Skin Deep

Page 56

I’d waited for my dad to say something, but the jig was up when he just sat there with a shit eating grin on his face. The truth came out then. Luke had actually gone to my father to ask his permission to marry me, and had even told him about the whole elaborate plan he’d thought up to propose. In return, my dad had shared the story of how he’d proposed to my mom, which was hiding the ring in the pocket of a bathrobe he’d gotten her for Christmas. When she’d opened it and tried it on at the urging of dad and his parents (he’d done it at their house), she’d automatically stuck her hands in the pockets, and found the ring. Apparently, when she pulled it out and looked at it in surprise, my dad had just said, “Well?”
I guess Luke didn’t want to mess with a good thing since it turned out so well between my parents and had scrapped his original plan, instead tweaking my dad’s proposal to my mom to fit us. Now that I knew the reasoning behind it, it made Luke’s off-the-wall proposal that much sweeter.
We stayed until evening, playing games and just generally having a good time, before we headed home and just hung out. All in all, it was the best Christmas ever.
The week between Christmas and New Year flew by and, for once, I was excited about New Year’s Eve. Allie, Leah, Jenna, and I all had gotten together to go shopping for outfits to wear to the party that was happening down at Griff’s. Jenna had arranged for a babysitter, and we’d all planned on taking cabs in the event that everyone decided to drink.
New Year’s Eve came and all of us girls got together at Jenna’s house to get dolled up and then we were going to meet up with the guys at the bar. After we all got done primping, we were standing together in the mirror.
Allie, with raised eyebrows, breathed, “We’re fuckin’ HOT!”
Every one of us nodded, because we looked damn good. I couldn’t wait for the guys to see us…
Jenna was wearing a silver dress that was almost like a shirt; it bloused at the top, tightening and draping into a mini skirt that hit mid-thigh. The sleeves were three-quarter length, but were split from the shoulder to just below her elbow before coming to a stop in a black jeweled band on her forearm. She’d paired it with a sexy pair of strappy black stilettos and had piled her hair on top of her head in a messy but precise twist.
Leah was wearing a black mini skirt with a white and black corset type strapless top, with a killer pair of black suede peep toe stiletto booties. She’d left her hair down, tumbling in waves over her shoulders to the middle of her back.
Allie was wearing a silver sheath dress that fit her like a second skin. It had a black lace overlay and a high neckline in the front, but when she turned, it basically had no back, coming to a stop dangerously low over the beginning swell of her ass. She’d gone with a strappy, silver pair of stilettos that made her legs look a million miles long, and her spiky hair (all black for once) was liberally sprayed with silver glitter.
Since I didn’t do dresses very often, I’d gone with a long black form fitting top that left one whole shoulder and arm bare, and clasped with a silver jewel over the other. On the side that clasped at my shoulder, it had a small gather of material that fell on either side of my shoulder to drape loosely down my side. It came to about mid-thigh, and I’d paired it with a really cute pair of silver skinny jeans . I’d worn the kickass heels that Allie had gotten me for Christmas and Allie had loosely French braided my hair at each side of my head before gathering it into a messy knot at the back of my head.
Satisfied that we were going to drive the guys wild, we all piled into Jenna’s car and headed out to the bar. When we got there, things were just starting to heat up; people were dancing, drinks were flowing, and it looked like everyone was having a blast. We walked to the table we had reserved (our usual booth was too small for all of us) where the guys were all sitting, and all four of us gasped when we caught sight of them. We thought we were hot? Shit…we didn’t have anything on them!
Noah was wearing a black button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up over dark grey jeans and black leather boots.
Jackson was wearing a red button down shirt with a tribal skull on the pocket and the same design emblazoned across the whole back of it. He’d also rolled up his sleeves and buttoned them up with the tabs on the shirt sleeves. Even I had to say that his ass looked delicious in a tight pair of black jeans, and he’d worn black boots with silver buckles.
Brandon wore a white and black striped short sleeve button down over a black thermal long sleeve, pairing them with a well worn pair of faded jeans and black and white sneakers. He had a black ball cap turned backwards on his head, and a pair of diamond studs flashed in both his ears.
And Luke…he looked extra yummy in a black button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up like Jackson and Noah. His shirt had a sweet silver tribal looking cross on the back of it, almost like the one he had worn for our date when we’d first gone out. He’d gone with his grey boot cut jeans that fit him perfectly, and his black boots with silver buckles as well.
The guys turned and caught sight of us, their jaws all dropping, which made each of us grin as we looked at each other knowingly. Leah waved at them and winked at us before she trotted off to the bar in search of someone to nab as her date for the evening.
We danced and drank champagne and the evening flew by. We all gathered back at the table to grab the noise makers that Griff had put on every table and headed outside with most of the patrons of the bar. We all fanned out, Luke keeping me close by his side and waited for the countdown. All at once, voices began counting down from ten and everyone joined in, shouting into the dark night. When the town clock struck midnight and everyone yelled Happy New Year!, Luke pulled me into him and kissed me deeply, stealing my breath and making me weak with want.
He pulled back and whispered, “Happy New Year, baby. I love you…” just as the fireworks started exploding in the sky. I tipped my head back to watch and started laughing in amazement as soft white snowflakes started drifting down over us. Luke pulled me back against him and kissed me while the sky lit up with color bursts and the streets became dusted in white.
Luke and I trudged back inside, our cheeks reddened from the cold…and maybe a little flushed with good old fashioned lust! We made sure everyone was covered to get home or where they needed to go and made our excuses, both so eager to get out of there and get our hands on each other.
We pulled up to the house, both running for the door, collapsing against it as our lips met, kissing and undressing each other as we fumbled to the couch, falling over onto the cushions. When our lips parted for a second to catch our breath, Luke’s eyes lit up and he sat up, pulling me up with him. I opened my mouth to ask him what he was doing, but didn’t say anything as he smiled and shook his head, entreating me silently to trust him.
He led me, both of us naked, to the back door, grabbing a couple thick towels off the dryer in the laundry room where I’d left them after pulling them out of the dryer earlier. I let out a gasp as he pulled me out into the frigid night air, running quickly to the hot tub where he pulled back the cover releasing the steam and heat rising from the top of the water. He turned on the jets and we got in, sinking our bodies down in the hot water as snow continued to fall around us.
He pulled me onto his lap, our lips meeting in a slow and tangling kiss, our tongues sliding against each other, teeth nipping at lips, breath mingling and steaming in the night air. Nothing was rushed; Luke’s hands roamed my body slowly, taking the time to touch every inch of me, caressing and stroking, stoking the flames of desire burning through me higher and higher. I pulled him even closer to me, rocking my hips against him, loving the feel of his velvety hardness slicking through my tender folds, but he pulled away from me when I tried to sink onto the tip of him.