Eyeing the base of her neck, he mentally calculated three and a half large steps to be on her.

His muscles flexed in unison as he lurched into motion. The cobblestones in the street, however, belied his intent. Within a half step of his target, she ducked and rolled into his legs. The resulting tangle was utterly lacking in both grace and precision, although the end result was a switchblade on the ground and a gun now pointed at a very sensitive area.

“Chica!” he gasped. “A naughty surprise in the handbag, just for me?”

“You perverted loser,” she spat. “They told me you’d fall for the pretty, vulnerable thing. Although none of us thought it would work quite so well, I admit.”

Genuine confusion appeared to take hold of him. “And so, you kiss me – and you are pretending?”

She reflexively wiped her mouth with the reminder. “Of course,” she cooed. “You’re disgusting.”

The confusion morphed seamlessly into another wretched leer. “Oh, I don’t think so, bella. I think you are happy to see me.”