Thief of Mine (8 page)

“Sure you’re not.” Kit knew an excellent remedy for
frustration and anger and that was to have more sex. And he planned on doing so
with Ms Rowallan very soon. But that would be when she was calmer. There was no
point trying to hold on to a wildcat who did not want to be held.

“And we only had sex twice so you can hardly say ask if I ‘always’
get stroppy.” Damn man was not going to tell her how she felt.

“What about when I had my fingers inside you at the wedding
table? What was that?” Kit found it cute that a woman of the times could still
blush as Stella did.

“That was…” What was that? Most likely it was a prelude to
losing control and doing what she craved. Preludes sucked. “That was you being
manipulative.”

“You could have stopped me and screamed at my offensive
behavior yet you met me outside and had sex with me,” Kit pointed out.

“Whatever.”‘ Stella knew it was an inadequate response to
essentially what was an honest of assessment of the situation but there were
times for honesty and this wasn’t one of them.

Seeing Stella didn’t want to pursue that line of thought any
longer, Kit slid the key into the lock, turning it as he went. As much as he
would like to focus on Stella Rowallan, the idol was why there were there.

Stella moved over to look inside the locker. There was only
a khaki green duffle bag within. How disappointing.

“Have you got the right locker?”

“What did you expecting? The Arc of the Covenant with
lightning bolts shooting out?” Kit pulled the bag out and shut the locker.

“Smart ass…” Stella muttered. Maybe she had expected more.
It wasn’t everyday you got caught up with a thief and an ancient idol.

“Come along.” Kit grabbed Stella’s elbow and started
walking. They had what they came for and he was a great believer in getting out
while the going was good.

Stella trotted along beside him.

“I want to see the idol.”

“Not now.”

“What? I come all this way with you and I don’t get to look
at it?” That hardly seemed fair to Stella. There had to be some reward to all
this. She was still in two minds as to whether great sex was a reward.

“You can look at it the car.”

“But I want to go home.” Stella had visions of having a
sneak peek at the idol and borrowing train fare from the thief before she shook
his hand in farewell.

“I’ll be taking you home.”

Stella tossed up her options. Get a train and never see the
idol and Kit again? Or take him to her home and look at the idol? But then what
did she do with him at her home? Was it likely he would leave her in the
driveway and drive off? Decisions, decisions. None of them had to involve sex,
so essentially a decision should be easy enough to make. Eany meaney miney mo…

“Fine you can take me home but you’re not staying.” Yep,
Stella was pleased that she sounded like she was back in control. Now she just
had to act it.

Once in the car, Stella insisted on looking at the idol
straight away. Curiosity may have killed the cat but a curious Stella was no
pussy cat when impatient.

Kit would have liked to have waited until they got to
somewhere safer but he could see the woman needed to be appeased. He pulled the
carefully wrapped idol out of the bag and handed it Stella.

“How do you know which one is the real one?” It was not like
you could make a big red cross on it, was it? That surely had to affect resale
value.

“I just know.” Kit had wrapped the real one securely to
allow no chance of mishap.

Stella gently pulled back the soft covering and looked at
the face of the idol. She was incredibly aware that she held several thousand
years of history in her hand. It was about the size of her hand, made of stone
and smooth and worn to the touch. It seemed such a simple thing for people to
be fighting over to win for their own. The face of the feminine idol stared
back at her stoically. Skilful hands had carved a face of great reverence. The
eyes were almond shaped, the nose aristocratic and the hair bound and wavy. Was
it a goddess? Stella wondered as she took in the exaggerated curves of the
figure. It definitely indicated fertility. The carved breasts were large and
idol’s hips indicated great ability for child bearing. Who was this woman and
how did she come to attain the power to make modern man fight over her to
acquire her? She knew instinctively it was wrong for any one person to own it.

“You have to return this, Kit. This is history and it’s
important.” She could feel that just by holding it in her hand. It was almost
like a warmth was radiating from the idol making her skin tingle. Possibly a
foolish feeling, but then again there were a lot of unexplainable things that
happened in life. All Stella knew was that it an ancient treasure that belonged
to everyone.

Kit smiled softly. Stella had called him by his first name
without thinking. It sounded good on her lips. And he was not surprised she
wanted to return it. The light in her eyes told him she understood the
importance of this idol to the country it belonged to. He felt a pang of guilt
at his actions.

“I will return it.” The words were out of his mouth before
he had time to think of all the reasons why they should have remained inside.

“You promise?” Suddenly it seemed really important to get
Kit’s word on this, almost as if the carved woman was urging her on.

“I’d promise you anything, princess.” And that was no lie.
Kit Kincaid knew in that one moment this woman had been destined to become the
most important woman in his life. It was weird how epiphanies came out of the
blue and hit you between the eyes when you least expected it.

Would Kit promise her anything? Most likely. Could she
trust him? Believe him? Did she want promises fulfilled by him or did she just
need that ice cream and a good night’s sleep?

“Just return it, that’s all I ask.” Because that was all
Stella knew she could get for the moment.

Chapter Five

“Well this is nice and messy,” Kit commented as Stella
opened the door to her home. He had deliberately followed her up the steps not
giving her any chance to escape him. Kit knew if Stella closed the door on him
and his presence she would be reluctant to open it up again. He looked around
at the disorder. Books were stacked in haphazard piles, clothes were slung
carelessly over chairs and dust catchers and assorted clutter littered what
seemed like every available surface.

“You’re a thief. You can hardly make judgments on others.”

Who invited him in here anyway? Kit was just supposed to
drop her off, and not come to the door and then follow her inside making comments
about her stuff. She knew she wasn’t a neat person by nature. Stella did not
have to be. She lived alone and she liked it that way. She didn’t have to
justify herself to anyone, especially not a thief. But Kit had followed her
into her home without so much as a by-your-leave. Stella had a feeling Kit had
the ability to go anywhere he wanted just by the sheer force of his
personality. And, at this moment, she was too tired to fight him. Luckily for
her, despite leaving her purse and keys at the reception, she had the foresight
a long time ago to hide a spare house key out among the potted plants in her
front garden. However she suspected Kit probably had a knack of entering places
with the minimum of effort. She herself was evidence of that.

Stella turned to look at him. She never realized how tall he
was. He had a masculinity that could overwhelm a woman. It wasn’t threatening,
it was just there, unavoidable and making you think about stuff you didn’t want
to. He had momentarily overwhelmed her but she was back on track and not going
down the “having sex with Kit Kincaid” path again. Well, that was the plan. And
maybe her original plan A had not worked out so well and it had indeed led to
plan B but now she was onto plan C—accept what happened and move on.

“So is there some hidey hole or den of thieves you hide out
at?”

And can you please go to it now, Stella nearly added.

Kit had a very nice and expensive apartment in the heart of
Brisbane city, however, if Stella wanted to think it was something more glamorous
or fictional than that so be it. He wanted to encourage any interest she showed
in him at all. Kit didn’t want her hardening her heart to him as the
possibilities for the future for them were endless as far as he was concerned.

“I thought I’d stick around here and keep you company.” He
saw Stella stiffen at this. He knew she wasn’t as indifferent to him as she was
trying to make out.

“Why?” And what exactly was his idea of “keeping company”,
as if she did not already know? And while having sex again with him was not an
unwelcome idea, it was also not a smart one. Her thoughts and emotions were
screwed up enough at the moment.

“Because I’m a friendly guy.” He smiled down at her.

“I have enough friends.” Though none had that killer smile.

“What about lovers?” Kit could only think of one lover in
particular for Stella Rowallan—himself.

There was no way was Stella was going to allow herself to
get all hot and flustered by Kit and he could take that sultry come and get me
look and shove it.

“Okay, what is it?” She put her hands on her hips and went
on the defensive.

If Stella was trying to turn him off her, she was failing.
Her jacket was riding up once again and Kit tried hard not to look down.

“Can’t a man hang out with a woman who intrigues him?”

“Do most women fall for this line, O King of Crap?”

Kit threw back his head and laughed.

“I really like you.”

And Stella could say the same thing back, but where would
that get her?

“I’m taking a punt here but I reckon you don’t want to
venture to your bat cave because you’re worried about Camille and her merry
band of weirdos attacking you and nicking the idol back. Is this correct?” It
had to do with her “intriguing” him, which was disappointing but she could deal
with that.

“Yes there is that possibility but there is another reason.”
Kit moved in close to Stella.

“And that is?” This habit of his of being up close and
personal made her heart beat awfully erratically. The man should have a warning
label attached to him.

“I want to make love to you again.” Kit put his finger to
her lips to stop the words he knew she was gong to say. “And you know it’s not
just sex between us.”

Stella pushed his finger away. She had never felt this alive
at anyone’s touch before. A simple finger on her lips could undo her.

“And how do I know that?” She knew the answer but when
unsure of herself playing dumb and being stubborn was her forte.

“Because you feel the same thing I do.”

“What? Tired and wanting to have a shower?”

Kit pulled the photos that had been taken earlier out of his
pocket and handed them to Stella.

“Look at us together. Look at you…the passion in your eyes
as you give yourself up to the moment. Have you honestly ever felt that way
with anyone else?” Kit knew the answer was no, he just wanted to hear it from
Stella.

No, she hadn’t. She looked down at the photos. They were
back and white and her hands shook as she took in the images. Bloody hell. Was
that her with her back arched and breasts flung forward as she rode Kit to
fiery completion. She looked wild and out of control and like she never wanted
to stop. The photos were so hot. She had never seen anything like them. Kit’s
mouth on her breast and her hands cradling his head as she held him to her,
made her feel a familiar tingling and tightening between her legs. Stella
wanted to do all that again with Kit but slower and longer, then faster and
harder. But where would that get her? She wasn’t into one night stands and Kit
Kincaid looked like a definite one nighter to her.

“The bottom line, Stella Rowallan, is that you are a smart,
sexy and beautiful woman who I want to spend time with. I like the way you
think and talk and I like the way your body fits mine so perfectly. Is it a bad
thing having great sex with someone you’re so in tune with?”

Wow. The sincerity in his voice really got to her. How did
she answer that with anything other than “No”? Anything else would be a lie.

“Um, I’m…going to have a shower.” Stella desperately needed
time to think and she did her best thinking in the shower. “You can leave or
stay or whatever…” Stella shook her head in wonder and confusion. “I don’t
really know what to do with you.”

Kit could see the vulnerability in her eyes and the
truthfulness of her admission. He felt strange warmth in his chest and felt
happier than he had in a long time.

“I know princess.”

How could he know her? He had only just met her yet
somehow there was something there but what?
She turned and went up the hall
to her bathroom. If Kit was still there when she came out she would think about
what to do with him then.

* * * * *

The warm water running over her breasts felt wonderful.
Stella flung her head back and gave in to the sensation.

Kit had never seen a lovelier sight in his life than Stella
Rowallan naked and glistening wet with her full breasts arched forward into the
shower’s spray. He could have watched her for hours. But he had other more
intimate plans. Kit quickly removed his clothes, dropping them to the floor as
he slid the clear shower door open. He looked down at her rounded womanly ass
and hips that faced him and longed to be joined with her again. He moved in
close and prodded his already erect cock into the cleft of her butt. He knew
she expected him to help make a decision for her.

Stella was not surprised Kit had joined her in the shower.
Part of her had wanted him to and had hoped he would. She knew why he was
there. He craved the same thing she did. To join with someone who fitted them
completely. But another part of her, the one that still claimed to be rational,
hoped Kit wouldn’t come into the bathroom, because the more time she spent with
him, the more she wanted him and that would make it so much harder when he left
her. She did not want to be some pathetic woman listening to lonesome country
songs while crying over a man who could never be hers. She wanted Kit and knew
she could not have him forever so what did she do? Live for the moment or later
regret a moment had passed? Who knew what the answer was? All she knew was his
hands were slippery and smooth as they slowly massaged their way up her body.