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“Noe talk,” he says in a dark voice, all but dragging me to the door

“Wait” I dig my heels in “I have to wash my hands”

He lets me, but the minute I’m done, he steers me to the nearest rooes close to the dining roo sory, and I’m upset We both need space to cool down

Watchingblue eyes, he closes the door and turns the key

The act ?”

“I don’t like it when you touchon me

I crane aze when he stops so close our bodies almost touch “It’s my job”

His jaw bunches “Not here it’s not”

“I touch many men on a daily basis in New York,” I say with barely suppressed frustration

A muscle ticks in his temple “That doesn’t mean I have to like it”

I prop my hands on my hips “You never said it bothered you”

“As I said, that doesn’t mean I liked it”

“This is ridiculous There’s a difference between a caregiver’s touch and an intiet that, don’t you?”

He gives me a hard smile “It makes no difference to me what kind of touch it is I don’t want your hands on theerous intent “And if I catch their hands on you, I’ll chop them off”

Anger bursts through ood at it You said so yourself If you have a proble to be a problem for us, and I mean a real problem” I add with emphasis, “A make-or-break problem”

“I do admire your skill and dedication” His words are softly spoken, but there’s an edge to them “I admire the profession you’ve chosen, and I respect your decisions I’ you that you can’t do what you love What I’ you, Katyusha, is that I don’t like to share I’ll never like your hands on another man’s naked torso or dick, no matter how professional the intention”

“You’re jealous,” I say, startled to realize just how much

“Exactly” He splays a palainst him while he slips his free hand under the hes tomy clit softly, he continues in a tone that leaves no rooument “Only to me”

A spark travels froroin to my belly, but I can’t let him sidetrack me with lust

“No” I push on his chest

He regards er, and disbelief, but he doesn’t pull his hand away

“We’re not done talking” I grip his wrist and pull his hand out fro to cheat on you That’s notorders from you” I point at the locked door “If you can’t accept that, you h that door now My job isn’t up for discussion”