“You get the cash,” he called back over his shoulder, “we’re going out to the safety deposit boxes.”
“No.”
The broad-chested thief smiled down at her. “Sorry, you don’t get to say no.” He pulled her over to the security door. “Enter the code.”
She shook her head. “No.” Money was one thing – all the deposits were insured up to a limit. But there were heirlooms and irreplaceable items in those locked boxes. Looking down at the floor, she steeled herself for his reaction.
Something hard nudged her in the ribs and she slowly came to the understanding that he was holding the gun against her.
“Please.”
“Sorry, sweetheart. I need as much as I can get. Open the door.”
Loretta hesitated, but when it came down to it she wasn’t willing to die for other people’s possessions. She tapped in the first two numbers, but then her mind went blank.
“Come on.”
“I’m trying.” Her voice broke and he eased up with the gun.
“Okay, okay.” He pointed the weapon at the floor. “Take a few deep breaths. It’ll come to you.”
She closed her eyes and tried not to think about the guns or all the customers and workers who could get hurt if she didn’t give him what he wanted. The last two numbers dropped into her head and she typed them in.
The latch clicked and he pushed her through the door in front of him.
Jordan’s day kept on getting better. There hadn’t been any mention of a foxy black bank manager in the reconnaissance for the job. And he certainly hadn’t seen her on any of his planning visits.
Her perfect skin was the colour of soft brown sugar. And her eyes... They were a shade lighter and piercing enough to make him believe she could see right through all the macho bullshit that was his stock in trade.
Then there was her berry-brown pout. Plump, luscious lips that begged to be kissed.
He wouldn’t have forgotten a woman like that in a hurry.
Raiding the safety deposit boxes was an optional and risky part of the heist. Had he decided to go for it because it meant being alone with her?
There’d been some serious sparks back there when she’d met his eye. And she was a feisty little thing.
But nothing could happen. Even if she wanted it to. This was work.
“Keys?”
She pulled a key ring off her belt. Having the keys on her like that didn’t seem like bank protocol, but hell, it made things easier for him.
“What’s your name?” He was trying to behave himself, but it just slipped out.
She looked at him with her big hazel eyes. Most women would have been scared witless, but not her. She was wary, careful – all the sensible things – but not scared. Interesting.
“Okay, don’t tell me.”
He watched her open the door to the safe room and gestured for her to go in first. “Let’s get into some of these.” It would be foolish to hang around for more than an extra couple of minutes, but those two minutes might be all he needed to hit the jackpot.
“Why don’t you just take the money and go?” She stood in the middle of the room, her uniform navy pencil skirt not quite frumpy enough to hide the shapely curve of her ass. She wasn’t as busty as Gina, but it looked like she had a tight little body under that acrylic jacket and stripy blouse. All she needed was a pair of glasses and she’d be the perfect ugly duckling fantasy.
He’d be more than happy to take off those glasses, let down her hair and show her just how beautiful she really was.
Jesus, Jordan. Keep your mind on the job.
“What does it matter to you? Why do you care if some rich guy has his diamonds stolen?”
“I could lose my job.” She folded her arms and stood her ground.
“They wouldn’t fire you over this. They don’t expect you to stand between an armed robber and a few boxes.”
“You don’t know that.”
“For crying out loud, woman.” He didn’t want to threaten her with the gun again. There was still a bad taste in his mouth from the last time. “Just open a damn box!”
She looked at the gun pointing harmlessly down at the floor. He’d left himself with nowhere to go.
“Look, there’s a lot of money upstairs. You got here before lunchtime so there’s plenty in the tills. Take it. The police will be here soon. Just take it and go.”
Damn her. Why couldn’t she have been a typical grey middle-aged man who didn’t give a shit? “Maybe I will.” He moved closer and picked up the faint floral scent of her perfume.
If she wouldn’t let him into the safety deposit boxes, he’d just have to take something else.
“What are you doing?” She took a step backwards.
“You want me to take the cash and nothing else?”
“Yes. There’s more than—”
“Make it worth my while.” He stepped closer and she backed away.
“What?”
“One little kiss and I’ll go back out there, take the bags and leave.”
She stared into his eyes. Now that he looked closer, there were flecks of darker brown in the hazel of her irises. It was a shame they hadn’t met under different circumstances. If he’d run across her in a bar he’d have bought her a drink and given her his best line in chat.
But he had a feeling she was enjoying the rush of an armed robbery.
“No!”
He stepped up to her again. This time, she didn’t move away.
“One kiss.” His gaze fell to her full lips. Gina was usually drenched in lip-gloss, but the bank manager’s lips were tantalisingly bare.
“One kiss and you’ll go?” Her voice dropped to a low murmur that made the breath catch in his throat.
He nodded, getting closer still. She was even prettier at a second glance. Her lips parted ever so slightly. She was thinking about it. Why did he get the impression she was one of those quiet ones you were supposed to watch?
“Okay.”
So she was a naughty girl after all. He swooped in before she decided to change her mind. At the last moment, he went in softly, pressing his lips gently to hers.
She was so tender, it was like nothing he’d imagined. A tiny sigh escaped her and it went straight to his crotch. She was driving him crazy.
He kissed her harder, pushing his tongue between her lips. She welcomed him in and a multitude of questions sprang up in his mind.
This was not the way bank managers were supposed to kiss.
Their bodies weren’t even touching, but he was reeling. If just a kiss from her could have such an effect, what would it be like to take her to bed?
The alarm on his phone went off, bringing him back down to earth.
When he moved away from her, the room lurched. She still had her eyes closed.
“Time to go, I’m afraid. No rest for the wicked.” He turned on his heel and went back out to find Danny.
***
The robber was almost through the door before Loretta’s brain caught up with the rest of her. She could still smell his aftershave on her top lip. What was she supposed to do now? She followed after him at a safe distance and watched him take a bulging bag from his accomplice.
When they left without a second glance she should have been relieved, but she found herself wondering how he could have kissed her like that and then walked away as if nothing had happened.
What was she thinking? The kiss should never have happened in the first place. She’d only gone along with it to stop him taking anything from the safety deposit.
But was that the whole truth?
Tom came over and put a hand on her arm, making her jump. “I pressed the alarm while they were filling their bags.”
“Oh. Good.”
“And I think someone’s called the police.”
She nodded, still trying to process what had taken place. “Can you go and wait on the door? Stop people coming and going.” Now it was over, her legs felt boneless. She managed to make i
t to the customer service desk and into a chair before she crumpled in a heap.
Someone placed a cup of tea in front of her – she couldn’t remember who or when. A few minutes later, the police arrived and started taking statements.
Loretta gave her account of events to a sympathetic female officer. She left out the part about the kiss. There was nothing to be gained by going over that again. Not to mention how mortified she’d be if Sean Thomas found out.
No. Those were five minutes she’d take to her grave with her. It had been a reaction to the shock of the robbery. Her life had been in danger.
But then she remembered the way he’d carefully pointed his gun at the floor. He’d never intended to hurt her.
That didn’t excuse him from armed robbery.
The police finished up and people started to leave. Where the hell was her boss? A sudden burst of anger put her on her feet. That lazy sod was out doing who knew what while she had to deal with robbers and guns and the police.
“Okay everybody, we’re closing for the day.” She’d wait until Sean came back and then leave herself. He could hang around for the forensics team to turn up.
The last of the customers drifted away and everyone else got their things from the staff room. Loretta fetched her handbag from her office and waited by the door.
***
With their firearms stashed away and their balaclavas gone, Jordan and Danny looked pretty inconspicuous walking into the shoe-shop next to the bank. Ursino had made a small investment to make sure the security cameras wouldn’t be working in there.
There was no need to tell Danny to keep his cool. Thank god they didn’t have Bill to worry about.
“Well, that went pretty smoothly.” Danny cracked a smile for the first time that day and Jordan slapped him on the back. They changed out of their black jackets into colourful green and red ones. They’d agreed to split up for the next part. Jordan went first, walking out of the side entrance and out into the shopping centre. Danny would catch up with him in the car park.
He wasn’t handing the cash over to Ursino until that evening so he had to stash it in a safe place for the meantime.
As he strolled past the shop windows, Jordan felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. It was bound to be Gina. He brought the mobile out and sure enough there was a text from the lovely lady scrolling over the display.
Are you done yet? How about lunch? And then we could get some food.
She just didn’t stop. His thumb hovered over the screen lock. More sex would be good right about now – his blood was up from the robbery and he had an abundance of nervous energy.
His mind went back to the bank. To the bank manager and her irresistible lips.
He put the phone away.
Yes, he was horny. But he didn’t want to screw Gina. And there was something he could do about that.
CHAPTER 2
Loretta had a clear view of the high street from where she was standing, so she spotted Sean coming long before he noticed anything was wrong.
His expression grew more sour the closer he got to the bank. “Where is everyone?” he asked when he reached her.
“We’ve been robbed. The police have been and gone.” She stepped outside, holding the door for him.
“What are you talking about?” He swapped places with her without thinking.
“While you were out, there was an armed robbery. They cleared the tills.” She clammed up, remembering how the gun had felt pressed into her ribs.
“You let them take the money?” His face puckered and her last nerve gave way.
“That’s what we’re supposed to do, in case you’ve forgotten. Or would you rather they’d shot me?” Her hands curled into fists and her chest got tight. “Look, I’m going. You’ll have to wait for forensics.”
“Forensics?”
She sighed, tears gathering at the edges of her eyelids. Explaining it to him was more than she was capable of. She needed to go home. Actually, she needed a stiff drink. “Not now, Sean. Please.”
She made to leave, but he caught her by the arm. “You can’t go. This is your fault.”
“My fault—”
“Just wait till head office find out.”
Anger filled her head, squeezing out her ability to speak. She stood there, just looking at him, remembering all the times he’d palmed his work off on her and invaded her personal space.
A switch flipped somewhere inside her. She didn’t need to take this any more. He was nothing more than a bully and he only got away with it because she let him.
Well, he was right about one thing – she certainly hadn’t got what she wanted by being nice. That robber knew what he was doing – he didn’t work for anything or ask nicely, he just took. So maybe she should stop being such a goody-goody.
She opened and closed her mouth, thinking of all the things she could say to him.
And then she came up with the perfect retort.
“If you want to make trouble at head office, I think they’d be very interested to know where you were. And I think they’d like to hear the recordings I’ve got of you sexually harassing me.”
Now it was time for him to stand there in silence.
“You should come to the conference with me, Loretta,” she mocked. “It would be so good for your career prospects.”
“You didn’t record that. I don’t believe you.”
“Fine. You tell them how it was all my fault and I’ll play them something they won’t forget in a hurry.”
He spluttered, began to say something then changed his mind.
“I’m leaving now.” She turned her back on him and didn’t give him another glance.
Of course she didn’t have any recordings. Nice girls didn’t do things like that.
She didn’t know how she managed to walk away when her whole body was numb, but she did it with her head held high and a nervous grin twitching her lips. Had she really said those things? That pitiful excuse for a boss had more than deserved it.
With a few gallons of adrenaline pumping through her system, going home was no longer on the agenda. She’d just lived through a dangerous robbery and got one over on the lecherous Sean Thomas. An afternoon working on Edna wouldn’t quite cut it after the highs and lows of the day so far.
There was one of those basement bars nearby, she was sure of it. But where exactly? As she walked on, she scanned the street for somewhere to stop. The thought crossed her mind that it was too early for that sort of place to be open, but then she imagined men in suits at boozy business lunches and felt more optimistic.
She caught sight of some steps on the other side of the road. It looked like the bar she remembered. Looking up and down the street, she tried to find a place to cross. A gap opened up in the traffic, but before she had the chance to take advantage of it, someone collided with her and she ended up flat on her ass.
“I’m so sorry.” Strong hands pulled her to her feet. She looked up into a pair of clear blue eyes that made her heart lurch.
“It’s okay.” She brushed herself off and turned to cross the road.
“No, it’s not okay. I’m so clumsy. Let me make it up to you.”
She glanced back at him. “Don’t worry about it.” What was it with her and men? They were either pointing a gun at her, making indecent suggestions or knocking her down.
“Wait, please.”
But the cars had thinned out and there was a chance to get to the bar. “Really, it’s fine.” She stepped out into the road.
He came with her.
“I insist. You’re on your lunch, right?”
Breaking into a jog, she made it over to the other side. He was quite handsome in a rugged sort of way. Lots of dark hair and a five o’clock shadow. Tall and broad.
But he was too pushy. What kind of man behaved like that?
She ignored him and walked down the steps to the bar.
Of course, he followed her.
Despite walking past it countless times, L
oretta had never actually set foot in Under the Table before. The decor was a lot better than she’d imagined – monochrome and minimalist instead of red leather and sticky floors.
The place was busy enough for her not to feel too uncomfortable about him coming with her. Several groups of people were dotted around the various booths and tables, but the bar itself was bare of customers. She headed straight for it and climbed onto a stool.
The barman came over and gave her a subdued smile. What did she want? She never drank this early in the day.
“A rum and coke, please.”
He served it up and the man from the street held out a crisp ten pound note.
She thought about protesting, but what was the point? If she stayed quiet, he might get bored and leave her alone.
“You work at the bank, don’t you?”
“Yes.” That much was obvious from her outfit.
“I didn’t think they let you drink at lunch.”
She gulped down half of the rum and coke. The alcohol burned pleasantly at the back of her throat. Swivelling on her stool, she gave him another look. Being objective, he was a good looking guy.
But not as irresistible as he thought he was.
The rum hit her bloodstream, loosening her up. “Today’s a special occasion – we got held up so I get the rest of the day off.”
“Seriously?”
She nodded.
“Jesus. Were you there?”
“Yep.” She finished the drink and asked for another, getting her purse out before he could pay for that one too. Now that she’d mentioned the robbery, it was very tempting to tell him everything.
“I’m Jordan, by the way.” He held out his hand.
She looked him up and down, then decided there was no harm in shaking it.
Strong grip, big hand.
She imagined telling this man she didn’t know that she’d just kissed a bank robber and stifled a giggle.
“What?”
“Doesn’t matter.”
He ordered himself a whiskey mac.
“So you don’t have work this afternoon either then?”
“No.”
She thought to ask what he did, but it was such a boring question. “Any plans?”
“Well,” he smiled and a twinkle came into those lovely blue eyes. “I was hoping I could persuade a certain attractive lady to have lunch with me. If she hasn’t already eaten.”
Black Girls and Bad Boys: Stealing Loretta Page 2
