Free Thief of Hearts by MaryJanice Davidson Page B

to be appalled because the D.A. wanted her arrest, not because she stole for a living and that was the biggest, most vicious lie she’d heard from a man yet.
    “So, what?” he was saying. “I figured it out, you’re the notorious A.A. Was that my cue to scream and run away? To never see you again? Was that supposed to make me not attracted to you? Because it failed, failed, failed.”
    Anger at his obtuse nature flared in her and she gladly went with the emotion. She was tired of holding back, tired of forcing cool when he made her feel the exact opposite.
    She slammed her hand on the back of the couch, kicking up a small puff of dust. “Jesus, don’t you get it? I’m not like you, I’ll never be like you. I can’t live in your world and you certainly can’t live in mine. I wanted to protect you from Carlotti until we neutralize him and that’s fine, but that’s all there is.”
    “The hell.” He started toward her and she stumbled back, not trusting herself to stay strong, stay angry, if he touched her. If he touched her, she was going to forget all about their differences…again. “I see your little field trip for what it is. You broke into a mansion and did what you liked there…no one could stop you. Then you went to a fence, who sure isn’t going to turn you in—he’s probably been profiting off your hobbies for years. Then you take me to the worst neighborhood in the city to show me how everyone defers to you. This whole ‘hacking’ thing was supposed to prove that you’re evil incarnate and—tell the truth—you wanted to show me what you could do. You wanted to show off a little. Don’t you get that you don’t have to steal to be worth something?”
    “You don’t understand, I knew you couldn’t under—”
    He swiftly crossed the room to her and put his hands on her shoulders, shaking her as one would a child.
    His face was blazing, but not with anger. With sincerity and passion. “You’re precious in yourself, you need prove nothing, you’ve got so much to offer, you are your own self , Kara and you’re not defined by what you steal or who you can beat up.”
    “I—that’s not—”
    “You think I care that you’re a thief? You think I care that you steal pretty stones and give them to people who don’t have your determination to stay strong? You think I give two shits that the D.A. wants to throw your ass in jail?” The mere act of saying the words made Jared’s expression darken. “He won’t, not while I’m around. Nobody is going to put you in a cage while I’m around, so just stop it, stop running away, stop pretending you don’t feel it, stop telling yourself you don’t want me as badly as I want you.”

    “I—”
    He shook her again and the word was a roar: “Coward!”
    She brought them to the floor with a deft leg sweep, landing squarely on top of his chest. He was still holding her shoulders and she stared into his eyes, dark and blazing. “I am a coward,” she said softly, less than an inch from his mouth, “but only when I remember I have something to lose.” Then she bent down and kissed him. His arms were around her a moment later, his mouth opening beneath hers.
    “Thief,” he said into her mouth. “Took my heart, too, damn you.”
    Then I’m not the only thief in the room , she had time to think, before capitulating to the sensations he effortlessly called up in her. His crisp, clean, utterly masculine scent delighted her, she felt like burying her face in his neck and never letting go. She tugged at his shirt and his fingers were there, frantically unbuttoning it for her and then he was yanking at her t-shirt. She sat up, straddling him and pulled it off, then unsnapped her bra. He groaned as her breasts bounced free and reached eagerly for her, his arms coming around her, his fingers stroking the smooth skin of her back. He sucked at the tender skin at the hollow of her throat and she grinned, knowing a hickey would soon bloom there,