The Jacket Snatcher

Chapter 60- Cougars and Dancing

I'm a little nervous walking into the dressing room with Luke. What are the guys going to think about him staying behind with me? Has he already told them everything? Do they know that I almost didn't come back? Is it going to be awkward?

As soon as I step through the door, any thoughts of awkwardness are literally knocked out of me as three bodies tackle me onto the couch. From under the stack of bodies, I let out something between a giggle and a groan.

"You came!" Calum shouts from somewhere by my left ear.

"Thank God. I couldn't take anymore of depressed Luke," Michael says on my right side. His words are followed by a loud smack, which I assume is Luke getting revenge.

"We're glad you're both here," Ashton says from the top of the pile.

I try to answer them, but there's no breath left in my body, and I can't seem to get any with them piled on top of me. Ashton seems to notice my lack of response.

"Are you alive under there?" he asks.

Suddenly, some of the weight is lifted off of me. "She can't breathe you idiots," Luke says, and now I can see him plucking the guys off one by one. He holds his hand out to me once they're all removed.

I take it and he pulls me to my feet. Almost as soon as I'm up though, Calum slams into Luke in an attempt to shove him onto the couch. Trying to catch his balance, Luke's arm flails out and tangles around me, pulling me down on top of him. I scramble to try to get up, but before I can, Calum sits directly on my back.

"Do you promise that you two are done fighting? Or do I need to sit here until you do?" he asks, followed by laughter from Ashton and Michael. Seems like we're not getting any help out of this one.

When we fell, my head ended up nuzzled right into Luke's neck, so at least I know he can't see how red my face is right now being pressed up against him like this.

"How is killing us going to solve anything?" Luke rasps out with very little oxygen.

"If you can't breathe, you can't argue," Calum replies, and I can feel his whole body move in what I picture is a shrug.

More so than the lack of oxygen, I am starting to become way too aware of my hand on Luke's chest and his resting on my hip and thigh. I try to lift my body against Calum's weight to escape, but I just end up coming back down harder against Luke. He lets out an oomph and a cough as I am once again pinned to his chest. We lay there for a moment, and I swear my heart is about to break out my chest by how hard it's beating. Or maybe that's his I feel. I really can't tell, but the thought makes my pulse race even faster.

"Can you...move...your arms?" he whispers into my hair.

I nod under his chin.

"Tickle...him..."

In a flash of understanding, I reach my arm back behind me and start tickling whichever part of Calum I can find. Luckily, I hit his side, which seems to be a pretty vulnerable spot as he starts to squeal and writhe around.

Eventually, he falls off of me and onto the floor. Now that my lungs can fully expand, I gasp for a few breaths. I'm so relieved and preoccupied with sucking in precious air that I don't realize I'm still lying across Luke until I start to feel his chest rise and fall beneath me.

"Oh, sorry," I say as I start to get up, but his hand on my hip hinders me, gently pressing me against his body.

"But I don't mind this position," he starts, causing my newly inhaled oxygen to catch in my throat. "You're not heavy. I can breathe when it's just you." While he speaks, he pushes me up a little bit so that he can see my face, which is probably blushing. Our faces are inches apart, and I somehow can't keep my eyes from repeatedly glancing down at his lips. I practically choke as I try to take another breath and attempt to scramble away, but his grip on me tightens. His mouth turns up in a smirk as he leans in to whisper, and his breath brushes against my ear. "What's the matter? Can't you breathe around me?"