Under My Skin (Skin Deep)

by Stone, J. M.

  I laid there for a minute, smiling at both of them snoring softly. In the night we must have moved around a bit, because Brandon was now flat on his back, my head pillowed on his chest. Jackson was still at my back but he’d turned the opposite way, his back pressed to mine. I realized I wouldn’t be going back to sleep, and other matters were becoming more urgent the longer I laid there, so I carefully maneuvered my way out from between the two of them.

  I stood at the foot of the bed, feeling quite accomplished at having gotten out of the bed without waking them when Jackson rolled over. I waited for him to look at me, but realized that he was still asleep when he reached out his arm, apparently searching for me. When his hand hit Brandon, he shifted closer and threw his arm around his waist, holding him close and sighing in contentment.

  O.M.G. I had to clap my hand on my mouth to keep from laughing out loud. I didn’t want to wake them up before I managed to get to my phone and get a picture of this. It was too good to pass up! I tiptoed out of the room, carefully opening and closing the door behind me, made a pit stop in the bathroom, and then headed out to the living room to grab my phone from the coffee table where I’d left it. I turned to head back in there when I heard a voice behind me.

  “Well, well, well. What do we have here?”

  I turned back to see Emma standing at the kitchen counter, a cup of coffee in one hand and the newspaper in the other. I felt my cheeks flood with heat, but they quickly cooled when I reminded myself that the little witch had been in on the whole setup.

  “Oh no, no, no, Miss Emma Marie Jensen. You don’t get to stand there with that smug look on your face like you caught me red-handed. You set me up, you bitch!” I said, giving her the evil eye. It didn’t last long though, because I couldn’t contain my smile.

  “Okay, we can talk about this in a minute, but right now there’s a more pressing matter at hand,” I told her. She looked confused for a minute until I held up my phone, shook it at her and said, simply, “Blackmail time.”

  In a move so fast it made me jump, she’d slammed her cup down on the counter and was at my side, ready for action. She really is the best friend in the world.

  We crept down the hall, trying not to giggle and wake them up before we could get in there and take a picture. We got to the bedroom door and heard a faint click, click, click coming down the hall toward us. I shot a panicked look over my shoulder at Emma who’s own eyes were screaming ‘oh, shit!’ before she wheeled around to head Doug off. I didn’t want the huge yellow lab to jump in and ruin my photo-op. Because he’d be through that door and would Superman himself into that bed with them in a heartbeat.

  Emma was back shortly, giving me a thumbs up. I nodded once and started pushing the door open again. Yes! They were still snuggled up together where I’d left them, only it was ten times better than before. Brandon had turned over and Jackson was now completely spooning him, his arm thrown over his waist and curled up around Brandon’s chest. If he would have been holding me that way in the bed, his hand would have been cupping my breast.

  I looked at Emma, who was struggling to hold her laughter in, and grinned. It was taking everything I had in me not to bust a gut laughing, but I managed to bring my phone up and tap on my camera icon. I felt Emma move up to my side and noticed that she had her phone out, as well. I nodded to her and we both pressed the button to snap the pictures on our phones. I had my camera setting on silent, so there was no sound; however, Emma’s made a very loud snap/snick sound that I swear echoed in the silence.

  She looked at me, wide-eyed, before high-tailing it from the room at a dead run, abandoning me without a thought. Humph. Maybe I take back what I said about her being the best friend in the world…

  I slowly looked back at the bed, frozen where I stood, and saw Jackson’s head raised slightly off the pillow. He started to smile at me sleepily before he froze, and I could see the wheels almost turning in his mind. In slow motion, he turned his head to look beside him at who he had his arms wrapped around. I couldn’t help it anymore; I lost it, laughing so hard that I had tears pouring down my cheeks.

  Jackson jerked back away from Brandon like he’d been burned, shoving him away in the process. Poor Brandon, still asleep (how I have no clue), went flying off the side of the bed and landed in a heap on the floor.

  His head popped up over the side of the bed, his eyes narrowed and glaring at Jackson. “You dick! What the fuck was that for?” he yelled.

  Jackson glared back at Brandon and yelled, “You were cuddling me, you asshat!”

  Brandon looked confused and a little scared at this point as he got to his feet and sat on the side of the bed, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He glanced over at me and his eyes narrowed again as I wiped tears away, still chuckling with glee. “Where were you, then? Was I seriously cuddling him?”

  I opened my photo gallery and moved up to the side of the bed to show him the picture I’d snapped. I jumped back away when he jerked back, leaned over, and slugged Jackson in the arm. “No way, you sick fuck! YOU were cuddling ME! Oh, God!”

  I started laughing again when Brandon shuddered, and then heard muffled laughter just outside the door in the hallway. I walked over and opened the door wider to see Emma standing there with Luke, both of them shaking with amusement and staring at Emma’s phone.

  Luke shook his head, his shoulders still shaking, when he poked his head around the door frame and looked at Brandon and Jackson, who were both sitting on opposite sides of the bed, glaring at each other. “There something you need to tell us, guys?”

  Brandon jumped up off the bed and ran for Luke, who had enough sense to take off running, pulling Emma behind him. Brandon shook his head, stopped beside me, pecked my lips with his, and headed into the bathroom.

  I turned to find Jackson still sitting there, looking a little dazed and disgusted all at once. I couldn’t help it; he was too cute to ignore. I walked over to him and sat down on the edge of the bed facing him, leaning in and touching my lips to his.

  “I’m sorry, Jacks,” I whispered. Of course, I had to go and ruin it by giggling again.

  His eyes narrowed and he shifted, snatching me up and into his lap before I could move. “Really? You’re sorry?” he growled, lowering his lips to mine. He kissed me softly for a second before pulling back. “You’re gonna delete that picture, right, Allie?” he asked, threateningly.

  I smiled innocently. And didn’t say a word.

  We both looked up as we heard Brandon come back into the room and all of a sudden I was airborne, coming to rest against Brandon’s chest as Jackson stood and passed me to him.

  “Hey!” I cried. “I’m not a freakin’ rag doll you guys can just pick up and toss around, you know!”

  Brandon muttered, “Don’t we know it,” before his lips descended and found mine as Jackson left the room, headed for the bathroom, I would assume.

  He kissed me deeply and I shifted in his arms, moving so that my chest was against his and I could wrap my arms around his neck. He, realizing what I was trying to do, helped move me so that my legs ended up wrapped around his waist, locked behind his back, my feet pressing against his tight ass to pull him closer to me. I moaned into his mouth as I felt his hardness press firmly between my thighs. I shifted against him, pulling away from his kiss to press hot, open-mouthed kisses along his jaw and down his throat before nipping at his shoulder with my teeth.

  My eyes flew open and I gasped as I felt a wall of heat move up behind me. I turned my head to meet Jackson’s gaze over my shoulder, my breath coming faster as I got a glimpse of the heat burning there. His hands came up and lightly slid up my back and over my shoulders before he pulled me back against him. Brandon’s hands shifted slightly, sliding to cup the backs of my thighs. I loosened my arms from around Brandon’s neck and leaned back more fully against Jacks, his heat branding me through the thin material of my t-shirt.

  Jackson’s hands moved again, sliding down from my shoulders and around, stopping just bene
ath my breasts. He nuzzled my throat with his lips and I turned to meet his kiss, moaning against his mouth as Brandon shifted again, rubbing me more firmly against his hardness. Jackson pulled away from the kiss on a groan, dropping his forehead to rest on my shoulder. Brandon’s fingers tightened on my thighs, but he stilled, no longer moving against me.

  I was shaking, almost dizzy with the overwhelming desire crashing over me in waves as I was held between them, breathless with need, and confused as hell that they had stopped. Brandon shifted his grip again, making sure he had me securely within his arms as Jacks stepped back. He turned and moved us both onto the bed, sliding toward the middle before they both crawled in beside me, one on either side.

  I looked at them, unsure what to say, or hell, what to even think at their abrupt about-face, but my confusion dissolved into a small, shy smile as they both grinned at me.

  I heard Jackson murmur, “Good morning, baby,” as he pressed his lips against my shoulder, his head propped up on his hand, his body pressed along my left side, looking down at me as I lay on my back.

  On my other side, Brandon mirrored Jackson’s position and movement, only he said, as his lips brushed my right shoulder, “Now THAT is definitely a good morning!”

  I shook my head at them.

  We laid there together for a while, me trying to come to grips with the fact that I’d actually taken that step last night and finally gave in to what I knew would have happened eventually, and them…well, if I had to guess, trying to get themselves under control. I mean, it had ended up being a pretty happy morning for them…but it was their fault that they’d be walking around with certain parts of their anatomy decidedly Smurf-colored today. I didn’t make them stop, they had on their own! And they can’t blame me for the date I’d already scheduled in my head with BOB later that night, either. Those asses left me hanging!

  We finally got up and went out to the kitchen when Brandon’s stomach very loudly announced that it wanted fed. Jackson ran over to his place to check on a couple things while Brandon and I sat at the table with Emma and Luke. We talked with them, or tried to, anyway (neither one of which could keep a straight face every time they looked at Brandon) for a while before I got up and grabbed my keys.

  I needed to head home so I could get some things done before tomorrow. I usually spent most of my Sundays catching up on paperwork when I got back from breakfast at Emma’s mom and dad’s house. It was tradition, but we missed out on it today because they’d decided on the spur of the moment to go and visit Emma’s mom’s sister and brother-in-law in Texas.

  “Where do you think you’re going?” Brandon asked me.

  “Home,” I replied. “Why?”

  He shrugged. “Just wondered. Got any plans tonight?”

  Ummm…yes. Finishing what you guys started. “Not that I know of. Do you?”

  He stretched, leaning back in his chair as he answered, “Yeah, I’m assuming Jackson and I will be over in a little while. Are we staying at your house tonight? Hey! What size bed do you have anyway?”

  I rolled my eyes at him. “King size, and do I get a choice if you stay or not?”

  “Nope.”

  Didn’t think so.

  I finally got to leave about fifteen minutes later, but only after promising that they could come stay with me tonight, AND that I would cook them dinner. Oh yeah, did I mention that I had to kiss him like twenty times before he let me go? I could get used to that.

  I headed home, shaking my head as I passed the welcome sign heading into town. It’d been changed again, but this time the lovely misguided youth completing the defacement of public property had added a drawing of a large, misshapen penis at the top. I’m assuming it was a penis, anyway.

  I pulled my car into the garage and headed inside. I love my house; it’s cute, comfortable, and most importantly, mine! It looks like a cottage but it’s got a wide front porch, and a screened in back porch with a fenced in yard. It seems small from the outside, but it’s surprisingly roomy on the inside with three bedrooms and two baths.

  It was perfect for me to have an office in one of the rooms, an extra guest room, and then, of course, my bedroom that I’ve decked out with a huge four-poster canopy bed and lots of pillows! I’d forgone the typical heavy drapery around the bed, and instead had draped it with white tulle netting, gathering it around all of the posts. It looked like a fantasy all in white and I loved it.

  With a sigh, I threw my keys on the kitchen counter as I passed through, making a beeline for my office so I could get a head start on the paperwork I needed to get done before tomorrow. I own my own thrift store in a quaint little strip mall in town. I named it Twice As Nice, and I think the name fit it perfectly. I do take in donations, and I carry the usual thrift store items, but my inventory tended to lean more toward vintage and unique.

  I worked in my office for a while and by the time I got it all finished, Brandon and Jackson were pulling up. They each had a small duffel with them and I couldn’t help but tease them as they walked into the house.

  “You guys moving in or something?” I asked, smirking.

  Jackson and Brandon both grinned at me and nodded. I rolled my eyes at them and shut the door behind them. I barely got turned around when I heard the thump thump of two duffels hitting the floor and I was surrounded. Jacks claimed my lips, kissing me deeply for a minute before Brandon, who was at my back, cupped the back of my head in his hand and turned my face to meet his kiss over my shoulder. They released me after one last peck each, and I had to lean against the door for a second to compose myself.

  “Well, hello to you, too…” I mumbled, still halfway dazed.

  “So,” Brandon said cheerfully. “What’s for dinner, dear?”

  Chapter 3

  “Whoa…who pissed in your oatmeal this morning, sweetie?”

  I turned from where I’d just slammed the register drawer shut to see my mom coming in the door of my store, holding a large, oddly shaped piece of wood. I moved quickly out from behind the counter to take it from her.

  “What is that, Mom?” I asked her, choosing to avoid her question.

  “It’s a quilt hanger rack thingy,” she replied with a smug smile.

  “Is that the technical term for it?” I asked, being a smart ass on purpose.

  I leaned over to kiss her cheek and laid the rack across the counter to check it out. It was a decent piece, no cracks or splinters, so I went back behind the counter to get a tag for it before moving it to the back counter out of the way. I’d find somewhere to hang it after a bit.

  Turning, I spied my mom thumbing through a rack of old romance novels I had set up by the counter. “See something you like, Momma?” I asked.

  She sighed and shook her head, turning around to look at me. “Nah…who needs romance books when I have your father at home?” She grinned at me as I pretended to gag, holding up my hand in the universal sign for ‘Stop! Don’t say another word!’

  “TMI, Mom, TMI. So what are you up to today?”

  Mom shrugged. “Just out and about, thought I’d stop by on the way to your grandparent’s house. And I wanted to drop that off, see if you could sell it. Bernice next door brought it over to me to see if I would bring it in. Well, I’ve got to get over there. You know how they are…” she rolled her eyes and blew out a breath.

  I laughed at her. “Yes, I know how they are, and we all completely love them anyway. Nanny being ‘Tank’ again?”

  Mom nodded. ‘Tank’ is what we call my grandmother; she’s cantankerous sometimes, hence the name. Poor Poppy has learned just to turn his hearing aids down and nod when she says something to him. He seems to stay out of trouble that way.

  “Did you go to Sunday breakfast with Emma’s family yesterday?” Mom asked.

  “No, Jan and Ben took off to visit Jan’s sister in Texas on the spur of the moment,” I replied.

  Mom cocked her head and made a pouty face. “Awww…my poor baby didn’t get to eat breakfast yesterday? You should
have come see us! I would have cooked for you.”

  I rolled my eyes at her. “Mom, in case you failed to realize it, I am a grown woman with my own house. I am perfectly capable of cooking breakfast for myself. Besides, I spent the night out at Emma and Luke’s.”

  Mom’s cell phone chimed. Without even looking at it, she groaned. “There’s your Nanny now. I swear she times me and if I’m ten seconds outside of the time she thinks it takes to get there, she’s calling me and cussing me up one side and down the other.” She shook her head at me and gave me the same line she always does. “I’m saying sorry now just in case I get that like down the road. Always remember that I love you!”

  I smiled at her, nodding in agreement, and gave her a big hug. She waved as she barreled towards the door, rushing to get to my grandparent’s house before they called out the search party.

  I leaned against the counter when she left, a little relieved that she was distracted so quickly. I really didn’t want to answer her as to why I was out of sorts this morning. Brandon and Jackson had stayed with me last night, but it might as well have been Emma and her sister, Leah, in bed with me for all the good it did me.

  Meh…okay, maybe not Emma and Leah. That might have ended up a little awkward! Brandon and Jackson cuddled me and kissed me and got me all hot and bothered again before they wrapped themselves around me and ordered me to go to sleep.

  No, I didn’t stutter. I said ordered. They’re lucky they woke up this morning with all of their appendages attached. I don’t know what the hell their problem is. They wanted to give this thing a try and I agreed, but now they’re playing hot and cold? What the fuck?

  I straightened as the bell above the door to the store chimed, signaling a customer’s entrance and got back to work. My day passed pretty quickly, even though I was still fuming in the back of my mind. I kept replaying this morning over and over in my mind…