Under Her Skin Page 9

  Tobias released Marlo and softly pressed his lips against her forehead. "Come on, I have a surprise for you." He took her good hand in his and led her around the bus to where her ride was waiting for her. "Just thought you deserved to ride in style."

  Marlo cast her eyes over the limo that was waiting for her. "Wow! You didn't have to do that." Marlo was slightly shocked.

  "Well, I didn't think you'd fit in a small car with that big ass thing on your arm anyways." Tobias teased.

  She socked him in the arm with her good hand. "Just when I thought you were starting to be nice…" She laughed. "This is so cool. Thank you."

  "You're welcome." Tobias kissed her cheek. "Have a safe trip, and we'll see you when we get back." He slowly walked away from her, using all the restraint that he had not to turn around and kiss the breath out of her.

  Dusty was last to say goodbye. He made it quick and painless, with a 'see you soon sis' and a big smooch on the cheek. She was thankful that he didn't make it a mushy goodbye. They both knew that she wouldn't be able to handle it at that point. After he helped her into the limo, he smacked the roof and waved her off.

  Marlo waved good bye to the guys with her good hand until she could no longer see them. For the next few minutes, to fight off the pangs of loneliness, she explored all the features and luxury that her ride had to offer.

  Back at the bus, Dusty gave Tobias a knowing look. "I didn't order a limo for her to ride home in." A grin spread across his face.

  "Yeah, sorry about that." He smiled sheepishly. "Don't worry, you won't get charged for the upgrade, I took care of it."

  "It's about time you paid for something, tight wad!" Dusty teased and pushed Tobias onto the bus where AJ and Sammy were already seated and waiting to take off. The silence once the bus got moving was deafening.

  AJ started drumming his fingers on the table and Dusty picked up a tennis ball that was near him and bounced it on the floor. Sammy started blowing bubbles with his gum, then sucked it back into his mouth so hard that it made popping noises. Tobias listened for a few minutes, to everything going on around him. Finally, he couldn't take it anymore, and yelled, "Stop!" Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at him as if they had no clue what he was annoyed at. He stood and walked to the back of the bus where he could be alone. He just hoped that the rest of the tour wouldn't be like that.

  *****

  A couple of magazines and a short nap later, Marlo felt the limo come to a stop. She looked out the window and was relieved to see was home. Annie bolted out of the front door when she was the limo pull up, eager to see the girl who had essentially been her daughter.

  She carefully helped Marlo out of the vehicle and up to the house, thanking the chauffer for bringing Marlo's bags in. Once they were settled, they caught up on each other's lives, and it felt like they had never been apart. After talking about the present, they began to reminisce about the past.

  "Annie, do you remember the last time I had a cast on my arm?" Marlo asked, laughing a bit at the memory.

  "That was a long time ago." Annie recalled, feeling a little guilty.

  "I was only 9 years old. You were on vacation, and me and Dusty thought it would be fun to jump off that tree limb into the lake. You never let us do it when you were here, so we figured it would be a perfect opportunity." Marlo started.

  "And you learned why I never let you jump from that tree, didn't you." She pointed out sternly.

  "Did I ever!" Marlo groaned. "I knew I should have let Dusty go first. But no, I had to show him that I wasn't a sissy, and I went first. I don't know who screamed louder when I slipped and hit my arm on the tree, him or me." Marlo was finally able to laugh about it. "You know, the killer was that when Dusty called Mom at work to tell her what happened and that the bone was popping out of the skin, all she said was that she was busy and had to go. She left him to deal with his little sister who was hurt. But ever since he threw me onto the seat of his bicycle and pedaled us to the hospital, he's been my hero."

  "I wish I'd been there for you Marls." Annie said, tears coming to her eyes.

  "Hey! Stop that right now! You deserved a life too Annie. It wasn't your fault that our parents were such shits. We were your job, and every job needs a vacation." Marlo lectured.

  "You kids were always more than my job." Annie told her.

  "We know, and you were more than our nanny. You still are." Marlo patted Annie's hand. "Thanks for always taking care of us. Hell, thanks for still taking care of us!"

  "I wouldn't have it any other way." Annie smiled at her. "So, tell me more about what's happening with you and Tobias."

  "Annie, you probably know more than me. That boy has me so confused, I don't know up from down anymore." Marlo was happy to finally have someone to talk to about what had been happening. She also knew that she could trust Annie with the truth, without it ever coming back to haunt her. Maybe heading home early really was for the best.

  Chapter 12

  "I don't know Annie. On one hand, he's such a player and he can irritate me to no end. On the other hand, he makes me feel like I am the only person in the world when I'm with him, and I just get this rush." She paused. "He can be so sweet and caring sometimes, but other times... When things are good, they're very good. When they're bad, they're horrible. I just don't know what to make of the whole situation." Lola tried to explain her conflicting feelings for Tobias to Annie.

  "Sounds like he's someone that you need to watch out for thought. I don't want to see you get your heart broken." Annie warned, without trying to tell her what to do. "As I've always told you, you need to figure out what you're going to do for yourself. I can't make the decision for you, but any time you need to talk, I'll be here to listen." Annie didn't really know Tobias. She had only met him a few times, and they were always meetings on the fly. Someone was always rushing to get somewhere, so they never had time to really talk. She really didn't have much of an opinion on him, besides what she had heard from other people.

  "Thanks Annie. It's nice to be able to spend time with you again." Lola got up and hugged Annie on her way to her bedroom. "Good night!" She yelled back.

  "Good night!" Annie yelled back. She looked at the clock, and even though it was late, she wasn't ready for bed. Instead, she curled up on the couch with her memories, of when Marlo and Dusty were younger, being her only source of entertainment for the night.

  Over the next two weeks, Marlo spent a lot of time trying to straighten out her feelings. When she wasn't deep in thought, she was either reading or watching movies. A lot of the plot lines that were holding her attention were stories that mirrored her own. After the week long Lifetime marathon, Annie gently reminded Marlo that things don't always work out the way they do in the movies.

  "If you aren't happy with the way that Tobias is now, then move on because you can't go into a relationship expecting to change the person." She pointed out sympathetically. Annie was aware that Marlo knew that, but it didn't hurt to have a little reminder every now and then.

  Things were relatively quiet for the band on tour. The guys were anxious to play their last few concerts, being extremely tired and drained from the past few months of traveling. With the exhaustion setting in, the parties afterwards aren't as wild as normal. Tobias still flirted a lot and even kissed a few girls, but never went beyond that anymore. He was under Dusty's watchful eye, and even though he and Lola weren't technically 'together', he still had received quite a few dirty looks when he was with other girls at the after parties. Those looks always made Tobias feel ashamed, even though he really wasn't doing anything wrong.

  So he needed some female companionship. Big deal. Maybe he was bored, maybe he was lonely, maybe he missed Lola more than he wanted to admit. What was it about her that all of a sudden made him want to change everything about himself to make him worthy of her attention? And could he change? Or would he end up screwing something up and breaking her heart? So yes, maybe he was trying to keep himself busy by making o
ut with other girls to keep his mind off Lola, but was that so wrong? He just hoped that once the tour was over, everything would work itself out and whatever was meant to be would happen on its own.

  Everyone was excited for the last show. Marlo had called and talked to the band before they took the stage and wished them all luck, telling them that she couldn't wait to see them all the next day. What they didn't tell her though, was that they were skipping the after party and heading straight home when the last song was finished.

  The guys rushed off stage as soon as the final note of the final song was played. They were on the bus and headed for the highway before the first concertgoer even left the arena. Everyone was excited to get back to their friends, their families, and most importantly, their own beds.

  A few hours later, the tour bus stopped only long enough to deposit AJ and Sammy, before it moved again. A few short minutes later, it was Dusty and Tobias's turn. They grabbed their few bags before saying good bye to their driver, and headed to the house.

  The guys were careful to be quiet since it was 3:00 in the morning. Neither one wanted to wake anyone up, especially since they were so tired themselves. Dusty bid Tobias a good night and silently tip-toed to his bedroom.

  Tobias stood where he was for a moment, his thoughts racing. In resignation, he shook his head and started for his bedroom. As his hand reached for the door handle, he stopped and turned around, quietly walking in the opposite direction.

  He hesitated for a split second when he reached the door at the end of the hall. Before he knew what he was doing, he was in the room and putting his bags down. He slowly creeped to the bed and pulled back the sheets before climbing in. His body automatically molded to the shape of the warmth already there.

  "Hey." Marlo stirred slowly when she felt a weight shift on the other side of her bed. She opened her eyes slightly to see Tobias lying next to her. "I thought you weren't going to be home until morning. When'd you get in?"

  "Just now. Sorry I woke you. Do you mind if I sleep in here?" He asked, leaning over to softly kiss her cheek.

  "Not as long as you're careful. I don't want to hurt you with my cast." She sighed contentedly.

  Just as Tobias was drifting off to sleep, he whispered lazily, "I missed you." Marlo smiled and fell back to sleep.

  The next morning, Tobias was the first to wake. Too excited to be home, he couldn't sleep. He knew it would be the perfect time to treat everyone to a 'Tobias special'.

  Annie woke up next, surprised to see Tobias in the kitchen. "Good morning." She said, grabbing a mug out of the cupboard and helping herself to the coffee. "Anything I can help with?" She offered as she looked around. Annie smiled when she saw the bed tray, decorated with a flower, and empty plate, and a glass of white grape juice.

  "No thanks. Just sit tight and I'll have some food for you in a minute." He told her.

  "Are you going to serve me on that?" Annie asked, pointing to the tray, with a knowing look on her face.

  "Oh, uh, well, I just thought it'd be easier for Marlo to eat in bed. It must be hard for her to have to carry that huge cast around all the time." He explained.

  "Well, that's nice of you. It's always nice to be treated to breakfast in bed." She tells him. Tobias slipped a plate of apple cinnamon pancakes in front of Annie and poured her a glass of juice.

  "Looks delicious." Annie said.

  "Thanks. Enjoy it. I need to make a special delivery." He said, picking up the now full tray. "Oh, and if Dusty gets down here, there's more pancakes in the oven. I have it turned on low to keep them warm, so make sure he doesn't burn himself."

  Annie smiled as she watched Tobias leave the room, singing softly to himself. Something told her that there was more to the man that what was on the surface.

  "Good morning sunshine." Tobias whispered to Marlo.

  Marlo looked over groggily and moaned a good morning.

  "Breakfast is served." He told her with a bad English accent.

  Marlo woke up right away. "That smells so good!" She told him. Tobias forked off a small piece of pancake. "And tastes even better!" She chewed slowly, savoring every moment as the pancake melted in her mouth. After she swallowed, he cut off another piece and swirled it in the syrup. He slowly lifted the fork to her mouth with his eyes locked on hers. A small drop of syrup escaped and landed on her lip just before her mouth sealed around the fork. Tobias withdrew the utensil and smirked. "Ooops." He said slyly. "Let me get the napkin to clean that up." His eyes never left hers. "Ah, looks like I forgot the napkin. Maybe this will work." He lowered his eyes, just before lowering his head. Slowly, the space between them vanished and he sucked her bottom lip into his mouth.

  "Mmm, that is good." Tobias agreed, licking his lips once he parted from Marlo. "I think I'll keep the rest for myself." He told her.

  "Not a chance." Marlo laughed, grabbing the fork from him. "But we can share."

  After breakfast, Marlo and Tobias went back to the kitchen so Tobias could clean up. Marlo sat on the bar stool watching him and talking, occasionally getting a quick kiss as he passed by her. They caught up on everything that had happened since they last saw each other, each feeling like it had been two months, rather than two weeks.

  Annie watched them silently from the living room and was surprised at the tenderness that Tobias was showing for Marlo. After all she had heard about him, it was the last thing she was expecting. She knew caring like that wasn't something a person could fake, and his actions seemed honest. Maybe he would be good for Marlo after all, and wouldn't hurt her. Only time would tell.

  Chapter 13

  The next week was good for Marlo. Her and Tobias spent a lot of quality time together, doing normal, everyday things. They watched a lot of TV, hung out with friends, and caught up on some much needed sleep…together. For the most part they'd been getting along, with only a few mild spats peppered here and there.

  The day Marlo got her cast off, nothing could bother her. Because of the location of the break, the doctor wanted to get the cast off her shoulder so that she could start regaining small amounts of mobility. Keeping the cast on for too long could substantially damage the range of motion of her shoulder., or so they told her Though she would have to keep her shoulder in a sling except when she was in physical therapy, it was so much better than the gigantic cast she previously adorned.

  To celebrate, Dusty organized a little party. The celebration wasn't just for Marlo though, it was more of a party to celebrate the end of the tour. No matter what the actual reason though, there were plenty of reasons to party.

  Marlo was busy in her room, trying to get ready for the party when she heard a knock at her door. She was hoping that it was Annie- even though she had the cast off, it didn't mean she was able to fully function and use her damaged arm. She needed a little help getting ready , especially since the party was already starting. "Come in." Marlo yelled desperately.

  "Hey, just seeing if you were ready yet." Tobias told her as he walked into the room. The glare he received was the only answer he needed. "Guess not."

  Marlo sighed. "Sorry, I'm just a little frustrated. I thought having the cast off would make things so much easier, but it's still hard."

  "Need any help?" Tobias walked up behind Marlo and put his hands on her shoulders. Their eyes met in the mirror that they were standing in front of. "I'd gladly help you get dressed…or undressed." He smirked.

  Marlo rolled her eyes. As much as that thought had been crossing her mind lately, she knew it wasn't a good idea. "Keep dreaming perv."

  "I know, sorry. But at least you have your cast off. Dusty has another week with his, and I've got a few more weeks with mine." He reasoned.

  "Yeah, but you can still function with your cast." She pointed out.

  Tobias nodded. "True." He turned her around and pulled her into his arms, still careful of her shoulder. "Seriously, is there anything I can do to help?"

  "You can go find Annie for me." She looked at him with pleading eyes.<
br />
  "No problem. Then I'll be downstairs waiting for you. After all, you're my date for this shindig, and I wouldn't dream of making an entrance until you're by my side." He quickly kissed her cheek before departing to look for Annie.

  Marlo stared after him, still battling her feelings in her head. They had grown a lot closer with each passing moment that they spent together, but a part of her was still trying to protect herself from Tobias. He seemed to truly care about her, but knowing everything she knew about his past, Marlo had a hard time letting her guard down completely.

  Another knock at her door brought her out of her thoughts. "Come in." She yelled to the door and was relieved to see Annie enter her bedroom. "Oh, thank god Annie. I need help." She whined.

  'That's what I'm here for!" Annie smiled at her. "Now, what can we do to make you beautiful for that young man that is so crazy about you?"

  Marlo smiled. "I don't think he's crazy about me, I think it's just the thrill of the chase." She walked into her closet, and came back out with a couple of clothes hangers in her hand. "First of all, which outfit do you like best, and then I might need you to help me with my hair."

  Annie looked through the hangers, carefully studying each one. "Well, I like this one," She held up a classy pair of black pants and a button down blouse. "But Tobias will like this one." She handed Marlo a pair of Capri pants and a halter top, and put the other clothes back in the closet. "Go get changed and then we'll do your hair. You'll need to put it up if you're going to wear that shirt."

  Fifteen minutes later, Marlo and Annie stood back from the mirror admiring their hard work. She was finally ready, thanks to Annie. Both women went to the living room where they found Tobias waiting. Annie laughed at the longing look in his eyes when he saw Marlo.

  "Wow, you look great." He stood from the couch and went to kiss Marlo's cheek. "Do I get the honor of having the two most beautiful women on my arms as we make our appearance?"