then from the libraries so it gave me a whole new collection of books to read.”
“And then college?” Colin didn’t have to look to see a change, to feel the anxiety and concern in her. He held the links between her hands, but with his fingers on the pulse of one wrist. He eased her from the people around them, her back against a wide, wooden column. “You don’t let people close to you, physically or not and talking about some things bothers you.”
“Talking about things is history,” she corrected with a shake of her head. She pulled her gaze from the various scenes and mostly naked people around them. In the dim lighting, oils and sweat glistened and mixed with the scents of sex and the sounds of pleasure. Sounds and sights that seemed to make the fire inside her build all over again. “I have friends. Friends are close.”
“As close as you allow them. Do you think I’m going to start calling you names because of something in your past?” Colin could see the color drain from her face and made a note to himself about what would be said to her, in or out of scenes. “What happened in high school, Angel?”
“I got pregnant and they made me marry him,” she told him with just the smallest trace of defiance.
“You can’t stand being touched and you let a boy…” he stopped, pulling a hard breath into his lungs.
“I didn’t…didn’t let him…it was as though I wasn’t even there…”
“Was he prosecuted?”
“No, Sir. They…”
He waited a few long seconds. “Don’t stop, Angelica. They what?”
“They said it was my fault for…for being too friendly. For allowing him to touch me in class when he was showing me what lessons we were on.” Over twelve years later and the shame of all the words around her still turned her stomach to a rock. “I had missed a week because I was sick. And the teacher told him to help me. He didn’t want to. People mostly stayed away…because they knew my family…and I spent time in the library. They said it was because I allowed it, that I wanted it. That’s where…when…the librarian found me and took me to the hospital. I don’t remember most of it. It was like a bad story I was in…but it doesn’t seem to ever end,” she whispered shakily.
Colin looked around quickly, taking her to an empty chair and pressing her shoulder gently until she sat down. He dropped to his knee before her and held her face up. She wasn’t jerking away when he touched her head or face anymore, he realized as he stared into a pair of dark eyes that had fallen behind shields once more.
“I’m going for drinks. You stay right here. Anything you like?”
“Chocolate,” she said quietly. “I didn’t want to remember. I mostly don’t remember the sex part at all. I…I’ve been with another guy once…but…” she shrugged, dismissing the experience.
“If I had the power to go in and take every wrong word used on you, Angel, I would. But I don’t,” Colin gently opened one of the fists on her thigh. “So all I can do is convince you they’re all wrong and move forward. I’ll be right back.”
“Yes, Sir,” but she didn’t feel convinced and suddenly she was very tired.
Holding secrets inside was wearing her out, she realized, looking around at the people involved in various scenes; some couples; same sex couples; couples and a third…and the safety monitors who wandered by, looking casual but she could tell they were very intently watching things unfold.
How did they forget they were naked and let themselves relax enough to…to scream like that?
To scream with such pleasure and abandon. The look in their eyes told her they were far, far from this room and they never saw people watching them. They didn’t seem to notice others at all.
Chapter Five
“You have the most fascinating expressions, Angel,” Colin held out a small bottle. “Chocolate soy milk. Evidently it’s a favorite of Gabriel’s sub.”
“She forgets to eat,” Angel
“And then college?” Colin didn’t have to look to see a change, to feel the anxiety and concern in her. He held the links between her hands, but with his fingers on the pulse of one wrist. He eased her from the people around them, her back against a wide, wooden column. “You don’t let people close to you, physically or not and talking about some things bothers you.”
“Talking about things is history,” she corrected with a shake of her head. She pulled her gaze from the various scenes and mostly naked people around them. In the dim lighting, oils and sweat glistened and mixed with the scents of sex and the sounds of pleasure. Sounds and sights that seemed to make the fire inside her build all over again. “I have friends. Friends are close.”
“As close as you allow them. Do you think I’m going to start calling you names because of something in your past?” Colin could see the color drain from her face and made a note to himself about what would be said to her, in or out of scenes. “What happened in high school, Angel?”
“I got pregnant and they made me marry him,” she told him with just the smallest trace of defiance.
“You can’t stand being touched and you let a boy…” he stopped, pulling a hard breath into his lungs.
“I didn’t…didn’t let him…it was as though I wasn’t even there…”
“Was he prosecuted?”
“No, Sir. They…”
He waited a few long seconds. “Don’t stop, Angelica. They what?”
“They said it was my fault for…for being too friendly. For allowing him to touch me in class when he was showing me what lessons we were on.” Over twelve years later and the shame of all the words around her still turned her stomach to a rock. “I had missed a week because I was sick. And the teacher told him to help me. He didn’t want to. People mostly stayed away…because they knew my family…and I spent time in the library. They said it was because I allowed it, that I wanted it. That’s where…when…the librarian found me and took me to the hospital. I don’t remember most of it. It was like a bad story I was in…but it doesn’t seem to ever end,” she whispered shakily.
Colin looked around quickly, taking her to an empty chair and pressing her shoulder gently until she sat down. He dropped to his knee before her and held her face up. She wasn’t jerking away when he touched her head or face anymore, he realized as he stared into a pair of dark eyes that had fallen behind shields once more.
“I’m going for drinks. You stay right here. Anything you like?”
“Chocolate,” she said quietly. “I didn’t want to remember. I mostly don’t remember the sex part at all. I…I’ve been with another guy once…but…” she shrugged, dismissing the experience.
“If I had the power to go in and take every wrong word used on you, Angel, I would. But I don’t,” Colin gently opened one of the fists on her thigh. “So all I can do is convince you they’re all wrong and move forward. I’ll be right back.”
“Yes, Sir,” but she didn’t feel convinced and suddenly she was very tired.
Holding secrets inside was wearing her out, she realized, looking around at the people involved in various scenes; some couples; same sex couples; couples and a third…and the safety monitors who wandered by, looking casual but she could tell they were very intently watching things unfold.
How did they forget they were naked and let themselves relax enough to…to scream like that?
To scream with such pleasure and abandon. The look in their eyes told her they were far, far from this room and they never saw people watching them. They didn’t seem to notice others at all.
Chapter Five
“You have the most fascinating expressions, Angel,” Colin held out a small bottle. “Chocolate soy milk. Evidently it’s a favorite of Gabriel’s sub.”
“She forgets to eat,” Angel
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