Under Her Skin

by Michelle Love

  Before she fell back to sleep, she kissed him once more and whispered ‘I love you’.

  A moment later, Theo opened his eyes and smiled. ‘I love you too, beautiful one.’ But she was already asleep.

  Neither of them heard the door to the apartment door creak open. Jules Gachet sneaked through the room until he stood at her bedroom door, staring down at them. The way Jessica was curved around the big man’s body, the protective arm he had wrapped around her. Jules’ gut churned with jealousy, with anger. Fucking whore. He fantasised about having this bastard wake up to find her dead beside him, covered in her blood. Jules grinned nastily to himself. If he could have gotten away with it… but no. Not yet, at least. He moved silently to her side and brushed a fingertip down her soft cheek, pushing a lock of dark brown hair away from her lovely face. If he ended up killing her, he wanted it to be an intimate, unrushed time. He wanted her to die slowly, painfully, looking into his eyes and begging him to spare her life.

  He turned his attention to the man sleepily beside her. He was vaguely familiar but Jules couldn’t place him. Never mind, he didn’t matter. Just the thought of this man inside his Jessica made him want to roar, rage and to implode with malevolence.

  An idea came to him then and he smiled to himself. If Jessica thought she could be happy with this man… Jules almost laughed aloud. Yes, he was going to enjoy destroying her piece of mind, her security, her new love.

  He’d consider it an appetiser to her murder.

  Theo Storm glanced up as Max came into his office, grinning. ‘Where have you been and what is her name?’ His best friend had raised eyebrows and amused look on his chubby face.

  Theo smiled. ‘Max, buddy…you’ve already lost your dumb bet and you don’t even know it.’

  Max started to scoff then, as he saw how serious Theo was.

  ‘Really?’ He looked sceptical. ‘No. No way, I know you too well. You’re yanking me.’

  Theo barked out a laugh. ‘Projecting as usual. No, I’m serious, Max. Here…’

  He pulled out his cell phone which already had a ton of photos of Jess. He flicked to them and handed it to Max.

  ‘Her name is Jessica – Jess. She’s a Ph.D. graduate at UW. Art restoration.’

  Max whistled. ‘She’s a beauty, alright. Where’d you meet her?’

  Theo told him about the commencement speech then gave him a cleaned up version of the last few days. ‘I really want you to meet her. She’s going to be around a long time.’

  Max blinked. ‘Wow. Never seen you like this before. ‘

  Theo grinned a little smugly. ‘Now about that bet…’

  Max scoffed. ‘Bet schmet. When am I going to meet her?’

  Jess choked on her drink – which was a shame because the cocktail was utterly delicious and very expensive – but Theo’s best friend Max was just too funny. He was in the middle of regaling her with stories of his and Theo’s childhood, growing up together, going to an exclusive private school for boys and not behaving as ‘young gentlemen should’ in any way or form.

  Max grinned as she wiped her mouth and tried to stop laughing. Theo was shaking his head good-naturedly, pretending to be disgusted with Max’s loose tongue.

  ‘Seriously, dude, stop trying to kill my girlfriend. Breathe, Jess.’

  Jess sucked in a few deep breaths, trying not to be over-excited about the fact Theo had just called her his girlfriend. She felt like a freakin’ teenager but there was no denying the warmth flooding her every nerve and cell when he called her that. Theo chuckled at her and leaned over to kiss her briefly.

  ‘That’s my cue to get more drinks,’ Max disappeared off to the bar. Theo kissed her again, slower, deeper, his hands cradling her face, his tongue caressing hers. Jess melted into the embrace, sliding her hands around his waist, feeling his muscular body under her fingers. God, she had never wanted anyone this much in her life, wanting to be naked with him all day and all night. Well, she thought a little smugly, she had been for the past few days but tomorrow, she had to get back to work, back to reality. Theo had gone into the office today for an hour or so but had returned just after lunch. She’d been naked and ready for him when he walked into the door – they hadn’t made it to the bedroom before they were tangled in each other and sweating.

  After an afternoon of screwing, she could still feel the ache of him, her vagina pulsed with a pleasant soreness, her thighs stretched and her hips felt like liquid still. His lips were on her throat now and she closed her eyes, concentrating on the sensation.

  ‘At the end of this evening,’ Theo spoke in a low, deep murmur, ’we’ll say goodnight to Max and then I’m going to take you into the alley around the back of this place and fuck you so hard, Jessie, so very hard. Then we’ll go back to my place and do it all over again until you’re helpless in my arms.’

  Jess suppressed her moan of desire but her body trembled and she heard him laugh softly. She buried her face in his neck.

  ‘I want you now.’ She whispered and, moving quickly, he pulled her onto his lap so she was straddling him. Their eyes locked and a silent assent passed between them. Theo reached down and unzipped his fly, freed his already stiffening cock, and pushing her panties to one side, slid into her. She nearly gave them away as she felt his cock fill her, giving a moan which he quickly smothered with a kiss. Rocking gently as if only moving with the kiss, she felt his free hand caressing her sensitive clit, sending shivers of delight through her body. His lips moved against hers as they kissed, tender but firm and Jess wondered how she ever lived before this kind of pleasure. She was glad that they were sitting in a private, secluded booth, that the rest of the club couldn’t see that they were screwing and when Theo started to move in and out of her, the fact they had to be discreet, had to keep the frenzy within was so incredibly erotic, she came quickly. He followed her and for a moment, they stayed connected, breathing hard, gaze locked on the others. Theo looked around then.

  ‘Max is coming back.’

  She slid from his lap and sat, shoving her legs together as Theo tidied himself.

  ‘’Jeez, you’d think there was a world shortage of bar staff,’ Max was moaning, dispersing their drinks to them, completely unaware that Theo’s semen was still inside her. Jess tried not to giggle at the thought and Theo shot her an amused, conspiratorial look. It had been a quick, dirty, thrilling fuck with adrenaline coursing through them at the fear of being caught and she grinned back at him. God, she would do anything for this man. She wondered what else he had planned for their lovemaking. Being tied up, losing part of the control of the situation had been, ironically, more liberating than she had expected and now there was little she would contemplate letting him do.

  Theo watched as Jess and Max fell easily back into conversation. He slid his hand onto the back of Jess’s neck, caressed the muscles there and he was gratified when she squeezed his knee. He let his gaze wander lazily over her body, the full breasts, the slim waist, the almost-flat belly and then her thighs which he noticed she had rammed together, keeping his seed inside of her. She was so beautiful, he could hardly believe it.

  ‘Yo, Theo? Hey, space cadet!’ Max prodded his shoulder and Theo shook himself. Max grinned at him. ‘I gotta go. You –‘ he grabbed Jess’s hand, ‘are a freaking princess. If I wasn’t gay, I’d be fighting Theo for your hand.’

  Jess flushed but Theo noticed the tiniest wince when Max had said ‘princess.’ When Max had gone, Jess leaned back into him and he tipped her chin up so he could kiss her.

  ‘There’s a lot about you I don’t know yet,’ he murmured, brushing his lips against hers, enjoying the sensation of her soft skin against his mouth.

  ‘There’s plenty of time for that… our sordid histories.’ She laughed but again, he detected something else, a hesitance, a wound but he decided tonight wasn’t the right time to pursue it. He stroked her face gently.

  ‘Ready to go?’

  On the way out, he nodded to the security man who led them out o
f the back door. Outside, rain was plummeting down from the storm that rages overhead – Seattle always knew exactly the best time to throw down with the weather. Theo glanced up then shook his head.

  ‘A literal rain check for our alleyway shenanigan?’

  Jess grinned wickedly and shook her head, skipping past him into the darkest part of the alleyway. Theo followed her then watched in amazement as she slipped out of her clothes and stood before him, naked, rain pouring down her glorious curves. She smiled at him and held out her hand.

  ‘Fuck me, Theo…’

  He didn’t need to be told twice. In two strides he was over to her, pulling at his clothes, almost in a frenzy. She helped him, freeing his ramrod cock from his pants then laughing wildly as he picked her up, pushing her back against the cold, wet wall. He thrust into her hard and she moaned, kissing his fiercely.

  ‘Fuck me hard, Theo …’

  Her eyes were alive and his breath quickened in excitement. He rammed himself into her as hard as he could, slamming against the wall so hard he heard her gasp a ‘yes, yes!’. The rain was a monsoon now, covering their hot bodies as they moved together. The feel of being inside her, her softness, her sweet, sweet sex was something he could take anytime, anywhere, even in this filthy weather. He loved that she wanted to fuck in the rain. It spoke to her innate sense of humour, of the sense of adventure he thought that she hid most of the time. It meant she trusted him and that – he thought now as he shuddered to a climax - meant the world to him because he knew, knew that something was broken inside this beautiful girl and he desperately wanted to be the one to fix it.

  Jess managed to straighten her soaking wet dress over her body enough so she looked decent. Her skin, her mind felt frenzied with excitement and desire. She was astonished at herself, at the certainty that she wouldn’t have let Theo call off their promised alleyway tryst. She wanted it. Bad. She wanted to do every mad thing with him, experience everything. Everything.

  Theo took her hand now and they walked down the alleyway to where his car was parked. As they rounded the corner, suddenly there were flashes of light and people yelling his name, jostling them. Theo cursed and curved his arms protectively around Jess as he hustled them to his car. Inside, Jess turned away from the windows as the paparazzi crowded around the windows and Theo pulled the car away from the curb.

  After a minute, they both breathed a sigh of relief as the car sped through the night. Theo turned the heat in the car to high and Jess gave an involuntary shiver as the warm air hit her cold body. Theo looked over at her, gave her a grin.

  ‘You okay, beauty?’

  Jess smiled and nodded, let her hand rest on his thigh. Her clothes – and his – were soaked through but she didn’t care. Theo concentrated on the road for a second before shooting her a curious look.

  ‘Jessie, last night I told you something and I’m not sure you heard me. So I wanted to say it now, again, when I’ll be sure you’ll hear me.’

  Jess’s eyebrows shot up. ‘What’s that?’

  Theo smiled. ‘I’m in love with you, Jessica Wood, and I know it’s batshit crazy fast and I’m aware I’m putting it out there when we don’t really know each other as well as I’d like. But I have to be honest here. I love you.’

  Jess’s heart swelled in her chest and tears sprang into her eyes. ‘I love you too.’

  She watched as Theo’s shoulders relaxed and she heard him exhale slowly. He pulled the car over to the side of the road, released his belt and took her face in his hands. His lips pressed against hers softly, as if for the first time.

  ‘You are my world,’ he murmured and Jess’s stomach dropped with desire and love. His tongue was exploring hers, caressing and massaging. Jess closed her eyes so she could concentrate on the explosion of sensations his kiss created in her. She felt it all over her body; her belly quivered, a frantic pulse beat between her legs and she moaned as his fingers tangled in her hair.

  ‘God, Jessie, when you make that sound… we need to get home now.’

  They both laughed as they disengaged and Theo started the car. Jess was sure they broke all sorts of laws as Theo drove the car back to her apartment.

  They’d barely got in the door before Theo started to peel her dress from her. Jess turned to kiss him, gasping as he pulled her roughly to him, grinding his mouth down on hers with a frenzied need.

  ‘Theo…’

  She gasped his name as he slid two fingers inside of her, grinning wickedly. Barely able to concentrate she stripped him and they tumbled onto her bed, his hand still caressing her, making her wet and unbearable excited.

  ‘I want to taste you,’ she said and was rewarded by his kiss.

  ‘Want to try doing it at the same time?’ Theo’s eyes were excited, sultry with his desire for her. She nodded, smiling and he manoeuvred her so he could bury his face in her sex as she took him into her mouth. She heard him moan as her tongue teased the tip of his cock, could feel it jerk. God, he tasted so good, clean and salty and the silky softness of his skin belied the diamond-hard stiffness of him. She felt his tongue sweeping along her cleft, circling her sensitive clit.

  Before long, Theo was desperate to be inside of her and he shifted her so she straddled him. He slid into her velvety slickness, his fingers digging into the soft flesh of her hips as she moved on top of his, rocking her hips to take him in as far as he would go. She gazed down at him, as they moved, her long hair tumbling in damp strands across her shoulders. Theo cupped her breasts in his hands, teasing the hard nipples with his thumbs, letting his fingers drift down her stomach, stroking her belly with his thumbs. The way he looked at her in these moments was addictive, thrilling and she found herself telling him she loved him over and over and over…

  The bubble burst in the morning. The paparazzi had done their job thoroughly and their photo was splashed over the morning’s tabloid – local and national. A billionaire mogul like Theo Storm having a new girlfriend was big news in the gossip columns and the business world.

  Jess read the write-ups silently. They’d done their homework and found out who she was – lord knows how but there it was. They’d gone public.

  ‘You okay?’ Theo had presented her with the papers earlier without comment and now he studied her with a wary look in his eyes.

  Jess tried to smile, shrugging her shoulders. ‘Well, we knew it wouldn’t be long before it got out. Shame. I liked it when it was just ours to enjoy.’

  She sighed and Theo took her in his arms. ‘I’m sorry but yeah, it was only a matter of time. Doesn’t change anything between us – at least not for me.’

  Jess kissed him. ‘Me either.’

  He hugged her to him. ‘Still want to go back to work today?’

  Jess nodded, smuggling into his big chest. ‘Yeah, I have to. We’ve got big projects coming up and I’ve already stretched Gerry’s goodwill. Not that it wasn’t totally worth it.’

  She grinned up at him and Theo smiled.

  ‘Anyone tell you, you have the most beautiful little face?’ He said and she giggled, flushing.

  ‘No, you the pretty one,’ she singed at him and he laughed.

  ‘No you is a purty girl,’ he replied, mimicking her tone then kissed her. ‘How about I come pick you up after work? I could meet your boss, your friends.’

  She considered for a moment. ‘That would be good. I’d better get going.’

  Theo dropped her off at work – after kissing her thoroughly – and she drifted into her department with a happily dazed smile on her face. Gerry was waiting for her, his arms crossed. She knew from the look on his face he was trying to look stern but she gave him a wide, cheesy grin and he crumpled.

  ‘You stood me up for dinner,’ he accused as she dumped her bag on the desk and shrugged out of her coat. She smiled at him. He looked like he’d dressed in the dark as always; bedraggled beard, smeary spectacles, food-stained clothes. Jess hugged him fondly.

  ‘I know. I’ll make it up to you, I promise but I did have
a good reason.’

  ‘I know.’ He waved a copy of the paper. ‘By my reckoning, since I asked you to go to the speech instead of me… you owe me two dinners.’

  ‘Fair enough.’

  Gerry went back to work with a satisfied harrumph and Jess sat down to go through the work piled up on her desk. The morning passed quickly as she deftly dealt with paperwork, delivery notes and emails.

  Theo called her at lunchtime. ‘Hey, beautiful.’

  Jess smiled down the phone. ‘I missed you.’

  ‘Me too. Any trouble at work?’

  ‘None. Gerry’s very easy-going and as yet I’ve not had time to see anyone else. You?’

  ‘Only Max’s less than subtle jokes. He wants to double-date, by the way. I think you have another admirer. I might get jealous.’

  She laughed and as they said goodbye, she felt a warmth settle in her stomach. The fact Theo wanted to involve her as much as he could with their family made her feel good, that she belonged. It was an oddly new feeling.

  ‘Hey…’ Gerry had stuck his head out of the office. ‘You wanna grab some lunch? We’ve got a whole afternoon of restoration; the museum is sending over ‘Luna Soleil’.’

  Jess smiled. ‘Wow. Yes, let’s go grab something, I’m starving.’

  Jules stared at the paper’s front page, fury roiling inside him. Fucking, fucking whore. And that rich bastard with her. Now he knew who had threatened him. Theo Storm. A fucking billionaire. So much for Jessica’s holier-than-thou attitude. She’d been screwing a freaking billionaire.

  Jules Gachet had never known such anger. After all her crap about money meaning nothing, she’d betrayed him for a fucking meal ticket. He couldn’t – he wouldn’t – let her get away with that, by god, he would make her pay.