To Catch a Thief--A High Stakes Romantic Suspense

by Sloane Steele

He stumbled on the word clients. What had he been thinking? Criminals? Thieves? Her father’s friends? He’d be right on all counts.

  “Everything okay?” he asked.

  “Yeah.” She shook her head. “No. It feels very much like the stink of my father’s crimes oozing its way back into my life. Keaton is one of my father’s friends. They played poker together for years. Another crooked man in my life. It’s disgusting. Do they seek each other out? Or compare notes on how to be a criminal?”

  “Probably a little of both. I’m sorry this is dredging up uncomfortable stuff for you.”

  They drove in silence the rest of the way to her condo. Logan had held her hand the entire way, soothing her, offering comfort. But the kiss he’d given her when they got into the car had been sexy and exciting. She had no doubt he could offer her an escape from the miserable path her thoughts were taking. He pulled up alongside her building.

  She decided to just go for it. “If it’s not too late for you, you can park and come up for a drink.”

  “Just a drink?” He gunned the gas to turn the corner into the parking garage. “I’m always up for being with you. For drinks or anything else.”

  “I imagine there might be quite a bit more than just a drink if you’re up for it.”

  * * *

  The logical voice in Logan’s head told him this was a bad idea. He was undercover and while Mia wasn’t exactly a suspect, she wasn’t totally clear either. She pointed him to where guest spots were located and he parked. He considered all the ways this could go bad:

  She might be involved in the forgeries.

  But she just nailed Bishop and didn’t back down. If she was in on it, she would’ve lied or he would’ve called her out.

  She might be running some other scam.

  To what end? She’s been handed a raw deal with her father. She’s led a law-abiding life.

  You could fall for her. At some point she’ll realize you’ve been lying to her and she’s completely out of your league.

  Mia opened her door to get out and glanced at him over her shoulder with that teasing crooked grin and he made his decision.

  It’s worth the risk.

  He followed Mia into the building and then the elevator. Once the doors swished closed, he slid a hand around her hip and pulled her close, her back to his front. He brushed her hair from her neck and planted an openmouthed kiss at the juncture between her neck and shoulder. She gave a little shudder and leaned against him. The doors reopened and she straightened away from him.

  She unlocked the door and set her keys and purse on a side table. “What would you like to drink?”

  “Uh, whatever you have is fine.” He took in his surroundings. Never before had anything so blatantly smacked him as much as this décor did. He was almost afraid to touch anything. A huge marble fireplace took up most of one wall. In front of it was a leather couch that probably cost a month of his salary. Everything was pristine and perfect.

  A moment later, Mia was standing in front of him with a glass of whiskey. “Something wrong?”

  “No.” He accepted the glass and took a sip. The smooth burn was another reminder of how far out of his league she was. His brain scrambled to keep up. He’d known she had money. Even after her father ran and the government seized assets, Mia had an inheritance in trust from her mother’s side of the family.

  “Are you sure? If you don’t want this, it’s okay. It can be just two friends sharing a drink.”

  Damn. “It’s just that... I knew you had money, but this place is amazing. I guess I didn’t realize how rich you are.”

  “Is my wealth an issue?”

  He knew it shouldn’t be. Logically. “You know I don’t come from money, right? I’m not part of your world. I’m a visitor that most people will overlook.”

  She reached up and stroked his cheek. “Then let’s enjoy your visit. One of the things I like best about you is that you’re not from my world. You have no personal feelings about my last name—you’re not using it to get ahead or as a weapon against me. And right now, that’s enough.”

  It probably wouldn’t be enough for long. But Mia was an amazing woman, and if he had one shot to be with her, even for a little while, he would be completely stupid to pass it up.

  “Would you like to sit down to finish your drink, or will you be leaving?”

  “I’m not leaving. But I do have to make a quick call to set everything up at Bishop’s tomorrow.”

  “Well, then.” She slugged back the remaining whiskey in her glass. “While you take care of business, I’m going to change into something more comfortable.”

  He got a little stiff thinking about her being naked on the other side of the condo. “I’ll hurry.”

  When she had turned the corner, he pulled out his phone and called Stokes.

  “Don’t you have a life, Ford?” she answered.

  “I’ll have you know I’m on a date right now.”

  She snorted. “Must not be going well if you’re calling me.”

  “I’m with Mia Benson and it’s going very well. She just called out Keaton Bishop’s painting as a fake. I’m going to forward pictures to you. We need to get Atlas to send certified appraisers to Bishop’s house tomorrow. This is our chance.”

  “You and Mia, huh?”

  “Yeah.” He paused and waited for her to tell him it was a bad idea.

  “Are you sure she’s clear of this?”

  “She’s done nothing but help.”

  “Just watch yourself.”

  “Will do.” He downed the rest of his drink and set the glass on the table behind the couch. He loosened his tie as he walked the room, looking for some indication of who Mia Benson was. She had a steely façade that she showed the world, but he’d seen the cracks, and he wanted to know the real woman. But there was nothing in this living room. It was almost sterile. Too perfect.

  Mia came back and stood beside the fireplace wearing a silky, champagne-colored nightgown. It went past her knees, but had a slit up the side. The smooth material clung to her curves in a way that made her appear to float. “Done with your call?”

  “Yes.”

  She took a few steps forward. “So no more talk of business?”

  “What business?”

  She smiled. “May I take your jacket?”

  “Sure.”

  She walked around him, reached up, and wrapped her fingers around the collar to slide the jacket from his body. He turned around and watched her hang it up. Without her heels, she was really short. Like he would have to bend in half to kiss her. She walked back to him. Maybe not quite in half.

  She moved her hands up his chest until they reached his shoulders. Then she went up on tiptoe to kiss him. His hands skated over the slippery material at her waist and around to her ass. He kneaded the toned flesh of her backside and brought her flush against him.

  “You sure about this?”

  “Yes. Bedroom’s that way.” She pointed over his shoulder.

  “Lead the way.” He opened his arms and she took his hand, truly leading him like a lost puppy. And he would gladly take any scraps she offered.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Mia took Logan to her bedroom where the bedside lamp cast a soft glow throughout the room. She turned and tugged at his tie. “You’re way behind in the clothing removal department. You need to catch up.”

  As soon as the knot was undone, she began to unbutton his shirt while he toed off his shoes.

  “You aren’t naked,” he said.

  “But I have nothing on under this.” She pulled the shirttail from his pants and shoved the material off his shoulders. She pressed wet kisses to his chest—his very toned, muscular chest—and then stepped back. She took another step and slipped her fingers under her spaghetti straps. She slid them from her shoulders and shimmied to get the
silk past her hips. The swish of material was like a kiss on her already sensitive skin. When the material was pooled at her feet, she gave Logan a look that told him to hurry up.

  He fumbled for a second as he stared at her. She loved the power of surprising a man like him. They always expected her to be shy, hiding her body. He unclasped the button on his pants and dropped them. Then he went to work on releasing his arms from the sleeves she’d left bunched on his biceps. When he was standing in his boxer briefs sporting an impressive erection, she walked backward toward the bed.

  Crooking her finger, she asked, “What is it that you want, Logan?”

  “You.”

  “How do you want me?” She climbed on the bed on her knees and faced him. Even with the added height of the bed, he still towered over her.

  “I’ll take you any way I can have you. What do you want?”

  “How do you feel about oral sex?”

  “I’m a fan. Huge. Fan.”

  She palmed his erection. “Giving or receiving?”

  His breath hitched. “Both. Definitely both.”

  “I like to hear that, Logan.” With her left hand, she pulled him in for a kiss, while her right hand pushed past the band on his boxers. She stroked him and ran her thumb over the pre-come on the tip. She pulled her hand back, allowing the elastic to snap into place. As she inched back on the mattress to make room for him, she sucked the moisture from her thumb.

  “I think you should lay back now.”

  “I’m good where I am.” She kept straight on her knees waiting for him to join her.

  He knelt on the bed, the mattress dipping under his weight. She got even more excited at the thought of his bulk surrounding her.

  When he was in front of her again, he lifted a hand and gently pinched her nipple, rolling it between his thumb and forefinger. Her core quivered and her thighs clenched. “I get you’re used to being in charge, but this position doesn’t work for me.”

  He pressed her shoulder until her back hit the bed. Then he straightened her legs and spread them wide. She knew he saw she was wet with anticipation. He stared at her with hungry eyes. Unlike previous lovers, Logan wasn’t going to be polite and she had every intention of enjoying that.

  Logan stretched out and threw her leg over his shoulder. He swiped his tongue over her center sending a shiver through her whole body. He used his hands and his mouth on her until she was clawing at the sheets and her back bowed up. His arm came down across her hips and he held her until the orgasm ripped through her.

  She lay panting, skin damp, with a smile she felt all over. Logan rose up on his knees and swiped his hand over his mouth and chin.

  “That was the taste I wanted while you teased me with your chocolate dessert.”

  “Really? Maybe I should tease you more often.”

  He tapped her hip, not quite a slap, playful, yet sexy. “I think I’ve been teased enough.”

  He took off his boxers and crawled over her body.

  “Stop being such a brute.” She shoved his shoulders and rolled him over. She wrapped her fingers around his dick and stroked. As she ran the tip of her tongue over his length, he caressed her back, her ass, the back of her thigh. She was getting turned on all over again. Taking him in her mouth, she felt him throb. She angled herself to give him better access, and as if to get revenge, he lazily teased her sensitive flesh until she couldn’t take it anymore.

  She released his dick from her mouth and slithered across his body to reach the condoms she kept in her bedside table. She opened the package and carefully rolled the condom on. He shifted, as if to get up, but she pressed him back to the bed. She climbed on top and guided him into her. He groaned as her body adjusted to his thickness.

  She enjoyed the full feeling for a moment and then began to ride him. Long smooth strokes so she could hit all her favorite places. Her hips found a rhythm of their own and she closed her eyes. Throwing her head back, she squeezed her breasts and pinched her nipples.

  Logan suddenly sat up and pulled her hands away. He locked her wrists behind her back with one of his big hands, then sucked a nipple into his mouth, gently nibbling. He began thrusting up into her, and she lost all semblance of control. He took over the pace at which they moved. He pinned her in place with his hands and mouth.

  He reached between them and circled her clit with his thumb, and she was gone. Every nerve was electrified and every muscle in her body pulsed. He released her hands and she wrapped her arms around him as he drove into her toward his own orgasm.

  They collapsed in her bed, sweaty and breathless.

  * * *

  After catching his breath, Logan sat up and asked for directions to the bathroom so he could clean up and dispose of the condom. When he returned, Mia was still stretched out on the bed. She’d made no attempt to cover up. She looked at him with a sleepy smile.

  He wanted nothing more than to crawl back into bed with her, but they hadn’t discussed him spending the night.

  “Are you staying or leaving?”

  “Which do you prefer?”

  She pushed up on an elbow and cocked an eyebrow. “I’m not into games, Logan. I have no hang-ups about spending the night with a man. I’m fully capable of having sex and sleeping with someone without thinking marriage is imminent.”

  “I wasn’t accusing you of anything. There hadn’t been an invitation, and I know better than to assume a woman wants a man to spend the night.”

  She patted the mattress beside her. “The invitation has been extended. Get your sexy ass back in this bed.”

  He twisted to show her said ass. “You think my ass is sexy?”

  “Oh Lord. Fishing for compliments is not a good look.” But she still cracked a smile.

  He climbed into bed and kissed her before sliding his arm beneath her head and pulling her close. “Everyone needs to hear good things on occasion.”

  She threw her leg over his and the feel of her smooth skin against him was a turn-on. She kissed his chest and asked, “Are you spending the night?”

  “I can, but I’ll have to leave early enough to go home to change before going to the office. I want to be at Bishop’s when the appraiser is working.”

  “Excellent. Then let’s set an extra early alarm so we can do that again. It’ll keep you relaxed while Keaton is yelling at you all red-faced with neck veins bulging.”

  Logan reached for his phone and set an alarm. “My veins would be ready to burst too if I was looking at losing all that money. It’s kind of a brilliant scam. To sell a forgery, make the money and still have the original to sell at a later date.”

  “He must not be all that brilliant if he’s been caught,” she said sleepily.

  “True.”

  Mia dozed in his arms, but Logan couldn’t sleep. His mind raced with all the possibilities. If Bishop did, in fact, still have the original, why get so angry? It would make more sense to demand a certified appraisal and make Mia look like an idiot. He could switch out the forgery for the original by tomorrow.

  Unless he didn’t have access to the original.

  Or if someone was scamming him. Ingram thought he had the original and it was stolen, but the one that was supposedly stolen was a forgery, or was replaced with a forgery. Something still wasn’t lining up. He was close. He could feel it, but he couldn’t see how things fit together. Maybe proving Bishop’s painting was a forgery would be enough to get him to spill. If they knew who the forger was, they could find out if there were more counterfeits in the Chicago area.

  He finally fell asleep thinking of puzzle pieces.

  The following morning, in the early pinkish-gray light of dawn, Mia kept true to her word and they’d enjoyed round two and then a shower together. Although they’d joked about him being a visitor to her world, part of him wanted to stay with her. Those burgeoning feelings made guilt rise in him
because he was lying to her. As they dried off, he asked, “Do you have time for a cup of coffee? There’s something I want to talk to you about.”

  She hung her towel on the warming rack. “That sounds rather ominous coming from a man who just enjoyed three orgasms in less than twelve hours. But I’ll go make a pot of coffee.”

  She strode from the bathroom totally naked, making him rethink how this might go. After wrapping a short silky robe around herself, she went to the kitchen. Logan gathered all of yesterday’s clothes and redressed, preparing how to tell Mia the truth. It might be a mistake. It could blow his cover, but he didn’t think she’d tell anyone, even if she chose to never see him again. He did believe, however, that not telling her the truth would ruin any chance he had with her.

  As he walked to the kitchen, he rolled the sleeves of his shirt. He heard Mia talking but didn’t hear anyone else’s voice. He paused and debated whether he should wait in the bedroom to give her privacy.

  She sounded upset, and then Logan heard the words that had him surging forward.

  “No, Daddy. That’s not at all what you asked.”

  * * *

  Mia couldn’t believe her ears. Of all the gall.

  “It was quite the simple request, kitten. I told you I needed your art connections. The last thing I wanted was for you to try to tell my friend that he was holding a forgery. I know it’s not a forgery, but now doubt will be cast. You need to go back to Keaton and tell him you were mistaken. Tell the insurance agency that you were... I don’t know—thinking of a different painting or artist. Something to set this right.”

  “I’m not wrong.”

  Logan came into the kitchen, shirt sleeves rolled to his elbows in a careless, casual way that made her want him all over again. His face, however, was filled with concern. She forced a smile and held up a finger to let him know she’d be done soon. Then she gestured to the full coffeepot before heading out to her small balcony. She squinted into the early-morning sun and peered down the block and between buildings to catch a glimpse of the lake. The streets below were packed with rush-hour traffic, but she was high enough that she could talk on the phone and still hear. She lowered her voice. “Keaton’s painting is a forgery, and I won’t lie about it.”