Page 72 of Under Her Skin

His voice was hard, and he no longer looked ather.

“Did I do somethingwrong?”

“Jesus.” He hissed out the word. “Look, I’m not into schooling newbies. I come here to fuck and be fucked, not to deal with somevirgin.”

He got up and Noosh scrambled to her feet, her heart pounding. How had things turned so quickly? “I’m no virgin,” she managed to say, her voice only slightlyshaking.

She glanced around the room and saw a cabinet of paddles, ropes, leather crops, and other toys. She swallowed hard and looked back at him. He was watching her again, glowering from beneath his long, thick lashes. She lifted her chin and deliberately dropped the shoulder straps of her dress, exposing her breasts. “Fuck me again and I’ll show you just how far from a virgin I reallyam.”

“No.”

God, that hurt. She wouldn’t beg this man, this glorious man, whose pain she could see etched across his gorgeous face. But she didn’t want the memory of their coupling sullied by this…whateverthiswas. What had she done wrong? She pulled the straps of her dress up, taking a deep breath in. She stepped towards him, saw he didn’t back away. “What is it?” She asked him gently. “Why are you in so muchpain?”

“I think you should go. You don’t belonghere.”

“Neither doyou.”

He gave a short, humorless laugh. “Sweetheart, you have no idea what you’re talking about. Please, justgo.”

With her thighs still aching from the fucking her gave her, Noosh stood her ground.No.She would not walk away. There had been something here, something worth exploring. She knew he felt ittoo.

Her lover shook his head. “Get out. Please, just go, I can’t bearthis.”

Her heart gave a sickening lurch. “No. I won’tgo.”

“Please.”

She stepped forward and reached out to him, but he backed away, his hands curling into tight fists by his side. “Get out…now. While you stillcan.”

A thrill of danger went through her. “No.”

A silence, then he stalked across the room and dragged her to the door. Noosh laid her hands on his chest as she put her back against the door. “No, you don’t get to throw me away like that. Not after that… That wasincredible…”

He closed his eyes. “Please, I’m begging you. Go.Go.”

“But…”

“Go!”

The ferocity of the roar coming from this man, this dangerous man who towered above her, finally broke her resolve. Noosh fumbled for the door handle and opened the door, skittering down the hallway, hearing him slam the door behind her. She raced through the club, not bothering to look at anything else as she took the stairs to thedoorway.

It was only when she stepped – barefoot – out onto the streets of New York City that she realized she wascrying.

The man satin the car parked opposite the club and smiled to himself. He wondered if he should go over, say hello, help her get home…but that wasn’t why he was here. He had been tasked with finding Anoushka Taylor, and after a tip, he had finally found where she lived. He had to confirm the address was right before he contacted the boss, however, and after seeing her at the club, he’d followed her here. Who knew the girl was into kink? It made his dick hard to think of her like that, but now, seeing her in tears, he realized she must be new to thescene.

He snickered to himself and pulled out his cell phone. Destry Papps answered on the firstring.

The man in the car watched Anoushka Taylor hail a cab and smiled into the phone. “Yeah, it’s me. I foundher.”

Chapter Four

After she’d gone, Christo slumped to the floor, breathing deeply. God, what had he become? Screaming at that girl, that sweet, kind, beautiful girl? And yet, it was her sweetness that had made him react like that. He didn’t deserve her. The way she had touched his face, the way she hadseenhim…

“Fuck.Fuck.”He cursed quietly, his head in his hands.Go after her, apologize, beg her to come back. But he knew he couldn’t. The moment he saw her earlier, something had twisted inside him. She was so lovely, her big brown eyes warm and kind, and she looked so lost. He’d wanted to take her in his arms, protect her from the seediness around them, but as soon as he kissed her, something animal had taken over. Making love to her was exhilarating – her voluptuous body curving against his, his cock driving deep into her velvety cunt…it had been an awakening to him. He’d never felt that way with any woman…and it terrifiedhim.

He tried to stop the sobs that were constricting his chest, but they burst out anyway. What the fuck was happening to him? Bertie was right; he’d gotten what he wanted – away from his father. So why was he so goddamnmiserable?

He let himself cry it out then snagged his phone from his pocket and dialed Bertie. When his friend answered, he just said “Rockbottom.”