Skin Deep

by J. M. Stone

  Wow. I was seriously impressed with Luke’s skills, and I was only seeing the drawing.

  “Okay, Mike, we’re all set if you’re satisfied with the design. You’re still wanting this to go on your right pec?” Luke asked.

  Mike nodded and then looked worried as Luke had him lie back on the chair after taking off his shirt. He blushed furiously as he took it off, glancing my way out of the corner of his eye. I ducked my head to hide my smile.

  Luke did his thing, shaving the area where the tattoo would be placed (even though Mike didn’t have much going for him chest hair wise), set the transfer and had Mike check it in the mirror. It looked awesome.

  When Luke set up his machine and starting inking the liner needle, Mike reached out blindly for my hand again, and I took it, squeezing it reassuringly. He took a deep breath in and held it. And held it.

  Luke finally looked up as he swung toward him with the gun in his hand and said, “Dude, you gotta breathe. Cant have you passing out on me in my chair while I’m working on you, man.”

  Mike let his breath out slowly and I decided to try to take his mind off of it. I asked, “So does the tattoo have any special meaning to you, Mike?”

  He nodded, eyes wide as Luke started the outline. I felt him squeeze my hand a little bit more. Then he finally spoke. “I met this girl last year. Freshman year. I’m a sophomore this year at Cincinnati. Anyway, she’s so beautiful but she just doesn’t see it. She keeps telling me that I’m just after one thing and that’s all it would ever be between us, but its not like that. I mean, I like this girl, man! She’s the one. Ya know what I mean?” He looked over at me and nodded, apparently answering his own question for me. “So, anyway, we went out a couple times and I think I’ve got her almost convinced. But she’s under my skin. And I don’t see her going anywhere.”

  Luke looked up and caught my eye as he paused to wipe off the excess ink and reink the needle. I nodded imperceptibly, letting him know that I knew what he was thinking. And it made me feel kinda warm inside.

  I looked back to Mike and asked him, “Well, what happens if something happens and she’s not convinced? Not that I’m second guessing you or anything, but, you know?”

  He nodded. “I thought of that, but it really wouldn’t matter either way. She’s under my skin and if something happens, then it’ll just be a reminder that I let someone get under my skin, that I need to be more careful in the future.”

  Hmmm. Mike was a pretty smart cookie. Oohh…cookies. My stomach growled loudly, reminding me and everyone else in the room that I hadn’t had breakfast this morning.

  I grinned sheepishly as everyone looked at me, laughing.

  “Emma, why don’t you run down to the café and grab us some breakfast?” Luke asked.

  “Sure,” I replied. I asked Luke what he wanted, his reply being to surprise him. Mike declined anything, reassuring me that he didn’t need my hand anymore, and I headed down the hall to find Brandon to see if he wanted anything. I found him in his work room with the door shut. I knocked on the door, opening it when he yelled, “Come in!”

  Whoa! I was not expecting to see him seated on a stool with the chair raised up high in front of him, a buxom blonde coed half-reclined on it with her legs spread wide, skirt hiked to her waist. She grinned and giggled at me, shrugging her shoulders before saying, “I’m getting my hood pierced! Isn’t that like, so cool?”

  I barely managed to keep from rolling my eyes at her, and Brandon grinned at me from over her hip. All I have to say about it is thank God the chair was facing away from the door. I’d have been traumatized if it hadn’t been. I asked Brandon about food before hot footing out of the room, closing the door behind me. Before I got completely away from the door I heard the perky, high pitched voice of the blonde squeal then say, “Ooh, pretty!”

  I couldn’t stop the eye roll this time. But, hood piercing…I wonder what that-? Nevermind. I’m not even going there.

  After getting food and coffee from the café, I brought everything back and divvied it up between the four of us. Four, because Mike decided he was hungry too, so I shared half of my sandwich with him.

  Luke finished Mike’s tattoo and it was amazeballs! I loved it so much that I was contemplating actually getting another tattoo. Me! The girl who swore I’d never let a needle anywhere near me voluntarily! Weird, right?

  After Luke cleaned everything up and did what he needed to do, we headed out, leaving Brandon in charge at the shop. He had a couple appointments coming in, and was back with another walk-in piercing ( I didn’t ask, I didn’t want to know this time!).

  Luke surprised me by not heading to his house, nor did we go to mine. Instead, since it was the beginning of October, he took me to The Patch, the best pick-your-own pumpkin farm in southern Ohio. We spent a good hour wandering through the vines, looking for the perfect pumpkins to carve. He found a couple immediately and set them to the side in a pile for him and Brandon. I, however, am very picky about my pumpkin. I finally found it, jumping up and down like a little kid while Luke laughed at me.

  On the way to the front with our pumpkins, we went by the little pumpkin area, and I couldn’t help but pick out a couple little pumpkins to carve, along with a few tiny gourds and the cutest, tiniest little pumpkins to decorate my front porch with. We stopped at the store after leaving The Patch and got a couple of those really cool carving kits with the nifty tools and killer patterns, candles for the pumpkins, and Luke surprised me again by grabbing the stuff to make s’mores with.

  As we were leaving the store, my cell phone rang and I answered it without looking at the screen.

  “Hello, Emma…” a voice whispered harshly.

  “Umm…hello?” I responded.

  “What are you doing, little girl?” the voice continued in that nasty raspy whisper.

  I rolled my eyes, grinning at Luke who was staring at me questioningly. “Calland, you ass. What the hell do you want?”

  My brother busted out laughing and hung up on me. I didn’t call him back because I knew his little games by now.

  He called me back after a minute, and when I answered he said, “You bitch! You didn’t call me back!”

  “I know. So what’s up?” I asked.

  “Mom says that you have to be here for breakfast tomorrow. I say you don’t have to,” he replied in his smart ass tone.

  I heard my mom yell at Calland in the background before she grabbed the phone from him, smacking him and muttering under her breath.

  “Emma? Breakfast tomorrow, honey, and bring your friend. Allie’s coming, too.”

  Oh, Lord…what was my mother up to? “I’ll be there, Mom. I’m not speaking for anyone else. Luke may have plans with his brother or something.”

  To my dismay, Luke leaned close to me and said, “Nope. Don’t have plans. Where we going?”

  I closed my eyes and sighed, knowing my mother had heard him.

  “Emma? See? You’re friend doesn’t have plans, and his brother can come, too. Don’t be late, Emma Marie. Ten o’clock. Love you, bye!” Mom hung up the phone on me, and I tossed my phone into my purse.

  I glanced at Luke, who cocked his eyebrow at me before asking, “Emma Marie, huh?”

  I narrowed my eyes at him before replying, “Lucas Tyler, huh?”

  “Touche’ sugar.” Luke grinned, reaching over and taking my hand in his bringing it to his thigh and holding it there against his warmth.

  We pulled up at his house and unloaded everything from his car. We debated starting the pumpkins, but I decided that we’d wait on Brandon. To kill time until he got home, Luke and I snuggled on the couch, watching a movie while Doug snored on my feet.

  As the credits rolled on the movie, I glanced at my watch. It wasn’t even five yet and Brandon wouldn’t be home until around seven. Luke had fallen asleep halfway through the movie. I slid gently out from under his arm, intending to let Doug out to use the bathroom and do the same myself. I froze for a second when Luke sighed and settled dee
per into the couch, but didn’t wake.

  Doug and I did our business and I went back to the couch to snuggle back in with Luke. While I was gone, Luke had slid down further in the couch, his head resting in the corner of the armrest, his arms folded across his chest, one of his legs bent at the knee, the other stretched out in front of him. He looked so beautiful it took my breath, and I couldn’t help myself.

  I sank to my knees in between his thighs, lightly resting my hands on his hips. He didn’t move. I traced my fingertips along the waistband of his jeans, watching his face intently. His muscles quivered under my light touch, but he still didn’t wake. I slowly unbuttoned his jeans, and slid his zipper down, before parting the denim wide and tugging it down gently. I drew in a breath when he came into view, because he was already hard. My eyes flew up to his face to find his eyes, still heavy lidded with sleep (or maybe desire?) watching me.

  I tugged a little more on his jeans and he lifted his hips a bit until he sprang completely free of the denim trapping him in. He was so hard that he stood straight up, pointing towards his hard belly, the tiny slit weeping already. I encircled his hardness with my fingers, stroking him softly before bringing him to my lips. I let my tongue flick out to wet my lips, the tip brushing over the slit of him, tasting and moaning softly.

  I heard Luke’s quickly indrawn breath, and then his gasp as I parted my lips and slowly slid the tip of him in the wet warmth of my mouth. I kept my eyes locked with his as I took him deeper, and his hands came up to tangle in my hair on both sides of my head. I worked him with my lips, my tongue laving the head of him on my upward strokes, my hand wrapped securely around the base of him. Luke was gasping with every stroke, his hands tightening in my hair and guiding me into a smooth rhythm up and down his velvety hardness.

  On my next upward stroke with my lips and tongue, I let my hand follow my mouth, stroking in tandem. Luke faltered, his thighs quivering and I could feel him getting harder between my lips, getting ready to lose it. He used my hair to start pulling my head away from him, but I fought it, moving faster up and down him, sucking him deep. His hips jerked under me and he groaned as he lost it, his hands tightening almost painfully as he gave over to it and I swallowed him down.

  “God, Emma…what you do to me, baby.” Luke rasped, his voice thick with sleep and desire.

  I smiled softly up at him, not sure why I blurted, “I’ve never done that before. Never let anyone…” I ducked my head, biting my tongue. I heard Luke groan again before he hauled me up into his lap and kissed me wildly, his teeth nipping at my lips, the silver ring in his lip pressing so deliciously against mine.

  His lips left mine abruptly and he sat up, pushing me back and twisting me to lie on the couch. He jerked my jeans down my legs, taking my panties with them, tossing them over the back of the couch in a heap. I hurriedly pulled my shirt and my bra off over my heard, tossing them behind the couch, as well. Then it was my turn to gasp as his hands smoothed down my stomach to my thighs, before the fingers of one hand pressed deep into my wetness.

  I moaned as he whispered, “Dripping for me. God, sugar!” He brought his fingers up to his lips and slowly slid them between his lips, tasting me on them.

  My breath came in on a gasp as desire curled hard in my belly, setting me on fire from head to toe. I read the intent in his eyes and moaned yes uncontrollably as he slid his lips down my stomach, coming to rest at the juncture of my thighs, his hot breath searing my tender, bare flesh. I spread wide for him, inviting him to taste, almost frantic with the need. My hips bucked wildly as he licked into me, my fingers spearing into his hair, holding him tightly against my writhing body.

  He flicked his tongue rapidly over the hard, tight bud of my clit before sliding down and pushing into me as deep as he could before retreating and laving me with the flat of his tongue, up and down, the pressure building and building until I was screaming with the need to explode.

  Luke pulled back from my body, softly kissing the insides of my thighs and nipping lightly at my skin. I tugged his hair roughly, trying to pull his mouth back to me but he wouldn’t budge.

  “Luke, please!” I growled. “Put your mouth back on me, please Luke, please don’t stop!”

  Luke chuckled, blowing lightly over my wetness and I shivered. “In a minute, baby. Mmmm…I love it when you beg.”

  I growled at him but I really wanted to scream in frustration, and just when I thought I actually would, my growl turned into a low, drawn out moan as he brought his lips back to the tender flesh between my thighs, kissing it before sucking my clit into his mouth and flicking his tongue rapidly against it.

  My back arched, my hips bucking up into his mouth, my hands forcing him harder into my soft, hot cleft as he slid his tongue down and speared it into me, groaning as I rode his mouth, his tongue fucking in and out and in and out until I was writhing and shaking under him.

  I jerked my hands back from his hair as his hands slid up my body and roughly cupped my breasts, his fingers pinching and rolling my nipples, my hands slipping up and my fingers twisting in my own hair, pulling as every nerve in my body screamed in pleasure. I exploded, my body spasming, my thighs clenching tightly around Luke’s head, trapping him against me as I thrust myself wildly into his mouth, his tongue dancing over my clit as I came and came hard.

  Luke pulled away from me with one last lick that made me gasp and my hips jerk again, and then he was up and over me, thrusting his tongue between my lips and kissing me roughly. I tasted myself on his tongue and it made me feverish with wanting again, even though I had just orgasmed myself senseless.

  Luke growled deep in his throat as I bit his lip, flicking my tongue over the silver ring there before licking into his mouth, tangling my tongue with his. I pushed up against his chest with my hands, sitting up as he pulled back. Without pause, I straddled his hips, grinding my wetness against the hardness of him that was standing tall and thick between the parted sides of the jeans he still wore pushed low on his hips from earlier.

  I thrust my hands into his hair, jerking his head back as I rose over him, looking down into eyes that had gone electric, a dangerous glint sparkling in the smoky grey-blue depths. I bit my lip, feeling myself grow even wetter against the heat of him pressed between my folds, feeling the throb of his pulse in the thick vein running the length of him, nestled against my clit.

  The darkness in his eyes flat did it for me. I felt something shift inside me, something wild and as equally dark and dangerous as the look in his eyes. I don’t think I would have felt it, or would have done what I did next if he hadn’t looked at me that way.

  Baring my teeth at him, I pulled my hands from his hair and reached down between us to grab the hem of his henley. I jerked it up over his head, his arms coming up to help, and then he raised his hips, his hands sliding underneath me to shove his jeans down his legs until he could kick them off completely. When he was completely naked under me, I pressed my right hand to his chest, tracing the heavy lines of ink tattooed there in an intricate design, while my left hand tangled in his hair again. I jerked his head back again, and he sucked a breath in through his teeth.

  I leaned into him and, still looking in his eyes, I growled, “Inside. Now, Luke.”

  I rose up over him a bit to allow him room to reach down and take himself in his hand, running the thick tip of himself back and forth through my dripping wet heat before pushing just the very tip of him into me. He barely had time to move his hand before I slammed myself down onto him until every glorious inch of him was buried tightly and deeply inside me. I ground my hips against him as I buried my face in his neck, biting and licking and sucking.

  I raised my head from his throat, staring into his eyes again as I scored his chest lightly with my nails and said, “Fuck me, Luke. Hard.”

  He groaned, his hands gripping my hips tightly, before he jerked his head back away from my fingers and lifted me off of him. He stood, still holding me in his arms, but allowing my feet to slowly drop to the
floor. Once I was standing, leaning into him, he fisted his hand into my hair at the back of my neck, twisting his hand until the long, thick strands wrapped his fist in a silken shroud. He yanked my head back.

  Luke bent and sucked my bottom lip between his teeth, nipping it sharply, and then spoke against my lips. “You don’t know what you’re asking for, Emma.”

  I moaned into his mouth. “I want it, Luke. I can see it in you, can feel your restraint. I want your darkness.”

  He abruptly let go of my hair, freeing his fingers from the silky strands, and leaned his forehead against mine, whispering, “I don’t want to hurt you, sugar.”

  “Please,” I whispered back. No, I didn’t know what I was asking for. All I knew is that I’d had a slight taste of that edge. Douche Bag Brad had spanked me once, but he hadn’t expected me to enjoy it. When he had realized that I did, that had been the beginning of the end, and he’d become even more of an asshole. But with Luke, there was the promise of so much more, and I trusted him. I’m not sure why, but I did, and I wanted him to take me there.

  Luke closed his eyes and blew out a breath. He opened them again and looked at me. “If I do something you don’t like, or anything hurts, and not in a good way, you stop me immediately. Just say stop, Emma, and I will. I promise.”

  I nodded at him, afraid to look away from him for fear that he would change his mind, and I wouldn’t get to taste the wild edge I could sense just beneath the surface of him.

  Just like that, the fire was back in his eyes and he growled low and deep as he fisted his hand in my hair again. He kissed me, roughly and deeply, before jerking my head back and turning me around. He used my hair to push me forward, bending me at the waist in front of him.