Page 252 of Under Her Skin

No. It wasn’t going to be rushed this time. ‘Sorry, I can’t stay and talk today, gottarun.’

He was flattered that she looked disappointed. ‘Oh, I don’t want to keep you then. I would have liked to introduce to my daughter-in-law, well, soon-to-be anyway but she seems to have wanderedoff…’

Jules tipped his cap to her and said goodbye, walking briskly towards the front of the store. As he strode down one of the empty aisles, he saw her. She turned into it, not even glancing up athim.

God. This was the first time he’d seen her since the night he’d stabbed her when she’d bled for him. He’d forgotten just how fucking beautiful she was, even in a simple sundress with no makeup. Her hair, a dark brown cloud, hung almost to her waist, was soft and messy. She took his breath away. He glanced around. No-one else wasaround.

A hand over her mouth, push her back against the wall, put the knife inher…

He recalled the feel of that first spurt of blood, her hot blood that had covered his hands that night. Her gasp of agony, of shock. He stared at her now. How the hell did yousurvive?

She looked up then and he stuck his face low into his collar, slouched down like an old man, and started to walk toward her. Everything in his body was telling him to do it, kill her now but he balled his fists up in his pocket. When he passed her, he slowed, pretending to study something on the other side of the aisle. He turned to make sure she wasn’t looking at him then stepped immediately behind her. He breathed in, the fresh soapy scent of her skin filling his nostrils. Jesus, he was hard, so fucking hard, she smelled so goodand…

‘Jess?’

Jules turned and stalked off at the sound of Amelia Storm’s voice. So close, so close… But at least, finally she was back. Jessica was home and now he could see the end of thisall.

She washome.

Jess felt frozen inside.The guy in the store, harmless as he may have been, had creeped her out and when he’d stepped behind her, she could have sworn he was going to touch her. She heard his inhalation and her fists had balled, ready to fight. But then Amelia had called her and the guy hadgone.

She felt sick. On the way home, Amelia hadn’t noticed a thing but Theo, as soon as he’d seen her face had asked her what was wrong. She just shrugged, told him she had a headache and went upstairs. She sat on the edge of the bath now, nausea roiling around in her stomach. She tried to think why a lone creepy guy could make her feel this scared, thisbad.

She knew, of course, she did. It was that he’d reminded her of Jules, that sneaky, stealthy way of his. Jesus. Was she that paranoid now? A wave of sickness hit her and she threw up into the toilet, retching again and again until she was dryheaving.

‘Well,goddamn Miss Wood, you’re beautiful.’ Amelia put on her best Southern-Belle accent as she opened the door to Jess and Theo on the night of their engagementparty.

Jess had gone against all of her natural instincts and had poured herself into a long gold shift dress that clung to every curve. The color radiated against her olive skin, setting it aglow, and her tawny mane rippled down her back. Amelia hugged her proudly, her eyes shining. ‘I knew you’d scrub up well, even if you are trailertrash.’

‘Mom!’ Theo was shocked but the two women dissolved intogiggles.

‘Told you that would get him,’ Jess nudged her future mother-in-law and Theosighed.

‘Oh so this is how the rest of my life is going to be, my mom and my wife ganging up onme.’

‘Yep, prettymuch.’

‘Live with it, son.’ Amelia squeezed Jess’s arm. ‘You do look absolutely stunning,though.’

Jess's face flushed at Amelia's words. Theo's reaction had been similar, but far more physical and considering that Jess had just got redressed in five minutes flat, she was absurdly pleased with theresult.

‘Come on, circulate, there is a lot of people for you tomeet.’

Two hours later, Jess was exhausted. All of Amelia’s friends were utterly charming but she could see in their eyes, they were all curious. Not about her, but about what had happened to her. Sex and death sells she thought wryly, searching for Theo. He was nowhere to be seen and, excusing herself, she went to look forhim.

Pushing open the door of the study, she heard Max’s voice. She slipped inside quietly, not wanting tointerrupt.

‘Theo… you should tell her. You promised each other no more secrets. Jess is tougher than you think she is. God knows, hasn’t she proved that? How many other people would have come back from such a violent past to be the person she is? She can handlethis.’

‘She shouldn’t have to! Dammit, Max, how do I tell her what I’ve done, I can hardly believe itmyself.’

‘You did what you had to do,Theo.’

‘Did I? I had a choice,Max.’

Max sighed then as he glanced up, he saw Jess, frozen. He paled and glanced atTheo.

‘Theo...’ He nodded towards Jess and Theo stood, his face a mask ofdistress.