Warmth tingled over her scalp. Her breath caught. “Yes. I was in Ireland to steal the McDougall emeralds.”
Theo stiffened. “That was you?”
“Aye,” she said, missing her homeland all of a sudden. “McDougall had stolen them first, which you probably already knew. I just stole them back for the original owners.” A sweet little couple from way up north. They had them hidden to this day. “My da and I were a good team.” Lord, she missed him. So very much. She had to succeed in this mission. No matter what.
“I’m sorry about your father. I heard he passed during the last war,” Theo said quietly, caressing through her hair.
Sadness tried to take her, and she banished it, considering she wasn’t telling the whole truth. “Yes. We were moving guns for the demons, and he ran afoul of some Kurjan soldiers.” Then her life had taken a decidedly bad turn. “It’s been ten years, and I still think he’s going to call me up with a job.” Of course, he wasn’t really dead. But Theo didn’t know that.
“What about your so-called mate?” Theo leaned in, his nose near to hers. “I know you never mated.”
She brightened. “That was the only way I could get Jared to go follow his dream and be a pirate. He was so honorable. One kiss, and he thought I needed protection for life.” She cleared her throat. “At first, I had a lifetime of debts to repay because of my dad’s gambling. But he stopped gambling and we worked together. So breaking and entering, robbing and bribing, became, well, fun.”
“Fun?” Theo growled.
“Yes.” If Theo got any closer, his mouth would be on hers. Her thighs moved restlessly. Aye, she’d wondered through the years about him. Now he was so damn close. Did she have the courage to take a nip? “Let’s not talk about your brother when we’re in bed, Theo.”
“Why not?” he asked, his voice hoarse.
“Because of this.” Finally, she moved forward and kissed him.
Chapter 5
Theo’s entire body jolted. His mind spun from her revelations of being a thief, a famous one, but right now his body ruled. Her soft lips worked his mouth, tentatively at first, and then with passion. Her small hands spread across his chest and over his shoulders, and she pressed into him with only the thin sheet and his old sweats as barriers.
He’d had more dreams about her than he could count. It had killed him when she’d chosen his brother to dick over instead of him. Yet he tightened his hold in her thick hair and tugged her back.
She gave a small sound of protest and then met his gaze. Passion had darkened her eyes to deep sapphire. “Theo?” she breathed.
His cock pounded with her so near. A part of him, one he didn’t like, whispered to shut the hell up and take what she was offering. But she was a master with men, and he’d actually had a crush on her eons ago. “I like this new honesty thing you have going on, but I don’t trust you.”
Her eyes widened and then she laughed. Humor spilled from her. “Oh, that makes sense.” She hummed and spread her fingers out over his shoulders. “I’ve never, not once, seduced a man like this.”
He lifted an eyebrow.
She grinned and bit her lip. “I mean naked in bed. I’ve never slept with a mark or used sex.” She ducked her head. “I’ve used wiles and promises, but never actual sex. I’m not that bad, Theo.”
God, she was cute. Every nerve he owned wanted to believe her, and his gut said she was telling the truth. His body was already hers… He just had to protect his brain. But it was difficult with her soft skin and sweet scent so close. Finally. He wanted inside her and now. “Where’s my file, Ginny?” he asked.
Her straight teeth played with her lip. “You can’t have it. Sorry.” She sighed and released him.
Damn it. He wanted those hands back on his skin. Now. “So you at least admit you stole it.”
“Yep.”
He blinked. “What game are you playing now?”
She tugged the sheet up more and wiggled around a little, as if trying to get comfortable. Good to know he wasn’t the only one hurting. “You saved me, so no more lies. I’m not lying to you ever again. So the truth is that I stole the file, I’m keeping it, and you can’t have it back.”
Now he laughed. “Ginny, you’re not the only one who’s led an interesting life.”
“I know all about you, Theo.” She reached out and ran a finger down his jugular, sending shock waves through his body. “I know what you did in the last war. Your reputation as a soldier and a sniper. Things your brothers probably don’t even know.”
He frowned and leaned back. She knew about him? “Bullshit.”
“They call you the Phantom. Because you can get the job done without leaving a trace. You can also get answers.” She hummed. “The demons call you the Interrogator. Such a boring name.”
Yet he’d earned both names. “Those are both stupid and don’t come close to describing actions in war.” The woman wasn’t the only one with nightmares. “Apparently you’ve kept track of me.” He wasn’t sure he liked her knowing so much about him. His secrets were his own, damn it.
