The Lady is a Thief Read online

  “I heard about that,” Josh soberly said, setting his fork down. “There has always been an air of mystery surrounding the Renzos. They moved here mid to late eighties. They never socialized much with anyone in town, so we don’t know much about them.” That was pretty much what Maegan had said word for word. “Your best bet would be to talk to the local attorney in town who handles ninety-nine point nine percent of estate law for the Blissville residents.”

  I left the Roman-Wyatt house with a full stomach and the name and number for the attorney, so I called that a win-win situation. I tried not to look over at Maegan’s house when I pulled into the driveway, but I failed. I sat looking up at her bedroom window where a thin crack of light showed beneath the shade she pulled down for privacy. I wanted to knock on her door and find out how she was holding up. I suspected her annoyance with me stiffened her resolve long enough to get home, but worried that her shock and fear returned the minute that wore off.

  I don’t know how long I sat there debating what to do, but I eventually squelched the desire to knock on her door. That was until I walked up my front porch steps and saw what had been neatly stacked by my front door. I should’ve been glad she returned my slippers and blanket when I wasn’t home so that we avoided any awkwardness, so why then did it feel like she kicked me in the nuts?

  “Oh, I don’t think so, Freckles.”

  MAYBE IT WAS IMMATURE AS hell, but I took extreme pleasure in leaving Elijah’s things on his porch for him to find when he returned home. My only regret was that I didn’t have time to wash the blanket first because my scent was all over that thing. I didn’t want him to know how many times I wrapped myself in that stupid thing while I pined after his sorry ass all frigging week long. On the other hand, I hoped he smelled me on that blanket and got a raging hard-on that never deflated. If I were capable of casting spells, I’d make it so he couldn’t grip his cock and jerk off either. What was I thinking? Spells? Besides, he’d just hump the mattress or something until he came.

  I pictured his ass muscles clenching tight as he rocked his hips back and forth seeking pleasure. God, I remember how hard his ass felt when I gripped it to pull him deeper inside me. Dammit, Maegan. Why the hell did I have to start thinking about his thrusting hips? The walls of my vagina clenched in protest of not being filled by Elijah. I did my best to distract myself with a book, but reading about the main characters having sex only made me want it more.

  Fuck, even the sound of his stupid truck rumbling down the road made my nipples tighten and tingle. Damn that man and his magic cock! I should be furious with the way he treated me instead of wanting to ride him like a carnival ride. I learned firsthand that trusting my heart to a player was just as dangerous as riding the tilt-o-whirl operated by some sketchy-looking pervert who kept hitting his flask in between hitting on the ladies.

  “Calm your nips,” I said to my aching breasts. “I’m not letting him back inside my house or pussy. He’s one and done. Well, technically one night.” Fuck! He had me talking to myself like a fucking loon. “I might as well just go adopt a house full of cats!”

  Lulu barked her displeasure over the idea like she understood what I meant, or perhaps she just responded to my hysteria that was simmering just below the surface. I felt it rise every time I thought about how close we came to finding Thom Renzo’s dead body. The only thing that saved me from giving into that panic right then and there was my desire to see Elijah’s reaction when he saw I had returned his crappy stuff.

  I tiptoed and watched him through the crack in the curtains in the dining room. All the lights were turned off and he couldn’t see me, but I had a great view of his front porch that was illuminated by the light next to the door. That sucker was bright enough to light up a third of the street. I waited and waited for him to get out and walk to his porch, but he remained inside his truck. From my vantage point, I could only see the grill of the big monster. What was he doing? Was he thinking about me and wondering how I was doing? Did he want to knock on my door but was too afraid of giving me the wrong impression that he was human?

  If I wanted to see inside his truck, all I had to do was look out the living room window, but those curtains were antique lace that offered no cover for me to hide behind. I was about to risk it when I heard the creaking of rusty hinges when he opened the door of his truck.

  It’s show time! No, I didn’t think that in a Beetlejuice voice. Okay, maybe.

  Elijah strolled to his porch in determined strides. In fact, I’d categorize it as angry, but what the hell did he have to feel mad about? I was the one he fucked over—literally and figuratively! His forward momentum slammed to a halt the second he locked eyes on the items I left for him to find. I had hoped to see a fraction of the frustration he made me feel, but all I saw was determination in his expression. He stood rigidly still for a few moments, and my brain conjured up all things I could do to ease the tension from his muscles.

  I saw his mouth moving, but couldn’t read his lips. An ornery smile slowly spread across his face then he pivoted and walked back down the porch steps. I thought he had moved with a purpose before, but that was nothing compared to the way his legs gobbled up the distance from his porch to mine. Even though he was out of sight after a few strides, I knew his destination was my front porch.

  “Open up, Freckles,” Elijah said as he pounded on the door hard enough to make it rattle in the frame. He didn’t sound angry though; he sounded… horny.

  Yes, my body cried out. I shook so hard from anticipation that I practically vibrated through the house instead of walked.

  “I know you’re awake. I saw your bedroom light on! Open up this door before I—”

  I yanked the door open before he could finish what he was going to say. “Huff and puff and blow it down?” I asked sassily, finishing for him. His pulse pounded wildly in his neck, matching the tempo of my heart trying to beat its way out of my chest. “What the hell is your problem?”

  “I got something for you to blow.”

  “You wish,” I retorted.

  Elijah’s eyes lowered to my unbound breasts and stayed there. He wasn’t the least bit ashamed that he was staring at my girls. Okay, so the nips were saluting his soldier, but that didn’t make it right. What woman doesn’t whip off her bra as soon as she comes home for the night? It wasn’t some part of a grand scheme to lure that jackass back into my bed. I’d settle for a wall-banging.

  I crossed my arms beneath my chest, but that only plumped them up more for him. Elijah’s delighted smile should’ve pissed me off because I was not the kind of girl who opened her doors and legs for a guy at whim. What an asshole! Who did he think he was… Oh, fucking forget it. I grabbed his scarf and pulled him into my house and shut the door.

  He outweighed me by a good hundred pounds, or more, so I wouldn’t have budged him if he didn’t really want to come inside. And I saw just how badly he wanted to come inside when his hungry eyes finally jerked up from my boobs to meet my gaze. Elijah placed his hands on my waist and began walking me further into the house.

  I placed both my hands against his chest to halt our progress. “I just need to know one thing first,” I told him.

  “What is it, Freckles?” he asked hesitantly.

  “Your ring size,” I said then dramatically rolled my eyes when he widened his in alarm. “Relax, big guy. I’m not after your last name or inheritance; I’m only interested in your cock.” And balls, hands, and mouth.

  “Words that every man wants to hear as long as you’re not holding a knife in your hand.”

  “Are you married?” I asked. “Or even separated? I can’t be with you if either apply to your circumstances. We had that one night together then you freaked out and disappeared.”

  “I didn’t freak out,” Elijah denied. “I… okay maybe a little, but I am not married or even separated. I don’t have a girlfriend tucked away someplace. I went to the cabin I inherited from my grandfather to do some thinking.”

  Thinkin
g? More like hiding. I wanted to know what he thought about while there, but I didn’t press him. I had told him I needed to know one thing and he answered my question without hesitation and even volunteered extra information. Elijah looked me straight on and didn’t so much as blink as he waited for me to make up my mind about what I wanted to do next. He was giving me all the control and it went straight to my head. I whipped my shirt off and tossed it to the floor because there really wasn’t much of a decision to make.

  Elijah swallowed hard and I could see how difficult it was for him to keep his eyes locked on mine when he really wanted to feast them on my breasts. The good thing about the cold weather is how firm it made them feel. I reached up and cupped them, daring him to look away. I brushed my thumbs over sensitive nipples, relishing the feel of them hardening even more, as I started walking backward again. Elijah didn’t follow immediately and I worried that I needed to practice my come-and-get-it expression in the mirror before I attempted it a second time.

  Turned out that I had nothing to worry about because he closed the gap between us in one stride. Elijah snaked his arm out to hook around my waist and hauled me tight against him while he cupped a breast with his free hand.

  “I’ll take it from here, Freckles.” Then he bent me backward over his arm that held me up and laved one eager peak before turning to its twin. “Damn, your tits are pretty and perfect. I’ve missed your eager cunt too.”

  Jesus! Since when did I ever let a man talk to me like that? Why was it so fucking hot? What was it about this man that made me excuse his crude treatment? I should’ve slapped his face but decided I’d rather ride it instead.

  “You could’ve had access to this all week long if you weren’t hell bent on being a dumbass.”

  Elijah tore his attention from my breasts to look into my eyes. “I’m too horny and grateful to argue with you because I did behave like a dumbass.”

  “I can think of a few ways you can properly apologize to me.”

  “Oh, I think I can too.” Elijah stood to his full height and led me to the couch. “We’ll get upstairs to your bed eventually, but for now, this couch will work fine for your first orgasm.”

  “First.”

  “I have a lot of apologizing to do, Freckles.” Instead of laying me down on the cushions, he yanked my pj pants down my legs and pressed my ass against the arm of the couch. “Trust me?” I nodded my head even though I didn’t understand where the trust came from. “That’s my girl.” Oh, the little thrill that worked its way through my body over those three little words.

  Elijah placed his big hand in the center of my chest and pushed until my head, shoulders, and upper back rested on the seat of the couch. He dropped to his knees and placed his strong hands on my thighs, rubbing the tense muscles with his thumbs. Once I relaxed he spread my legs nice and wide so he could have unfettered access to my femininity. He placed his thumbs on my pussy lips and opened me further for visual exploration. Elijah must’ve liked what he saw because he licked his lips in what I hoped was fevered anticipation.

  He kept his eyes locked on mine as he lowered his head toward my promise land. “Keep your eyes on me, Freckles. I want to see the fireworks in them when you come for me.” Arrogant ass.

  A hard shiver of lust and longing shook my body, making my pussy and clit throb intensely. “I think I just did.”

  Elijah lowered his head until it hovered just over my mound. “That was nothing.” His huskily-spoken words ghosted over my bare flesh, raising goose bumps all over my body. “Play with your tits while I eat your pussy.”

  My arms were stretched out over my head resting on the couch as I submitted my body to him, but at his command, I immediately pulled them down to cup the rounded underside of my breasts, pinching my nipples between my forefingers and thumbs. I tugged and twisted, working them like his mouth would, sending a zap of lightning straight to the clit where Elijah’s tongue hovered. I couldn’t tell if he was captivated by my actions or just being a clit tease, but I wasn’t happy either way. I lifted my hips from the arm of the sofa putting his tongue right where I wanted it.

  My boldness snapped Elijah back to action and he flicked his tongue over my swollen nub. Just that simple little tease and I was nearly ready to detonate. Then he flattened his tongue and licked a path from the bottom of my slit up to my clit. When he reached the bundle of nerves at the top, he eagerly sucked it into his mouth while he slid a stealthy finger inside my pussy. Elijah taunted the hot flesh of my core by sliding that finger in and out in a slow fuck, but never hitting that golden spot that would send me over the edge. He would suck my clit into his mouth then release it to tease it with his tongue.

  “Oh!” I wanted to reach down and grip his hair and hold him right fucking there, but I didn’t want to stop toying with my nipples either. It felt too good and I was already so close to coming.

  Hotter than the tongue action going on between my legs was the dark, raw desire I saw in his eyes. This was a man who knew what he was doing to my body and loved every second of it. He was perfectly content taking his time drawing out my pleasure, making me hot and slippery wet for him. I wasn’t interested in being denied another second, so I undulated my hips trying to get his deft tongue where I wanted it.

  Elijah’s dark chuckle rumbled from his chest, but he must’ve decided to take pity on a girl who was desperate to come. He crooked his finger, tapping my G-spot at the same time he sucked my sensitive clit into his mouth.

  “Elijah!” I dropped one hand to grip his hair while I fucked his face, coming long and gloriously hard.

  He stayed with me, licking and sucking until I became too sensitive. He lifted his head and stared into my eyes. Elijah smiled widely, his lips wet from my juices. “Oh, the things I’m going to do to you tonight, Freckles.”

  Then life said, “Hold my beer,” when Elijah’s cell phone rang.

  “Don’t answer it,” I implored him. “A girl has needs, Elijah. You just got started.” It was true. In one night, he’d ruined me for all other men. I’d gone from no orgasms to multiples and there was no coming back from that.

  Elijah straightened up and reached for his phone. “Damn it,” he grumbled. “I have to take this.” He rose to his feet, paced away from me, and said, “Markham,” into his phone. “Yeah, thanks, Wen. I’ll be right there.”

  He turned to look at me with so much regret in his eyes. I could almost hear his straining hard-on weeping behind his zipper. He held out his hand and helped me sit up, which was good because there was no graceful way of getting out of that position. Graceful! Snort! I’d just fucked his face. Lord, what had come over me? I redressed quickly while trying to hide my embarrassment over my wanton behavior.

  “I, uh, need to meet Officer Wen to do a death notification. He found Thom’s next of kin.” His cop mask was firmly back in place as well as his shield to keep me away.

  Too damn bad for him that it didn’t work. “Oh, that must be a really hard thing to do. I’m truly sorry, Elijah.” I went to him and kissed him softly on the lips. I knew it could ruin the tenuous truce between us, but I didn’t care. I wanted him to know he had a safe place to land if he needed one. “I’ll be up for a few hours if you want to come back over later.”

  “Because you owe me an orgasm?” he asked, trying to steer us back into his comfort zone.

  I followed Elijah to the front door. “No, because you have more ass kissing to do. That was only one orgasm,” I told him.

  He stopped with his hand on the door. “It was as powerful as two,” he countered.

  “Still, I don’t feel sufficiently pacified yet.”

  Elijah opened the door and looked over his shoulder as he stepped onto my covered porch. “I’ll be back, Freckles. It might not be tonight, but I’ll be back.”

  “Be safe,” I called after him as he jogged down the steps and across the lawn.

  “Plan on it.”

  I went back inside prepared to nuke some popcorn and find something to
watch on Netflix when my phone rang. As if life hadn’t screwed with me enough already that evening, I saw that my mother was calling.

  There was no sense in ignoring her call because she’d just call back. “Hello, Mama.”

  “You could’ve been killed!”

  “Mama, I—”

  “Don’t you ‘mama’ me, young lady. I’m coming over there.”

  “Why? I’m okay. I didn’t see anything.” I’d already had this conversation with Milo and Memphis, who had both insisted they come over to my house. Memphis did it out of concern for me while Milo was only being nosy about the conversation I had with the oh-so-very-fucking-good-looking detective after he and Memphis left.

  “You’re my baby girl and you could’ve been killed tonight.”

  “Mama, that’s an awful big leap. Why aren’t you coddling Milo?”

  “Who the hell said I wasn’t? Where do you think I’ve been the last thirty minutes?” An image of Mom peppering Milo’s face with kisses as she fussed over him made me smile. Not because Milo needed it, but because he was as independent as I was. I knew he hadn’t called Mom, which meant she found out the old-fashioned way—word of mouth. Someone had burned up my mom’s phone as soon as the cops showed up. I was adamant that I wanted to be alone, but then my mom brought out her big guns. “I baked brownies today.”

  “You and your brownies get on over here.”

  It was good to be loved. Of course, I like my prior plans of loving better. Well, sexing at least.

  MY MOTTO OF DUTY FIRST had never been tested as strongly as when I was kneeling between Maegan’s parted legs tasting the pleasure that I gave her on my tongue and lips. I was moments away from sinking inside that tight, hot heat—the place I wanted to be all fucking week long—just as Wen called. I had to turn away from her luscious body so that I could concentrate on the conversation and not how hard my dick throbbed behind my zipper.

  Maybe Wen’s locating Thom Renzo’s surviving uncle was fate because I was close to handing over my heart to Maegan Miracle. If this continued, I’d be looking around her antique shop for a pretty silver tray to put it on before presenting it to her. She was everything I wanted in a woman and more, but I had been tricked before into believing the woman my heart chose for me was the one I’d spend my life with. I had been more than happy with occasional hookups until I met Maegan. She made me want so much more than I trusted myself to accept. I wanted to give her more than I had to offer. That spelled disaster because one, or both, of us was going to get hurt if I allowed this thing between us to continue. It was better to break off all personal ties with her before things got out of hand.