heirloom, and all that was left of a great fortune and heritage.” She escorted him up the stairs, keeping a close eye on him in case he tried anything foolish. “Not that you would understand the concept of possession. A thief values nothing, has an absolute disregard for the people he robs.”
“In my defense,” he stated as he slowly mounted the stairs, “I’ve only ever stolen from people who could easily afford doing with a few baubles less.”
“That’s not true!” she spat. “All Mom had were those pearls, and when you took them, she had nothing left.”
He looked over his shoulder, arching an eyebrow, then darted a pointed look at the opulent hallway, decorated with expensive artwork, the marble stairs he trod on lined with a burgundy jacquard carpet runner. “I beg to differ.”
She felt her face flush, anger rising to her cheeks. “Everything you see here was paid for with money that was honestly earned. My father put in long hours to provide a decent life for his family and I won’t apologize for his success. He’s worked very hard to achieve it.”
“So did I.”
They’d arrived on the top step, and when he looked down at her, she suddenly felt in a position of disadvantage. Not only was he towering over her, but the sly smile playing about his lips told her he was laughing at her, mocking her and the values she stood for. The man respected nothing—had not an ounce of respect for anything. To him, she was probably a curiosity, a woman with integrity and values.
She brushed past him, furious. “You couldn’t possibly understand,” she sneered. “For a man without honor—without values—it’s impossible to appreciate people who do possess those rare traits.”
In a sudden, fluid motion, he reached out and grabbed her wrist, holding it in a surprisingly strong grip.
“I do have values, my dear,” he bit with startling ferocity.
She frowned, trying to jerk herself free from his grasp. She only managed to be pulled closer to the infernal man, his dark eyes boring into hers as he was studying her face.
“I have very strong convictions about a lot of things, including women,” he muttered, then suddenly pressed his lips to hers, and was stealing a kiss, his mouth crashing down on hers with a passion she hadn’t thought him capable of.
For a moment, she was stunned, and didn’t move, the warmth and softness of his lips eliciting a surprised moan. His body was hard and firm as she was drawn against him, his arms circling her, pinning her to him. For a brief moment, time was suspended, and her soft curves yielded against his hardness. Then she pushed back hard, pressing her hands against his chest.
Disgusted, she stared daggers at him, and when his lips curled up into a smile of triumph, she could have thrown him down the stairs, simply for his nerve.
“How dare you!” she spat, then slapped him across the face.
He didn’t budge, but merely touched his fingers to his lips, as if savoring the memory of the stolen kiss. “Very nice,” he murmured. “Very nice indeed.” Then his smile widened, and he added, “We should do this again sometime, Glynis.”
“Never!” she cried.
He merely grinned, and stared at her like a cat at a mouse, with that mocking expression firmly in place.
She shivered, and suddenly wondered if engaging Thomas Spencer’s services had been such a good idea after all. The man had rattled her, and no man had ever accomplished that particular feat before.
CHAPTER 11
It wasn’t too much to say that the confrontation with Glynis had rattled Thomas. The way she’d felt in his arms had been intoxicating. Especially since she seemed to hate him so much. Yet when he kissed her, she’d responded with a warmth that surprised him. He’d merely wanted to get some of his own back, after the taunts and the threats, and the only way he figured he could do that was by wiping that furious expression from her face with a kiss.
And then something inexplicable
“In my defense,” he stated as he slowly mounted the stairs, “I’ve only ever stolen from people who could easily afford doing with a few baubles less.”
“That’s not true!” she spat. “All Mom had were those pearls, and when you took them, she had nothing left.”
He looked over his shoulder, arching an eyebrow, then darted a pointed look at the opulent hallway, decorated with expensive artwork, the marble stairs he trod on lined with a burgundy jacquard carpet runner. “I beg to differ.”
She felt her face flush, anger rising to her cheeks. “Everything you see here was paid for with money that was honestly earned. My father put in long hours to provide a decent life for his family and I won’t apologize for his success. He’s worked very hard to achieve it.”
“So did I.”
They’d arrived on the top step, and when he looked down at her, she suddenly felt in a position of disadvantage. Not only was he towering over her, but the sly smile playing about his lips told her he was laughing at her, mocking her and the values she stood for. The man respected nothing—had not an ounce of respect for anything. To him, she was probably a curiosity, a woman with integrity and values.
She brushed past him, furious. “You couldn’t possibly understand,” she sneered. “For a man without honor—without values—it’s impossible to appreciate people who do possess those rare traits.”
In a sudden, fluid motion, he reached out and grabbed her wrist, holding it in a surprisingly strong grip.
“I do have values, my dear,” he bit with startling ferocity.
She frowned, trying to jerk herself free from his grasp. She only managed to be pulled closer to the infernal man, his dark eyes boring into hers as he was studying her face.
“I have very strong convictions about a lot of things, including women,” he muttered, then suddenly pressed his lips to hers, and was stealing a kiss, his mouth crashing down on hers with a passion she hadn’t thought him capable of.
For a moment, she was stunned, and didn’t move, the warmth and softness of his lips eliciting a surprised moan. His body was hard and firm as she was drawn against him, his arms circling her, pinning her to him. For a brief moment, time was suspended, and her soft curves yielded against his hardness. Then she pushed back hard, pressing her hands against his chest.
Disgusted, she stared daggers at him, and when his lips curled up into a smile of triumph, she could have thrown him down the stairs, simply for his nerve.
“How dare you!” she spat, then slapped him across the face.
He didn’t budge, but merely touched his fingers to his lips, as if savoring the memory of the stolen kiss. “Very nice,” he murmured. “Very nice indeed.” Then his smile widened, and he added, “We should do this again sometime, Glynis.”
“Never!” she cried.
He merely grinned, and stared at her like a cat at a mouse, with that mocking expression firmly in place.
She shivered, and suddenly wondered if engaging Thomas Spencer’s services had been such a good idea after all. The man had rattled her, and no man had ever accomplished that particular feat before.
CHAPTER 11
It wasn’t too much to say that the confrontation with Glynis had rattled Thomas. The way she’d felt in his arms had been intoxicating. Especially since she seemed to hate him so much. Yet when he kissed her, she’d responded with a warmth that surprised him. He’d merely wanted to get some of his own back, after the taunts and the threats, and the only way he figured he could do that was by wiping that furious expression from her face with a kiss.
And then something inexplicable
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