Page 81 of The Awakening of Nina Fontaine

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She didn’t stopuntil she got to the foyer, and then only because the door was locked. She struggled with it, her stomach still churning, oblivious to the guards until one of them came over to open it forher.

She stumbled out onto the stairs, amazed that the city was still in motion. She’d almost expected to find time stopped outside the strange building where she’d just watched two women going down onJack.

She hurried to the bottom of the steps and doubled over, retching and trying to get it together around the swirl of emotion spinning through herbody.

“Nina…”

Jack’s voice came from behind her, and tears stung her eyes as she spun to face him. “What the fuck is wrong withyou?”

He flinched, confusion shadowing his features. “I told you we couldleave.”

Her laugh came out bitter, choked by a sob. “So you could tie me up and fuck me. Yeah, I remember. I guess we were going to do that after you came in some other woman’smouth.”

“Those women mean nothing to me,” he said. “They were performing a service meant to exciteyou.”

“To… excite me?” She could hardly get the wordsout.

He hesitated, his brows drawn together. “You seemed to enjoy our time together in NewYork.”

“That was you and me, Jack. Two people being intimate. Do you not understand the difference between that and… whatever that fucked up shit was inthere?”

“Do you object to the activity or the location?” heasked.

“Iobjectto the fact that I had to watch another woman give you a blow job," shesaid.

He shook his head. “You said you were seeing someone else. Ithought…”’

“That I would fuck him in front of you?” She was practically shouting, unable to care about the fact that cars whizzed past on the street, that anyone walking by could hear what she was saying. “I would never do that to you, Jack. Would never do what you just did tome.”

“I’m sorry.” He sounded genuinely upset. “I thought it was something you might enjoy. I didn’t understand the… parameters of ourrelationship.”

“The parameters? This isn’t a business deal, Jack. I’m a person. I havefeelings.”

“You have feelings for me?” heasked.

“Yes!” she shouted. She couldn’t define them, wasn’t foolish enough to think they fell into a category most people would define as normal, but they were there. She knew it by the possessiveness that had asserted itself when the blond had taken Jack in her mouth, by the way the image still sickened her. “I know those might be in short supply in your world, but it’s kind of part of the humancondition.”

“Nina…” He held out a hand and took a step towardher.

She backed away and folded her arms across her chest. “Don’t even think aboutit.”

He seemed to choose his words carefully. “I have… feelings for you, Nina. I’m sorry I made amistake.”

She wiped the tears dripping onto her collarbone. She hadn’t realized she was crying. “Why, Jack? Whyme?”

He turned his head as if he didn’t want her to see his face. “I could give you a hundred reasons, and they would all be true, but the most important one is that you’ve… stirred something inme.”

“I don’t know what thatmeans.”

He sighed. “This isn’t my forte, Nina. I’m not a man who enjoys talking — about anything, least of all my feelings. Is it enough to say I wanted you from the first moment I saw you? That you’ve moved me in ways I thought wereimpossible?”

“No… maybe…” She shook her head. “I don’tknow.”

“Let’s go back to the hotel,” he said. “We can discuss it further if youlike.”

“I can’t,” she said, the words catching on another sob. “I can’t do any of this. It was amistake.”

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