Page 23 of Stolen Goods
Addy growled—not at all ladylike, though he seemed to have that effect on her—and spun, presenting him with her back.
Not a good idea.
Thad put an arm around her shoulder and stepped close—too close. The entire length of his lithe frame molded to her side, warm and hard, made entirely of lean muscle. He bent forward and his soft breath tickled her ear, making her realize how tall he was, maybe a full foot higher than her. Addy’s chest tightened as a flush rose to her cheeks. She couldn’t recall the last time she’d let a man press against her in any sort of capacity, especially one as innocent as this, even if the thoughts filling her mind were anything but.
He’s a criminal, she reminded herself.
He’s the bad guy in the story, not the hero.
Unfortunately, her body was determined to ignore logic. Addy tried to step back, but Thad held her in place.
“You really think I’m going to let that screen out of my sight?”
Oh, the phone. He’s trying to see the phone. Duh. Why else would he be pressed so close?Addy unlocked the screen, determined to maintain her focus. The sooner she got this over with, the sooner he would let her go, right? Which was a good thing. A great thing! So why was her stomach tying itself into knots…?
She opened the chat with her friends, a new idea coming to mind.Let’s see how you like it.Addy smirked, feeling more like a deviant than she ever had in her life. But he deserved a little taste of his own medicine after everything he’d put her through.
@Sprinkle-Ella: HELP!!!
Thad immediately tensed, fingers digging into her biceps as his entire body stiffened. The effect left Addy squeezed tighter against him. Heat flared beneath her skin at the added nearness, not completely unwelcome.
Okay…that might have backfired.
“What the—”
“Relax,” she cooed, a wicked smile dancing across her lips as a burst of energy trickled down her arms and legs, making her feel alive in a way she hadn’t in a long time. “Don’t you trust me?”
Thad snorted, but loosened his hold a little.
@Sprinkle-Ella: Baking emergency!
@Sprinkle-Ella: This chocolate-obsessed bride is driving me crazy. She wants some sort of soufflé-style cake, with a gooey exploding center, covered in a rich, melty ganache…on her wedding day!! Does she not understand she’ll be wearing white??
@Sprinkle-Ella: It’s a total code brown situation!
“Nicely played,” Thad murmured, approval evident in his tone.
A thrill coursed through her at the praise, almost electrifying. “Thanks.”
They both stared at the phone.
Waiting.
Waiting.
@TheBakingBandit: Code brown?
@Sprinkle-Ella: Code brown.
Addy sucked in a sharp breath, chest burning with disbelief.Does she get it? Does she understand? Is this really happening?And then she blinked, reading Jo’s screenname again…and again…and again, eyes growing wider each time. “Oh my God, she’s the baking bandit!”
“Yeah, I know,” Thad stated, confused. “I told you, Jo is my partner.”
“No, no.” Addy shook the phone, pointing at the screen. “She’s literallythebaking bandit. She bakes, and she bandits, and it’s been staring me in the face this entire time!”
“Ohh,” Thad muttered. “Yeah, Jo has this thing about lying to people she cares about. She hates it, really tears her up inside. That was probably her way of subtly hinting at the truth.”
The way he said it gave no doubt that Thad didn’t share the same qualms. But Addy was too wrapped up in her revelation to care. “I can’t believe I never noticed, never even thought…”
