Who the fuck is he?

A thread of something pulled at the back of my mind, but I didn't have time to examine it at the moment. We rounded a corner with him ahead of me by some twenty-five or thirty yards. But my heels slipped on the marble. When my hand caught the edge of the door to stop myself from taking a tumble, it was as if he heard me almost fall, and he slowed, turning slightly. Our gazes met, and when I saw the moss green of his eyes, I knew for certain. I knew it was him. “Whatever you're stealing, give it up.”

This time instead of a smirk under his mask, I knew it was a full-blown grin, and that was all the confirmation I needed. I kicked off my shoes, bent down to scoop them up, and sprinted. 

His eyes went wide, and he ran literally like he stole something. He exited through one of the side doors, into the gardens, and I was on his tail.

I knew this side of the property led to a massive downward slope and a maze of gardens, lush greenery, and a massive koi pond. Like something on Pemberley.

Apparently East knew it as well as I did, because instead of taking the steps that led down to the gardens, he bolted down the hillside.

I gave chase, giving up no quarter.

I was gaining on him. Closer, closer. And then from the higher vantage point, I launched myself at him. And just in that moment, he turned, his eyes wide. And he stopped running.

My heart stuttered and stopped. I was going to collide with him.

When I slammed into his body, he caught me easily, wrapping his arms around me, and we rolled together, his body taking the brunt of the impact as we rolled through the field of the flowers.

When we landed, I groaned. My bones felt like they'd been shoved into a bag and shaken around. I tried to reach for his mask, and he angled his head away from me, one arm locked around my waist, the other trying to control my two hands. “Take the mask off. I know it's you, East.”

We both stilled, and he blinked at me. “Agent Kinkade, what were you doing in the hallway?”

“Says the man who is dressed like a thief?”

“For all you know, this is the latest in black tie,” he groaned as he shifted.

“What did you steal?”

He shook his head and tried to stand.

“Oh no you don't.” I started to pat him down. And then realized, to my chagrin, that I was sitting astride him, my hips locked over his. And to any passerby, it would look like we were… Oh, God.

I tried to shove against his chest and stand over him, but something stopped me. And it wasn't his arm around my waist. Something tugged at my dress, and there was a tearing sound.

We both glanced at where we were joined. He had some kind of hook or something, and it was latched into the knot of my dress. I tried again to free myself, and the dress tore again.

I glanced down, realizing that the knot of the dress was basically what held the whole damn thing together. If he tore it, my dress would be slit open and my tits would be flapping in the wind.

He must have realized the same thing that I did in that moment, because he grinned. “Oh, what a predicament. If you move, I see your tits.” He licked his bottom lip. “And I can tell you that I have been having some very dirty fantasies about what they look like up close. Are you going to give me a show? As you know Agent Kincade, I do like to watch.”

His voice was low and husky and sexy, and what the fuck was the question?

My eyes opened wide as I became even more hyper-aware of where else we were joined.

His chuckle was soft as he laid back down on the grass. “Don't mind him. He can just feel how warm you are. And I can't help but imagine you being wet and all the other ways and reasons we could be in this position.”

“Shut up, you oaf. You have to unlatch me.” 

“I don't have to do anything. If you stand up, your dress tears open. And then, well, I'm still clothed, and you're not. So you'll have a lot of explaining to do. And I'll be out.” He wiggled, and I heard more tearing sounds. I clapped a hand on his throat. “Stop fucking moving.” 

He chuckled. “Ooh, kinky. I think I like it. Squeeze tighter, love.” 

My hands were small. I would need two hands to choke him out, and it wouldn't be for fun. 

“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” 

“I would.” 

“You're a thief.”

“No, not really,” he mumbled. 

“You're dressed in a balaclava, and you look like you've stolen the fucking crown jewels. What else could you be but a thief?” 

“That answer's a little complicated, and I'm not going to tell you.” 

“What the fuck were you doing in Walter Jameson’s office?”

“Again, princess, my lips are sealed.”

“I can just take it off of you.” 

He rolled us over so that I was beneath him, and I gasped with the shock of the positioning. I was even more aware of that bulge. 

Oh, hell. 

I felt him pressed directly against my clit, and I bit back the moan. 

And of course he could feel my body's response to him, and his hips hitched just so. I slammed my teeth over my bottom lip, and I turned away so he wouldn't see. 

“There's no hiding your response to me, love. Pretend it’s involuntary. I only rolled you over like this so maybe it’ll be a little easier to detach us and you still get to stay dressed.”

“I thought you wanted me naked.” 

He grinned down at me, his gaze slipping to my breasts and then back to my eyes. “Oh, trust me, I do. But I like my women willing. And right now, despite the fact that I can feel your heat, I want you undressing for me. I don't want it to be a result of me accidentally tearing your dress. If I do tear your dress, I want you to be well aware it's going to happen. And I want you to want it.” 

I swallowed hard. The way he said it, the way his voice went low and mellow, made something pool low in my belly. “Is that what you like? The ones who are like, ‘Oh, yes. Sure. Go ahead. Rip this ridiculously expensive dress from my body.'”

“I like the way you say it. Does that count?” 

“Just get off of me.” 

“I would, love, but then you'd be naked in the moonlight. And there's nothing to stop me from leaving you like that.” 

My eyes flared wide. “You wouldn't.” 

“Am I a gentleman or a thief?” 

“Can't you be a gentleman and a thief?” 

He grinned then. “I beg to differ. But again, I'm not exactly a thief.” 

“What did Jameson have that you needed to steal?” 

“Nothing. Who said I stole anything?” 

“You were leaving his office, and you're wearing a black balaclava.” 

“That just happened to be my outfit today. I thought it was a masquerade event.” 

“You're lying.” 

He leaned close. “I also happen to know that no one was supposed to be in that hallway, so what were you doing down there?” 

I flashed my gaze to his. “None of your business.” He wouldn’t believe me if I said the other loo was occupied.

His lips tipped up into a smirk. “Ah, the Interpol agent. Going rogue, are we?” 

“This isn't a movie. I'm not rogue. I was just looking for the loo.” 

He chuckled then. “Oh my God, you are a shitty liar. Everything you're feeling shows right here.” His fingers indicated along my cheek. I could almost feel the heat of him brushing my face. And I wanted him to touch me. 

“You don't know me at all.”

He leaned close then, and I tipped my chin up. “Are you sure about that? Because right now you're in the moonlight, and I can tell that your pupils have dilated. The way you're hips are rotating just so, I can tell that you can feel my dick. And the way your teeth keep grazing over that bottom lip of yours, it's tempting me to bite it, and I know you want me to. You're just not ready to say the words yet.” 

My brain was foggy, and heat pulsed between my thighs. But I wasn’t going down like that. Through my teeth I asked, “What did you steal?” 

He grinned. “God, Agent Kinkade, I feel like this is kind of our foreplay. And if this is the foreplay you like, it's turning me on very, very much. But I'm sure you can feel that, can't you?” 

Hell fucking yeah, I felt that. He was… big. 

Big? That thing's huge. 

Okay, fine, he was huge. And God, was he getting harder? I could feel him twitch against me, and I bit my lip again. 

“Agent Kinkade, if you keep that up, I'm going to start to think that you like this.” 

I narrowed my gaze even as my hips lifted. “Get off of me.” 

“Then stop writhing against me like you want me to fuck you.” 

“I am not writhing.” I was totally writhing.

But then I felt him twitch against me again, and my hips rotated. Stupid hips.

“Go ahead, tell me another lie, why don't you?” 

“You're rubbing against me. It's not my fault.”

“Mm-hmm, sure. Now if you'd just let me…” His fingers moved between our bodies, and I held my breath. I could feel my breasts straining against the top of the dress. I was going to spill out any second. 

“Fuck, the way the moonlight catches your skin, you look like shimmering gold. Do you have any idea how sexy you are?” 

I swallowed hard. “Does this usually work for you as a dating tactic?” 

He chucked again. “You know, you are the most obstinate woman I've ever met. And I don't know why, but fuck, that turns me on.” 

I wiggled again. And he moaned this time. “Agent Kinkade, if you would like for me to get us separated, I need you to stop grinding against me and sit fucking still. And I need you to stop biting that bottom lip, because if you do it again, I will kiss you.” 

The thing about dares was that I’d never met one I could turn down. I wasn't impulsive, I just didn't like to be told what to do. I didn't want to be controlled. I didn't want anyone manipulating me. I could do what I wanted with my body. 

And, okay, fine, it was involuntary. 

I tried to keep still, I did. But it was as if my subconscious knew what I wanted or was determined to rebel against his command. Either way, I lifted my hips, and he groaned. And then his lips were on mine, his tongue sliding along the seam of my lips, and I gasped. That simple gasp gave him access, and his tongue delved into my mouth and licked against mine as his hips ground into me. 

And instead of shoving him off of me, my hands, my traitorous hands went into his hair and locked him into place. And fuck, what the hell was wrong with me? He was the enemy. And he was clearly up to no good, and God, he tasted so goddamn good. He tasted like champagne and poor decisions and fun and sunshine, and God, I could kiss him forever. 

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