Skin (McCullough Mountain 2) (22 page)

He took his grandmother’s hand, which was
also turning a dark shade of purple. She was on blood thinners and
bruises were often a result of taking such medicines. “Morai, do
you remember what happened?”

His grandmother glanced at him with a look
of innocence that only a child should exhibit. Over the last year,
he’d watch her change from the fiery spirit she’d always been to a
quiet old woman who sometimes forgot his name.

“I…I don’t know. I was up and then I was
down.”

It was clear that she was upset. He hated
the way dementia could make a person who hadn’t answered to anyone
in years, suddenly appear frightened as if they would be chastised
for things beyond their control.

“It’s okay,” he comforted. “Do you think you
think you could stand up if I help you?”

“Oh, I don’t know. The doctor told me to
stay here.”

He frowned and glanced at his mother. She
shook her head telling him there had been no doctor. “Does anything
hurt?”

“My side,” she said, indicating her
ribs.

His lips thinned. “Did you call 911,
Mum?”

“I called you. I didn’t know what to do.
Thank you for coming so quickly, always my angel I can count on.”
His mother rubbed his head like he was four and he flushed,
subconsciously glancing back at Mallory who was still waiting by
the door.

“Let’s get an ambulance here. They can at
least look her over before we move her and then if she needs a
doctor we can take her to the hospital. If she broke something I
don’t want to make it worse.”

His mother nodded and started to stand. “My
phone’s in the kitchen.”

“I’ve got it,” Mallory said, already
dialing.

For the first time his mother noticed he
hadn’t come alone. As Mallory placed the call to the dispatch
operator his mother gripped his hand and whispered. “I hadn’t meant
to interrupt your day, Finnegan. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be silly, Mum. You know I’m always
here when you need me.”

She smiled tightly, her copper lashes
blinking. “I know you are, dearie.”

By the time the EMTs left, his father had
returned. The day had come and gone. His grandmother needed to take
a trip to the hospital for some tests, which he knew would likely
happen. His mother and father took the truck to follow the
ambulance and he and Mallory were alone. It was rare that the big
house was ever empty or quiet.

“I’m sorry about all this,” he said, as he
poured her a glass of water and carried a bowl of strawberries to
the table.

“I don’t mind at all. It’s your family. What
else could you have done, but be there when they needed you?”

He smiled at her as he tossed a berry into
his mouth. She was so understanding. “Do you miss your family?”

She nibbled a berry, the juice staining her
lips pink. “Yes. I’m used to not seeing my sister, but I miss my
mom and dad. They lived in the city, too, and we usually saw each
other once a week.”

“Why don’t you go home to visit?”

She glanced at the table, her fingertips
ruffling the pile of soft green stems they’d collected on the
plate. “I’m not ready to go back yet.”

“Did something happen?”

“No. I just have this silly idea in my head
that when I go back they’ll see a difference. I think, in my own
screwed up head, if I look better than I did when I left, they’ll
assume I’m happy here and not bug me to come home. It’s hard
telling them no.”

He made no comment about her opinions and
thoughts of looking better. She looked great. Sooner or later he’d
get her to understand that. “Yeah, it’s not always easy to go
against your family’s wishes. So when do you think you’ll go
back?”

“Probably Thanksgiving. The school’s closed
for two days, so I’ll have a long weekend.”

He swallowed. There was a part of him that
feared what he didn’t know. City life was exciting. A place like
Philadelphia had so much more to offer than their small town here
in Center County. “Can I come with you?”

Her gaze met his and her face split with a
smile. “Would you want to?”

“Meet your family? Of course.”

“Okay. The idea of you being there actually
makes it a whole lot less intimidating. My parents will be shocked
to see I have a real life, flesh and blood boyfriend.”

“Stop.”

“I’m serious. I’ve never brought a guy home.
The only date they saw me go on was my senior prom and for that I
took my cousin.” She sighed. “My life is such a sad cliché.”

He reached for her hand and said, “I didn’t
go to my prom. Erin and I had broken up for some stupid reason or
another. My mom wanted me to take my cousin, but I said no. I don’t
much care for dancing.”

She laughed. “Oh, but I’ve seen your moves.
There’s a disco queen hiding somewhere under all that flannel.”

He put his finger to his lips. “Shh. No
one’s supposed to know about that. That was all part of my sexy
plan of attack. I’m like a deranged bird trying to show off for its
mate.”

She giggled. “Well, you got me.”

Warmth spread in his chest. Yeah, he got
her. “I’d like to have you again.”

Her mouth opened and her cheeks flushed. She
looked around and whispered, “We’re at your parents’ house.”

“No one’s here. Wanna see my room?”

She smirked. “I feel like we’re in high
school.”

“Well, we are going steady.” He coughed. “I
think that pin I wanted to give you is up there. Why don’t you come
help me find it?”

“Finnegan, what if we get caught?”

His lips twitched as he tried to appear
concerned. Nodding, he said, “I’d risk getting grounded for
you.”

“I’m all gross from running.”

“So am I. Let’s go be gross together.”

She hesitated then stood. “Okay, but I’m
keeping my shirt on.”

“Okay, but I’m still going to try to cop a
feel.”

They held hands as they took the stairs. His
room was the third door on the left. It wasn’t much, just where
he’d slept for the past twenty-eight years of his life. It was
painted hunter green and the furniture was raw wood, made from a
local carpenter. His bed was big, because he was big.

As he opened the door a flutter of something
reminiscent of adolescence tickled his gut. He couldn’t remember
the last time he had a girl in here.

Turning, he lowered his mouth to Mallory’s
and kissed her softly. “This is my room.”

“Mmm.” She said against his lips.
“Nice.”

“I think I left that pin on my bed
somewhere.”

She giggled. “I’m sure we can find it if we
look hard enough.”

He led her to the unmade bed and pulled her
down. She pushed him and he sat on the edge. She straddled his legs
and linked her arms around his neck. Her mouth tasted like
strawberries and her skin was salty.

He cupped his palms over her back and felt
the straps of her bra. It was one of those sporty contraptions
without clasps. He didn’t have the first clue how women got into
them or a clue about getting her out of it. His hand traced over
her shirt and he cupped her breast.

“Rounding those bases pretty quick there,
Finnegan.”

“You know it,” he said kissing her neck.

Her nipple pressed against the fabric and he
teased the peak. She began to rotate her hips, grinding over him.
He wanted to be inside of her then he remembered he’d left the
condoms at her place. “Shit.”

“Problem?”

“I left the condoms at your apartment.”

She groaned and pressed her forehead to his
shoulder. “I guess we’re just going to have to behave ourselves
like teenagers do—with our pants on.”

He picked her up and she squealed.
“Finn!”

Dropping her onto the bed, he blanketed her
with his weight. Through his track pants, his erection was quite
evident. He pressed it into the cradle of her hips and she moaned
then gasped.

“Good?”

“Yes.” She spread her legs. Her pants were
those tight black running kind. He could feel her crease through
the layers of material. He ground himself into her and she arched.
Every rub of friction along his cock felt incredible.

They kissed and made out and touched through
their clothing until they were both panting. He was shocked when he
felt his climax nearing. Shit. He was going to come in his
pants.

She moaned and dug her nails into his
shoulders through his shirt. “Finn.” Her voice was breathy, a sexy
rasp that whispered to every nerve in his body.

“Fuck, Mallory, I’m gonna come.”

She lifted her hips and pressed into him.
His spine tingled and he moaned. She tightened her knees around him
and tugged at his hair. Her body bowed and she cried out. Warmth
seeped over his length as his cock throbbed and pulsed.

He fell to the side and pulled her close.
They were both out of breath. “I can’t believe I just did that,” he
admitted and she giggled.

“Me neither. You’re definitely giving me
your pin now.”

He didn’t actually have a pin in mind, but
when Mallory left to use the bathroom and he changed into some
fresh clothes and cleaned himself up, he found the old fishing pin
his grandfather had given him when he was a boy.

The door opened and he turned. “I have
something for you.”

She looked up at him inquisitively. “What is
it?”

“Come here.” She stepped closer and he
pressed the spike of the pin through her shirt. After he snapped it
closed he said, “There.”

She glanced down at the pin and read,
“
Catch and Release.
How romantic.”

He kissed her nose. “That’s big stuff from a
logger.”

“I’m sure. I love it.”

* * * *

Mallory couldn’t sleep that evening. Her
mind continued to replay their weekend like a loop at the beginning
of a movie. She watched scenes from the past two days flow through
her mind and stared into space, utterly speechless that this was
her real life.

The following morning she was tired, but
thoughts of Finn worked like espresso for her soul. He texted her
throughout the day and she had to try hard to keep a straight face.
He was coming over that night and she planned on making dinner for
the two of them.

She ran to the market right from work and
intended to take a quick jog around the park before he got there at
six. She’d been waiting at the butcher counter for her order when
someone bumped her cart. Still in the daze she’d been in for the
last twenty-four hours, she muttered a quick apology, and pulled
her cart out of the way. That was when she realized she’d been
intentionally bumped.

Erin glared at her with disdain over a cart
only filled with produce and cereal in the child seat area. “Sorry.
You seem to be taking up the whole aisle.”

Mallory frowned. She
did not
like
this girl. The butcher returned and showed her the two cuts of
chicken she’d ordered. “Will this be enough, ma’am?”

She glanced at the peach colored meat
cradled in the white paper and nodded. When she looked back at
Erin, the girl said, “Cooking for two or just eating more than you
should?”

She gaped at her audacity. “Excuse me?”

The bitch rolled her eyes. “I don’t know
what he sees in you, but I’m sure he’ll be over it soon.”

Her spine stiffened. “Many could say the
same about you.”

She chuckled coldly. “I doubt it. Everyone
knows Finn’s been in love with me since high school. Don’t get too
attached.” With that, she wheeled her cart away, shaking her petite
little butt for everyone to see.

The butcher handed her the wrapped poultry
and she quickly darted to the checkout.

When she returned home and unpacked the
groceries, she should have changed and left for her run, but she
couldn’t find the strength. She sat on her couch and stared at the
blank television screen.

Finn’s been in love with me since high
school…

Don’t get too attached…

I don’t know what he sees in you.

Mallory let out a shaky breath. “Me
neither.”

She must have sat there for over an hour.
The sky began to fade from blue to violet and when she glanced at
her watch it was almost time for Finn to be there. She stood and
dug her phone out of her purse. There were three missed texts.

Just finishing up. See you soon. Xo

~F.

Do you need anything from the store? Leaving
in ten.

~F.

Are you still at the park? You aren’t
answering. Leaving now.

~F.

The last text was sent almost twenty minutes
ago, which meant he would be there any minute and she hadn’t even
started dinner. She quickly pulled out the items she needed and
turned the oven to preheat. Before she had the salad tossed, Finn
was knocking at the door.

Brushing her fingers on a dishrag, she went
to let him in. He greeted her with a smile and pressed a kiss to
her lips. “Hey, beautiful. I missed you.”

“Hey. Dinner won’t be done for about thirty
minutes. You can watch TV if you want.”

He frowned. “Did you go running?”

“No.” She returned to the salad and
continued chopping tomatoes.

“Bad day?”

“It was fine.”

She scraped up the tomatoes and dumped them
in the bowl. The oven beeped and she carried the dish of chicken
over and slipped it inside. The oven door slammed with a little
more force than necessary.

“What are you making?”

“Chicken. It’s for you. I’m just having
salad.”

“You sure you’re okay?”

She huffed. “I’m fine. Stop asking.”

“Do you want me to leave?”

“No,” she snapped. “If you leave then the
meal is going in the trash. I made it for you.”

His hands went up in a defensive motion.
“Whoa, Philly, what’s going on?”

She fisted her hand on her hip and lowered
her head. “Sorry. I’m just…in a mood.”