rapped sharply.
When it opened a moment later Angie didn’t hesitate. She hurled herself into Flynn’s arms.
„Angie! What the hell…?“ He held her close.
„There was someone in my room. A thief. He was prowling around my room, Flynn.“ The words came
out in short gasps. „I’ve never been so scared in my life. I was sure I’d locked the door. I don’t understand
how – “ She broke off, recovered her breath and tried again. „As soon as he left I ran up here. He must
have been after my purse, but he didn’t take it. I guess he couldn’t see it. Oh, my God, I was terrified!“
„Angie! Angie, honey, calm down. Tell me exactly what happened.“ Flynn’s hands closed around her
upper arms and he shook her gently. „Are you sure someone was in your room?“
She nodded her head sharply. „Hell, yes. I could hear him. A sort of gliding sound on the carpet. Flynn,
nothing like this has ever happened to me before in my life. It’s so frightening.“ With an effort she gathered
herself together. Then she tried a shaky smile. „It’s okay, I’m not going to flip out on you.“
Flynn’s face was hard and grim, his dark eyes glittering with controlled tension. „You’re certain nothing
was taken?“
„Well, no, I’m not absolutely certain. I just remember seeing my purse on the chair as I left the room a
few minutes ago. I suppose he might have reached inside and taken the wallet.“
„Come on.“
„Where are we going?“ She leaned back against the door as he released her to pick up the black shirt he
’d been wearing earlier. For the first time Angie realized he was wearing only a pair of white briefs. The
naked expanse of his shoulders moved sleekly as he shrugged into the shirt. He reached for a pair of jeans
and quickly stepped into them. Angie glanced away from the sight of his well-muscled thighs. It was a little
unsettling to encounter a nearly nude male at this hour of the night. Especially when it was a male she had
gone to sleep fantasizing about a few hours earlier. She’d seen him in a swimsuit, but somehow this was
different, far more intimate.
„We’re going back down to your room to make certain nothing was taken. Then we’re going downstairs
to have a talk with the desk clerk.“ Flynn picked up his keys and his folded leather wallet, and then he took
Angie’s arm.
Obediently Angie allowed him down the stairs to her own room. She opened the door and switched on
the light.
„See? There’s the purse. The fool couldn’t seem to see it, although it was easy enough for me to spot on
my way out the door.“ She walked over to the chair and unfastened the catch of the shoulder bag. Her
passport and billfold were still safely tucked inside.
Flynn prowled around the room, opening drawers and checking the doors that fronted the balcony. „You
’re sure he came and left through the hallway door?“
„Absolutely. I could hear it open and close when he left.“ Angie picked her bag up off the chair and sat
down with it in her lap. Hands clutching the leather, she stared at Flynn as he searched the balcony. „I just
don’t understand how he could have missed the purse. Unless…“
Flynn walked back in from the balcony. „Unless what?“
„Unless it wasn’t my purse he was after,“ she said starkly.
The sliding glass door closed with a vicious chunking sound. Flynn turned to face her, his gaze burning.
„You’re all right?“
She blinked, realizing what he was thinking. „I’m fine,“ she assured him. „I didn’t mean that whoever it
was intended rape. I meant he might be after something other than my purse. The dagger, for instance.“
„The dagger!“ Flynn sank onto the rumpled bed, frowning. „The only one who even knows you have it
is…“
„Alexander Cardinal,“ she concluded for him.
„But that doesn’t make any sense, Angie. He just sold it to you a few hours ago. Why would he try to
get it back?“
„You saw the
When it opened a moment later Angie didn’t hesitate. She hurled herself into Flynn’s arms.
„Angie! What the hell…?“ He held her close.
„There was someone in my room. A thief. He was prowling around my room, Flynn.“ The words came
out in short gasps. „I’ve never been so scared in my life. I was sure I’d locked the door. I don’t understand
how – “ She broke off, recovered her breath and tried again. „As soon as he left I ran up here. He must
have been after my purse, but he didn’t take it. I guess he couldn’t see it. Oh, my God, I was terrified!“
„Angie! Angie, honey, calm down. Tell me exactly what happened.“ Flynn’s hands closed around her
upper arms and he shook her gently. „Are you sure someone was in your room?“
She nodded her head sharply. „Hell, yes. I could hear him. A sort of gliding sound on the carpet. Flynn,
nothing like this has ever happened to me before in my life. It’s so frightening.“ With an effort she gathered
herself together. Then she tried a shaky smile. „It’s okay, I’m not going to flip out on you.“
Flynn’s face was hard and grim, his dark eyes glittering with controlled tension. „You’re certain nothing
was taken?“
„Well, no, I’m not absolutely certain. I just remember seeing my purse on the chair as I left the room a
few minutes ago. I suppose he might have reached inside and taken the wallet.“
„Come on.“
„Where are we going?“ She leaned back against the door as he released her to pick up the black shirt he
’d been wearing earlier. For the first time Angie realized he was wearing only a pair of white briefs. The
naked expanse of his shoulders moved sleekly as he shrugged into the shirt. He reached for a pair of jeans
and quickly stepped into them. Angie glanced away from the sight of his well-muscled thighs. It was a little
unsettling to encounter a nearly nude male at this hour of the night. Especially when it was a male she had
gone to sleep fantasizing about a few hours earlier. She’d seen him in a swimsuit, but somehow this was
different, far more intimate.
„We’re going back down to your room to make certain nothing was taken. Then we’re going downstairs
to have a talk with the desk clerk.“ Flynn picked up his keys and his folded leather wallet, and then he took
Angie’s arm.
Obediently Angie allowed him down the stairs to her own room. She opened the door and switched on
the light.
„See? There’s the purse. The fool couldn’t seem to see it, although it was easy enough for me to spot on
my way out the door.“ She walked over to the chair and unfastened the catch of the shoulder bag. Her
passport and billfold were still safely tucked inside.
Flynn prowled around the room, opening drawers and checking the doors that fronted the balcony. „You
’re sure he came and left through the hallway door?“
„Absolutely. I could hear it open and close when he left.“ Angie picked her bag up off the chair and sat
down with it in her lap. Hands clutching the leather, she stared at Flynn as he searched the balcony. „I just
don’t understand how he could have missed the purse. Unless…“
Flynn walked back in from the balcony. „Unless what?“
„Unless it wasn’t my purse he was after,“ she said starkly.
The sliding glass door closed with a vicious chunking sound. Flynn turned to face her, his gaze burning.
„You’re all right?“
She blinked, realizing what he was thinking. „I’m fine,“ she assured him. „I didn’t mean that whoever it
was intended rape. I meant he might be after something other than my purse. The dagger, for instance.“
„The dagger!“ Flynn sank onto the rumpled bed, frowning. „The only one who even knows you have it
is…“
„Alexander Cardinal,“ she concluded for him.
„But that doesn’t make any sense, Angie. He just sold it to you a few hours ago. Why would he try to
get it back?“
„You saw the
Similar Books
