If he’s not careful, she’ll steal his heart, too...

Shillings Agency employee Jake Forsythe is not happy to discover that the thief who he has to track down is none other than his ex-

partner from his past. Now he’s forced to blackmail her into submission…or throw her in jail.

Tara Harris steals from the rich and corrupted, returning objects to their rightful owners one case at a time. When Jake shows up in

her life, at first, she’s thrilled. But then when she finds out that she has to help the man she stole from or go to jail…it’s the choice

between two evils.

These two can’t deny the burning passion between them, but when push comes to shove, they’ll have to lay their hearts and their lives

on the line.

Stealing

EART

HILLING

GENCY

NOVEL

IANE

LBERTS

Best Man with Benefits
Seducing the Bridesmaid

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the

author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons,

living or dead, is coincidental.

or transmit in any form or by any means. For information regarding subsidiary rights, please contact

the Publisher.

Entangled Publishing, LLC

2614 South Timberline Road

Suite 109

Fort Collins, CO 80525

Visit our website at

www.entangledpublishing.com

Brazen is an imprint of Entangled Publishing, LLC. For more information on our titles, visit

www.brazenbooks.com

Edited by Candace Havens

Cover design by Heather Howland

ISBN 978-1-63375-061-6

Manufactured in the United States of America

First Edition August 2014

For Greg. Thank you for putting up with my crazy.

Chapter One

Tara Harris slipped into the shadows of the trees, her breath coming fast. For a second, she was sure

she’d been had. There was a shout, followed by some scuffling from inside the house. She’d been

worried the door would open, and she’d be caught in her black jeans and sweatshirt on the jerk’s

front porch.

But the door remained closed. All signs of possible discovery from within had silenced. Her

careful calculations hadn’t failed her…yet.

She hunkered down behind the overgrown plant, peeking around it cautiously. Right on schedule,

the door opened and out came her target. He wore an expensive suit, and had his arms slung over two

half-naked women. Mistresses vying for a new provider, more than likely. They must be desperate if

they were trying to catch him on their hook. He had a reputation for being more of a dick in bed than

he was out of it.

And that was saying a lot.

As the threesome passed, she held completely still, not daring to so much as breathe. This was the

crucial moment. It was the small span of time where she could be seen, if she’d been even a

centimeter off in her calculations. The chauffeur opened the door for them, and the group slid inside.

Within seconds, they were gone. And she was alone.

Thank God.

She took a shaky breath, allowing herself a moment of victory before she moved her focus back to

the house. Lurking behind the shrubbery, she made sure no one turned on the lights. One could never

be too careful when it came to breaking and entering, after all. A few assignments back, she’d entered

a house immediately after her target left and walked in on a celebrity’s husband, naked and

handcuffed to the bed.

He’d assumed she was the dominatrix he had ordered, come to bring him pleasure laced with a

healthy dose of pain. She’d sent the real dominatrix away. Retrieved the item from his home she’d

come to steal back, and left him for his wife to find. The next day, the tabloids reported he was in

rehab for “personal issues.”

Seemed silly to go to rehab for enjoying sex, but who was she to talk? She wasn’t exactly an expert

in the S&M department. She wasn’t the type to relinquish control to a man, whether it be in the

bedroom or out of it, so she might not be the best fit for that lifestyle…no matter how much she liked

reading about it in books.

When the interior of the house remained still and dark, she pulled the hood of her sweatshirt over

her head and crept to the door. Since she’d done her homework beforehand—obviously—she already

knew it would take mere seconds to disarm the security system. It was ridiculously easy. Too easy,

really. She almost wished the idiot had gone to greater measures to keep a thief like her out. Almost.

But then again, it was rare she encountered a challenge anymore.

Although…she had struggled with a code last week. In fact, it had almost beaten her. But in the end,

she’d prevailed. She made it inside that asshole Soltese’s house, and the British earl who had flown

all the way to the United States for her help had his heirloom vase back in his country estate where it

belonged.

She’d get the same results tonight, too.

Glancing over her shoulder, she wired her phone into the system and waited for the code to pop up.

When the six-digit encryption lit her screen, she keyed it in. The green light flashed twice, and she

grinned. Easy as taking candy from a baby—not that she did that. She had to draw a line somewhere.

She entered the same digital password into the front-door system. People always thought that it was

safer to use these electronic locks. What they didn’t realize was any hacker worth their salt could

easily break in. And once they had the code…they could get anything they wanted. And she wanted

that painting.

She’d get it, too.

Slowly, she opened the door, wincing when the hinges creaked. After shutting it behind her, she

shoved her phone into her pocket and headed left toward the family room. According to her source,

that’s where the artwork would be. It was. The expensive piece hung over the fireplace in the opulent

room. The muted hues of the meadow were more striking in their simplicity than she’d ever believed

possible.

She took a second to admire it. The piece of work had been completed in 1547, and had been in the

royal family until the early nineteen hundreds. After that, it had mysteriously been sold to an unknown

buyer. After years of obscurity, it had shown up deep inside the Viotollo mob. The head of the crime

family had stolen it from a wealthy American CEO when the man refused to sell it to him, and she had

every intention of returning it to him.

She wished she could hang it over her fireplace for a little while. It would go nicely with her

Monet. But this one wasn’t for her. It was for her employer, and she wouldn’t steal from a good

person like him. It was against her code.

Even thieves like her had rules.

She took a step toward the framed piece, flexing her gloved fingers. When she was halfway across

the room, the hair on the back of her neck stood up. A hushed footstep and a small shift in the air

alerted her to the presence of another person.

Someone was watching her.

She tried to spin around as quickly as she could, but she was too late. Within seconds of her

sensing another person in the room with her, she was pinned face-first against the wall. The arms that

closed around her were strong and solid, yet the man’s grip was gentle.

Something slammed across her mouth, effectively cutting off her cry—and her breath, too. She

kicked backward, desperate to strike out at her attacker in any way she could, but she didn’t hit

anything. If anything, the arms encircling her squeezed tighter.

Jesus, who was this guy? The freaking Rock?

“Shh.” Her captor pressed his cheek against her temple, his hot breath washing over her ear. For

some reason, her body responded to his touch. As if it knew him already. What. The. Hell? “Don’t

move. I’m going to uncover your mouth, but if you make a sound, you’re done. Understand?”

Aaaand that explained her body’s reaction.

She knew that voice. She would know it anywhere. Jake Forsythe, the man she’d had a crush on all

throughout her teenage years…and then some. What was he doing here? Was he up to his old ways?

No.

Last she’d heard, he was in Iraq fighting the war against terror. Right before he left, they had shared

one glorious night together, where they’d been thisclose to sealing the deal, but something held him

back. He’d left her naked on her bed, and they hadn’t spoken since.

She didn’t know he’d returned to the country, let alone Maine.

“If I let go, will you stay quiet?” he asked, his voice raspy. “Will you obey me?”

Obey him? That sounded oddly sexy coming from his lips. As if he was demanding she succumb to

him in more ways than this. She shivered and nodded obediently, though she wanted to flee now more

than ever.

He slowly lowered his hand, but didn’t release her. “Be a good girl…”

Carefully, she kept her head turned away, on the off chance he hadn’t seen her face yet. She licked

her parched lips. “I’ll leave, and I won’t come back. I came into your house by accident. My mistake,

sir.”

“Nice try, Tara.” He rested his chin on the top of her head. He was pressed so tightly against her

that she could feel every inch of his body…even the parts she’d tried so hard to forget about. “I knew

who you were before you stepped on that porch.”

She lowered her lids and took a shaky breath. Her traitorous heart sped when his arms flexed

around her, and she’d swear he pushed his hips against her even though he hadn’t moved. “Can’t

blame a girl for trying, can you? It’s been years since I last saw you.”

She refused to mention what they’d been doing the last time they’d seen each other. It was better

left unsaid.

“I suppose it has been, but you’re pretty damn memorable. I mean, you’ve grown up and all…” He

lifted his head off of hers, and she could sense him looking down at her. “But you still look the same

to me. If I let go, will you behave yourself?”

“Do I ever?” she asked lightly.

“That doesn’t exactly make me want to let go of you,” he said without a trace of amusement in his

voice. If anything, he sounded annoyed. “Will you be good, or not? What’s it gonna be?”

She didn’t move. “It’s been a while since I had a man pressing me up against a wall. I’m cool like

this if you are. Feel free to move around a bit, too, if you’d like. Could be fun—for old times’ sake.”

Instead of the laugh she expected out of him, he sighed. Man, the Marines had stolen his sense of

humor. A couple of tours probably did that to a guy. “I’m serious. Will you remain where you are?”

“Fine. I’ll be good,” she promised.

“All right.” He let go of her instantly, stepping back enough to allow her breathing room. “It’s been

a while.”

“Yeah.” She closed her eyes for a second, steeling herself for the way she’d feel when they locked

eyes once more. All grown up and ready to take on the world. “Too long. You should’ve called.”

Her whole body throbbed with excitement and desire now that he was back here with her—which

wasn’t fair. Last time she’d seen him, before he’d made her come and run off before she’d been able

to return the favor, he’d promised to write to her. She’d promised to behave. Turned out they sucked

at keeping promises.

Especially him.

“I know.” He cleared his throat. “Life’s been busy.”

She turned around to face him, but splayed her hands against the wall on either side of her hips as

she did a quick once-over of the man she’d once been crazy about.

Holy. Crap. He was hotter than she’d dreamed.

Like, much hotter than he’d been back when he was a scrawny eighteen-year-old leaving for war.

Back when they shared their almost-night together. He’d just been starting to become the man he was

today. And that man? He oozed confidence and raw, dirty sex.

Really, really dirty sexy.

She swallowed hard, her heart quickening. He had a few lines around his brows and mouth,

probably from squinting in the desert sun, but his moss-green eyes spoke of things he’d seen that she

would never begin to understand. Without a doubt, he’d gotten hotter.

More dangerous.

She ran her gaze down his body, taking all of him in. His biceps were huge and rock-hard, and

she’d bet he sported a six-pack under that shirt of his, too. “You were busy for eight years?”

He lifted a shoulder. “It happens. But you were a hell of a lot easier to lure than I thought you’d be,

all things considered.”

“You didn’t lure me here. I’m on a case for—”

“Mr. Washington.” He bowed. “Nice to meet you officially, Ms. Harris.”

“No. You didn’t.”

He laughed, the sound both annoyingly cocky and intensely attractive all at once. “Oh, I did. How’s

it feel to be duped by an old friend?”

She forced her attention back to his face—and the conversation. When she locked gazes with him,

she drew in a deep breath. While she’d been watching him, he’d been watching her. And now his

eyes held a new darkness in them. Her insides quivered in response.

Shaking the unwelcome feelings off, she asked, “Wait. Are you saying you tricked me into coming

here tonight?”

“Are you feeling okay? You’re really slow tonight.” He cocked a brown brow. “Are you really that

surprised I could outthink you? I’ve done it before.”

She crossed her arms. “That’s up for debate.”

“Which part? The part about you being slow tonight, or the whole me-tricking-you-before thing?”

“The latter.” She stared him down, trying to regain her equilibrium in the face of the landslide that

was Jake. “I’m never slow, and you know it.”

“Let me count the ways I’ve tricked you.” He held out his hand and counted off as he said, “The

high school dance. Graduation. The night I tied you to a tree and made you—”

“Okay, okay. I get the point,” she cut in impatiently, her cheeks going hot. “That’s not what I meant,

though. I meant why would you want to lure me in?”

“Why not?”

She canted her head. “You haven’t exactly been trying to get a hold of me since you went off to fight

for freedom and country. You left your past in the past, though you swore you’d write to me once you

got there. Obviously, I was part of that past you wanted to forget.”

It had been as if he was afraid if he ever contacted her again, he’d have to finish or something.

Instead of risking it…he’d easily cut her out of his life.

It had hurt.

He glanced away and shifted his weight on his feet. “I didn’t want to forget you, Tara. I just …” He

broke off, rubbing his jaw. “I was a kid. So were you.”

“I know.” She stared him down. “But you could have written. You broke your promise to me.”

Something flashed through his expression, but it left quickly. “You broke your promise to me, too.

You’re still a thief.”

Not really. She wasn’t one of the bad guys anymore. “I don’t steal anymore, not like I used to.

Now, I—”

“I know what you do,” he pointed out. “I hired you, remember? But stealing is stealing…and that’s

what you’re doing.”

She clamped her mouth shut, stealing another glance at him. His brown hair was disheveled, his

eyes were icy, and the hard line of his mouth told her more than words ever could how he felt about

that. He was hot when he was angry. “Are we really going to play catch-up in a house we’ve both

broken into?”

He crossed his arms. His light green gaze slid down her body, and back up, sending shivers through

her body. Freaking. Shivers. Over the years, he’d apparently developed a way of looking at her that

fooled her mind into thinking he’d done more than simply look. “I didn’t break in. You did.”

“What? Wait a second. Are you a…?” She did another quick glance down his body, not letting

herself get distracted this time. He wore a gun on his hip, and since he’d always liked to prepare for

all eventualities, he more than likely had another strapped to his ankle. He also had something in his

pocket.

A badge, maybe?

He rocked back on his heels. “Am I a what? I’m dying of anticipation.”

Ignoring him, she continued on her thought process. She didn’t think he’d become a cop. Even he

couldn’t have gone that clean. Which left… “Let me guess. Private security?”

He laughed. “Your creepy Sherlock-ian powers of observation are still as strong as ever, I see.”

“Did you expect any different?”

He sighed. “No. It’s actually why I wanted to see you.”

She had the insane urge to run her thumb over his chin dimple, like she used to ache to do. She’d

been too scared to make a move back then. Even on that night. Too much of a girl and not enough of a

woman. But she wasn’t that little girl anymore.

Maybe he was counting on her still being that little girl, and he was hoping to take advantage of her

childhood crush to lure her into some scheme of his. She shook her head slightly and took a sideways

step toward the entry. Time to walk away from him and all the troubles he’d brought to her door.

“Whatever you’re selling, I’m not buying.”

“Wait.” With one diagonal step, he blocked her escape with his hard, lean body. God, when had he

gotten so freaking big? “We need to talk, Tara.”

She frowned at him, irritated at his insistence despite the way her pulse leaped at his proximity.

“Not in here. You want to talk? Come with me. You’ll have my undivided attention outside of this

house.”

“We’ll be fine here. The owner won’t be back until tomorrow morning.” He dragged his fingers

through his brown hair, making it stand on end. “We’re quite alone, and you’re not going anywhere

without hearing me out first.”

“Fine.” Her temper rose, but she forced herself to remain calm. Outwardly, at least. “What do you

want?”

He curled his hands into fists. “I need your help with a project.”

She laughed. Did he really think she would pick up where they left off? Happily go on another

mission with him, acting as his sidekick? Hell no. She wasn’t anyone’s helper anymore. She worked

alone. “I’m not interested. We’re not even friends anymore, let alone thieving buddies. And I don’t

work with men I don’t trust. Remember?”

His jaw tightened. He was so uptight and wound up. When had he become so serious? “Yeah, but

you have to help me anyway. I’m not asking you. I’m telling you.”

No one told her what to do anymore, but she’d play along to get more information out of him. She

fought back the snappy remark that flew to her tongue at his condescending attitude, trying to act as if

she weren’t alarmed in the slightest by his reappearance in her life. “I can’t think of a possible reason

why I would want to help you.”

He stared her down with a hard, stony glint in his stare. “Because you don’t have a choice.”

“I always have a choice.” She took a step to the left, focusing on the door. Her heart beat a rapid

staccato. “And I choose to walk away from you right now.”

He stepped in her way. Again. “Okay, you’re right. You do have a choice.”

“I know I do. Now if you’ll excuse me…” She scooted to his left, but he blocked her for the

millionth time. Anger surged in her veins, finally killing off any lingering lust she’d been feeling

earlier. She fought the urge to throat-punch him. Barely. “I’m not afraid to kick you in the nuts. Get.

Out. Of. My. Way.”

He pulled out an iPhone, not even slightly concerned about the safety of his nuts, and started

punching in his pass code. “Sorry. No can do. Now…about those choices. Here are yours. While you

were busy watching the people leaving the house, I was busy watching you.” He stopped with his

fingers hovering over the screen and his gaze locked on her. “And you can bet your ass that I have a

video feed of you breaking and entering this house. Trust me. I got a clear shot of your face.”

No. Just…no.

This couldn’t be happening.

“Show me the proof,” she snapped, her stomach roiling. If he’d caught her…she was screwed.

“Where’s the footage?”

He turned the phone her way, the video of her breaking in already playing on the screen. When she

looked directly at the hidden camera, giving him the perfect view of her face, her heart quickened so

fast it hurt. “Seriously? You’re going to narc on me?”

“Yes. I am. Unless…” He returned her stare, and the heat of his stare scorched into her. But on top

of that, she could read a hesitance in his gaze. Maybe even a little bit of shame, too. “…you help me.”

She pressed her lips together. “Screw you. I can’t believe you’re doing this to me.”

“I don’t have a choice, unlike you. You will do exactly what I tell you to do, or go to jail for your

crimes. Your choice.”

Son of a bitch.

Chapter Two

Jake watched Tara’s face go from pale to dangerously red. She wasn’t the only one who had wicked

observation skills. Right now, he observed she was pissed off at him. He didn’t blame her, because

he’d be angry as hell, too, if someone from his past showed up and blackmailed him into submission.

But before the fury set in, before she realized his plan…

She’d been looking at him as if she wanted nothing more than to pick up where they’d left off all

those years ago, with his fingers in between her legs. Damned if he didn’t want to, too. But he

wouldn’t. There had been a reason he stopped before fucking her, and those reasons still held true.

She deserved better.

He wished he could go back in time and do things differently. He’d have never touched her,

because all these years he’d been unable to get over her. Unable to move on. And now, he was about

to fuck it up even more. She’d always been there for him, and now he was doing this. Repaying her

kindness with blackmail.

“Don’t look at me like that,” he said, guilt choking him.

“I’ll look at you any way I want to look at you,” she snapped. “Does your big sister know you’re

playing with extortion now?”

“I don’t normally have to,” he returned. “But with you, it’s the only way to win.”

She cocked her head. “Sure it is. Tell me. How is Christine nowadays? I haven’t talked to her since

the night we got arrested.”

His big sister, Christine, had been so fucking pissed off at him that night. She’d been away at

college, but had threatened to fly home to kick his ass. She was only a year older than him, but man,

he’d felt like a small child that night on the phone. “She’s fine. Stop trying to distract me from the real

topic at hand. It won’t work.”

She crossed her arms, clearly intending to ignore his warning. “Did you ever tell her about your

abusive foster father, or did you keep her in the dark about that, too?”

He clenched his fists, his anger at her and the memories she was bringing back choking him. “No.

And I never will.” He ground his teeth together so hard it hurt. “I did what it took to survive until I got

caught. After that, I never stole a damn thing again.”

“Except my freedom. You’re stealing that now.”

“Until now,” he agreed, his voice hard. “But if you’d stopped thieving like you promised me, you

wouldn’t be in this predicament.”

“Let me get this straight,” she said through clenched teeth. “You’re threatening to get me tossed

behind bars, and then daring to blame me for it?”

The way she said it, as if he’d claimed her first-born child for slavery, almost had him backing

down. But he refused. He knew what he had to do. “Yep.”

“Bullshit.” She clenched her fists. “You won’t report me to the police.”

He cocked a brow. “I will. I might be the Jake you used to run with on the streets, but I’m not the

same boy you once knew. Don’t make the mistake of thinking I am.”

“Go ahead, then.” She tilted her head back and glared at him. “Do it. Call it in.”

He’d known she would call his bluff. She hadn’t changed much in that aspect over the years. Back

then, she would have won this little wager. He wouldn’t have turned her in. But things changed—and

people did, too.

After one long, piercing stare he lifted his phone and dialed the number for his boss, Cooper

Shillings. She fidgeted, but didn’t try to run for it. Hell, she probably thought he would still cave in

and show her he didn’t really intend to turn her in.

She’d be waiting a hell of a long time.

Cooper picked up on the first ring. “Yeah?”

“Remember the independent contractor I mentioned bringing in on the Soltese case?”

“Of course.” Papers shuffled. “Is she resisting?”

“She is. What should I do with her? Bring her into the station?”

Tara cursed under her breath and stepped closer. “Don’t even think about doing this to me, Jake.

Not to me. You promised you’d always be there for me. That you’d always have my back.”

The guilt almost did him in. Almost. “I still do.”

“Prove it,” she said, not dropping his stare. “Let me go.”

“You know what to do with her,” Cooper said from the phone, his voice low. “We already

discussed this. If she won’t help, then she has to go in.”

Jake stretched his arm high over his head, what he wanted to do warring with what he knew he had

to do. His shirt rode up a little bit. Immediately, her attention dipped south, but then she forced it back

to his face. She scowled at him, but he’d swear there was still a hint of desire behind the hatred.

Interesting.

“If she doesn’t help, then she has to go in?” he asked, for her benefit.

“Yeah…I just said that. Why are you repeating everything I say?” Cooper paused. “Oh. I see what

you’re doing. Dragging it out to see if she changes her mind?” Cooper chuckled. “Good luck with that.

From what I read in her file, you’ll need it. Are you doing okay with the intake, even with your past?”

“Yep. I’ve got it.” He nodded once. “I’ll cuff her and make sure she—”

Tara threw her hands up, trembling slightly. “Fine. I’ll help you, you traitorous, arrogant, jerk of a

man. God, I hate you.”

Jake’s grip tightened on his phone. Victory was his. He’d known he would win this battle, but it

didn’t make it any less sweet. Or any less hard. “Never mind. She’s agreed to help us.”

“Good,” Cooper said, amusement in his voice. “Oh. And watch your back.”

He cut off the line and studied her. She was breathing heavily, lids lowered into narrow slits. Did

she still carry a weapon on her? Fuck, he hoped not. If so, she might stab him in the heart at the first

chance she got. Maybe he should conduct a strip search, just to be safe. He ground his teeth together at

the need that thought brought out in him.

Never mind. That would be a bad idea. Anything that involved touching her would be a bad idea.

“I’m sorry it had to be this way, but—”

“Sorry?” She cocked her fist back and took a swing. He barely had enough warning to leap away.

“I’ll show you sorry.”

This time when she went after him again, he was ready. He caught her wrist and pulled her into his

arms. He pressed her against the wall, much as he had before, but this time she faced him. Big.

Mistake. She glowered at him and tried to squirm free. Her body writhed against every inch of his,

connecting in all the right places, and he swallowed a groan.

So much for not touching her.

Her breasts rose and fell with each harsh breath she took, and her eyes spit fire at him. He knew if

he let her go, she’d more likely punch him than kiss him.

But he didn’t give a damn.

He still wanted her.

She tugged against his hold, shoving her tits against him harder. He squished her between his chest

and the wall, leaving no free room between them whatsoever. “You done fighting me yet?”

“Argh.” She flung her head back and scowled at him. “Let go of me you…you…”

“Need some help?” He lowered his face to hers. “Asshole? Jerk? Fuckwad?”

Her cheeks flushed, and she locked gazes with him. The air between them became charged with

desire. Her pupils flared, and she bit down on her tongue. “All of those.”

“Ah. Awesome. Glad we got that straightened out. Are you done trying to teach me a lesson yet?”

he drawled.

She tossed her head back, effectively getting her wavy brown hair out of her sparkling blue eyes.

Her cheeks were flushed, and her hair wild. “Are you done shoving me up against walls for no

apparent reason…unless you’re intending to take advantage of me? Is that what your next move is

going to be? Seduce me into submission?”

She had no idea how strong of an effect her words had on him. For a second, he had the unbearable

desire to kiss her. To find out if her eyes still shone that bright when she was moaning beneath him,

begging him for release. To see if she still made that little sound in the back of her throat when she

came.

The sound that had haunted him for years.

The hardest thing he’d ever done was walk away from her, but it had been for the best. She hadn’t

known what she was getting herself into when she’d kissed him back. She deserved so much more

than he could give her. She should be with a prince—not a guy like him.

He forced a snort. “I have no intention of taking advantage of you…in that way. I’m only interested

in your brain, and how you can help me get my job done.”

Fucking liar.

“It’s all you’ve ever been interested in, it seems,” she muttered under her breath.

“Excuse me?” he asked, amusement creeping into him for the first time in…Christ. He didn’t know

how long. “I didn’t quite get that.”

“I asked you if you ever do anything for fun? Or are you too busy bribing women, and protecting

assholes all the time, to do something that’s not one hundred percent for work?”

“I don’t know what fun is anymore.” He cleared his throat, avoiding her gaze when she stared at

him without speaking. Damn, he hadn’t meant to be so honest with her. “Are you going to behave or

what?”

A hint of sympathy flashed across her face, but it disappeared as quickly as it came. “Jake,” she

said, her voice slightly softer than it had been before.

Something inside him twisted at the way she said his name. It reminded him of long days in the sun

with her at his side, and even longer nights spent planning a heist. But the feelings she was bringing

out in him now? They were far from what he’d felt for her back then. And having her under his

control, pinned down beneath him, was bringing way too many of his adult fantasies to life. She

shifted in his arms, her breasts rubbing against his chest with painful clarity.

“Stop moving around so damn much,” he mumbled.

The slight softness in her tone went away. “Let go of me, and I will.”

“So you can take another swing at me?” He snorted and tightened his grip on her. “I don’t think so.

I’m not letting you go until I’m damn good and ready.”

Which might be never.

“God, you’re such an ass now.” She dropped her head back against the wall, her gaze still full of

anger and maybe even hatred.

He readjusted his grip, and his chest moved against hers. Her hard nipples rubbed against him

through their clothing. When she hissed at the contact, he froze. “You only think that because I’m

winning.”

Her generous mouth pressed into a tight line. “I’m going to kill you.”

“Good luck. Lots have tried. None have succeeded.”

She paled, but then seemed to shake off whatever had affected her. “You’ve never dealt with me

once I’ve been wronged.”

“You’ll get over it,” he said. “You always do.”

“That’s what you think.”

He pressed closer, letting his erection just barely touch her. Though he shouldn’t tempt himself, he

couldn’t resist. He hadn’t stopped thinking about her since that night when they’d almost fucked, but

hadn’t. She’d been so sweet. So soft. So perfect.

Too good for a guy like him.

If she struggled against him, or acted as if his holding her was truly unwelcome, he’d let go

instantly. Instead, she arched her hips experimentally, biting down on her lower lip. Well, shit.

She clamped her mouth shut. “You’d be safer overseas with the insurgents than trying to start

anything handsy with me right now.”

Oh, she had no clue what she was talking about. He’d nearly gotten his damned leg blown off over

there. Surely she would be more receptive than the insurgents. But judging from the anger blazing in

those baby blues, maybe not.

“Hm.” He shifted her in his arms. All he could think about was fucking her against this wall. Hard.

Fast. Rough. He needed to release her now, before it was too late. Before he started something he

shouldn’t. “I’m not so sure about that.”

When he pressed even closer to her soft belly, she tossed her head back, her arched neck showing

him more than any other action could. She practically begged him to kiss her there. To take her. He

didn’t move a muscle. Not yet.

“Jake…”

“I’m sorry I left you that night.” He lowered his face to her neck, but didn’t touch. “Sorry I didn’t

finish what I started.”

She shook her head frantically, but her hips moved restlessly against him. “I don’t even know what

you’re talking about. I don’t remember—”

“Bullshit.” His grip on her tightened. “You know what I’m talking about, so don’t act as if you

don’t. You’re not fooling either of us with that act.”

She exhaled. “It doesn’t matter. You obviously weren’t interested in finishing. You made that quite

clear. There’s no need for explanations years after the fact.”

Not interested, his ass. “I was interested.” He hesitated, not sure how much to say. Not sure how to

explain himself. “I wanted you more than I’ve ever wanted anyone before.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Then why did you stop?”

“I wasn’t good enough for you. The things I did…the things I liked…you deserved better. You

needed better. Still do.” He shook his head, pressing his mouth into a tight line. “We wouldn’t work

together, let’s just put it that way.”

“I’ll let you believe that if it makes you feel better,” she said, her brows gathered close. “Whatever

helps you sleep at night, man.”

“Being alone helps me sleep at night.” He pulled back without tasting her. It was a hell of a lot

harder than he’d thought it would be. “It’s safer that way for everyone.”

When he started to pull away, she wrapped her leg around his, opening herself to him. “Wait. Why

do you think you need to be alone?”

He could feel her heat begging for his cock. He rolled his hips, making sure to rub against her clit

through her jeans. It felt good. Too good.

Time to end these games.

“I didn’t tell you to move,” he said, his voice harder than necessary. He needed to show her how he

rolled in bed. Needed to scare her off so she’d stop pushing him. If she pushed too hard, he might

snap. “Don’t move without asking me first. Understood?”

“Wh-What?” She shot him a wary look, her brow furrowed. Had he scared her with his warning? If

so, then his plan had worked. “I don’t wait for orders from anyone. Especially not you.”

“That’s why I walked away from you that night.” He nipped at the spot where her shoulder and

neck met, hard enough to reprimand her for her insolence. He hadn’t meant to get so proprietary so

fast, but with her? He didn’t have a choice. “When I fuck a woman, she needs to play by my rules. She

needs to obey me. You’re not that woman.”

She moistened her plump pink lips. “O-Obey you? That’s…that’s…archaic.”

He adjusted his grip on her wrists so he could hold her with one hand. Then, he grabbed her thigh

and wrapped it around his waist. His cock nestled perfectly against her, and he thrust his hips as best

as he could with their damn clothes in the way. “Yes, obey me. Don’t worry. You’d love every

second of it.”

Something fell off the table next to them, probably from his movement, and she startled. It was

enough to snap him out of the hazy fog of desire that had clouded his judgment. She deserved better

than this. Better than him. He sighed and forced his mind back to business, where it should have been

all along.

“Will you behave if I stop holding you still?”

“What if I don’t? Will you spank me?” she asked, laughter in her tone.

His dick hardened even more at the taunt, because he’d love nothing more than to bend her over and

smack her until she wore his handprint on her ass like some sort of stamp. She obviously thought she

laughed off his warning, but when she caught sight of his face, she froze. He didn’t say anything to

indicate how much her comment had turned him on. Just stared back at her silently.

She hesitated, seeming unsure of herself. “Fine. Yes. Just get me out of here.”

Letting go of her thigh, he stepped back. He forced a calm expression to his face. “You heard the

name of the case. Does it ring a bell?”

The recognition was in her stare, but she apparently decided to play dumb. She should’ve known

better, because he knew her too well to fall for it. “I don’t remember it.”

“Soltese,” he repeated. She averted her face at the name. Bingo. Guilty. “He was robbed last week.

A priceless vase.”

“Oh, trust me. It wasn’t priceless,” she muttered.

He clamped his jaw. She had always been far too smart-assed for her own good, and it had finally

caught up with her. “The culprit was never apprehended.”

“I’m sure he wasn’t.”

“She escaped through a high-level security system that should have kept her in.”

“That baby crap?” Tara snorted, giving up the pretense that she hadn’t been involved in the crime.

“Please.”

He stiffened. “That baby crap was done by me.”

“Really?” Her gaze flew to his. “Wow. You’ve lost your touch.”

His fingers flexed. “I haven’t lost a damn thing.”

“Could’ve fooled me.”

“Tara.”

“Okay, okay.” She blew out a breath that ruffled her mahogany bangs. “What about it? Let me guess.

You want the vase back?”

“I’m sure it’s too late for that. Where did it go?”

She smirked. “Returned to its rightful owner, of course. That is what I was hired to do. It’s my

job.”

“Damn it, Tara,” he said, tugging on his hair. “You have no idea what you’ve started with your

actions.”

She canted her head. “You seem tense.”

He frowned at her. “That’s because I am tense.”

Because of her.

“I can see that.” She reached out to touch his face, but he jerked away. “When’s the last time you

—”

“Stop it. Stop acting like you care about when I last laughed or went to a movie,” he said, his tone

leaving no room for argument. “I’m fine.”

She shrugged, but otherwise ignored him.

“Let’s focus on what really matters. Soltese is pissed that you got past my security measures. If we

don’t fix it and make his house impenetrable, he’ll leave the company. And take all his high-profile

buddies with him,” he said.

She laughed. “I fail to see how this is my problem.”

She took a step to the left, and he mirrored her in case she ran for it. He couldn’t run fast ever since

the IED explosion that had nearly killed him, but he could damn well keep her where he wanted. “Oh,

did I fail to mention he’ll also be pressing charges against you if we don’t fix this?”

“How would he know who I am?”

“How do you think?” He caught her arm, his grip firm. “We’ve had every single high-tech person

we can possibly think of try to get past the security system I set up. Everyone has failed. Everyone

except you.”

She pursed her lips. They’d never been so damn kissable. “So what? I can’t help it that I’m smarter

than the average thief,” she said.

“You’re going to help me figure out what went wrong. You’re going to tell me what you did to get

past my system—then help me prevent it from happening again.” He let go of her. “In doing so, you’ll

be freed of all charges, and you won’t go to jail.”

“Fuck you.”

He scoffed. “Wow. Big-girl words. The Tara I knew wouldn’t have said that.”

“The Tara you knew grew up a long time ago.”

“If you’d grown up, you wouldn’t be in this house right now,” he replied.

She stomped her foot. “Who do you think you are, anyway?”

“Tonight? I’m your enemy and your captor.”

She glanced around him. “The same one who protects assholes who kill, devastate, and control the

world simply because they have a lot of zeroes in their bank account.”

He snorted. “Yeah? How many zeroes did I see in yours? Seven?”

She shoved his shoulder. He didn’t move. “That’s not fair and you know it. I didn’t want any of it.

Not at that cost.” She broke off and turned her head, swallowing hard. “I assure you, I wanted more

out of life than money.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to…well, you know.” He dragged his hands down his face and cursed

inwardly. “Look, it’s easy. Once you’re done helping me fix the code, you’ll be free to continue

robbing people and playing Robin Hood. Though we’d rather you stay away from Shillings clients

from now on.”

“No second chances, huh? No get out of jail free card?”

“Second chances are a waste of time.” He stepped back, taking care to make sure he didn’t put too

much pressure on his left leg. It still hurt if he stood too long, and he’d been standing for hours now.

“And you’re getting out of jail free after you help us.”

She rolled her eyes. “Second chances are a waste of time,” she mimicked, deepening her voice.

“You sound so serious. God. What happened to you?”

Ignoring her question, he made a sweeping gesture with his hand. “Ladies first.”

“Do I get to go home now?”

He rubbed his jaw. “Hell no. You’ll stay with me in my heavily secured house until we figure out a

solution.” He frowned at her. “You’ll be under my custody twenty-four-seven.”

“You want me to sleep at your place? With you?” She stumbled away from him, her eyes wide.

“Uh-uh. Not happening.”

He curled his fingers into fists, and then slowly unfurled them. “You’re mine until I say you’re free

to go. Argue all you want, but it won’t change anything. It’s as simple as that.”

She glowered at him, but headed for the door. As he watched her go, her lush ass swinging with

each step, he ached to find out if she felt as amazing against his body naked as she had clothed. But he

had a primary mission to focus on, and he couldn’t lose sight of that goal.

Get the code. Get rid of the girl. Simple.

With a grimace, he followed her. His limp was more pronounced than usual, but he tried to hide it.

Not because he cared what she thought. He didn’t. But if she knew his weakness?

She would be gone in a heartbeat.

Chapter Three

This was un-freaking-believable. She was actually being forced to live with her captor. And worse?

She wanted to screw the jerk. How could she desire the man who held the keys to her freedom over

her head? A man who didn’t think there was anything wrong with blackmailing her? It wasn’t fair.

None of this was fair.

After she’d given him her address, he’d taken her to her home and stood in her living room without

moving, arms crossed and foot tapping. It had been unnerving at best. He’d remained dead silent the

whole time. Hadn’t spoken since they left the house that he’d tricked her in.

Not. One. Word.

And he hadn’t smiled at all yet. Maybe he didn’t remember how. She had a feeling that he didn’t do

anything dangerous anymore, either. Didn’t take risks, or do something simply because it would be

fun. He’d resigned himself to a life of boredom and security, and it was drowning him. Even if he

didn’t realize it…

It was.

She stole another glance at him before staring out the car window, hugging her bag to her chest. His

knuckles were white on the steering wheel. That powerful energy he’d always had hadn’t faded.

But he wasn’t the same man he’d been, and it kind of broke her heart.

Back when they’d been young, he never stopped making her laugh. He’d been goofy, free, and

crazy. Now, he was all frowns and demands. He was wound tight.

So serious.

They turned down a road that led to a section of town that held small single-family houses. As

opposed to the borough she lived in, where all the structures were more like mausoleums. She hated

living on that street…but it had been her parents’ before they’d lost everything in a Ponzi scheme. It

had been the first thing she bought after she got the life insurance money.

When they died, her parents had left her with a monstrous inheritance. One way too big for any one

person to spend. She regularly donated to charity, but her father’s lawyer only allowed her to do so

much a year. The rest of the time, she hired herself out as a recovery specialist.

Or as Jake had called it, a hired thief.

He pulled up and exited the car. Then he came around and opened her door for her. So, that hadn’t

changed, huh? He still acted the gentleman, even when blackmailing her. The irony of that wasn’t lost

on her. When he offered her his hand, she hesitated for a split second. Whenever he touched her, she

went a little bit crazy in the head. Forgot about everything except how much she wanted him.

And she really, really wanted him.

Almost as much as she wanted to get out of this mess without jail time. She didn’t really think he

would turn her in. He had to be bluffing. The Jake she’d known would never actually send her to jail.

No one could change that much. At least, she didn’t think so. And even if he had…well, she wasn’t

going to help him.

She had standards, and helping a man like Soltese wasn’t in her moral code. She’d rather go to jail.

And she wouldn’t run, either. Guilty people ran. Bad people escaped justice. She wasn’t any of those

things. End of story.

She’d play along. Act as if she wanted to cooperate, but failed. At least then, if she went to jail,

she’d maybe get off a little easier. Good behavior and all that. If he actually sent her. She glanced at

him, and he watched her with hard eyes. He looked so…cold.

Oh, God, she was going to go to jail.

She held on to him, letting him help her stand. When he dropped his hold on her, his fingers slid

down the side of her ass in what could have easily been an innocent accident. But it didn’t seem

innocent at all. “You still smell good. Like flowers.”

Her stomach clenched. One simple sentence, and she was ready to jump him. She pressed against

the car door, trying to get some distance, but she had nowhere to go. “Uh, thanks? I shower to achieve

that.”

His lips twitched at her attempted retreat, and her heart leaped. She’d almost gotten a smile out of

him. A real, genuine smile. “What a novel concept.”

“Don’t smile. You might appear to be human,” she said, adding the proper amount of horror to her

voice. “And what if something cracked?”

The almost-smile faded. He frowned at her and moved away. As he went around the back of the

car, he popped the trunk open with his key fob. He walked as if he didn’t have a care in the world—

while she wanted to explode with want every time he touched her. Not. Fair.

She headed toward the door, studying it instead of him. His home was a two-story brick colonial.

Blue shutters framed all of the windows, with a matching blue front door. A wooden swing hung on

the front porch, next to a rosebush. It was so…homey. Very…innocuous.

And way too nicely done for a bachelor.

She froze halfway up the stone path. “Did you decorate this yourself?”

He crashed into her, his hard body sending her reeling. Without much effort, he caught her while

still managing to hold on to her bags. Even through the bulky sweatshirt, his touch burned. “Yeah.

Why?”

“Because this”—she gestured to the house—“looks way too pretty for a man to have done all by

himself.”

His lips tilted up a tiny bit more, almost becoming a real smile, and he stepped closer, into her

personal space. He smelled like cologne and the outdoors. And man. Pure, sexy man. “I assure you, I

did it all on my own without any feminine help. The only woman I need in my life is Christine.”

“Oh.” An idea formed in her mind, a way to see if he really was as uptight as he seemed to be, and

she pounced on it. She gave him a once-over and ducked her head to hide the grin trying to escape.

His gaze remained latched on her mouth. It was about time she affected him, because God knew he

was driving her insane. “I get it.”

He lowered his head, but froze at her words, nostrils flared. “Get what?”

“You’re gay.” She smiled at him and patted his cheek. His stubble scratched her palm, and she

ached to rub against him again. To get to know the feel of his whiskers on her bare skin. “It all makes

total sense now.”

She knew he wasn’t gay, of course, but she couldn’t resist teasing him.

“What the—?” He stepped closer, letting his erection brush against her ass. “Do I feel like I’m gay

to you?”

Her stomach clenched, and she curled her fingers into fists. “You ran away from me before we had

sex, and you still haven’t kissed me, so…?”

“So that’s why you said that. It was a ploy to get your way. Those games won’t work on me.” He

moved away from her. “When I kiss you, it’ll be on my terms. Not yours. And not because you goad

me into it by poking at me like a child with a stick. I don’t reward that behavior.”

She stiffened. “Reward?”

Why didn’t she remember him being so damned bossy when they were kids? Now he was annoying

as hell, but she couldn’t help but wonder: if he was this domineering out of bed…how strong would

he be in it?

Would he hold her down and screw her until she couldn’t move, let alone think?

Just the thought of him doing dirty things while holding her down beneath him dampened her

panties. She wanted to find out what he meant firsthand, damn it. But she’d make him bend to her will

first. He thought he could control her. He was wrong.

She shook off the desire and straightened her spine.

As he started up the walkway without answering her, she took in every detail. This was the type of

place she would want to live in, if her life were different. The type of house that screamed of love

and family game nights. She’d bet he had a fireplace inside, the perfect companion for snuggling

under a blanket on cold winter nights.

“In all seriousness, though, this is a really nice place.”

He stopped beside her and rubbed the back of his neck, his forehead wrinkled as he stared at his

home. “Thanks.”

“I’m surprised you’re not in a fashionable condo or something, though.” She gestured to the house.

“A bachelor pad with strobe lights and a hot tub. Red velvet comforters. Champagne fountains.”

His lips twitched, but he didn’t smile. “When I was with my foster father, this is the type of house I

envisioned having. One like Christine and I grew up in before…”

“I remember,” she said softly.

“Anyway, once I had enough saved, I went about buying a fixer-upper and turning it into mine.” He

glanced at his home. “This is it.”

In a vivid rush of memories, she remembered a night long ago, when he’d come over with a black

eye. His foster father had gotten drunk and decided he needed a punching bag. Jake had done nicely.

And Jake had accepted his fate without a fight because if he was hitting Jake, he wasn’t hitting any of

the younger kids his foster father had taken on for the cash.

Back then, they had sat on her balcony, him with a bag of peas on his injury. She’d begged him to

tell Christine the truth. He’d refused. That night, he had slept over at her house. She’d sneaked him in

after her grandmother fell asleep.

After midnight, he’d told her about his dream house.

She stared up at it with new eyes. “It’s exactly how you described it, down to the blue shutters. You

got what you wanted. Didn’t give up on your dream. You even have the swing you wanted, and the red

roses. It’s beautiful,” she said softly, resting a palm on his arm. “I don’t know what that feels like. To

plan something out, and actually achieve it like that.”

All her life, she had kind of gone from one thing to another, no real goals set. Living life each day,

trying not to die of boredom and loneliness. Sure, she had gone through her share of relationships, but

none of them had stuck. She’d never been in love. Never really cared about anyone the way she’d

cared about her parents.

Although…if anyone qualified as someone she cared about, it would be Jake. After eight years, he

was the only one who stood out to her as a man she could have loved with all her heart. How sad was

that?

His gaze met hers, and for the first time they weren’t hard and unflinching. For the first time…he

looked like the Jake she remembered. The same one she’d once been half in love with.

He lifted his arm and smoothed her hair off her face, his touch as gentle as it had been rough

moments before. “You remember that?”

“Of course I do.” She squeezed his biceps. His very hard biceps. “I remember everything you told

me.”

For a minute, he watched her as if he believed her. But then he shook his head and the softness

disappeared. So did his touch. As if that wasn’t enough, he backed out of her reach, too. “Enough

walking down memory lane. Let’s go inside where it’s secure.”

She headed for the door. He followed her closely, not touching her but blocking off her only escape

route…through him. Stepping to the side of the door, she waited for him to unlock it, noting he still

used a good old-fashioned key.

As she entered, he reached around her and flicked on the switch. Blinking, she scanned the interior.

Hardwood floors, pale yellow walls, and an arched doorway led to the kitchen straight ahead. A

staircase with a white railing was to her left. To the right, the living room.

It was sparsely decorated. Not many family pictures. There were a few scattered pictures of

Christine here and there, and one of his parents. That was it.

Walking slowly, she headed into the living room. He had a painting over the fireplace—she’d been

right about him having one—and a big flat-screen television. Leather couches and a coffee table with

files scattered all over it finished off the room. It was clean. Professional. Impersonal. Safe.

Yep. He was drowning in his docile life.

She turned in a circle and found him directly behind her. For a second, her breath caught in her

throat. From underneath lowered lids, he watched her, his green eyes piercing through her. His shirt

was tight around his biceps, almost as if it couldn’t fit over all that hard muscle. It was painfully

obvious he worked out now. That he took good care of himself.

His gaze dipped down. Her body tingled and came to life, and he hadn’t even moved. She rested

her palm on his chest and leaned in, inhaling the scent of his cologne. His heart sped under her touch,

and she lifted on tiptoe. She wanted to show him how to have fun again. It was perfectly clear that

he’d forgotten how, and she was the best person to show him. Fun should have been her middle name.

It’s all she knew.

“You live here all alone?” she asked.

“Yeah.” He stiffened, but didn’t back off. “I told you, I like being alone.”

“I’m sure you do.” She licked her lips and shot him a seductive look. Or, what she hoped was a

seductive look. “So. Now what?”

“Now you tell me how to fix the code. We’re on a strict time limit.” He let go of her without a

second’s hesitation and peeled her fingers off his chest, his touch lingering. He sat down, removed a

pen and notebook from underneath a huge file, and flicked open the pad. “Once you’re finished

helping me, you’re free to leave.”

She clucked her tongue. “I told you, I don’t remember how I did it.”

“Well, try harder.”

He clicked the pen open and closed, holding it against his irresistible chin dimple as he watched

her. She could see the scar from the time his foster dad hit him with a pipe, right on his jawline. He’d

gotten stitches. She’d gotten mad. “I am.”

“The quicker you remember, the quicker you get to leave. And if we don’t figure it out in time,

you’ll—”

“Go to jail. Yeah. I know.” She took her sweatshirt off, pulling it over her head slowly. He

watched her the whole time, but glanced away when she caught him looking. “How long do we

have?” she asked.

He cleared his throat. “A day. Two at most.”

She sat down next to him, close enough that their legs touched. He gave her a dark frown, but she

smiled back innocently. Dude, if she had a halo, she’d be polishing it right now. “Are you that eager

to get rid of me?”

“It’s not my deadline—it’s my boss’s. If it were up to me? Things would be different.” He ran the

tip of the pen up her thigh, inching closer and closer to where she ached for him most, his gaze locked

on hers in a silent challenge the whole time. “What can you tell me about the code, Tara?”

She covered a yawn, doing her best to hide the arousal he brought to life with nothing more than a

withering stare and a ballpoint. She couldn’t get caught up in the moment. This was only a lesson that

he couldn’t control her with sexy threats of domination. That she wasn’t the same gullible girl she

used to be. “The only thing I can tell you is that I’m tired and want to get some sleep. So who gets the

couch?”

“It’s only…” He checked the time, ending his teasing play. She noticed his watch had the Marine

emblem on the face, and a gold band. That had cost a pretty penny, no doubt. She’d put it at three

hundred, maybe four. “Eleven thirty. Surely you can last a little bit longer.”

“Nope.” She leaned in, touching his leg as she did so. He was rock-hard to the touch. “I’ll have you

know, I turn into a pumpkin at midnight.”

A hint of amusement tugged his lips upward…right until he pressed them tightly together to stop it.

“Yeah. Sure you do, Cinderella.”

She held her hand to her mouth like a microphone. “Alert the presses. Jake Forsythe, big-shot

security officer, almost smiled. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, we’re talking a real smile here.”

He studied her, turned his attention back to his notebook, and physically picked up her hand,

removing it from his thigh. “You haven’t changed at all, have you? Still don’t take a damn thing

seriously.”

“Oh, I’ve changed,” she muttered, breaking free. “I’m not a stick-in-the-mud like you.”

He quirked a brow. “Is that supposed to be an insult?”

“What do you think?”

“I think you should be trying to save your ass instead of arguing with me.” He scribbled something

down on the paper, his motions harsh. “We’re not here to joke around. There’s work to be done, and

it needs to be done fast.”

She trailed her finger down his arm, and his muscles jerked under her touch. She should stop

teasing him, touching him, but it was too much fun to resist. And he clearly didn’t mind, if that

erection he’d pressed against her outside was any indication.

“I can think of much better things to do than work.”

He snatched her wrist up, his grip on her gentle, yet unyielding. “Are you trying to make me think

you want to fuck me so I’ll release you? Because it won’t work.”

“What if I want to fuck you for the hell of it?”

He cocked his head. “Why would you want to do that?”

“If you have to ask, then you’re a hell of a lot worse off than I imagined,” she said, her heart

thundering in her ears. “I want you, and thanks to that little show of masculinity outside, I know that

you want me, too.”

“The difference is, I won’t act on my wants until I’m damn good and ready. I have self-control.” He

shifted his weight, but it didn’t hide the bulge of his erection from her. He wasn’t as unaffected as he

was trying to pretend. “Right now, all I want from you is answers.”

What did she have to do to get him to take her? Beg? Plead? She’d never begged for a man before,

but for him…she might make an exception. But first she’d break the damn self-control he kept

throwing in her face. “You want answers?”

“Yes,” he said, every muscle in his body rock-hard.

“Fine. I’ll give them to you.”

He stared at her suspiciously. “Okay.”

She stood up and grabbed hold of the hem of her shirt, lifting it the slightest bit. “Go on. Ask me a

question.”

Hands fisted, his green gaze flitted down, then flew back up. “What are you doing?”

“That’s an easy one.” She lifted her shirt a little higher, letting the bottom of her breasts show. She

had a bra on, but it was black and transparent. “I’m taking my shirt off.”

He let out a sound that was half tortured growl, half groan. Her stomach quivered. For a second,

just a second, she forgot all about her plan to break him and throw it in his face. It felt all too real.

“Tara…” he said, an unspoken warning ringing out in his voice.

She lifted the shirt higher, giving him full view of her breasts. “You want me. Admit it.”

He reached for her without admitting anything.

“No,” she said, leaping back.

He froze, glowering at her. “No?”

“No,” she repeated firmly, letting her shirt drop down. “I told you to admit it, and you didn’t. Like

you, I say when and I say how. I don’t sit around waiting for a man to tell me what to do, and I don’t

shy away from a challenge because a man likes to play a little rough in bed. And I don’t obey men,

either. So kiss my ass.” She tossed her hair back. “I’m tired. I’ll go to bed now. We can discuss this

again in the morning.”

His jaw hardened, and he caught her elbow as she passed. His grip was firm and yet somehow soft,

all at the same time. “Make no mistake. If you were mine, I’d have you bent over the arm of the couch

right now for that little show, and you’d be begging for my permission to come.”

Her stomach twisted in knots. His permission? She didn’t know if that infuriated her or turned her

on. All she knew was her body was saying yes please. She tore free of his grip. He let her. “I don’t

beg.”

“Correction: you haven’t begged yet.” He looked her up and down, from head to toe, his shadowed

gaze speaking of promises she wanted to collect on. But not tonight. “Go to bed now before I decide

to teach you a lesson.”

She went up the stairs, her fists clenched into balls at her sides. Time to retreat and plan her next

attack. He might be the one holding blackmail over her head, but make no mistake. He was going

down.

Chapter Four

The next morning, Jake hesitated at the door of the spare bedroom. After her little striptease and

retreat last night, he wasn’t exactly in the best of moods. He had spent hours debating whether or not

he should barge into her room and demand she finish what she started. Demand she finish him.

Take what he wanted so he could concentrate on work.

But instead he’d lain in bed until morning came, tossing and turning with nothing but a fucking hard-

on and his own hand to keep him company. He guessed he kind of deserved her striptease. He’d been

pretty damn arrogant, telling her when he kissed her it would be on his terms. But that’s how he

played.

He didn’t lose control, and he didn’t act without thinking.

Ever.

She’d only been giving him back what he’d already given to her. He liked that about her. A lot. Too

much. Contrary to what she seemed to think, he didn’t like weak women. He liked women like her—

strong, independent, and hot-tempered. Now in bed? That was an entirely different story. In bed, he’d

want her to obey him in every way.

It would make the victory even sweeter.

He turned the knob, knowing he should knock but not doing so, and walked into the room. On his

second step, he stubbed his toe so hard stars swam in front of his eyes. “Ow! Son of a bitch!”

“You should really watch where you’re going,” Tara said from the bed, amusement in her voice.

“Are you okay?”

Hopping on one foot, he glared at the nightstand he’d run into—which had been moved across the

room. So had the bed, the big-ass trunk, and the dresser. “What the fuck happened in here last night?”

“Do you like it?” She threw back the covers and stood up. She only wore a tiny pair of pink

pajamas that showed off more than it hid. He could see the sweet curve of her ass. His cock

immediately sprang to attention. “It wasn’t feng shui the other way.”

He forced his attention back to her face, but his mind was firmly focused on her short shorts. “Feng

what?”

Hands on hips, she canted her head. “Feng shui. The chi was off and my chakra was—”

“You know what?” He backed out of the room slowly. All this crazy “feng wui” talk was freaking

him out, as was the way she kept trying to take the control away from him. This was his house. Not

hers. “Put it back the way it was. Then get dressed and come down so we can get to work. Oh, and

don’t get too close to the windows as you fix it. It’ll set the alarm off.”

Her lips twitched as if she held back a smile. “But my chakra—”

He didn’t know what the hell a chakra was, but unless it involved her naked in bed, he didn’t want

to know anything else. “Fix. It.”

Closing the door behind him, he went down the hall. She was going to be the death of him. He

should call Cooper and tell him he wanted off this case. If she was going to be changing things around

and wearing skimpy clothes the whole time she was here, then this was going to be hell. He needed to

get her help and then get her out of his house…

And his life, too.

After taking the stairs two at a time, he went into the kitchen and set about brewing some coffee. He

was halfway finished with his first mug when she came downstairs. She rounded the corner in a pair

of tiny black shorts and a curve-hugging tank top. Her long, tan legs begged to be stroked, and she’d

let her hair cascade over her shoulders. He liked the way it looked, tumbling down her bare

shoulders.

But she couldn’t go out like that.

She paused in the doorway and studied herself with a frown. “What’s wrong? Why are you looking

at me like I peed in your coffee?”

“Half of your outfit is missing.” He gripped his mug tighter. “That’s what’s wrong.”

She stared at him for a second, then came into the kitchen and grabbed a raspberry out of the bowl

he’d been eating from. After popping it into her luscious mouth, she chewed slowly, her gaze on him

the whole time. When she finished, she sucked on her forefinger seductively and glanced down at her

clothes again.

“Shorts and a tank top.” She released her finger with a sucking noise. “Nope. It’s definitely all

there.”

He forced his attention off of her mouth. “Huh?”

“My outfit,” she said slowly, her blue eyes sparkling. “It’s all there.”

He gritted his teeth and turned to glance out the window. It was a hell of a lot safer than looking at

her. She was trying to play him, and he wasn’t going to cooperate. “There’s coffee over there, as long

as if doesn’t threaten your chakra, of course.”

She laughed. “Did you make a joke?”

“I don’t know. Did I?”

She smiled and nudged him. “Maybe that stick up your ass isn’t stuck as far in as I thought. The Jake

I used to know might still be alive and kicking beneath that serious facade.”

“Doubtful,” he said, grabbing his raspberries off the counter. She hadn’t asked him if she could

have any. Just took. How typical of her. “War does weird things to a man. It changes him.”

She fell silent, her attention on his Keurig as it brewed her coffee. He couldn’t help but notice she

went for the flavored crap instead of the plain. He’d have to remember she liked it, and get some

more at the store for her. As he ate a raspberry, she took another one, popping it in her mouth and

doing the same slow, torturous chew she’d done before.

Fuck, he could watch her eat the sweet berries all day long. He almost reached for her. Almost

kissed her, right there in the kitchen.

But he didn’t.

He gave her the rest of the berries, since she obviously planned on helping herself anyway, and

busied himself with washing the dishes. “Have you thought about the code at all?”

She set the bowl down hard. “Nope. That’s not what I was thinking about while I was all alone in

my bed late last night.”

Yeah. He hadn’t been, either.

“Well, you need to focus on work instead of daydreams.” He scrubbed the plate in the sink a hell of

a lot harder than needed. “This isn’t some game you can laugh off. We have two days to figure this all

out, or you’ll be in jail.”

She hopped on the counter, swinging her legs in the air. Her heel kept hitting the cabinet, making a

constant knocking sound. “I know, I know. Help you or go to jail. Blah, blah, blah.” She wiggled her

fingers and made a scared face. “I get it. It’s like the bogeyman, only I’ll have to wear horizontal

stripes.” She paused. “Actually, jail might be worse than being killed by the bogeyman. I don’t look

good in stripes—no one does.”

He shook his head, refusing to rise to the bait. Refusing to let her get to him. “You used to like

stripes.”

“When I was a kid, sure.” She leaned in and gripped his shoulder, her fingers brushing away an

imaginary speck of lint. “A lot can change over the years.”

He shut off the water and set the plate in the drying rack. She leaned back, her breasts thrusting out

from the new position. Her legs were spread enough that he could easily slip inside them and rub

against her soft…

Nope. Not happening.

He gritted his teeth. “Obviously not that much. You still act as if nothing in life is to be taken

seriously. As if you’re invincible.”

“Should I be more like you, and take everything seriously? Never smile or make a joke?” she

asked. Hopping down, she dusted her hands off. “You wanna know what your problem is?”

He took a sip of his coffee and headed toward the living room, knuckles white against the mug.

“I’m sure you’re dying to tell me,” he said drily.

“You forgot how to have fun. Forgot how to live and laugh and be free.” She pulled him away from

his computer. Away from work. “I can fix that, though. I still know how to have fun.”

“Oh, I bet you do,” he muttered, still not looking at her.

“That was almost a joke,” she said. “Come on. Let’s take the day off and go to the carnival, like we

used to when we were kids.”

He swallowed his scalding coffee.

The carnival? Christ, he hadn’t gone to one of those since…well, since he’d gone with her. It had

been one of their favorite pastimes. He didn’t know how many hours they’d spent there, talking,

laughing, and dreaming of a better life.

Well, the last part had been his. In his dreams, he’d been self-sufficient and had gotten a family of

his own. One that wouldn’t leave him.

But dreams were meant to be broken.

He forced a laugh, though the idea of walking around a carnival with her wasn’t the most appalling

thing he’d ever considered. The opposite, actually. “No.”

She tugged. He didn’t budge, but he didn’t let go, either. “If you take me out, I promise I’ll work

tomorrow without a complaint. I’ll be all serious, helpful, adult, and all that stuff.”

He snorted. “That sounded so convincing. Especially the ‘and stuff’ part.”

“I’m serious,” she said, her blue eyes pinning him into place. “Let’s go.”

He shook his head and turned away. No way in hell he was going to let her cajole him and work her

magic like she used to. He wasn’t that gullible anymore. “I can’t take the day off. I have a job.

Responsibilities. Deadlines.”

“Oh, come on.” She batted her lashes at him.

He’d known she would try it, but he couldn’t help but be affected. His resolve to refuse her every

whim slipped, and it was on the tip of his tongue to agree to take her to the carnival just to see her

smile at him again. Just to make her happy—for old times’ sake. Damn her and her eyelashes.

“Please?” she asked, her tone soft and pleading.

“No.” Gathering his tattered resolve, he pulled free and headed for the couch. “Do some work first

like a good little girl, and then maybe we’ll go to the carnival.”

She followed him. “That’s no fun.”

“Responsible people work, and then play once they’re finished.”

“‘All work and no play makes Jake a dull boy,’” she quoted.

He stared down at his knees. “That’s fine. I can live with being dull, as long as people know they

can rely on me to get the job done. Speaking of which…”

Opening the notebook on the table, he sighed. He had to work. Adults such as himself had real

responsibilities and duties—and damn it, he wanted to go to the fucking carnival.

Maybe he could win her a big stuffed kitten, like he used to, and she would let him name it. He

couldn’t help but wonder what happened to all of the animals he had won for her over the years. Once

upon a time, she’d loved them, because she hadn’t had any real pets.

Why didn’t she have any now? No one was stopping her anymore. She’d always wanted a cat. An

orange one. “Tell me exactly what you did when you broke in.”

“I’m trying to remember.” She flopped down next to him dramatically. “I really don’t remember

what I did. I’m good, but I’m not that good.”

“Yeah, you are.” Pulling the cap of the pen off with his teeth, he turned to her and froze. She stared

at his mouth, much as he’d probably been doing to hers earlier. Fuck. He cleared his throat, and she

tore her gaze off his lips. “You went into the safe. Then you…?”

She flipped her long, wavy brown hair over a shoulder. A dimple popped out to play when she

pressed her lips together, then promptly hid again. “I plugged my phone in.”

“Your phone?”

“Yeah. It tells me what I need to know once it’s connected.”

He shook his head. “They really do have an app for everything, don’t they?”

“They do, but I developed this one.” Leaning forward, she picked up her mug and sipped her

coffee. “Or, my team did, anyway.”

He blinked. “You have a whole fucking team?”

“Yeah.” She peeked at him out of the corner peripheral vision. “I have a business, Jake. Not a

hobby. It’s legit—mostly.”

“Yeah. Sure,” he scoffed. “And I’m the president of the United States.”

She clunked her coffee mug down. “I’m serious.”

“So am I.” He tapped the pen on the side of the notebook. “What did you do after you used your

nifty little homemade app?”

“I got the vase and got the hell out of there before I got caught.”

“Too bad I caught you anyway,” he said, his voice hard. “How many times have you been caught?”

“None.”

“One,” he corrected.

She took another sip, ignoring him. “Can we go now? It’s the last day the carnival is in town.”

“You’re like a child who won’t give up.” He picked up his own coffee. A surge of irritation at her

behavior hit him, but he fought it back. “What is it going to take to get you to concentrate?”

“Easy. A carnival trip.”

He dropped his head against the back of the couch, amusement at her steadfastness warring with his

irritation at her insistence that they go to the carnival. “Jesus, Tara.”

She laughed and set her mug down. “What? It’s true.”

He slammed the notebook shut. “If I take you to the carnival will you actually work tonight? If we

don’t get this finished—”

“I go to jail. Yeah, yeah. I know. I heard you the first million times. And, yes. I will.” She held one

hand up and placed the other on her heart. “I solemnly swear that as soon as we get home, I’ll try to

remember what I did. And tomorrow, I’ll wake up early and be at your beck and call all day long.

Happy?”

“Yeah.” He had a tic in his cheek. That’s what she did to him. “Fucking thrilled.”

She arched a brow. “You curse a lot more than you used to.”

“Yeah.” He stood carefully, making sure not to put too much pressure on his left leg. “Is it open

yet?”

Her gaze dipped down, then back up. For a second, he thought she would make a comment about his

injured leg. But she gave him a smile. “Are you kidding me? The daytime is the best time to go

because it’s not as full. And you don’t have to fight through all the annoying teenagers.”

He turned away. “We used to be them, you know.”

“Used to be. But now we’re the annoying old people going to the carnival, and want nothing to do

with the old us.”

He grabbed his mug, and hers. “Let me clean up the mess and then we’ll go.”

“Wait.” She stood and took it back. “I’m not done with my coffee yet.”

“It’s cold.”

She took another sip. “No, it’s not. It’s drinkable.”

He stared at her, unable to understand this woman’s train of thought. Reaching out, he touched the

porcelain, his fingers brushing hers. It was lukewarm at best. “No. It’s cold.”

She laughed breathlessly; her cheeks flushed pink. “Is everything black and white for you?”

Yeah. He wouldn’t touch her because she wasn’t his, and he wasn’t good enough for her. On top of

that, they were only together for a short time to do some mutual work. Black and white. No gray. He

cocked a brow at her. “Do I really need to answer that?”

“Nope.” She laughed and checked out his living room. “You know, this room would be a lot more

inviting if I—”

He clamped his jaw tight. “Oh, hell no. Don’t think it. Don’t look at my living room like that.”

She turned to him with a furrowed brow. “Like what?”

“Like you want to feng wui it.”

She burst into laughter. “It’s feng shui.”

“Whatever.” He headed for the kitchen. “Keep your chakra off my shit.”

“But—”

“No.”

He stalked over to the sink and washed his mug. He couldn’t believe he was going to a fucking

carnival, of all places. On a workday. During business hours. Sure, he’d already told Cooper he

would be staying home today, so it wasn’t a big deal. And if it took a little bit of fun to get her to

cooperate, then it was all for the greater good. And truth be told?

He wanted to go.

Wanted to be the man he’d once been, before all this shit went down. Wanted to be the man he’d

been when he was with her…if only for a few hours. Then he’d go back to being the new him. The

one who never stepped out of line.

The one he didn’t even really like.

Chapter Five

Tara shoved her sunglasses higher, grinning as she took in the bustle and energy of the carnival. She

always felt so alive at this type of event. So free and energized.

She stood at the booth of stickers, bending forward to study each one. The scent of baking funnel

cake teased her senses. She’d have to stop by that booth before they left. Maybe she’d get some cotton

candy, too. Her gaze latched on a round sticker toward the back of the table. It would be perfect.

“Oh, I’ll take that one, too, please.”

“Yes, ma’am,” the young man behind the table said, eyeing her boobs the whole time. “That’ll be

twenty.”

After she dug the cash out, she peeked over her shoulder. Behind her, a couple swung a toddler in

between them, and her giggles filled the air. She forced her attention away from the charming scene.

She had to finish this transaction before Jake came back. The man gave her the merchandise, and Tara

grinned as she shoved the stickers inside her purse.

She had big plans for these, but it would have to wait.

For now, she needed to quickly act innocent because Jake was almost at her side. She wandered

off, trying to look as if she didn’t have a care in the world. But she did.

A lot of them.

Jake walked past the family she’d been watching, not even a hint of a smile playing at his lips. He

looked as if he were on death row, rather than at a place where most people would be having fun. It

didn’t take a genius to figure out that Jake was a different man. And, yeah, people grew up.

But he’d really, really changed.

It was growing increasingly hard to believe this straitlaced man was the same boy who tied her

shoelaces together so she tripped. The same one who replaced her conditioner with mayonnaise not

once…not twice…but three times.

The knowledge that the fun boy he’d been might truly be gone left her feeling empty inside. And

sad. So, so sad for him. He might be trying to blackmail her into submission—which would not work

at all—but she had to save him.

It was time someone brought some laughter back in his life.

When he stumbled in his stride a little, he curled his hands into fists. After standing still for a little

while, he mumbled something under his breath, straightened his back, and walked a little slower. Her

heart twisted at his obvious frustration. He didn’t like what he perceived as his “weakness.” His

“imperfection.” She knew it drove him insane, though he probably told himself otherwise.

“Hey.”

“Hey yourself.” He smoothed his short brown hair, his focus on the table next to her. “Why do they

have New York Giants bumper stickers in Maine?”

“I have no idea.” She traced the corner of the sticker. “Still hate them?”

His stony expression was more than enough answer.

When they’d decided to come to the carnival, he’d changed into a pair of torn jeans and a green T-

shirt. In the bright afternoon sun, he looked devilishly handsome, and she wanted nothing more than to

explore every inch of his body. To rip that shirt off his chest and lick the contours of his muscles.

But instead, she rolled her eyes. “So some things don’t change.”

“Some things never change.”

“And the Yankees?”

“Tara.” He crossed himself. “Don’t speak that name in my presence.”

She burst into laughter. “Another joke?”

“Who’s joking? I’m dead fucking serious.”

Her laughter trickled off and she shook her head. Stopping in front of a game stand, she nodded

toward it. “Do you still have a killer arm?”

“Please.” He walked to the worker, pulling cash out of his pocket as he walked. “Ready to be

amazed, sweetheart?”

Her breathing hitched at the familiar nickname. It had driven her grandmother crazy, because Jake

wasn’t good enough for her. But then again, according to her grandmother, no man had been good

enough. “Oh yeah. I’m ready.”

He flexed his arm. Light shone in his gaze as he picked up the white ball. It was in that moment that

she knew he was having fun, whether he ever admitted it or not. Her heart fluttered in her chest. This

was what she’d wanted to see. Jake, being Jake.

Not the automated robot he’d turned into.

He let loose. His ball hit right on target, making a bell ring shrilly. He nodded his head decisively.

“I’m calling it now. You better start picking out your favorite animal.”

She laughed, checking out the biggest prizes on the top shelf. He’d always won her the best ones,

and she’d kept them all. Still, to this day, they were in her guest room, lined up like some shrine to

Jake. It was kind of pathetic, but whatever.

She liked them, and the memories that came with them.

She couldn’t help but wonder if this new addition would hold pleasant memories or bad. He hauled

back and let loose another throw, once again hitting dead center. The worker crossed his arms and

watched skeptically, looking as if he hated his job.

After a second’s hesitation, Jake picked up the last ball and held it out for her. “Good-luck charm

time.”

She tucked her hair behind her ear. “Seriously?”

“You know it’s the only way this works.”

Tara smiled, but ducked her head low so he couldn’t see her expression. Seeing him like this again

was amazing, and she loved it. “You’re so superstitious.”

Without blinking, he kept his heated gaze on her. “Do it.”

She held on to his wrist lightly. Leaning down, she placed a kiss right in the center, her heart

thudding in her ears the whole time. Instead of pulling back right away, she nibbled on his skin, then

flicked her tongue over the bite.

His body stiffened, and he groaned. Low and guttural and sexy.

She lifted her head and stared at him. Tried to convey how willing she would be to do that to other

parts of his body. Namely, all of them. “There.”

“Right.” He swallowed hard. “Here goes nothing.”

Turning back to the booth, he took a shuddering breath and hurled the ball. It hit dead center, and he

turned to her with a huge grin on his face. It was the first time she’d seen him smile since he’d

stomped back into her life with his blackmail.

And it was breathtaking.

His green eyes shone like flawless emeralds, and he still had the dimples she used to swoon over

as a girl. Freaking dimples, on top of the captivating one he had in his chin. “Pick your animal.”

“You did it.” She threw herself into his arms, squeezing him tight. Wanting to give him affection,

mostly suspecting he’d had none in his life lately. “Thank you!”

For a second, he didn’t touch her. Didn’t return her hug. His arms hung at his sides, as if he didn’t

know how to react to a simple kind gesture. But then he hauled her close and cupped her butt firmly.

His fingers bit into her tender flesh.

“Tara,” he said, his voice hard and shattered all at once. Leaning in, he whispered, “You keep this

up, and you’ll be on your back behind the Ferris wheel, and I’ll be so deep inside of you you’ll forget

what it feels like not to have me there. Tread lightly.”

She shuddered, the ache between her thighs immediate and demanding. Wanting exactly what he’d

said and more. “Maybe that’s not really a threat.”

He dug his fingers deeper. “Oh, it is. You have no idea what you’d be getting yourself into,

sweetheart. No idea what I’m capable of. If you go to bed with me, you will submit. I won’t have it

any other way.” He let go of her and moved away, his attention locked on her. “Now claim your

prize.”

It was on the tip of her tongue to say, “You. I claim you.”

But she forced her attention toward the booth, and the waiting clerk, despite the need eating her

alive. “I’ll take the little orange cat, please.”

“You can get a bigger animal,” the man said, pointing at the upper shelf. “Anything from there.”

She shrugged. “I like the cat.”

“All right.” The man shook his head, but tossed her the tiny fur ball anyway. “Suit yourself.”

Smiling, she hugged the stuffed animal close and turned back to Jake. He watched her with a

wrinkled brow. He looked almost as if someone had punched him in the stomach or something. She

paused, her foot in midair. “What?”

“The cat. It’s…” He shook his head. “Never mind, it’s nothing. Are you ready to go home? Had

enough fun yet?”

“But we didn’t ride the Ferris wheel,” she protested, her heart picking up speed at the thought of

him doing naughty things to her like he’d promised. “Or get cotton candy.”

His own gaze darkened, but he held his hand out for her. “Fine. Let’s go.”

She slid her fingers into his, and an electric shock skittered up her arm and straight to her stomach.

They walked to the Ferris wheel in silence, her mind racing a mile a minute. She should probably

keep her hands to herself.

Stop trying to make him smile and laugh and—whatever else she was hoping to do. Not even she

knew.

After they climbed on, the Ferris wheel took off, and they were the only ones on it. Her whole life,

she’d been surrounded by people. Servants. Family. Teachers. As a kid, she’d never been alone.

Now…she was always alone. It was hard to get used to.

The shaky box surged forward, and Jake cursed. Gripping the sides, he glared at her. It wasn’t until

they went up that she remembered how much he hated this ride. “Oh my God. You’re still scared of

heights, aren’t you?”

He glowered straight ahead. “It’s not natural to be this high in the air.”

“So if I did this”—she grinned and wiggled her butt, shaking the cart. He white-knuckled the sides

even more—“you wouldn’t like it?”

“Tara.” He finally turned her way, but he seemed as if he was contemplating throwing her over the

side for his own safety. “Knock it off or I’ll—”

“You’ll what?” she asked, cutting him off. She shook the cart again, and he cursed under his breath.

“What will you do to me, big guy?”

He frowned at her. “The better question is what wouldn’t I do? I know you want me. Know you

want to feel me moving inside of you, making you come so many times you lose count. I know you

want me to dominate you. Take you. Fuck you. Own you.”

She shook her head. “I don’t—”

“Yes. You do. You want me to fuck you.” He leaned in, his hot breath on her ear. “But you’ll never

find out how good that feels if you don’t knock it the hell off. Don’t shake the cart again.”

She shivered. “You’re so…so…”

“Cocky. But it’s with reason.” He moved even closer. “And trust me, you’ll lose count of how

many times you come before I’m inside of you.” He paused. “But you already know what I mean,

don’t you? How many times did you come that night?”

Memories of him going down on her, his hot tongue tasting and teasing and pleasing, hit her hard.

Her breath came out harsh and uneven, and she pressed her thighs together. What he said was

ridiculous and insane and downright dirty, but damn if it didn’t turn her on. From any other man, it

would have sounded outrageous.

But from him? It was a guarantee.

She licked her lips. “You’re all empty promises and no follow-through. You say you’ll do all these

things, but you haven’t even kissed me yet.”

“That’s because I haven’t been ready.” He clutched her thigh, precariously close to her core.

“Don’t try to read me. Don’t try to guess my next move. You have no idea what I’m capable of

anymore, sweetheart.”

When his thumb brushed against her clitoris, she barely managed to refrain from crying out. God, it

felt good. And she needed more. But not at this price. He kept trying to push her around, but she

wasn’t so sure she wanted to let him.

If, no when, they came together in bed, it should be on equal footing.

“You don’t know who I am anymore, either.” It took all of her self-control, but she shoved his

fingers away from her. “You seem to think I’m some spineless girl who’ll swoon if you frown at me

in the right way. That you’ll scare me away if you’re bossy in bed. Well, here’s a news flash. I don’t

scare easily, and I won’t submit to you unless I want to. So if I give you control, then I obviously

don’t mind if you take it.”

His nostrils flared. “You have no idea how demanding I am.”

They were approaching the bottom, but she slid her hand into his lap anyway. Over his pants, she

squeezed his dick. Leaning in, she flicked her tongue over his lower lip, barely touching him. “You

seem to be forgetting that I’ve been in your arms already. You didn’t scare me then, and you don’t

scare me now.”

Pulling back, she hopped off the Ferris wheel and glanced over her shoulder at him, weighing the

effect her words had had on him. He climbed off a little bit more slowly, supporting himself with his

good leg. Part of her wanted to help him, but she knew instinctively that it wouldn’t mesh well with

his independence. So she didn’t.

She stood there waiting, her heart racing at the look he was giving her. He watched her as if he’d

like to strip her naked right here at the carnival and do bad, bad things to her. He walked right past

her, grabbing her elbow and hauling her behind a deserted brick building. “What are you—?”

“Enough.” As soon as they rounded the corner, he pressed her against the wall and trapped her

hands in his one. “You think you can handle me? Let me remind you exactly how ‘demanding’ I can

be.”

Her heart surged. “I—”

Effectively cutting her off, he slammed his mouth down on hers, kissing her with so much passion

and fire that she should have proved spontaneous combustion really happened to humans on a daily

basis. That’s how hot his kiss was. His mouth moved over hers, and he dipped his fingers between

her thighs, pressing against her aching core.

It was barely a caress. Barely a touch.

But it drove her insane.

She whimpered into his mouth, curling her hands into empty fists. He broke off the kiss, his fingers

moving faster and harder. “Don’t come until I tell you to. You’re not allowed. You understand me?”

he asked, his voice hard.

She swallowed a cry. “What? No. I can’t—”

“Do. Not. Come.”

His fingers moved faster, and he claimed her mouth again, sucking her lower lip in between his

teeth and biting down just enough to sting a tiny bit. As he kissed her, he kept touching her, driving her

closer to the edge. She moaned, rolling her hips impatiently. He pulled back, ending the torment.

“You’re trying to come. I told you not to.”

“But I can’t—”

“You disobey me like that in bed, then you’ll be punished. You disobey me, I stop.” He gripped her

butt hard, his fingers biting into her skin. “You understand me, sweetheart?”

She nodded frantically, her stomach tightening in a small ball of need and frustration. “Yes. I…I

do.”

“Good girl.” He nibbled on her neck and moved his fingers between her thighs again. The second

he touched her aching core, she moaned. “What do you want, sweetheart? Tell me.”

“I want…” She bit down on her lip. “God, I want to come. Please.”

He grunted in satisfaction and increased the pressure. “You’re allowed to come this time. I’ll let

you have this one freebie, but next time? You’ll beg me first.”

Allowed to come? He couldn’t be serious…

She closed her eyes, the need he brought to life getting even more intense at his cocky words. “Oh

my God. Yes.”

“Now.”

He kissed her again, still massaging her throbbing center through her pants. Within seconds, she

came, stars bursting in front of her eyes as she sagged against the wall. He ended the kiss, pulling

back enough to study her.

Withdrawing his touch, he patted her cheek. “That’s about as nice as I get in bed, Tara. From here

on out, I’m not going to hold back. Keep your distance, or pay the price.”

She gasped, blinking up at the clouds. If that had all been a ploy to scare her off, it had failed

miserably. If anything, it only made her want him more. “Oh my God.”

“You already said that.”

“I can’t believe you just…we just…here.”

“Yeah. We did.” Stepping back, his fingers clenched into fists and then opened at his sides. “And

now playtime is over. It’s time to go home and get to work.”

“What?” If by work he meant bringing her home and doing all of those things to her that he’d

mentioned earlier…then hell yeah. If he meant working on the code and making her bash her head

against the wall, then hell to the no. “But—”

“No buts.” He slashed his hand through the air. “I’m not that guy you knew anymore, Tara. I don’t

want to play games. I want to get my job the fuck done. That’s it.”

She licked her lips, her heart plummeting to the ground. “But you could be.”

“No, I can’t. I’ve seen things. Done things. Things that don’t let me be that guy anymore, Tara.

Ever.” He plucked her toy cat out of her arms and shook it under her nose. “This man who wins you

things and flirts with you isn’t me. That’s the old me. The new me wants to get our work the fuck done

so you can go back to your life—and I can go back to mine.”

“I liked the old you better.” She snatched the cat out of his grasp and hugged it. “The new you

sucks.”

He looked away. “Lucky for you, you won’t have to know him much longer.”

For some reason…that made her sad.

Not happy.

Chapter Six

Later that night, Tara slipped outside and crept up to Jake’s car. It took her only three minutes to do

her damage, but it felt like an eternity. Heck, this whole day had felt like an eternity—from the orgasm

against a brick wall that wouldn’t leave her alone, to the endless evening of questions and work.

All night long, Jake had been making her replay what she’d done in the safe over and over and over

again until she was ready to freaking explode. She was tempted to tell him the truth to get him to shut

the hell up, but she resisted that urge. Barely.

When the phone had rung moments before, she’d sprung into action the second he closed the study

door for some privacy. She flopped back onto the couch in the nick of time, sliding into the corner as

he rounded the corner. She did her best to act calm and collected, but she couldn’t hide her harsh

breathing from bolting inside.

He froze on the threshold, brow furrowed. “What were you doing? Where did you go?”

Of course he’d caught her. Damn it. “I went outside for some fresh air.”

He raised a brow, but didn’t sit. “Fresh air.”

“Yep.” She stood, stretching her arms high over her head. His gaze dipped low, then slammed back

into her. He had a way of looking at her that made her want to rip her clothes off and beg to be

touched. Especially after this afternoon, when he’d rocked her world and then walked away as if he

hadn’t been turned on at all. After telling her that next time, he would be rough. Who did that,

anyway?

Hesitating, she lowered her arms and shifted on her feet. “Do you have any wine?”

“Nope.” He shook his head. “I only have beer and bourbon.”

“Bourbon it is.” She headed for the kitchen, and he followed on her heels. “Where is it?”

He grabbed the bottle out of the cabinet, and then plunked two tumblers down next to it. Swiftly, he

removed the cap and poured two fingers into the glasses. “Was tonight so bad that you need to drink?

We’ve barely started—and you still haven’t given me anything I can work with. We’ve got one more

day before all hell breaks loose.”

“Yes, it was that bad.” She picked up her glass, saluted him, and drained it. His eyes widened, and

she slammed it down on the counter. “Fill me up for real this time.”

He finished his own drink before refilling both of their glasses. “You’re not playing around, are

you?”

“I never play around when it comes to the important things.”

She grabbed her cup and headed into the living room. After sitting directly in the middle, she patted

the spot next to her. He watched her warily, but sat anyway.

“But when it comes to work, you’re a total slacker. Interesting.”

She stiffened. “That’s not true. I’m a hard worker who doesn’t stop till the job is done.”

He sighed and rubbed his forehead. “I know. I didn’t mean—”

“Yeah. Yeah, you did.” She frowned at him. “I’m not a slacker. I don’t have the information you

want.”

Technically, she had it…but wouldn’t be sharing it. Not only did it go against her code, but if she

told him how to fix it…he’d be gone. And they’d be over.

She wasn’t ready for that yet. She’d just found him again.

“I know. I’m sorry.” He took a smaller sip of his bourbon, then leaned back in the couch. He spun

the bourbon in his cup, creating a tiny little whirlpool. “You look tired.”

“That’s because I am.” She took a big gulp of her drink as she examined the room for the millionth

time. “Being questioned for hours at a time takes a toll.”

Tipping his head back, he swallowed the rest of his drink and set his cup down. “Sorry.”

She looked at the photo next to her. Christine was red-haired and blue-eyed. She was absolutely

gorgeous. So was the brown-haired, blue-eyed man in the photo with her—presumably her boyfriend.

They were quite the couple. “She looks happy.”

He stared at the photo. For a second, his expression went soft. “She is. She moved back here last

year.”

“She did?”

“Yep.” He twisted his lips. “She’s vacationing in Mexico with her boyfriend, Tyler, right now, but

she lives ten minutes away.”

She hesitated. “Isn’t there anyone else in your life, besides them?”

He cocked a brow. “Like…?”

“A girlfriend. A best friend. A buddy. A freaking cat.” She finished her drink and set it down.

“Heck, anyone.”

“I hate cats. You know that.”

He was right—she did know that. “Okay. What about a girl?”

“There’s no one,” he said, his tone flat. “There was a fiancée a long time ago, but she left when I

came home from war.”

She gripped her knees. She needed to know more about him. Understand him better. He said he’d

seen things he hadn’t wanted to see. Done things he hadn’t wanted to do. She could only guess he’d

meant when he’d been at war, but she wanted to know more.

She wanted to help him…if that was possible. “Why did she leave?”

“Because she didn’t want to deal with a cripple as a fiancé. That’s why.” He stood up, fists balled.

“Why are you asking me these questions?”

“Because I care about you. I want to know what happened to change you. What turned you into the

man you are today.” She swallowed hard. “How did you meet her?”

He frowned, but didn’t walk away. “I met her at a restaurant. She was a hostess and a model. She

told me all the things I wanted to hear, and I thought I loved her.” He shrugged as if he didn’t care, but

his stare wasn’t as hard as his tone. “Then I came back and she couldn’t handle the new me. Didn’t

want anything to do with the mess I’d become. She left, and I’ve been keeping to myself ever since.

It’s better that way.”

Her heart twisted. That was the second time he’d said that. All because some weak-bellied girl

hadn’t been able to handle the terror that men like Jake often brought home with them. She’d left him

all alone without a second glance. The little bitch.

“Did you love her?”

His fingers flexed on hers. “No. I don’t think I know what love really is,” he admitted, avoiding her

gaze. “And I don’t want to, either. I don’t need it. I’m not the loving—or lovable—kind of guy. I think

I showed you that earlier.”

She hated this faceless woman for doing this to him. For making him think he didn’t need someone

in his life. Now, more than ever, Tara wanted to get him into bed with her. He needed to see that he

could still be loved. Could still love.

She ran her thumb over his knuckles. “How long ago was that?”

“A year or so.” He lifted a shoulder. “Why?”

“And have there been…” She broke off, not sure how to ask this question without sounding nosy.

“Have there been other women since her?”

He rubbed his jaw and turned away, giving her all the answer she needed without saying a word.

“Jesus, Tara. Who the hell asks a guy that kind of question?”

“Me.” She locked in on him. “There hasn’t been anyone, has there?”

“You already know the answer, I’m sure.” He rocked back on his heels. “But if you need to hear it,

then no. There hasn’t been anyone else.”

He hadn’t been with anyone for a year? That was a heck of a long time for a man who was as sexy

as him. “There’s been no one at all? Not a one-night stand?”

He shook his head.

“…But you’re hot.” She let her lashes drift down. It was time to give in to the undying need to be in

his arms. It was time to submit. She toyed with the hem of her shirt. “Really hot.”

He met her stare dead-on. “As I showed you earlier, I’m a bit different in the bed than I am out of it.

When I fuck a woman, it has to be my way. Things have to be my way, without reservation, or I’m not

interested. I don’t give women control over me. Not anymore. It’s not easy to find women who are

willing to do that.”

She moved away slightly. Her whole body responded to his words, volunteering for the role of his

lover without a single freaking sound. “That must be hard.”

“You have no idea how hard I—no, it is.”

She turned back to him quickly. “Was that another joke?”

“I make them occasionally,” he admitted, his lips quirking up in the left corner. “Don’t be so

surprised each time.”

She cupped his cheek, pressing her finger into the dimple in his chin. “You should smile more

often,” she whispered, leaning in closer. “It’s hot.”

“You don’t know what you’re starting.” He stiffened and grasped her wrist, smile slipping away.

“Stop playing, before it’s too late.”

“No.” She climbed onto his lap. “I liked what you did to me earlier. I liked it all.”

He grasped her waist, but he didn’t push her away. He held her there. “I’m no good for you. You

deserve better. I know it, and you know it. But I can’t keep resisting you if you keep touching me. Or

if you keep looking at me like that.”

“Like what?” she murmured, jerking on the hair at the back of his neck. “What’s wrong with the

way I’m looking at you?”

He pressed her down against him again, while surging at the same time. “You’re looking at me like

I’m this guy who could treat you right, but I don’t think I am. Not anymore. Please, Tara, walk away.”

“I don’t want to walk away. Tell me about your rules.”

A small, almost broken sound escaped him, and his hands tightened on her hips. “I’m not going to

warn you away again.”

“Then don’t.” She rolled her hips against his erection. “Tell me your rules.”

“You’ll listen to me. I’ll be in complete control. If I tell you to stop, you stop. If I tell you to drop to

your knees, you’ll do it without asking why. If I tell you not to come, you won’t fucking come.” His

hands snaked up her back and threaded into her loose hair. He lowered her face so that their lips

were almost touching. “In bed, you’ll answer to me without thinking twice. If you can do that, you’ll

be very, very happy. I promise you that.”

Her stomach twisted into a tight knot at his words. God, he was so alluring. So damn…dominant.

She’d never have thought that would turn her on, but it did. “What exactly does doing everything you

tell me to do entail? What if it…if it…hurts?”

“I would never hurt you, Tara. I promise,” he vowed, latching gazes with her. “Not like you’re

thinking. You’d like everything I did to you, but you should still walk away. Save yourself, Tara,

because I can’t do it anymore. I’ve been trying to get over you for years, but I’m too far gone to try

anymore. Run, Tara. Run away.”

He’d been trying to get over her for years? The knowledge sent a heady rush of excitement shooting

through her. “I’m not going anywhere.” She strained to get closer, to kiss him, but he pulled back.

“What? What’s wrong?”

“You need to say the words.” He gave her a narrow look. One that clearly implied he wanted her to

answer him first. “There can be no doubt.”

“I accept your terms. Now kiss me, already.”

He rubbed her hair between his fingers, tugging playfully. “First rule? Don’t boss me around.

You’re allowed to beg and plead all you want, but never give me an order. That’s my job. Got it?”

She moaned, his command coiling around her tight as a fist. Her stomach hollowed out, and she

knew without a doubt she’d submit to him. She’d obey him. But only for him. No one else. “Y-Yes.

I’ve got it.”

One second she was on his lap, and the next he tossed her over his shoulder. Her face ended up in

the close proximity of his ass, and her arms hung loosely over her head. When she tried to lift herself

up, to get off of him, he slapped her on the ass.

It stung a little, but it was pretty amazing, too.

“You’re not allowed to move right now,” he said. “Lie back down.”

She fell back to her position, swallowing past the protest that automatically came to mind. She

hadn’t known exactly what she’d been agreeing to when she accepted his terms, but she’d done so.

And she would follow through, because she wanted that incapacitating pleasure he had promised her.

“Fine.”

He kicked a door open. It appeared to be his bedroom. It was painted light blue, and a huge king-

size bed sat against the middle of the wall. There were a few personal items scattered here and there,

but that was it as far as decorations went. She forced her attention back to Jake. Or, more

specifically, Jake’s butt, since that was all she could see.

He headed right for the bed, and then she was flat on her back, his body covering hers. Pulse

racing, she grabbed the back of his neck. This was a huge step for her—a leap into the unknown.

She’d never felt more alive, despite the nerves such a leap of faith inspired.

When he grabbed hold of her wrists and hiked them high above her head, just as he’d done at the

carnival, she let out a sharp breath. Her entire body tightened in anticipation of what he would do to

her. What he would make her feel.

For the first time ever, she didn’t fight to be free.

She wanted him to take control.

He transferred both of her wrists to one hand and reached into the nightstand beside the bed. When

he pulled out a pair of metal handcuffs, she stiffened. “Uh…what are you doing?”

He slid the cuff over her wrist and tugged it to the headboard. She forced herself to hold still as he

closed the cuffs over her, effectively securing her. Her heart leaped into her throat, choking her, but at

the same time her stomach tightened with desire. “This is strictly for kinky purposes, right? Not to kill

me, Dexter-style?”

“I have no interest in killing you in any style.” He hauled his shirt over his head, his muscles flexing

and taunting her. “Just in making you come.”

Her fingers twitched with the need to touch him, but the cuffs held her firmly in place. “Holy shit,

you have tattoos.”

His hands froze on his belt. “I do.”

They swirled all over his chest and shoulders, but didn’t go any lower. No wonder why she hadn’t

seen them when he’d been in a shirt. The colors all popped beautifully, intermixed with dark black

outlines and tribal tattoos. She’d always had a thing for guys with ink, and Jake was no exception. If

anything…

He was the perfect example.

On top of all that inked hotness, his tan, lean abs were carved to perfection, and the light sprinkling

of hair on his chest begged to be stroked. Too bad she couldn’t touch. When he undid the button of his

pants, her heart stopped and yet impossibly sped at the same time.

She licked her lips. “I thought you lived on the right side of the tracks now. Why lock a good girl up

to have sex with her?”

He took his leather belt off and tossed it back and forth. “You make a living by lying and stealing.

Tell me, Tara. How does that make you a good girl?”

Chapter Seven

Jake gritted his teeth and watched Tara on his bed, waiting for him to give her pleasure. Fuck, she

was hot. She wasn’t really trying, yet somehow she’d found a way to rope him in. Made him want to

have her. No, need to have her. Ever since she’d come apart in his arms earlier, he’d been a tightly

wound ball of desire. Thank fucking God she’d decided she wanted to play on his terms.

If she hadn’t agreed, he might have exploded.

He shouldn’t be touching her. Shouldn’t be doing this. But he couldn’t seem to stop. Not anymore.

Not ever again. She’d be his.

Handcuffing her to the bed had been a test. Instead of testing her, though, all he could think about

was ripping her clothes off and burying his cock deep inside of her. He’d bet his salary she was a

screamer, and he planned on making her scream a lot.

After she begged for it, of course. That was a must.

“I’m not a bad person, Jake. I need you to believe that.” She swallowed. “I steal things, yes, but for

good people. I give people their long-lost items back. Can’t you see that? Don’t you believe me?”

He caressed her cheek, skimmed over her chin, and then across her collarbone. “I don’t think

you’re a bad person at all. You’re one of the best people I know.”

Which was why she was too good for him.

She shivered. “You do?”

“Yes. I do.”

Inching closer, he traced the neckline of her tank top. If he concentrated, he would bet he’d see the

top of her nipple. If she truly belonged to him, she wouldn’t be dressed so skimpily. Wouldn’t hang it

out there for every other man in the world to see.

“But—”

“Shhh.” He closed his palm over her breast, squeezing gently and weighing her in his hand. She fit

him perfectly. Good. “No more deep conversations about good and bad. I’m going to fuck you, and

the next thing I hear out of those lips better be you begging me for more and calling me sir.”

He followed the curve of her breast, his fingers slightly dipping underneath her shirt. She lowered

her lids, watching him though her lashes, but wisely kept quiet.

When she arched her back invitingly, he lowered himself over her. “You have no idea how many

times I have pictured having you here, at my mercy, like this. If there’s anything I regret in my whole

fucked-up life, it was walking away that night without burying myself in your pussy. I shouldn’t have

regretted doing the right thing by you, but…I did. And now you’re here, waiting for me to make you

scream. Waiting for me.”

She arched her back restlessly. “Jake.”

“You have to ask me to touch you. Beg me.” He fisted her hair. “You’re going to beg me so fucking

much, starting now.”

“P-Please.” She wrenched on her wrists, rattling the metal against the wood. “Undo me so I can

touch you?”

He chuckled at her request. “That wasn’t the type of plea I’m looking for.”

“Please.” Her breath came out fast. “Jake.”

“Please what?”

She squirmed beneath him. “Release me…sir.”

“No.” He flicked his tongue over the little sensitive spot behind her ear before biting down. When

she groaned and tilted her neck, granting him better access, he captured her chin and forced her to

stare at him. Really see him. “I’m in charge, and I want you tied up. But I’ll give you one more chance

to change your mind about this—about me. So, what’s it going to be? Yes or no?”

She let out a whimper and rubbed against him as best as she could. “Yes. Yes, yes, yes.”

“You’re sure?”

He studied her for a second, giving her one last chance to turn away. To refuse him. She should.

She really fucking should.

Her lids drifted shut and she lifted her chin. “Positive. I’m yours.”

Game. Fucking. On.

Lowering his head, he closed his mouth over hers with a guttural growl. The second their lips

touched, his body came to life. As if he’d been inexplicably waiting for this moment, since the first

time he’d touched her. Waiting for a chance to taste her.

To make her his.

He cupped the back of her head, holding her still, and he intensified the kiss, sucking her tongue in

deep. It was like coming inside to an air-conditioned house on a scorching hot summer day. He was

home.

She whimpered into his mouth, parting her lips wider. He took quick advantage of this, slipping his

tongue inside to sample her hidden delights. A fist of desire punched him in the gut, and he tightened

his hold on her more. With her underneath him, he felt as if he had everything he could possibly ask

for, right at his fingertips.

This. Was. It.

He let his hands drift down her body, closing over her breasts. Moving restlessly beneath him, she

moaned into his mouth. Her hard nipples begged for his touch. His lips. Hell, everything. He rolled

the tight buds between his fingers through the fabric, but it wasn’t enough. He needed her naked.

Now.

He would love nothing more than to move slowly with her, to spend all night making her scream,

but he could tell he wouldn’t last that long. Not this first time, anyway. And judging from the way she

was rubbing against him, neither would she.

Her breathing came fast and shallow, and she moved with a desperation he could easily match if he

let himself. But he wouldn’t.

He needed to remain in control.

As he kissed her, he undid her shorts and slid them off her legs. She broke free of the kiss. “Are you

seriously going to leave me chained up for this whole thing?”

He tugged the pants off her ankles and tossed them over his shoulder, tilting her leg up so he could

see her better. She wore a black satin thong, which barely covered the soft pink lips of her pussy.

Seeing her lying there, in nothing more than a curve-hugging black tank top and matching panties,

killed him.

He needed to have her. Own her.

“Yep.” He gripped her ass. “And that wasn’t a plea.”

She licked her lips. “I’m s-sorry, sir.”

“Apology accepted.” He skimmed his fingers inside her thighs, barely brushing her warmth. “Open

your legs more for me.”

She gasped, but obeyed immediately. Improvement.

He rubbed his thumb over the soft satin covering her flesh, hard and fast. She cried out, arching her

back, cheeks flushing. Fucking gorgeous. “Don’t come. Don’t think about it.”

Her mouth dropped. “B-But—”

He stopped. “Is there a problem?”

“No.” She shook her head. “Don’t stop.”

He cocked a brow.

“Please,” she added, immediately knowing what he wanted. She’d always been a smart girl like

that.

He moved his thumb. “You’re so fucking wet for me.”

“Yes, only for you.” She whimpered. “Oh my God, please.”

When he quickened his strokes, her back arched again and her wrists jerked on the cuffs. Staring

down at her, he studied the way her long brown hair covered his pillow, and how her perky breasts

bounced as she writhed on the bed, her breaths coming out in spurts. She was the prettiest, sexiest,

most perfect woman he’d ever brought to his bed.

If she wasn’t careful, he’d never let her go.

Her body tensed, and he watched her as she squirmed. “I…I’m going to come,” she cried.

“No.” He moved faster, nibbling on her shoulder at the same time. “You’re not allowed.”

She cried out, tossing her head to the side. He couldn’t tell if she was trying to escape him, or give

him better access to her neck. “Jake, please.”

His cock ached to be inside her. “Enough,” he gritted out. He stopped touching her and grabbed the

hem of her shirt. “Time to see the rest of you.”

“B-But you can’t get my shirt off.” She tugged on the cuffs. “I’m stuck.”

“The hell I can’t.” He ripped her shirt in half. She gasped, her eyes simmering with lust. He quickly

removed her bra, too. He stared down at her, memorizing the sight of her lying there almost naked in

his bed. Nothing had prepared him for this.

For the reality of her.

“You’re…I’m…fuck.” He broke off and stood up, knowing he was perilously close to losing

control. He removed his own clothes, staring at her as he did so. He needed to be unclothed before

he’d allow himself to go near her again. Because once he touched her, he didn’t want to have to stop.

He wouldn’t stop, come hell or high water.

Completely naked, he straightened and met her eyes. She examined him, her gaze dipping low and

falling on his injured leg. When she froze, he shifted his weight on his good leg, his head high despite

the nerves bundling in his gut. She was seeing him now—really seeing him.

All of him.

The jagged red marks crisscrossed over his thigh, and the skin over his knee was puckered and

ugly. Always would be. Would she turn away in disgust? Would this be a deal-breaker? His ex had

hated his wounds. She hadn’t been able to love him. She’d left him, and he hadn’t blamed her.

That didn’t mean he was the type to sit there bemoaning the loss of his once-perfect leg. If people

didn’t like the huge red scars, well, then fuck them. It wasn’t his problem if they couldn’t handle the

sight of the damage done to him in the name of his country. But for the first time…he cared.

Cared what she thought. He didn’t like this weakness she brought out in him.

Her gaze returned to his face, the sympathy she felt for him way too clear. “What happened?”

“IED. I didn’t move fast enough, and it took me down,” he stated matter-of-factly. “Is this going to

be a problem for you?”

She shook her head. “N-No. Of course not.”

He gave a nod, as if he hadn’t been worried about her decision at all. As if his heart hadn’t leaped

when she hadn’t winced in disgust or sent him away. Time to regain control. “Good. Now beg me.”

She trembled. “Beg you to do what?”

“Touch you.” He snatched a condom out of the drawer in his nightstand. He rolled it over his

bulging cock, his fist gripping the thick shaft as he did so. “Beg me. Tell me where you want me

first.”

She licked her lips. “I…I can’t talk like that.”

“Yeah, you can.” He parted her legs, opening her up to him. Seeing her like this almost had him

forgetting all about the rules. He didn’t move. “Don’t move. Beg me.”

She dug her foot into the mattress. “Please. Kiss me. Touch me.”

“Where?”

“Everywhere.”

“Don’t you dare move,” he commanded.

She stopped herself in the knick of time, biting down on her lip.

He nodded. “Now. Where do you want me? Say it.”

“In between my legs. Please.”

Tilting his head, he smiled at her obedience. He crawled between her open legs, nibbling a path as

he moved higher. First, her ankle. Then the soft spot behind her knee. By the time he nipped her inner

thigh, she whimpered and squirmed. And he was no less affected.

Gripping her ass, he lowered his head and inhaled deeply. “Fuck, you smell good.” He flicked his

tongue over her clit. “Bet you’ll taste better.”

She moaned. “God. Do it. Now.” She paused. “Please.”

He trailed his pointer finger over her hip bones, moving up her body again. Away from the place

she’d so kindly asked him to kiss. “Hmm. Not yet.”

She squirmed. “You said—”

He slapped the side of her ass gently, and she broke off with a soft cry. “Last time I checked, you

were the one handcuffed to my bed. You submitted to me. Promised to obey me. You agreed. Right?”

Her nipples tightened. “Yes, sir.”

She tilted her face to his, and he kissed her. Her teeth dug into his bottom lip as she strained to get

nearer, but he pressed closer. Harder. More. So much more. While pinching her nipples between his

thumb and forefinger, he delved into her mouth with his tongue.

Ah, yes. That was more fucking like it. He rolled his tongue over hers, deepening the kiss as he

toyed with her. She whimpered and arched into his hands. The sound of cuffs rattling the headboard

filled the room, mingling with her quick breathing.

When he positioned himself inside the juncture of her thighs, rubbing the head of his cock against

her warmth, the sheer need that hit him was almost enough to make him forget all about tasting her.

Forget all about having her come as he licked each drop of her juices from her sweet pussy. But he

didn’t.

Because he couldn’t afford to forget his rules.

They were all he had left.

When he pulled back, ending the kiss, he nipped her lip. She moaned and closed her legs around his

hips. “Fuck me now. Please.”

“Not yet. But thank you for asking so politely.” He disentangled himself from her legs and covered

her body with his own, reveling in the sensation of her soft skin gliding against his. A guy could get

used to this. Way too fucking used to it. “First, I’m finally going to taste you. Everywhere, like you

asked.”

He sucked her nipple deep into his mouth, not bothering to start out gentle or slow. Now wasn’t the

time for that. He took her in deep, scraping his teeth against the hard bud. Crying out, she arched her

back. His cock begged to be inside her.

Begged for release.

He released her nipple and went after the other one, his fingers dipping between her legs as he did

so. She was so fucking wet and ready for him. As he worked her breast, he rubbed two fingers against

her clit in a wide, sweeping circle. A wave of possessiveness came over him when she cried out and

moved against him, trying so hard to come.

Trying to find the pleasure he’d promised her.

As he shoved her panties aside and ran a finger down her slit, he released her nipple and watched

her squirm. Her cheeks were pink and rosy. Arching her back wordlessly, she let out a tortured sound.

He teased her with his finger, applying enough pressure to get her closer to the edge.

A strand of hair covered her eyes. He brushed it away tenderly. “What do you need, sweetheart?”

“I’m…” She drew in a shaky breath and pressed her heels down into the mattress. “I need you

now.”

A brow inched higher, and he flicked his tongue over her sensitive flesh. “Please.”

“Please,” she begged.

He closed his mouth around her clit, digging his fingers into her soft ass cheeks. She cried out and

moved against him restlessly, his name breaking out of her lips. “Jake.”

Fuck, he liked the sound of his name on her lips—all breathy, needy, and soft.

He rolled his tongue over her, sucking with the right amount of pressure to send her over the edge.

And once she fell, he’d be on her. She pressed closer, a breathy cry escaping her, and wantonly

pumped herself against his mouth.

She was close. So fucking close. He could taste it. Feel it.

“C-Can I come?” she asked, her words coming in breathless spurts. “Please?”

He grinned against her. “Yes. Now.”

He slapped the side of her ass and moved closer to her pussy, tracing her slit again. The whole time

he did this, his mouth worked over her. When he slipped a finger inside her, crooking it just right, she

stiffened and cried out, her body convulsing around his finger. He pulled out and let her fall back to

the mattress.

“Look at me.” After positioning himself at her entry, he lifted her hips and tilted them up. She stared

at him, the picture of eroticism. “And Tara?”

Her body trembled under his. Strained to get closer. “Yeah?”

“Next time I make you come, don’t shut me out. I want you watching me.” He rubbed his cock

against her clit. “Don’t you dare close your fucking eyes on me.”

Biting down on her lip, she nodded. “I w-won’t.”

He tightened his grip on her hips, flexing his fingers, and took a calming breath. When he thrust

inside her…he found heaven. Fucking. Heaven. He pulled back and pushed inside her again, all the

way. Her pussy clenched his cock, squeezing him in more. She was so fucking tight. He thrust deeper,

then tensed when she cried out.

He hesitated. “That okay?”

“Yes.” She tightened her legs around him. “Don’t stop.”

He tsked. “That wasn’t a proper request.”

“Please. Please, please, please.” She heels dug into his ass, and he stopped thinking about requests

or demands or anything at all.

He squeezed her hips, watching the spot where their bodies joined. His cock, buried deep inside of

her. It was the most erotic thing he’d ever seen. “Fuck. Yes.”

He gritted his teeth and withdrew before shoving deep inside her. Hard. She cried out and balled

her fists. Moving faster, he repeated the motion. She matched his rhythm, rising to meet him each time

he withdrew, and then surged back. Never once failing to be ready and waiting.

And she never shut him out, either.

Moaning, she sank her heels in harder, urging him closer. He let her fall back down to the mattress

and rested his weight on his elbows. Cupping her face, he slammed his mouth down on hers. Her

tongue dueled with his, and he moved faster. Desperate for the release he knew she could give him.

Needing to come.

She struggled against the cuffs again, and he debated removing them so she could hold him. But he

was too far gone for that. He wanted…needed…

“C-Can I come?” she cried out, tightening around him.

He pushed into her deeper, sweat dripping down and blurring his vision. “Yes. Fucking come.”

“Yes. Yes, yes, yes.”

She clenched down on his cock, sending him straight to heaven, and she went stiff. Her orgasm had

induced his own. He threw his head back, letting out a guttural moan. When they crashed back down

to earth together, her body went limp and her legs fell to the sides.

He nipped at her shoulder. He was beginning to worry he might never get enough of her. Might

never want to let her go. And the thought terrified him more than any bomb ever could. Lowering his

head into the crook of her neck, he hid his face.

He didn’t want her to see him right now. Didn’t want her to know how much this had affected him.

He took a shuddering breath, then pushed off the mattress, needing to distance himself from her.

As he crossed the room to the wastebasket, the cuffs slid against wood again. She cleared her

throat. “So, uh, can you undo me now?”

He glanced over his shoulder. She was spread wide, her pale skin flushed from the pleasure she’d

found. The pleasure he’d given her. He dropped the condom into the can and turned to face her.

“Nah.”

Rolling her eyes, she tugged on the cuffs. “Haha, so funny. Now get the key.”

He crossed his arms and leaned against the wall, deciding now would be a good time for some

payback. “I don’t think so.”

Her pleasant expression faded away, and her brow furrowed. “Don’t even tell me you’re being

serious.”

“Just because we fucked doesn’t mean you get everything you want from me right away. I mean, it

was great and all.” He crossed the room slowly. “But I’m still in charge. You still have to listen to

me, and I’ll let you go when I’m ready.”

She stiffened. “I didn’t swear to obey you in everything—only in bed.”

He headed across the room. “In case you didn’t notice, you’re still naked in my bed.”

She jerked on the cuffs again. “Then let me out of it so I can tell you what a jerk you’re being right

now.”

He sat down at her hip, staring at the piece of hair that had settled over her lips. Reaching out, he

smoothed the strand off her face, not letting go of it once he had it out of the way. Everything about her

was so soft. So pretty.

Sometimes he wondered what it would be like to have a woman like her in his life…permanently.

As if she’d burned him, he dropped the strand of hair, his stomach hollowing out. Damn it, he couldn’t

think like that. It was dangerous.

“I’ll let you out once you tell me the fix for the code. Don’t worry.”

She paled. “W-What? Jake, no.”

He stood and grabbed his shorts off the floor, slipping the key to the cuffs out of his pocket. He

undid one of her hands, then the other, forcing himself to grin the whole damn time. To act as if he

wasn’t having scary thoughts about them in the back of his mind.

“Come on now, sweetheart. Did you really think I’d leave you cuffed up like that? Seriously?”

She glowered at him, rubbing her wrists once he freed them. “Now you remember you like to play

tricks on me?”

He lifted a shoulder. “I was fucking with you for old times’ sake. Getting a little bit of payback for

the rearranging of my guest bedroom.”

“Nice time to gain a sense of humor again,” she muttered. But despite her apparent anger, her blue

eyes sparkled. “Jerkface.”

He laughed. “Your insults haven’t changed much, either.”

“Why mess with perfection?” she asked, smiling at him.

It wasn’t until he sat down next to her, grinning like a fucking fool for real, that he realized the

mistake he’d committed. He’d stayed by her side after sex. Bad, bad, bad idea. He didn’t do that.

Didn’t grow close to other people. Didn’t trust other people, or have fun. Didn’t laugh. Tara was just

fucking with his head, trying to gain her freedom. That was her end goal. They both knew it. Once

again, he’d let her get too close.

Already, he wanted nothing more than to curl up with her and spoon throughout the night. Fucking

spoon. He didn’t do that shit. He gave her his back, knowing he’d fucked up. Time to remind her—

and himself—exactly where their relationship stood.

As in, it didn’t exist.

“Don’t forget: this doesn’t change a thing. You still need to help me figure out that code, and then

you go back to your life,” he said, keeping his tone flat and hard. Unyielding. Like him. “Away from

me.”

She flinched, pulling back from him both mentally and physically. Scooting a little to the left, she

turned her face away. “Yes, sir.”

“Don’t be like that.” He bent down, picked up her panties, and tossed them on the bed. “We both

knew what this was.”

“I never said I didn’t. What’s your deal?”

He wanted to apologize. Hug her close and assure her that he was the fucked-up one—not her. So

he did the opposite. He lashed out at her even more.

“You can go back to your own bed, but don’t steal anything when I’m sleeping. If you do, I’ll keep

you cuffed next time,” he said, keeping his back to her.

Forced himself to act as if she meant nothing at all to him. He had to do that, or maybe she would

mean something. And he didn’t need that in his life. Neither did she.

She could do better than a man like him.

Sheets ruffled, and her feet hit the floor. “Only you could take a perfectly enjoyable experience and

then ruin it by talking.”

With that, she slammed the door shut behind her. Perched on the edge of the bed, he listened to her

retreating footsteps until the guest bedroom door shut behind her. Then he fell back on the mattress,

flung his elbow over his eyes, and wondered exactly what he’d just started with Tara…

And what it would mean in the light of day.

Chapter Eight

Tara lifted her lids slowly, not really wanting to wake up. If she opened her eyes, the slight belief that

the past two days had all been a nightmare would fade away. And she would still be a prisoner in

Jake’s house, forced to help him or go to jail—all while fighting off an insatiable desire to be his. But

she recognized the guest room immediately. It hadn’t all been a dream.

She wasn’t sure how she felt about that just now.

The door opened, and in marched the man himself. Instead of the casual gear he’d put on yesterday,

he wore a light gray button-down shirt and a black vest. All of his sexy ink was covered up, and he

looked every part the businessman instead of the thief she’d once known. Black khakis completed the

outfit, and her heart did a ridiculous pitter-patter at the sight of him.

He didn’t even remotely resemble the man who cuffed her to the bed last night. That man had been

reckless and street-tough. This guy looked like a professional. Straitlaced and hot. Which one was the

real Jake?

Last night, she’d thought he needed her. She’d felt such a bond with him when she’d given herself

over to him…and then he’d metaphorically slapped her across the face with his actions afterward.

He’d clearly gotten what he’d wanted from her.

And now he was ready to move on.

Just like the last time.

“Rise and shine,” Jake said, crossing the room and opening the curtains. “It’s Wednesday, and in

my world? That’s a workday.”

Lifting on her elbows, she didn’t bother to hold blanket in place. It rested right above her breasts,

showing cleavage. His attention immediately drifted down, then came hurtling back as if he didn’t

want to see any more. She tilted her head to the side, ignoring the pain his slight rejection gave her. “I

don’t work with you.”

“You do now.” He stared at her, and there was a heat that hadn’t been there earlier. He stepped

toward her, but cut himself short, fisting his hands at his sides. “Until you crack the code, that is. Then

you’re free to go.”

She swallowed hard and turned away. He expected her to go into the belly of the beast, and work

with him? Hell to the no. “Can’t we work from here? I don’t want to go to your office.”

“No. We’re going to my office, and then we’re going on-site.”

“So, you want me to return to the site of my crime?” She snorted. “Yeah. Not happening.”

He grabbed hold of the blanket and tore it off of her. “You don’t have a choice. Now get up and get

dressed, or I’ll drag you to jail naked today.”

“Fine.” She rolled out of bed and stood up. Holding her head high, she put her hands on her hips.

“But I already told you that I don’t remember what I did. You’re wasting your time with me.”

He cursed under his breath and crossed the room, leaning into her face with anger written all over

his expression. “I don’t think you realize how much trouble you’re in. The only way I got him to agree

not to press charges against you was by promising him you would help me make his safe impenetrable

by tomorrow morning.” He grasped her chin. “If you don’t help me, then I can’t save you.”

She blinked. “Who asked you to try in the first place?”

“No one. I did it because I had fond memories of you. And now, I have even more.” His gaze

dipped down to her mouth, then shot back up. He shook his head slightly and let go of her, lurching

back as if he hadn’t wanted to touch her in the first place. “So get your pretty little ass dressed before

I do it for you, and put that brain into overdrive so you can remember what you did.”

She closed her fists at her sides, her body stiff. A part of her wanted to help him, to give him the

answers he needed, but she couldn’t. She’d spent her entire life helping people like her clients get

their rightful heirlooms back. Getting revenge on the bad guys, like the man who had killed her

parents, and Jake’s foster father.

She couldn’t turn her back on her life’s work.

Not even to save herself.

“Wear something that covers more skin than last night.” He walked toward the door. His stride was

purposeful, but she noticed his limp. Had last night taken a toll on him, physically? She’d seen the

scars, and now knew the extent of his injuries a little better. He’d probably been in danger of losing

his leg with a wound as serious as his. “I don’t want any other men seeing too much of your skin—not

when you belong to me.”

The door shut behind him, and she blinked at it.

Wait a second, she didn’t belong to him.

She hadn’t agreed to that…had she? She hadn’t realized she would be expected to obey him outside

of the bedroom. Only in it. If he thought he could boss her around all day long, he had another think

coming. It was time for him to start asking her nicely.

Shaking her head, she opened her suitcase and pulled out her shortest skirt and a tight silk blouse.

Muttering under her breath, she hopped in the shower that was connected to Jake’s room. Afterward,

as she rolled black thigh-highs up her leg, she planned how best to appear truly stumped at this

project.

By now, he knew her well enough. She’d have to lay it on thick enough to make it appear to be real,

but not so thick that it was transparent.

She needed to make it seemingly genuine.

After taking five minutes to make her wavy brown hair a little less crazy, she applied some light

makeup and stepped into a pair of red pumps. As she studied her reflection, something caught her

attention on the top of the dresser.

Reaching over, she grabbed the picture of Jake.

In the photo, he wore a pair of shorts and nothing else. He didn’t have any scars on his leg, so it

must have been before that. His arm was thrown around his sister, Christine, and they were both

smiling as if they didn’t have a care in the world.

They seemed young. Innocent. Happy.

It was the Jake she’d once known. The Jake she was trying so hard to bring back to life…before he

tossed her in jail. How ironic was it that she was trying to save him, while he was trying to end her?

She stuffed the photograph into her bag and headed down the stairs. He waited at the bottom for

her, a shoulder against the wall. The pose was meant to be casual, but he kept the bulk of his weight

off of his injured leg. There was nothing casual about it. It was calculated.

His gaze ran over her, his brows lowering. “That is not what I requested you wear. Go change.”

“Life’s full of disappointments.” She headed for the door. “You’d best get used to it.”

“I’m well aware of this fact.” He snatched her arm as she passed, his touch unbreakable but light.

He behaved as if they were talking about the weather instead of bossing her around about her

clothing. “But if you wear that, I’m not responsible for how hungry I’ll be by the time I get to have you

again. Or how I’ll react when I see other men staring at your sweet ass. Who do you think I’ll punish

for that, huh?”

Her stomach hollowed out when she remembered exactly how he’d “punished” her—with pleasure.

She wanted more. “That’s a risk I’m willing to take.”

He spun her so her back pressed against the wall and boxed her in with his body. He touched her

between her legs, cupping her core. She was embarrassingly wet already. “You have no idea what

you’re going to get when you poke me with a stick, little girl. If I were you, I’d never provoke me

again. You should keep your distance, and keep my hands off of you from now on.”

She swallowed. “Luckily for both of us, I’m not you. You don’t scare me.”

“God help us both, then.”

He kissed her, his fingers working over her core with the perfect amount of pressure. If he kept

doing that, she’d come right here, in his foyer. She clung to his vest, her tongue dueling for dominance

with his. There was no softness left in him anymore, despite his seemingly unaffected demeanor.

He ravished her, stealing her breath and her ability to think. But then he broke off the kiss, his

thumb moving over her harder. He shoved her panties aside and thrust a finger inside her. “You want

to come. You want me to make you finish.”

“Y-Yes.” She squeezed her lids shut, thisclose to coming. “Jake.”

“Ask me,” he demanded.

“May I please come?” she asked, her voice breathy and needy.

“No.”

Wait. What? She’d almost been there. Two more seconds, and she’d have been feeling satisfied

instead of frustrated. “But—”

“I said no.” He pulled back, taking his touch away. Taking it all away. “Let’s go. We’re going to be

late.”

Comprehension struck. He’d said he might punish her…and he had.

He so had.

“You…I…”

He looked completely calm and collected, while she was a quivering mass of want. Every single

hair on his head was smoothed into place, and he watched her with a steely composure that had her

wondering if he was actually human. “You going to finish that sentence, or what?”

She straightened her skirt. “I hate you sometimes.”

He grasped her waist, tugging her close enough that her sensitive breasts brushed against his vest.

“Is that supposed to hurt my feelings?”

She tilted her chin up. He was such a control freak…and she wanted him so badly it hurt. It wasn’t

fair. “Fuck you.”

“Maybe later, if you behave yourself.” He steered her outside into the sunlight. “But right now, I’d

like to discuss work.”

She ground her teeth, sexual frustration humming through her veins like a bolt of electricity. “I’ve

got nothing more to tell you.”

He opened her car door and waited without saying a word. Once she slid inside, he gently closed

the door and then went around the back to get to the driver’s side. When he reached the bumper, his

footsteps faltered, and his jaw dropped.

Oh, crap, she’d forgotten about that…

He turned to her as if in slow motion, and crooked his finger. She shook her head, but he simply

repeated the gesture, his mouth pressed tight.

“Shit.” She took a deep breath and got out of the car. “Yeah?”

“What did you do?” he asked, his voice clipped.

“Me?” She concentrated on the New York Giants bumper sticker, trying her best to imitate

innocence. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. Maybe someone thought you liked them?”

“Doubtful.” His jawline hardened. “And the cats? Would you care to explain those?”

A smile tried to emerge, but she bit down hard to try to stop it. “What about them?”

“Would you like to tell me why I have a stick figure family with me and nine cats, Tara?” he asked,

his voice deceptively calm.

She shifted on her feet, her joke now seeming like a way to get her ass handed to her on a platter. If

he broke out another one of his so-called punishments, she might die before he finished. “Uh…maybe

that someone thought you liked cats, too?”

“I’m going to fucking—” He cut off and dragged his hands down his face. Oh, shit. He was going to

kill her. Legit kill her. “Jesus.”

“I can try to get them—”

He fell against the car and burst into laughter. Full-belly, actual laughter—the kind she didn’t think

he still had in him. She gaped, unable to believe he was actually laughing. The deep, rich sound sent a

fist of need to her core, making her want to leap on him and screw him right in his driveway, cats and

all.

“You’re so ridiculous. Cats? Cats?”

He lost it again.

Her lips twitched, and she joined in, laughing harder than she had in years. “It seemed fitting.”

He convulsed at that, and she joined in. When they both finally pulled themselves together, he

watched her, his green eyes still lit with amusement. “You’re too much. You know that?”

She grinned, unable to help herself. “I didn’t know you could laugh like that anymore,” she

breathed. “I like it.”

“You know what? Me too.” He dragged her close, cupping her ass. “I really, really do. What are

you doing to me, Tara?”

“I don’t know,” she said, her voice breaking. “But I’m having fun with whatever it is. With you.”

“Good.” His fingers were perilously close to her core, and she ached to beg for him to move

lower. To touch her harder. He played with a lock of her hair, jerking enough to sting. “You know

you’ll pay for this little trick later, right? That there will be consequences?”

Her heart slammed into her throat. “I can’t wait.”

He nipped her shoulder. She shivered and bit back a moan, but he abruptly released her as if he

didn’t feel the slightest desire for her. Go figure. She’d never understand how he could just turn it off

like a light switch. Reaching out, he peeled the stick figure family off figure by figure. Next went the

Giants sticker. “You’re lucky that this wasn’t the Yankees. I would’ve had to spank you in public.”

Unexpectedly, she wished she’d gotten the Yankees one. In the car, he said, “Have you thought

more on what you did to get past my code? Or should I take you right to the jail myself?”

Did he ever stop thinking about work?

“I can’t think of a single thing that will help you,” she said, averting her gaze.

The lie was beginning to not come so easily. Maybe she should… No. She couldn’t go against her

principles. Not even for him. She’d just have to go to jail. Pointedly, she ignored the panic rising in

her chest. How much time would she have to serve? She had no clue, but she was beginning to think

she might be finding out soon.

“Is Soltese going to be there?” she managed to ask.

“No, he’s on vacation. We’ll be alone.”

Jake turned out of his driveway, and shortly thereafter merged onto the highway. Tara tapped her

fingers on the armrest. “What are we going to be doing?”

“First, we’ll go to my office. You’re going to study the code on my laptop. Then, we’ll go to the

location and try to crack it.” He tightened his grip on the wheel. “If we’re lucky, this whole mess will

be over by five.”

Was he so eager to get rid of her, then? Obviously. And it hurt. She hadn’t expected him to want to

marry her or anything, but still.

She remained silent, not trusting herself to speak right now.

“Tell me the truth.” His thumb drummed on the wheel. “Are you holding back on me?”

She forced a smile. “I assure you I’m not so desperate for your company that I’d play dumb to stick

around.”

There. Take that, Jake.

He snorted, not looking the slightest bit upset. “I wasn’t implying you were. Last night was a

distraction that really shouldn’t happen again. The important thing between us is our work.”

Of course. A distraction. That’s all. She’d do well to remember that from now on. He might have

blown her figurative socks off several times in a row, but it had only been a release of sorts.

“Obviously.”

Without another word, she stared out the window.

How long could she pretend not to remember the code? How long could she get away with playing

dumb before she got found out? Not long, she’d bet. Jake was no fool. He’d be onto her soon…if he

wasn’t already.

After a few minutes of tense silence between them, he turned into a parking lot. An office building

with big windows sat at the end, and he parked directly in front of it. Shutting off the engine, he turned

to her. “I’m not kidding around, Tara. You better not be playing me. This is my career we’re talking

about—and your freedom.”

She shook her head and did her best to keep her facial muscles relaxed, but her heart sped up. And

the guilt…it choked her. She wanted to help him. She really did. But helping him came at a cost, and

she wasn’t sure she could pay it. “I don’t remember.”

She followed him inside. They rode the elevator up to the third floor, and after a few awkward

introductions, she was seated behind his desk. His office had a wooden door and two windows. One

overlooked the outside world, and the other showed the interior of the office building, and had those

vertical blinds that could be closed if you wanted privacy. A bunch of men hustled about, but there

were no signs of any women.

She’d spent a few minutes checking out his space, taking in all the details, but her examination

hadn’t lasted long. While spacious, the room was barer in terms of personal effects than his house

was. As he leaned over and opened the correct file, their arms brushed, and his chest pressed against

her back.

The spicy scent of his familiar cologne teased her senses, and she inhaled deeply. Her stomach

clenched tight, half from desire and half from fear. Shit was getting real—and she needed to make a

choice.

Help Jake…or go to jail.

“Okay. Here it is. Study it, and see if something comes to you. Maybe we’ll luck out after all, and

avoid a trip to the site,” he said.

She nodded and grabbed the mouse. She had to at least seem like she was trying, but she didn’t

have to do it with him staring at her. He’d see through her act.

“Can you go get us some coffee?” she asked, grimacing and pressing two fingers to her temple. “I

can’t work with this headache.”

Shifting his weight to his good leg, he glanced at the door, then back at her, with a furrowed brow.

“You’ll stay here?”

“Yes.” She held her wrist out and sighed impatiently. “Would you like to cuff me to the desk to

make sure I don’t run?”

He touched her wrist, lingering over her racing pulse. “That won’t be necessary.” He started for the

door and glanced over his shoulder. “They’d stop you before you hit the door anyway.”

“A bunch of rental security dudes?” She rolled her eyes and scrolled down the page. This code was

so simple it hurt her to study it. “I think I could take them.”

Scoffing, he shook his head. “This company consists of military men who have been trained to take

down targets without blinking. I wouldn’t be so sure of that.”

He shut the door behind him, and she was alone.

She watched through the interior window as he walked to the closest desk. He said something and

gestured toward her, and a brown-haired man turned her way. Though he was a good distance away,

she could make out the fact that he had deep brown eyes, was extremely muscular, and had tattoos all

up his arms.

He screamed military.

As a matter of fact, a quick scan of the agency building showed a bunch of former service members.

They all held themselves in the same way. Tall and strong, and they carried themselves with pride.

Turning her attention back to the computer, she studied the simple code. Within seconds, she found

the spot where he’d gone wrong. Tapping her fingers on the desk, she glanced over her shoulder.

After opening an internet browser, the first thing that popped up was a picture of her at her parent’s

funeral. She wore all black and had her head lowered from view. She’d been crying, of course.

He’d been researching her. Her heart wrenched, and she closed the page. She didn’t need to be

reminded of all she lost. Didn’t need to remember that day. After going broke in a Ponzi scheme, her

parents had managed to pull their lives together. Their love for each other had never died. Not until a

drunken senator had crashed into them, killing them both instantly.

The senator had gotten off on a legal technicality. More than likely, he’d greased a few palms to

escape scot-free. He was the reason she did what she did. He was the reason she refused to help

Jake. She wouldn’t protect men like him, who took what they wanted and walked away. Wouldn’t

help them do more wrong in a world full of wrongs.

Wouldn’t be one of them.

She might not be able to bring Senator Forkes to justice, but she could help others get justice. And

stealing from men like him felt good. They deserved it, each and every one. She double-checked and

triple-checked all her facts before she entered their homes, no matter what Jake thought of her. She

never stole from the good guys.

But he didn’t believe her.

He thought she hadn’t changed.

Opening a new page, she peeked out the glass window to make sure Jake wasn’t coming back yet.

He wasn’t. Her fingers flew over the keyboard as she worked. She scrambled for his phone number,

but easily discovered it in his contact file. Heck, she found his email address, too. He had a few

photos of himself on the laptop.

It was like taking candy from a baby…

No sooner had she hit the confirm button than Jake reappeared outside his office, stopping to chat

with the same brown-haired guy he’d spoken to earlier. He carried two mugs of steaming coffee. As

she watched Jake, he turned her way and stared. He had a weird look on his face. Crap, he knew she

was full of shit.

And now she was going to go to jail.

Chapter Nine

Jake watched Tara through the window in his office. Her fingers moved over the keyboard constantly,

and she smirked as she worked. She looked every inch the unpredictable troublemaker she was. This

morning, she’d been a little restrained. Quiet.

It was nice to see her looking more alive…even if she was more than likely causing one form of

mischief or another.

“She’s up to no good in there,” Gordon said. “You can see it.”

Jake tightened his grip on the mugs. “She always is.”

Gordon laughed. The man was built like a fucking beast and practically lived in the gym, but he’d

always been quick to laugh and chat. Jake didn’t really know a whole lot about him, history-wise, but

he knew the usual. He’d fought in Iraq. Come home with PTSD. Gotten out. No wife. No kids. No one

at all besides himself.

They were all kind of like that at Shillings.

“Need any help with her?” Gordon asked, focused on Tara. “I could use a distraction right around

now.”

Jake tensed. No way in hell he was letting Gordon anywhere near Tara. The man had a way of

walking up to a woman, saying two words, and next thing you knew? She’d have her panties on the

floor within seconds. “Nah, I’m good.”

“Suit yourself.” Gordon grabbed his mouse again. “I’m studying my next case anyway.”

“What is it?”

“The princess.” Gordon clicked the mouse and turned the laptop Jake’s way. A blond woman with

green eyes stared back at him, not a hint of a smile on her lips. She seemed untouchably regal, and

drop-dead gorgeous. “She’s nothing but a spoiled…well, princess, who’s used to getting her way on

everything. Should be a fun assignment.”

Jake laughed and started for his office door. “Yeah. Good luck with that one.”

“Thanks, man. Back atcha.”

Jake took a steadying breath and elbowed the door open. Tara sat at his desk, her lower lip caught

between her teeth. The furious typing had stopped. She looked as if she was concentrating, but he

knew she was bullshitting him. She was perfectly aware of exactly what to do to save his ass—and

hers.

But she didn’t want to tell him.

He might need to force it out of her. His other methods were obviously failing. Bullying. Cajoling.

Befriending. Hell, he’d seduced her last night, not that that had been all about the job. He’d wanted

her, plain and simple. But giving in to the urge had been a huge mistake. He had nothing to offer her.

Not anymore.

The thought of never seeing her again sent a knife through his chest. No matter what she did, she

would be leaving him. He felt nauseous just thinking about that.

Maybe he didn’t have anything to offer her, certainly not a future. But he didn’t want her to throw

her life away in prison. Deep down she was a good person. Look at the way she’d gotten him to

laugh. He couldn’t remember the last time that happened. And if he were honest, he felt protective of

her.

That hadn’t changed in all the years they’d been apart.

Yeah. But he was fucking altruistic. Beyond the job that had to be done, there was the sex. Mind-

blowing—no, mind-fucking great sex. Even now, when he was angry at her for lying to him, he had a

hard time keeping his hands off her.

One taste wasn’t enough for him.

He set the coffee on the desk and came around behind her. She had the code open, and her fingers

rested on the mouse. His phone dinged in his pocket, but he ignored it. “Did anything in particular

stand out to you? Some part that doesn’t seem right?”

She picked up the coffee, pressing her soft lips to the rim and blowing. He wished he was the mug.

That’s how bad he had it. “No, not really. I don’t know why this case is fighting me. Usually, I can

remember what I did without any issues.”

He leaned on the desk and crossed his ankles, massaging his thigh. His leg was hurting like a bitch

today, probably because of last night. It had been the first time he’d had sex since his injury, so he

might have pushed himself a little too hard. “Maybe you’ll remember once we go to the site.”

“Yeah.” She glanced down at his thigh, taking another sip. “Maybe.”

His phone buzzed again, and he took it out of his pocket. As he skimmed the message, his shoulders

tensed. He had apparently gotten signed up for some bullshit dating website, and he had a love match.

Wait…a male love match. Did hackers have nothing better to do with their time than fuck with other

people’s lives?

“What the—?” Another email lit his screen. “Fucking brilliant.”

Tara set her mug down. “Is there a problem?”

“No.” He shoved his phone into his pocket, but it buzzed again before he released it. Another

match, no doubt. “It’s nothing.”

Her lips twitched, and she lowered her head quickly. “Okay.”

He watched her, not missing the amusement that was clear in her voice. Had she…? No. She had

only been alone in his office for five minutes, tops. How would she have gotten all his relevant

information so fast?

“Tara.” He crossed his arms and frowned at her. “Look at me.”

She stared at him, her expression innocent. Too innocent. “Yeah?”

“Is there something you’d like to tell me?”

She didn’t blink. “About?”

“Did you sign me up for a gay dating site?” His phone buzzed again. Fucking A. “Was it you?”

She burst into laughter, clutching her stomach. “Yes.”

First his house. Then his car. Now his office.

Was nothing sacred to her?

He lowered his brows, torn between being amused and annoyed as hell. Amusement was winning.

Especially when his phone buzzed again. His Tara was so delightfully unpredictable. “Why did you

do that?”

She stood and pushed his chair back. Tilting her head, she shrugged. Actually shrugged. She was

too much. “I was bored. And you weren’t here.”

His swallowed a laugh, trying his damn best to appear serious and on the mark. He probably failed,

because this was Tara. She never let him get away with that. “You sound like a child. ‘I was bored.’

How old are you? Twelve?”

“Almost twenty-six.” She ran her finger down his chest, trailing lower until she hit his waistband.

He gritted his teeth. “But you already knew that.”

He captured her fingers and squeezed. “When we get home, I’m going to toss you on my bed and—”

His phone went off again, and she let out a trill of laughter. A smile played at his lips, and for once?

He let it. “Tara. Fix this.”

When his phone went off again, she choked on another laugh. “Okay, okay. I’ll make it stop.”

She sat down and pulled up the dating website. Despite himself, he checked out what she’d put

under his profile description. There was a shirtless picture of him that he didn’t remember having in

the first place. And on top of that, she wrote that he liked to give foot rubs, take long, meaningful

walks on the beach, and talk about his feelings all night long.

His fucking feelings.

Smiling despite himself, he shook his head. Where had she been all these years? He’d missed her,

even if he hadn’t known it at the time.

“Delete it. Now.”

Tara opened one of his matches. He was a blond firefighter. Or at least he was posed like a

firefighter—shirtless and all. “Oh. He looks nice.” She skimmed the description. “Too bad he’s gay.”

Tara hit the hide button, and moved on to the next one. Equally attractive and equally gay. “Wow. All

the good ones really are all gay or taken, aren’t they?”

The smile faded away, and he frowned. Feeling jealous was ridiculous, since they were all

obviously batting for the other team, but he didn’t like standing here watching her drool all over these

men. Didn’t like her drooling over anyone but him…

Whatever the fuck that meant.

She was his, and he didn’t fucking share.

“Delete. The. Account,” he said between his clenched teeth. “Now.”

She closed all the other matches, including the one she’d been checking out, and deleted his account

with a couple of clicks. “There. It’s gone. Happy now?”

No. He was jealous.

“Are you ready to go on-site?” he asked, his voice hard. He needed to stop feeling all these stupid

emotions she was bringing out in him, and start focusing on getting the job done. As much as he

wanted her, it was best if they parted ways soon. “Or do you need to create another account for me

behind my back?”

“I’m done for now,” she said. “Let’s go.”

“After you.”

They headed into the main office, and she stopped at Gordon’s desk. “Hey.”

“Uh,” Gordon studied her, his gaze dipping down her body. “Hi.”

“I saw you earlier, and I wanted to tell you how much I love your ink.”

Gordon’s arms flexed, and he grinned. “Thanks. Do you have any—?”

“We’re leaving now to go on-site,” Jake interrupted. The ridiculous jealousy struck again, seconds

after he told himself to knock it off. She’d never said a word about his ink. Not one word. “Can you

let Cooper know for me?”

After Gordon nodded, Jake led Tara to the elevator and pushed the button, frustration at his own

reactions to this woman making him itchy and irritable.

Once inside the elevator, he backed her into the corner, one hand on either side of her head. His

fingers flexed. “I know that you were trying to make me jealous back there. Talking about hot men

being taken, and sexy ink.”

She let out a breath in a whoosh, her wide eyes on him the whole time. “What? I was just talking.

Why—?”

He smashed his mouth to hers, needing to claim her. Dominate her. Make her his.

She didn’t pretend to not want it, or him. Hell no. She didn’t hesitate to entwine her tongue with his,

moaning into his mouth. He wanted to drop to his knees at her feet and worship her properly. He let

out his own guttural sound, positioning himself between her legs where he wanted to be.

Where he needed to be.

“You like fucking with me?” he asked, thrusting his hips into her. “You like pissing me off? Well,

lucky for you, I like making you pay.”

“But I didn’t—ah, screw it.”

“Exactly.” He tugged on her hair. “Good girl.”

She squirmed against his hard cock. “Please don’t stop this time,” she begged, her nails digging

into his shoulders. “Don’t stop, Jake. I’m yours. All yours.”

Something inside him shifted, and he kissed her again. Though he’d planned to kiss her and warn

her not to test him again, he didn’t want to stop anymore. She’d asked nicely—and he wanted to give

her what she wanted. Everything she wanted.

The elevator doors opened, and he stepped back from her. After capturing her hand, he dragged her

to the storage closet at the end of the downstairs hallway. He knew for a fact it wouldn’t be used till

this afternoon—and it had a lock on it.

Fucking perfect.

Stopping in front of it, he glanced over his shoulder, then opened the door. She went inside

willingly, and he closed them in. The lock clicked in the silence of the small room. Darkness

descended, but he had no problem finding her.

Hauling her close, he kissed her with all the pent-up frustration he’d been suffering from since she

first barged back into his life. She fisted his shirt and urged him closer, lifting her leg to let him inside

her thighs. She wore those thigh high-pantyhose, so the only things stopping him from fucking her

were her flimsy panties and his own pants. He rubbed his thumb over her clit and pressed his upper

body into hers, crushing her against the wall in the process.

She groaned and threaded her fingers in his hair, her nails digging into his scalp. “Jake, please,”

she pleaded, tugging on his hair.

He growled. “You asked so nicely.”

“I know, so please take me.” She pulled again, harder. “Now.”

He thrust the panties aside and slid two fingers inside. They came back wet, and he groaned. She

wanted him, and he fucking needed her. Withdrawing his fingers, he pressed her into the corner of the

walls and undid his zipper.

When he freed himself, he took a condom out of his pocket and slid it on. The whole time he took

care of the safety aspect of what he was about to do, his mouth worked over hers. “You taste like

fucking heaven.”

She jerked on his collar. “Hurry up.”

“Say please,” he said, his hold on her ass tight. She wasn’t playing by his rules, and he was

dangerously close to not giving a fuck. “You need to beg me, damn it.”

“Please. Please, please, please.”

He spread her thighs wide and positioned himself at her entry, touching the wet heat of her pussy

with the tip of his dick. Christ, she was so fucking ready to envelope him. He thrust inside her with

one hard movement, not bothering to work his way in slowly.

When she screamed out his name and threw her head back, holding on to his shoulders with a firm

clasp, he groaned out her name. Biting down on her neck, he drove even deeper. “I should stop now.

Make you wait.” He thrust again. “I should leave you hanging all fucking day because of what you

did.”

“Jake,” she moaned, her hands moving all over his body. “No. Please. Don’t stop.”

The fact that she still wore all of her clothes, including those sexy-ass heels she’d put on, only

turned him on more. Not like he needed much help in that area. He closed his palms over her breasts,

squeezing hard and rolling his thumbs over her hard nipples.

She clamped down on him, and he knew she was close to coming. He angled his hips and claimed

her mouth again, swallowing her cries as she grew louder. More frantic. Her nails scraped

everywhere she could reach, but that didn’t seem to satisfy her. She kept scratching, her teeth digging

into his lip as she kissed him back.

When she grabbed his vest and hauled him deeper, her pussy gripping his cock as she came, he

groaned and drove inside of her one last time, all the way. He broke the kiss and buried his face in

her neck, taking a shuddering breath, and the world imploded around them.

Shit, had he really just fucked her in a closet? Because she’d complimented Gordon’s tattoos? He

was losing control fast. The hold she had over him was frightening. Once he calmed down enough to

speak, he rasped, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have…I get jealous.”

She hugged him close. “It’s okay. I did kind of flirt with him, I guess. I wanted to see if you cared.”

“Don’t do that again. Don’t fuck with me like I’m a toy you can throw away. I’ve had enough lies

and games to last me a lifetime. I don’t want them from you. Anyone but you. You want to be done

with me, then say so.” He turned his face away, even though she couldn’t see him, because he felt way

too damn vulnerable right now. She’d hurt him. “You’re free to end this whenever you’re finished,

just like I am.”

“Jake.” When she cupped his cheeks, something inside him gave way. Something huge. For once,

she sounded dead-ass serious. “I’m not done with us. Not even close.”

He swallowed, his heart twisting hard. It was then, in that moment, that he realized she had way too

much fucking power over him. He’d needed her to want to be with him, and now that she’d admitted

she did, he felt like he could fly.

This was dangerous. She was dangerous.

No matter how much she wanted him right now, it wouldn’t last. She might find him amusing for

now, but the novelty would wear off. And when it did? She’d be gone. She would find a man who

could stand for more than an hour at a time. One who wasn’t as scarred on the inside as he was

outside. And she’d be smart to do so.

Plus, there was that whole jail thing…

Feeling sick, he gripped her legs and unwrapped himself from her body slowly. When she stood on

the floor, her knees wobbled slightly, as if she couldn’t stand on her own. Once he was certain she

wasn’t going to fall, he leaned against the wall and put all of his weight on his good leg.

Well, shit. That fucking hurt. He’d be limping all day now, thanks to his impulsive actions. He

should have known his injury wouldn’t stand up to wall sex.

But fuck his injury.

He was sick of being the guy he’d been lately. He wanted to be different. Wanted…shit if he knew.

He just knew he wanted. Dropping his head back, he took a deep breath. After removing the condom

and disposing of it in the trash can by the door, he tucked himself back into his pants.

If he looked at her, she might see too much. “Is your skirt back down?”

“Yeah. I think we’re good.”

He took a deep breath and opened the door. She straightened and smoothed the soft material over

her thighs, then nodded at him once. Around her, he felt more alive than…hell, he didn’t know.

Since before the war.

Before he’d witnessed half of his buddies get blown to puzzle pieces, and survived to relive every

single fucking detail at night when he slept. The light from the hallway illuminated her profile, and he

focused on her again. Her swollen lips and flushed cheeks reminded him how amazing she felt, and

her tousled hair teased him. He’d done that to her. Given her that I got fucked look.

And everyone would know it.

Swallowing hard, he latched gazes with her. She watched him with such trust, such openness, that it

killed him. He had to do whatever it took to keep her safe, and he had a feeling he had the perfect

plan. The problem was, it would make her hate him. She’d never forgive him, but she’d be out of jail.

That was all that mattered…or so he kept telling himself.

He cupped the nape of her neck and urged her close. “I’m sorry I had to blackmail you into helping

me. And I’m even more sorry I might have to send you to jail. I wish—”

“I know,” she said, her flushed cheeks going pale. “I know.”

Unable to put the rest of his thoughts into words, he stepped out into the hallway, and they headed

for the door. It was time for him to save her…

And pay the consequences.

Chapter Ten

Tara took a deep breath and pushed some random numbers on the safe lock. She tried her best to make

her incompetence convincing, but she knew she was a complete and utter fail in that department. And

judging from Jake’s narrow stare…he agreed with her own rating of her mediocre acting skills.

She’d been pretending to be an idiot for an hour and a half, emitting moans and a few curses here

and there, but she was running out of ways to act stupid. She didn’t do stupid.

The glow of his phone illuminated his perfect face, since the dim overhead light didn’t do much in

that area. They were in Soltese’s safe, which was easily the size of Jake’s guest room, and dark gray

walls surrounded them. It smelled like money and potpourri.

She sighed loudly. He was probably playing Candy Crush or something equally innocuous while

she killed herself over here trying to look stumped. When he didn’t look up from his phone, she

sighed even louder. Slowly, he glanced up. “Is there a problem?”

“Yeah. I want out of here. Take me to jail now. I surrender.”

His mouth tightened. “It’s been almost two hours. You’re telling me you can’t remember how you

cracked the code?”

She stood and swiped her palms on her skirt. “Can we go home now?”

“No.”

“Maybe we can try tomorrow?” she asked hopefully. “Fresh minds and all that?”

“We need a solution by today, or tomorrow morning you’ll go to jail.” He strode to the door. “I

know you don’t have signal, but I do. Maybe you need a little more persuasion.”

She tensed, watching him cautiously. “What are you doing?”

“Persuading you.” He tossed his iPhone through the door of the safe. “And hoping like hell that you

can get us out of here.”

She stumbled after him. “No, you can’t do—” He closed their only exit with a bam. She clamped

her mouth shut and scowled at him. “Seriously?”

“Seriously.” He leaned against the wall as if he didn’t have a care in the world. As if he hadn’t

locked them in together, with no hope of escape. “Now get us out.”

He thought he could force her to reveal her secrets? Screw him. “I can’t. I told you that. Trying to

force it out of me won’t do you any good.”

“I don’t believe you.” He crossed his arms. “You did it once, you can do it again.”

She shook her head and hooked up to the system. After randomly pushing buttons, it beeped at her

and turned red. She glowered over her shoulder. “See? I don’t know what I did.”

He came up behind her. “Think harder.”

“I am.” She curled her fingers on her phone even tighter. “I’m trying.”

“No, you’re not.” He trailed his fingers down her leg and toyed with the hem of her skirt. “I think

you’re playing me. And I’m prepared to stay in here until you get us out, no matter how long it takes.”

He dropped his hold on her and left, crossing the safe to sit down on a bin.

“And if I don’t? What then?” she asked.

“Then we die in here.” He crossed his ankles. “I don’t know about you, but no one will miss me too

much.”

She clamped her mouth shut. “Not even your sister?”

“Well.” He lifted a shoulder. “Maybe her. But she’s got Tyler now.”

“That’s not the same as the love of a brother,” she said.

“Fuck, I’d hope not.” Jake pointed at the lock. “Now get back to work.”

She blew out a breath, fluttering her hair. “You’re being stupid.”

“I’m good at that.”

“You don’t say?” She turned her attention to the code, mind racing. “I hadn’t noticed until now.”

He snorted, but didn’t reply.

After a few minutes of her aimlessly poking buttons, he broke the silence. “Why do you do this?”

Grateful for the distraction, she stopped acting as if she was trying to crack the code and walked

over to his side. “Why do I do what?”

“Steal. Explain it to me again.”

She exhaled. It was the first time he’d asked her that. Maybe it meant he was beginning to see she

wasn’t being evil. Maybe he was beginning to understand her. “You protect stuff for people, keep it

from being stolen. I do the same thing. The only difference being that I recover stolen items, and you

keep things from being stolen.”

He studied her, as if he was having a hard time understanding her logic. For him, everything was

black and white. There was nothing in between. “You break into other people’s homes and steal.

That’s wrong.”

“Even if they stole it themselves?”

“An eye for an eye leaves everyone blind,” he said. “Is this because of your parents?”

“Yes. And yours.” She lifted her chin. “I hate that bad people in this world get away with

everything, and we can’t do anything to stop it. The people who stole all my parents’ money. Your

foster parents. The man who killed my parents. They all have one thing in common. They all walked

away without a single punishment, and we couldn’t do a thing to stop them.”

“No one said the justice system was perfect.”

“It’s unfair. Unjust.” She took a deep breath, wringing her hands. “I debated becoming a cop so I

could arrest them all. But I’m not disciplined enough. On top of that, I’d never be able to walk away

from someone I knew was guilty because we didn’t have the legal evidence. So…I do this.”

His gaze latched on hers. “You steal from them.”

“Yes.” She bit down on her lip, and added defensively, “They all deserve it. You can’t deny that.

They’re all assholes. I only steal from the ones who stole it first.”

He shook his head. “That doesn’t make it okay. If I treated everyone the way I was treated, I’d be in

jail. Would have been since my parents died.”

Kneeling at his feet, she covered his hand with hers. His fingers tensed under hers, as if he wasn’t

sure he wanted her touch. Funny, considering all they’d done together in the past twenty-four hours.

Heck, even before that.

“I know. And it’s people like Soltese that need to be taken from. That deserve to have their privacy

invaded, and the items they took from innocent people taken back.”

He shook his head. “It’s not that simple, Tara.”

“Yeah, it is.” She withdrew. “Ever wish you had been honest with Christine and told her you were

being abused? Do you ever wish someone came and took you away from him?”

He moved away from her, his profile barely visible in the dim shadows of the safe. “‘Took me

away?’ I’m not one of your items that can be stolen away in the night.”

“But still.”

Pressing his mouth into a tight line, he shook his head. “You have no idea what you’re talking

about. I was fine, and I didn’t need to be rescued. It was one year of hell, after seventeen years of

happiness. That’s it. It wasn’t a big deal.”

“But it was a whole year.” She bit her lower lip. “I saw the bruises and the broken bones. I saw

what he did to you. And I also saw how much you hated living there. Hated life, even. When my

parents died, my grandmother took me in. I had a loving home, plenty of support. You got him. How

can that not piss you off? How can that not make you hate the world a little bit?”

“That I got an abusive asshole while you were coddled and loved?” He stood and linked his hands

behind his head. “We might be part of the dead parents club, but that doesn’t mean we both had to

have tragic pasts. Your parents died and left you loads of cash. Mine died, and I lost everything. It

doesn’t mean I feel cheated or unloved. It’s the way life works. We don’t all get a fucking happy

ending.”

She swallowed hard. “But you could still have one. I wish—” She locked gazes with him. “I wish

you would have come and lived with me. I wish I had thought of it back then.”

“Me, living with your grandmother?” Jake laughed and leaned against the wall. “It wouldn’t have

happened.”

“It should have.” She blinked back tears. “I should have saved you.”

He shook his head. “No one could have saved me because I didn’t need saving in the first place.”

“What about now?” she whispered.

“Now I’m beyond hope. Nothing can save me.” He gave her his back. “Not even you.”

Not even you.

Why did he say it like that? Maybe he was worried she could save him. Maybe he was worried she

still might. Reaching out, she grabbed his arms and held on tight. “I would try, if you wanted me to. I

would save you.”

A small tremor went through his muscles. So little that anyone else might not have noticed. But she

wasn’t anybody else. “I’m not the one that needs saving, Tara. Get us the fuck out of here so I can

save you.”

An hour later, Jake braced himself against the safe wall and watched Tara, forcing a calming

breath…but it wasn’t easy. Hell no, it wasn’t easy.

Neither was being locked in with her.

She wanted to save him. Fucking save him. He wasn’t the one who was about to go to jail, damn it.

She needed to worry about herself. He was fine. Good, even.

And he didn’t need saving.

Over the past hour, after her heartfelt speech about why she did what she did, he’d come to the

realization that she didn’t have anyone in her life. Her grandmother was dead. So were her parents.

She didn’t have siblings. Aunts or uncles either. She was alone.

More alone than he was.

She needed to see that she didn’t have to be a thief to make a difference in the world. She could go

legit. Stop breaking into houses. He could help her.

Walking past him, she headed for a bottle of water in the corner. He followed her, watching that ass

he loved so much swing back and forth with each step. He’d had her only a few hours ago, but the

need to have her again was strong. He wanted to conquer her. Make her scream his name out until it

echoed off the walls.

Wanted to claim her as his.

Tilting her chin up, he stared at her mouth hungrily. “Do you have any fucking idea how badly I

want to kiss you right now? It’s all I can think about.”

“That’s because you’re as bored as I am,” she said breathlessly. “Or you’re running out of oxygen

and getting delirious. Either one.”

“We’re supposed to be working,” he said, rubbing his thumb over her lower lip. “But I want to fuck

you against this wall. You’re like a drug I’m hooked on, and I don’t want to break free. Get us out of

here before it’s too late.”

She shook her head. “I can’t. Soltese will have to drag our dead, rotting corpses out of here when

he’s back from his vacation.”

“About Soltese…” He cleared his throat. “I investigated him some more last night after you went to

sleep. I sent Cooper an email with the evidence, but you were right about him. He’s a con.”

She seized his biceps. “I told you that already. Does this mean I could be off the hook with the

code?”

He lifted a shoulder. “I have no idea. All I know is that Soltese isn’t the type of man we generally

protect. He has close ties to the Mafia, and a history of violence.”

“Yeah, I know,” she said drily.

Her nonchalance in the face of danger hit him, swift and strong. He leaned in, touching noses with

her. Didn’t she realize he needed her to be safe? Or how much she meant to him?

“Do you have any idea how much danger you could be in right now ?” he asked, his voice

deceptively soft.

She scoffed. “Please. I don’t care how dangerous he thinks he is. He won’t get to me.”

“Bullshit.” Jake tightened his grip on her, wanting to kiss her into submission. “You’re not safe

from men like him. No one is.”

“Sure I am. No one ever suspects me. I’m a rich woman who is supposed to be happily married

with a bunch of trust fund kids by now.” She shrugged. “Well, no one suspected me until you,

anyway.”

He flexed his jaw, anger and worry over her safety making him see red. “If you don’t tell me how

you cracked my code, he will find out who you are. He’ll know your name, because we’ll have to tell

him. Do you understand that?”

She jerked her chin free. “I don’t care. Tell him my name. Give him my address. Hand me over to

him. I don’t care.”

Deep breaths. Keep your head, Jake.

“Well, I do, damn it,” he said, his gut twisting tight. “I care. You need to tell me the secret to

cracking the code, and you need to do it right fucking now.”

She frowned at him and shoved his shoulder. “I can’t. You, Soltese, and everyone in the Shillings

Agency can go to hell.”

“Can’t.” He leaned against the wall. “I’m already there.”

Because of the way he felt about her. Because he was going to have to trick her, or send her to jail,

and he didn’t fucking want to. Because he wanted more, with her.

He wanted to be happy, damn it.

Those unwelcome feelings, combined with the knowledge that she was in danger, and quite

possibly would soon be behind bars, were enough to drive a saint insane…and he was no saint.

She went back to the keypad, leaving his last comment untouched.

Now came the tricky part. The part he’d been devising since her name crossed his desk. “In the

future, it would be nice if we had someone in the company who checked into backgrounds to make

sure this lapse in judgment doesn’t happen again.”

She froze with her finger on the fifth button. “Really?”

“Yeah.” He forced himself not to watch her, to act as if he wasn’t offering her a job. Because he

was. “We’re going to be looking for someone to fill the position soon.”

She pushed some more buttons, her back stiff. “Is that your goal? To get me to agree to a safer job?

To be my knight in shining armor, rescuing me from a life of danger and loneliness?”

Cocking his head, he studied her closely. He’d never said anything about her being lonely. She’d

told him that all on her own. But he knew all about being on your own. Way too well. Going to bed

alone. Waking up alone. Eating Christmas dinner alone.

Having to rely on himself and no one else. But maybe…maybe he didn’t want that anymore. Maybe

they could be lonely together, or something.

Shit, he didn’t know.

“I’m not a knight, or a hero. I’m a warrior with a lame leg. I’m one of those men who can do

nothing but sit by the fire and reminisce on the good old days, while secretly wishing he could go

back out and fight.”

Her mouth dipped down, and she bit down on her tongue. She looked…sad. “You’re so much more

than that, Jake. Don’t you see how wonderful you are?”

He gave an uneasy laugh. “No. I don’t.”

“But I do. You’re more than you think you are.” Playing with the buttons of his vest, she made a

frustrated sound in the back of her throat. “I care about you, Jake. I know it’s crazy, and stupid, but I

want…I want you. I want to be with you.”

No way she could care about him. Not after everything he’d done to her—and everything he still

had to do. He should tell her there was no hope for them in the future, because there wasn’t. He

wasn’t good enough for her, but he wished he was.

Fuck, he wished he was.

He kissed her.

Chapter Eleven

Tara clung to his hard forearms, taking everything he gave her, and yet still needing more. When his

lips moved over hers, her stomach clenched as the familiar scent of his cologne teased her senses, the

taste of his tongue drove her wild.

All too soon, he pulled back. “You have to fig—shit.”

Bending down, he rubbed his thigh, a grimace etched on his face. She swallowed hard and glanced

down at his leg. “Does it hurt a lot?”

Without replying, he turned away. He let go of his thigh quickly, as if he just now realized he’d

been rubbing it in front of her. “Yeah. Especially when it’s going to rain. But it’s not a big deal. I’ll

be fine. It always goes away.”

Her heart twisted tight. “Does it help if someone rubs it?”

“I have no clue.” Lifting a shoulder, he glanced back at her. “No one has ever rubbed it before,

except for me.”

“But…” She nibbled her lower lip, a pang of sadness stabbing her in the throat. “Not even

Christine?”

He didn’t meet her eyes. “I won’t let her.”

“Well, then…” After taking a deep breath, she knelt at his feet. “Let’s find out.”

Stiffening, he captured her hand, the vulnerabilities he usually hid beneath his hard, steely eyes

achingly defenseless. “Tara.”

“Trust me. I only want to help you.” She met his gaze, hoping he’d see the truth in her words.

Showing him he wasn’t alone in the world anymore. Not if he didn’t want to be. “Please?”

He didn’t release her right away. He held her fingers still, locking gazes with her. Then, after a few

seemingly endless moments, he let go of her. She sucked in a deep breath, her mind spinning in

circles. Lifting his pants up, he revealed his scars. Even in the shadows of the safe, she could make

out the pattern of the zigzagged scars all across his thigh and knee.

When she tried to move it higher, she realized there was no way she could possibly get his pants

high enough to do what she wanted. Sure, she could leave them on and massage him through the

fabric, but she wanted to show him that his scars didn’t scare her.

That she wasn’t disgusted or turned off by them in the slightest. It was really important to her. She

hesitated, her fingers resting on his knee. “Can you take these off for me?”

He shifted uneasily. “That was easy. I didn’t have to seduce you with my smoldering stares and

bedroom eyes first.”

“It’s my turn to be bossy.” Even though he was cracking jokes, she knew this wasn’t a joke to him.

Not at all. She tugged at the hem. “Take them off. Now.”

Mouth tight, he stood, undid his pants, and let them hit the floor. She didn’t count on the fact that

with him standing in front of her, and her kneeling at his feet, she was right at crotch level. Yeah, she

was staring his erection in the face, and he was hard.

Really, really hard.

All she could think about was leaning forward and pressing a kiss to the tip of his erection before

rolling his boxer briefs down and taking him in her mouth, inch by slow inch. She swallowed a huge

gulp of air and forced her attention north.

His gaze was on her, and she knew he was thinking the same thing. Thinking about her closing her

mouth around him and…no. That was not why she’d told him to remove his pants. “S-Sit down. I’m in

control this time.”

“I’ll allow it…for now.” He tugged on a piece of her hair, then dropped it. He sat and straightened

his injured leg on the floor in front of him. “But only for a little while, and only till I tell you to stop.

And when I take control, I’ll bend you over that box in the corner and fuck you till you can’t breathe

anymore.”

Oh, God. That sounded hot. So, so hot. But she wouldn’t focus on that. Not yet. Right now, she had

to concentrate on him. He needed this, too, even if he didn’t know it yet. “We’ll see,” she said, her

voice thick with desire.

He clenched his fists at his sides. “Yes. We will.”

Reaching out, she grabbed some lotion out of her purse and lathered her hands. He’d smell fruity

and girly, but he’d feel a heck of a lot better. “I’m going to rub your leg. If it hurts, let me know.”

He stiffened. “You probably don’t want to touch it. It’s all raw and rough and—nasty.”

She raised her brow, then clutched his ankle. Slowly, she massaged the muscles, going a little

higher as she went. His head dropped back on the wall, and he let out a strangled groan. His hand

fisted tighter on top of the floor, and he closed his eyes.

She couldn’t stop looking at him.

Memorizing every detail, laid out for her to see, since she wouldn’t be able to do so for much

longer. She loved the way his five o’clock shadow darkened his jaw, much like his lowered lashes

did his cheeks. And how he held his breath as she rubbed him, not moving a single muscle, as if he

was scared he would send her running.

He should know better. She didn’t run scared of anything.

Especially not him.

Looking at her from beneath lowered lids, he shifted his weight. “You have no idea how good that

feels. But you don’t have to touch the scars.”

“You know what I see when I study you?” She moved up his leg more, reaching mid-calf. “I see

bravery.” Moving higher, she lowered her mouth to his, stopping an inch from him. “I see heroic

actions and I see you. But I don’t see ugliness.”

A broken sound escaped him, and he gripped her. “Tara…I…”

“Sh.” She flipped her wrist, entwining her fingers through his. Leaning in, she kissed his chin

dimple. “You don’t have to say anything at all. I wanted you to know.”

Crawling over his injured leg into the empty space between his thighs, she massaged his thigh,

dipping her fingers under his boxer briefs. His muscles tensed, and he arched his hips. The

vulnerability in his gaze, and the motions of his body, made her want him more than ever.

Another inch higher…

She closed her fingers over his shaft, squeezing gently. He thrust into her hand, gripping her hips

tightly. “Tara.”

“Yes?” She cupped his balls, tugging ever so slightly. “What do you want, sir?”

“You. Only you.” He swallowed. “I know how hard it is for you to give yourself over to me, to

submit. So…I’m giving you control. This one time.”

She froze. She knew, more now than ever before, how hard it was for him to say that. To submit to

her. He was giving her something huge. He was giving her his trust.

And she wouldn’t let him down.

“Good.” She lowered her head and nibbled on his ear, biting just enough to sting. He shuddered.

“My first order? Touch me.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He gripped her sides, closing on her breasts. “Like that?”

She moaned when he palmed her, rolling her nipples between his fingers. Even through the fabric

of her shirt and bra, she could feel his skin burning her. “Yes.”

He arched his hips up. His cock pressed against her, teasing her. Making her want more. She

scrambled to undo his vest, needing to see him naked. To feel his skin. To admire his tattoos, and

study them up close for once.

Last night, he’d tied her up so she couldn’t touch him, and in the supply closet, he’d been fully

clothed. This time, they would do it right. He tilted his face up, letting her take control of the kiss, as

he’d promised. When she undid the first button, he tensed.

“Shit.” Catching her hand, he said, “I hate to say this, but you need to stop.”

“You’re not the one in charge of this. I am.” She leaned in so her mouth was barely touching his.

“Why would I stop now, when I’m starting to have fun?”

He grasped her hips, holding her still. “Because in one minute, my boss Cooper will be opening

that door, and I’d rather have my pants on when he does. And he damn well isn’t going to get to see

you bent over, ass naked and in the air. That’s for my eyes only.”

Heart racing, she jumped off him and tugged her skirt back down. As far as ways to dispel heated

lust went, hearing that his boss was about to open the door was right up there with an ice-cold bucket

of water. “How long till he’s here?”

“Not long enough.” He slipped his pants back on and watched her the whole time. “And he’s going

to expect me to have answers that I don’t have.”

She clenched her hands in front of her, the guilt choking her again. He wouldn’t actually get in

trouble because of her inability. Only she’d suffer. “I can’t help you.”

“Can’t?” He turned her way again. “Or won’t?”

She didn’t answer.

When he realized she didn’t intend to, he balled his fists at his sides. “I want to save you, and I

wish you would let me. Why won’t you let me?”

She opened her mouth to say…what? She had no clue.

But the safe door opened, and the man she could only presume was Cooper Shillings stood

silhouetted in the doorway. He had brown hair, green eyes, and was hot as hell. Almost as hot as

Jake.

He leaned on the doorframe. “So…since I’m rescuing you both, I take it the code hasn’t been

figured out yet?”

“We’ve got nothing,” Jake said, his cheeks flushing as he did up his button. “I thought locking us in

would help, but she still can’t figure it out.”

Cooper eyed Jake’s hands. “I see. I’m not going to lie. I’m disappointed.”

“It’s not his fault,” Tara said quickly, watching Jake out of the corner of her eye. It wasn’t Jake’s

fault she refused to help Soltese, and she couldn’t let him get caught in the cross fire because of her.

“He’s been trying his best to help me, but I can’t remember how I did it. Arrest me now if you have

to, but don’t blame him. It’s not his fault.”

Cooper cocked a brow. “Is that so?”

“Yeah. Give me your word he won’t be punished for my shortcomings.”

“Tara, stop it.”

“No.” She gave Cooper a pointed look. “I’m sorry I couldn’t help you, but he’s been the perfect

employee to you.”

Cooper nodded. “I believe you.”

“Tara, stop defending me,” Jake snapped. He glared at her. “He knows I’m doing my job.”

Cooper cleared his throat. “Look, we need to get Tara to—”

“I know.” She sighed, wanting to get this over with. “Are we going straight to the jail from here?”

Jake stood in front of her, blocking her from Cooper. “No. Your time isn’t over yet. We have

tonight, too.”

“Will a few hours help?” Cooper asked.

She shook her head. “Probably n—”

“Yes,” Jake said, his tone hard. “Maybe later tonight, it’ll come back to her.”

Cooper lowered his brows. “I hope so. After what you discovered about this Soltese guy…I’d hate

to be on his bad side.” He gave Tara a meaningful look. “More so than you already are, that is. Word

has it he’s heading back here tomorrow. I suggest you remember, and remember fast.”

Well, crap.

Chapter Twelve

Later that night, Jake stood under the shower stream, letting the water slide down his aching body. It

had been a hell of a long day, and it wasn’t anywhere near over yet. He needed to get her to tell them

the code, no matter what. Had to get her to tell him how she did it, or tomorrow morning…

She’d go to jail.

No matter what he did from this point out…he’d lose her.

When she’d rubbed his leg earlier and called him a hero, something inside him had broken. He’d

wanted to be a hero, for her. And some part of him had actually believed her words. Believed her.

Believed that maybe, with her help, he could be a complete man again. One who deserved love and

happiness and…yeah, maybe even her.

But those were the foolish thoughts of a foolish man.

He shut the water off and glowered down at his scars. They were more pronounced than ever in the

bright fluorescent overhead lights. As if from a distance, he could hear his ex telling him that no one

could love a lame man. That no one would want him. He slipped the shower curtain back and froze.

“What. The. Hell?”

While he’d been washing up, his bathroom had been completely redone. It now had pink towels.

And a pink rug. And a fucking pink toilet seat cover. No. Hell no.

This had to stop. She had to stop playing these stupid little pranks on him. Stop trying to make him

laugh or smile. Stop…

Being her.

Yeah, he didn’t want that. Leaning back against the wall, he surveyed all the pink, his lips tilting

into a smile. No, he definitely didn’t want her to change.

He liked her just the way she was.

Reaching over, he picked up a pink towel, shook his head at the dainty size of it, and dried off. He

wrapped it around his waist, holding it at the side since it didn’t quite meet, and opened the bathroom

door. Mumbling under his breath, he paused in the hallway. It smelled like…strawberries. Fucking A.

Had she lit a candle, too?

As he walked into his bedroom, he called out, “Nice change in the bathroom. I kinda like it.”

No smart-ass remark came back to him. The house remained quiet.

Too quiet.

Son of a bitch, had she actually run away from him? Or had Soltese discovered where she was?

Had she been taken against her will? The thought of her in danger sickened him. If Soltese dared to

injure one hair on her head, he’d kill the fucker. He strode across the room and ripped his top drawer

open.

Grabbing the first things he touched, he stomped into boxers and jeans. As he descended the stairs,

he yanked a gray cotton T-shirt over his head and grabbed his spare keys off the hook. His main set

was missing, which meant she’d left of her own free will.

And she’d stolen his car.

He threw the door open and froze. Tara stood there, holding a bag of takeout and a bottle of

moscato wine. She watched him with amusement, her gaze dipping low over his body. “Going

somewhere?”

His speeding heart slowed down to more human speed. She was back. She was safe. She hadn’t left

him. “You were supposed to stay here,” he rasped. “Where the hell did you go?”

“I was hungry, and you were in the shower. So I ordered takeout and got some wine for us.”

“You have to be careful. What if Soltese was out there, waiting for a chance to—”

“He wasn’t. And he won’t be.” She shut the door behind her. “Do you think he’s the first tycoon

asshat I’ve pissed off? Because he’s not. In fact, he’s a baby compared to some of them.”

He gritted his teeth. Fucking fabulous. That meant he had a numberless amount of angry men out in

the world wanting to kill his Tara. And she didn’t care. “That doesn’t make me feel any better.”

“Well, suck it up, Buttercup.” She brushed past him. “It comes part and parcel with my job.”

He bit back a sarcastic remark at the loose meaning of job in this instance. But he had to know

something. “You left, and then came back. You cracked my code.”

She laughed. “It was easy.”

He took the heavy bag from her. “You could have run this whole time, but didn’t?”

“Yep.” She lifted a shoulder. “What of it?”

He stepped closer to her. “Why did you come back?”

“Running would be dirty. Wrong,” she said, not quite meeting his gaze. “It would make me no better

than the men I steal from. If I have to go to jail, then I’ll go. But I won’t run from my punishment like

them. I won’t be them.”

His chest tightened. She was so damn brave. Too brave for her own good. He almost wished she

had run, because then he wouldn’t have to turn her in. He wouldn’t be forced to do something that

made him want to hurl just from thinking about it. “There is another choice.”

“Yeah. I know. Helping you.”

She opened and closed cabinets, probably looking for utensils and cups. He strode across the

kitchen and grabbed them for her. Without missing a beat, she took down two wineglasses. She

walked over to the table and plopped herself down in a chair, giving them both a glass.

“Is helping me so hard?” he asked, tightening his grip on the plates.

“No. It’s not you I don’t want to help. You’re a good guy,” she said. “Even though you’re an

asshole sometimes, too.”

He blinked at the off-the-wall comment. “By your definition, you steal from assholes. Does that

mean you’re going to take something of mine?”

She cast a glance around the room. “I already have. You don’t know what it is yet.”

“Seriously?”

She lifted a shoulder. “You’ll see eventually.”

What could she have stolen from him? He shook his head. “You didn’t take anything.”

She smirked. “If you say so.”

He didn’t reply.

After a few minutes of silence, she wiped her mouth and asked nonchalantly, “How’d you like the

bathroom?”

“I like it. Pink’s always been one of my favorite colors, but I never thought of doing the bathroom in

that scheme. It’s delightful.”

She choked on her wine. “What?”

“It’s true.” He deadpanned, forcing himself to act completely blasé when he wanted to bark with

laughter at her expression. She couldn’t have looked more shocked if he stripped naked in the streets

and did the electric slide. “I love pink. Don’t you?”

“Uh, sure.”

“It looks great with my skin tone.”

Her mouth twitched. “You’re fucking with me again.”

“If you say so,” he echoed back to her.

They ate the rest of their meal in companionable silence, ignoring the giant elephant in an orange

jumpsuit in the room. Once both of their plates were empty, he leaned back and entwined his fingers

in front of his stomach.

She startled at his movement, wariness humming off her body. “So, it begins again? The questions,

followed by the reminder that I’ll be going to jail in the morning?”

“Is there a point?” Shaking his head, he turned her palm up on the table. “Tell me the truth. Do you

know the code?”

She tensed and tried to pull away from him. He didn’t let go, but focused on the way her pulse

leaped at his question. Oh, she knew it all right. “No.”

He squared his jaw. “You’re lying to me.”

“Look, I’m sorry I couldn’t help you. Sorry to disappoint you. It’s not easy for me, either.” She

stood up, her chair scooting on the floor loudly. “But no matter how many times you ask me if I know

it, no matter how many times you threaten me with jail, I won’t help you. Can’t you see that? So cuff

me up and beam me up, Scotty. I’m done.”

He grabbed her and hauled her sideways on his lap. It was the first time she’d said she wouldn’t

help him, as opposed to being unable to help him. Unfortunately, he’d gotten the confirmation he’d

needed. “If I cuff you, it won’t be to bring you to jail. It’ll be so I can fuck you mercilessly without

interference.”

Her mouth parted, and she pressed her thighs together. “I should hate you for doing this to me.”

He captured her chin and tilted her face to his. Tenderly, he smoothed his thumb over her quivering

lip. She watched him, her blue gaze open and soft. “But you don’t, do you?”

She shook her head slowly.

Satisfaction rushed through him, and he closed his mouth over hers, kissing her hard and deep. She

curled her fingers into his shirt, whimpering into his mouth. He broke off the kiss, buried his hands in

her mahogany hair, and dropped his forehead to hers.

Before he fully thought them through, the words came tumbling out of his mouth. “I don’t hate you,

either. The opposite, actually. Spend the night with me in my bed. All night. Be mine again, before it’s

all over.”

He waited for her answer, knowing that she held too much power over him, but beyond caring.

Truth was, he needed her, plain and simple.

Her harsh breathing stopped, as if she was holding in her breath. Or her words. Then she nodded.

“Yes. One last night.”

Standing up, he cradled her in his arms protectively. His leg protested the extra weight, but he

refused to listen. He didn’t want to let go of her, not for a single second. If only he could hold her in

his arms forever, he’d be a happy man.

When he cleared his bedroom threshold, he set her on her feet and smoothed her hair. “You’re so

fucking gorgeous. And you’re mine. All mine.”

Reaching up, she ran her fingers over his biceps and down his forearms. “I am. And I want to touch

you everywhere. Can I please touch you? Do what I want to you?”

He grinned. She’d remembered the rules and asked nicely, so she would be rewarded. “Yes. You

can be in control for now.”

“Thank you.”

Raising on tiptoe, she kissed him. Her soft lips moved over his, and something in his chest

squeezed tight, grabbing hold. He clung to her fingers, letting her lead the kiss. Every other time that

they had been with each other, he hadn’t given her the chance to really do anything besides be

ravished. Tonight would be different.

Hell, he was different tonight.

Because of her.

He didn’t feel the need to dominate her or remain in control. After two short days in her company,

he was already a changed man. He wasn’t sure what to make of that, but there was no going back

now. He sensed that, even if he didn’t fully understand it.

And worse?

He didn’t give a fuck.

Chapter Thirteen

Tara rose on her tiptoes more, deepening the kiss. The fact that he seemed to be giving her control

twice in one day came as a bit of a surprise, but she wasn’t one to look a gift horse in the mouth, thank

you very much. She rolled her tongue over his, her stomach clenching when he moaned and released

her.

Holding her firmly, he slanted his mouth over hers. She knew she could break free if she wanted to,

but she didn’t. Not in the slightest. She ran her fingers over the harsh lines of his shoulders,

memorizing them He was so hard and muscular everywhere she touched. Perfection in human form.

And soon, this would all be over.

The thought left her…empty. She’d be alone again, and she’d miss him. Way too much. She should

be angry with him for putting her in this position, but he was only doing his job. Just like she was only

doing hers. They were no different, and she couldn’t punish him for that without being a hypocrite.

No matter how much she wished she could.

She wasn’t giving in, and she wasn’t running away like a coward. One way or another, tomorrow?

This would all end.

Breaking off the kiss, she grabbed his shirt and lifted it—baring his chest and abs. She hadn’t gotten

a good enough view of them last night while he’d been on top of her, but now she had all the time in

the world to get well acquainted with that portion of his body. He had a six-pack.

An actual six-pack.

And all that ink…

He was a serious danger to all women everywhere. She cupped his erection, as she had in the safe.

Only this time, she wasn’t going to stop. She massaged his hard length through his jeans, and he

moaned. Rising up on tiptoe, she caught his mouth again. When he held her in his arms, she felt so

small. So vulnerable, and yet protected all at the same time.

Dropping back to her normal height, she undid his pants. They hit the floor. Next went the boxers,

and he stood there gloriously naked. So. Freaking. Hot.

Too bad he’d be the end of her.

She took in every inch of his lean toughness. After falling to her knees, she raked her nails down his

chest and abs. “My turn to taste you.”

His Adam’s apple bobbed and he fisted his hands at his hips. “Tara, I don’t know if that’s a good

idea. I—”

He broke off with a gurgle when she leaned in and closed her fingers around the base of his penis.

Without warning, she flicked her tongue over the head of his shaft and sucked him into her mouth.

Threading his fingers in her hair, he urged her closer. “Fuck, don’t think about stopping.”

Deep in the back of her throat, she moaned. He tensed more, and she took him in deeper. She ran

her tongue over the head as she sucked, not letting go of the base. She worked him, pumping ever so

slightly, and scraped her teeth against him gently. He groaned and tightened his grip on her, pressing

her closer.

The wetness between her thighs soaked her panties, and she shifted to ease the ache. Pleasuring him

with her mouth was driving her as insane as it was him, she was sure of it. He massaged her scalp as

she sucked. “Fuck, Tara. That perfect mouth of yours is pure pleasure, isn’t it?”

She increased suction, hollowing her cheeks out.

“Enough.” He flexed his jaw. “The sight of you fucking me with your mouth is going to send me

over the edge.”

He tried to pull her off, but she shook her head. “Mm-mm.”

“Fine,” he growled out, flexing his biceps. Not forcing her to stop. “You’re in charge…”

She tasted his pleasure on her tongue, and knew he was close. And she really wanted to make him

come with her mouth. Wanted to give him that.

Something to remember her by.

“Tara,” he warned, his muscles tense and his voice tenser. “If you don’t stop, I’m going to come.”

She nodded as best as she could, trying to show him that’s what she desired without stopping, and

rolled her tongue over him again, pumping faster. He let out a strangled groan, then pumped his hips

into her mouth, his entire body going tight.

The rush of his semen on her tongue was heady. Empowering.

She sucked every bit of him that she could get, swallowed it all, and didn’t release him until his

tremors stopped.

He collapsed against the wall, his breathing harsh. “Fuck, Tara. I’m going to need a second.”

She swiped her hand across her mouth, her gaze locked on his still-hard penis. “I want to do it

again.”

“Shit.” He groaned and ran his hot gaze over her. “Your fun is over. I’m in charge again. Get naked

now.”

Her stomach clenched at his demand, and she ripped her shirt over her head without hesitation. As

she stepped out of her skirt, she stared at him. His cheeks were still flushed, and his breathing ragged.

And he was watching her with that darkness that promised revenge for her misbehavior. She grew

wetter with the anticipation, squeezing her thighs together. “I’m almost ready, sir.”

He pushed off the wall and closed his arms around her. “Keep the rest. I like you in thigh-highs and

underwear—but nothing else.”

She lifted her face and laced her fingers behind his neck. “Whatever you want.”

Letting out a soft sound, he kissed her gently. As his mouth worked over hers, he backed her toward

the bed, one step at a time. She couldn’t help but notice the difference in the way he held her.

As if she meant something to him. As if this was more than a quick lay.

And she liked it.

As he lowered her onto the mattress, his elbows keeping the bulk of his weight off of her, his mouth

worked over hers. He rolled his hips against her, his still-hard erection teasing her. “May I touch

you?” she asked.

“Yes,” he said, nibbling on her ear. “Touch me.”

She closed her legs around his waist and ran her fingers over every inch of his body. At the same

time, he traced the curve of her hip before creeping up her stomach. When he reached her bra, he

undid the front clasp. As soon as her breasts were free, he slid down and captured one hard nipple in

his mouth, scraping his teeth against her. She cried out and arched her back, needing more.

Needing all of him.

Releasing her nipple, he fisted her panties and tore them off. Once they were gone, he dipped his

hand between her thighs, slipping two fingers inside of her. When he crooked his fingers, she dug her

heels into the mattress and rocked her hips up.

“Jake,” she begged. “Harder.”

He stopped immediately. “You forgot to beg me.”

She threw her head back against the pillows, the frustration and need killing her. “Please,” she

panted. “Please let me come.”

He wiggled his fingers again, sending a jolt of pleasure through her. “Remember to ask nicely next

time, or I’ll walk right out of this room without making you come.”

“I-I will. I promise.”

He moved again and clamped down on her nipple at the same time, sending a bolt of need coursing

through her veins at lightning speed. She pumped her hips in tune with his movements. She was close.

So close.

He released her nipple. “I can feel your pussy getting tight. I can feel you getting closer and closer,

but I didn’t give you permission to finish. Ask me. Ask me now.”

Digging her nails into his shoulders, she asked, “May I come?”

“Nope.” He lowered himself down her body. “Not yet.”

Curses sprang to her tongue, but she bit them back. Insubordination would get her nowhere with

him. He nipped at her hip bone, his fingers still buried inside her. Still driving her insane with want

and need. Still torturing her, since she couldn’t come.

When she was sure she was going to burst from frustration, he replaced his touch with his mouth,

and time froze. As soon as he flicked his tongue over her, she cried out. So close to completion that

she couldn’t stand it anymore. “Please?”

He shook his head, but didn’t cease his torment.

She squeezed her lids shut, trying to think of anything that would stop her from coming. The threat

of jail. Soltese killing her. Never seeing Jake again.

None of it worked.

“Jake!”

“Now,” he rumbled against her.

He licked her, thrust two fingers inside …and she exploded. She arched her hips up, freezing as

pleasure rocked her so hard she could barely remember how to breathe. He let her hips fall, then

rolled a condom over his thick shaft.

Flipping her onto her belly, he hauled her hips up and positioned himself at her entrance from

behind. He fondled her ass, his touch gentle. “Ask me nicely.”

She fisted the comforter in her hands, trembling with need despite her recent orgasm. She needed

him inside her. Filling her. “Please fuck me, sir.”

He didn’t move. “Call it what it is. We’re not fucking. Not tonight.”

“M-Make love to me,” she begged, moving restlessly beneath him. “Please.”

He didn’t reply, but he thrust into her all the way with one smooth stroke. Straining against the

sheets, she met his movements. Each time he pulled out, she was ready and waiting for more. He

stroked her hair, his touch gentle, and whispered soft words in her ears.

As he thrust inside her, deeper and harder, she came so close to the precipice that she shook. But

then he pulled out and flipped her over. “I want to see you when you come. I want to watch you. To

see…to feel…you. I need you, Tara. I need you so damn badly.”

Her heart wrenched and she nodded, opening her arms to him. “I’m yours.”

He covered her body with his, moving inside her again. The whole time he made love to her—

because that’s totally what he did—he kissed her, never breaking contact. It was so tender and sweet.

So perfect. She blinked back tears, knowing this would probably be their last time, and not liking it at

all.

Not ready to let go.

He cupped her cheeks in his palms, increasing his pace. Going faster and faster until the pressure

grew to be unbearable. He shifted his weight so that each time he drove into her, he rubbed against

her clit. His tongue dueled with hers, and he deepened the kiss, claiming her in ways she didn’t fully

understand.

When he groaned and thrust harder, his entire body going tight with his release, she came, too. The

whole time, he was right there beside her. Holding her in his arms. Kissing her. Whispering soft

words in her ear that made her want so much more with him. That made her want to stay with him

for…well, forever.

When she came back down to earth, he was lying on his side next to her, and he cradled her in his

arms. She took a shaky breath and stared up at him, not certain of what to say or how to act. “Jake…”

He watched her, his own face open and vulnerable and uncertain. So, she hadn’t been imagining

things, then. He seemed as affected by tonight as she did. But what did that mean? “I know.”

“I wish I could stay here with you,” she admitted, her heart thudding hard the whole time. “I wish

we could lock ourselves in here forever, and avoid the real world.”

“You could stay with me, if you cracked the code.” He ran his fingers over her mouth, his eyes

somber. The lights from deep within that usually shone at her appeared dull. “I don’t want to send you

to jail. Don’t make me do it, sweetheart. Please.”

And just like that, her heart plummeted. He’d asked her nicely, but she couldn’t give him what he

wanted. She just couldn’t. “I’m sorry.”

“Stop saying that.” He sat up, shrugging her off. “You’re not.”

She wrapped her arms around herself. “Now you presume to know how I feel better than I do?”

He stood, his hands fisted at his sides. “Yes. Because I’m trying to save your ass.” He stepped

closer, his gaze soft and pleading. “Don’t do this to us, Tara.”

Us? Was there an us?

She shook her head, the panic rising up and choking her. She didn’t know what to do, because she

really wanted there to be an us, but not at the cost of her values. In the end, she’d only resent him for

making her choose him. For making her cooperate. It was better this way. She couldn’t give in. Not

this time.

“It isn’t your job to save me. I’m fine on my own,” she said, blinking back tears. “I don’t need you

crashing in on your white horse. I don’t need you.”

The second she said the words, she wanted to snatch them back. It wasn’t true. She did need him,

but she couldn’t give in. Not even for him. Not even for herself. She couldn’t go against her

principles. Couldn’t give in. Never again.

He flexed his jaw, his pleading expression fading away to ice. “You’re right. I don’t know what I

was thinking. You obviously don’t give a shit about yourself.”

He stared at her, silently begging her to tell him the answer to the code. To save herself, and maybe

him, too, in the process. After a short moment of silence, he gave up. He probably gave up on her too.

He walked out, shutting the door behind him with a firm click.

Flinching at the soft sound, which seemed more powerful than a slam, she knew, just knew, that it

was over. Because this time tomorrow…

She’d be in jail.

Chapter Fourteen

Jake leaned against the wall in the corner of his bedroom, the early dawn sun slipping in between the

cracks of the blinds. For God only knew how long, he’d been standing there, watching Tara sleep.

She’d tossed and turned for hours last night, but he hadn’t gotten an ounce of sleep. Hadn’t even tried.

There was no point.

He was going to lose his Tara.

As he watched, trying to quell his inner turmoil, she stirred. He walked to her and smoothed a curl

off her face. He trailed a finger down her cheekbone. “Rise and shine.”

“Hmm.” She blinked at him, losing the soft traces of sleep within seconds. Clutching the blanket to

her chest like a shield, she sat up. “Is it time?”

“Yes.” He gave her his back, keeping his voice even. “It’s time.”

The sheets rustled, and her feet hit the floor. He wanted to turn around and look his fill, but he

resisted the urge. If he saw her naked right now, he would be late for work. It was bad enough he was

desperately racking his brain to figure out a way for Tara to stay out of jail, but he wouldn’t be late,

too.

Not today.

She walked toward her bags. “I’ll just need a few minutes.”

“Tara…” He hesitated, wanting to offer her some form of comfort, to assure her that she would be

fine and he would keep her safe, but he wouldn’t make promises he couldn’t keep. So he shut the hell

up before he did. “I’ll be downstairs waiting for you.”

He closed the door behind him, still not looking at her. His stomach balled up into a tight fist, and

he paced at the bottom of the stairs, checking his watch every few steps. While he was waiting, he

shot Cooper a quick text. When he received a confirmative reply, he took a shaky breath.

This was his only option.

After about fifteen minutes, she came down the stairs. She wore dress slacks and a button-up shirt.

He could barely make out a thin line of cleavage from the neckline of her blouse, and yet it was the

damn sexiest thing he’d ever seen before, because it was her.

He wanted to remove every piece of her clothing so he could make slow and passionate love to

her. Keep her hidden from the real world so he didn’t have to do this.

So he wouldn’t lose her.

“Does this outfit meet your approval this time?” she asked, her voice lifeless.

“Yeah. It’s good.” He held his hand out. “Let’s go.”

Without even the slightest hesitation, she slid her fingers into his, holding tight. They walked out

into the bright sunlight, and she slipped a pair of big shades onto her nose. He opened the car door for

her. “Tara, I—”

“Don’t. Don’t tell me to run, and don’t ask me to help you for the millionth time. I can’t.” She sat

down, her entire body stiff and unyielding. “Let’s just get this over with.”

He closed the door and crossed around the trunk, staring at the spot where she had put the stickers

yesterday—had that been only yesterday? It felt like months.

When he slid into his seat, he stared straight ahead, gripping the wheel. He didn’t start the car. Why

did it have to be like this? Why couldn’t she, for once, give in without a damn fight? He wished she

would save herself, so he didn’t have to do it for her.

So she wouldn’t hate him.

“Fuck, Tara,” he snarled. He turned to her, anger and frustration fueling him. Feeding him. “Would

it really be worse than going to jail?”

Her fists worked on her purse strap. “Yeah, it would be. I refuse to help someone like him,” she

said so softly he almost missed her words. “I won’t do it, not even for you.”

“Damn it. I can’t save you if you won’t help me.” Jake gripped the wheel so tight it hurt his

knuckles. “Do you understand what I’m saying?”

She nodded stiffly, staring straight ahead. “Yep. Loud and clear.”

“I’m so fucking sorry.”

“Don’t be. You’re just doing your job,” she said, her voice hollow and empty. “We had sex, but it’s

over and now you have to do what you told me you’d do all along. Turn me in.”

He wanted to take her dark shades off her face and make her look at him. Wanted to see her damned

eyes as she rejected him—because that’s what she was doing. She was killing everything they had

going on between them. There would be no recovering from this. No happily ever after—not once

they were finished.

“But I want to help you. So damn bad,” he admitted, still white-knuckling the wheel. “I can’t do this

to you. Don’t make me.”

She finally moved, turning her head toward him. “Your job was to get me to help, or to send me to

jail. Since I didn’t help, that leaves one option. Get it over with, and stop worrying about me. I’m no

longer yours to worry about.”

The hell she wasn’t.

He turned onto the road, and the rest of the ride passed in silence. What more was there to say,

really? As he led her through the lobby, she clung to his hand. It killed him that she was going to hate

him when this was all said and done.

He walked to Cooper’s door, raised his fist, and knocked.

“Come in,” Cooper called out.

Jake took a deep breath, glanced at Tara, and opened the door. They walked inside, and Cooper

focused on their joined hands. “We’re here.”

“I see that.” Cooper leaned back in his chair, his brown hair perfectly in place. “What’s up?”

Jake flexed his fingers on Tara. “I have news.”

“I figured. What’s it gonna be?”

“She can’t help us with the code.” He gripped Tara tighter when she tried to pull free. “No matter

what we do or say.”

“I suspected this might happen.” Cooper sighed and set his pen down, his gaze still locked on Tara.

“I did my research on you. A woman so set in her values isn’t going to bend for someone who goes

against her own beliefs, now is she?”

“I’m sorry, but I can’t do it. No matter the consequences,” Tara said, her voice trembling on the last

word. If not for that, she could have been discussing the weather for all the concern she showed.

“Send me to jail. Give me to Soltese. I don’t care.”

His boss stared at Tara, his expression completely unreadable. Jake couldn’t tell if he was plotting

to arrest her or looking at her with admiration. Maybe both. “There will be consequences. There’s

nothing I can do about it. I promised, and as a business owner, I have to follow through…no matter

how much I don’t want to.”

“Yes. Of course.” Tara nodded. “I understand.”

Cooper pushed back from his desk and stood. “I’ll take you in myself and let them know how much

you cooperated with us—”

“No,” Jake said. “You didn’t let me finish.”

Both Cooper and Tara turned to Jake in surprise.

“Yeah?” his boss asked.

He stepped closer to the desk, knowing it was now or never. It was the only way to save her.

“You’re not taking her anywhere because she’s innocent.”

The other man raised a brow. “What?”

“You heard me.” He pulled Tara behind him. She must’ve been in shock, because she let him.

“Arrest me. I’m the one who stole the vase.”

Tara gasped. “What are you doing?”

“Coming clean.” Jake took his ID out of his pocket and threw it on the desk, followed by his office

keys. “She’s innocent. I blackmailed her into taking the fall for me, because I didn’t want to go to jail.

Hell, she doesn’t even know a damn thing about codes. That’s why she can’t help us—because she’s

clueless.”

Tara gasped. “He’s lying. He’s so obviously lying.”

“I’m not. You know I used to be a thief too, just like you know I’m telling the truth.” Jake locked

gazes with his boss, refusing to look at Tara. It might break his resolve to do what had to be done.

“I’ve been trying to control this situation the whole time. I planted Tara’s name in your lap because I

didn’t want to get caught. I knew with a little blackmail and a few kisses, she’d be putty in my hands.

She was.”

“What?” Tara stiffened behind him, tore free of his hold, and came to his side. “No. No. He’s lying

to protect me. Don’t believe him. He had nothing to do with this.”

Jake’s chest tightened, making it hard to breathe. This was it. The moment when he ruined

everything they had, simply because he couldn’t send her to jail. Wouldn’t. “It’s not a lie and you

know it, man. How do you think she could have ever gotten the code from me? She’s good, but she’s

not that good. This was all me. An inside job.”

The look Tara gave him ripped his heart out of his chest. The panic and worry in her eyes crippled

him. Sickened him. She looked…broken.

He’d done that to her.

Fuck, he hated himself.

“I am too. I am that good. I did it—not him.” Tara curled her hands into fists. “Arrest me, not him.

He had nothing to do with this. He’s been clean for years.”

Cooper rubbed his jaw, frowning at them both. “I don’t know. He’s been acting different lately. It

would explain a lot of stuff. I never really believed that you could have gotten in so easily, when no

one else has before. I have no idea how I could’ve missed all the signs. It’s clear he’d been playing

me all along.”

Tara shook her head frantically. “No. I got in because I’m that good. That’s it. He’s innocent. I take

full responsibility. Leave him out of it. Please.”

Jake swallowed hard at her plea, wanting to put her out of her misery. But he couldn’t. There was

only one way for this to end, and he had to see it through.

He had to play his part.

Snorting, he crossed his arms. “Cooper. It was my idea and you know it. She was someone to

blame, and a welcome distraction in my bed. But nothing else. She doesn’t know how to get the code.

I’m the one who needs to be locked up.”

“Hell no. This is not happening. Arrest me and ignore him.” She held her wrists out to his boss.

“Let’s go. Now. Lock me up.”

Cooper held his palms out. “I can’t. He’s admitting his guilt, so he needs to go in. If you knew the

code, you would have given it to us. You’re clearly being set up.”

“No.” Tara turned to Jake, shoving his shoulders hard. He could see tears swimming in her eyes,

trying to escape. Fuck, she was crying. He reached out for her, knowing that he’d hate himself more

than she would ever hate him, but she lurched backward. “Tell him you’re trying to protect me. Tell

him the truth.”

He shook his head. “I already did. You’re free, Tara. Be happy I didn’t make you take the fall like I

planned.”

“I’m calling this in.” Cooper grabbed his phone. Next to the black office phone was a picture of

him and Kayla in England. They were so happy. So in love. Jake would never get that in his life. Not

after this. “Jake, I’m disappointed in you. I trusted you. Gave you a second chance. This is how you

repay me?”

Tara slammed her hand over Cooper’s. Cooper, for his part, seemed as if he wavered for a second.

At least he wasn’t the only one who felt like shit over this plan.

“No. Please.”

Jake’s heart wrenched at the desperation in her tone. He was an ass of the worst sort, because

though every instinct screamed at him to comfort her, he remained silent.

“I really am sorry.” His boss cleared his throat, freed himself from Tara’s grip, and dialed. “Yes,

Officer Davis? I have a suspect in my possession. His name is—”

“Don’t do this.” Tara shook her head, her gaze darting back and forth between Jake and Cooper.

“Please. I’ll do anything you want.”

Cooper avoided her gaze, his knuckles white on the phone as he continued to talk. He looked as if

he was ready to throw it across the room. Neither of them had liked this plan in the first place, but it

was working. Just as Jake had known it would.

“Yes. Jake—”

“I’ll give you the code,” Tara called out, leaning down and catching the other man’s gaze. “Please.

Hang up, and I’ll give you everything you want. I’ll prove that I was the one who took the vase.

You’ll see the truth. I swear it on my parents’ graves; I’ll give you the fix. This can all go away.”

Cooper covered the receiver, glanced at Jake, then asked, “Are you giving me your word?”

“Yes. Yes. And you know I’ll keep it, too. You checked into my past.” Tara gripped the edge of the

desk. “Hang up the phone, and I’ll give it all to you.”

Jake flinched. “Tara, stop…”

“Don’t.” She glowered at him, fury humming off her like a visible thing. “I’m not letting you go to

jail in some lame attempt to save me. I won’t let it happen.”

Cooper stared at her for a good long moment. “Yes, yes. I’m sorry.” He cleared his throat, and

addressed the person on the other line. The person who was most definitely not a cop. “I was

mistaken. Forget this call came through.”

Cooper hung up and handed a pen to Tara. She took it with trembling fingers, and quickly scribbled

something down. Jake watched, feeling like the lowest of scum as she wrote. By the time she was

finished, he thought he might hurl.

This wasn’t right. None of this was right.

Tara set the ballpoint down and handed the fix over. “This is everything you need to know to get rid

of the issue. You address that, and I won’t be able to get in.”

Cooper took the paper. “Thank you for your cooperation. I’m sorry it had to go down like this.”

Tara nodded, her mouth pinched tight. “May I go now? Or am I still going to jail?”

“Yes, of course. The deal was if you helped us, you’d be free to go.” Cooper sat back down. “Jake

can see you out.”

Jake grabbed her and escorted her to the door, not saying a word. He didn’t trust himself to speak.

Not until he figured out how to tell her what had really happened here.

They were halfway across the office when Tara stopped, her arm stiff under his fingers. She turned

slowly, looking first at Jake, then at Cooper. “Sorry it had to go like what? What’s that supposed to

mean?”

Cooper shoved the code into his safe and closed it. He looked at Jake, his cheeks flushing. “It was

the only way we could think of to get you to—”

“Oh my God.” Tara pulled free from Jake’s grip, her cheeks flushed. “I’m such a fool. This was all

some elaborate plan to get me to confess, wasn’t it?”

Jake’s heart dropped to the floor at his feet. He’d hoped to think of a way to break it to her gently.

He’d hoped…too damn much. “Tara, it’s—”

“Don’t.” She gave him her back, focusing on his boss. “Who was really on the phone?”

“Gordon. One of my detectives out there,” Cooper admitted, his shoulders tense. “I’m sorry, but we

knew you wouldn’t give in. Jake didn’t want to send you to jail, and frankly, neither did I. So we used

the one thing we could think of against you.”

Tara spun on her heel, her head held high despite the tremble in her lower lip. She focused on Jake.

“You.”

His stomach rolled. “Not me, exactly. More so your compassion for others. I’m sorry.”

Tara shook her head and wrapped her arms around herself. “There’s nothing you can say to me

right now that’ll make this okay.”

“I needed to keep you safe. I did what I had to do,” he said.

She laughed bitterly. “I’m such an idiot.”

“I’m sorry, but I—” Jake tried to grab her arms, but she shoved free. He stepped closer to her, but

she backed up. Making himself stand still, he thrust his hands into his pockets to avoid touching her

when she so obviously didn’t want him to. “I did the only thing I could, under the circumstances.”

She trembled with rage. “You don’t get to excuse your behavior to me. I’m done here, and I never

want to see either of you ever again.”

When she spun on her heel and left, Jake watched her go, clueless about what to do next. What to

say. What to feel. He’d won, but he’d really lost. “Shit.”

Cooper, who sat behind his desk looking awkward and out of place, cleared his throat. “I’m sorry,

man. I could have tried to make this work in another way, maybe.”

“No. It had to be this way. It’s the only way I could guarantee her safety.”

Cooper stood up, grabbed Jake’s keys and ID, and tossed them over. “You should go after her. Try

to make her understand why you did what you did. I can see there’s more between you two than meets

the eye.”

Jake took his stuff. “About that…”

“Don’t feel the need to explain. I knew you two had history together, but I sent you into that case

anyway. Maybe it was a test of sorts, to make sure you wouldn’t get dragged back into that lifestyle.”

Cooper rubbed the back of his neck and avoided Jake’s scrutiny. “I had to be sure. I’m sorry, man.”

A test? This had all been a test? He’d passed it, but he’d lost Tara in the process. “It’s okay. I get

it.”

“You should go after her,” Cooper said. “Explain yourself.”

“If you don’t mind, I’ll excuse myself for the day. I need to go home.”

Cooper nodded. “Of course. Take the rest of the day off, man.”

Jake didn’t bother to reply, just crossed the office and headed for the stairs. She didn’t want to see

him, but he needed to see her, damn it. Needed to make her see why he’d done what he’d done. Then

she’d walk away from him.

For the rest of his life, he’d be the same Jake he’d become ever since his injury. A recluse.

Constantly alone. Always serious. Never having fun. Damn it, he wished that file with her name on it

had never crossed his desk, because if he hadn’t seen her again…

He’d never have wanted more out of life than this.

Chapter Fifteen

Tara swiped her hands under her eyes, sniffing hard. She had to get herself together before the

elevator doors opened. She was losing it, and that wasn’t her style. No, not at all. She didn’t cry over

men, certainly didn’t cry over men who betrayed her.

And she didn’t cry in public ever.

She shouldn’t be surprised that they’d used her weakness against her to get their way, or that they’d

discovered her disadvantage before she had. But they had, and they were right. She couldn’t stand the

thought of Jake taking the fall for her, so she’d caved.

Not only because she didn’t like an innocent person being punished, but because it had been Jake.

She cared about him, truly cared about him, and he’d used her with a purpose. Had any of it been

real? Had he wanted her, beyond the normal male proclivity for getting laid? Or had it all been an act

cooked up between Jake and Cooper so she would give them what they wanted?

The code.

The elevator doors opened, and she straightened her spine. Time to walk out with her head held

high and disappear from his life for good. She’d need some time to lick her wounds, because right

now they hurt like a bitch.

One step off the elevator, she froze. Son of a… “How did you beat me down here?”

“I ran,” Jake said, leaning against the wall, breathing fast. He didn’t have any weight on his bad

leg. “I’m sorry, Tara. You have to believe me. I didn’t mean—”

“Believe you? You know what? Fuck you.” She stalked to him and smacked his shoulder. “I won’t

believe another word you say. Ever. You lied to me. Tricked me. Used me. Acted like you cared.”

“That last part wasn’t an act.” He held his palms out. “I wasn’t acting about anything between us.

And what happened in my bedroom was real, too. So were the things I said about wanting to be with

you. It was all real.”

“Do you honestly think I’m going to believe a word you say to me after what you did?” She tried to

sidestep him, but he blocked her path. “Let me go, Jake. I don’t want to talk to you ever again.”

He blanched. “I didn’t want to hurt you. I wanted to save you.”

“Well, you did. Congratulations.” She walked away from him. “Now let me go.”

“Tara, wait!”

She quickened her steps, knowing he wouldn’t catch her. Not after he’d run down the stairs to try

and get her. She made it outside before she realized she didn’t have a car. Obviously, she could call a

cab to come get her. But she still had stuff at Jake’s place, too. Including her house keys. It was

painfully clear she needed to get back into Jake’s.

The door opened behind her, and she stiffened. Without turning around, she knew he’d followed her

outside. He passed her and opened the passenger door of his car for her. His sunglasses hid his eyes

from her, but she didn’t need to see them to know he was upset. He had lines around his mouth from

pressing his lips together, and his body was taut. “You’ll need your stuff. Get in.”

She slid into the seat, wishing her racing heart would calm the heck down. She wouldn’t say a

word to him. Wouldn’t fight. Vowed to treat him with icy silence. And yet the second he sat beside

her and started the ignition, she opened her mouth. “Why did you do it? Why did you do something

guaranteed to make me hate you? To make me despise everything about you?”

He backed out of the spot, keeping his attention locked on the road. “I couldn’t send you to jail. I

had to keep you safe, no matter the cost. If that makes you hate me, then so be it. At least you’re not

locked up behind bars.”

“Is this need to protect me a side effect of the sex?”

His knuckles flexed. “Yes. No. I don’t know.”

“So if we hadn’t slept together, would you have turned me in?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t know, damn it.” He curled his lip. “I don’t fucking know, but I wouldn’t have sent you to

jail.”

She swallowed hard, staring at the red light instead of him. “Well, it doesn’t matter anyway. It’s all

over now.”

He glanced away, and she still couldn’t read him. “Yeah.”

She shook her head. “What would have happened if I didn’t give the code? If I let you take the fall

for me?”

“You wouldn’t have.”

Obviously. But he didn’t have to act like he knew her so well. He didn’t. “But what if I did?”

He pulled into his driveway and ripped off his shades. “I still couldn’t have put you behind bars.

I’d have tried to find another way to make it work, but Soltese would have remained an issue. Now

he’ll never know who you were, and we don’t have to worry about him getting revenge.”

Knowing she wouldn’t go to jail, he’d still tricked her.

That made his betrayal hurt more.

Jake shut off the engine, threw his door open, and got out. She didn’t wait for him. She opened the

door and stalked up the driveway. “I’ll see myself home. Let me in so I can get my stuff, and then

leave me the hell alone.”

“I’ll give you a ride home.”

“No.”

“Yes,” he said, spinning on her. “You’re allowed to be angry. You’re allowed to hate me, even. But

I’ll be damned if I leave you to fend for yourself when I have fucking breath left in my lungs. I’m

driving you home.”

She didn’t bother to answer. He wasn’t driving her anywhere. He let her inside, gripping the knob

so tight it must be under the threat of snapping. “Tara, please. Forgive me.”

Closing her eyes, she bit down on her lower lip and shook her head. “I…I can’t. We’re done.”

She walked the rest of the way up the stairs. Every step she took hurt, because she knew after she

left, she’d never see him again. They’d be over forever.

He’d seen to that.

When she got to her room, she made a quick phone call before gathering her stuff. Something

crashed downstairs, and she flinched. What had that been? Had he broken something, or had he

fallen? She forced herself to remain behind the closed door. To not seek him out. Nothing good would

come of it.

Once the cab parked in front of his house, she grabbed her bags and headed down the stairs. He ran

his gaze over her and tugged on his vest. Why did he have to be so damn hot in that stupid thing? He

pushed off the wall and reached for her stuff.

She gripped it tighter and held it behind her back. “I’ve got it.”

For a second, she thought he would fight with her. Rip it off her shoulder. But then his jaw softened

and he cupped her behind the neck and towed her close. “If you’re leaving me, then I’m going to add

one more regret to the pile.”

She dropped her luggage to the floor in her panicked rush to push him away, knowing if he kissed

her then she might lose her strength to resist him, but she moved too slowly. His mouth covered hers,

and he kissed her with so much passion she was surprised the sheer force didn’t knock her to the

floor. Despite all the hatred, anger, and hurt stewing in her blood, her body responded.

Boy, did it respond.

He backed her into the wall, covering her entire body with his. Her hands, which previously

pushed him away, pulled him closer. And she kissed him back, knowing this was the last time she

would get to do so. And as his tongue moved over hers, she realized with picture-perfect clarity why

she’d been so easily had. And why she’d been so desperate to save him.

She’d been falling in love with him.

Gasping for air and blinking back tears, she broke off the kiss. “Stop.”

“Don’t go.” He dropped his forehead on hers, his own breathing harsh. “I didn’t lie about wanting

you to be mine. I still want that. Please don’t leave me, sweetheart.”

Part of her wanted to stay. But she couldn’t. Wouldn’t.

He’d used her. Lied to her. Played her.

Her heart seemed to be trying to claw its way out of her chest, one painful inch at a time. “I don’t

want that. I don’t want you. I no longer belong to you. We’re over.”

His grip tightened on her. “You’re pissed. Take some time to—”

“I hate you now,” she choked out, recognizing it for the lie it was the second she said the words.

“Did you expect anything else?”

He lingered on her for a second, but then he stepped back. The trembling of his hand as he let go of

her almost did her in, but she refused to let herself waver. “No. Not really,” he said, his voice

hollow. “Seems to be a common emotion with the women in my life.”

It was time to go, before she made a mistake.

Before she gave him a second chance.

“I-I think I forgot my purse in your room.” Tara crossed her arms. “I don’t want to go back in there

and see where you…can you please get it for me?”

His forehead scrunched. “Okay.”

She watched him climb the stairs, waiting until he reached the top. As she bent and picked up her

bag, he turned around. She could tell the exact moment he knew she was leaving him. The exact

second he knew he’d been had. He stumbled down a step, obviously trying to rush back to her, and

failing because of his leg. For a terrifying flash, she thought he might fall, but he caught himself on the

banister.

“Tara, wait—”

She shook her head, swallowing past the huge aching lump in her throat. Without another word, she

opened the door and bolted out, heading directly for the cab that she’d called. As she threw herself

and her bag in the backseat, she shouted, “Go. Go!”

The driver blinked at her over his shoulder, but stepped on the gas. As the cab sped away from

Jake’s house, she caught a brief glimpse of him toppling outside as she passed. He caught the

doorframe, barely keeping himself from hitting the ground.

And she turned away.

The cab driver cleared his throat. “Where to, miss?”

She stared down at her bag, still blinking back tears. She didn’t want to go home. Didn’t want to

stay there, knowing he might come find her. She didn’t trust herself around him. Not anymore.

“Airport,” she croaked out. “Take me to the closest airport.”

As he drove, she took out her iPhone and opened an airline website. Within seconds, she had a

flight booked to Florida. She had a vacation home there, and it would give her the chance she needed

to heal. To forget.

When they got to the airport, she tipped the driver and got through security in record time. It wasn’t

until she was in the air and she flopped her head back on her seat in first class that she let herself cry.

And once she started, she couldn’t stop.

Because it was over.

It was so over.

Chapter Sixteen

Three days later, Jake sat behind his desk and tossed a stress ball back and forth. His sleep-deprived

eyes stung, and he blinked them in an attempt to clear his vision. He was fucking exhausted, and yet he

couldn’t sleep.

Every night, he went to Tara’s home and knocked. Every night, she didn’t answer. It hadn’t taken

him long to figure out that she’d gone to one of those houses she’d spoken about a few days ago over

dinner. He didn’t have a fucking clue what to do without her.

In his empty bed, he kept staring at the ceiling. Replaying their last conversation in his head.

Something had happened to him during that short time he’d been in her company again, and it hadn’t

been fixed when she walked out of his life. If anything, it had gotten worse. She had broken something

inside him. Something irreparable that missed her, needed her, and wanted her back.

He snorted. Yeah. As if that was going to happen.

Reclining in his chair, he kicked his feet on his desk. He had her file open, and had been staring at

her photo like a lovesick teenager for the better part of the morning. He missed her so damn much.

She hated him, and he deserved her hatred. He’d lied and that was the end of that. She’d never liked

liars, and that hadn’t changed about her.

Thief or not, she valued honesty.

The door opened, and his boss poked his head through. He’d been expecting it to be Gordon with

an update about his princess assignment, but it wasn’t. “Hey. You’re still here?”

“Yeah,” Jake said, confusion taking hold. Had he zoned out all day long? Shit if he knew. He

checked the time. It was only eleven in the morning. Raising a brow, he asked, “Where else would I

be? Did I forget about an appointment?”

“No. How you feeling?”

Jake flinched. Last night, he and Cooper had gotten piss-assed drunk, and Jake had spent all night

talking about how much he missed Tara. He’d never drink tequila around the other man again. Hell,

he’d even called Christine and spilled his guts to her, too. Told her how much he missed Tara, and

how he needed to fix it.

He owed her an apology call now, too.

He sighed. “I’m good. Sorry about last night, by the way.”

“No worries, man. It happens to the best of us.” Cooper rubbed his jaw. “Did you sleep at all last

night? Or the night before that?”

“No, not really,” he admitted. He rubbed his eyes. “Why do you ask?”

“Because you look like hell. Gordon does, too .”

Jake chuckled. “Yeah. I know. I heard he went out with the IT guy after we talked to him.”

“That dude can drink. But back on topic—maybe you need a change of scenery.” Cooper tossed an

envelope on his desk. “I have a new assignment for you in Florida.”

Great.

An assignment would take his mind off Tara.

He opened the envelope before looking back at Jake. “There’s no intel in here. Only tickets and an

address.”

“I know.” Cooper leaned against the door. “This is all my fault. I shoved you and Tara together,

and you lost her. I feel like shit about it—Kayla’s pissed, too. I have to fix it.”

“Dude. Don’t worry about it. I never really had her in the first place.” He tossed the tickets on the

desk. “We were fucking around. It’s not like she loved me or anything so insane as that.”

Cooper cocked his head. “Do you love her?”

“What?” He scoffed. “No. Fuck no. No.”

“If you say no one more time, we both might believe it.”

Jake stood. “Look. I appreciate you being my friend, and I appreciate the drinks last night, too. But I

don’t need you in here asking me—”

“You weren’t around when I met Kayla…and almost lost her. You didn’t see how much of a

fucking mess I was when I realized I’d ruined my chances at being happy. I couldn’t concentrate.

Couldn’t stop thinking about her and how I had to find a way to get her back.”

“Is there a point to this?” Jake asked drily. “I mean, I like you and all, but I don’t really do the

whole love-story crap. Not without a bottle of tequila in me, anyway.”

“You might not do it, but you’re in it right now.” Cooper grinned. “You’re me, a few short months

ago. Go get her. Show her how miserable you are, make a grand gesture of some sort, and win her

back. I have it on great authority that grand gestures always work.”

Jake frowned at the envelope, his cheeks heating up. Was he so fucking obvious about his feelings

that even his boss noticed? Son of a bitch. His fingers twitched in his lap. He wanted to go. Wanted to

chase after her. But what would he say? Sorry for fucking you over, but can you maybe forget about

that and love me instead of hate me?

He cleared his throat and pushed the tickets away. “I’m sorry if my work ethics have been lacking

lately, but I can improve on those. I don’t need to fly to Florida to do that.”

“Yeah, you do.” Cooper crossed the room and slid the envelope back at him with two fingers.

“When you find someone who makes you feel like Tara does, you don’t let her go without fighting for

her. Know what my biggest fear, besides losing Kayla, is?”

“No, but I have a feeling you’re about to tell me.”

“I’m scared of public speaking. Like, the freezing and pissing my pants while simultaneously

vomiting, type of scared. I kid you not,” Cooper said, sitting in the chair in front of Jake’s desk.

Despite himself, Jake leaned in. “Know what I did when I thought I couldn’t get Kayla back? I hopped

on a stage, grabbed a mic, and spit my heart out in front of her whole family.”

Jake’s lips twitched. “It worked, I take it?”

“It did. Grand fucking gesture, baby.” Cooper grinned. “You need to do that.”

“Get on a microphone and make an ass out of myself?”

Cooper waved dismissively. “Not necessarily. Do something to show her you want her back. Show

her you’re serious. Show her how much she means to you. Chicks dig that shit.”

He picked up the airline tickets. He hated flying. It was too high up in the sky for his comfort. If

men were supposed to fly, they would have been born with wings, not feet. “Like flying to Florida?”

“Exactly,” Cooper said, standing. “I won’t expect you back until the return flight next week, and it

better be with her. There’s a ticket for her, too.”

“I’ll try my best.” When a thought occurred to him, he stood abruptly. “Wait.”

Cooper turned at the door. “Yeah?”

“If I can pull off a miracle and get her to agree, would you hire her as a background technician? Or

a recovery specialist?”

Cooper laughed. “Sure. But good luck with that one. She probably hates me more than she hates

you.”

The door closed behind him, and Jake took a deep breath. This wouldn’t be easy, but Cooper was

right. He was miserable without Tara, and there was only one way to fix that.

He had to find a way to get her back.

…

A few measly hours later, Jake pulled his baseball hat over his head and slid his shades higher on his

nose. Clouds were rolling in, and so was a storm. He could smell it in the air. Sense it in the wind.

Hell, he could feel it in his fucking bones.

He stood there, on her walkway, trying to think of the best thing to say to her. At first, she would be

surprised to see him. She’d probably thought she’d never have to see him again. But she hadn’t

counted on him falling for her, and neither had he.

The whole flight down to Florida, he’d tried to come up with some big gesture to show her he

wanted her back. To show her he cared about her. That she’d shown him that he wanted more out of

life than loner-ville.

He hadn’t come up with a damn thing.

The big house she’d holed up in rose three stories, and it was a modern cookie-cutter mansion with

white shutters and big windows. The structure was easily five times the size of his home, but it still

managed to look inviting with pretty flowers all lined up the stone pathway. The red door was shut, as

were all the windows. Locked up tight.

Just like she’d be to him once she knew he was back.

He walked around the back of the house, taking off his sandals once he hit the sand. It had been a

hell of a long time since he felt the hot stuff between his toes. Afghanistan didn’t count. That had been

hell. He had thought it ruined him for sand. Thought it had ruined everything, in a way that his parents’

deaths hadn’t.

But then Tara had proved him wrong. She’d saved him.

She was the exception to his brokenness. As he rounded the corner, he found her. She was lying on

a lounge chair, eyes shut. A gold bikini barely covered her essential parts, and his mouth dried out.

He scanned the area, looking for any men watching his Tara, but no one was nearby. Not a single

person in sight.

Thank fucking God.

He dropped his bag and crept closer, his attention on the flat part of her stomach, right above her

bikini. It begged to be nibbled on. Hell, every inch of her needed to be tasted by him. One way or the

other, he’d find a way to convince her she should forgive him. He wouldn’t give up on her. On them.

They were meant to be.

He swiped his palms on his pants. “Hello, sweetheart.”

She sat upright immediately, her lids flying open. Her cheeks flushed pink, and her perfect mouth

dropped into an O shape. “Jake? What… Why… What the hell?”

“Did you miss me?”

She shook her head slightly. “Why are you here?”

“I missed you like hell. I can’t sleep. Can’t think. Can’t live without you making my life exciting.

Putting stickers on my car and feng shui-ing my house. All that shit—I miss it. I miss you.” He wasn’t

going to pussyfoot around. When he wanted something, he went after it. And he wanted Tara, in his

arms, preferably naked. Forever. “Did you miss me at all? Never mind. I can tell you did.”

Her mouth opened and closed, but she didn’t respond. She seemed to be in too much shock to form

a reply. Not once in his life had he ever seen her at a loss for words. That was a promising start to his

mission…maybe. Or maybe she was just trying to think of the best way to tell him to go fuck himself.

Either way, he wasn’t giving up.

“Miss you? No. I haven’t thought of you at all.”

Ouch. That hurt, but it would have hurt a lot more if she were telling the truth. She’d averted her

eyes as she spoke. She was lying through her pretty little teeth. He stepped closer to her, letting his

shadow fall over her. “The hell you haven’t.”

She lifted her chin and stared him down. “I don’t want you here. Go away.”

“That I believe.” He dropped to his knees at the side of her chair. “I fucked up, and I know it. I hurt

you. Can you give me a chance to kiss it and make it better?”

She crossed her arms, hugging tight. “No. Not a chance in hell.”

“Please.” He reached out and cupped her cheeks. To his surprise, she didn’t shove him off right

away. “I’m sorry I lied to you. Sorry I made you feel as if I didn’t care. I did. I do. So much,

sweetheart.”

She tilted her chin up. “You lied to me. Used me.”

“I know.” He hesitated, feeling compelled to explain himself. To make her see why he’d done what

he had. But he couldn’t think of how to say it. The words wouldn’t come. He was choking up and

ruining everything. “I—”

She pressed her lips together. “You blackmailed me. And lied to me. That’s all I know, and all I

need to know.”

“I won’t lie to you anymore.” He caught her gaze, hoping she could see that he was telling the truth.

“Ever again.”

She laughed bitterly. “Bullshit. Everyone lies.”

He ran his thumb over her lower lip. “Why are you always so sure you know everything?”

“Because I do.” She slapped his touch away. “Please stop doing that.”

His blood pounded. She’d gone soft under his fingers before she rejected him. She might want to be

over him, but she so clearly wasn’t. “Tell me you haven’t thought about me since you left.”

“Jake.” She pushed him off. “What game are you playing? Why are you really here? Is something

wrong with the code I gave you? Are you here to arrest me again?”

“There’s no game. No blackmail. Not this time.”

“Then what do you want from me?”

He stood and pulled her to her feet, not dropping his hold. “I’ll tell you what I want. I want a

second chance.”

“Someone once told me second chances were a waste of time.”

He cringed. “He sounds like an asshole.”

“He is,” she agreed.

“I fucked up. In order to protect the one thing I care about the most, I screwed everything up.” He

ran his fingers down her cheek, and she trembled. She might be protesting her desire, but she still

wanted him as much as she had before he’d betrayed her. She didn’t want to admit it. “Give me a

chance to do things right.”

She watched him suspiciously, her brows low. “Not if you were the last man on earth, and we were

the only ones left to carry on the human race. Not if God himself came down from the clouds and

asked me nicely. Not if—”

“—there was a zombie apocalypse?”

“I’d sooner eat your rotting flesh,” she said in a rush.

His lips twitched, and he let out a laugh. She looked at him in surprise. “See? That’s one of the

reasons I need you. You make me laugh when I’d thought I forgot how.”

“So do funny movies.” She stood up. “I suggest you watch one of them and leave me out of it. I’m

not yours anymore.”

Yes, she was.

He stalked toward her. She backed against the brick wall. She’d retreated, but she still stared at

him defiantly. As if she wasn’t scared of anything he might do to her. As if he held no power over her

anymore. If it she didn’t give a shit about him anymore?

He was fucked.

Burying his face in her neck, he inhaled her sweet scent. She shivered and gripped his shoulders, a

small sound escaping her lips. He waited for her to push him away. To reject him. But she didn’t. He

nibbled on her shoulder, right next to her bikini strap. “You said you wanted to save me. I figured out

how you can do that. Don’t send me away.” He pulled back. “Don’t shut me out now. Save me.”

She wiggled free. “It’s too late. You’re too late.”

She shut the door, and he covered his face with his hands, taking a steadying breath. Okay. That

hadn’t gone as well as he’d planned, but that was all right. He’d do better next time. She needed to a

few hours to come to terms with his presence, and then he’d come back. But first? He’d plan his next

attack.

This was a war of sorts.

One he had every intention of winning.

Chapter Seventeen

Two freaking days.

That’s how long Jake had been showing up on her doorstep. She’d rejected him each and every

time, but it was getting harder and harder to do so. Whenever she heard his voice through her door,

her resolve to resist him died a bit more.

So did her anger.

Tara shut down the shower, dried off, and pulled a yellow sundress over her head. Crossing the

room barefoot, she turned and flopped back on the bed. How long would it be until her doorbell rang

again? Or would he call her and whisper naughty things in her ear, telling her with vivid detail how

much he wanted to strip her naked and lick every single inch of her?

Twice.

She shouldn’t want to give him another chance. Shouldn’t want him at all. If she bent for him, if she

became his in every way, she’d have to stop thieving. She’d have to go straight. He’d make her. He’d

insist on changing her. And she didn’t want to change.

But yet, she did.

For that short time she’d been his, she had wanted something more out of life than the next thrill.

She’d seen a future with Jake, one with kids playing in his backyard. One where she wasn’t in danger

of going to jail every time she reported for work.

And she’d wanted it so badly.

The doorbell rang. It would be him. She didn’t move off the bed. Eventually, he would go away. He

always did. But this time…he didn’t. He kept ringing the bell. After five minutes, her phone dinged.

She picked it up with bated breath.

It was a text from Jake. Open the door. I left a present. Don’t leave it in the heat.

A present that couldn’t be left in heat. What the heck could it be?

Holding her phone to her chest, she went downstairs and peeked out the peephole. He was gone,

but the package he’d texted her about sat on her doorstep. She drummed her fingers on the wall. It

could be a trap. Maybe he planned to force his way in as soon as she unlocked the door. But she

couldn’t not open the door.

Not without knowing what was in the package.

He knew that about her, too. Sneaky bastard.

Slowly, she undid the lock and crept onto the porch. Bending down, she studied the box. It was

about the size of a case of beer, and it had holes poked in the top. Heart racing with excitement, she

grabbed the package and backed into the house, her attention darting all around her yard. Looking for

him.

If he was still there, he’d hidden well. After she closed the door behind her, she set the box down,

sat down beside it, and tore it open. It was…

A kitten. He’d gotten her a kitten. A little fluffy orange fur ball of a kitten. It had bright blue eyes,

and it meowed as soon as she lifted the cardboard.

“Hello, kitty.” She smiled at the creature. “You’re so cute.”

He snuggled in her lap, looking all too content to do so. Tara petted him and hugged him close, her

mind racing. Of all the things she had suspected might be on her porch, a kitten was not one of them.

The cat was the live version of the stuffed animal he’d won her at the carnival last week. He even had

a blue collar on his neck, just like the fake one, and a name tag.

Tara caught the little fishy tag and squinted at it. I

BELONG

ARA

AND

AKE

He’d put his address under the line, and then a heart. He’d actually bought the cat for the two of

them to share. Of all the sneaky, backhanded…adorable things to do, this was pretty high up there.

“What game is he playing, huh?” she asked the cat.

The cat blinked at her and meowed.

Her phone rang, and she scrambled to juggle the squirming creature while answering without

checking the caller ID. She knew who it would be, after all. “Hello?”

“I see you got your delivery,” Jake said, his voice soft and tender.

“I did.” Tara smiled down at the cat and petted his soft back. “Why did you buy me a cat?”

“You’re a cat burglar. What better gift?”

She choked on a laugh. “You hate cats.”

“I know.” He laughed lightly. “But you love them.”

Despite herself, Tara grinned and shook her head. She toyed with the tag. “Is this supposed to make

me forgive you? A cute pet?”

“Yeah.” He cleared his throat. “Well, that and the speech I have ready.”

“You have a speech?”

“Yep. I wrote it down and everything.” He paused. “Right before I left for war, we went to the mall

and walked around the pet store. Do you remember?”

Tara closed her eyes, picturing the shop with perfect clarity. He’d been so skinny and young then,

in his black jeans and gray T-shirt. He’d been watching her in the store that night with a tender

expression on his face. He’d been different that night. Something about the way he’d touched her,

smoothing her hair behind her ear like he’d done a million times before, had caused her heart to skip.

It had been the night they almost slept together. The night she’d given herself to him completely, and

he’d left her. “Yeah. I remember.”

“You saw an orange kitten, and you wanted to buy him. I offered to get him for you”—Jake gave a

little laugh—“even though I was broke. But you said—”

She closed her eyes. “Grandma would kill me.”

“Yeah. You sounded so sad, and you held your hand out to him and sighed. He pawed at your

fingers through the cage, and you bit down hard on your lip. You seemed so determined not to want

him, but you obviously did. Then you straightened your spine and walked away without looking

back.”

Tara swallowed hard. “How do you remember all of that?”

“Because when you walked away from that cat, he watched you with big, sad eyes. I couldn’t help

thinking that one day…I’d be that cat.” He sighed. “That I’d be the one watching you walk away

without looking back. So I walked away first.”

Tara stared down at the kitten. “Yeah, you did. You left and you never came back.”

“I know. That’s one of the reasons I left that night. I had to be the one to do it. But I also knew I was

too depraved for you. Too dark.” He drew in a ragged breath. “You needed a prince, not a pauper.”

“I didn’t care about any of that,” she whispered. “And you know it.”

“I know. I was scared.”

She nodded. “I know.”

“And after that, when I finally got to be with you again, I had to lie to you and play you. I know

you’re mad. I know you hate me right now, but I think we could love each other so damn much if you

gave me another chance. No more lies. No more tricks.”

Her heart twisted. “Jake…”

“I was wrong when I said I couldn’t be the old Jake around you anymore. The truth was, I thought

he was dead. I thought I lost him in Afghanistan. But then you came back into my life, and—” He

broke off and was quiet for a moment. “You did it. You saved me. I can be that guy again, with you. I

can be happy. I can laugh. I can live.”

She tried to blink back the tears blurring her vision, but she failed. His words were way too

meaningful. “You deserve to be happy.”

He continued, “I’m on your doorstep, asking you to let me back in so I can fall irrevocably in love

with you, because sweetheart? I’m already there. Please. Forgive me. Love me. Let me in.”

Tara tightened her grip on the phone and bit her lower lip. God, she wanted to let him in. Wanted to

trust him and give him a chance. But what if she did, and he broke her heart? Or lied to her again?

But…what if he didn’t?

She shakily rose to her feet and set the cat down. As if stuck in slow motion, she reached out and

undid the lock. When she opened the door, Jake stood there with a phone to his ear, holding a bouquet

of roses. He quickly dropped the former in his pocket, and his fist tightened on the flowers.

Positioning herself in the doorway, she kept the cat from escaping, but also blocked him from entry.

He swallowed hard and shifted on his feet. “I want to love you, Tara. So fucking bad. And I’m sorry.

Sorry I lied. Sorry I—”

She took a small step toward him, followed by another. He broke off and took a stumbling stride

forward. When she launched herself into his arms, he caught her easily, hugging her so close she

could barely breathe. The flowers hit the patio, and he buried his face in her neck. She held on to him,

tears slipping down her cheeks.

This was it. This was the real thing.

She couldn’t let him slip out of her fingers because she was scared.

He took a breath. “Does this mean you forgive me?”

Tara cupped his cheeks, like he always did to her. “Yes. And it means…I love you so bad, too.”

Next thing she knew, his mouth was on hers. He backed them toward the door, kicking it shut

behind them. “Wrap your legs around me. Now.”

Tara did as he demanded, meeting his hungry kiss with an open mouth. She couldn’t get enough of

him. His lips on hers. His tongue. His taste. The way his stubble brushed against her as he worked his

magic.

All of it added up into one perfectly wrapped package that was Jake.

And he was all hers.

He lowered her onto the couch, his lips never leaving hers and his hands moving over her body.

Grabbing his hair, she tugged him back down and kissed him. He groaned and deepened the kiss, his

erection pressing against her core.

“I missed you so fucking much,” he moaned, kissing a path down her neck. He squeezed her breasts.

“I promise not to lie to you again. Not to trick you. Not to hurt you. Do you promise not to leave me

again? To be mine?”

Tara blinked back tears and tilted her face to his. “I won’t leave you again. I’m all yours.”

“But do you want to be mine, in every sense of the word? Can you accept me the way I am—flaws,

needs, and all?” He took a shaky breath. “I know you had fun with me before, but can you live like

this? Can you really be mine?”

“Yes. So much yes.” She kissed him, then backed off before it got too hot and heavy. “When we

were separated, I missed everything about you. From the way you worried too much, to the way you

bossed me around in bed. The idea of not being under your control in bed is…empty. It makes me feel

empty. I want to be yours. And I definitely want all of you, too.”

“Then it’s all yours, and so am I.” He froze with his lips a breath away from hers. “But first? Beg

me.”

“Please kiss me before I die, sir.”

He let out a harsh sound and captured her mouth again. He pulled the skirt of her dress high,

exposing her white satin thong. When he pressed his thumb to her clit and sucked on her nipple

through the flimsy dress, she arched her back. Tried to get closer. To get his mouth on her, without the

darn clothes in the way.

He better not be planning on “punishing” her today.

He sat down and pulled her on his lap, yanking the dress over her head in one smooth movement.

After taking her bra off with startling ease, his mouth was on her, sucking hard. She cried out and

scraped her nails down his back. He scraped his teeth against her hard nipple, making her shiver.

Killing her with every move.

He knew how to drive her insane with a single touch.

To make her need with a quick motion or bite.

And she loved relinquishing control to him.

He moaned and released her nipple, unzipping his pants as he kissed his way to the other one.

Before he took it in his mouth, he murmured, “You’re so ready for me, sweetheart. You want me to

come inside of you right now, don’t you? Hard and fast until you scream my name.”

“God, yes.” She nodded and yanked at his hair, wanting to demand he follow through right now, but

knowing it would only backfire in the end. She knew the game they played, and she loved every

second of it. “Please.”

He let out a low laugh. “No. Not yet.”

“Jake.” She pulled harder, frustration coursing through her. “Now.”

“That wasn’t a pretty request.” He flicked his tongue over her racing pulse. “Now you’ll have to

wait longer.”

Excitement, and desire, crashed through her at his soft warning. “Argh,” she managed to get out

through gritted teeth. “I mean, yes. Of course, you’re right. I’ll wait, sir.”

Laughing under his breath, he threaded his hands through her hair and kissed her. She clung to him,

refusing to let him go. When he broke off the kiss, he gripped her spread thighs tight and stared up at

her with heated eyes. “Ask me nicely.”

She looked at him, not daring to look away. “Make love to me, please.”

Nodding slightly, he freed his erection from his shorts. “Condom?”

“I’m clean. Are you?”

He flexed his jaw. “Fuck yeah.”

“Then please make me scream your name, boyfriend.”

He kissed her. Soft. Gentle. So sweetly she teared up, and her heart expanded with happiness.

“Anything you want,” he whispered against her lips. “Girlfriend.”

He kissed her again, but this time it was hard and demanding. And when he shoved her panties

aside and thrust inside her, she tightened her thighs on him and lost herself in his touch. She rode him

hard, faster and faster until she knew she was close.

So freaking close.

“Jake. May I?” she asked, her voice breathy from holding back her impending orgasm. “Please?”

“Come for me,” he commanded in her ear, his touch rough. “Now.”

And then…

She did.

He stiffened beneath her before driving inside her one last time. He collapsed against the back of

the couch, drawing in a deep gulp of air. “Holy shit,” he muttered, still holding on to her thighs.

Tara grinned and traced a tattoo on his chest. “I like these, by the way. Very hot.”

“Thank you,” he managed to say. “You told Gordon that first, though.”

She flinched. “Sorry.”

“It’s okay,” he said, meeting her gaze. “You can make it up to me later, sweetheart.”

Her cheeks heated at the promise. “Deal.”

He hugged her close, inhaling deeply. She snuggled in, so at peace she couldn’t believe it was

possible. “This feels really good. I could lie here forever, letting you play with my hair.”

Tara smiled bigger. Seriously. It was getting ridiculous, this happiness she was feeling. “Good.”

“Forever and—” Her stomach growled, and he raised a brow. “But apparently you need dinner.”

She flushed. “Apparently.”

He laughed and lifted her off of him, slowly withdrawing from her body. “What are you in the

mood for?”

“I don’t care,” she said. “As long as I’m with you.”

“Back atcha, sweetheart.” He tucked himself away, then pulled his zipper up. Bending over, he

tossed her dress at her. “Remember how happy I made you when I piss you off next time. It’s gonna

be soon.”

Tara pulled the dress over her head. “Why? What are you planning on doing now?”

“I have a proposition for you.” He hesitated. “And I’d like you to consider it before you reject me.”

“What?” she asked after a moment, her heart picking up speed.

“I want you to work for Cooper.” He held his hand out when she opened her mouth. “You could

have a position where you do background checks on all of our employees, making sure there are no

more Solteses in the company.”

“Jake—”

“Or you could be a recovery specialist, with us instead of on your own. You would help clients

find lost objects, but not steal them back. When we find them, we would tell the police, and they

would take it from there.” He sat down next to her on the bed. “Think about it. It’s the same job, but

more Sherlock, and less Robin Hood.”

Her lips twitched, and she laughed. “Did you call me Sherlock?”

“Yeah, maybe,” he admitted, scratching the back of his head.

“Does that make you my Watson?”

He leaned in and kissed her. “You can call me anything you want.”

“I want to call you mine.”

“Sounds perfect.” He grabbed hold of her ankles and yanked across the couch until she was flat on

her back. “Make sure at the end of the day, you call out my name as I make you come.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck. “I promise. And Jake?”

He nuzzled her neck. “Yeah?”

“I’ll think about the job. I knew if I let you in, that I’d have to make changes.” She glanced at him.

“It’s why I was so scared to do it. I didn’t know if I was ready for those changes. This has been my

life. It’s all I had.”

He kissed her nose. “You have me now.”

“I know.”

“You’ll love it there, by the way.” He smiled, big and bright. “Cooper’s a great boss. He took over

the company earlier this year. His father started it.”

“I said I’d think about it, not take it.”

“I know. And you’ll love it.”

She rolled her eyes, not bothering to fight him on this. The cat jumped on the couch and meowed

before inserting his face between them. Tara smiled at the small animal. “What should we call him?”

He reached out to pet the cat, but he hissed at him. Jake glowered at him. “What would you have

called that little cat all those years ago, if you’d gotten him?”

She snorted. “Probably Fluffy.”

“Well, then.” Jake scooped the tiny kitten under the belly and held him in the air with one hand. The

kitten batted at him with a small paw. Jake rotated him, glaring the whole time. “Fluffy it is—even if

he’s more of a killer than a fluff ball.”

She laughed and took him. He cuddled close to her chest and gave a tiny meow. “Looks pretty

harmless to me.”

“Yeah. Sure,” he said, watching him warily. Fluffy stared right back at him without blinking. “I’ll

grab the supplies out of my car, then we’ll do dinner.”

As he headed for the door, Tara sat and wrapped her arms around her knees. The kitten jumped off

the couch, the bell on his collar jingling with each step, and followed Jake. It was funny that he

remembered that night in the pet shop so well, because she did, too.

That was the night she realized she loved him, and that’s why she’d given herself to him. When she

had walked away from that cat, part of her had felt like it was Jake she left behind. It might have taken

a few years and a lot of separation, but she’d gotten everything she wanted. All her dreams had come

true…

And then some.

Epilogue

M ONTHS

LATER

Tara slipped behind the wall, her breath held and her body completely still. She wasn’t supposed to

be doing stuff like this anymore, but she had to get inside unnoticed. She couldn’t get caught sneaking

in, or there would be hell to pay.

After studying the hallway for any sign of movement, she crept down the shadowy stretch of tight

walls and glided into the empty office. She had approximately one hour before anyone came back and

realized where she was.

And she couldn’t waste a single second.

Reaching into her pocket, she grabbed her phone and turned on the flashlight app. When he’d left

the key behind, she couldn’t resist the urge to break into the agency and find out what he had hidden in

his locked drawer. If she could locate it, test out the key, and open it, she would discover—

“Hello, sweetheart,” Jake said from somewhere in the shadows. “Looking for something?”

Tara jumped guiltily. “Uh…nope. Not at all.”

“Really?” he asked, his voice gritty.

She cocked her head. “Was this all a ploy to have a reason to punish me later?”

“Oh, you definitely earned one, but it’ll wait.”

Her heartbeat escalated. She loved his “punishments,” and he knew it. “But I didn’t do anything

wrong.”

He switched on the light and leaned against the wall, his arms crossed and his brows up. “So you

sneaked into my office when you knew I wasn’t here because—?”

“I knew you were here.”

He snorted. “You’re a horrible liar.”

“You tricked me again.”

He grinned. “Someone has to do it. You’ve been getting too cocky about your skill lately, with all

these men fawning all over you.”

She propped her hip on the door. “Jealous of our coworkers?”

“You know I am.” He shoved off the wall and went behind his desk. “When it comes to you, I’m not

the slightest bit reasonable. I’m the only one who gets to bring you home and make you come all night

long. Only I know how those sweet lips feel wrapped around my— ”

“Shhh.” She flushed and peeked over her shoulder, but there was no denying the arousal his words

brought to life inside her. Hearing him describe the way he felt when she went down on him made her

want to drop to her knees in front of him. “Someone might hear you.”

He laughed. “We’re alone. I wouldn’t talk about you like that if we weren’t. You’re mine.”

“I noticed,” she said drily.

He shrugged. “So I’m possessive. It’s part of my package deal.”

“And I love every second of it.” She crossed the room. “Why did you trick me into coming here?

Spill it.”

“What makes you think I wanted you in here?”

“You’ve been leaving me little hints all over the place for the last two weeks that something is in

your desk. Something valuable and huge.” She sat down in the chair and crossed her legs. “Then,

tonight, you supposedly go out on an assignment after ten at night, and leave the key on the nightstand

table? You wanted me in here. Why?”

He motioned toward the desk. “Open it and find out.”

“Is this a trick?”

“Nope.”

She stood and came around to the other side. Watching him the whole time, she slid the key into the

latch and pulled the drawer open. She bent down and squinted inside. Shaking her head, she turned

back to him as she said, “Not a trick, huh? There’s nothing—” She broke off and covered her mouth.

“Oh my God.”

He was in the same spot as before, only he had dropped to his knees. He held a brilliant marquise-

cut diamond ring, and he had that endearing vulnerability of uncertainty in his gaze again. The one

she’d seen only once before, when he told her he wanted to love her.

“Tara, you’ve completed me. I never thought I could be so happy until you came along and showed

me how. I know we’ve been living together for six months now, and people said we moved too

fast”—he took a deep breath—“but I don’t think we moved fast enough. I’ve known you for years, but

now I want to know you’re mine. I want to make it official, and I hope to spend the rest of my life

trying to make you as happy as you’ve made me.”

“You already have,” she managed to say, though she could barely speak through her swollen throat.

“So much.”

“But I’ve barely begun.” He held the ring higher. “Tara Harris, ex-thief, owner of my heart, and

genius—will you do me the honor of being my wife?”

She nodded, tears blurring her vision. “Yes. Oh my God, yes.”

He grinned and stood up, hauling her close and kissing her. She clung to his shoulders, her heart

hammering in her ears, and he ravished her mouth. By the time he pulled back and broke off the kiss,

she’d almost forgotten where they were.

And what he’d been doing.

Jake slid the ring onto her finger. It was a perfect fit, but of course it would be. He wouldn’t have it

any other way. “I love you.”

Tara grinned at him and sniffed. “I love you, too.”

He hugged her close. “But I was wrong. You’re not an ex-thief.”

“What?” She pulled back and stared at him. “Sure I am. You saw to it that the last thing I stole was

the vase a week before you crashed back into my life. I’ve been on the straight and narrow ever

since.”

“Nope. Wrong.” He lifted her chin. “You stole one more thing.”

She racked her memory, trying to recall what she could have taken. Then she remembered the first

day at his house, how she had found that picture of him on his dresser and stuffed it in her bag. It was

on her desk now, framed beside the picture of her, him, and Fluffy—who still didn’t trust Jake. “The

picture?”

He grinned and shook his head. “You can keep that. I realized you took it that day, and didn’t give a

damn.”

She sighed. “Then what?”

“My heart.” He kissed her gently and rubbed his thumb over her lower lip. “You stole my heart,

and I never want it back.”

“Good. Because I’m not giving it back.”

He swept her into his arms and shut off the light. “Now, about that punishment…”

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Acknowledgments

Thank you to all my readers. You’ve been there with me, some since my very first book, and I cannot

express how grateful to you I am. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

About the Author

Diane Alberts

is a multi-published, bestselling contemporary romance author with Entangled

Publishing. She also writes New York Times , USA Today , and Wall Street Journal bestselling new

adult books under the name Jen McLaughlin. She’s hit the Top 100 lists on Amazon and Barnes and

Noble numerous times with numerous titles. She was mentioned in Forbes alongside E. L. James as

one of the breakout independent authors to dominate the bestselling lists. Diane is represented by

Louise Fury at The Bent Agency.

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Thank you for reading!

Also by

by Jen McLaughlin, writing as

Diane Alberts

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Document Outline

Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Epilogue
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Also by Diane Alberts
- Falling for the Groomsman
- Temporarily Yours
- Kiss Me at Midnight
- Take a Chance
- Take Me
- Play Me
- Love Me
- Try Me
- Faking It
- Divinely Ruined
- On One Condition
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- Dirty Deal
- Taming His Tutor
- Take Me if You Dare
- One Night of Sin
- Burn for Me
- Two Week Seduction
- Baiting the Maid of Honor
- Best Man with Benefits
- Seducing the Bridesmaid

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