Stealing His Heart (Shillings Agency 2)

“Oh, you definitely earned one, but it’ll wait.”

Her heartbeat escalated. She loved his “punishments,” and he knew it. “But I didn’t do anything wrong.”

He switched on the light and leaned against the wall, his arms crossed and his brows up. “So you sneaked into my office when you knew I wasn’t here because—?”

“I knew you were here.”

He snorted. “You’re a horrible liar.”

“You tricked me again.”

He grinned. “Someone has to do it. You’ve been getting too cocky about your skill lately, with all these men fawning all over you.”

She propped her hip on the door. “Jealous of our coworkers?”

“You know I am.” He shoved off the wall and went behind his desk. “When it comes to you, I’m not the slightest bit reasonable. I’m the only one who gets to bring you home and make you come all night long. Only I know how those sweet lips feel wrapped around my— ”

“Shhh.” She flushed and peeked over her shoulder, but there was no denying the arousal his words brought to life inside her. Hearing him describe the way he felt when she went down on him made her want to drop to her knees in front of him. “Someone might hear you.”

He laughed. “We’re alone. I wouldn’t talk about you like that if we weren’t. You’re mine.”

“I noticed,” she said drily.

He shrugged. “So I’m possessive. It’s part of my package deal.”

“And I love every second of it.” She crossed the room. “Why did you trick me into coming here? Spill it.”

“What makes you think I wanted you in here?”

“You’ve been leaving me little hints all over the place for the last two weeks that something is in your desk. Something valuable and huge.” She sat down in the chair and crossed her legs. “Then, tonight, you supposedly go out on an assignment after ten at night, and leave the key on the nightstand table? You wanted me in here. Why?”

He motioned toward the desk. “Open it and find out.”

“Is this a trick?”

“Nope.”

She stood and came around to the other side. Watching him the whole time, she slid the key into the latch and pulled the drawer open. She bent down and squinted inside. Shaking her head, she turned back to

him as she said, “Not a trick, huh? There’s nothing—” She broke off and covered her mouth. “Oh my God.”

He was in the same spot as before, only he had dropped to his knees. He held a brilliant marquise-cut diamond ring, and he had that endearing vulnerability of uncertainty in his gaze again. The one she’d seen only once before, when he told her he wanted to love her.

“Tara, you’ve completed me. I never thought I could be so happy until you came along and showed me how. I know we’ve been living together for six months now, and people said we moved too fast”—he took a deep breath—“but I don’t think we moved fast enough. I’ve known you for years, but now I want to know you’re mine. I want to make it official, and I hope to spend the rest of my life trying to make you as happy as you’ve made me.”

“You already have,” she managed to say, though she could barely speak through her swollen throat. “So much.”

“But I’ve barely begun.” He held the ring higher. “Tara Harris, ex-thief, owner of my heart, and genius—will you do me the honor of being my wife?”

She nodded, tears blurring her vision. “Yes. Oh my God, yes.”

He grinned and stood up, hauling her close and kissing her. She clung to his shoulders, her heart hammering in her ears, and he ravished her mouth. By the time he pulled back and broke off the kiss, she’d almost forgotten where they were.

And what he’d been doing.

Jake slid the ring onto her finger. It was a perfect fit, but of course it would be. He wouldn’t have it any other way. “I love you.”

Tara grinned at him and sniffed. “I love you, too.”