Page 183 of Under Her Skin

Theo grinnedat his friend but as Max pulled a blanket over himself and turned away to take a nap, Theo stared out of the window of the plane at the sparkling blue waters of the Pacific, the craggy beauty of the West Coast and wondered if Max was right. Maybe it was time for something more, something real. Thing was… he didn’t even know where to start, what he was looking for, or who he wanted as his partner inlife.

He glancedover to his sleeping friend and knew his friend was right. Theo grinned to himself and settled back into his seat to enjoy the rest of theflight.

‘Ihate to ask.’

Jessica Wood narrowedher eyes at her boss. Professor Gerry Land grinned sheepishly and shrugged as they sat together in the college’s refectory, empty coffee cups in front of them. Jess sighed. She knew this wheedling tone of old. Gerry had been her mentor, her champion for four years through college and when she’d applied to be his research fellow to pursue a Ph.D., he’d pulled strings to make sure that she’d gotten theposition.

Occasionally though, like now, he’d call in thefavor.

‘Yeah, yeah, whatnow?’

Gerry smirked, knowing that he had her. ‘Commencement.’

Jess made a face. ‘Oh, no way…I did it last time.’ Their Art department was supposed to send a representative to the ceremony and while they both appreciated the true meaning of the tradition, it was deathly boring – sitting for hours, applauding everyone, listening to some celebrity rambling on about how the graduating students should ‘reach for the stars’. They actually had a tally on how many of the illustrious guests used clichés likethat.

‘Please?I just have so much work to do….and this funding application isn’t going to writeitself.’

Jess made a face at him, knowing that he’d won. If she didn’t go to the ceremony, Gerry would dump the application process on her and no way – no freaking way – she was getting intothat.

‘Fine.’

Gerry nudged her shoulder with his. ‘I owe youone.’

‘You owe me many.’But she smiled. At twenty-four, Jessica Wood was exactly where she wanted to be – immersed in a world of art and study. She wasn’t rich. That world belonged to her step-brother, Jules. Her mom had married Jules’ French millionaire father but now, after they’d both died, it was just her, Jules – and Jules’ never ending puppet strings. That was the one thing wrong with her life. She worked for Gerry and part-time in a one of Seattle’s artisan coffee houses and still only managed to make enough to cover her rent and food. She was okay with that but Jules still managed to exert his influence over her life in so many differentways.

She pushed the thought of him away now, and fought the heavy dread that always followed when she thought of her step-brother and went to get changed for theceremony.

Her apartment was lessthan a block from the college and she quickly showered and slipped into her go-to dress; a dark burgundy silk sheath that shimmered down and hugged her curves. At five foot four, she wasn’t the tallest woman, but the dress flared out at her waist, showing off her surprisingly long legs. Her dark mahogany hair fell almost to her waist and she pulled it up over one shoulder. The lightest of make-up was put on, then she added a delicate gold chain which lay against her dusky skin and fell into the valley of her full breasts. Glancing in the mirror, Jess nodded once. She knew people considered her attractive but… ‘They can’t see the damage within’, she thought. She dismissed the thought and scooted out of thedoor.

Back at college,she made her way to the ceremony, held in the wide courtyard. She glanced at her watch and saw that she was early. She grinned to herself and decided to call Gerry to pass the time. She ducked into a quiet corridor and pulled out her cellphone.

‘I’m calling to issue you an official deaththreat.’

Gerry chuckled. ‘Hey look, at least you get to hear about how the world is indeed a shellfish-based opportunity for ourstudents.’

‘About how this is ‘only the beginning of theadventure?’’

‘Yep and of course, and how they are allastronauts.’

‘Huh?’

Gerry sighed. ‘’Reaching for thestars’?’

Jess laughed. ‘Oh of course, sorry. God, would it kill one of these people to quote some Eudora Welty? Some Dorothy Parker? Even some Bill and Ted would benice.’

‘Snob.’

‘You bet. I’ll see you later – and I’ll bearmed.’

Gerry laughed loudly. ‘I’ll buy you dinner to make up forit.’

‘You bet youwill.’

She hungup and turned to walk out to the courtyard. She stopped, a small gasp escaping her. At the end of the corridor, watching her, a man was stood half in shadow. Jess’s heart began to thud as the man’s gaze locked with hers, burning into hers. He was tall – very, very tall, at least six five, and his huge body was expensively clad in an exquisite three piece suit. With his dark curls close-cropped and his face angular, he looked sculpted toperfection.

They staredat each other for a long moment then the Dean appeared and bore the man away. Jess let out her breath out in a rush. What the hell was that? She felt the blood burn hot through her body, a pulse beat between her legs. Jesus… The way he had been looking at her – as if he wanted to tear off her clothes, possess her… Jess turned and leaned her burning forehead against the cool stone wall. For a second, she closed her eyes and imagined what would have happened if the Dean hadn’t interrupted the moment. Would the man have come closer, pushed her against the wall, kissed her? The tension had crackled along the distance between them and now she fantasised that he’d lifted her up, tugged her panties aside and fucked her hard, right then, right there. She gave a small groan at the thought then pushed the thought away she stumbled out into the courtyard and found her seat amongst the other faculty andrepresentatives.

What the hell’sthe matter with me? She shook her head as the thought ripped through her. Was she that bereft of a sex life that she was imagining rough sex with a total stranger? Ummm yes. She sighed, shaking her head. The woman next to her gave her a strange look and Jess smiled sheepishly at her. The Dean was at the podium now and talking, and Jess tried to concentrate on what he wassaying.