The Cocky Thief (Stolen Hearts #1)(6)

“I swear to God,” she muttered under her breath. “If Stranger cheaped out on my car, there are going to be words. Bad words.”

He couldn’t deny that he’d wanted their encounter to go a hell of a lot further, but he tried to put on a calm face as he tried to regain control of his breathing. “These things happen.”

She sighed as she pulled a mirror out of her bag and touched up her lipstick. “They don’t happen to me.”

“Your trysts usually go off without a hitch?”

She let out a small laugh. “No. Believe it or not, I don’t have many trysts. Today was an...experiment.”

Well, that was a blow to his ego. He was an experiment? “What were you trying to get out of it?”

She tightened her lips and set the mirror down. “I was trying to— I wanted—” The limo came to a stop and Jennifer never finished her sentence.

It didn’t matter, though. In a second, they were going to be joined by someone else and he was going to have to convince one more person that he was who he said he was. He straightened his tie and made sure his shirt was in place just in time for the door to open.

Without a second to spare, he took a deep breath and just like that, the act was back in place.





Jennifer didn’t regret all that many things in her life. She had done things that had turned out horribly, of course, but regret wasn’t something she held onto. However, when her sister climbed into the limo and she was forced to act as if she hadn’t been seconds away from doing unspeakable things to the veritable stranger next to her, she was suddenly filled with regrets.

Not only because she had to act as though there wasn’t condensation on the windows still from the heavy make-out session she’d just had. But because she had no idea what Melody was doing there. The last time she’d seen her middle sister in person had been six years ago. She didn’t seem like the type to drop everything to come to a society marriage.

“Hey,” she said, trying to keep the surprise from her voice. “I didn’t realize you were going to make it.”

Mel awkwardly made her way to the long seat next to Jennifer. She was normally graceful, but it was a reminder of the different life she’d led from Jennifer and Isobel. Melody had chosen a normal life. She’d grown up with their aunt, their father’s sister, and had the quintessential normal late teenage years. She did the cheerleading thing, married the quarterback and seemed to have her entire life together. At least until the divorce, home foreclosure, and the other avalanche of bad luck that had followed Melody around the past few years.

Maybe it was good that she was here. Jennifer could finally talk her sister into coming back to the dark side. Jennifer glanced out the window and noticed that they were at a hotel. Not the nicest hotel, by the looks of it. “You got here early?”

“I flew standby and the flight I ended up on brought me in early last night.”

“Why didn’t you go to the vineyard?”

“I don’t really know anyone besides you and Mom. Figured I’d be safer in numbers.”

Jennifer sighed. She really didn’t want her sister to have to feel this way. She’d showed so much promise all those years ago. Even though she’d respected Mel’s wish to lead a different life, even if that meant cutting off her family, she’d never agreed with it. She wanted Melody to be able to walk into any room she wanted to and not feel even the slightest hint of self-doubt. She wanted Mel to be able to make out with a stranger in the back of a limo.

Maybe this week they could make up for lost time. Maybe she could get her sister back. Obviously if Mel was willing to come to this sham of a wedding, she was extending an olive branch. An olive branch that would be much easier to take advantage of if there weren’t a strange man next to her. No matter how handsome he was.

Jennifer glanced at Austin out of the side of her eye. Once again, she was struck at how damn pretty he was. Sure, it wasn’t a term normally applied to men, but from his unique green eyes, thick black hair that belied Italian heritage, and a jawline with just the barest hint of stubble, pretty was the perfect word for Austin.

“Mel, this is Austin Raye. He’s going up to the vineyard to help with some last-minute paperwork for the wedding. Austin, this is my sister, Melody Garrett.”

“Melody Murray,” she corrected.

Jennifer looked to Mel, but her sister averted her gaze to look into her lap. “I’m sorry,” she said softly.

“It’s fine. I like the M-M thing. I think it suits me better anyway.” She smiled.

Jennifer stared at her sister, trying to get a feel for how much was an act and how much was genuine.

“So how did you and my sister meet?” asked Mel, effectively changing the subject.

Austin raised a brow as he looked to Jennifer. “We were sitting next to each other on the plane. Stranger must’ve bought the tickets together. Besides that, we don’t really know each other all that well.”

Jennifer let out a cough into her hand and tried like hell to keep her face from showing her surprise. “I was just trying to be polite and offered him a ride. So, have you talked to Mom lately?”

“No. I got the invitation in the mail last month and sent my RSVP. I tried to call her, but it looks like her number has changed.”

Well, Austin was getting a first-row seat into the dysfunction of their family. “You could’ve called me. I would’ve given you her number.”