Thieves Like Us Read online

  Closing her eyes and sucking in a slow breath, she leaned forward and laid her lips against his. For a moment, neither of them moved. Then, pressing gently with her mouth, Janet reached for his neck and let her tongue play against his lips.

  His arms closed around her in a hungry embrace. One hand hauled her against him, while the other reached up to cup her head. His kiss opened her mouth, plunging past her gentle beginning, demanding more. She gave it eagerly, meeting his tongue with hers, blending her delighted moan with his rumble of satisfaction. She would have slid off the stool, boneless and limp, if he hadn’t held her in place to better devour her. Both hands moved to her hair, touching her cheeks, tilting her head to provide a new angle for his kiss.

  He was as good as she remembered. Maybe better. She clung to his shoulders, taking whatever he gave. She gasped when he pulled away, melted when he kissed her cheeks and forehead, and sighed against his lips when they touched her mouth again, softer this time. When he finally broke the kiss she kept her eyes closed, waiting for her heart to stop pounding against her rib cage.

  She hadn’t expected to feel that needy, that vulnerable. What had happened to her defenses? “I still don’t like you,” she whispered, trying to believe it.

  His lip ticked up again. “Okay.”

  She looked away, suddenly self-conscious about how quickly she’d come apart in his arms.

  With the hand that still cupped her head, he tilted her forward to place a kiss on top of her head. “Please don’t leave this house, Janet. Promise me.”

  She nodded.

  “I’ll call you tomorrow.”

  She watched him go, then stared at the plate of risotto, now merely the second best thing that had happened to her all day. She’d finish it in a minute. Right now she wanted to savor the lingering taste of Rocky. She had a feeling she was going to become much better acquainted with it in the near future.

  The Westfield mansion had felt more like a mausoleum than a home when Janet had lived there with Banner. Now, with her intimidating husband gone and Libby in temporary residence, the house took on an entirely different feel, reflecting the confidence Libby had gained during her time with Jack and Ellie. The girl’s presence could not be ignored.

  Janet’s first impression of Ellie’s stepdaughter had been one of introspection and shyness, but Libby had blossomed in her new setting in Bloomfield Hills. She lit up any room like a bright fountain, bubbling nonstop with conversation and energy. And when she was out of sight, the pounding of footsteps on the stairs, the blast of music from the media room, or the laughter from phone conversations filled the empty rooms. The difference in the Westfield home enchanted Janet, and it was obvious that Elizabeth enjoyed it even more. The woman had mellowed remarkably since the days when she lived with Banner, to the point where Janet suspected she was even warming to the unexpected addition of Jingles to the household.

  Unfortunately, cats never knew where to draw the line. Janet watched him wrap around Elizabeth’s ankles as her ex–mother-in-law stood at the stove, fixing a cup of tea. Janet bit her lip, waiting for the cat to get shoved aside and hoping it would be gentle.

  “Good morning, Jingles.” Elizabeth’s dignified greeting carried no trace of the high-pitched, animated voice most people use with pets and babies. She might just as well have said, “Good morning, Peters,” with the exception that her butler’s likely response would not have been a regal strut around the kitchen island. Janet watched her cat with amusement, enjoying his confident assumption of power in the Westfield household.

  Until he passed the barstool, and her mind slipped. Memories from last night flashed back with a suddenness that snatched her breath and pushed her pulse into overdrive. Images of touching her lips to Rocky’s, pressing her breasts against the hardness of his chest, and melting into him in the most mindless and soul-searing kiss of her life flooded her senses.

  Heat rushed over her. She lowered her face, shoving a forkful of food into her mouth and hoping Libby and Elizabeth wouldn’t wonder how Belgian waffles with strawberries could cause such furious embarrassment. Damn, she might have kept her long hair if she’d known she’d be doing things that made her want to hide behind it.

  Fortunately, Libby had her own pressing concerns and had stopped her grandmother before she could escape to the patio with her tea. “Can I spend the night at Ginny Anderson’s?”

  “No, dear. I’m afraid I don’t know the Andersons.”

  “You don’t have to. Dad and Ellie let me stay there all the time.”

  “Well, I can’t call and ask them, so you’ll have to wait until they get back.”

  “But that’s two weeks! That’s so unfair.” Libby scowled at her breakfast. “It’s like I’m a prisoner here.”

  “Yes, conditions are quite brutal,” Elizabeth agreed, casting a look around the expansive kitchen and the sparkling pool visible through the French doors. “However, once you finish your tennis lesson, you may invite Ginny to spend the night here.”

  Libby thought it over. “Can I invite April, too?”

  “No. One friend, nonnegotiable.”

  Libby sulked for two more seconds. “Okay. Right after tennis.”

  Elizabeth escaped outside, no doubt intending to enjoy some solitude while she could. Libby sighed, rolled her eyes, and gave Janet an exasperated look. “That’s what blows about getting dumped here. No social life.”

  Libby’s standards had changed since coming to live with her father and falling into the Payton-Westfield fortune. Her first twelve years of life, when Jack hadn’t known she existed, had been spent with her financially strapped grandparents and aunt. Since leaving them, she’d had a crash course in every sport or talent she cared to try. She took more lessons than anyone Janet knew. Between that, school friends, and her grandmother’s country club membership, it was a wonder Libby wasn’t looking for a break from her hectic social life. “What’s so special about staying at Ginny’s house?”

  Libby leaned forward. “She has a Wii and an Xbox! Almost all my friends have at least one of them.”

  “You don’t?”

  Her eyes widened at the horror. “No! Can you believe it?”

  Knowing what conscientious parents Ellie and Jack were, she could. “I imagine your parents would rather have you do something better with your time.”

  Libby’s suspicious look said Janet had just aligned herself with the enemy. “Yeah, that’s what they say. But I think they have another motive.”

  Of course she did. The girl analyzed everything. “What’s that?”

  Libby gave her a sly look. “It’s ’cause they want to be alone together.”

  The emphasis on “alone together” made it obvious Libby didn’t think they were watching TV. Having to take the time to swallow her food meant Janet didn’t blurt out the first thing that came to mind, which was What do you know about their sex life? Libby was probably fishing for information as much as showing off her sophistication. With admirable calm, Janet sipped her juice and said, “I don’t see the connection.”

  “It’s obvious. If I ask to go to my friends’ houses all the time so I can play their Xbox, then Dad and Ellie have our house to themselves.” She arched an eyebrow, trying to look coolly mature, but Janet saw a blush creep into her cheeks. “I’m thirteen and a half. I know what’s going on when I’m not there.”

  Janet couldn’t think of anything to say. The kid was probably right. Jack and Ellie had been married for less than a year, and it was obvious to everyone how madly in love they were. Plus, from what Ellie said, living with a teenager hadn’t put a dent in her sex life. Libby might very well have discovered why.

  Janet made a contemplative sound and refused to comment. She wasn’t going to get pulled into another discussion about Libby’s current favorite topic. Which probably meant she was going to have to avoid the girl. That could be a problem. Having agreed that the outside world was temporarily a dangerous place to be, she was effectively grounded, stuck in the hou
se with Libby, who only had a tennis lesson to distract her. And her friend Ginny.

  God, two of them. This could be bad.

  “Excuse me, I have to make a call.” Janet ran upstairs, dug into her purse, and found the slip of paper with Rocky’s phone number. Pulling out her cell phone, she committed the number to speed dial as she called him.

  “Red Rose Security.” His voice was competent and businesslike. She was probably interrupting him at work.

  “Rocky, you have to save me.”

  She heard noises as something was dropped or put down hastily. “What happened?” More clunking sounds. There was an edge of panic in his voice. “Where are you?”

  “I’m right where I’m supposed to be, and nothing happened. Yet. But it will, if I have to stay here all day with Libby and her hormone-saturated friend. Get me out of here.”

  She heard an exasperated sigh. “Jesus, don’t scare me like that. I thought there was a real problem. What’s wrong with Libby? She’s a great kid.”

  “She’s obsessed with sex.”

  He chuckled. “She’s thirteen, Janet.”

  “She’s trying really hard to be thirty. And it’s not funny. I don’t care to answer questions about my sex life. Her parents are supposed to handle that subject.”

  “Yeah? What questions? And what did you tell her? In lurid detail, please.”

  “Screw you,” she said mildly.

  “Ahh . . .” He cleared his throat. “Please note that I am politely passing on that beautiful setup.” She had time to blush before he went on. “I trust you weren’t that blunt with Libby. Just relax. Teenagers often select adult mentors. It’s normal. You should be flattered.”

  She lowered the phone long enough to give it a quizzical look, wondering when he would quit surprising her. “Since when do you know so much about teenagers?”

  “I have six nieces and nephews, and three of them are teenagers.”

  “Oh.”

  There were several seconds of dead air. “So are we okay with leaving you at home with Libby?”

  “No, we are not. And by the way, she thinks you’re hot, and so does her friend.”

  “Libby’s a bright girl.”

  “Uh-huh. Actually, she didn’t say hot. She said you’re cute in a really bad way, meaning you do bad things. I’m sure she means sexual things.”

  “Uh . . .”

  “I expect that any second now she’ll be speculating aloud about your sex life. That girl has quite an imagination. Being the anointed mentor, I suppose I’ll have to try my best to answer, although I don’t really know the answers, so I’ll have to make some things up.”

  “I see. I’ll pick you up when I finish this job.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Perhaps I can help you come to some conclusions. ’Bye.”

  She pocketed the phone, trying to pretend that the fluttery feeling in her stomach wasn’t anticipation.

  He worked as fast as he could, but it was nearly two hours before he made it to the Westfield mansion, and from the look on Janet’s face he wasn’t a moment too soon. Libby had just finished her tennis lesson and was walking off the court to greet her audience. Janet and Elizabeth were clapping at her performance when the trio caught sight of him strolling across the lawn. He could have sworn Janet heaved a sigh of relief. As he drew closer her smile grew wider and her eyes took on a new sparkle. A sharp kick of excitement hammered through his chest; he’d waited a long time for that sort of reaction from her.

  Libby claimed his attention first. “Hi, Rocky! You missed my great serve.”

  “Hey, gorgeous. I’ll bet it was terrific.” He high-fived her. “How’s the backhand coming along?”

  “So-so. My playing is still uninspired.” She said it without a trace of the crestfallen look most kids would have shown.

  “Your coach is an idiot. Do you want me to have him mugged in a dark alley?”

  She grinned. “No, stupid.” She slapped at his arm playfully. “He’s just doing his job. He wants me to be more aggressive.”

  “So why aren’t you?”

  She rolled her eyes. “It’s just a game, hitting a ball back and forth.”

  “We obviously need to have a talk about the competitive spirit. Later. Right now I have to take Janet someplace.”

  “Where?” She asked automatically, as if there were no reason that anyone might keep something from her. But he couldn’t tell her he was rescuing Janet from the attentions of two curious thirteen-year-olds.

  “To see a friend,” Janet supplied, stepping past Libby. “He won’t let me go anywhere alone.” She made a face to show how ridiculous she thought it was for him to be preoccupied with her safety.

  “Good,” Libby approved. Sensible as always. If the kid ever wanted to run away from home, he’d take her in any day.

  They said good-bye and walked across the lawn to his car. Janet leaned closer. “No wonder she thinks you’re so great,” she said, keeping her voice low so it wouldn’t carry. “You call her gorgeous and offer to beat up anyone who criticizes her.”

  “I’d do the same for you, beautiful. Who do you want me to kill?” She laughed, but no longer showed that slightly flustered blush she got whenever he flirted with her. He hoped that meant she was getting comfortable with his attentions, because he was more than ready to take it to the next level. And she finally seemed to be ready, too.

  Chapter

  Seven

  He hadn’t started the car. “So where are we really going?” Janet asked. “I don’t mind if you have another job, I just needed to get out of the house. I can tag along and stay out of the way.”

  His smile was oddly thoughtful. “You’re not in the way.”

  “Okay.” She had no idea what he was thinking, and he wasn’t giving her any clues. A belated prick of guilt made her wonder what she’d taken him away from. “Did you need to go to class?”

  “Summer break.”

  He still had that contemplative look, as if he was doing a mental assessment. Hair, check. Nose, check. Ears, check. With a worried frown she flipped the visor mirror down and peered closely. “Do I have something on my face?”

  “There’s not a thing wrong with your face.” He gave her the charmingly cockeyed smile that sent hormones zipping through her system. Great, her body was tuning in to his signals whether her emotions were ready or not. Another minute of that and she’d be going for a repeat of last night’s amazing kiss. Then they wouldn’t be going anywhere.

  Her glance fell on a slip of paper stuck in the cup holder. It looked like a crudely drawn map. “What’s this? Is this where your next job is? I promise I don’t mind if you take me along.” She put a hand over her heart. “Home security has always been my secret passion.”

  “You really are desperate.” He took the paper from her and stuffed it back in the cup holder. “It’s just a lead I got on a guy who might have fenced your necklace. I haven’t checked it out yet; it could be nothing.”

  “The necklace?” She couldn’t keep the sudden excitement out of her voice. “You have a lead already? Why didn’t you tell me? Let’s go talk to the guy.”

  Rocky shook his head. “No way. I’m not taking you to some scuzzy pawnshop to meet some guy who may or may not be able to help us.”

  “Why? You think scuzzy is contagious? Besides, it sounds like you’ve never met him, so you don’t even know what he’s like. Maybe he eats truffles and listens to Beethoven while he lists his pawned items on eBay.”

  His lips pressed into a cynical smile. “Trust me, this guy is the lowest of the low. You don’t want to meet him. I’m sure we can find something better to do.”

  Maybe the sexual innuendo was all in her imagination, but his frank look made her breath catch and her breasts tingle.

  Unfortunately, the guilt he raised was even stronger than the lust. He wanted to help her, but doing it would put him back into the same criminal world he’d barely managed to escape a year and a half ago. She didn’t know h
ow he’d become a jewel thief in the first place, or what had made him turn from a life of crime to the honest business world. Which meant she didn’t know how precarious his straight life was. If he were somehow drawn back into his criminal past because of her, she’d feel responsible. She’d hate herself. Ellie and Jack would hate her. Hell, even Elizabeth Westfield and Ben Thatcher would be furious.

  Janet didn’t know how to tell Rocky that without insulting him.

  Apparently, her long pause had made him nervous. “Look, Janet, I know you don’t want anything more to do with men who have a police record.”

  “I wasn’t thinking about that! I mean, I know you aren’t Banner.”

  He almost smiled. “I think we got past that last night. But I was talking about the kind of criminals this pawnbroker deals with. He’s a fence. He knows what he’s buying is hot, and he knows the men he deals with are criminals. He doesn’t care. You don’t belong in that world, Janet.”

  “Neither do you.” She felt the heat in her face and knew she was blushing at bringing up his past. His history hadn’t embarrassed her before, so it shouldn’t now. Just because she’d kissed him . . .

  He cocked his head, seeming intensely interested in her embarrassment—and amused. “There’s a lot you don’t know about my past, Janet. I’m not going back to that life.”

  That was good to hear. “Still, you’re talking to these people on my behalf, and some of them might not be too happy to see you again.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “You’re probably right. But I can handle it.”

  “But you shouldn’t have to. This is about me, not you. I appreciate that you’re willing to help me, but you can’t expect me to stay home while you go out and risk your safety and your—” she struggled for the right word “—your legal status, all because of me.”

  “My legal status?” He smiled, and reached over to hold her face between his hands. She felt the scrape of calluses from his palms, evidence of the honest work he did every day. “Babe, I’d risk a lot for you, but trust me, my legal status isn’t in danger. Nothing’s going to pull me back into that world.” His gaze held hers, gently demanding. “Do you believe me?”