Page 229 of Under Her Skin

The three of them sat for a while, quiet, a silent assessment and the same question on each of their minds. Could I kill another person? When Jess met both their gazes, she knew the answer. Yes, if that person was Jules. They each had reason to end JulienGachet.

Apart of her wanted Jules’gesture to be genuine contrition so that none of them would have to consider taking drastic actionbut…

‘What are you thinking, Jess?’ Theo’s voice was low, full of pain and she turned to look at him. His green eyes were troubled. She smiled at him, touched hisface.

‘Nothing worth saying out loud.’ She turned to Max. ‘Hey, you, I wanted to ask you something. I’ve talked to Theo about this and we wanted to run something pastyou.’

Max sipped his coffee. ‘Hit me withit.’

Jess and Theo exchanged a glance. ‘Well, it’s about our wedding. You’re Theo’s best man, of course, but we, well, I was, wondering…’ She stopped and cleared her throat, feeling tears prickle in her eyes. Theo’s arm tightened around her shoulders and he gave her a reassuring nod. Max lookedbemused.

‘What is it,Jess?’

Jess drew in a breath. ‘Max, I wondered if you would mind double-duty. I wonder if you would please walk me down theaisle?’

Max’s eyebrows shot up and Jess was amazed to see tears in his eyes. ‘Jess, I would be honored. Truly honored.’ He stood and pulled Jess into a hug. ‘Thank you,’ he murmured into her ear, ‘thankyou.’

Outside,Jules watched them through the blacked out windows of his car. They looked more relaxed than he’d expected. Good. He wanted them to be as unprepared as possible for his nextmove.

Jess peekedinto Max’s room to see him passed out on his bed with an adoring Stan and Monty curled up next to him. The dogs looked up as Jess made a face at them. ‘Doggy sluts,’ she muttered and blew them a kiss. She pulled the door to and wandered out into the living room. Theo was flicking through the t.v. channels, not even looking up as she curled into his side. His arm looped automatically around her shoulders, pulling her close. She watched the t.v. with him for a few moments before turning her head to kiss hischeek.

‘I know this is a weird thing to say, given everything that’s happened, but right here, right now, I feel happy.Safe.’

Theo pressed his lips against her temple. ‘Damn right you’re safe. Always with me, Jessie. Always.’ He clicked the television off and pulled her onto her lap, smoothing the hair away from her face, studying it with such a look of love she felt her insides melt. He kissed her, quick, soft as if he was a shy teenager and shesmiled.

‘Mushy,’ she whispered and he grinned – a definitely unshy grin. He maneuvered her onto the floor and lay above her, his fingers knotting in her dark, softhair.

‘Mrs.Storm…’

She grinned but pretended to frown at him. ‘Not yet, big boy, don’t getcocky.’

Theo snorted with laughter and ground his hips against hers so she would feel the hard length of him. She grinned and lightly nipped his earlobe with her teeth. ‘That would be so much better off insideme…’

Theo was already pushing up her dress, his long fingers sliding into her panties and pulling them down. She moaned softly as his tongue found her clit, flicking around it until she was halfcrazed.

Suddenly he stopped and looked up. ‘Shit, mymom.’

For a beat, Jess looked down at him askance. ‘If your mom’s in my crotch, I think I’d know aboutit.’

They both lost it. Jess buried her face in her hands to hush her laughter, Theo pressed his face into her belly, his whole body shaking withmirth.

‘Sssh, sssshhhhh,’Jess waved her hands towards Max’s open bedroom door. She pushed him off of her and hitched her underwear up. ‘Moment’s over, chuckles.’ She pulled him to his feet. ‘Let’s go get pizza before we wake thekids.’

In the restaurant,they shared pizza and beers. ‘So, what about your mom?’ Jess teased him. ’When she’s not hanging out in my groin, thatis.’

Theo snorted. ‘That’s just wrong. She called me. Actually, she stalked me via phone when the news stories cameout.’

All trace of humor left Jess’s face. ‘Isee.’

Theo leaned over to touch her cheek. ‘Hey, it’s okay. She wants to meet you, isall.’

Jess didn’t relax and she pushed her pizza away, rubbing her forehead to ease the sudden tension. ‘So the fact that she reached out after her son’s girlfriend was outed as a nympho gold-digger shouldn’t botherme?’

Theo gave her a wry grin. ‘Well, when you put it likethat…’

‘God,Theo.’

‘Hey, listen. She and I talked, I told her what a bunch of crap it was. I’m her son, she believes me over some damn tabloid assholes. It is fine, she just thought it was about time she met the love of mylife.’