Stolen Hearts

by Karen Erickson

  “Where’s that strange guy you called about, Celeste? Your hero is here to save the day.” Johnny grinned at her and the man scowled at Johnny.

  Talk about bad timing.

  Chapter Two

  Her hero? Who the fuck was this bozo?

  One look at the uniform though and Alex wanted to bolt from the store and never look back. Cops made him nervous as shit, ever since he got busted by some a couple years ago. They were so cocky, thought they were superior to everyone else when really they were usually just adrenaline junkies like the bad guys.

  They just decided to work on the right side of the law instead.

  “Um, I’m fine, Johnny. Really.” The beautiful blonde smiled at the cop, resting her tiny hands on the countertop. Her nails were painted with pale pink polish, her hands neat and elegant, fingers slim.

  Hands he could imagine stroking his cock, bringing him undeniable pleasure, making him come like a geyser with just her touch.

  Shaking his head, Alex stepped out of the way of the cop who now stood in front of him, sizing him up. The skinny jackass rested his hands on his hips, pointy elbows out, grim expression on his wholesome face.

  “You from around here?”

  “No, just visiting.” Alex didn’t plan on volunteering any more information than he had to.

  Damn his luck for running into a cop the moment he stepped into a jewelry store for the first time in years. Discreetly sniffing the air, he swore he could actually smell the expensive stones. He caught a glint of something extra shiny in the center case of the counter.

  The bracelet he’d come for, he’d bet his life on it. He’d always had an eye for the most expensive item in a store. It had never failed him in all his years. He didn’t doubt it now.

  “Is this the guy you told me about, Celeste?” The cop cocked his bean head in Alex’s direction.

  Celeste shook her head, her big blue eyes never leaving Alex’s. His groin heated, cock stirring to life and he swallowed, trying to tear his eyes away from her, focus on the cop, anything but her.

  But he couldn’t. He was trapped like a fly in a spider’s web. Unable to move, unable to look away.

  She couldn’t seem to look away either.

  “No,” she finally said, her sweet voice washing over Alex, sending a shiver up his spine. “That guy was shorter, with blond hair. He left. I don’t know where he went.”

  “Want me to go look for him? He might be hanging around here, or maybe he’s down the street.” The cop hitched up his belt, keys clanging, gun slapping against his thigh.

  Alex turned quickly, focusing on the gun. He hated guns—they made him more nervous than cops did.

  Of course, that hadn’t stopped him from bringing one with him, though it was back in the motel room.

  “Oh that sounds like a great idea, Johnny. Thank you.”

  Johnny the cop nodded his head in Celeste’s direction and turned, squinting at Alex. “Have a good day, sir.”

  “You too, officer.” Alex gave him a mock salute and the cop was on his way out the door, searching for a phantom stranger.

  Interesting. Celeste the store owner must have called the cops on him for watching the store—yet she didn’t tell Johnny Gung-Ho that he was the very one who’d been watching. She even sent the cop on a wild goose chase.

  It didn’t make much sense. But he wasn’t about to protest it.

  “Why’d you send him on his way?” Alex edged closer to the door, already planning how to grab the bracelet though he knew he wasn’t going to do it today. He needed a little more time to figure this shit out.

  All the jewelry sent his senses into overload. The gorgeous blonde behind the counter was fucking with his senses too, though he wasn’t protesting that either. He swore even from across the room he could smell her sweet scent, reminding him of a summer breeze and flowers.

  “Why were you spying on me?”

  Her question threw him for a loop, surprised at her bluntness. “I wasn’t spying. I was just…waiting for your store to open.”

  “When you walked inside you said you shouldn’t have come in here. I didn’t think you were interested in my store.” A dark reddish blonde eyebrow arched, pink lips pursed with doubt.

  He wanted to kiss the doubt right off those lips. Wanted to taste her, devour her, consume her.

  Shaking his head, Alex rested his hand on the door handle, deciding to go for the poor-pitiful-me plan. “I can’t afford this place. You have beautiful jewelry but it’s a little out of my league.”

  Shit, he couldn’t afford to be inside the place, that was for damn sure. His palms literally itched, whether to get his hands on some valuable pieces or the hot little piece suddenly headed his way, he wasn’t quite sure.

  Okay that was a lie. He’d rather have his hands on her than some expensive, cold stones any day.

  Damn it, he didn’t want her to come any closer. He needed her to stay as far away from him as possible. She was temptation personified, walking sin, seduction in its purest form.

  Where the hell was his fried brain coming up with this stuff? This is what happened when a man went without sex for too long.

  He got all dramatic and shit.

  “Our jewelry comes in various price ranges. We have very reasonably priced pieces. What are you looking for?” Her smile revealed straight white teeth and she clasped her hands in front of her. The pale blue sweater set she wore emphasized the color of her eyes, and the string of lustrous pearls surrounding her slender neck showcased its elegant curve.

  She was one classy broad, as his father would say. Certainly wouldn’t be interested in an ex-con like him.

  “Um, something for my mother.” The words came quickly, easily, and disgust filled him. His mother had died when he was five yet he had no problem lying.

  Once a liar, always a liar, his father always told him. He said the same thing about being a thief too.

  Shit.

  “Ah, that’s nice.” Celeste’s smile grew and Alex felt a tightening in his groin at the sight of it. “Does she like anything in particular?”

  “Diamonds.”

  Damn, he could swear his forehead just broke out into a cold sweat. Why the hell did he say that?

  Her eyes lit and she waggled a finger at him, turning to walk straight toward the center of the glass counter. “I know you said we’re too expensive but let me show you this, just to show you. It’s beautiful. Maybe your father could buy it for her. Is it her birthday?”

  “Yes. It is.” Alex followed her, admiring the shift of her ass beneath the tight black skirt as she walked.

  She leaned against the edge of the counter, tapping her fingernail on the glass, exactly at the spot where a diamond bracelet rested. “Isn’t it gorgeous? I just obtained it from an estate sale, I couldn’t resist it.”

  “It’s beautiful.” His breath lodged in his throat, his heart rate increasing triple time. The bracelet sparkled up at him in all its brilliance, thirteen carats of pure perfection. The woman had no idea just how valuable this bracelet was—or to whom.

  The old lady who’d had it in her possession when she passed was none other than the mother of the man who founded the gang his own father now ran.

  His father had explained the entire story. When old lady Annabella Rizzo up and died, no one from her family had been able to claim any of her possessions. The son who’d once headed his dad’s gang was already long gone, her various grandsons either locked away in prison or hiding out in other countries. The only one available had been her great-granddaughter, who was unable to make it to the estate before it had been sold off, per Annabella’s will. Apparently the great-granddaughter had no idea the bracelet was so valuable either. She was so happy to be presented with the check after the auction that there’d been no protesting or questions on her part.

  But Alex Sr. had found out about that bracelet—had even seen it once, briefly, many years ago. Once word of Annabella’s death reached him, he’d tracked down the buyer
and then sent his son to this quaint little coastal town to steal it and bring it back to him. Just so he could boast about the great lift he’d made, brag about possessing the Rizzo family’s greatest heirloom.

  Now Alex stood right where his father wanted him, the bracelet teasing him with flashing winks of icy blue fire. His palms were clammy and he rubbed them on his jeans, anxiety filling him.

  He couldn’t do this today, the timing was all wrong. He should’ve planned this better, should’ve brought the gun his father gave him. He would’ve held the beautiful Celeste at gunpoint and snatched that bracelet from its place beneath the glass in a matter of seconds.

  Instead, he stood before her pretending to be looking for a gift for his dead mother, feeling like the biggest jackass in the entire damn world.

  “It’s expensive, though.” Celeste leaned toward him, her whispered words making the moment intimate somehow. There was a glint in her eyes that made him yearn to reach for her, haul her against him and kiss her senseless. Let her feel exactly how much she excited him before taking her right on the goddamn floor of her store.

  “Yeah, I can’t afford this though my mother certainly deserves it. Maybe I will send my dad in.”

  Ah hell, he wished.

  * * * * *

  He looked nervous, her big handsome stranger. Why Celeste had covered for him and sent Johnny on his way, she had no idea. There was something about him, though. Something she couldn’t quite put her finger on.

  He was definitely handsome, carried himself well and had manners, all pluses. But his clothes looked old and worn, his shirt almost threadbare in some places. He needed a haircut, though the rakish wavy lock of hair that fell over his forehead was rather sexy.

  She crinkled her nose, tearing her gaze away from him. Sexy. She’d never thought of any man as sexy. When her friends oohed and ahhed over a Hollywood celebrity or some random handsome man at a restaurant, she always played along but she never really found them that special.

  This man, though, was sexy. Her body seemed to react to him without any help from her brain. She didn’t understand it.

  Then again, she couldn’t fight it either.

  “Maybe you’d like to look at something else? Aquamarines?” She had to break the silence, had to keep things normal, keep the conversation moving. If she didn’t, something else might happen. Something weird. Like maybe she’d reach out and touch him, test those arms to see if they were as big and hard as they appeared.

  Breathing deeply, she allowed her gaze to travel over his form once more, lingering on his arms held akimbo, fists resting on his hips. His biceps bulged against the worn fabric of his shirt. Goodness, when he stood like that the buttons on the front of his shirt actually strained, he was so broad.

  Celeste wondered what he would look like without the shirt on. Her mouth literally watered at the thought.

  “Nah.” He shook his head, a faint smile curving his sensuous lips. “I appreciate you taking the time though, and keeping your cop friend from frisking me.”

  She laughed, couldn’t seem to help herself, which caused his smile to widen, revealing dimples that bracketed either side of his mouth.

  Oh my.

  “Oh no problem, really. And your name is?” She had to ask, had to know what this man’s name was. She might never see him again.

  “Alex.” He extended his hand toward her. “And you’re Celeste, right?”

  “Yes.” She nodded, taking his hand. Long fingers wrapped around hers, his skin hot and electrifying to the touch and the brief contact sent a frisson of excitement up her arm. Her nipples hardened instantly and she released a shuddering breath.

  Never in her life had she reacted so strongly to such a simple touch. Heck, she’d never reacted so strongly to any kind of touch.

  It made her crave more.

  “Nice to meet you, Celeste.” His voice was a low murmur, making her toes curl in her shoes, her nipples hardening even more beneath her sensible bra.

  “You too, Alex.” His name rolled off her tongue and she could easily imagine herself calling it out while he buried himself deep inside her, her fingers tangled in his thick, silky hair, his big, hot body pressed against hers.

  Blinking, she released his hand as if burned, mortified by her train of thought.

  This was not normal. She did not think this way about men, especially a complete stranger. It didn’t make any sense.

  There was no denying the invisible energy buzzing around them though, filling the room, making their bodies lean toward each other. Her lips parted. She could actually imagine herself kissing this man right here, right now and the way his head cocked toward her made her think he was about to do it too—

  “I didn’t find him.” The bells jangled with Johnny’s arrival and she and Alex sprang away from each other.

  “You didn’t find who?” Her voice came out shaky, even a little husky and she risked a glance toward Alex, who watched her from beneath lowered lashes. The seductive expression on his face made her think of satin sheets and naked skin.

  No! She needed to stop this. It was ridiculous.

  “The perpetrator you told me about. I looked up and down both sides of the street, couldn’t find anyone.” Johnny shook his head, resting his hands on his hips in that annoying wide-leg stance he had.

  Annoying? When had she ever thought of Johnny as annoying before?

  “Well, thank you for looking, Johnny. I appreciate it.” She smiled at him, hoping he’d get the hint and leave but he didn’t. He just stood there watching both of them with a goofy grin on his face.

  Standing next to the giant Alex, Johnny looked downright puny. Like a boy compared to a big strapping man. What had she ever seen in him?

  “Wanna grab some dinner tonight after my shift ends?” Johnny shuffled his feet, glancing down at the floor. “I thought Luberman’s sounded good.”

  This was the moment she’d been waiting weeks for. Johnny had been coming by the shop off and on for almost two months and she’d laid it on thick, hoping he would ask her out on a date. Now that the time was here, her automatic urge was to turn him down.

  All because Alex was watching her with narrowed dark brown eyes, his full lips pulled tight into a slight frown. He didn’t look pleased with Johnny’s attempt at asking her out on a date.

  “What do you say, Celeste?” Johnny finally looked up, his expression hopeful though his body was tense, as if waiting for her to say no.

  Her mouth opened, her gaze sliding toward Alex—but he answered for her.

  “She’s going out with me. Tonight. For dinner.”

  “Huh?” Johnny’s mouth hung open, his arms dropping to his sides. He looked from Alex to Celeste in disbelief. “Do you even know this guy’s name?”

  “Well, yes, I know Alex.” She smiled, her tummy tingling at the thought of going out to dinner with him.

  Funny how an hour ago she thought him to be some sort of criminal watching her store and now she was ready to go on a date with him.

  It really, really made no sense whatsoever.

  “Yes, she knows me and we’re going out tonight.” Alex smiled in Johnny’s direction but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Sorry bud, I guess I beat you to the punch.”

  “Yeah, I guess so.” Johnny shrugged and started for the door. “I’ll be seein’ you, Celeste.”

  She waited until the door shut behind him before she turned toward Alex. “Why did you do that?”

  “You didn’t want to go out with him.” It wasn’t a question but a statement.

  “Yes, I did. I’ve wanted to go out with him for weeks!” Well, that last part was true at least.

  “Yeah well, you don’t want to go out with him now. You want to go out with me instead.”

  “I do not want to go out with you.” Now it was her turn to place her hands on her hips, hoping he didn’t notice the hard points of her nipples. She was almost positive her bra was lined well enough…

  Really, she didn’t want to
go out with this man. He wasn’t her type, she had no idea who he was and he was awfully pushy. Cocky.

  So why did she find that just the slightest bit irresistible?

  “You’re saying that what happened between us earlier didn’t actually happen then?”

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Of course she knew what he was talking about. And secretly, she couldn’t deny the sexual tension that had crackled around them. There was something between them—but people just didn’t react based on instant attraction.

  Did they?

  Well, people like her didn’t. She knew that.

  He smiled and actually brushed the tip of her nose with a calloused fingertip. Just that little touch sent a zing straight to her pussy, making her panties dampen in an embarrassingly quick manner.

  “You know exactly what I’m talking about. I’ll meet you here at six-thirty, when you’re done closing the shop. How does that sound?”

  “I can’t even go home and change my clothes?” She didn’t deny his suggestion or protest his arrogance in assuming she’d be waiting for him.

  “I like that sweater on you. It does amazing things for your eyes.” His gaze was nowhere near her eyes, though. No, more like he’d taken up a complex study of her breasts.

  She didn’t know it was possible but her nipples actually ached, they were so hard.

  “My eyes are up here,” she protested weakly.

  “Yeah, I know.” He met her gaze, a smile on his face, dimples winking at her.

  And then he was gone, the swoosh of the door closing and the gentle tinkling of the bells the only evidence that he’d been there.

  Slumping against the counter, she rested her hand against her chest, her wildly beating heart threatening to burst out of her skin. If she could barely survive that encounter with the mysterious, sexy Alex, how was she going to survive dinner with him?

  She had no clue. But she was dying to find out.

  Chapter Three