Free Thieves Like Us by Starr Ambrose Page B

already involved. Besides, they have better resources.”
    But not better contacts among professional thieves. She wouldn’t say it, because it would be like asking him to slip back into that life in order to help her, and she really didn’t want him to do that.
    She sat back on the bench and folded her arms over her chest. To her surprise, she felt his arm slide around her shoulders and squeeze gently. She stilled, not sure where this was going.
    “I know you’ve gotten used to taking care of everything yourself.”
    She gave him a cautious look, but said nothing.
    “That’s what your life has been for a year now. You had to defend yourself against Banner, both physically and emotionally. You put in ridiculously long hours going over Aims’s accounts with the IRS, trying to save the air freight division when Westfield-Benton would have written it off as a loss. Aims Air Freight only exists because of your efforts.”
    Ellie must have told him about that. “A lot of families depended on that company for jobs.”
    “And you saved them because you took charge when no one else would. That’s fantastic. I can only imagine how you had to fight for every personal asset against Banner’s rabid pack of divorce lawyers.”
    She raised an eyebrow, conceding his point. “They
were
vicious.” She hadn’t even asked for much. The car he’d bought for her and enough money to buy her condo. Even though Banner’s own mother had encouraged her to demand more, it had all felt tainted by association with Banner. “How do you know about that?”
    “I heard some things from Ellie, plus I could see the strain on your face. You’ve had a lot going on this past year.”
    “Oh good, I looked haggard and tense for a whole year. You sure know what a girl likes to hear.”
    She’d said it lightly, but his expression was serious, almost sad. “I didn’t say you looked haggard. You looked like a beautiful woman with far too much stress in her life.”
    She hadn’t been fishing for compliments. Suddenly self-conscious, she lowered her eyes, but he moved his arm off her shoulders and curved his finger beneath her chin, lifting it until she met his gaze again. He was a little too close, close enough for her to see that his eyes were a deep chocolate brown, and his lips had a sensual curve even when tightened by concern. Something inside her squirmed as she flicked her gaze from his eyes to his mouth and back to his eyes. She didn’t know where to look when everything about him made her nervous.
    He didn’t seem to have the same problem; his gaze was unwavering. “I’m not trying to flirt with you, so don’t get defensive. I’m only saying that taking care of everything by yourself has become a habit, and you don’t need to do it anymore. You can actually depend on the authorities to take care of this one for you.”
    Despite that zinger about looking beautiful, which might not be flirting but was damned unsettling, he was right. His little speech wasn’t a revelation, but she’d needed to hear it. It felt like someone had finally given her permission to relax, to quit trying to regain control of every aspect of her life.
    She sighed and nodded, using the opportunity to pull away from his hand and quiet the fluttering in her chest. “Okay,” she promised. “No chasing after jewel thieves.”
    He grinned, which made the whole lecture worthwhile. “Good. Besides, this might be the last you see of them. They did a thorough search, and didn’t find anything. Maybe they’ll figure out you don’t have the other pieces.” He cocked his head in a mild warning. “But just in case, you stay with Elizabeth for now. Agreed?”
    Janet nodded. Since she didn’t have a clue how to track down burglars, letting the police do it would be a relief. And staying with her ex–mother-in-law was better than staying at a hotel. From what she’d seen of her condo, it was a sure bet she wouldn’t be living there again until the insurance