Page 13 of Thief

“Shy now, are you?” John dragged his gaze down her soapy body then slowly back up again. “You weren’t shy a couple of hours ago in my bed. In fact, you were the complete opposite of shy then.”

“Shut up and get the hell out of here,” she snapped.

His black eyes darkened, and he stepped closer, backing her against the wall of the cubicle. “I’m not going anywhere. You’ve just stolen my whole damn future and I want it back.”

She felt the chill of the tiles on her shoulders and buttocks. The shiver added to her tremble of nerves. Her first instincts had been right—she really had bitten off more than she could chew with John. “What are you talking about?”

“My car.” He stood directly under the stream of water. Rivers dripped from his brows and over his eyes—he didn’t appear to notice.

“I didn’t take your car. What a ridiculous thing to say.”

A noise similar to a lion’s growl rumbled from his chest. He slammed his palms against the tiles on either side of her head and the loud slap echoed around the glass walls.

Kat sucked in a breath. “I simply got up and left so there was no awkwardness in the morning.” She tried a casual shrug within the confines of his massive forearms. “We both know it was only a one-night stand.” She should be protesting more violently about his uninvited entry into her shower. She should be screaming, kneeing him in the groin…something.

“Tell me where my car is.” He continued to ignore the hot side jets pounding his T-shirt and the swirling steam swirling.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Kat replied, banging her fists onto his sodden chest to prevent him coming any closer.

He stepped closer anyway. “Don’t give me that crap. You know full well what I’m talking about.”

“No, I don’t. How would I know where your car is? We walked to your apartment from the bar last night.” She tipped her head and raised her eyebrows, tried to appear nonchalant. “Frankly, John, it’s creeped me out that you’ve broken into my home. You could have just asked for my number.”

John’s guttural laugh gurgled around the cubicle; it wasn’t a pleasant sound. “You have to be kidding me. You must think I was born yesterday.”

Kat raised an eyebrow and swallowed a tight lump in her throat.

“I know damn well you took my car.” John leant down so their noses touched. “I followed you, I saw you get out of my fucking car and then strut away as some other arsehole drove it into the night.” He was thoughtful for a moment as if a riddle bothering him had given up its answer. “And I’m guessing you didn’t take it because you just saw my keys lying around… You’d planned it beforehand. Whoever that big guy is, he’s the organizer. He tells you who’s got a flash car worth nicking. Am I right?”

Kat decided to give up on the innocent route. She’d clearly been rumbled. Although how the hell he’d followed her home she had no idea. She was sure he’d been fast asleep when she’d left. “Yeah, well, deal with it. It’s a dog-eat-dog world out there.” She smirked with a confidence she didn’t feel. “But you’re a big boy, John, you can handle it. Go claim on your insurance…if you have any that is.” She stared at the tiny crystals of water beading in the dark stubble of his cheeks.

“I couldn’t give a shit about the car.” Water tipped from his nose and chin onto her breasts. “It’s what’s in it I need back.”

“So why follow me, why not follow your CD collection? If that’s what you’re so worried about.”

His teeth clenched, a muscle in his jaw flexed and his eyebrows pulled together even closer. “Because that big bald bastard slipped into the night before I could get after him, which left you my only damn option.” He swallowed and grimaced as if biting back a bitter taste.

Kat ducked and went to bob under his arm. Her heart somersaulted; the situation was out of control

“You’re going nowhere.” He slid his hand down the tiles and pressed his hard groin into her soft naked stomach, trapping her and preventing her from moving an inch. “Not until you’ve given me answers.”

Kat dragged in a sharp mouthful of fogged air. He was hugely turned on. Despite his fury, he was rock solid. “I can’t…I can’t give you any information,” she managed through a conflict of emotions—fear and desire, terror and lust.

“Sure you can.”

I don’t know anything. I just do as I’m told and get paid.”

“God damn you!” he spat out in frustration.

“Sorry.”

“Sorry. Sorry is not enough, nowhere near enough.” He pushed his erection harder into her. “Jeez, I should have fucked you how I wanted to instead of treating you like a delicate little princess.”

She tensed but didn’t flinch from the solid dominant body invading all her senses.

“I should have gone for it hard and fast, just taken what I wanted,” he said, shards of fury scraping the words from his throat. “That’s what you did. Fucked me and took what you wanted.”

“You looked like you were enjoying it alright.”

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