Naughty Bits 2 (36 page)

HE'D STAYED BEHIND, AFTER HOURS. CHRISSIE
saw him duck into Theresa's office after Theresa had gone, and he hadn't emerged. Her pulse rate picked up speed. Liam had the run of the place in his role as IT man, but he shouldn't be in there, not now. She took her time tidying her desk and watched as the last of her coworkers left the building. Where was the security guard? He usually came around about now, checked everyone had left the building before sealing it up for the night. He'd be here soon, which would be perfect timing.

After the last stragglers had gone and all was quiet, she stood up, picked up her phone and flicked it to camera mode. If she could just catch him…Her heart raced. If she could prove Liam was the thief, then…then he'd be gone. She paused, hesitant. She both wanted to find him out, and didn't. It was screwy, she knew it was, but something about the idea of confronting him was intoxicating, and she couldn't help herself. As she approached the door to her supervisor's office, she saw him moving behind the desk. Someone who wasn't in the know would just think he was switching off a PC, or checking it. But she was riddled with suspicion and curiosity. She stood just outside the open office door and snapped a pho
tograph of him, then put her phone down on the table outside Theresa's office, making sure it was hidden out of sight.

Folding her arms across her chest, she stared at him. “Caught in the act,” she said. She couldn't help being pleased with herself.

Liam glanced up, and then smiled, long and slow. He didn't seem surprised to see her, his posture both nonchalant and self-assured while he looked at her.

Even if he made a break for it, she had proof he was the thief. Strangely enough, he didn't look as if he was going anywhere. In fact, he glanced at his watch, as if he was checking how much free time he had to chat with her. He had the cheek of the devil himself.

“Caught?” A self-assured smile played around his attractive mouth, and it made her want to slap him. “I wasn't doing anything. Not yet, at any rate.”

Why did he always look as if he was thinking about sex?
And more to the point, why am I thinking about sex?
“You aren't supposed to be in here, none of us are. Company rules. No overtime unless it's agreed in advance.”

“And that's why you followed me in here?” His expression was filled with insinuation, and he looked her up and down in a way that left her in no doubt he was making some sort of intimate reference. “You're sure there wasn't some other reason why you wanted to be in here with me, alone?”

Her stomach flipped.
He's bluffing.

She forced a dry laugh. “Get real. You are the thief, that's why we're both here. I've been onto you for days.” He didn't seem surprised—in fact, he seemed to be enjoying it. He was sitting back in Theresa's chair with a lazy, confident posture that suggested he wasn't in the least concerned she'd caught him in there. Maybe he wanted her to follow him in here. The thought made her want to walk away, but for some reason she couldn't.

“I knew you were onto me, Chrissie. In fact, I was enjoying your attention.”

“The security man will be here in a minute to lock up,” she snapped. Her heartbeat grew erratic. Was this some sort of trap? Just as the thought struck her, the overhead strip lighting throughout the offices went off one by one in a succession of resounding clicks. They were alone. A dim security light was all that lit the room they occupied, the distant streetlights from the business park sending an eerie glow through the slats of the blinds.

He stood up and stepped out from behind the desk. “Am I the thief indeed? Well now, in that case, why would I find you a whole lot more interesting than swiping the lot and heading out of here?” He gestured at the PC.

“The PC should be password locked.” Panic was rising. What was she doing here alone with this man?

“Theresa has been naughty, she's left her files accessible. This place is slack.” He stepped closer. “I'd much rather look at you than a bunch of code. I like the idea of us having some quiet time, just the two of us, alone here.” He lifted his eyebrows, and in the half-light his eyes glittered.

Beyond him, she could see the cars moving on the motorway in the distance. The business park was quiet. Apart from the security guard, who was now late, there wasn't another soul around. She hadn't thought beyond the accusation; she hadn't thought beyond getting him alone. But now they were here, and he was coming on to her.

Despite her suspicions, her body responded wildly to the knowledge that he wanted her, her skin racing, a fluttering sensation in her core making sensible responses seem much harder to muster. “Flattery won't get you anywhere. You're just trying to distract me.”

“How can you be sure?” The insinuating look in his eyes made him look even more attractive. How was that possible?

He's aroused, she realized. Not for the first time she found herself involuntarily wondering what he looked like naked.
Oh God
.

“I can think of much better things to do than stealing computer software code, believe me. Besides, for all I know, you could be the thief. You could be the one who is siphoning off the code at night.”

She faked a laugh. “I've been with this company for five years. I take pride in my loyalty.”

He shrugged. “You might be dissatisfied with your pay, for all I know.” He moved closer still, stepping behind her, circling her. It unnerved her, but she felt rooted to the spot.

“You might have a secret vice, something that needs funding.” He touched her lightly on the shoulder and her head jerked back. His eyes were narrowed in the gloom; he was focused on a reaction. The scent of his cologne was enticing, something woodland, but sharp and earthy all at the same time. Underneath it man, sheer, absolute man.

“If that was the case,” she mustered, “why would I be here, now, while you are in here?”

“I don't know, Chrissie, why are you here, now?” He smiled to himself. It was all one big joke to him. That would be his undoing, she was sure of it. What she wasn't sure of was why she'd let him get so close. Why hadn't she backed off?

She swallowed.
I do want him.

The expression in his eyes grew serious. She could hear her heart pounding, the blood rushing in her ears as if the world were moving faster by the moment, while she was frozen to the spot. Then the reasons why they were here faded away as he closed on her and put one hand behind her head, his fingers moving into her hair as he tipped her head back. “I know the perfect way to prove to you I'm not in here after the code.”

Part of her guessed what he was about to do, the part of
her that identified with it, wanted it. She met his stare directly, stripped of all facade.

“I'm going to kiss you now.”

“I know.” She couldn't have stopped him even if she wanted to, and she didn't want to. When his lips whispered over hers and his breath mingled with hers, she moaned softly, the last shred of resistance she'd held on to slipping away as he invited her to enjoy. Something pent up broke free inside her and she clutched at him with needy hands, the ability to think logically gone.

His mouth was warm and firm, sensuous in its exploration of her lips as he kissed her, softly at first, inquisitively. When she responded, he squeezed her against him with one large, warm hand at the small of her back, his mouth opening her up, his tongue teasing the edge of her lips until a shiver ran through her entire body. She responded without thought, reaching to press her mouth fully to his, her lips parting to take his tongue. He kissed her deeply, mastering her in an instant, claiming her. Beneath her hands, his body felt strong, warm and vital, and she molded against him. While his tongue thrust in and out of her mouth, mirroring the rocking together of their hips, he held her tight and she could feel every inch of him, including the hard bulge at his groin.

Locked together and wavering, they moved in unison toward the desk. She felt the hard surface against the back of her thighs and grappled for the edge of the desk with one hand.

“On the desk,” he instructed. He sat her down, his hand stroking her shoulders. His face was cast in shadow, but she could feel his lust swamping her.

“Liam,” she whispered, unsure.

He brushed his thumb over her lips, silencing her. He reached for her cardigan and pulled it down around her elbows, holding it tight there, locking her arms in against her
sides. He leaned into her, breathing her in. The nerve endings under her skin went wild, her breasts tightening in response to his proximity. He nudged the spaghetti strap on her top to one side with his mouth and kissed beneath it, his breath hot against her skin. With one hand, he held on to her as if he was afraid she would run, and with the other he cleared the desk, pushing papers, discs and equipment onto the floor. Easing her back until she was flat on the desk, he stood between her thighs.

She caught sight of his intense expression when he passed through a band of light shining through the blinds. His sheer masculinity wrapped itself around her, and when he wrenched her legs apart she writhed with need. He positioned her with her hips at the edge of the desk, and her skirt bunched around her waist. Through his jeans, the bulge of his cock pressed hard at the juncture of her thighs. Her clit was pounding and the pressure was only making it worse. He pulled her top lower over her breasts and kissed her cleavage while he tugged down the cups of her bra to access her nipples, abusing her clothing to have his way with her. A sting loosed in her nipple when he touched it, and it brought about a needy echo deep inside. When his warm, damp mouth closed over her erect nipple and he grazed it with his teeth, it made her wild. She moaned aloud, her head rolling on the desk. The tension was unbearable. Her hips moved, her back arched. She wanted to wrap herself around him and take him inside.

“I want to taste you,” he said and ducked down. His mouth enclosed her swollen clit, his tongue rubbing back and forth over it rapidly, driving her to distraction.

“Liam…Liam, please.”

“I know,” he whispered in response, his breath hot on her sticky, sensitive folds. “I know. I want it, too.” He moved away and she saw him opening a condom packet.

They were going to do it—they were really going to do it.
It was outrageous, here and now in the office, on the desk. But she wanted to; she wanted it badly. She kicked off her sandals and lifted one knee against his hip, inviting him in. In the gloom she could barely see him as he rolled on the condom, and she rued that, wanting to see it all. But when his fingers ran across the lacy edge of her panties and then hauled them down the length of her legs, all that mattered was the fuck, the actual fuck, and she wanted it bad.

He nudged at her opening and she lifted up, giving him access, whispering encouragement as he thrust inside. “Oh, yes, Liam. Oh, God yes.”

His cock was hard, hot and thick, stretching her open. She clung to his shoulders, levering her hips on the desk to take him, grinding against him as he hit home. She dug her fingernails deep into his shoulders as they found and matched each other's rhythm, days of sexual tension making it fast and furious, glorious and needy all at once. Each thrust filled her so completely that it took her breath away. Each time he drew back her body ached for more, her climax imminent.

When she felt it coming she turned away, unwilling to totally admit the power of this thing. Nevertheless, she whispered his name and it came out on a wild cry at the moment the climax hit. Her sex clutched, released and clutched again, seizing his cock. His body went rigid, his cock jerking inside her. She lifted up from the desk and clung to him, kissing the side of his head, even while his hips jerked again.

He sought her mouth, blindly kissing her, and Chrissie held on to him for dear life. The real world was rushing in again, fast, far too fast, interjecting old questions into her thoughts, spoiling her afterglow. But she didn't want him to be the thief—she wanted him to be the new IT man, plain and simple—and she pushed the questions out for as long as she could.

“ARE YOU THE THIEF?” CHRISSIE ASKED
forlornly when he stood up to pull himself together, his thoughts shifting as he checked the time.

He shook his head and kissed the end of her nose. They'd finally breached the gap between them. He was happy, and it was perfect timing, because he'd just noticed a car purring past the window in the front parking lot of the building, headlights off. He ducked his head down. This is what he'd been waiting for. He knew who the thief was, and he'd already got the evidence he needed. Tonight was his last evening on the job, and Chrissie had made it all that much more pleasant waiting to close the case.

She was pulling her bra and top into place and she gave him a curious look.

He wanted to kiss her again, but there wasn't time for any more canoodling. Not right now. “Where's your car parked?”

She frowned. “At the back of the building, why?”

“Mine, too.” The thief had pulled up at the front and wouldn't know there was anyone else in the building. Reaching for her hand, he dropped to a squat and pulled her down with him.

“What the hell are you doing?” She fell against him and
he moved her down onto the floor, pushing her onto her hands and knees.

“Quickly, crawl under the desk, I'll stay behind you.”

“What's going on?” She looked so cute with her knickers still trailing from one ankle and her skirt at half-mast over her gorgeous bare ass cheeks.

He gave her a quick slap on the behind. “Get moving.”

Her mouth opened in surprise and she wriggled provocatively, one hand going to the place where he'd smacked her. Interesting. She liked that. “Our code thief is about to walk in.”

“Are you sure? I mean…it could be Henry, the security guard. He should be here to lock up by now.”

“Nope. Henry was placed under arrest earlier this evening. Unfortunately he's in cahoots with the thief. He's been leaving the building accessible on prearranged nights.” She stared at him, uncomprehending, but there wasn't time to explain his role. “Now move your sexy tush under the desk and stay quiet.”

“This is what you were waiting in here for,” she said, wasn't it?”

“Move!”

Still she hesitated, a question in her eyes. Without further ado, he manhandled her under the desk and then sat in the chair. Her tousled blond head popped up between his knees a moment later. “Are you serious, the code thief is coming into the building now?”

“You're finally catching on.” Perhaps he shouldn't have said that, because she glared at him. She was a fiery type, but he liked that about her. She was so keen to find the thief herself, she was bound to be annoyed. Flicking open his phone, he pressed the speed dial number for his sidekick, who was waiting to close in with the police in tow. “The target is on the way into the building now.”

“We're on it,” came the reply. “Saw the approach and we're moving in behind the vehicle.”

He snapped the phone shut and took one last glance at Chrissie. She opened her mouth to speak, but he touched his fingers to her lips. “Hush now, it's time for the showdown.”

A door clicked open in the outer office. He settled back in the chair, making sure he was shrouded in gloom. The thief wouldn't even realize he was in here until it was too late. He felt Chrissie's hand on his leg, but a shadow filled the doorway and he watched as the thief entered the room.

“Something you forgot, Theresa?” He flicked the desk lamp on.

“Shit!” She clutched at her chest. “I mean, yes, I…Something in my drawer. Why are you still in here?” She was trying to pull herself together, but it was too late.

“I'm investigating the security. That's why I'm here.” The hand on his leg tightened.

“Oh.” Theresa's attention flitted about the room. “Good,” she added. “I hadn't realized they'd taken that step.”

“Yup, they're right on the case. In fact—” he leaned forward in the chair “—I installed closed-circuit cameras on day three of my placement here. And, as you've probably already guessed, that means we have footage of the thief in action. Twice this week.”

Her eyes rounded.

“You've been a busy girl, haven't you, selling out your employer?”

She backed to the door, her hand grappling for the wall.

“Don't bother running. It's not worth it. I have all the evidence I need, and you won't get far.” A flashing blue light from outside the window bounced around the walls. Cursing, she turned on her heel and fled.

Hard though it was, Liam resisted the urge to pursue. He'd let his sidekick take it up, because he wanted to make sure Chrissie was okay. He was more concerned about her right now. And once he'd given his handover statement, he was
thinking they'd get dinner, and then have some more of what they'd just shared a taste of.

He stood up and offered his hand.

When she emerged she pointed one finger at him. “I worked it out while I was stuck under there—I know who it is you reminded me of.”

“What?” He'd been hoping she'd slip readily back into his arms, filled with awe after witnessing the reveal on the case she'd been so fascinated with.

She shook her head, hauling her skirt into place as she did so. “It kept bugging me who you look like, right from when I first saw you. Then, when you said you were an investigator, it clicked. You're related to that TV investigator bloke, that Benjamin O'Neil, aren't you?”

Man, that was the last thing he expected her to say. “Yes, but I am an official. I work for a reputable company. Ben's a…Well, he's a loose canon.” Baby bro Ben seemed hell-bent on making a name for himself by breaking and entering, all in the name of uncovering the truth for some cutting-edge TV show. It wasn't going down well with the rest of the family. They were all worried about his safety when he stepped outside of the law.

“I knew it.” Just then she glanced at the scene outside the window, where the police were involved in a scuffle with Theresa. Just for a moment, Liam caught a flash of dismay in her eyes. She was gutted, but she'd been pals with Theresa and obviously hadn't suspected her. A moment later she returned her attention to him, folding her arms over her chest and giving him a terse glance. “You've made a fool out of me.”

What?
“Chrissie! I have not. It was my job.” He pulled her against him, annoyance biting into him at her accusation, his hands locked around her shoulders. Resistance poured out of her, that stubborn streak of hers rising rapidly to the surface again.

“I knew the thief had to be an insider,” she declared, and she was plenty annoyed herself.

Liam tried to get a handle on her—which he was discovering was a pretty hard task. He never would have predicted this particular departure in her mood. What the hell was a man supposed to do? “Of course you did. You're a very intelligent woman.”

“Apparently not.” Color flared in her cheeks. “You should have told me you were a security person, instead of letting me make a fool of myself.”

“Oh, come on, I couldn't take a risk like that. You might have let it slip, given her a chance to cover up and get away.”

Her lips tightened, and her eyes shone with fury in the gloom. She wrestled herself free of his grasp. “You bastard. You used me tonight, to…to stay in here, and to keep yourself amused.”

Oh, boy, she really was mad. He reached for her. “You didn't complain at the time. Besides, you didn't make a fool of yourself.”

She backed away, hands up. “Don't you dare touch me!”

She'd gone loopy, but for some ludicrous reason it made him want her all the more. He made a move, but she was already headed out the door. He began to go after her and then forced himself to stop. Something was really bugging her, something he couldn't quite put his finger on. She needed time to cool her heels, get used to what had gone on here this evening, in every way. But he wasn't going to let her get away that easy. Not after what had gone on between them, back there on the desk. No way.