Skinbound Read Online Free PDF

encompassing both of them.
    He caught her looking and grinned, his eyes stealing her breath.
    “I smell cigarette smoke,” Liz said, turning on the bench. She clutched her chest, her eyes widening as Scarlett approached through the trees. “Oh, my gosh, I can’t believe the resemblance,” she whispered.
    “Well, we are identical twins,” Darcy said, struggling against the sudden tension in her muscles as she stiffly rose to greet her sister.
    Lucy growled low, prompting a light slap on the haunch from Cabin.
    Scarlett tossed her cigarette to the ground and stomped it under a high-heeled sandal before stepping to the table. “Sister-dear, you didn’t tell me it was a party.” She moved her sunglasses to the top of her head with both hands, her augmented cleavage lifting inside her cherry red bikini top.
    “Everyone, this is my sister, Scarlett.” Darcy stood beside her twin, her hopes falling to the dirt alongside Scarlett’s cigarette butt. “Scarlett, meet Liz, Richard and Cabin.”
    “Pleasure,” she said huskily, her gaze lingering on Cabin.
    “Are you hungry?” Darcy asked, offering a burger.
    “Positively famished.” Scarlett slid onto the bench across from Cabin, then took the plate from Darcy’s hand, setting it on the table. She removed the top bun, dipped the plastic knife into the mayonnaise, and spread it with deliberate strokes. Eying Cabin, she slowly licked the tip of her finger clean before replacing the bun. Ravenously, she sank her teeth into the hamburger.
    Cabin cleared his throat. “So, was it fun growing up as twins?” he asked, flicking glances between them. “Did you ever pull the old ‘trading places’ routine?”
    “Not that I can remember,” Scarlett said, her eyes searching Darcy’s. “Do you recall?”
    Darcy walked around the table and squeezed onto the bench between Liz and Scarlett. “No, I don’t suppose we ever tried that. I don’t think it would’ve worked anyway, our mannerisms are completely different.”
    “You’re absolutely right,” Scarlett agreed, and resumed ravishing her food.
    Darcy reached for a napkin. “You haven’t heard any more from Malcolm, have you?” she asked, the ketchup on her fingers reminding her of the tomato sauce she’d trailed through the house that night. Scarlett’s face drained of color, and her mouth pinched. “No. I haven’t heard any more from him. Let’s just forget about that.”
    “Malcolm?” Liz asked.
    “Scarlett’s ex-boyfriend. He’s abusive and—”
    “I said I didn’t want to talk about it.” Scarlett shot to her feet, glaring at Darcy.
    “I’m sorry. But everyone needs to know he’s around, especially if he’s that dangerous.”
    Cabin frowned. “Where is he?” His gaze rested on Darcy. “He didn’t hurt you did he?”
    “He threatened me .” Scarlett cut in. “She wasn’t even there.”
    Darcy tried to ignore the thrill of hope she gleaned from Cabin’s concern. “No one was hurt. He took off. We didn’t call the police, figured they probably wouldn’t do anything since he didn’t actually hurt her.”
    “Just be careful. Both of you,” Cabin said as he rose from the table. “If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go make a couple of adjustments on the boat.”
    He looked at Darcy as he spoke, melting her heart. She smiled and nodded. Heat engulfed her as she watched him walk away, shirt unbuttoned, blue swimming trunks slung low on his narrow hips.
    Liz stood and collected paper plates from the table, tossing them into the trash barrel. “Oh! I almost forgot!” she exclaimed, grabbing her apple-charm keychain from the table, then jogging through the grass to her little blue car.
    Darcy watched in disbelief as she unfolded a fully inflated two person raft from her the tiny vehicle and hoisted it over her head. Richard ran to help her. “I thought we’d tie it to the dock and lay out,” she told Darcy as Richard slid the raft into the grass beside the table.
    Darcy gave an