| |
Raina and I were in the middle of our movie when we heard a car pull up, followed by another. The slamming of doors told me that it was time to split, but Raina did it before I could by throwing her blanket on me as she ran off. I threw her blanket off and sat up, trying to decide if I should run, or if I should stay. I tested my ribs. They felt good all hopped up on all that medication. I turned towards the first entrance to the living room when I heard the door, but didn’t see them yet.
"Daniels!" a masculine voice called out. Which one, I didn’t know, but a playful urgency swept through when I heard my name called. I grinned. Time to go.
I jumped up from my spot and ran out the far side of the living room through the second entrance. As I ran into the side hallway, I heard the guys enter the space I had just vacated. I giggled as I ran down the short hallway and turned the corner that led back to the front door.
"Raina! Daniels?!"
Lincoln was the first one I saw when he backtracked out of the first entrance of the living room. He saw me in mid-pause in the foyer. He looked confused, his crystal eyes scrunching up. I turned around, only to see that Kayden had come out of the hallway I had just left and Tyler was not far behind.
I grinned. "Can’t catch me!"
Faces cleared into amusement as I turned and ran up the stairs towards any room I could find. I squealed as feet thundered behind me. My side burned a little, but I was having too much fun to care.
I raced into Kayden’s room and dived under his bedcovers not knowing what else I could do. I didn’t know their house very well, and there were only a few places I knew I could go. Kayden’s bed was as good as any. Besides, I really wanted some kisses today.
I held my laughter as footsteps got closer and tried to see out of the blanket, but it was too thick. Anticipation was terrible even if this was fun. I tensed as I heard footsteps enter the room and the door close with a click. I couldn’t help it; I let a giggle free. I heard their heavy breathing, but no one took action. What were they doing? The bed never dipped, no hands grabbed out to get me and no kisses. I knew they were in here. I waited, squirming until I couldn’t handle it anymore and threw the blankets off to see all three of them grinning in my face. I pulled back with a yelp and tried to go back under the blanket, but it was useless as one of the guys climbed on top of me while the other two grabbed my arms to pin them above my head.
"Get her!"
"Pin those arms!"
I was stuck and breathing hard as I stared into Tyler’s midnight blue eyes that were full of mischief. It was then that I realized the position I was in was a dangerous one, and Tyler knew it. I squirmed, trying to get free once again, but hands tightened, and I gasped as Tyler gave my underarms the slightest tickle.
"Ahh! No-No-No!" I gasped half laughing. "Please, please, I give up."
"I don’t know, guys," the Evil Kayden replied from the right of me. "I think we need more begging don’t you?"
Lincoln chuckled to the left of me, "Look at her. Her face is all flushed, and she’s grinning. Naw, you’re right my dear brother, we need more of her begging."
Tyler chuckled and leaned forward to tickle me again, "No-No-No!" I gasped out trying to squirm away.
He laughed again as he sat back on his haunches, still straddling my waist. His eyes were bright as he tilted his head to the side, most likely think of a new way to torture me. "Hmm, what else is ticklish?
"No!" I gasped when Tyler picked up his hand again to tickle me. "Please, I’ll"—I swallowed a giggle and tried to give my best innocent look—"I’ll do anything."
"Anything?" Tyler questioned with a raised brow.
"She said anything, brother," Kayden drawled out.
I nodded in agreement as my eyes widened with fake innocence.
Tyler looked to his brothers and smirked. "There is so much we could do with that statement."
"I say we tickle her feet."
"No! Please!"
"Well, she did say please..." Tyler put his hands at the bottom of my waist where his legs were straddling me and slipped his hand slightly under my shirt.
Uh-oh. I was in trouble.
"Tyler." I laughed when I realized what he was doing. "Come on!" I giggled not sure where this was going.
Lincoln’s hands tighten slightly on my wrists as he laughed. "Yeah Tyler, bare skin tickling is the worst. Do it." Kayden chuckled when I let out another wail of protest and lifted my hips, trying to get Tyler off of me, but he didn’t move. If anything, he pressed down more on my hips, making me grunt.
My breath caught, though, when Tyler’s cold fingertips brushed ever so slightly against my bare skin on my side, and that grin of his grew when he realized goosebumps had broken out on my skin, that I wasn’t unaffected by his touch. I squirmed once more, trying to shift away as his fingertips brushed lightly on my side near my hips once again. My mind was so focused on this action that I almost missed what Kayden was whispering in my ear when he leaned down.
"How about a date, Faith?"
That threw me for a loop. "What?"
"We want a date," Lincoln echoed. He brought his crystal eyes into my line of vision, "You do want to date us, right?
I rolled my eyes, then let out another squeak as Tyler's fingers moved to tickle me quickly. Lincoln moved back as Tyler leaned down, his eyes full of amusement, his mouth tilted in a smirk.
"I’m sorry," he mocked, as his fingers were relentless at my sides. "What was that? I couldn’t hear you through that eye roll."
"Yes-Yes-Yes!" I shrieked trying to get away from him.
"Yes, what?" Kayden the Evil chuckled.
"Yes, I’ll date you!" I shrieked as my lungs finally starting to burn with all the movement and playfulness that was going on. Then I heard a pounding on the door and the handle jiggle. "What’s going on?"
Hands let go of me as Tyler jumped off to shove me into Kayden’s closet as he followed.
What the—? Before I could ask what in the world he was doing, he put a finger to my lips to be quiet. "Shh."
"Kayden Oliver McGuire!" his mother yelled through the door. "Open this door!"
I stared into Tyler’s eyes and mouth against his hands. Oliver? His midnight eyes crinkled when he smirked and nodded yes. I guess maybe Mama McGuire really didn’t know about me. Or about me sleeping in her sons’ beds and how close we’d gotten. She did say that she was glad they were like brothers to me before.
I heard the door open and then Kayden, "What?!"
"Dear gracious child, where are your clothes?!" I heard his mother fluster. "And who was screaming? It sounded like a girl. Do you have a girl in here? You better not. I just found..."
I smirked. She was about to rat out Raina. Seriously? Nothing in this house was a secret. Well, except for me. In the closet. With Tyler.
‘Mom! No, I do not have a girl in here. I just came home to change my clothes and head out. I don’t know who was screaming. Maybe it was Faith down the hall with Raina." He paused for a second, and I knew Kayden was going to cause trouble. With a seductive voice, he added, "Although, I wouldn’t mind having Faith screaming out my—Ouch!" It sounded like he just got told. The little stinker.
"Do not go there, Kayden Oliver. Faith is meant to be treated with respect, and you are to stay away from her. She doesn’t need you trying to get in her... drawers."
"It’s pants, Mom—Ouch! Will you quit that?" I think his mom just hit him. My lips tilted into a smile against Tyler’s hand.
"She needs a family, not games. Let her be. Tell your brothers that too. After you and Lincoln graduate and Tyler’s on board, then you can all ask her out, but give the poor girl some time. She might not be on board with the kind of relationship you boys want."
I felt disappointed with her request, but was warned that she thought of me as family. She also knew that her boys' attention was not as brotherly towards me as she had suggested before. That gave me a sense of relief. If, and when, the time came to 'come out of the closet'—I snorted—quite literally, she would not be opposed to it as I thought.
"OK, Mom."
"So you boys are thinking about it then?" She sounded like a cat that got the cream.
Kayden was silently thinking about his answer before he spoke. "About her or that kind of relationship?"
"Either."
"Yes."
Something must have passed between them because the next thing I heard was her saying, "And get some clothes on, will you?" Just before she slammed the door shut.
The closet door opened, and I saw Lincoln and Kayden peering in at us.
"Where did you hide?" Tyler questioned Lincoln, his voice full of curiosity.
Lincoln grinned. "Behind the door."
I looked towards Kayden and raised an eyebrow. "Pants, huh?"
He shrugged and grinned as he pulled me out of Tyler’s arms and back into his room. Securing his hands on my hips, keeping me in place and effectively blocking his brother’s exit, Kayden leaned down and whispered, "So, are you busy tomorrow?"
I blushed. Kayden was still in his boxers.