Skin to Skin Read online

  Skin to Skin

  By J.M. Stone

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  Copyright ©2014 by J.M. Stone

  Cover Design by J.M. Stone

  Cover Image Copyright ©HotDamnDesigns.com/The Killion Group

  Cover Image Tattoos Courtesy of Leo Parsons

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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

  Prologue

  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

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Author’s Note

  Acknowledgements

  About the Author

  Sneak Peek of Seven Days by Josie Leigh

  Dedication

  To Nathan (Bubba) and Josh for “southern lips” and “ANAL”, even though I didn’t use them. Yet. You two are a riot!

  Prologue

  Fireworks exploded behind my eyes as Greg slapped me across the face once more. I slumped to the floor, my hand over my cheek. I pressed my fingers gingerly over the spot where it seemed my skin was on fire, wincing when I touched broken skin and wetness that surely indicated blood.

  “You just don’t know when to fucking quit, do you bitch?”

  I opened my mouth automatically to deny…to ask what I’d done now, but I should have known better.

  Before a sound had even passed my lips, he was swinging, screaming, “I don’t know how many times I have to tell you! Are you ever gonna learn, you stupid little cunt? God damn, I should have strangled you last time and saved myself the fucking trouble of going through this again!”

  I squeezed my eyes tightly shut; I didn’t want to see the blows that were coming. I could feel the wetness of blood begin to trickle down my cheek, and my eyes were starting to swell. A scream wrenched from my throat as the toe of his boot connected with my tender ribs, then my arm as I instinctively wrapped it around my body for some kind of protection.

  But the abuse just kept coming in rapid succession. I tried to crawl away to no avail; he only followed, punching and kicking while I tried my damndest to protect my head and the other vital parts of my body.

  I sobbed in pain, writhing on the floor while he stood over me, spittle flying from his lips as he yelled, screamed, and raged at me for whatever transgression I’d committed this time…and as the blows continued to rain down on my abused body, I slipped inside myself, floating away where I couldn’t feel it anymore, where he couldn’t touch me anymore.

  The words of the lullaby my mom used to sing me tumbled through my mind and I sang them tunelessly in my head, letting them carry me further into the darkness that soothed me, brought me relief…

  The moon is shining brightly

  Over top your wee-bit head

  So rest your eyes my little girl

  As Momma tucks you into bed

  Off to sleep now, off to dream

  Snuggle in and hug me tight

  I love you always and forever

  Go to sleep, my girl, goodnight.

  Chapter 1

  “I kissed Brandon.”

  The words exploded from my mouth, followed by a whispered apology, before I could even think about stopping them. Horrified, I clapped my hand over my lips, squeezing my eyes shut as I imagined Allie’s fist meeting my face. That was so not how I envisioned finally getting this off my chest.

  When nothing but silence met my comment, I risked peeking over at her. She was standing beside me, her hands frozen over the flaps of the box we were unpacking that had just come into her store. She stood like that for just a second before she smoothed her hands down her swollen stomach and nodded decisively.

  “You know, I was going to ask you why there was some kind of tension between you two. Guess I don’t have to do that now, huh?”

  She chuckled wryly, the corner of her mouth tilting up in a half-smile.

  My heart stopped, but my face crumpled and my mouth started running of its own volition.

  “I…I don’t have any excuse, really, Allie. I’m sorry. I’m so, so completely sorry, and I really never meant for it to happen. We were just on that road trip and I got drunk one night when I was feeling sorry for myself and…I just kissed him.” I threw my hands up, shaking my head as I felt tears threaten.

  Soft, small hands cupped my cheeks and brought my face around. My eyes clashed with the big, bright blue ones of my future sister-in-law.

  She sighed, her thumbs gently wiping away the tears that had just started to fall. “Chloe, don’t cry. You didn’t do anything wrong. Brandon and I were done at that point. I’m marrying your brother, and I’m having your nephew. I’m not mad…I won’t lie to you and say it doesn’t hurt a little…but I’m not mad.”

  The tears began flowing faster down my cheeks. How could I have done this to the amazing person standing in front of me? How could I have hurt the person who has done so much for me ever since I showed up unannounced and buried under a mountain of personal baggage?

  A sob bubbled out from my chest and I choked it back, not wanting to break down completely. I didn’t deserve to break down in front of Allie…she was the one who was hurt. I deserved nothing more than an ass kicking.

  Allie groaned and pulled me into her arms, hugging me tightly and the dam broke. She just held me tighter, letting me cry on her shoulder, literally. And as shitty as it was for me to do, I let her do it, and I cried. Hard.

  When the storm of sobs had finally slowed, she pushed me back and looked me over as I stood there, struggling to catch my breath and wipe my face.

  “Okay. I think that this is a perfect time to just close up shop, head over to your house, and have some special sundaes.” She paused, rubbing her belly again before shaking her head and smiling as she said, “Well, you’re gonna have a special sundae and I’m just gonna eat the frozen yogurt.”

  I gave her a watery smile and nodded. We shut down the store and headed to Allie’s, er, my house. It was still so weird to say my house, and even weirder to hear Al
lie say it, too, especially because not too long ago, it was Allie’s house. I guess I’m even more flabbergasted at the generosity of Allie…I mean, I had nowhere to stay when I showed up on Luke and Emma’s doorstep, looking for my brother. I knew he was building a house and I could always crash with him, that went without saying. Instead, I ended up at Allie’s house in her spare room, and when she moved into Jackson’s house, she’d handed me a piece of paper that turned out to be the deed to her house. I tried to refuse, but…I finally gave in and took it for what it was worth; a chance to start over fresh on my own two feet, which is exactly what I came here for. I just didn’t expect it to happen so quickly.

  I left L.A. a broken and battered mess, running to the little town of Phillus, Ohio where my brother had decided to relocate. Initially, he’d come to see his best friends, Luke and Brandon, but one look at Allie and his mind was made up. He bought land, started building a house, and now he and Allie are engaged and expecting my little nephew in a little over two months. Of course, their story was a little more complicated than that, but…you get the idea.

  Half an hour later we were sitting on my couch after a slight detour to the store to grab special sundae items. The first time they’d handed me one, I was a little skeptical. Strawberry daiquiri wine cooler over strawberry frozen yogurt? Yeah, not a combination I ever really thought would be good. But lemme tell ya, it is yummy!

  I took another bite of my sundae and laughed at the yearning, pathetic look Allie shot my bowl as she spooned up her own bite of boozeless fro yo. She scowled as she shoveled it into her mouth on a huff.

  We ate in silence for a minute before Allie broke it on a sigh. “Look. I know I said it hurt earlier when you told me you kissed Brandon. It’s true…it does hurt. But I have no right to be mad at you, and like I said, I’m not mad at you. Brandon made his choice to walk away from what we had, and I made the choice to let him. I gave up, didn’t fight for him, and do you know why?”

  I shook my head, my own eyes beginning to brim with tears as they started falling from hers.

  “I didn’t fight for him because I realized that, deep down, I knew the love I had for Jackson was so much deeper than the love I have for Brandon. But I’m selfish, I guess, because if he hadn’t walked away, I would have kept him with me, and honestly, that would have probably ruined us...someone would have ended up unhappy and, in the end, we wouldn’t even have the friendship that we do. I couldn’t bear that. Besides Emma, he’s my best friend.”

  She paused for breath and to wipe away the tears falling unchecked down her cheeks. “I was so jealous of you, Chloe, when you showed up. Brandon was always running to help you, sleeping in your bed. You knew it…I mean, hell, you apologized every five fucking seconds. And I think my jealousy stemmed from the fact that you guys were close…you’ve known each other and been friends for years. Not only that, but…you’re fucking gorgeous!”

  She laughed and I just shook my head at her. She held her hand up when I would have voiced my protest, and I shut up, allowing her to continue.

  “In the long run, Brandon did what was best for him, and for me and Jackson, too. And yes, God, it still hurts and I’m still so pissed off at him at times, so much that I just want to throat punch him! But, again, he did do what was best. For all of us. Regardless, I love him, and I always will. He’ll always hold a special place in my heart, and the woman who finally lands him is just gonna have to deal with it, because I’m not letting go of his friendship. I can’t. Trust me, I’ve went back and forth about this whole thing many times since he walked away. Emma was ready to castrate him because of it; she kept saying that he had made such a big deal about making it work and everything…and then just left it all behind when things got hard.”

  “But, he didn’t!” I interjected loudly, shocking both myself and Allie.

  She quirked her eyebrows at me and cocked her head. “Well, yeah, Chloe, he kinda did,” Allie said softly.

  I shook my head, still unsure as to why I was forcing the issue, but…I just couldn’t let her think differently. Unable to stop, my mouth opened and the words poured out, memories overtaking me…

  My sixth shot of tequila went down way smoother than the first five for some reason. Giggling, I slammed the glass back on the bar and turned to Brandon, who was brooding beside me. “So…Mr. Serious. What the fuck is your deal?”

  “Excuse me?” he growled, turning his head towards me with a scowl.

  “I said, What. The. Fuck. Is. Your. Deal?” I enunciated each word slowly, pausing for emphasis between each of them. And then I had to ruin it with a stupid little giggle again.

  He rolled his eyes at me and shook his head. “You’re drunk, and I have no idea what the hell you’re talking about.”

  I sighed and motioned the bartender for another shot. He nodded in acknowledgement and I turned back to Brandon.

  “I may be feeling pretty good right now, but damnit! I deserve it!”

  He chuckled beside me. “And why is that, sunshine?”

  I blinked at him, shocked at the fact that he’d used the nickname he’d given me back when we were younger. He hadn’t used it in years…but then again, I really hadn’t seen him in years.

  “You’re changing the subject, which I will allow at the moment. But we WILL revisit that issue. Anyway, I deserve it because I’m starting over. I’m leavin’ behind the stupid, weak, broken me that let that mother fucker beat on me like a punk ass bitch! That’s why!”

  I crowed the last words, the drunk crowd around me throwing up their hands with their drinks in them and cheering me on. I grinned at Brandon and raised my own glass, the seventh shot of tequila that the bartender had finally placed in front of me with a shake of his head, and then threw it back, swallowing down the smooth but fiery liquid like it was water.

  Brandon just shook his head at me and smirked. “Hmm…tequila brings out the sailor in you, huh? You’re gonna regret that in the morning, sunshine. You’re done now.”

  I shook my head at him from side to side, making sure to punctuate my response to his order with a nice, juvenile, “Nu-uh!”

  He sighed and turned away briefly, only looking at me when I spoke again.

  “I may be getting drunk…” I cut off as I shook my head, the alcohol definitely starting to fuzzy up my brain. “Or AM drunk…but I want to know what’s up with you. You’re so damned moody and this was your idea, might I remind you.”

  I huffed and signaled the bartender for another, growling at Brandon when he waved at the bartender and shook his head no. I nodded at the bartender, signaling again for another shot. When he ignored me and listened to Brandon, who overrode me once more and shook his head no, I couldn’t help but growl at him and then stumbled off my bar stool, intending to head back to the hotel.

  I heard him holler at me to wait and, in a reflexive move, threw my hand up at him without stopping. Okay, so maybe I didn’t throw my hand up…maybe it was more of a one-finger salute…and not a nice one, either.

  I heard laughter all around me and grinned, high-fiving the woman to my left that hollered, ‘Right on, sister!’ as I paused at the door, suddenly remembering that I didn’t pay my tab.

  A delicious, lust-inducing scent washed over me and I felt the press of a hot, hard chest against my back right before I heard Brandon growl, “I paid the tab; keep walking.”

  I wanted to argue and ignore him. I really did, but the fuzziness in my head decided at that moment to affect my balance and I stumbled, catching myself clumsily on the door as it swung open with my weight.

  “Jesus…” Brandon bit out behind me before he wrapped his arm around my waist and hauled me against his side. “You shouldn’t have had that many shots, Chloe. Especially since we’re heading back home tomorrow.”

  I couldn’t help my childish words, blurting out, “Well you drank a bunch of beer!” My tone was petulant, and I found myself stomping my foot and pulling away from him, stumbling once more.

  I heard him curse
under his breath before my world turned upside down as he scooped me up and threw me over his shoulder to continue the walk back to the hotel. I wiggled and shouted at him to put me down but he ignored me, slapping my ass smartly once and growling at me to be still. I finally complied, bracing my elbow against his back and propping my chin up on my hand like I didn’t have a care in the world. Hell, if he wanted to break his back carrying me the whole way, far be it for me to dissuade him.

  He walked in silence for a bit and then I heard him mutter, “Yeah, I had a few beers, got a little buzz, but I know when to quit. Unlike SOME people I know.”

  I sighed. I knew I shouldn’t have had so much but the memories of everything just overwhelmed me. Silence reigned once more until we got back to the hotel, and even as I fumbled in my back pocket awkwardly to fish out my room key. He took it from my hand and let us into the room, dumping me gently on the bed. I sat up on the edge of it and looked up at him as he stepped back.

  “Will you stay for a while? Please?” I asked, not ready at all to be alone. I could feel panic creeping around the edges of my consciousness, memories threatening to overtake me now that loneliness was imminent.

  He regarded me solemnly before he nodded, sitting down beside me. I leaned my head on his shoulder and mumbled, “Thank you. For everything.”

  “You’re welcome. I’m glad I could help. That’s what friends are for, right?” He smiled down at me and nudged me with his shoulder. “I should thank you, though. You know, for not really pushing me for answers.” He laughed shortly and amended his words. “For not pushing me more than you have tonight.”

  I laughed and lifted my head to look at him, my laughter dying as I asked, “Why did you do it, though? I mean, I know you just keep saying that it was the right thing to do because Allie and Jackson love each other so much more and deeper and all that shit, but…she told me you guys made such a big deal of it working out. It makes no sense that you walked.”

  He blew out a breath and got up, pacing the room in front of me. “Look. I’m a selfish bastard. I knew going in to the whole deal that one day it was going to end up like this. I already knew that I would have to walk away…but I did it anyway, I got involved regardless, knowing how it was going to turn out. Hell, I’ve not had the greatest track record when it comes to relationships and women, but I see what Luke has with Emma and I want that! You know?”