Bare Skin (Skin Deep 5)

Chapter 23

Calland

I looked over at the woman who had so quickly become my world.

She was staring out the window of the car as we drove home, her fingers tightly laced with mine on my thigh, her thumb rubbing absently over mine.

My mom had convinced Dani to let her have Kaden for the night, a request that Dani protested since he’d never been away from her for the entire night before, but Mom was very convincing, citing the fact that all of her grandbabies have stayed, so it was his turn. Dani had opened her mouth to protest again, but my mom had just smiled serenely, grabbed the diaper bag from the counter by Dani and tossed it to my dad, before she’d walked over and had taken Kade from T.J.

T.J. had looked dazed, but hadn’t said anything until my mom and dad had left, taking Kaden with them.

“Did…uh…” he’d stuttered, shaking his head.

I had only shrugged. “You should be used to them by now,” I’d said, smiling.

He’d chuckled, replying, “I am, but…did she call him her grandbaby?”

I’d nodded, telling him, “You’ve been family to her since you came, so you didn’t think she’d claim Kaden and Dani, too?” I had glanced over at Dani, grinning at her bemused expression, because she already knew. My mom had made it clear to her several times.

I smiled into the dimness of the car, finally dragging my eyes away from her and back on the road.

“You’ve been staring again.”

My smile turned to a grin as I shot her a glance once more. She was looking at me now.

“I’m driving, so how could I be staring at you?” I asked, innocently.

“Yeah, that’s what I was wondering,” she replied, drolly. She squeezed my fingers briefly and then let go of my hand as I pulled into my complex and parked.

She reached for my hand again as soon as we were out of the car and making our way to the door. I pulled her in close to my side and wrapped my arm around her shoulders, pressing a kiss to the top of her head as we went.

“Got the night and the house all to ourselves, baby. What in the world are we gonna do?”

She gazed up at me through her lashes and I went rock hard instantly.

“I’m sure we can think of something…” She breathed softly, her lips caressing each word as she said it.

I rushed to unlock the door and she giggled, a sound that was cut off by my mouth as soon as we were inside. I pressed her into the door, fusing my mouth to hers in a heated duel of lips, tongues, and teeth.

We both groaned as a phone started ringing somewhere around us, breaking the kiss as we both grabbed for our phones to see who’s it was.

“Mine,” she said, digging it out of her purse. She sighed as she looked at the number and sent it to voicemail. She lifted her arms around my neck again, but stopped as her phone immediately rang once more.

“Answer it,” I sighed. “Must be important.”

She shook her head. “No. It’s not important.”

But her phone kept ringing non-stop.

She finally answered on a shout. “WHAT?!”

I held my breath and listened, trying to see who was on the other end, but feeling it wasn’t going to be a friendly chat.

“Listen, bitch,” I heard a man’s voice boom across the line. “Better watch your fucking mouth, talking to me like that.”

Dani gritted her teeth. “Alex, I’m done talking to you. I’m done with the whole situation. Get it through your fucking head that we’re not coming back, okay? DO YOU HEAR ME?”

She yelled the last of it and hung up, breathing heavily. I kissed the top of her head and pulled her into my chest.

Her phone rang again. I grabbed it from her hand and answered it before she could say or do anything.

“I think the lady told you she was done,” I said, flatly.

“Who the fuck are you?” Alex asked, but then cut me off from answering. “Never mind, it doesn’t matter who the fuck you are, just put the bitch back on the phone.”

I couldn’t help the growl that came from me. “Fucking call her a bitch one more time,” I bit out through clenched teeth. “What do you want?”

A loud, grating laugh came through the phone. “Fine. I’ll play it her way. But tell her that Grayson’s dead.”

The phone clicked off.