Page 230 of Under Her Skin

Jess smiled then, stroked his face. ‘What did she say when you told her we wereengaged?’

Theo’s expression gave him away. ‘Um…’

‘Theo!’ The tension was back. ‘You didn’t tellher?’

He shrugged good-naturedly. ‘I thought we were keeping it lowkey.’

‘Not from your family.Jeez.’

‘He rubbed his hand up and down her back, trying to relax her. ‘We’ll tell her together. Thisweekend.’

She gaped at him and he gave her a cheesy grin. ‘Sorry. I meant to tell youearlier.’

Jess sighed and her head slumped onto the table. ‘Kill menow.’

Theo winced and she was sorry. Suddenly she realized – meeting her fiancé’s mother was nothing to what they had been going through lately. She sat up and kissed him. ‘It’s okay. It is about time I met yourfamily.’

He noddedand she could see he was happy. ‘I do have another motive,’ he said, ‘-and it’s one you’ll like. A few years ago, I bought a house out on Whidbey Island, mostly as an investment. It was far too big for just me so I’ve been renting it out as a holiday let for the past few years. But now, it’s perfect for a family home, Jessie. It’s secluded but not isolated and has its own private beach. I want to take you there, see what you think. If you don’t like it – or you think it’s too close to Mom – then fine, we’ll find somethingelse.’

Jess listened to him and couldn’t help feeling excited. She suppressed a grin. ‘Just how close is yourMom?’

Theo smiled widely. ‘Way over on the other side of the island, and it’s a big assisland.’

She laughed. ‘Then, I can’twait.’

Theo kissed her. ‘We can go over onSunday.’

‘We’re staying at your mom’s allweekend?’

Theo grinned nonchalantly and she swiped his shoulder with her hand. ‘There’s no way you’re getting laidtonight.’

He leaned over and pressed his lips to hers. ‘Yes, I am,’ he murmured, his green eyes glittering, sliding one hand onto the nape of her neck and the other to her stomach. Jess sank into his embrace and nodded herassent.

‘Yeah, you soare…’

Theo glancedover at her as they stood on the deck of the ferry out to the island. Jess was dressed in a simple white cotton dress that the breeze from the Sound was whipping up, showing a tempting amount of honey-skinned thigh. Her long hair was pulled into a messy bun at the nape of her neck, and her face, touched by the lightest makeup, was beautiful but a littletense.

Strike that,Theo corrected himself, a lot tense. He wrapped his arms around her, felt her lean back into him. ‘Stop worrying, it’s just my mom and maybe a couple of my irritating kid brothers. Nothing to worry about, Ipromise.’

Jess smiled at that.Theo had one older sister, Milly, married and living in Portland, and three much younger brothers who adored their older brother. One of them, Alex, was at Harvard, the younger two, Seb and Tom, were identical twins. Theo’s mom, Amelia, she didn’t know much about, telling Theo that she’d rather not build up a picture of a formidable woman. Theo had rolled hiseyes.

‘She’s just my mom,Jessie.’

But he knew that Jess’s own family situation had been tainted so much by Jules that she couldn’t reconcile family as being happy with her own experience. He kissed hertemple.

‘I know a way you couldrelax…’

She turned in his arms and studied his face, a small smile playing around her lips. ‘Do you indeed,’ she raised her eyebrows at him. ‘This is a public place, youknow.’

His eyes were dancing. ‘All thebetter.’

He took her hand and led her along the ferries’ deck until they came to a small alcove, hidden away from the sight of the other passengers and the crew. Theo pushed her against the cool steel of the ferry, his gaze intense, burning. He slid his hands under her dress and she gasped at the shock of him yanking her panties from her, ripping the delicate material easily. Theo ground his mouth down onto hers as she reached for his zipper, easing her hand into his pants to free his diamond-hard cock. Theo lifted her and she wrapped her legs around him, perfect trust in him, as he entered her, thrusting with deep, even strokes, kissing her lush mouth as he fucked her. Jess’s lips were at his ear, telling him how much she loved him and when he came, so turned on he couldn’t wait, he felt the violent furious spasm of his cock inside her, filling her as she buried her head in his shoulder and muffled her cry of ecstasy. They caught their breath, staring at the other, completely oblivious to the cool breeze, the roiling of the dark waters of the Sound, the possibility of being caught. Neither said a word, neither needed to say what they were feeling; it was in the sensation skin-on-skin, the deep, abiding understanding in their eyes. Theo lowered her gently to her feet and straightened out her dress while she ran her hand through his dark curls, tidied him up. Their fingers entwined, they walked slowly back to the passenger lounge, never taking their eyes from eachother.

Amelia Storm openedthe door to the large house and walked down the stairs, smiling. Jess, her heart hammering frantically, smoothed her dress down and smiled tentatively, looking to Theo to make the introduction. She needn’t haveworried.

‘Jessica, dear, it’s wonderful to meet you at last.’ The older woman, stately and graceful, her gray hair swept up into a chignon, kissed Jess’s cheek and slid a friendly arm around her shoulders. ‘I told Theodore that he’s very bad, keeping you a secret all this time.’ She mock-scowled at her son, who grinned good-naturedly and rounded the car to hugher.

‘Don’t scare Jess off right away, mom. At least feed usfirst.’