Quinn (The Beck Brothers 3)

“Can I ask why I had to refrain from touching you?” Margot asked softly.

Quinn’s small smile fell and he turned his head away to stare back at the ceiling. He remained quiet for so long that she again thought he was not going to answer her question.

“I have this...thing...about people touching me. I don’t...it’s hard to explain,” he rasped.

She frowned. “But I was touching you when we were walking back here, and I have touched you many times at the office.”

He sighed. “I may not like it, but can handle little touches here and there. When we were walking...I was more holding you up. You were just hanging on for balance. At least, that’s how I justify it in my head.”

“Have you always been this way?” she asked quietly.

“For most of my life, yes,” he replied.

Margot’s mind worked. Something had to have happen to him to make him this way. Touching was something that humans naturally craved and sought out. It wasn’t normal for one to shy away from touch.

“Are there certain places that you do not like to be touched or is it all over?”

“All over,” Quinn said tightly.

“You do not share this with many people, do you?” she asked gently. She could tell he was struggling to answer her questions. She was positive he just wanted to remain quiet like he usually did.

Quinn shook his head.

“What have all the other women you have been with thought?”

He snorted then smiled. “They all thought I was into bondage.”

Margot couldn’t stop the giggle that bubbled out of her. Quinn into bondage? That was funny. Quinn turned his head to look at her again. He looked hesitant and a bit self-conscious. It broke her heart.

“I didn’t hurt your wrists, did I?” Quinn frowned.

She looked at him as if he was crazy. “Non! Definitely not!”

He swallowed hard and nodded. “Good.”

“Thank you for answering my question,” Margot said sincerely.

Quinn pursed his lips and nodded without looking at her.

Silence fell between them. After a minute, Quinn got up and walked into the bathroom naked, and Margot watched him. He had a beautiful derrière. She loved the way he walked, too; he just had a sexy, laid-back kind of gait that looked even better when he was naked. Margot slipped off the bed so that she could turn down the comforter and slip under the sheet. She snuggled down into the pillow and waited for Quinn to come back. She heard the toilet flush and the water run for a moment before he came out.

His body was exquisite. He had big broad shoulders that tapered down to a trim waist. His chest and abs were defined, corded with muscle, and had a dusting of dark hair. His biceps had to be the size of her head. Okay, she might have been exaggerating a little, but they were still big. She could see the muscles move in his legs when he walked. To top it all off, he was a very well endowed man - long and thick, magnificent, glorious, incredible. Need she say more? Maybe later, but right now she was exhausted and could not keep her eyes open for another second.

~~~~~~

Christian sang softly while taking a shower before work. He owned his own art gallery. Well, it was a studio and gallery. During the week, Christian taught painting and drawing classes to anyone who was interested. He even had classes for children. On the weekends, he would display his art and his students’ art. He would sell his art, but his students’ works were for display only. He would also host birthday parties on the weekends in the afternoons. Christian absolutely loved what he did. He was the only one in his family who was artistic. It was his passion and the only thing that he ever wanted to do with his life. So with his brother’s help, he got his studio up and running, making enough money to pay his bills and feed his clothes fetish.

The shower curtain suddenly yanked back and a pitcher of ice-cold water was thrown at his back. Christian screamed and tried to get out of the way, which was impossible in such a small space, as the freezing cold water hit his back. The culprit started laughing hysterically. Christian shoved the other side of the curtain aside to glare angrily at his best friend, Shea Dempsey, who was filming the whole thing with his phone.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” Christian snapped.

“Oh come on, that shit was funny!” Shea laughed.

“I hate you,” he snarled and yanked the shower curtain back in place.

“Aw, you love me and you know it,” Shea chuckled.

“What are you doing here anyway?” he asked.

Christian has been friends with Shea for as long as he could remember. They did everything together. They went to grade school and high school together, even went to college together. The only time that they were apart was when Shea went to Europe with his family a couple of years ago. He was gone for about six months, and it was torturous for Christian. He was sure that Shea had a hard time with it, also.