Bare Skin (Skin Deep 5)

The next two months flew by in much the same fashion. I spent my free time with Dani and Kade, or we all hung out with my family and friends. The guys liked her, though T.J. still had yet to meet her. He hadn’t been around lately, declining any invitations sent his way to hang out, get together, whatever. Luke and Brandon didn’t have any explanation for it, either, saying that he’d been really withdrawn, almost like he was avoiding them as much as he could, even though they worked together.

Emma, Allie, Leah, and Chloe had all accepted Dani into the fold, calling her randomly to meet up with them or just to chat, and my mom tried to get her hands on Kaden as often as she did her own grandbabies. Dani fit into the group as if she had been a part of it always, even though we all knew she still held pieces of herself back. It bothered me a little, but she still intrigued me, still kept me guessing with her sharp wit, droll humor, and sexy ass smile.

If I was honest with myself, I’d admit that things just couldn’t be classified as casual anymore between us. I was invested…more than I ever had been. She kept me on my toes, and probably the biggest turn on of all? She didn’t take my shit. She called me on it, out loud. Tells me when I’m being an asshole.

And I love it.

In April, she’d slapped the shit out of me for pulling an April Fools prank on her. I still chuckle every time I think of it now. She’d run down to the store and asked me to chop up some carrots and celery for something she was making for dinner while she was gone, and when she’d come back, I was standing in the kitchen, moaning, with a towel wrapped around my hand. I’d yelled at her, saying, “I told you I don’t cook! See what happens? Oh My God!”

She’d dropped everything and run to me, hands shaking with a scared look on her face as she tried to get me to let her see what happened, and glanced around at the “blood” all over the counter, chopping board, knife, and the towel on my hand. I’d tried to draw it out a little, refusing to let her see my “cut,” but then she’d stopped, her eyes narrowing. She’d leaned in, sniffing, and then darted her tongue out to lick a spot on my forearm. “It’s ketchup! You ASSHOLE!”

And then she’d slapped me. She’d forgiven me quickly, though, laughing about it, especially when I’d ragged on her for being sick and twisted for licking my “blood.” She’d protested, saying she wouldn’t have done that if she didn’t know if was ketchup…I’d told her I had my doubts. All in all, that ended up being my absolute favorite April Fools ever, especially when we went to bed that night.

We’d also celebrated Dani’s birthday that month, quietly because she hadn’t wanted to make a big fuss about it. I got her to go out to dinner, at least, and my mom baked her a cake (God knows it would have been a disaster if I’d have done it). For my present, I had Emma set up a spa day for her, and all the girls went with her. They’d been out for the day, coming home ‘perfectly powdered, buffed, waxed, polished, and shined,’ as Dani had put it. She also came home slightly inebriated, which definitely worked to my advantage, so I had called it a win all around.

Now, a week before Memorial Day, with the requisite party at Allie and Jacks’ house looming on the horizon, I wondered if any of it had been a win at all.

It was a Monday. I was working.

My phone rang.

A minute later, my phone was shattered against the wall of Ian’s office, where I’d just happened to be, talking to him about a new job he’d just contracted.

Ian jumped up, startled. My hands fisted at my sides, and he opened his mouth to say something but his own cell phone rang before he could.

“Yeah,” he barked, answering it quickly. He listened for a minute, then whistled softly under his breath. “No shit? Alright. Later.”

“Dude,” he started, but I stopped him with a quick jerk of my head. “Go,” he said instead.

I went, replaying Brandon’s words over and over in my mind as I drove.

‘Calland, man, I’m sorry to call you like this but…Chloe was taking some cookies she’d made over to T.J. to try and talk to him. Uh, she didn’t stop, because…fuck. Cause Dani was there. At his door.’

He’d paused then, and I’d waited. Knew there was more.

Didn’t know how bad it would hurt.

‘She said it looked like they were holding each other, maybe kissing. She couldn’t tell for sure because she was driving by. But…it didn’t look good, man.”

I hadn’t said a word. Betrayal burned bright, feeding the darkness swirling around in my head as I imagined every scenario I could be walking into.

It took me twenty minutes to get there, simply because I was trying to calm down just a bit, but it was hard to do, especially when I pulled up at T.J.’s house to see Dani’s car parked in the driveway like it belonged there.

I got out and strode to the door, not even bothering with the doorbell. I simply pounded on it with my fist and waited.

I didn’t have to wait long. T.J. jerked the door open, his mouth open to yell at whoever was pounding at his door, but as soon as he saw me, his jaw snapped shut. He just looked at me, resignation flooding his eyes.

My fists clenched tight as I fought to keep them by my side, to not lash out and knock the fucking daylights out of the man I’d called a friend for going on two years now. But it was hard.

Until I heard Dani in the background, calling out, “Taylor! Where’d you go?”

I looked over T.J.’s shoulder and saw her come around the corner, a big grin on her face that faded as soon as she saw me.

And then I couldn’t help it anymore. I hauled my arm back and let my fist fly, catching T.J. right along his cheekbone. He didn’t move, didn’t try to block it. Dani came flying, shoving me back away from him as she turned to inspect his face.

He grabbed her by the shoulders, jerking his face away from her fingers. “You need to fucking tell him, Danielle.” His voice was hard, but the familiarity of the way he grabbed her and said her name had me seeing red, and had a knot forming in my stomach.

I shot them a scathing look. “I don’t need to be told anything. I got the picture.” I stared at T.J. “I just never imagined this from you.” I turned back to Dani. “Makes me wonder why you finally fucking gave in to me. Joke’s on me, right? Turn me down, then string me along, pretend you’re falling for me just like I was you, and then laugh behind my back while you’re running off, fucking one of my friends.”

T.J.’s face reddened at that. “You’re treading on thin ice, Jensen. Watch what you’re fucking saying to her, asshole.”

I laughed, but there was no humor to it. “Chloe saw her pull up. Called Brandon, he called me. He also called Ian, cause I just happened to be standing in his office when it happened. She was worried about you, was bringing you cookies. She’s a little upset, so if you feel you have to explain yourself, might wanna start with her.”

He looked down, softly cursing.

I scoffed at his display of contrition and turned to leave, then hesitated, glancing back at Dani. “Where’s Kaden?”

She glared at me, but didn’t say anything.

T.J.’s head came up, his eyes narrowing at her, asking, “Who’s Kaden?”

I snorted, another mirthless laugh breaking free. “Oh, that’s rich. Well, have fun explaining that one. I’ll be gone, so you can go get your shit whenever.”

With that, I turned and stomped away, slamming myself into my truck and pulling away.

She never tried to stop me.