Hide and Seek

HIDE AND SEEK

Sydney Somers

HIDE AND SEEK By

Sydney Somers

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HIDE AND SEEK

Sydney Somers

© copyright October 2006, Sydney Somers Cover art by Jenny Dixon, © copyright October 2006 New Concepts Publishing Lake Park, GA 31636 www.newconceptspublishing.com

This is a work of fiction. All characters, events, and places are of the author’s imagination and not to be confused with fact. Any resemblance to living persons or events is merely coincidence.

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Chapter One

Slipping into the third floor home office, True Foster let her eyes adjust to the dark as she slid a small penlight from her pocket. She scanned the shadowed interior to confirm what she already suspected. It was empty. She knew Noah Mitchell had a late dinner meeting tonight, which worked out rather well. True couldn’t steal from him if he was home--unless she was willing to take the extra risk. Tonight she wasn’t. True crossed to the wall behind the large oak desk that held only a closed laptop, an oversized day planner, phone and brass lamp. She knelt in front of the long cabinet and skimmed her gloved fingers along the edge until she hit the button that released the door hiding the safe. For a mansion of this size and with the wealth behind the Mitchell name, she was surprised she had gotten in undetected as easily as she had. It certainly wasn’t a job for an amateur, but there had been far more complex security systems to bypass on other jobs. She set the small backpack down, unzipped it, and removed her tools. The seconds stretched into minutes as she relied on skills fine-tuned by her father and the genius of technology that made cracking a safe more digital than even a few years ago. There would be no need to drag the thing behind a truck until it broke open, something her father swore he’d been pressed to do a couple of times in the early years of his career. True couldn’t contain her smile. A heady mix of adrenaline and anticipation

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coursed through her blood as she opened the safe. She scanned the contents, slightly surprised not to find money inside. Not that it mattered, she thought, as she reached towards the back and withdrew a long jewelry case. She wasn’t looking for money. The five carat emerald pendant was square cut and surrounded by dozens of small round diamonds. More diamonds were intricately set in the links of the platinum chain. Worth a couple hundred thousand easy. Still grinning, True removed the pendant and dropped it into a velvet lined pouch and tucked it into her backpack, replacing the jewelry case in the same spot in the back of the safe. She closed the safe and glanced at her watch. Not too bad at all. With no problems getting in, thanks to the keycard for the security gate that she had lifted off Noah after an accidental encounter with him that morning, she didn’t anticipate a problem getting out. It almost took the fun out of it when it was this easy. The moment that thought crossed her mind, she cursed. The last thing she needed to be right now was cocky. Cocky thieves made mistakes, and she prided herself on the fact that she never made any. If her father was still alive, he’d be livid with her for the chances she took. Her chest squeezed as the old hurt left by her father’s unexpected death surfaced. She eased it by telling herself that while her father would call her foolish, he would have admired her talents. Of that she had no doubt. But the knowledge was bittersweet knowing her father had been a victim of the very thing he excelled at. The police labeled his death an interrupted home robbery. There was no reason to believe it to be more than that, but she couldn’t shake the feeling in her gut that it wasn’t a coincidence her father’s home had been broken into in the first place. But her brother, and her reluctance to risk

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exposing her father’s past, silenced her doubts. Careful to leave no sign that she’d been there, she crossed to the door and let herself back into the hall. There was at least two live-in household staff, forcing her to remain aware of her surroundings until she escaped back out through the rear door, near the six-car garage. True stuck close to the shadows as she made her way down the driveway and through the gate. She pulled off the black baseball cap and grinned to herself as she patted the bag before slinging it over her shoulder. Not a bad night’s work. **** Two weeks later

“You haven’t given it back, have you?” True pushed her glasses onto the top of her head and leaned away from her computer screen. She glanced up at her best friend Lexi, who stood with her arms crossed, practicing the pointed moral look True was convinced she picked up from her nun-taught boarding school days. “I will,” True answered vaguely. “When?” She glanced at the computer screen, focusing on the graphic design for a new ad campaign she was working on. “Soon.” Lexi snorted. “Fine.” True rolled her eyes. “Tonight. I’m putting it back tonight. I doubt he

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even noticed it was missing.” They hardly ever did. “One of these days you’re going to get caught.” It was on the tip of her tongue to say she was too good to be caught then she thought better of it. While Lexi didn’t approve of her extracurricular activities, that didn’t stop her childhood friend from asking the details after every job. True liked to tease her that she’d take Lexi along the next time boredom from the straight and narrow crept in. She blamed that recurring urge on her father’s genes. But unlike her father, she didn’t believe in keeping what she stole. Lexi said that was because she liked the extra challenge of seeing if she could get in a second time to replace it. Stupid, is what her father would have called that. “Wait a second.” Lexi straightened. “Tonight is the big charity to-do at the Mitchell house. You can’t do it tonight.” True grinned. “You cannot tell me you’re even considering doing it tonight.” Grabbing her mug off her desk, she strode passed Lexi and headed for the break room. “Of course not.” Lexi nearly ran into the back of True in her effort to keep up. “I know that tone. You’re seriously going to do it tonight.” True refilled her mug, dumping three teaspoons of sugar into the coffee before stirring it. “It’s the perfect time. The place will be crawling with people. No one is going to notice me slip in and out.” Lexi slapped her hand across True’s forehead. “Please tell me you’ve got a fever.”

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“I feel fine. And the best part is that I even get to dress up.” Rarely one for social engagements, she figured a change of pace couldn’t hurt. Her serviceable black boots, pants and shirt wouldn’t mind staying behind this one time. “That function is invitation only. And they’re damn hard to come by from what I understand.” True winked at Lexi. Her friend sighed and lowered her voice to a frustrated whisper. “Who did you steal it from?” “Noah’s cousin in accounting. She left it right on her desk. Can you imagine?” True mocked. She maneuvered around her friend, sailing out of the graphic department’s break room and straight into Noah Mitchell. By some fluke she managed to avoid dumping the contents of her coffee down his front. She couldn’t say the same about the carpet, which was where her gaze dropped the second they collided and his hands automatically gripped her waist. He didn’t immediately let go and move back as she expected, forcing her to raise her head to meet his eyes. True sucked in a breath as his impossibly green eyes raked over her face in a long, hot pass. Normally she wasn’t this close when she saw the same playful gaze he shot back and forth to a dozen different women in the building on a regular basis. That knowledge didn’t stop her from enjoying the feel of his hands on her, the firm grip of his fingers that tightened on her skin before he slowly released her and backed up a respectable distance.

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Only a few inches taller than her five-foot-nine height, with short black hair, eyes capable of melting or freezing a person on the spot, and an athletic frame her hands itched to explore more fully, Noah Mitchell was the model for every bad dream she ever had. A hint of a smile teased the corners of the full mouth she regularly imagined indulging in. What was oxygen compared to what she guessed those lips of his were capable of? “In a rush, Ms. Foster?” Amusement played across the face that now represented the advertising firm she worked for, a company built and established by Noah’s father before his passing a year ago. True cocked her head. “You don’t pay me to take my time.” “Good point.” His gaze drifted to her mouth. The heartbeat it lingered there was just enough time to spike True’s internal temperature. Noah stepped to the side. “Don’t let me keep you from whatever you’re working on.” “Right.” She strode past him, conscious of his eyes burning into her for the short walk back to her cubicle. Her butt barely hit her chair before Lexi poked her head around the corner. “Don’t you even feel a little bit guilty?” “Should I?” Stealing from him--which was really more like borrowing since she intended to put it back--and being attracted to him were two very different things. If she actually thought things between them would get personal, then maybe that would be

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different. “Just promise me you’ll be careful tonight.” “I’m always careful. Sure you don’t want to come? You can watch the door for me,” True whispered. Lexi looked equal parts intrigued and horrified at the suggestion. “I’ll pretend you didn’t say that,” she hissed before departing. Standing up, True crossed to the doorway of her cubicle and glanced past Lexi’s retreating form to the man she thought was entirely too good looking for her peace of mind. As if sensing her gaze, Noah glanced away from the man opposite him, his eyes locking onto her. Her stomach gave a warm tug as she held that magnetic gaze until he turned back to the man she’d heard was a new part time consultant, Victor Hughes. For the last few weeks Victor had looked familiar to her, but she couldn’t place him. On top of the certainty that she knew him from somewhere, there was something about him that gave her the creeps. Forcing her thoughts away from Noah, True dragged herself back to her chair and tried to concentrate on her work. **** “Thanks for the favor, Noah.” Tearing his eyes from the doorway he knew led to True Foster’s cubicle, he nodded absently at his father’s first business partner, now a consultant for the firm. “No problem. I’m surprised you’re fine with it, considering the theft a couple of weeks ago.” That was his best guess anyway. He hadn’t opened the case that held his mother’s

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necklace since she’d entrusted it to his keeping when she went jetting across Europe a few weeks before. Grant nodded. “I doubt they’ll be back.” With a non-committal grunt, Noah excused himself and headed back to his office before his next meeting. Between the flawless theft, which left him with no leads despite the surveillance footage, and the image of True Foster’s sexy smile burned into his memory, he knew he wouldn’t process much at the meeting. At least thinking of True was more enjoyable than trying to figure out how the thief had gotten past his security system. Obviously, it wasn’t as impenetrable as his father had believed. If not for the hidden surveillance cameras his eccentric father had installed in every room in the mansion a few years before, he wouldn’t have even had a visual. Not that it gave him much. Aside from knowing the thief had a slight build, there was nothing useful in the footage to pass on to the police. None of the angles captured the thief’s face, and with no lights turned on, the shadows concealed any distinguishing characteristics that could be used to identify him. The elevator ride up to his office was just enough time for him to get annoyed all over again at the thought of someone breaking into his home. He took the offered messages his receptionist handed him and shut his office door. Instead of taking a seat at his desk, he faced the wall of windows that looked out over the city. While he should be thinking about the figures and projects on the table for the upcoming meeting, he let his thoughts drift back to True. He’d been all too aware of her for the better part of six months, a hundred times more so since their collision two weeks ago. This morning’s run-in did nothing but

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reaffirm his memory of how soft she felt in his arms. She made the bookish look so damn sexy, right down to the glasses perched on top of her head half the time. More often than not she wore her brown hair up in a loose style that ended with more curling strands spilling out over the course of the day. By late afternoon, he knew the casual updo would look more like someone had dragged her into a closed office and had their way with her on some leather couch. He should know. He’d spent many an afternoon lately thinking about having her just that way, those saucy brown eyes glazed over with a hunger for him as he drove hard into her slick heat. His body ached thinking about it. Which was a problem. He didn’t get personally involved with the people who worked for him. Ever. Noah wished that was enough to keep him from thinking about her, thinking about how sweet he imagined her mouth was, along with the rest of her. He swore she’d worn a short skirt almost every day for the last two weeks just to torment him. It was partly his own fault that he couldn’t get his libido under control when she got within ten feet of him. If he hadn’t been dropping by her department more, just hoping to catch a glimpse of her, he wouldn’t have seen her bent over in front of the fax machine, all long smooth legs and the curve of her behind that made him want to slip his arms around her waist and lift that skirt out of the way until her bottom was snug to his groin. And if he didn’t cut off this train of thought now, he would be hiding in his office the rest of the day with a cold pack pressed to his groin to save himself from the erections that seemed far more uncomfortable lately than usual.

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Sighing, Noah turned back to his desk to gather what he’d need for the meeting. The way he saw it, he had three options. Fire True, steer clear of her, or… Noah shook his head and left his office. Now was not the time to go there. **** Stupid. The word ricocheted through her mind as True let herself into Noah’s office. With his receptionist away for her predictable coffee break and Noah in a meeting, she felt compelled to see if he’d found the keycard she returned to his office the day after her theft. She’d tucked it down the side of a chair in hopes he would think it had been dropped in passing. She tried to convince herself it was not guilt that had her needing to satisfy her curiosity and make sure he had no reason to suspect that it had gone missing right after she’d bumped into him. She’d had days to check and hadn’t bothered. True was certain he didn’t think she was involved, and also knew taking a quick peek around his office wouldn’t accomplish much. Even if the keycard had been missed by the staff who straightened Noah’s office, she certainly wasn’t about to conveniently find it for him and hand it over. As it was, she didn’t have a good excuse for being in his office. And certainly didn’t have a reason to be bent over the side of the chair, which was exactly the position she was in when she heard Noah clear his throat directly behind her.

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Chapter Two

Noah spotted True bent over next to one of the plush chairs in his office. He followed the long legs up to the shadowed area beneath the black strip of material that supposedly qualified as a skirt. His nerve endings fired at the sight of the silky looking thighs, the deep threads of arousal dragging along his gut and making his cock throb. Noah cleared his throat. True sprang upright and whirled to face him. “Hello again,” he said softly. Her eyes widened as though she hadn’t expected him. For a brief moment her expression mirrored a virgin’s being caught coming out of an adult toy store by her priest, leaving Noah to wonder exactly what she was doing in his office. True’s hand shot to her ear. “I dropped the backing for my earring.” With a hesitant smile that stirred the lust pooling in his stomach, she knelt and felt around beneath the chair. “Need any help?” She drove him crazy with the continued opportunities to admire the tight fabric stretched across her very tempting behind. “Got it.” True stood up and made an effort to put more distance between them as she fiddled with her earring. She was breathing heavily, the rise and fall of her chest drawing his gaze to the open V in her blouse. The top of one tantalizing swell had him taking another step

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closer. Her lips parted and her deep brown eyes flared. Not a good idea. Noah ignored the message his practical side tried to send him. He closed the distance between them until True’s mouth was only inches from his. He waited for her to say something, or back away from him, any sign she didn’t feel the attraction brewing between them. That was pretty much the only thing that would stop him from kissing her. “Mr. Mitchell?” Okay, that and his receptionist interrupting them. Noah didn’t look away from True, her smooth dark eyes keeping him entranced. “Yes, Marjorie?” The woman paused, no doubt wondering what was going on between him and True. Marjorie frowned on the exchanging of gossip in the workplace, so Noah was certain his encounter with True wouldn’t be making the water cooler rounds. “Should we start the meeting without you?” “I’ll be right there.” Marjorie left the door open on her way out, no doubt on purpose. When his hormones weren’t raging to pull True into his arms he might thank her for that. At the moment, Noah wanted to curse her. True bit her lip. “I should go.” She sounded uncertain as she edged away from him. She stopped in the doorway. A tentative smile curved her lips. “Bye.” Noah stood motionless until the fire zipping through his blood started to cool. He

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glanced at the door and realized True hadn’t offered any explanation for why she’d been there to begin with. The rest of the day dragged on with Noah’s thoughts forced towards the annual charity dinner his father had started hosting nearly ten years ago. If not for the fact that those invited made extremely generous contributions to a children’s cancer charity, he would have cancelled the event this year. While he knew his father had enjoyed hosting the exclusive upscale party that had a tendency to get rather wild, he had little interest in letting people wander his home, but would do so this year because his father would have wanted him to. Noah strode out of the elevator with True on his mind. It felt like something remained unresolved from their earlier encounter--namely not getting to touch her. After imagining what might have happened if Marjorie hadn’t interrupted, all he could think about now was finding her. He knew he was about to throw his don’t get involved with the staff rule right out the window. He came to a stop outside True’s cubicle. “She went home early today.” Noah glanced over his shoulder at True’s friend, Lexi. “Was she feeling okay?” “I think so, but she had been rather distracted by something.” One corner of her mouth hitched up. The secretive grin made him wonder if True had mentioned their encounter in his office. And why the hell had she vanished? Noah cursed under his breath. He shouldn’t have gone as far as he had. If he’d misread the look in her eyes earlier, then she might have left early just to avoid him.

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“Here.” Lexi moved past him and snatched a slip of paper off True’s desk. She jotted something on it and handed it to him. “Call her this weekend.” Noah stared at the printed numbers. He nodded, tucking the card into his breast pocket. “Thanks.” Disappointed that he wouldn’t have any time to call her tonight with so much still to take care of before the party began, Noah headed for home. The woman Marjorie had hired to once again see to the party’s planning was waiting for him the second he stepped through the door. One of the household staff had buzzed her through the security gate. Tonight he planned to have someone stationed at the gate. Since the event often generated interest from the press, he didn’t want to risk any uninvited guests crashing the party. Noah surveyed the party preparations. One end of the formal sitting room was lined with lavish banquet tables draped in heavy burgundy cloth that would soon be overflowing with food for the night. A staging area had been set up for the night’s entertainment and a large portion of the floor had been left open for those wanting to dance. The library, entertainment room, patio and gardens overlooking the Atlantic Ocean had also been set up to accommodate the hundred and fifty expected guests. He hadn’t paid too much attention to the planning, preferring to keep it in the expert’s capable hands. Next year he was giving serious thought to renting out another location for the event. With nothing left to do but get changed, Noah listened with half an ear as the caterer assured him everything was ready. Sensing a headache looming, he resigned himself to an evening of entertaining when he’d rather be stretched out on the couch in

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the media room in worn-out jeans and T-shirt, a beer in his hand and a ball game on TV. What he wouldn’t give for a little excitement tonight. **** True had no problem working up a polite smile as she handed the invitation to the man at the front gate and he checked her name off the list. Since the invitation’s proper owner wasn’t able to attend according to the conversation she overhead in the bathroom that morning, she wasn’t worried about being caught crashing the exclusive party. With over one hundred expected guests--or so she’d heard--she knew it would be relatively easy to blend in and find her way up to Noah’s office to replace the pendant. Her oversized purse carried the essentials she’d need, assuming he hadn’t beefed up the security beyond what she could handle. A fresh wave of guilt assailed her as she stared up at Noah’s three-story Mediterranean-style mansion. This morning changed things. Being that close in his office and seeing the raw desire reflected in his eyes… True tried to tell herself it didn’t mean anything. Attraction--assuming she hadn’t misinterpreted the flash of interest in Noah’s gaze--was hardly anything more than a potential physical chemistry. One almost kiss didn’t really count. So then why was her stomach in knots? When she had heard about the pendant she hadn’t been able to resist the challenge, even though it was in the CEO’s safe. At the very least this little escapade would keep her from getting bored for a while. All she had to do was put it back and that was it. Why couldn’t her father have taught her how to play baseball instead of how to

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pick a lock? She should turn the car around and leave. The usual edge and spike of adrenaline was lacking tonight. If it wasn’t for the fact that Lexi had called to tell her Noah came looking for her and she had given him True’s number, True would have returned the pendant when she was feeling more confident. But if she wanted to be able to talk to him with a clear conscience, she needed to get that pendant back tonight. Guilt wasn’t normally a problem for her. She could only assume that a harmless, casual attraction to Noah had become a little something more. True leaned forward and rested her forehead on the steering wheel. How many times had Lexi told her that sooner or later this particular taste for adventure would catch up with her? Hoping today would not be that time, she opened the door and stepped out into the warm summer evening. **** The one thing going for her tonight was that she didn’t normally rub elbows with this type of crowd. The odds of her running into anyone she knew were slim. Nonetheless, she didn’t linger in the entrance where small groups of people exchanged introductions and pleasantries. She bypassed the main floor sitting room where people were crowded, the party having already been underway for an hour. Sticking close to groups to blend in as she went, she made her way to the granite staircase that led to the third floor. The bottom floor led to the indoor pool, games and fitness room. Nobody paid any attention as she slipped upstairs and down the hall towards Noah’s end of the house. She had heard that he tended to spend much of the party in the

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games room, so she was unlikely to run into him. If she did, she would have to lie and say she’d come along as a last minute guest. True doubted it would take him long to see through that story, but she’d cross that bridge when she came to it. What had she been thinking when she decided this would be the simplest time to put the pendant back in the safe? She could almost hear her father’s disapproving voice in her head as she hesitated outside Noah’s office door. True knocked lightly, mentally crossing her fingers that Noah wasn’t inside. It might have been safer to locate him first, but the longer she wandered around, the more risk she ran of running into him for a third time. She knocked once more and, not hearing any sign of movement within, opened the door and ducked inside. The lamp on the desk was on, leaving everything outside the pool of muted light drenched in shadows. It was a shame that the lock wasn’t working--as she’d found out the last time she was here. With so many people in the house, she’d have felt more comfortable being able to lock the door behind her. Instead of the usual high coasting through her veins, tonight she felt rushed. She’d worked parties like this before when the threat of being discovered at any time added to the thrill. Tonight her palms felt damp under her gloves, and her heartbeat echoed in her head like rapid gunfire. What should have been confident, effortless motions felt clumsy. She closed her eyes. This was ridiculous. She felt more uncertain tonight than she had during the first job she did alone. Taking a deep breath, True got the safe open. The combination hadn’t been changed. They might not have even known she’d been there, or if they had realized the

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theft, thought it highly unlikely the same thief would risk returning again so soon, if at all. As the safe eased open, True relaxed and retrieved the pendant from the pouch. The empty velvet case was still inside. He probably hadn’t even noticed. The snap of the case echoed in the office. True cringed. Case in hand, she leaned forward to replace it at the same time the office door opened. Her head snapped up as Noah slammed it shut behind him. Fuck.

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Chapter Three

True had had her share of close calls before, but not once had she ever been caught with her hands in the bag. Literally. Her heart galloped wildly in her chest. Sharp, uneven breaths tightened her lungs like a fist. She darted a look to his face and tried not to wince as the stunned look on his face became cold and expressionless. She recognized the chiseled-in-stone look, but hadn’t been on the receiving end of it before. Noah crossed his arms, his shoulders relaxed in a casual posture that didn’t comfort her in the least. Through the nervous drumming of blood in her ears, True fought to think. She was on the floor in front of an open safe, wearing gloves, and holding a jewelry case in her hands. There was no way she could spin this to look any less guilty. The hard edge to his gaze confirmed that he wouldn’t believe a word that didn’t implicate herself as a thief. Her throat felt cracked and dry, and no amount of moisture would have made what she needed to say any easier. True tilted her chin up and held the case out to him. “It’s in there. I was returning it.” Crisp green eyes sliced through her. In short precise strides, he snatched the case out of her hand, and opened it.

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“I took it two weeks ago.” Admitting that was her only hope. If he wasn’t aware someone had stolen it, he’d assume that he had caught her in the process of stealing it now and she was lying to cover it up. Either way she was pretty much screwed. Why hadn’t she listened to Lexi? True watched Noah shift his gaze from the pendant to her face. The remote expression gave her no clue what he was thinking. “Two weeks ago?” he questioned. True nodded. “You had a late dinner meeting that night.” “How did you get in?” She closed her eyes, opening them a few seconds later to find him watching her closely. She didn’t know if it was a good sign or not that he hadn’t picked up the phone to call the police. “I took your security card for the front gate when I bumped into you a couple of weeks back.” Harsh lines brought his brows together. “And yesterday in my office?” With another pained breath that made her gut scrunch with fresh guilt, True forced herself to hold his gaze. “I don’t know. I just wanted to see if you’d found the keycard I returned to your office the day after, but then you were there and…” She didn’t bother to finish the thought, knowing it was useless. Any mention of the attraction she felt for him now would only make him think she was playing him. True climbed to her feet and moved to the side as Noah paused in front of the safe. He glanced at the equipment on the floor, then at her face, those hard eyes passing over her in a granite sweep.

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He returned the pendant, closed the safe, and stood opposite her. He crossed his arms. “Why were you putting it back?” True couldn’t hold back the skepticism that worked into her voice. “You believe me?” Noah shrugged. “I know it wasn’t there last week. So why put it back? It’s worth a couple of hundred grand, but then you probably already know that.” “You wouldn’t believe me.” Not that it made any difference. Stealing was still breaking the law. She wouldn’t delude herself into thinking there was any way she could talk herself out of this. He perched a hip on the corner of his desk. “Try me.” “Shouldn’t you be calling the police by now?” His jaw tightened. “Do you want me to call them?” “Is that a trick question?” She clamped her lips tight to cut off her frustration. Her already frayed nerves twined into a thin cord, ready to snap. He cocked his head. “Why were you putting it back?” “I don’t keep what I take.” “Uh-huh.” True sighed. “I said you wouldn’t believe me.” She turned away from him, wanting to just run, but trapped by four walls and a man she who was impossible to read. Noah caught her arm, his palm warming her skin until he abruptly released her. “So why don’t you keep what you take?” “Because… I do it because … It’s fun,” she finished lamely. “Fun?”

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“Yeah.” Her brother was going to love rubbing it in that this had finally bit her in the ass. Exactly what she deserved as far as his legal-eagle ego believed. She loved him even when he was an asshole and knew he loved her despite the fact that she took entirely too much after their father. “Let me see if I understand what you’re saying. You steal something and then you return it … for fun?” “Yes.” Noah straightened. “Don’t move. If you try to leave I will find you,” he vowed. He strode out the door and slammed it behind him. True sank down on the edge of the closest chair. Elbows on her knees, she cradled her face in her hands. So very, very screwed. Lexi was just going to love to be her one phone call tonight. She thought about giving her a heads up now so her friend could call her brother, seeing as how there was no way she was calling him herself after getting busted. Lexi would be less of a bitch about the whole thing. In the end True decided against it, figuring it wouldn’t look good to get caught on the phone if Noah returned right away, and remained seated. She stared helplessly at the closed door and wondered what Noah was going to do. **** Noah leaned against the closed door and shut his eyes. What the hell was he supposed to do now? He scrubbed a hand over his face. Music from the party drifted from below,

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reminding him he hadn’t mingled much yet. He’d been intending to hide out in his office for a few minutes when he walked in on True returning his mother’s pendant. As bizarre as it seemed, he couldn’t figure out what she had to gain by coming up with a story like stealing for fun. Unless it wasn’t a story. Was she telling the truth? Yes. He wanted to believe her, but would that change anything? She’d broken into his home and stolen from him. For fun. Because she’d brought it back didn’t make it okay. She’d lifted his keycard from right under his nose when he’d been too preoccupied with the feel of her in his arms to pay attention to what her slick hands were up to. Now what? Report her? He should. She could be lying, maybe had returned to rip him off more. But why bring the pendant with her? He could let it go. She did return it and hadn’t lied about taking it in the first place like he’d expected her to. Or he could put her to the test. Give her the opportunity to run and see what happened. His instincts said she wouldn’t, but he needed to be sure, needed to find out if he was a dumbass for believing this was just a game to her. A headache ticked behind his right eye. Noah pressed his palm over it. Well, he had wanted a little excitement tonight. Cursing under his breath, he turned and faced the door, bracing his palms on the frame. His father wouldn’t have even questioned her, but called the police immediately. Unfortunately Noah knew what it was like to break the law, to find the thrill in seeing

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how far you could go. Having been roommates in University with a hacker for a while, he had picked up a few things and became hooked on back-dooring programmable systems just to see if he could. He never let it go too far and hadn’t been interested in crashing anything. As much as he wanted to be really angry at True for this, he understood that drive to see if you could really accomplish something you weren’t supposed to do. Noah opened the door, his mind not made up until he saw her seated in the chair opposite his desk. Vulnerable. His gut stirred before he reminded himself she could just be a good actress and was counting on him to feel sorry enough for her to let her off the hook. “For fun?” he asked again. “It used to be.” “Rethinking your choice of moonlighting as a thief?” True sighed. “More like rethinking the choice of tonight to return it.” She winced as though she realized how bad that sounded. “At least that’s an honest answer.” She glanced past his shoulder at the door. Wondering if the police were coming for her, was she? Noah crossed his arms. “How did you get into this field?” True hesitated. “Just call me curious,” he prompted. “I won’t repeat it.” She licked her lips, drawing his gaze to the slow sweep across her lush mouth. “My dad,” True admitted. “You could say I’m following in the family business.”

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She stood up, but didn’t pace, although she looked like she wanted to. He tried to focus on understanding her. “Do you do this a lot?” “A few times a year.” “And you’ve never been caught?” “Not until tonight.” “That must be a blow to the ego.” True frowned. “Why aren’t you pissed off?” “Who says I’m not?” She cocked her head, her dark eyes tunneling into his in an effort to read him. “Are you?” “I’m not thrilled to find out a woman I’d been looking forward to spending more time with robbed me.” True sucked in her bottom lip. “I … It wasn’t personal.” “You do know how bad that sounds, don’t you?” She raised her chin. “It’s the truth.” “Maybe it wasn’t personal for you….” He trailed off, his eyes moving over her. He edged closer. “For me it’s very personal.” Straightening her spine, she met his gaze. “Are you going to have me arrested?” “Actually I’m going to leave that up to you.” She blinked. “Come again?” Noah moved behind her. “We’re going to play a game.” “If you’re going to press charges, I’d rather skip the games, thanks.” “Hide and seek,” he continued, pleased that she wasn’t interested in him toying

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with her if the end result would be the same. “The rules are simple. It’s ten o’clock. If you can hide from me in this house until midnight, you’ll be free to go.” “And if you find me before then?” Good question. Seeing as how he was making this up as he went, he hadn’t thought that far ahead. He let her interpret his silence whatever way she wanted to. “What’s the catch?” “Why does there have to be a catch?” This close he couldn’t resist touching her and set his hands at her waist, drawing her back so she was just shy of touching him. “You caught me stealing from you.” “Are you trying to convince me to turn you in?” “No. I’m just trying to understand. I find it hard to believe you’re making it that easy.” “Who said it would be easy?” he taunted. True glanced over her shoulder. “You’re actually serious.” His gaze dipped to her mouth. “Completely. So what do you say? Is your freedom worth a couple of hours of your time?”

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Chapter Four

True struggled to keep up with the change of events. Noah wasn’t making it easy to concentrate on anything other than how close he was. She closed her eyes, her effort to think this through at war with the urge to lean into the solid chest behind her. His hands were at her hips, the slow drag of his thumbs across her already sensitized skin driving her mad. Somewhat reassured by his suggestion, she was tempted to turn in his arms and mold herself to him. Anything to ease the simmering ache that pulsed between her thighs. The only thing that stopped her was the doubting voice that wondered if this was just a way for him to get back at her before the police arrived. Unlikely. Or was it? Either way her body wasn’t operating on the same train of thought. It wanted Noah, wanted to feel his hands sliding over her skin, teasing all the places his presence awakened. He brushed her hair to the side. “You’re taking a long time to think my offer over.” His voice rumbled across her neck. “Are you always this suspicious?” True watched him from the corner of her eye, her mouth a breath away from his. “I’m a thief. What do you think?” A lazy grin curved his lips. “I think you’re just going to have to trust me.” A warm shiver curled up her backbone. The feel of him so close, so male, played

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havoc with her senses. Her next breath whispered in. Noah leaned forward, his tempting mouth brushing her cheek. “What other choice do you have?” True eased away from him. “This is your home. You have a distinct advantage.” “I didn’t say the game would be fair. Besides, I doubt you came in here without being familiar with the mansion’s layout.” “Point taken.” She felt his eyes bore into her back. “Tick tock.” She turned around, searched his green eyes for any sign he was screwing with her. “Going once…” He grinned. This was insane. “Going twice…” “Fine.” Noah grabbed her around the waist and hauled her into his arms. One hand cupped her neck, his mouth slanting across hers in a wave of molten possession. His tongue teased her bottom lip then slipped inside. True gripped his shirt. Her nails raked the expensive material. Muscles bunched under her palms as his arms tightened their hold on her. He tipped her head back, drawing the kiss out, the hot sweep of his tongue making her moan against his mouth. His hands drifted lower, and he caressed her bottom. He coaxed her closer, his hard arousal rubbing her lower belly. Instinctively she rocked against him. Noah withdrew, his eyes dark and hungry. “You get a ten second head start.” Ignoring the nerve endings that trembled inside her, True cocked her head.

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“That’s it?” “Ten, nine…” “I’m going.” She let herself out of the room, paused just long enough to slip her shoes off, and broke into a sprint. She didn’t pay much attention to where she was going at first, just concentrated on moving away from the party instead of closer to it. This was insane. She slowed her steps as the thought streamed through her mind, and not for the first time since Noah caught her in his office. True opened the closest door and shut it soundlessly behind her. A guestroom. One of the seven guest suites the mansion boasted. Three on the same floor as Noah’s, two on the second floor, at the opposite end of the sitting room, and two on the floor opposite the fitness and games room. Leaving the lights off, True used the moonlight filtering through the half-open drapes to see by and crossed to the door on her right. Relieved to find it led to a bathroom, she left the door ajar and leaned against the counter to study her reflection. You’re crazy. She waited for her reflection to deny it, to tell her there was no reason to doubt Noah, no reason to doubt the passion she had felt in his kiss. Was there really a hope in hell he thought she was telling the truth? He wouldn’t have kissed her like that if he doubted her. Right? True crossed to the windows. The back gardens below were lit up with glowing torches that marked the paths. A couple of dozen people were enjoying fresh night air.

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They felt miles away. What was hiding accomplishing? Was Noah just in the mood to play games with her first? She found it hard to believe he could so easily see past the fact that she broke into his home. She was the one who did it, and she was having a hard time getting past it. She touched her mouth. Her lips were still hot and tingling from the kiss. And damn, the man could certainly kiss. She only wished he hadn’t stopped there. The bedroom door slammed open and drunken laughter peeled through the room. She crossed to the bathroom door. “If you don’t fuck me now…” a woman warned. “Get on the bed.” The growled command came from the man with her. Peeking through the small crack, True knew there was no way she’d make it to the door without being spotted. They hadn’t bothered with the lights either, but with no other furniture between her and the couple next to the bed she was trapped. The woman stretched out on the bed. “Lift up your dress.” The black haired woman obeyed and hiked her green dress up to her waist. “Fuck, yeah,” the man growled. “You should have told me you weren’t wearing anything else under there. I want you to touch yourself,” he ordered. True swallowed as the man loosened his pants, her eyes drawn to the rather impressive erection he sported. He stroked the hard length as he watched the woman on the bed part her thighs. “You’re already wet for me aren’t you?”

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The woman moaned. True closed her eyes, ordering herself to back away from the door. She didn’t move. Riveted, she watched the man crawl across the mattress, not stopping until he straddled her chest, his cock poised above the woman’s mouth. Her sex began to ache, a slow throb that quickly clawed at the deepest parts of her womb as she watched the woman suck his cock deep into her mouth. He hissed his pleasure, rocking into her mouth with short, hard digs. Abruptly he pulled back, flipped the woman over onto her hands and knees, and moved behind her. He stroked between her legs, his heated caresses rewarded with a throaty moan from the woman. “You like that, don’t you?” She rocked her bottom against his hand, moaning louder when he slid his fingers into her. “Damn, you’re wet. You like it when I do this, right baby? When I fuck you with my fingers.” “Yes,” she whimpered. “Now. Fuck me now.” He took his time, rubbing his cock back and forth along her slit before slamming into her from behind. True’s belly tightened, her fingers gripping the door handle. Lava-like threads wove through her sex, making her inner muscles burn with need. She couldn’t tear her eyes away from the couple in front of her. The man hammered deep and fast, his low rumbling praise of the tight fit echoed

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in the room. The woman threw back her head as she came a moment before he shuddered and collapsed on top of her. Every nerve ending in True’s body was on fire. As she inched back soundlessly from the bathroom door, the couple righted their clothes. Laughing, the woman headed towards the bathroom. Damn. Heart pounding, True glanced around the small bathroom. There was nowhere to hide. “Where are you going?” the man asked. “To freshen up.” Both voices were closer now. She pressed herself flat to the wall right behind the door. “No need for that. I haven’t fucked you enough yet.” Their laughter faded and the bedroom door was closed, leaving True alone. She didn’t move for long moments, waiting to give the couple time to move on and her own body a few minutes to cool off. Breathless and aroused beyond belief, True retrieved her shoes from the vanity-top where she’d left them, and after confirming the hallway was empty, she slipped into the corridor. For more than one reason, she wanted to know exactly where Noah was. **** Noah took a deep breath. His cock strained against his pants. He turned away from the monitors where he’d watched True, hidden in a guestroom bathroom. At first when he noticed her motionless at the nearly closed door, he thought she was simply

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hiding and waiting for him. When she hadn’t moved an inch from the door he set the next monitor to show him the rest of the room. Seeing True watching the couple on the bed had been like pouring an accelerant into his already fired up blood stream. He went from very turned on to desperate to get his hands on her within the space of a heartbeat. True left the guestroom and looked to be heading as far away from the party as she could get. Noah closed the door to the small control room his father had built and headed towards the southwest corner of the third floor. He loosened the buttons on the top of his shirt, having already stripped off his jacket and tie when he briefly returned to his bedroom. At the end of the hall, he doubled back to check the last groups of rooms in this part of the house. Fearing he’d already missed her and would need to go back and recheck the monitors to locate her again, Noah turned the corner and slammed straight into an increasingly familiar body. True tipped her face up, her brown eyes fixed on his. Her lips parted on a trembling breath. Noah tightened his grip on her upper arms, aware of the soft, utterly feminine body he’d fantasized taking a hundred different ways tucked close to his. She chewed thoughtfully on her bottom lip. “You must be cheating.” “What makes you say that?” “You found me rather quickly.” “Or maybe you wanted to be caught.” Noah studied the sprinkle of freckles over her nose and the curve of her mouth, eager to kiss her again. “If I make it until midnight I’m free to go. Why would I want to risk that?”

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“Maybe you wanted to find out what would happen if I found you before then?” He slid his hands to her waist, then back up, grazing the sides of her breasts in passing. She shivered. “And what will happen?” “Let’s find out.” He leaned forward and captured her mouth in a lingering kiss that quickly turned hungry. Her soft lips opened and the first swipe of her tongue unleashed the groan he’d locked in his chest. True kissed him back with the same edge of starved desperation that swam through his veins. She nudged him back until his back hit the wall. Her breasts, soft and inviting, pressed against him. He untangled his fingers from her hair and coaxed one strap of her dress down, then the other. She sighed into his mouth. The wet velvet sweep of her tongue across his bottom lip almost drowned out the sexy sound. Tearing himself from her mouth, Noah tugged the top of her dress down and exposed her full breasts. Her nipples were hard pink tips begging for his mouth. He cupped one, dragging his thumb back and forth over the firm peak. Her fingers dug into his shoulder, and she let her head drop back. With her throat exposed, Noah started at her jaw and worked his way down. True trembled in his arms as he kissed her throat, nipping the sensitive flesh. Her belly cuddled his cock, rubbing against his aching shaft with purposeful grinding motions. He locked his jaw. The sweet friction cranked his insides into a steel tangle of nerves that demanded he yank her dress out of the way and sink into her. Noah turned them, pinning True to the wall. She caught his jaw in her palms and tugged his mouth back to hers. Increasingly hungry, he doubted he could take much

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more. He slid his hands under the thigh-high hem of her dress, smoothing over one ass cheek. Encountering inch after tantalizing inch of soft skin, Noah wondered if she was wearing any…. He brushed the thin scrap of material separating her cheeks. A thong. Noah growled as he followed the silky fabric with his fingers. The thin strip was damp between her legs. She was more than ready for him. He jerked her dress up, needing to see for himself. A red satin triangle covered her sex. Barely. Fire licked under his skin. He bent and trapped one plump nipple between his lips and drew it deep into his mouth with one slow pull. True cried out, fisting her hands in his hair. Noah laved the hard tip, alternately swirling across it and sucking until she whimpered again. His cock throbbed, every cell in his body tightening. He caught her mouth in a kiss meant to conquer, ensuring she wanted him as badly as he wanted her. Noah slipped a finger under the silky material between her legs. Her thighs tightened as he parted the slick folds and impaled her with his fingers. True groaned, the carnal sound shredding his control. “True?” He caressed the wet knot at her center, circling the swollen nub. “Oh god,” she murmured. “If you want me to stop before things go too far…” He didn’t know that he could stop even if she demanded it. Not unfamiliar with a warm willing body, he hadn’t met

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anyone that made him ache the way he now ached to possess True. “I’m going to fuck you against this wall if you don’t tell me to stop.” He wanted her to know exactly how close he was to giving into the need that raged inside him. “If you stop now, I’ll strangle you with that damn pendant,” she warned, her voice rough and desperate. He drove his fingers into her again and swallowed her satisfied cry with his mouth. “Noah?” He froze. True’s eyes met his before they both glanced down the hall in the direction the voice had come from. “Noah Mitchell, are you hiding up here?”

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Chapter Five

True hastily adjusted her dress a second before a lanky blonde rounded the corner. Coming within seconds of being caught with Noah’s hands up her dress might have kickstarted her heart, if it wasn’t already pounding a thousand beats a minute. The woman hesitated, spotting Noah only inches from True, and pasted a siren smile on her face, ignoring that she had clearly interrupted an intimate scene. “There you are. You weren’t hiding from your guests on purpose, were you?” Noah inclined his head. “True, this is Sylvia.” He glanced at the blonde. “True and I work together.” His grip on True’s waist said there was more to it than that without needing him to verbally point it out. Bored blue eyes dismissed True before zeroing on Noah. “I came to fetch you back to the party.” Arching a brow, True slid a hand up Noah’s chest. “Now where did we leave your collar?” The corner of his mouth twitched, but he didn’t laugh out loud. Sylvia ignored the comment, but her smile tensed. “People are looking for you.” “I’ll be downstairs shortly.” True eased out of his arms. “Now Noah, you shouldn’t make everyone wait for you.” He arched a brow, a silent what are you up to? reflected in his amused green eyes.

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“Do you know what time it is?” True asked Sylvia. Sylvia sighed. “About eleven.” “Only an hour left.” True grinned at him, backing away. He moved fast and snared her wrist. “I found you once,” he reminded her. The sensual promise in his voice curled down her backbone. Every part of her was still ablaze as she smiled and tugged her hand free. “Maybe you just got lucky the first time.” Desire thickened her blood, making her want to plaster herself to him instead of heading in the opposite direction. She didn’t turn around to see if Noah watched her walk away. After rounding the corner she knew led to the back stairs, she leaned against the wall. Her face felt warm, her skin humming. Her heart tapped madly against her ribs. She smiled, thinking about where things had been headed moments ago. She’d had a few lovers in her twenty-six years, but Noah… Something about him pushed her so close to mindless--but what if she fell? Really fell for him? True squeezed her eyes shut. This morning she couldn’t have imagined the day turning out anything like this. At this point there was nothing she could do but take the rest of the night as it came and worry about tomorrow later. Drawing a quick breath, she straightened and walked towards the stairs. She knew where she would go, where she would wait for him. She made her way to the kitchen in the southwest corner of the main level. People bustled around, carrying both empty trays and those loaded with champagne and food. She smiled at one of the waiters and snagged a glass. He noticed her bare feet, and she

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faintly remembered dropping her shoes when she ran into Noah. Smiling, the waiter strode down the hall towards the main rooms and terrace doors. The halls grew quiet as she moved past the kitchen and took another set of stairs to the bottom floor, steering in the opposite direction of the games room. True paused outside a set of double doors. When no sounds of laughter reached her ears, she eased the door open and slipped inside. Moonlight poured in from the breathtaking glass dome, dappling the surface of the indoor pool in shards of silver light. The humid air and the faint scent of chlorine surrounded her. She scanned the ceramic tile walls, searching for any sign of a camera. She knew there had to be hidden cameras. It couldn’t have been sheer luck that Noah found her so quickly. But if there was a camera here, it was cleverly concealed. She took a seat on one of the long padded loungers, tucking her feet under her. She sipped on the champagne and watched the door. By the time she drained her glass and Noah still hadn’t made an appearance, she began to think the blonde had actually succeeded in convincing him to return to the party for more than just a few minutes. She stood and walked to the edge of the pool, then perched on the rim and dangled her feet into the cool water at the pool’s shallow end. “Why stop there?” Her head snapped up. She hadn’t heard the door open. Noah stood just inside the doorway, his fingers undoing the buttons on his shirt. Before he stripped it off, he turned and locked the door behind him. “No one will be interrupting us this time.”

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True swallowed, her fingers curling around the cement edge as she watched him remove his shirt. His pants were also stripped away before he tossed both to land on the floor near the lounger behind her. She scrolled her eyes down him, pausing to take in the sight of his chest, smooth abs, and finally the undeniable proof of his arousal. The man was beautiful. Slow and determined, he strode down the stairs leading into the pool, the water waist deep as he waded closer. Turbulent green eyes raked down her body. “You’re overdressed.” A coy smile tugged at her lips. “I’m afraid I left my swimsuit at home.” Noah paused thoughtfully. “That is a bit of a dilemma, isn’t it?” In front of her now, his hands slid up her legs, his face level with her abdomen. He caressed the insides of her thighs, inching her dress higher. “What do you suggest we do?” He dropped a kiss on the sensitized skin just above her knee. Eyes that glittered with the same need that scraped her insides held her gaze. “Stand up.” Lifting a brow, True did as he asked. “Take off the dress.” The command rumbled from deep in his throat. She thought about making him come out of the water and do it himself, just like the dark edge to his expression promised he’d do if she didn’t comply. Reaching behind her, she lowered the zipper, and turned her back to him as she let the dress slide down her body.

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Noah groaned softly. “That too.” He sounded tense. Smiling at him over her shoulder, she worked the thong off. His eyes locked on her. “Come here.” She sat back down and warm arms encircled her waist, lowering her into the water. She slid down his body, too conscious of the feel of his skin next to hers to pay attention to anything else. His hands tangled in the back of her hair, hauling her forward to meet his mouth. Hot and slick, his tongue speared past her lips. True groaned and looped her arms around his neck. He kissed her like a man who hadn’t known the touch or taste of a woman in centuries, with a fierce appreciation and an unstoppable hunger to possess. And she wanted to be possessed, wanted that hard cock teasing her belly to pump into her. Noah broke from her mouth, his teeth scraping down her throat, before licking the tender flesh. He didn’t stop until his lips clamped over one aching nipple. With teasing flicks of his tongue, he swirled around and around, drawing it deeper between his lips. Her deep-throated moans echoed over the water. Her sex burned, muscles clenching, anticipating his fingers, his cock sliding into her. Reading her mind, his hand skimmed down her side, past her stomach. He stroked through the folds and found her clit. True rocked against his hand and dropped her head back at the easy strumming that bunched her nerve endings together. Her back hit the side of the pool, and she hooked one leg around his waist,

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anchoring herself to him. Hands on his shoulders, she rolled her hips upwards. The first echoes of release raced through her womb, the growing pull tightening every tendon in her body. His mouth brushed over hers at the same moment he sank his fingers into her core. “Yes,” she moaned. He gently pinched her clit, slowly rolling his fingers around it. “Open your eyes.” She hadn’t even realized she had closed them. His eyes flared as she met and held his heated gaze. Over and over he impaled her with his fingers. She rode into each thrust, hips rocking, her breath harsh and choppy. “Yes, baby,” he crooned, his voice raw. “Come for me. Come hard.” Noah grasped a nipple, sucking it into his mouth as he continued to plunge into her. Everything drew tight and hard inside, exploding outwards in a shattering burst that had her crying out his name. **** Noah caught the stunned cry of release, devouring her mouth with his. She felt so alive in his arms. Gorgeous, willing, and passionate. Glazed brown eyes stared up at him as he drew back. Her lips were swollen and her chest flushed. He couldn’t wait any longer. Turning around with her in his arms, he waded to the stairs. “What are you doing?” “Remember the couple you saw fucking in the guestroom?” Her eyes widened. “You saw them?”

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Noah nodded. “And I saw you watching them.” He set her on her feet in front of the lounger. Noah cupped her breast and drew his thumb back and forth. Her eyes drifted shut, and then shot open when he bent and licked the tight crown. “Did you get turned on watching them, True?” He parted her wet slit and grinned when her breath caught. He drove his fingers into her, one arm holding her close as her back arched. “Did you think about me when you watched them?” “Yes,” she whimpered as he pulled away and then turned her around. She knelt on the lounger, presenting him with an enticing view of her ass. Leaving her for the brief time it took to retrieve the condom he’d stuffed in his pants pocket, he quickly settled himself behind her, following the cleft down to her sex. He rubbed her clit as he teased the head of his cock along the wet opening. With a growl he buried it in her snug, hot flesh. Hands on her hips, he rode her, driving in and out in a frantic rhythm. Anchored to her, he plunged in slower, groaning as her inner muscles gripped his cock. “Harder,” True begged. “Please.” It felt too good. She felt too good. He ordered himself to slow down, to be careful he didn’t hurt her. The lust roaring through his body didn’t care. Like an animal scenting a female for the first time, his instinct was to dominate, to possess her completely until there were no doubts about what it meant. Over and over he hammered into her. True’s moans mingled with his, deepening as he felt her insides clench, another

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orgasm storming through her. Pounding fast, he threw back his head as he came, white hot lightening streaking through his blood until he collapsed against her, breathless.

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Chapter Six

Drawing a breath, Noah turned and pulled her down on the lounger beside him. He kissed her slowly, the feverish hum still chugging through his veins, but slower now. Her soft lips were deliciously pliant under his. He brushed the wet ends of her hair over her shoulder. “Spend the night with me?” The whole weekend too he wanted to add, but figured he’d save that part for morning if she agreed. The gentle curving of her lips made his heart pound faster. “As long as it doesn’t matter that I didn’t bring my pj’s.” Noah laughed. “You won’t need them.” He stood and led her to the shelves nearby, grabbing each of them one of the oversized white towels. She shivered as he wrapped the towel around her. “Cold?” “No,” she glanced at their feet. He tipped her chin up. “Something wrong?” “I guess I just didn’t expect you to act this way after you found me in your office.” “The I can’t get enough of you way?” He kissed her neck, grinning when she shuddered in his arms. “Yeah.”

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“Unless you’ve got a thing for handcuffs, I have no plans to involve the police. Or if you do, I might be able to provide a more pleasant environment for their use.” She smiled, but it didn’t quite touch her eyes. Noah secured his own towel about his waist. “Can you keep a secret?” True nodded, a skeptical frown drawing her brows together. “I was a little pissed about the necklace at first, but I understood when you explained you did it for fun--even though it’s an insane extracurricular activity.” She snorted, the doubtful pursing of her lips still enticing enough he couldn’t stop himself from leaning forward and catching her mouth in another kiss that threatened to have him dragging her to the floor. He regretfully drew back. “In university I dabbled a little bit with hacking.” “As in computers?” “Yup. So I guess I know what it’s like to be tempted to break the rules from time to time. Though I preferred to do it from the safety of my dorm room. “Just a little bit, huh? Do you still do it?” He took his time responding. “No.” “Liar.” Noah grinned. “Let’s grab something to eat and sneak up to my room.” “You make it sound like we’re sixteen and you’re sneaking me in after curfew.” “Well, there are about a hundred people around here I’d rather avoid at the moment.” After scooping up their discarded clothing, he grabbed her hand and dragged her out into the hallway, heading for the kitchen.

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He left True around the far corner out of sight since she refused to go in there with only a towel on. Noah managed to get into the kitchen, grab some food, and get back to True without drawing any attention. Then he spotted Molly, who had been employed by his family since he was ten, heading towards them. Noah stopped, immediately aware of True inching a little behind him as they came to a halt. Nearly twenty years later and Molly could still intimidate the hell out of him. “You’re ignoring your guests.” He winked at True, who shifted in place, trying her best not to look uncomfortable. “Yes, I am. This is True.” Molly’s eyes widened as though she understood the significance of the introduction, and she nodded, her reprimanding expression turning friendly. “Nice to meet you. I suppose you’re a good reason for Noah to be hiding from everyone. He planted a quick kiss on Molly’s cheek. “I’ll make it up to you.” She snorted. “If I was waiting on all the times I’ve heard that, I’d be in my grave.” “Don’t listen to a word she says, True. I was a good kid.” Molly rolled her eyes and glanced at True. “You come see me when it quiets down, and I’ll tell you all about how good he was all right.” Noah dragged True away before Molly could share any embarrassing stories about him. He knew there were plenty of them she could have happily launched into without much prodding. At the top of the stairs he headed towards his office. “I need to make sure my

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voice mail is set on my cell so we have no more interruptions this evening.” Inside his office, True hurriedly gathered up the things she’d left on the floor in front of the safe. “You’re good at what you do, aren’t you?” She shrugged. “My dad said I had a knack for it.” “What does he think now?” True didn’t move or look up for long moments. “He was killed a couple of years ago.” He remembered hearing that her father had been shot after walking in on someone robbing his home. His own father had passed shortly after True’s dad, but it was cancer that took him. Noah helped her up. “I miss my dad, too. So much so that I agreed to host this damn party, again.” A small smile played across her lips, but she didn’t say anything more as she finished stuffing everything in her bag and set it on the desk. Noah opened the safe to retrieve his briefcase. He didn’t normally put it in there, but he’d brought home Victor’s artifact to keep it for him while he was away. Victor’s brother was staying at his place over the weekend, and he didn’t trust his sibling enough to keep it in his own safe when he wasn’t around. Noah opened the case, grabbing both his cell phone and the jade bird in the glass display case, and bent to put it in the safe. “What’s that?” Noah held it out to her. “It’s a jade artifact, nearly three-thousand years old I’m told…”

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“…From the Shang Dynasty, probably found in China’s inner Mongolian region.” True finished. “How did you come by this?” It didn’t surprise him to discover she knew her stuff, given her late-night adventures. “It’s not mine. Catch your eye did it?” Her smile tightened. “So you’re holding it here for someone else?” He put it in the safe. “For my father’s former business partner. He’s been doing some consulting work for the firm. You might have seen him around. Victor Hughes.” “I…” True cleared her throat. “I need to use the bathroom.” “Down the hall.” “Third door on the left?” Noah grinned. “I forgot that you know your way around here.” A slight frown creased her brow. “I won’t be long.” Noah nodded, sensing she still felt bad about taking the pendant in the first place. He set his voice mail, put the phone on his desk, and left the office. Still smiling, he headed down the hall, waited a couple minutes, then knocked on the door. “Almost done in there?” No response. “True?” The knob turned easily in his hand. He stepped inside, already suspecting what he would find. The bathroom was empty. He spun around and faced the deserted hallway. Where the hell had she gone? **** Bone tired and emotionally drained, True let herself into her apartment, not

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bothering with lights since she planned on going right to bed. She rubbed her eyes, the heavy lids threatening to close before she even undressed. Not even the rumble of her stomach would stop her from falling into bed. The bagel she had at lunchtime would just have to do until morning. Three days and she was no closer to deciding what to do. She couldn’t even think about Noah, at least not when she was awake, or return the messages he left on both her work voice mail and her home machine. She knew who had murdered her father. Victor Hughes. The second she’d spotted the jade artifact, she knew the truth, knew that her father hadn’t been killed during an interrupted home robbery. That artifact had been one of the few objects her father had kept from his jobs. She’d known immediately that whoever had killed her father must have taken it when she discovered it missing after his death. He wouldn’t have parted with it willingly. When Noah mentioned the name, she realized why the man she saw speaking with Noah at work had looked so familiar. He’d been a contact for a job her father was considering, offering information for a cut of the profits. At the last minute her father had changed his mind and cancelled the job altogether. The son of a bitch shot her dad. The certainty of it raked her insides like frozen nails. But what to do with the information? Indecision plagued her. The police would be able to get a print of Victor’s off the artifact, and it would likely match the only partial they had found at the murder

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scene. But that would mean explaining how the jade artifact had come into her father’s possession in the first place. And if they took the lead seriously and questioned Victor, then he’d likely tell the police all about her father. No one knew about that side of him. She hated the thought of what his friends would think, the ones who didn’t know about his real career. She couldn’t drag him through the mud like that, but neither could she let his killer get away. In the morning she’d have to call her brother and explain what she’d learned and see what approach he thought best. She’d put off making that call only because she knew Victor had been out of town, returning in the morning. Weary, True kicked off her shoes, leaving them in the middle of the living room floor. “Keeping late hours, aren’t you?” Heart in her throat, she whirled around as a lamp was clicked on. Noah? Seated at one end of the couch, he watched her, shadows stretched across his face, making it impossible to read him. “How did you get in?” He cocked his head. “You’re not the only one good with a lock.” “Lexi let you in, didn’t she?” “Does it matter? You ran out the other night, haven’t returned my calls, and then called in sick today. Why?” She thought about asking him if they could talk about it in the morning, but if he’d badgered Lexi into letting him in, he wasn’t leaving without some kind of an

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explanation. “Coffee,” True mumbled and left him in the living room and headed for the kitchen. Moments later, she felt him hovering in the kitchen doorway. She kept herself from turning around by readying the coffee machine. While the last couple of days had been spent trying to figure out what to do about her dad’s murder, the nights had been restless, filled with dreams of Noah, of his hands on her, sliding over her skin, drawing the deepest parts of her awake. “Did you run out because of what happened between us?” True jerked around. “No.” She realized how taking off that night must have looked to him. At worst he would have assumed she’d been toying with him, playing along until she could sneak away. At best he might have interpreted her disappearing act as a sign of disinterest. She’d taken one look at the artifact and couldn’t think beyond its implications. “The other night was…amazing. I shouldn’t have disappeared like that without an explanation. I like you. A lot.” She had to make sure he knew that. He cocked his head, searched her face. “Good.” He hooked the waist of her pants and hauled her close. His arms came around her, drawing her against him. Slow and sweet, his lips covered hers, gently awakening her tired body. She sensed his reluctance to let go as he pulled back, but kept his arms locked around her. “Why did you take off?” Where to begin? Unable to stand still, True eased out of his arms under the

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pretence of getting the coffee. “My dad was shot and killed when he discovered someone trying to rob him.” Her disbelief at the theory she’d always questioned edged into her words. “But you didn’t believe that?” “No. My father did not live extravagantly. He knew that was the fastest way to draw attention to himself. He didn’t keep anything really valuable at home, and he had a very good security system. He must have known his killer and let him in himself. The police had nothing to go on but a partial print on the murder weapon, my father’s own gun, and there were no matches.” She poured the coffee, ignoring the trembling in her hands. “The jade artifact you were keeping in your safe was my father’s. It disappeared the night of his death. When you told me who you were holding it for, I knew why the man had looked so familiar. He knew my dad. Victor killed my father.” Noah frowned. “You think I’m making it up?” He shook his head. “Victor Hughes is dead.” The coffee mug she held slipped from her fingers, clattering on the countertop. Coffee sloshed over the side, burning her, but she didn’t care. Her eyes snapped to his. “What?” “He was killed Friday night, out of state. The police think Victor had reason to believe the house he broke into was empty. The home owner who was supposed to be vacationing shot the intruder, shot Victor.” “You’re sure?”

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“I just heard a few hours ago.” “He’s dead.” True sank down onto the stool at the island in the middle of the kitchen. This morning she’d known who her father’s killer was, had debated how to approach the police without divulging her father’s criminal history, and now… Hughes was dead. “You okay?” Noah cursed. “Forget I asked you that. Stupid question.” True shook her head. A sense of relief and disappointment filled her. She had wanted to face him, look him in the eye when he realized he wouldn’t get away with taking her father from her. And now he was already dead. Noah coaxed True to her feet. “Come on.” Numb with the turn of events, True followed as he led her to her bedroom. She didn’t object when he sat her on the edge of the mattress and stripped off her socks and pants, or when he laid down and pulled her to him. She breathed in, taking comfort in Noah’s scent as his arms wrapped tightly around her. “True?” “Mmmm?” “Promise me you’re done with it.” She didn’t need to ask what he meant. He didn’t want her taking those kinds of risks and wind up like Victor. “I promise,” she whispered and let exhaustion pull her under. ****

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True rolled over in bed and found the other side of the mattress empty. She sat up and scanned the room for any sign of Noah, then glanced at her clock. She flopped back on her pillow. Definitely calling in sick again today. She assumed Noah had left a couple hours ago, but wished he’d woke her first. With everything last night, she didn’t really get the chance to tell him that she wanted to continue to see him. A lot. After lying in bed a few more minutes, feeling infinitely more peaceful than she had the last couple of days, she rolled out of bed and headed for the shower. The warm water helped bring her more fully awake. Afterward, she draped a towel around herself and went into the kitchen. The smell of coffee lingered on the air. She smiled at how he set it to brew her a pot before he left. She reached up and grabbed a mug from the shelf over the coffee pot. A cloth covered her eyes. She jumped, bumping into a warm bare chest at her back. “Easy,” Noah reassured her. He tied the blindfold, and slid his hands down her arms. “What are you doing?” “Playing a game.” His lips skimmed her shoulder. She grinned. “What kind of game?” “Still suspicious, I see.” He turned her around. “You won’t need this.” He tugged her towel loose. She heard it hit the floor as her nipples hardened, the cooler air rushing over her

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skin. She sucked in a nervous breath, her hand going automatically to the blindfold. He caught her hand. “Not yet.” He lowered her hand, curling her fingers around his aroused shaft. Knowing Noah stood in front of her, hard and naked, made her belly tight. A warm simmer contracted the muscles deep in her core. “What about work?” “What’s the point of being the boss if I can’t take time off when I want to? And I called Lexi for you so she could pass it along.” His lips brushed the corner of her mouth, his tongue stroking the seam that eagerly parted to taste more of him. He lifted her up and set her on the island. “Lie back.” When she resisted, he gently pushed her shoulders until she was on her back. When he made no move to touch her, she leaned up on her elbows, wishing she could see through the blindfold. “What are you doing?” “Watching you.” He’d moved soundlessly to her other side. Again, she tried to tug off the blindfold. He caught her wrist. “Don’t.” The ragged command struck like a lit match to dry kindling. Heat washed through her body, concentrating between her thighs. “Noah?” Hesitant, she reached out, wanting to touch him and found only air. “I’m here.” His hand encircled her ankle and inched higher. “And here.” His breath whispered across her cheek before he kissed her quickly, softly, then moved onto her throat. Scraping and nibbling, his mouth inched downward as he continued to slide his palm up the inside of her thigh. A feverish pulse thumped deep in her sex, deepening as

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he moved closer and closer to where she needed to feel him the most. Warm lips fastened over her nipple, and he sucked gently. True arched her back and moaned. Not being able to see him only added to the erotic experience of being stretched out, naked, on the countertop. She tried to touch him, but this time instead of evading her touch, he simply caught her hands in his and pushed them above her head. “Leave them there.” She shook her head. He swirled his tongue around her other nipple, dragged his teeth over the tip then drew it between his lips in one hot, wet pull. “Yes.” She heard him move to the end of the island. Her knees were bent, legs draped over the edge. He nudged them apart then raked his fingers through the curls hiding her sex. First with his finger, then with his tongue, he stroked through her folds to find her clit. She arched her back with each hot, knee-trembling pass. He thrust his fingers into her, pumping slow and easy. At his mercy, her breath panted out as he tasted her, long swirling flicks of his tongue that had her hips grinding upwards in search of more. His fingers pushed inside her over and over until her climax rose up, snapping through her veins with a wicked burst. Noah scooped her into his arms, her muscles deliciously limp as he headed for her bedroom. “Can I take this off now?”

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“No.” He set her on the bed and followed her down. He kissed her mouth, her throat, her breast, tugging each nipple sharply between his lips. His teeth nipped, and his tongue soothed with long slow lashes that drove her to the edge of mindlessness. But still it wasn’t enough. She had to have more, needed more. Needed him. Noah didn’t fail to listen to her body’s silent pleas. He strummed her clit with a bone-melting precision that intensified as his fingers stroked and pumped, each swipe over the slick knot nudging her higher all over again. “Nightstand,” she groaned, too eager for him to wait any longer. She heard the soft tear of the condom wrapper and reached up, tearing off the blindfold. She had to see his face. Blazing blue eyes locked on hers as he drove into her. True cried out as his cock filled her, stretching the damp, sensitized flesh. Noah lifted her bottom, deepening each thrust. He glided in and out, slow and easy, then longer and harder, until her body hummed with a shattering release. “True,” he groaned, his body shuddering as she cried out again. Cradling her jaw, he angled her head back and kissed her, the addictive taste of him weaving through her blood. Eyes tender, he traced her jaw with his thumb. “I’m crazy about you.” “Oh yeah?” She couldn’t have held back her smile if she wanted to. “I want to spend a lot more time getting to know every inch of this body and this intriguing woman bold enough to steal from me just for kicks.” “Throw in some handcuffs and I might be up for that.”

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Noah rolled to his side and stared down at her. “No other people. I won’t share you with anyone, so if that’s not going to work for you, tell me now.” “I’m not interested in being with anyone but you.” He mouth descended and tantalized, stirring her senses before she rolled over and straddled him. “Lift your head.” He arched a brow, an uncertain smile flirting at the edge of his lips. “Why?” “I want to play a game.” “What game?” She secured the blindfold over his eyes. “Hide and seek.” “But I can’t see.” “I know.” She eased away from him. “Start at ten.” He laughed. “Ten, nine,” he began then snagged her wrist, jerking her to him before he rolled and trapped her beneath him. “Ready or not,” he teased, and sealed his mouth over hers.

The End