Under My Skin (Skin Deep)

Under My Skin

By J.M. Stone

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Copyright
©2013 by J.M. Stone

Cover Design by J.M. Stone

Cover Image Copyright ©HotDamnDesigns.com/The Killion Group

Cover Image Tattoos Courtesy of Leo Parson

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Kindle Edition, License Notes

This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment. Ebook copies may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share with a friend, please buy an extra copy, and thank you for respecting the author’s work.

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All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system without the prior written consent from the publisher, except in the instance of quotes for reviews. No part of this book may be scanned, uploaded, or distributed via the internet without the publisher’s permission and is a violation of the International Copyright Law, which subjects the violator to severe fines and imprisonment.

This is a work of fiction. The names, characters, incidents, and places are products of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or actual events are entirely coincidental. Any trademarks, service marks, product names, or named features are assumed to be the property of their respective owners, and are used only for reference. There is no implied endorsement if any of these terms are used.

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Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Author’s Note

Acknowledgements

About the Author

Dedication

To the other half of my heart and soul; you know what you did and I love you for it, even if I threatened to strangle you a time or two…or five hundred. Always Ever!

Chapter 1

I blinked my eyes, my mouth gaping open. I was completely shocked, flabbergasted, astonished. Whatever you wanted to call it, that was me. I could not wrap my mind around what I’d just heard, let alone try to come up with some sort of sensible answer.

But let’s back up for a second. Over a year ago, I conned my best friend, Emma, into going to a tattoo shop so I could get my tongue pierced. She ended up getting a tattoo, the first of the three she’s now sporting, but more importantly, she ended up meeting Luke, the man she’s going to marry next spring. Me? I did end up with the tongue ring, but that only lasted about six months, especially after I ripped it. Now, I actually have my own ink, drawn up specially by Brandon, Luke’s brother. They own Skin Deep together, and they do very well.

It’s a very cute little tattoo; just a small hot pink flower with a tribal design on my front right hip.
Brandon was also the one who pierced my tongue, so I figured he should be the one to do my tattoo, too. Honestly, he didn’t really give me a choice. He said he was going to do it, so why argue?

I didn’t want anything big because I’m a small woman. I’m only 5’2, size 3/4, but what I lack in size, I make
up for in boobs and attitude.

But right now I’m still stuck on the fact that Jackson, who is Luke and Brandon’s best friend that is moving here from L.A. (who the hell moves from L.A. to Phillus, Ohio?), is standing here in front of me
having said what he just did.

“Allie? Did you hear me?” Jacks asked patiently.

I personally wouldn’t have been patient if I’d asked someone what he just asked me. But then again, I don’t know if I’d ever ask someone what he did.

“Allie, seriously. Are you ever going to give us a chance to really be with you? You’ve been teasing us for months now, and while I love your few and far between ki
sses, I want more. I want you lying in my arms at night, waking up beside me, making love in the morning…hell, anytime I want!”

I gasped. “But,
Jackson! You…I…you don’t know that you want that! You
can’t
know that you want that. And what about-” I stopped as he cut me off.

“What about
Brandon, right? You don’t have to worry about that. In fact, he and I have already discussed this. We’re willing to work it out, to try it, at least. We want it to work because we both want more from you.”

A warm, deep voice chimed in from behind me. “He’s right. We did discuss this, Allie, because we both want to be with you, and we know that you want to be with us.
Both
of us. We also know that being with both of us is not conventional, and it might be frowned upon by people, but who gives a fuck? If we’re happy, isn’t that all that matters? What’s holding you back, Allie?”

Brandon
walked around the couch and plopped down on the other side of me, leaving me pressed between two hard, very warm male bodies. I wasn’t complaining about it, but…I still had no idea what to say to them, how to answer Brandon’s question.

Emma had called me at the store today and asked if I wanted to come have dinner and hang out tonight, maybe watch one of the hundreds of movies that Luke and Brandon had collected over the years, but when I’d gotten here, she’d told me she forgot that she and Luke were going out for a date night. They were going to go get dinner and a movie, but she told me that Brandon and Jacks were going to order pizza and chill at home, so they asked me to stay and hang out. I agreed, not realizing that I’d been set up. That didn’t come until about ten seconds ago when
Brandon joined our discussion.

“Wait. You guys planned this little thing tonight to talk to me?” I asked. “And Emma was in on it? Seriously? You couldn’t just pick up a phone and talk to me like normal people do? And Jesus, Jacks, why’d you wait until
Brandon left the room to start in on this whole thing?” I could hear my voice rising, but I couldn’t help it. Everything was feeling so surreal to me.

“He left so I
could talk to you about this. We figured you might be a little more receptive if you didn’t feel like you were getting ganged up on,” Jacks said quietly.

“But why
now
? You know, I was a little confused by the fact that Emma supposedly forgot a date night with Luke, but I let it go. I mean, no big deal. But then Jacks…you drop this in my lap out of nowhere and I’m…I…I don’t know what the hell to say!” I dropped my head back and closed my eyes, feeling like I was hanging on by a thread.

“Allie,
come on. You know this isn’t out of nowhere. Jackson and I have made it clear that we’re into you. You’ve kissed us both, and wanted to do more. The only one holding back in this situation is you, and well, we’re done waiting. In fact, we both asked Emma what she thought because she knows you best.” Jackson kept his voice gentle, obviously trying to placate me.

I snorted. “Oh, and what’d she do? Declare open season on me for the two of you?”

Brandon answered this time. “No. All she said was ‘it’s about damn time’! But even she couldn’t tell us why you’re holding back.”

Good question. I mean, it’s not that I hated the thought of being unconventional, because, let’s face it, I was completely unconventional on my own. A self-proclaimed free spirit…I really just enjoy being myself, who I am, and I don’t care what people think. Usually. But this…this was a little different. I mean, isn’t
it a little greedy to want or have two gorgeous men in your bed every night? And what about kids?

Don’t get me wrong; growing up with my parents being how they are, I’ve seen some shit that most kids would be traumatized by. Like when ‘Aunt’ Sherry would come to stay for a weekend a
nd after I’d go to bed, she, Mom, and Dad would smoke these funny smelling cigarettes, and then Sherry would be in bed with them in the morning when I woke up. Of course, as I got older, I realized what that funny smell was, and exactly why Mom and Dad were sharing a bed with ‘Aunt’ Sherry.

And that doesn’t mean that my parents were bad people, or bad parents. They loved me, provided for me,
and taught me right from wrong just like any other parents would do. They just made things a little more fun than some, and were very…open about other things.

The more I thought about it, though, I realized that none of my arguments were very convincing as to why I should fight it. What’s the harm in trying? At least we’d know then if it wouldn’t work. But would my heart be able to handle it if it didn’t? Or, God forbid, what happened if there was something more with one than the other?

I sat up, shaking my head at the turn my thoughts were taking. I noticed that the room had gotten very silent, and two pairs of eyes were trained on my face, watching intently for any sign of what I was thinking. I looked at them, studying each one in turn.

Brandon
was 29, my age, stood about 6’3, had gorgeous blue-grey eyes, and closely cropped black hair. He was muscular but lean, tattooed, and had that unshaven, kind of scruffy look going for him that made me want to lick him. He was also the jokester of the group; always ready with a quick comeback, loved to make people laugh. I almost think he does it to hide how intelligent he really is. He isn’t usually very forthcoming when it comes to details about his past, but one drunken night loosened his tongue and he let it out. Let’s just say it wasn’t the easiest for him, but he and Luke are doing quite well for themselves now.

Jackson
was 32, the same age as Luke, but he was taller than both of the other two, topping out at 6’4. I had to crane my neck to look up at him (well, any of them, for that matter). He was broad shouldered and, just like Brandon, muscular but lean, tattooed, although he has quite a few less than Brandon, but his eyes were a deep, warm brown with the longest eyelashes I’d ever seen on a man, let alone a woman. Thank God, that didn’t detract from his masculinity in any way. In fact, it made you want to melt when he turned those babies on you. His hair was also dark, close cropped to his head, but he was clean shaven. And when he smiled? Holy Mother of Mary Kate, if that didn’t want to make me drop my drawers. He had the cutest little dimple in the side of his cheek that got me every time.

So, really…what the hell was my problem? It wasn’t as if I was unattracted to them; in fact, it was the polar opposite. Maybe I was
too
attracted to them.

Brandon
broke into my thoughts. “Allie?”

I gave them both a small smile. “I honestly have no answer for you. I don’t know why I’ve been fight-”

My words were cut off by a harsh groan. I don’t know who’s mouth it came from, but what I do know is that I was suddenly crushed to Jackson’s chest and his lips were on mine, nipping at my bottom lip until I gave in and opened for him. He thrust his tongue between my lips, kissing me deeply, thoroughly. After a minute, he pulled back, kissed me gently one last time before I found myself being turned and then Brandon was there, wrapping me up in his arms.

His lips caressed mine tenderly, his tongue dancing softly over mine, asking for more rather than taking like
Jackson had. The difference in their kisses was like night and day, although I knew Brandon could be just as intense as Jacks. But now, in this moment, the contrast just served to make my pulse pound, to make the ache building between my thighs spread through my body until I wanted nothing more than to be lost between the two of them.

Brandon
’s kiss didn’t last nearly as long as Jackson’s, and I found myself sitting between them again, panting slightly for breath.

“Wow,” I muttered. “Okay then.” I blew out a breath, trying to get my thoughts back in order. “Back to what I was saying…”

Again, I was interrupted. “You don’t need to say anything more, babe,” Jackson replied. “You said yourself that there’s no reason to fight what we all want. It’s settled. We’re giving this a go.”

Brandon
chimed in, “Yep. No use in fighting it anymore, Allie. Just give in and let it happen. It’s all going to work out just fine.”

I eyed them suspiciously. “Why are you both so convinced this is going to work? I mean, have you ever tried something like this before? I know, Jacks, you had that thing…yeah. Umm…”

Brandon chuckled, laughing at Jackson’s face turning red, and then replied, sheepishly, “Well, actually, I, uh…had my own apartment for a while after high school. You know, wanted to try the whole on my own thing. My roommate and I both dated this girl at the same time. Like…together.”

I stared at him, completely taken by surprise by this. “What happened then?” I asked.

“Well, actually, they started to get really serious about each other, like marriage serious. It wasn’t like that for me; I liked her and all, but I wasn’t in love. So, it was done for me, but last I heard, they got married and are working on their fourth kid.”

I nodded slowly, taking it all in. “What about you, Jackson? Anything you want to let me know about this type of situation?” I raised my eyebrows, waiting for his answer.

He cleared his throat before saying, “Luke and I used to do the same thing with girls. Nothing serious, ever. In fact, we’d always said that when we found that special one that we were meant to be with, it would never happen unless it was discussed and rules were put into place; but even then, it was probably never going to happen. That thing with Emma…that was kind of a fluke.” He flinched, rushing to finish quickly, “I never touched her! I swear to you!”

“I know. Emma told me about it. It was an…interesting…conversation. But if you had that kind of pact with Luke and now you’re telling me you’re in this because you want to be with me, how is that any different? Why are you willing to do this with
Brandon?” I asked.

Seriously, it was a good question, at least to my mind. It almost made me think that this was something that they were just trying to get out of their system, that they weren’t that serious about me. And if I was honest with myself, I could definitely see myself getting serious with them. Yes, I said them.
Geez, what am I getting myself into?

I’ve never been one to seriously date, because I don’t want to settle for just anyone. I want that toe-curling, butterfly stomach, melt-at-his-kisses kind of love. And none of the guys I’d dated in the past
had made it past the first or second date. If they did, it always turned into more of a booty call situation than anything.

Jackson
cocked his head, looking at me almost as if he didn’t know what to say. But he must have because he replied, “Well, I’m not willing to stand aside so Brandon can have you.” He turned to Brandon. “No offense, man.”

“None taken,”
Brandon replied. “We really did discuss this, Allie. Jackson and I both know what we are getting into, we both are coming in with eyes wide open. I wasn’t standing aside for Jackson to have you, either. We both want you and we’re willing to do what it takes in order to make you happy. And, since we’ve both done it before, we’re not averse to sharing.” He grinned widely at me after saying that. “Just means that you’re that much happier, getting twice the lovin’!”

Oh, Lord.