LITMIR.BIZ

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continued to draw the razor down his cheek. She was good. There wasn’t a second that they’d been in Carlo’s office that he’d seen her attention waver from either Carlo or him, but she’d still managed to scan the room for recording devices. “It’s not surprising that he wouldn’t have a camera in his office. That’s his private space. He wouldn’t want someone even on his own security team seeing everything that goes on in there. Or overhearing everything he says on the phone.”

      “Yeah.” She tapped the lollipop against her lips. “That’s the way I figure it, too. But the presence of a guard could mean there’s something very valuable in the safe to protect.”

      “Or the guard could be stationed there to protect Carlo.”

      She shook her head. “He didn’t go with Carlo. He stayed in the room. I’m betting Lisa is Carlo’s bodyguard as well as assistant. And I think she sleeps with him.”

      Chance shot her a questioning glance. That was something he hadn’t noticed. “They’re lovers?”

      “I’d bet good money on it. There’s something in the way that Lisa looks at him.”

      “Your third reason?” Chance rinsed his razor under the faucet.

      She frowned. “It’s harder to explain, but it goes back to games. You mentioned he’s fond of misdirection. So at first, I thought that he showed me the office with the coded access pad to make me think the diamond’s there when it’s really in the gallery. But maybe it’s the other way around—and he took me to the gallery to make me think it’s there while it’s in his office with a coded pad on one door and a guard stationed at the other. Does that make any sense?”

      Chance nodded. “Perfect sense. But we’ll still have to hit both safes.”

      Natalie sighed. “Agreed. But I think we should do the office first.”

      Chance said, “We’ll see.”

      “We should have a definite plan.”

      “I’m working on it. You said two things. What else did you want to talk about?”

      She straightened a bit and rotated her shoulders. “I’m more convinced than ever that Carlo wasn’t behind the shooting.”

      “Be careful.” Chance drew the razor on one final stroke along his jawline. “You’re letting the man get to you again.”

      “No. But I do have to give him points for calling in his private doctor.”

      “Damage control. He doesn’t want it to become public knowledge that guests on his estate run the risk of being shot. And you only liked her because she swabbed my shoulder with something that could take the finish off cars.”

      Her lips curved. “Don’t be such a baby.”

      Chance took a towel off his good shoulder and wiped his face with it. “Remember, all of Brancotti’s charm is on the surface. Underneath, he’s as cold and ruthless as they come. And he’s the most likely candidate. He knew we were both down on the beach—the security cameras would have shown him that. All he had to do was pick up a phone and give the order.”

      Natalie pulled the lollipop out of her mouth. “But he was rattled when we walked in the room. And furious.”

      “Because his men botched the job.”

      “Or because something happened on his estate that took him by surprise, something that he wasn’t in control of. That would piss him off.”

      She had a point. He’d given it some thought himself, but he wasn’t convinced. Chance studied her as he rinsed his razor under the running water. As she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear in a gesture that was pure Natalie, something tightened around his heart. When the job was done, he was going to miss working with her, pitting himself against the sharp mind of hers. He was going to miss her. Period.

      “Carlo didn’t like it at all when he thought we might leave.” Pausing, she pointed the lollipop at him. “I didn’t appreciate that little improvisation either. It wasn’t part of the plan.”

      He shrugged. “I have trouble sticking to plans. I wanted to see his reaction.” He recalled hers—the tears that had sprung to her eyes. Would she miss working with him? Miss him?

      “Rachel…”

      “Hmmmm?”

      As she met his eyes, he watched that total concentration shift to him. If he told her the truth now—that he’d known all along she was Natalie Gibbs—he might be able to convince her to go.

      “What is it?” she asked.

      As he played with a strand of her hair, he knew that he wasn’t going to tell her—for the same reason that he hadn’t pushed the issue in Carlo’s office. In spite of the danger, in spite of everything, he wanted her with him for as long as he could have her.

      “I want you,” he said.

      The tiny line appeared on her forehead again. “We should nail down details for tonight.”

      “Okay.” He hung up his towel and turned to her. It was then that he noticed the line of dried blood on the top of her foot. “You didn’t tell me that you were hurt.”

      She glanced down. “I’m not. It’s just a scratch.”

      Chance plugged the sink and turned the faucets on. “That defense strategy didn’t work for me.” He paid no heed to her grumbled comments as he drew her feet into the water.

      “Ouch.”

      “I thought it was only men who were babies.” Ignoring her little huff of breath, he lifted the injured foot out of the water, placed the sole in the palm of his hand and began to massage soap gently over the scratch. It was merely a scratch, he discovered, but there was more than one.

      “I can do that,” she said.

      “Yes,” he agreed amiably as he slipped a soapy finger in and out between her toes. “But why don’t you tell me what you believe would be a good plan for tonight?”

      “I think we ought to…”

      “Yes?” He ran a hand up her calf to the back of her knee.

      “Since there are two safes…we should…”

      Watching her, he moved his fingers up the inside of her thigh. “We’re not sure there are two safes.”

      “There are. I’m sure…you’re distracting me.”

      “Really?” He traced his fingers back down her calf and rinsed her foot. “You’re the most focused person I know.”

      “Two safes…two people…the most…efficient way to handle it would be…”

      Her last words had come out in a rush, Chance noted as he lifted her foot and pressed his mouth to the scratch. He heard the quick catch of her breath. And when he turned, he saw the mix of desire and confusion in her eyes. It struck him then that he’d never once taken the time to seduce her. Oh, he’d made love to her, but it had always been fast and hot. Wonderful in its own way, but… He watched her eyes darken as he ran his tongue along the scratch, then took one quick nip at the arch of her foot.

      “Chance, I…”

      “You were saying that the most efficient way to handle it would be to…?” Lowering her foot, he leaned in and brushed his mouth over hers.

      “I can’t think when you…do that.”

      “How about this?” He traced her lips with his tongue. “You taste like cherry lollipop.” Then he shifted his attention to her other foot. This time he ran his hand up to the inside of her thigh and let it linger there. “You were saying…?”

      “You’re making it…hard to think.”

      He was

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