“He’s not my friend.”
“Just a quick look.” She shot him a pleading look.
“Did you just flutter your eyelashes?”
“Maybe? Did it help?”
She had thick, dark eyelashes. Shit, what the fuck was wrong with him, thinking about her eyelashes?
She fluttered them again. “Please, just a quick look.”
Dammit, he didn’t want to put her in danger. He shouldn’t have brought her in the first place. Still, the risk was low, and she’d be with him. He muttered a curse. “Okay, a very quick look. You do exactly as I say.”
She nodded.
They headed down the street, and soon Rhys saw the warehouse. It was brick that had been painted white long ago, but the paint was now faded and chipped. The roof looked like it was held up by a prayer.
There were no vehicles, or signs of activity.
“This way.” He led her down the side alley between the warehouse and the neighboring building.
He paused by an overflowing dumpster. The windows in the warehouse were beyond dirty, and a few were broken. There were no cameras or other security that he could see.
He climbed up on the Dumpster and looked through. The place was mostly empty, except for some gear in the center covered by drop cloths. He waited, listened.
“Place looks empty.” He leaped down. He continued on until he reached a rusty, metal side door. He pulled out his lock picks.
“You can pick locks?” Haven breathed.
“Yeah.”
“Did you learn that in the military?”
“No.” He and his brothers had gotten themselves into plenty of trouble as teenagers.
“Will you teach me?”
“Hell, no.”
She pouted, but then the lock clicked and the door squeaked open on rusty hinges.
They slipped inside. The place was gloomy and dust hung in the air. It had that scent of emptiness and lack of use about it.
Rhys headed for the pile of items in the center. He lifted one of the cloths and Haven lifted the corner of another.
It was furniture—a wooden table, some dressers, an uncomfortable-looking couch, some small tables with spindly legs.
Haven gasped. “Rhys, this isn’t my area of expertise, but these look like antiques. French style. They’re probably worth a lot of money.”
He looked under the other sheets. There were no multi-million-dollar paintings by master artists. Damn.
Haven scanned the space. “Maybe they’re keeping the painting somewhere else around here?”
Suddenly, there was a loud noise, followed by the squeal of metal and voices.
Oh, fuck. “We have company.” They were coming in through the front doors.
Haven froze, and the color drained from her face.
Rhys knew they’d never get back to the door they’d used without being spotted. He lifted the cover off the couch. “Quick.”
She ducked under the sheet and he followed. Rhys stretched out on his back on the red-velvet couch and yanked her down so she lay flat on top of him. The sheet resettled, hiding them.
Haven was pressed flush against him, her nose brushing his and her breasts against his chest, and her hips to his.
She licked her lips. “Oh, God, what if—?”
“Shh.” He gripped her hips, digging his fingers in warning.
The voices got closer. Rhys heard grunting.
“Damn, this ugly-ass thing is heavy,” a voice growled.
There was a thud of something heavy hitting the ground.
“Lucky they’re paying us good,” another voice rumbled.
“Let’s get the next thing from the truck.”
Okay, a delivery. Rhys relaxed a little. The men had no reason to look at the other furniture. They should be safe.
Haven was breathing fast, and her breaths fluttered against his lips.
“Hey,” he whispered. “Relax.”
She nodded, her eyes still wide.
He cupped her cheek. “Slow your breathing down and focus on me.”
Blue eyes hit his.
“At least you aren’t the one lying on an ugly, uncomfortable couch,” he muttered.
“It’s a chaise lounge,” she whispered.
He grunted. Whatever it was, it was very red and hard as hell. He stroked her cheek. She was slowly relaxing.
“How long are we stuck here?” she murmured.
“Until they leave.”
Her lips twitched. “This is a bit exciting.”
“I shouldn’t have let you talk me into this.”
“How did I convince you?”
“Because you’re too damn beautiful.”
Her chest hitched.
“And I apparently have trouble saying no to you.”
“Rhys,” she breathed.
“Don’t look at me like that right now.” Her face was soft, desire in her eyes. He felt his cock harden.
Shit. She could hardly miss it. The thing was jabbing her in the belly.
Sure enough, her eyes widened.
Shit. Shit. He slid a hand into her silky hair. This wasn’t the time. He had to stay alert.
Then she murmured his name again. “Rhys.”
He was a goner. He lifted his head and closed his mouth over hers.
Oh, boy, kissing Rhys Norcross, while hidden under a sheet after breaking and entering in a warehouse, sure packed a punch.
She’d clearly lost her mind.
His tongue touched hers, and Haven lost the ability to think. She kissed him back and ground against his rock-hard body. And that rock-hard, intriguing bulge against her belly.
He murmured a curse. “Haven, baby.”
Oh wow, that bulge against her felt big and extra generous. She shimmied again.
He let out another whispered curse and rolled, pinning her beneath him and the back of the chaise longue.
“Bad girl.” His voice was a husky whisper.
The voices of the delivery men were muffled; they’d moved farther away.
Haven kissed Rhys again. She couldn’t stop herself. He kissed so well, and made her want more. Her breasts felt full, her skin was tingling.
He kept kissing her and she felt drugged.
Then he lifted his head.
She blinked. And realized that the warehouse was silent.
The men had gone.
Rhys sucked in a deep breath, then rolled off her and got to his feet. He peeked out from under the sheet.
“It’s clear.” He pulled her up.
Then he was towing her across the warehouse and through the door they’d used to enter. She had to jog to keep up. He dragged her down the narrow alley.
“Rhys?”
“Quiet.” His voice was deep and gritty.
Was he mad that she’d kissed him while they’d been in danger? “I—”
“Quiet, Haven.” He towed her down the street and into the side street where he’d parked. They reached the SUV.
“Rhys—”
He spun her, and pinned her against the vehicle. His hand slid into her hair, and he was kissing her again.
Oh, oh.
Then one of his hands slid up her thigh, dragging her skirt up. He hitched her leg around his hip and his hard cock hit right where she wanted it.
Her head fell back and she moaned.
They were on a public street and she didn’t care one bit.
He pushed against her. “That’s all for you, babe.”