Page 50 of Thief

He started to smile, but instead, his face creased in puzzlement. “I didn’t tell you my name.”

Kat’s heart somersaulted. How could she have made such a stupid slip? Tonight of all nights. He was right. They hadn’t swapped names yet. She kept her face soft with a smile dancing on her lips, hiding the turmoil going on inside.

Frantically, she searched for a way to smooth over her error. To make it right and charm herself back into his affections. She turned her head to buy thinking time, her gaze falling on the table that held his folded Financial Times and his set of keys.

His keys!

“Lucky guess.” She grinned, turning back to his mystified face. “Your key ring. I guess they’re yours sitting on the table.”

Nick turned to where Kat was gesturing. Sure enough, attached to his keys was a neat gold square with NICK in black lettering embossed across it. His face cracked into a broad smile. “Very clever.” He picked up the keys and dropped them into his front trouser pocket. “So,” he said, his expression relaxed and light once more, “are you going to tell me your name or do I have to guess? It could be a long night.”

Kat laughed and told him her name, rested back in her chair and took a drink. That had been close. She’d nearly ruined everything with her mistake. She allowed herself a few minutes for her heart rate to return to normal. Then decided it was time to turn up the flirting to full power—hit him with it between the eyes and everywhere else.

Folding her arms, she sent her cleavage oozing out of the top of her dress as she leant forward to listen to what he was saying. She fiddled with her hair, twisting it around her fingers, showing him how heavenly it was to touch and how much she liked to be touched. She crossed and uncrossed her legs far more than was necessary and made a point of licking her lips slowly after every mouthful of wine.

She included physical contact in her assault. Touching his arm to add weight to things she was saying and stretching out her hand to feather his hair when he complained about going grey.

Eventually the barman rang last orders, and she looked at Nick from under feathery lashes and said huskily, “Time to go.”

Nick reached out and took her perfectly manicured hand in his. “Would you like to come back to my place for a nightcap? My car is right outside.”

Kat glanced down at her purse and bit on her bottom lip.

“Just a nightcap, a coffee if you’d prefer.”

“Well…I do think a coffee would be nice after all this wine.”

“Great,” Nick said, jumping up. “Back in a minute, wait here.” He spun lightly and headed towards the gents.

Kat watched his retreating figure and hoped the next part of the evening wouldn’t take too long. She just wanted to get the car to Carlos and find the diamonds.

But Nick seemed pliable enough. It was just a shame she hadn’t managed to get him drunk. That would have been a much easier end to tonight’s hit.

* * * *

From a distance, John had watched Kat all evening.

He’d seen her walk over to Nick like a damsel in distress, followed Nick’s lusty gaze as he’d roamed Kat’s tight, black dress taking in her sensual curves. He’d watched then as she’d crossed her legs to show off the top of her stockings and saw Nick’s eyes nearly pop out his head at the sexy view.

Within minutes, Nick had looked like a lovesick puppy, and John wondered if he’d looked as stupid the week before when Kat had worked her magic on him. But looking at her now, he reckoned he’d fall all over again and he could see why Nick was. She looked good enough to eat. Hell, he’d certainly fallen for it again. He was completely off the wagon. So far off the wagon it had driven into the distance and he couldn’t even see it.

But, despite his brooding expression, John was doing pretty well. Watching them have a drink and chatting was fine. He could cope with that. He was there and could see what was going on. But when all the touchy feely started, he could sense something like fury growing inside. Except it wasn’t fury on its own. It was mixed with possessiveness and nausea, a feeling of being out of control and something of his being taken.

Stolen.

He’d watched Kat touch Nick’s arm and hover her fingers on his knee and John’s fists had balled. His jaw had clenched when she took a lock of Nick’s blond hair between her fingers and smiled close to his face as if she was really enjoying his company.

But the diamonds stopped him from reacting further. He needed them, tonight, and if watching Kat with Nick was all he had to do, he could manage that. After some of the things he’d endured over the years, it should be effortless.

But his shoulders were knotting, and his knee throbbed without the benefit of whisky. He wasn’t sure how much more he could take.

At the last orders bell, he saw Nick take Kat’s hand and ask her something. With a shy smile, she nodded in agreement to his suggestion.

It was the expectant, smug look on Nick’s face as he made his way to the gentleman’s restroom that finalised John’s decision. It wasn’t a rational decision, and it deviated from his plans. But damn it, there was no way he’d let Kat even get in a car with that man, let alone into his bed.

* * * *

Nick had just finished washing and drying his hands, humming a quiet tune, when the gent’s door swung open. He looked up and spotted a big guy in leathers, short dark hair and heavy glinting eyes which looked through him without expression.

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