Under the Skin Read Free Page A

feel a hot blush come to his face, and he quickly looked away.
    "I'm sorry,” he mumbled. “I honestly thought you were—” He fumbled for something that wouldn't make him sound like a complete moron, and was spared by Minoru's quick laugh.
    "You thought I was completely irrelevant. Not to worry, it is a belief that is shared by many in this company.” He sighed and stood up.
    "You're going to be here for a week. We'll have another chance tomorrow. For now, I'll show you to your room, and you can rest.” He looked Padraic up and down.
    Padraic was suddenly torn. On one hand, he wanted to drop his eyes because he wasn't used to someone staring that directly at him. On the other hand, well, he simply didn't want to stop looking at Minoru. There was a quality about the young man that made Padraic want reach out and touch, then run and hide.
    Stupid, stupid , he thought numbly. What kind of prey animal didn't know how to run from something dangerous?
    The answer was whatever he was, and Padraic found himself staring at a long, faint scar that ran from the corner of Minoru's lower lip to his chin.
    There was something almost shockingly sexy about Minoru's scar and suddenly, with a sinking sensation in his stomach, Padraic realized that he wanted to kiss Minoru very badly.
    "It's a shame that you're so pretty,” Minoru said bluntly.
    At first Padraic thought he had misheard, but at Jenner's laugh, he realized that he most certainly hadn't.
    "I—"
    "They might have taken a more mature-looking man more seriously.” Minoru shook his head. “I suppose it can't be helped."
    * * * *
    "So was he being pointedly rude, or was he hitting on me?” It was true that something about Minoru made Padraic sit up and take notice. Hell, that was being kind. Something about Minoru made Padraic want to roll over and beg. There was a certainty and decisiveness about Minoru's movements that was completely absent from his own awkwardness, and the thought of what Minoru might look like when he was engaged in more intimate activities sent a shiver up Padraic's spine.
    He realized wryly that it was men like Minoru who had always given him problems. They all had a confidence that bordered on arrogance, and an understanding of the world that Padraic suspected he lacked. Arch had it, and the last few men he had been with had had it. That quality had gotten him into trouble in the past, and he realized that consciously staying away from such men had led to his current long dry spell.
    Jenner cocked his head at Padraic's plaintive question.
    "Was that an invitation to speculate, or are you just thinking out loud?"
    "The first one."
    The suite they were staying in was actually a part of the Inoue Corporation's compound, and Padraic had discovered the alcohol that was kept discreetly at the back of the refrigerator. He was not regularly a drinker, but it had seemed like a good idea today, and at the very least, it had given him something to do while Jenner swept the room for bugs.
    "Honestly? I don't know if there was a difference for that guy."
    "Oh? Please continue."Padraic tried to gesture magnanimously but banged his hand hard into the back of the couch instead.
    "You're an incidental,” Jenner said bluntly, running his hands over the wooden trim in the room. He smiled suddenly, and there was a short blue spark that arced from his fingertips to the wood.
    Padraic frowned. “You've used that word before."
    "Mm. The more you're able to plan, the more you have to take into account what's important and what you're going to leave by the wayside if it comes to an all-out explosion. So for Inoue-san, you've got to figure that his number-one priority is going to be your tech, and that somewhere down near, oh, let's say twenty-six or twenty-seven or so, is the fact that you get his dick hard."
    Padraic blushed and looked away. The mention of Minoru's dick made him shiver a little, and he had a moment to reflect on how long it had been since he had had