Page 33 of Under My Skin

Chapter Thirty-Three

LUCY

“You’re staying how long? ”

I groan as I fall back onto Everett’s bed with the phone pressed to my ear. Allison’s shock isn’t too far off from how I figured she’d react. Actually, it isn’t too far off from how I reacted when I decided to stay. “I know. I really think I could help with his tattoo shop, though.”

“Your brother’s hot friend?” she says it with a mouthful, and I already know she grabbed a breakfast sandwich from our favorite café in town. It’s one of the rituals we once shared but now have to do separately for the sake of different schedules, apartments, lives.

“Yeah.” The word comes out a little breathless, and I look around the room I’m in, wishing it were actually Everett’s and not just my brother’s guest room with a few of Everett’s things scattered throughout.

His clothes are in the closet, there’s some mail on the dresser along with the box of his dad’s things, and his sheets still manage to smell a little like him even though he washed them before giving me his bed. “Hey, can I ask for a favor?”

“Anything, you know that.”

I hate asking her to do this when she thinks living with Jasmine has been nothing short of perfect. “Do you think you can stop by the apartment?”

“Sure,” she says easily. “Need me to mail you something?”

“No, no. I have everything I need. Just to . . . check on it?”

There’s a pause. “Isn’t Jasmine there?”

I try to make my voice sound lighter than it feels. “Yeah, she is. I’m sure everything is fine. The lease is just almost up, and I haven’t been there to clean. I just want to try to get my security deposit back if I can help it.”

“Oh? Um, yeah. Of course, I’ll stop by today or tomorrow.” The surprise in her voice doesn’t slip past me. When I was living with her, I never had to worry about the condition of the apartment, but those were simpler times.

“Thanks.”

There’s a slight pause, and I have a feeling she wants to ask more about Jasmine, but I’d rather not get into it right now. If everything in the apartment is fine, then there’s no need to worry her about my living arrangement.

Allison laughs. “So, are you sure you’re only staying for hot friend’s shop and not for hot friend?”

I bite my nail, unsure of how to respond. Last night was incredible. Unexpected and a little stupid, but holy shit was it incredible.

She doesn’t even wait to finish her next bite before calling me out on my silence. “You like him, don’t you?” She swallows. “Wait, did something happen between you two?”

Even though she can’t see me, I still cover my face with my hand when I say, “So much.”

Allison squeals. “Lucy! Have you been holding out on me? When? How? How much? ”

“Enough,” I say with a grimace.

She gasps. “Does your brother know?”

“Nope. ”

“But it was good?”

“So good.” The words come out like they’re my best kept secret. “As in the best I’ve ever had.”

Allison cackles into the phone. “I’ll make sure Dina doesn’t mention it to her cousin.”

“Can we not bring up all my one-night stands in the same conversation, please?”

“You mean all two of them?” She takes another bite. “You harlot.”

I laugh.

“Plus, this one doesn’t have to be a one-night stand. You’re there for another week. When did it happen?”

I brace myself for her response when I say, “Last night.”

“Oh, you have plenty of time to bang it out a few more times.”

I shake my head even though she can’t see me. “You make it sound like he’s part of a to-do list.”

“I mean . . .” She drags out the words. “He could be.”

I glance toward the open door. I may only be able to see the wall of the short hallway, but there’s no sign of life in the apartment.

My brother left for work a couple of hours ago, and Everett was gone before then.

He said the shop is closed on Mondays, so I’m assuming he went for one of his early morning rides and just hasn’t come back yet.

“I wonder how he feels about the whole thing,” I mutter as I push myself up and sit cross-legged on the bed.

“You haven’t talked to him?”

Absently smoothing down the comforter beneath me, I say, “We haven’t exactly had the chance. Last night, Simon was here when we got back, and I haven’t seen him yet today. What if he regrets it?”

She talks through another mouthful. “If it was as good as you say it was, I doubt that’s the case.”

“I don’t know,” the words drag a little.

My thoughts jump back to the conversation I had with him two nights ago.

It felt like he had already put me in a box labeled Simon’s sister and nailed it shut.

If he regrets last night, he’s probably feeling guilty, and the last thing he needs is to add more fuel to that flame.

“You’re going off the rails, aren’t you?”

“No,” I answer too quickly. “I’m fine. I just need to talk to him.”

The sound of the apartment door opening and closing makes my heart stutter. “Someone’s here. I’ll call you later.”

“Go for round two!” Allison says with a giggle, and I hang up like Everett might be able to hear her.

I’m assuming it’s him. It’s too early for Simon to come home, even for a lunch break.

Getting to my feet, I head down the short hallway, but I stop in my tracks when a tall, dark figure looms in the kitchen, biker helmet and all.

I’ve seen Everett in his bike gear plenty of times, but never while he’s standing in the middle of the kitchen.

It’s always while he’s on the bike—a perfectly appropriate place to see someone with a helmet, leather jacket, gloves, and boots.

But seeing him dressed this way inside the apartment gives him this larger-than-life appeal.

He tilts his head when he catches me standing in the hallway opening. “You’re still here?”

Swallowing, I nod. Why am I so turned on right now? This is what he wears. Every time he rides his bike. This is nothing new.

But the sight of him thrills me in a way I couldn’t have prepared for.

He takes a step toward me, and my heart rate ticks up. “I figured you’d be at your parents’ by now. Didn’t Simon say you could take the car?” he says as he points a gloved thumb over his shoulder.

He’s having a normal conversation like he has no idea what he’s doing to me, and it’s only making him more endearing, and sexy, and—damn it, this is not going well. There’s something about the way his voice comes out slightly muffled from behind the helmet, too. Why is this such a turn on?

I nod again. Simon did say I could take the car. I think. The closer Everett gets, the less I can remember.

When he reaches me, he asks, “Do you want me to give you a ride?”

I can’t take my eyes off the reflective shield of his helmet as I dumbly nod for a third time. I don’t think he meant for the question to have a double meaning, but I’m responding like it does. The way I want to jump this man is terrifying.

But we haven’t even talked about what happened last night.

I don’t know if he’d want me to throw myself at him.

He could regret it. He could just be polite.

We said if it falls apart, no one has to know, but I hate not knowing how he feels right now.

I said nothing had to change, but all I want him to do is push me up against the wall, and the fact that he isn’t, feels like rejection.

“Are you ready or do you need a minute? I was just stopping here to grab my wallet, but I’m about to head back out. I can drop you off on my way into town.”

He really has no idea how hot he is, and it’s adorable.

Taking a steadying breath, I finally force words out of my mouth and try to regain my bearings.

“I just have to finish getting dressed. I’ll be right out.

” I’m wearing leggings and an oversized V-neck sweater that tends to slip off my shoulder throughout the day, but I still need to put on a bra and change my pants.

Everett’s helmet tips down like he’s taking in what I’m wearing for the first time. “Take your time.”

He takes a step back, and the air thins, allowing me to breathe more easily.

He turns and heads back toward the kitchen, and my teeth sink into my bottom lip as I enjoy the view from behind just as much as I did from the front.

It isn’t until he’s about to turn around and catch me that my brain remembers how to function, and I say, “Actually, can you take me to The Steamy Mug? I need to get some work done. ”

“Sure. I’ll take you anywhere.”

Thoughts of him taking me in a variety of places and a variety of ways creep in and cloud my judgment again. Clearing my throat, I say a quick, “Awesome. Thanks,” and duck back into the room as fast as I can.