of her shoulders. Which made me feel like an ass.

At that moment, my bedroom door opened and Brandon popped his head in. I watched his lips stretch into a wide grin, his eyes twinkling devilishly and groaned because I knew what was coming.

“Ooohh…going for some girl on girl? I’m down with that! Just let me get rid of Jackson…” he said loudly before breaking down with laughter, wincing when Jackson, who was standing right behind him, smacked him in the back of his head.

Jacks pushed past him, shaking his head in part annoyance, part amusement. He stopped by where we were standing, our arms still wrapped around each other loosely, and asked his sister, “You okay?”

She nodded and smiled at me again before saying, “Well, I guess that’s my cue!” She hugged her brother and slugged Brandon’s arm as she went by him on her way out of the room.

I sighed and shook my head at Brandon, which I seem to find myself doing a lot, and then walked into the bathroom to take my bath. I’d been in there for a good fifteen minutes when the door opened and the doorway was filled with mouth-wateringly delicious nakedness of the male variety. I watched as Brandon ran his hand down his chest, my eyes watching every move, until he reached that special, perfect part of him that was rapidly rising to meet the occasion. I gasped as he wrapped his fingers around the considerable girth of himself, stroking firmly from root to tip.

“You gonna be in here all night?” he asked, the deep, husky, rich tone of his voice making me shiver as it washed over me like a caress.

I didn’t answer him, just pulled the plug on the tub and stood without a word, stepping out and reaching for my towel. He watched every move I made, the intensity in his eyes making my fingers fumble as I dried myself. Finally giving up, I just wrapped the towel around me and moved to where he was still standing motionless in the doorway, stroking himself. I reached out my hand to touch him and he stopped me with a terse, “No.”

I stopped, my hand hanging frozen in mid-air. The uncertainty I knew was written across my face must have gotten to him because his features softened for a second before he commanded, “Drop the towel, Allie.”

I let the towel drop from my body, standing naked before him. Without another word, he turned away and walked back into the bedroom, which was dark except for the soft glow emanating from my bedside lamp. I followed him, a little perturbed by the fact that he still hadn’t touched me or done anything except order me around. I paused for a moment to take in the sight stretched out in front of me.

Brandon was standing beside the bed with one knee propped up on it, and his hand was still fisting the rock-hard length jutting from the juncture of his thighs. Jackson was laying on the other side of the bed, propped up with pillows against the headboard. He was also naked, but his hands were tucked behind his head, leaving everything open to my greedy eyes. The thick hardness of his erection stood up from his body, slightly curving towards the sculpted lines of his stomach. I blinked slowly, in awe of all that hot male flesh just waiting for my touch.

“Do you have your iPod back here?” Brandon asked me softly. I nodded silently and pointed to where it was resting on it’s dock. He moved away from the bed and grabbed it, turning it on and thumbing through my playlists. I saw him raise an eyebrow at me before he smiled, replaced it onto the dock and hit play. He turned up the volume enough to fill the room, but not so loud that it would disturb Chloe in the other room.

I grinned back at him when I heard the strains of Delilah’s Go begin. I knew that he’d found my playlist I’d jokingly titled ‘sexy-time’. My smile faded as he crooked his finger at me, his face dark with lust and something else. That something else had me a little nervous, but mostly intrigued. I could tell that things were going to go a little differently tonight.

I moved to stand in front of him and heard the bed shift behind me, signaling that Jackson was no longer lounging there. I saw Brandon glance over my shoulder at him and nod. I swallowed as I felt the heat of Jackson’s chest against my back before something soft dropped over my eyes. I felt him carefully tie whatever it was at the back of my head, no too tight, but tight enough that I was completely blindfolded. I could feel my breath coming faster and my heart felt like it would pound out of my chest.

I felt the soft, fleeting touch of lips against the curve of my shoulder where it met my neck and gasped, shivering when the feel of fingertips traced my spine before dipping into the cleft at the base of it. I moaned loudly, unable to help it, when lips closed over my nipple, nipping and sucking roughly. All of a sudden I was alone, all traces of their touch gone. I whimpered in my throat and heard a whispered, ‘shhhh, baby its okay’ somewhere to the side of me. Turning my head toward the voice, I strained to listen, wanting to hear some clue as to what would happen next.