by Julie Kenner
Emily sniffed. “Of course, dear. Don’t look so surprised. Lucy is my grandniece, after all. My sister and I may have our differences, but where the children are concerned, she and I can get along just fine.” She tucked her purse under her arm and smiled. “Trust me.”
CHAPTER 7
KYLE POKED INSIDE the little paper carton with his chopsticks, trying to grab the last mushroom. They’d worked into the night, and now the office was officially closed. Not that you could tell from the conference table. It was littered with Chinese food containers, Diet Coke cans, file folders and paper.
Beside him, Mel was handling the chopsticks like a pro. She looked up with a grin. “Years of practice.”
He gave up, snagged the mushroom with his fork and nodded at the papers. “See anything interesting?” It was just past seven, and they’d been working since Miss Emily had left about five hours earlier.
She shrugged. “It’s all interesting. The question is still where to start.” She blew out a noisy breath. “I wish Driskell would call you back.”
So did Kyle. He’d left a message for the client about three hours ago. He’d been pressuring Driskell to set a date for Kyle to test and inspect the system, but the man had been in constant meetings and his assistant couldn’t set a date without her boss’s okay.
The delay was driving Kyle crazy, but at the moment, he had to admit he was enjoying the dinner break with Mel. “Thanks for working late,” he said.
“Well, you know, we security consultants are a pretty committed bunch.”
“So I’ve noticed.” He reached out, smoothing his finger down her arm. She’d taken off her suit jacket and was now wearing a simple sleeveless top and a tailored skirt. She’d untucked the shirt and her pumps were in the corner of the room, next to the briefcase she’d dropped into a chair. She looked tousled and studious and sexy as hell.
He knew he should keep his hands to himself, but dammit, he didn’t want to. He cupped the back of her hand in his palm, their fingers interlaced. She glanced sideways at him, a little smile on her mouth, and she didn’t pull away.
“So this security consultant thing runs in your family,” he said.
“It skips generations,” she said, the hint of a laugh coloring her voice. “My father worked as a machinist. I take after my grandfather.”
“What do your parents think about your choice of profession?” He watched her face, looking for a reaction. He knew he was prying, but he was curious. He tried to tell himself that he didn’t often have the chance to chat with retired cat burglars, but it was more than that. He wanted to know Melissa Tanner. So help him, he wanted to know everything about her.
She didn’t answer at first, and he feared he’d gone too far. Then she took a shaky breath and met his eyes, her own brimming with tears. “They were killed when I was eleven. And, no, they didn’t approve of my grandfather.”
He drew a breath. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. I miss them, but that was a long time ago. And Gramps did everything he could for me.”
“Even taught you a trade.” It was a bad joke, but she didn’t seem to mind.
“Yeah.” She pulled her hand free to run her fingers through her hair, and he immediately felt a sense of loss. “The thing about Gramps is that he stayed in for all the wrong reasons. He started with petty theft back when he was just sixteen. He was trying to make ends meet while he worked to break into Hollywood. The cops couldn’t figure it out, but there were stories leaked, and then suddenly Gramps had this whole persona.” She shrugged. “I wasn’t alive then, of course, but I think he got lost in the celebrity. He never made it big in the movies, but Gregory, The Cat, became legend.”
“And he was never caught.”
“Nope. When he got older, he retired.” She shook her head. “I still can’t believe he took the risk to steal that necklace from Emily.”
“What about you?”
“I don’t know. I guess it started as a crutch. Gramps had trained me and it was all I knew.” She paused, and he stayed silent, not wanting to interrupt. “As I got older, I knew it was wrong. But by then Gramps had run through his savings and he really was too old to start climbing around on rooftops again.”
“I guess there’s no pension plan for those engaged in the cat burglary profession.”
She laughed. “No. But that’s okay. We take care of each other. I inherited my parents’ house, so he’s been living there with me, but I had to make enough to cover the taxes and our expenses, so I stayed with the family business.” She shrugged. “I guess that’s partly a lie. I loved the thrill, too. I knew I should give it up, but it was so hard. Finally, I just had to do it. I even went to college so I could figure out what I wanted to do with my life.”
“What was your major?”
“History.”
“And was that it?” he asked.
Her brow furrowed. “What?”
“What you wanted to do with your life.”
She shook her head. “No. I’m still looking for that one. But it was a degree, and I figured it would help.”
“But it hasn’t.”
She shrugged. “Yeah, well, I got one job right off the bat, but I got laid off a couple of months ago, and since the economy sucks, the job offers haven’t exactly poured in.” Her smile warmed him through and through. “But today I found a great job. And I’m determined. New life. New job. I’m starting over. I even—” She waved a hand, cutting herself off.
“What?”
“It’ll sound silly.”
“I promise I won’t spread it around.”
That drew a laugh, and she nodded. “It’s one of my regular expenses. I treat it just like a bill. Like the electricity or water or whatever.”
“Treat what?”
“Restitution.” She practically whispered the word.
He shook his head. “I’m not following.”
“I keep a list of all the names and addresses of people I’ve stolen from. And I have a little savings account. When the amount totals what I stole from someone, I get a money order and mail it to them anonymously. So far, I’ve paid back almost ten thousand dollars. And I’m determined to pay back every single dime.”
He regarded her for a long moment, speechless with wonderment. “You will.”
“Thanks.” Her smile turned mischievous. “It’ll be easier now that I’ve got a job, even if it is only a temp job.”
He reached out and took her hand again, just wanting to touch her. “So you’ve found job satisfaction?”
She turned to face him, her mouth quirked up. “I think so.”
“Maybe we should explore other kinds of satisfaction, as well.”
Her breath hitched, and she dragged her teeth over her lower lip, the gesture supremely erotic. His blood heated, and he felt himself harden. The woman turned him on. No question about that. She craved the thrill of the job, but he craved the thrill of her.
He stroked her hand, tracing her fingers with a languid movement. She closed her eyes, her chest rising and falling as her breath quickened.
“Exactly what kind of satisfaction do you have in mind?” she asked, her tone laced with warm honey, though he doubted she was aware of the invitation in her voice.
He didn’t say anything, just traced a path to her breast, then cupped the soft weight in his palm. He idly caressed her nipple, noting with pleasure how it hardened under his touch. Her breathing was ragged, and her lips parted ever so slightly.
“As much satisfaction as you can handle, sweetheart,” he whispered. And right then he hoped she could handle a lot.
* * *
IT TOOK ALL of Mel’s concentration simply to breathe. Common sense screamed for her to push away, to tell him in no uncertain terms that she was there only for the job. That they couldn’t do this. That she couldn’t allow his looks, his touch, his kisses.
She was turned on, though, and not just by his hands on her body. He did things to her, wonderful things, but it was
more than that. It was the whole situation. She was going to be doing what she loved but without fear of recourse, and the anticipation tickled her senses.
She was trying so hard to keep him at arm’s length. She’d been doing so well. And then Kyle Radley had gone and dragged her back in. Only this time, she owed him everything, because this job was allowed. This job was okay. And the truth was that the new job, the thrill of the chase, and the man himself all combined to throw her senses into overdrive.
She was on fire. She wanted this man. And she didn’t have any earthly idea how to say no.
Why say no?
It didn’t matter that Kyle knew her secrets, didn’t matter because she knew she’d never have anything permanent with him. All that mattered was right then—that moment. She was worked up, tingling with desire. She craved him and he craved her and tomorrow could take care of itself.
Emboldened, she dropped her gaze, then with slow deliberation let her eyes drift upward over his jeans, over the telltale bulge at his crotch, and over the sexy white button-down that she so wanted to remove, all the way up to his eyes as she hoped to hell she wasn’t blushing.
She leaned in a bit more, so that his palm pressed more firmly against her breast. “How much satisfaction?” she asked, throwing his question back at him. “I think I can handle whatever you want to give.”
She’d hoped to knock him off balance with her careful inspection and bold words. But if he was wobbly, he hid it well. His eyes never wavered from her own, and that sexy grin that touched his lips was filled with one-hundred-percent male satisfaction.
She was wearing a sleeveless silk top, and he slipped his finger under the thin strap, then began to caress her shoulder, urging her closer as he did until she found herself wrapped in his arms, her rear end pressed against the edge of the conference table.
His hands were all over her, his breathing as ragged as her own. His hand slipped between their bodies to cup her sex, and she knew that she was already wet. She wanted him to yank her skirt up, to run his fingers over her panties and then inside the thin satin, to stroke her there. But she couldn’t tell him that. The words seemed stuck in her throat.
“What do you want, Melissa?” he asked.
“You.” She could manage only that one word, but it held a world of truth. She may not have planned this, but oh, how she wanted it. This man did things to her head, to her body, that no other man before ever did. She didn’t care about tomorrow, didn’t care that they’d wake up in the harsh light of reality instead of the warm glow of possibility. All she cared about was being in this man’s arms. “I want you.”
So desperately, in fact, that the power of her emotions scared her, all the more because this was not the Melissa Tanner she knew. That Melissa didn’t believe in one-night stands. But for Kyle—no, for her—she wanted it.
Hell, she needed it.
He held her close, enveloped in those strong shoulders. That firm chest. Her nipples peaked under her top and she knew that even though this was a very bad idea, she was going to do it, anyway.
Slowly he inched her skirt up, his fingers caressing her bare thighs as he did. “Do you like that?”
She nodded against his shoulder, biting back the urge to demand that he hurry. He was taking his sweet time, and no matter how desperate her body was for his, she was determined to enjoy every single minute.
When her skirt was bunched up around her waist, he stepped back and let his gaze roam over her body, leaving her skin hot and needy in its wake.
“Soon,” he whispered, and she felt herself blush. Her desire must be flashing like a big, red beacon. The realization should have reined her in, but it didn’t. She did want him. Desperately. Hungrily. As she’d never wanted a man before.
She was certain he wanted her just as badly and she reached out, finding a boldness she’d never known before, to stroke the bulge in his jeans. “How soon?” she demanded, thoroughly satisfied when he closed his eyes and let out a slow, sensual groan.
He cupped his hand over hers, stilling her exploration. “Too soon,” he said, “if you keep that up.”
She smiled like a self-satisfied cat, but let her hand slip away. Too soon wouldn’t do at all.
With a sweet smile touching her lips, she looked up at him, tried for demure and innocent and was sure she was failing miserably. “How bad do you want me there?”
He chuckled, a low, sensual noise. And then he stepped closer, until his hands were on her waist. He lifted her until she was sitting on the table rather than leaning against it. Without a word, he spread her legs and stepped inside the V made by her thighs. The soft area inside her legs pressed against the waistband of his jeans and, though there was nothing particularly erotic about the touch, it was all she could do not to slide forward on the table and grind herself against him.
He trailed his finger down her neck and between her breasts. Her nipples hardened and her mouth went dry. She desperately wanted him to kiss her, but she also wanted to see where he would lead them.
Lower and lower his finger traveled, ending up at the rumple of linen skirt at her waist. “Oh no,” he whispered. “Fair Melissa’s clothes are amiss.”
She lifted a brow. “‘Fair Melissa’? What are you? A knight?”
He leaned in close and nibbled on her earlobe. “More like a Viking raider. I do plan on pillaging.”
She swallowed. “Pillaging?”
“Absolutely.” His fingers danced to her back, finding the button and zipper. She wriggled a little, helping as he tugged the skirt off completely. Her clothes were no longer just amiss, they were missing, and she wanted his the same way. She clutched at his shirt, her fingers finding the tiny buttons and undoing them one by one. When they were unfastened, he yanked the shirt off, dropping it to the floor.
He brushed his lips over her cheek, the stubble of his beard rough against her skin. His hands gripped her arms, pulling her close. “You’re beautiful.” His soft whisper brushed her ear, sending fireflies of desire skittering across her skin.
His words teased her senses, and she closed her eyes, losing herself to him as he pulled her close, his hand stroking her skin as they eased up her top. His thumb brushed the underside of her breast, and she shivered. “No bra,” he said. “How lucky for me.”
“I like to dress for seduction,” she said. “Drives the men wild.”
“It’s certainly driving me wild.” His hands slipped back down, his fingers gripping the hem of her shirt. He tugged it up and over her head as the cool air caressed her heated skin. He dropped her shirt onto the table. “Now you’re dressed for seduction.”
“I stand corrected,” she murmured, tilting her head back just slightly as his lips brushed her neck.
He brushed a trail of kisses down her neck, then down between her breasts. His hands skimmed down until he was grazing her thighs with his hands. He bent lower then, and she gasped as he pressed soft kisses to her inner thighs, inching higher and higher until his mouth closed over her sex, a thin layer of satin the only barrier between her and the most intimate of kisses.
She pressed her palms flat against the table, her back arched, as he teased her with his tongue and his finger. He was taking her to the edge, closer and closer, and any moment now her body was going to explode. She moaned, her whole body tingling with wild sensations, and her sex throbbing with need.
He stood then, leaving her desperate and needy. His lips brushed hers, stifling her low moan of protest, before he littered kisses over her face, ending up at her ear and tugging gently on the lobe. “I want you,” he said. And then, to prove it, he slipped his hand down between their bodies. His fingers slid under the nylon of her panties, his forefinger finding her slick heat.
“Tell me, Melissa,” he whispered as he stroked her into a frenzy. “Tell me that you want me, too.”
* * *
“I WANT YOU,” she said, her palms cupping his behind. Her voice was soft, barely a murmur, but the fire in her eyes confirmed the
words. As far as Kyle was concerned, they were the best words he’d heard in a long time. “I shouldn’t, but I do.”
He traced her jawline with the tip of his finger. “Why’s that?”
Her breathing was ragged, and he watched as her areola puckered, all sweet and inviting. He wanted to taste her, but he wanted to listen to what she had to say, too.
She drew in another breath, but didn’t answer. He paused midcaress. “Am I making it hard for you to think? Should I just stop?”
“Don’t you dare.”
“Then tell me.”
“I’m…I’m the wrong sort of girl for you.”
“Seems I’m the best judge of that.” He knew what she meant, of course. Her family, her past. But he didn’t care. She said she was retired, and he believed her. All that mattered to him now was the way she made him laugh and the way she felt in his arms.
She turned her head, a deep sadness underlying the passion in her eyes. “No illusions, right? We’re just two people who are incredibly attracted to each other.”
“Incredibly,” he confirmed.
“This isn’t…real.” She licked her lips. “It’s just sex.”
It wasn’t just sex to him. He didn’t think anything could be just sex where Melissa was concerned. She opened his heart and that was something he couldn’t deny. But he couldn’t tell her that, not now. And the truth was, he had enough on his plate without trying to squeeze in a relationship. They needed time, and so he was willing to coddle her hesitation. At least for a little while.
“It will be sex,” he said, forcing a grin, “if you’ll shut up and let me get busy.”
It worked. The haunted look in her eyes dimmed, leaving only the desire. A deep, burning desire that fired his senses.
Lord, how he wanted this woman.
“Then hurry up,” she said. “Hurry up and kiss me.”
She didn’t have to ask twice. He wanted her, needed her, and he took the invitation, greedily pressing his lips to hers and drinking deep. Her lips parted, and their tongues met. It was raw and wild and utterly satisfying. A frenzied buildup of all the passion they’d kept buried. Lord knows he’d been on edge since the first moment he’d seen her.