Under Her Skin

by Michelle Love

  ‘I disagree,’ Theo said softly and she flushed.

  ‘Thank you.’

  He took her in his arms. ‘And I love your place. Reminds me of mine on Bainbridge.’

  Jess looked askance, disbelieving. ‘Uh-huh okay.’

  Theo laughed. ‘I will take you there and you’ll see what I mean. You and Stan. There’s a good-sized garden he can run around to his heart’s content – and he’ll have a pal. I have an English Cocker spaniel. She’s called Monty.’

  ‘She’s called Monty?’

  ‘Blame my four-year-old nephew.’ It was the first time he’d mentioned any of his family and Jess wanted to ask him more but then he kissed her, sliding his arms around her waist and pulling her down onto the sofa and she forgot everything else.

  This time she didn’t stop his hands as they slid under her dress but just as he began to slide two fingers in and out of her, her gasps of pleasure brought a bout of barking from Stan which made them both collapse into laughter but when he’d calmed down, they tried again Instantly the dog started barking. Jess sighed.

  ‘Moment’s over,’ she giggled as Theo defeated, sat up, shaking his head in mock disgust. Stan, unrepentant, and triumphant went to curl up in his basket, a huge doggy grin on his face. Theo swept a finger down Jess’s cheek.

  ‘So, you know how I was telling you about my place on Bainbridge… yeah, the bedrooms have doors.’ He pretended to scowl at Stan, which made Jess giggle again. She wrapped her arms around him.

  ‘Well, Mr Billionaire, if you have fancy things like doors, how can I resist?’

  He caught her lips with his, kissing her until her head spun. ‘And when we get there, Miss Wood, I’m going to begin your education in love-making the Storm way…’

  She moaned with pleasure as he kissed her throat and Theo chuckled. ‘The sooner we get to my place and I’m inside you the better as far as I’m concerned…’

  She gave a breathless laugh. ‘You are a machine, Theodore Storm…’

  He sat in the car parked across the street from her apartment and watched her leave with a tall guy he didn’t recognise. Jealousy, rage curled in his gut as Julién Gachet watched his step-sister, his Jessica, as she talked and laughed with this stranger. When the man bent his head to kiss her, Jules’s hands tightened on the steering wheel. Whore. She knew what happened when she dared to defy him, betray him. Jessica had belonged to him the moment that his father had introduced him to her and her mother, back when Jessie was a kid, just a teenager. Jules always got what he wanted and he had wanted her from the start. Her frightened eyes when he crept into her room at night and put a hand over her mouth. Shhh shhh, little Jess…

  Now, watching her kiss this other man, this stranger, this bastard, her glorious body against his, Jules’s anger consumed him. She would be reminded, he decided, reminded who she belonged to, who owned every cell in her beautiful body.

  And if she would not fall in line, then she would have to die…

  Play With Me Part Two

  Theo watched her from the door. Christ, she was so beautiful, he couldn’t get enough of just looking at her. There were the times when her hair brushed his arm, or she’d reach up for something and her t-shirt would ride up, revealing a long expanse of her soft belly. His cock would harden and it would all that he could do to stop himself taking her there and then.

  Now, though - and he grinned to himself - the other patrons of the coffee house where Jess Wood worked might object to the live sex show.

  ‘Hey again.’ Her voice broke through his reverie and he realised he had been blocking the door of the coffee shop. He stepped aside to let an elderly couple in. They smiled and nodded their thanks.

  Jess smiled at him from behind the counter. She was already fixing his coffee the way she knew he liked it – Americano with an extra shot.

  ‘Hello to you, beautiful. Thank you.’ He leaned over the counter to kiss her as she slid the cup over to him. He took a sip, the hot liquid burning his tongue. He enjoyed the quick wash of pain. He put the cup down. ‘As always, perfect.’ He smiled. ‘How are you today?’

  ‘Much the same as yesterday,’ she grinned. ‘Can I persuade you to try a muffin today?’ She always asked and he always politely refused. He liked the fact she was trying to make a joke between them, it felt strangely intimate, even if it was just about baked goods. It was their ‘thing’. Theo chuckled at the thought and told her.

  ‘Funny,’ she murmured and leaned over to whisper in his ear,’ I thought our thing was fucking each other senseless.’

  Theo laughed, caught her mouth with his. ‘You shouldn’t say stuff like that when we’re not alone.’

  Jess glanced up at the clock on the wall. Ten of seven. The coffee house would close at seven and then they could go back to his place or her place and get very, very naked.

  Theo was watching her, a knowing look in his eyes. For a long moment, their eyes locked, a silent communication.

  ‘You have no idea what I’m going to do to you tonight, Jessica.’ Theo’s voice was low, steady and he watched as her cheeks grew pink, her eyes wide and excited.

  Ten minutes later, she locked the door and pulled down the shades. Theo stood in the middle of the room, watching her. She lowered the shades on all of the windows and turned off all the lamps so that only the glow from the coffee machines lit the room.

  ‘Stay where you are,’ Theo ordered as she started to move toward him. She did as she was told, smiling, her eyes soft with desire as he stalked around slowly. He circled her once then nodded toward her.

  ‘Take your shirt off – slowly. Then your bra.’

  She pulled the shirt over her head, unhook her bra, dropping them both to the floor, and stood waiting, her hair tumbling over her shoulders. Theo moved to face her, tracing the shape of her lips with the pad of his thumb then running it gently down her body, between her breasts, over her stomach until it rested in her navel. Jess was trembling now and Theo grinned as he saw the arousal in her eyes. His hand drifted down under her denim skirt, brushing her inner thigh. He was gratified at her sharp intake of breath but took his hand away, moving to unbuckle his belt and removed it. He pulled her hands behind her back and bound them with the leather, his lips against her soft throat.

  ‘Jessie,’ he murmured, ‘If you want me to stop…’

  ‘No,’ she interrupted him and he chuckled, straightening so he could into her eyes.

  ‘Let me finish, beautiful,’ he said gently, his clear green eyes locked onto hers. ‘We are going to do some things you might find…. challenging. I’ll promise you two things – I will not hurt you unless you want me to…and if you say stop, we stop. No questions, no guilt. I want you to enjoy what I’m going to do to you.’

  She nodded, breathless and he stood back for a moment, admiring her in the soft light, then pulled his own shirt off and dropped to his knees in front of her. Sliding her skirt down, he buried his face in her belly as his fingers wound around the sides of her panties and pulled them down. Jess gave a small moan as Theo’s tongue traced down the midline of her belly and dipped into the hollow of her sex. His tongue lashed around her clit, priming it, the bud hardening and becoming so sensitive that Jess thought that she might explode. Theo gently parted her legs and then his tongue was deep inside her, exploring, tasting. Jess gasped, wanting desperately to touch him but unable to, her bound hands straining against the leather. She heard him chuckle and he stood, kissing her deeply, sliding his hands around her waist to link his fingers into hers. His eyes burned with an intensity that thrilled and scared her in equal measure.

  ‘Jessica,’ he murmured, rubbing his nose gently against hers, ‘I’m going to fuck you now.’

  She barely had time to respond before he swept her onto one of the tables and pressed her body down with his own, her tied hands digging into the small of her back as Theo’s fingers parted the soft lips of her sex and his cock, so thick, so long, thrust into her. Theo hitched her legs around his hips as he fucke
d her, his strokes rough and deep, almost violent with his desire for her.

  Jess lost herself into the delirium of being so expertly screwed by this gorgeous, virile man, not wanting it to ever end. She gasped his name and was rewarded by his triumphant smile.

  ‘Are you mine?’ He asked and his green eyes seemed darker, more otherworldly than ever as she nodded, breathlessly. ‘Good, because I am yours, my beautiful Jessie…’

  The simple declaration made her heart swell and she bucked against him, straining to take him deeper, deeper, and deeper. Theo was merciless, smiling at her gasps of pleasure and pain. She came so hard she thought she might die, lights exploding in her vision, her body liquefying and when, a moment later, Theo pulled out from her and came on her belly, she realised that she could die in this moment and not care.

  Theo wasn’t done with her and lifting her to her feet. He pressed her against the wall and took her from behind, his still diamond-hard cock thrusting deep into the slick wetness of her cunt. The wall was cold against her breasts and belly, providing some relief from the inferno raging on her skin. Theo’s lips were at her ear.

  ‘Do you like to be fucked hard, Jessie?’

  ‘Yes…’

  Say it.’

  ‘I want to be fucked hard, Theo.’

  ‘Call me Mr Storm.’

  ‘Mr Storm, fuck me hard, please…’ she shuddered as an orgasm ripped through her, the pressure of his cock inside her overwhelming. Theo chuckled and pulled out, parting her buttocks and pushing into her ass. Jess groaned, letting her head drop back against his shoulder. His fingers were on her belly, stroking a pattern around her navel that was driving her crazy. She really was his, she realised, all his, forever…

  Later, when they’d reluctantly dressed and calmed down, he drove her back to her apartment and they shared a beer on the little balcony overlooking the Seattle streets. Theo sat against the wall, with Jess settled between his legs, his arm wrapped around her, pulling her back against his chest. He was such a huge man, tall and wide, that Jess always felt tiny but safe with him. He nuzzled into her hair, pressing his lips against her temple.

  ‘You’re quiet,’ he said and although his tone was without reproach, she could sense he was probing her. She waited, a small smile playing around her mouth.

  ‘Are you okay with what we did?’ He asked finally and she grinned, turning her head so she could kiss him.

  ‘Very. Very, very okay.’ She studied the relief in his eyes. ‘In fact… if you want to do… more, I would be open to it.’

  His surprise was mixed with desire. ‘I’m glad. I want to experience every pleasure with you, Jessie.’

  She loved the way he said her name, so tenderly, so intimately. ‘Is there anything you really don’t want to try?’ he continued, stroking a finger down her cheek.

  Jess looked away from him and took a long swig of beer before answering. ‘Nothing with knives.’ She hated the way her voice broke when she said it and she felt Theo’s arm tighten around her. When he spoke, there was a note of anger in his voice.

  ‘I would never… Jessie?’

  Dammit. Hot tears started to pour down her cheeks. Oh dammit. She didn’t want to think about what Jules had done to her and she really didn’t want to talk about, not with Theo. She didn’t want any second of her time with him spoiled by her past.

  ‘Jessica?’

  No. No. She couldn’t do this. She pushed away from him and scrambled to her feet, stepping back into the apartment. Theo followed her, his handsome face creased with concern.

  ‘Was it something I said?’

  She shook her head not trusting herself to speak. Theo came to her and pulled her into his arms and held her tightly. She buried her head in his chest, breathing in his clean smell, fresh laundry and man. Theo’s hand stroked her hair gently.

  ‘Do you want to talk about it?’

  She looked up at him. ‘No. I’m sorry…please, let’s change the subject.’

  His eyes were still troubled but he nodded. They stood there for a long minute in silence then Theo kissed the top of her head.

  ‘I’ll never let anyone hurt you, Jessie.’

  And in that moment, she desperately wanted to believe him.

  Freshman year. Jess had saved every last penny from her job at the coffee house to get a small studio apartment in St Anne’s, not wanting to take anything more from Jules than she had to. Her tuition was covered by the provision in her step-father’s will but Jules still held the purse strings. She hated it but worse was the thought of hundreds of dollars of student debt hanging over her forever. Now, though, she thought she’d found a way out. A scholarship. Well, she reminded herself, a possible scholarship. The company offering it had strict guidelines on who could apply for it – only those students with the most pressing need. Trouble was, her family name was well known in Seattle and her step-brother Jules was known to be one of the richest men in the city. Just because she got nothing from him other than her tuition wouldn’t be enough to convince the board she needed that funding – mostly to escape him. Jules had done interviews lately in his position as a handsome eligible millionaire, raving about his ‘close relationship’ with his step-sister. The interviews had made Jess sick to her stomach. If they only knew…

  All which meant she couldn’t plead poverty to the board – unless Jules publicly and notably cut her off.

  He was coming over later to discuss it with her – had even been genial about the idea over the phone. She would frame it as a bonus for him. He would save the few hundred thousand dollars that her degree and her masters would cost. She told herself that would be enough.

  It wasn’t. Of course, it wasn’t.

  Jules listened to her reasoning politely, a supercilious smile on his face and she knew immediately it was no good.

  ‘Well,’ he said, standing and pacing around the room – between her and the door, she noted uneasily as he turned to smile at her. ‘Obviously, I have no intention of…’disowning’ you, Jessica. Why would I?’

  He stood in front of her then, hands deep in his pockets and she could see him stroking himself through the thin material, putting on an exhibition for her. Nausea swept over her and she stood, wanting to push past him.

  But then his hand was on her throat, squeezing hard. He grabbed her and slammed her back down on the couch. Jess struggled against him but knew of old, she had no chance against his strength. They’d been in this situation so many times… except this time, Jules’ eyes glowed with malice. He ground his mouth down on hers, his hand burrowing under her skirt.

  ‘No… no… please st-…’

  His hand clamped over her mouth as he tore her panties from her. Jess bucked frantically trying to push him away but then, grinning, Jules had shown her what he had in his hand. She froze.

  A knife. Oh god, no…

  ‘Stop fighting me, Jessica, or I’ll put this into you. I’ll gut you, Princess, without a second thought. You belong to me, Jessica. I say what you do, where you go. Whether you live or die. Do you understand?’

  Terrified, she could do nothing but nod, tears streaming down her face, as Jules, triumphant, took her with his knife to her throat.

  Jess woke up, panting, trying not to scream. Beside her, Theo slept soundly, his big frame making her bed seem tiny. Jess edged out of the bed and padded silently to the kitchen, grabbing a glass and filling it with water. She drained the glass and refilled it. Her body was trembling from the nightmare – the memory – of Jules that night.

  It hadn’t been the first time he’d raped her, just the first time he’d threatened to kill her and Jess had no doubt he was capable.

  She sat down at the kitchen table and laid her head against the cool wood. She hated that he held this power over her. She’d told him she was going to the police, defiant at last, but he’d gotten to them first with his expensive lawyers and limitless influence. She was unstable, he’d told them; her mother had been committed several times in her life before her su
icide. Using her mother’s mental illness against her was both evil and genius. However much she protested after that, she could see it in their eyes: Nut job. Attention seeker. Hysteric. As if this was the eighteen hundreds and not the twenty-first century. Jesus.

  Jules had punished her of course. Breaking into her apartment and beating her – only where it couldn’t be seen in public, of course. She’d stayed away from college for a week, unable to stand because of her bruised abdomen where he’d kicked her so viciously she couldn’t stand up straight for two days.

  After that, she’d almost given up. Buried herself in studying, letting Jules continue to pay for everything, control everything she couldn’t. She moved apartments frequently, whenever her lease was up and never took apartments with longer than a six-month tenure. Jules always, always found her.

  The assaults came less and less as long as she obeyed him and she clung to that. She rarely went out, and she never, ever dated. And each year she squirrelled away money so that one day she could just run. Another country, changing identity, to get away from Jules. That had been her plan.

  Until she met Theo. Until she remembered what affection felt like. What love felt like.

  She walked silently back to the bedroom and lay down beside him. In sleep, the harsh angles of his beautiful face softened, his full mouth curved up slightly in a smile. She pressed her lips gently to kiss and then stroked his face. She studied him for a long minute before closing her own eyes.