Dirty Thief

“That sounds like you were concerned it might not.”

Large hands are on my back, and he rubs my shoulders. “Working with Reggie can be unpredictable.”

He moves my hair away from my neck and presses a kiss against my skin. My insides are definitely heating up now. I reach up and cover his hands with mine, leaning against his chest. Being with Rowan has the power to remove all my anxiety.

“I saw my mother on my way here,” he says softly. A smile is in his voice, and I tilt my head to meet his eyes.

“How did that go?”

“As I suspected, she isn’t the least bothered by Cal missing her command dinner tonight.” I exhale a little laugh, but I can tell that isn’t all he’s about to say.

“And?”

“And she mentioned how pleased she is we’ve finally decided to present Monagasco with an heir.”

My hands tighten on top of his. “She got me,” I confess. “We were in the courtyard and she started asking if I were happy here and didn’t I love you and on and on… Are you mad?”

Warm lips touch the side of my neck again, and I feel him chuckle. “Of course not. I only withheld the information from her for your benefit.”

“I didn’t tell her we’d been successful.”

“Smart girl,” he says.

Turning to face him, I scoot my butt onto the desk beside my laptop. “What time is it?”

His blue eyes spark, and he slides a palm along my outer thigh. “It’s almost five.”

“We’ve already christened this room, but I’m okay to do it again.” I do my best kitten face, and he leans forward to kiss me thoroughly.

My lips are forced apart, and his tongue is in my mouth, finding mine, curling with it, tracing the seam of my lips. He nips my upper lip, then my bottom, and when he pulls back, I’m hot and breathless and ready to go.

He leans forward, pressing the pad of his thumb against my throbbing mouth. I close my lips over it and give it a little suck, and his navy eyes grow darker.

“You have no idea how badly I want to bend you over this desk right now.”

“Show me,” I whisper, and his eyes squeeze shut briefly.

“I have to go out. It’s related to Cal’s business tonight. We’re helping the police track down the fellow behind these murders.”

“Are you missing dinner, too?” Now I’m pouty. I’m hot and wet and horny and pouty.

“I will be at my mother’s dinner, don’t you worry.” He leans forward and kisses me again. “And I hope you’re still observing the no panties rule.”

“I am.”

The naughty smile on his lips is enough to set me on fire, and with one last kiss, he goes to the door and leaves me in the study to melt into my chair. I stay there several moments fantasizing about my sexy husband’s body when I decide I should reply to the German ambassador.

I sit up, placing my fingers on the keys to ask if we can set up a time to meet over the next few days. I offer to bring Suad with me and hit send, immediately forwarding his response to Clare along with the message One at a time. Then I head to my bedroom to prepare for dinner.

Chapter 23

Rowan

Leaving Ava for this meeting is bittersweet. Facing this bastard Vega and forcing him out into the open is an opportunity I welcome, but leaving my beautiful wife when she’s looking at me with those bedroom eyes is pure torture.

“I’m on my way,” I say into the smart watch Cal convinced me to wear. It transcribes my words into a text that is sent to all members of our team.

A thump on my wrist, and I see the text from Cal. We’re in position to follow.