“Time, the greatest thief of all.”

“For a genius thief you really are a stupid girl aren't you?”

“I wouldn't mind meeting a dashing thief," the woman's friend whispered. Hale winked at Kat. Kat raised her eyebrows and whispered, "I'd like to meet one of those, too.”

“He's better-looking then the last vagabond I had to take in," Eddie said, standing and carrying empty bowls to the sink. "I'll give him that."The insult slid off of Bobby like water. "So, you know, kid, according to thief culture, if you're going to court Kat, you now owe me two dozen goats.""It's a dozen," Eddie corrected."Yeah, but Kat's worth two," Hamish said with a wink.Through it all, Hale said nothing. Then, finally, he smiled. "I'm afraid I'm all out of goats at the moment, but I've got some ruby cuff links you can have.""No." Bobby shook his head. "It's goats or nothing.""Sorry, Kat." Hale shrugged, disappointed. "It was fun while it lasted.""Don't look at me." Kat threw up her hands. "I'm officially ignoring all of you.”

“His hands are off," Gabrielle pointed out. "Posture's wrong," Kat said. "He's still ... hot," Gabrielle said, as if it were the greatest insult in the world. "I feel so objectified. So ... cheap," Hale told them.”

“What?" He cut a grin at Kat when he saw the impressed look on her face. "Corporate espionage is my second greatest passion.'"With your first being..." Kat prompted."Gelato," Hale said, and turned back to the group.”

“I wanted to pull away, remind him that I was a big girl, a highly trained operative, a spy - that I'd been training for this mission my entire life, and I wasn't going to be left on the sidelines. But in the dim space with Zach pressed tightly against me, only one thought came to mind. I kissed him - longer and deeper than I ever had before. The school was not watching us this time. There was nothing playful in the tone. We were just two people kissing as if for the first time, as if it might be the last. And then I broke away. "So," I asked, as if I got kissed like that all the time (which, believe me, I don't), "where is it you're taking me again?" "The tombs.”