Touch of a Thief by Mia Marlowe

Author:Mia Marlowe [Marlowe, Mia]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Brava
Published: 2011-01-01T08:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 16

“How’s it coming?” Quinn whispered from his post at the crack in the ambassador’s door.

“The same as when you asked half a minute ago. For pity’s sake, Quinn, shut it. I can’t think.”

Viola stood with her ear to the tumbler, her left glove stripped off, the better to turn the rotating part with precision. Eyes closed, body tense, breasts rising and falling with carefully measured breaths, she was the picture of concentration.

And the picture of swiveable femininity.

Quinn’s cock still hadn’t settled after that kiss in the hallway. She’d kissed him back! She’d melted against him. He even thought he scented the sweet whiff of her arousal.

But was she only acting? Had she kissed him so soundly merely to throw off the guard?

Viola was a contradiction with feet. Cold or hot, vulnerable or strong-willed, he never knew which side she’d present to him. She was as many faceted as the gem they sought.

How many Violas were there?

Once they had the diamond, he vowed to take the time to find out.

A loud click broke the room’s silence.

“There,” she said softly. She turned the handle and opened the wall vault.

Quinn left his post as lookout and hurried to her side. There were several tall stacks of various types of bundled currency—pounds, francs, and lira. If they’d been after cash, it would have been a burglar’s motherlode. Files in sealed folders were stacked on the bottom shelf, the state secrets of a dozen potentates, no doubt. If blackmail was their game, the vault contained a treasure trove of embarrassing possibilities.

So many paths to wealth, so little time.

But fast ill-gotten wealth wasn’t Quinn’s aim. His gaze fell on a leather bag. A diplomatic pouch.

He lifted it from the safe and opened it. There was only a small box inside. He started to reach in for it, but Viola stopped him.

“Wait. If Sanjay is right and the diamond is dangerous, I’m the one wearing the protection.”

He didn’t believe all that Eastern mumbo-jumbo for an instant, but the earnest expression on her face told him she did. If it would make her happy, he’d humor her. He nodded, but watched her with the intensity of a hawk on a vole. If she was going to pocket the stone or make a switch, now was when she’d try to do it.

She drew out the jewel box and opened it for them to see. A red gem sparkled in the gas light. Quinn smiled, but Viola answered him with a frown.

“This isn’t the right gem.”

“It’s red. It’s the right size. Are you telling me it’s paste?”

“No, it’s a precious stone, but I don’t think it’s a diamond.” She picked it up with her gloved hand, the one bedecked with Sanjay’s silver and jet, and cocked her head as if listening intently. “The resonance is off.”

“What?” Could she somehow hear the jewel? In the silence that followed, he heard nothing but their soft breathing and the blood rushing through his ears.

Viola shook her head and transferred the stone to the palm of her bare hand.

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