Eine reizende Diebin (German Edition)

she allowed herself to feel him inside her once more, he’d break her heart when he finally came to his senses and realized how impossible any relationship between them was.
    He gave her a long look, then put her back down on her feet.
    “Fair enough.”
    With both hands he touched the clasp and gave it a little squeeze. It sprung open instantly.
    “There. It’s off.” He slid it off her arm and placed it in her hands. “Now let’s go to bed.”
    “You mean you don’t feel any different?” she asked curiously.
    “No. Do you?”
    Olivia shook her head. Her hunger for him was still as insatiable as before. “Maybe it takes a while for the effect to wear off.”
    “We’d better not waste any time then . . . ” He gave her a wicked look and attempted to lift her back into his arms.
    She quickly backed away from him.
    “We should wait until it wears off.”
    She tried to push past him, but he blocked her exit. The only way past him was up, up the stairs to his bedroom. She wasn’t going to go that way. No. She was sure in a few minutes they’d both feel normal again, and then this whole desire for each other would be gone.
    “I’m still as hard for you as I was a minute ago. I’m telling you, the legend is rubbish. You and me, that’s real.”
    Marcus closed in on her and pulled her back into his arms. “Don’t fight it. You want this as much as I do.”
    Olivia knew he was right. She did want him, but she was sure it was the effect of the legend. It was impossible to feel what she felt for Marcus. She didn’t know him, had only met him a few days ago and had basically nothing in common with him.
    Yet, when he looked at her, when she felt his touch on her skin, his lips on hers, she knew everything was perfect. He was perfect. Perfect for her. The emptiness she’d felt at her flat was gone.
    But what she felt now would fade soon. The magic of the armband would wear off, eventually. Maybe just one more time she could feel him inside her. One more time. After that, his desire would have worn off too.
    “Just one more time. After, we’ll part ways. You’ll let me go.” She was crazy offering it, yet she looked at him asking for his promise.
    “I’m not sure I can do that,” he hedged.
    “Please, you have to promise me.”
    Seconds ticked away as he considered her plea. “Okay. But you’ll give me twenty-four hours with you, and if you still want to leave after that, you can. But I won’t promise that I won’t try to convince you to come back to me even after that.”
    Marcus offered his hand to lead her upstairs, and she took it. When they were halfway up the stairs, the door bell rang. She stopped.
    “Ignore it,” he said and kept walking.
    “What if it’s important?”
    The burning desire in his eyes spoke volumes. “You are important.”
    The door bell rang again. This time it was accompanied by several loud knocks and an insistent male voice. “Mr. Moncrieff? Simon Hammerlein from Christie’s. Mr. Moncrieff?”
    A surprised look washed over Marcus’s face. “I’d better see what he wants.”
    When Marcus opened the door, Olivia recognized the man who stood outside. She’d seen him at the auction house and knew he was one of the administrators. Next to him stood a man she’d never met.
    “I’m so sorry to disturb you, Mr. Moncrieff. But there has been a problem. Hmm . . . ” He appeared overly nervous.
    “This is Inspector Chadwick from Scotland Yard.”
    The inspector showed his identification.
    Olivia’s heart stopped. Had he called the police on her nevertheless? Disappointment swept over her. So his word wasn’t worth anything after all.
    “Maybe we could have a word in private?”
    “Concerning?” Marcus’s voice suddenly sounded tight.
    “The artifact you purchased at the auction. There has been a theft.”
    Marcus shot a glance over his shoulder to where Olivia stood at the bottom of the stairs, the armband in her hand, willing her to remain calm.
    “There’s been no theft. As you can see, my girlfriend is holding it.”
    The two men looked past him and nodded as they saw her with the artifact in the palm of her hand. She tried to steady her shaking hands, hoping they couldn’t see her fear.
    “Unfortunately, the theft occurred before the auction,” the inspector explained pointedly. “This one is a forgery.”
    Marcus motioned the two men to come in. They entered the foyer.
    “A forgery?” Olivia echoed and stepped toward them.
    Marcus