Page 99 of Sleigh Bells and Snowstorms
She laughed. “I’ll see what I can do.”
“Give my apologies to Mr. Exton for keeping you on so late.”
“Don’t worry. He’ll make me pay for it when I come to bed.”
“Good man.”
She laughed, and we disconnected.
I drove back to the flat with a smile on my face. I’d hand off the necklace to Deacon in the morning. He’d take it the rest of the way home. Mission accomplished.
As for me, I’d finished the job just in time for Christmas. And it was going to be one to remember.
CHAPTER 25
Natalie
Ispent the rest of the evening pacing around the apartment, waiting for Jensen.
Sitting still wasn’t an option. Neither was going over to the house. I wouldn’t have been able to keep quiet, and I wasn’t ready to tell Nina what Jensen and I had been up to.
So I walked, and wandered, and paced, more anxious than I’d been when I was the one who could have been in danger. I’d been much more calm at Julian’s than I was knowing that Jensen was in the midst of breaking in to steal the necklace back.
Would he find it? Would he stay hidden? He’d been so vague about how he was going to accomplish his task. There were cameras and home security to contend with, not to mention the fact that Julian was home.
The timing made sense. The longer he waited, the more chance there was of Julian locking the study door. He needed to act while the window of opportunity—or the door, to be precise—was open.
And I understood why he hadn’t told me the details of his plan. Sure, he did this for a living, but he wasn’t law enforcement. He was breaking in as sure as any thief. The less I knew, the better.
He was protecting me.
Finally, I heard a car outside. With my heart in my throat, I stood in front of the door, practically bouncing with anticipation. A moment later, Jensen walked in and shut the door behind him.
I threw myself at him, jumping into his arms, and wrapped my legs around his waist. He held me tight and spun me around, pushing me up against the wall. Our mouths met in a deep, frenzied kiss as if we’d been parted for months and couldn’t get enough.
“I’m so glad you’re back,” I breathed. “I’ve been a wreck.”
“You didn’t need to worry about me.”
“I did anyway.” I kissed him again, reveling in the feel of his velvety-soft tongue sliding against mine.
As he pulled away, the corners of his mouth lifted. “Ask me if I got it.”
“Did you get it?”
He set me down, and with a smirk, reached into his coat and gently pulled out the necklace.
I covered my mouth with my hands. “You did it.”
“We did it. I couldn’t have done it without you.”
“How long do you think it’ll take for him to realize it’s gone?”
“Hard to say. It depends on how soon he tries to take it out of the safe.” He touched my face. “He’s going to realize you were involved.”
“I know. Do you think he’s dangerous?”
He hesitated. “Yes and no. My impression is that he’s a collector, not a black market art dealer. He stole it for himself, and he won’t be happy about losing it. I’ll make sure he doesn’t get anywhere near you.” He smirked. “But I doubt he’ll ask you for a second date.”
