Chapter 24
Taysom
“Maybe they did.” My voice is husky.
I clear my throat. All this stuff comes roiling up. Feelings—for Charlotte—that I have no business feeling. Thoughts I have no business thinking.
I’m protective of Charlotte – I always have been. Maybe it’s best friend’s younger sister code or something. I’ve got Kyle’s back, so why not Charlotte’s, too? Except this feeling doesn’t extend to his other siblings.
And I’ve always really liked her as a person, you know? But now? Things are different.
My hands slide up her soft-as-velvet arms. Her white skin contrasts against her olive green, short-sleeved blouse.
I know what I’m feeling is more than just a desire to protect her from getting caught.
Besides, we’re not doing anything wrong, inherently.
I mean, I donated a lot of money to this place.
No one would bat an eye if I needed to borrow something.
Besides, if my facilities contact would just return my text, we wouldn’t even need to be heisting around right now.
I wear my privilege gratefully. I don’t normally try to push the envelope or take advantage of things just because of my career.
But to help out Charlotte when she’s in a bind?
I’m realizing just how much I’m willing to do.
“Taysom,” she whispers. The way she’s gazing at my face makes me want to kiss her, but then her expression crumbles. “I heard them opening some doors.”
Right. Okay. Yes, we’re not here to kiss or stare into each other’s eyes. We’re here to get a…measurement thing, I can’t remember what it’s called, for tomorrow’s event.
I’m having a hard time remembering words right now.
I peek around the corner to see all the office doors on both sides of the hallway lying wide open.
“I think it’s safe to venture out,” I whisper, checking one more time.
If I’m not mistaken, there are two vacuums running, both in offices on the far end of the hall.
They must have opened all the doors to air out the rooms before vacuuming them.
If we’re lucky, we can sneak in and out without being detected.
Charlotte grabs my hand, takes a deep breath, giving me a look like, if you say so, and steps out, dragging me behind her.
“Whoa!” I say, probably too loudly.
She snickers and runs quietly down the hall to the podiatry room. We enter and see that it’s more of a maze set up, with a front desk and reception area, and rooms behind that.
Which is probably a good thing. More places to duck and hide.
She’s making this fun, but my heart hammers in my chest as we race to the first room.
“This is just an office. We need a treatment room,” she says.
“You’re the boss,” I say.
She gives me an appraising look, like I better not forget it.
After trying two more doors, we locate a treatment room. Her eyes shine as she makes an O with her mouth. “This equipment is nice!” She points to a big, padded mat attached to a large screen on the wall. “I’ve always wanted one of those.”
I laugh, but she’s already opening cupboards. “That thing would do a better job of analyzing gait than our humble little set up, but it’s not like I can steal that!”
“We’re just borrowing the stuff anyway,” I remind her. Why am I a little nervous about this?
Probably because I’m realizing just how far gone I am for this woman. Nothing like being in a faux dangerous situation to make me realize that.
She opens a large cupboard door to display shelves holding various implements.
“Ah ha! Here they are.”
I have no idea what most of them are, but there are several that look identical, like small clocks with dials and an LED display.
“Yes! This is a nice brand.”
“So, that’s an inclinometer, huh?”
“Yep.” Her eyes gleam. “I’m grabbing two.” She frowns. “Uh, should I leave a note?”
I snort. “A note?”
“Yeah, so they won’t be alarmed that two of their inclinometers are gone. If you sign it, they’ll be happy you took them.”
“They have plenty more. Look.” I point to several of what seem like the exact same thing. “And that’s not how heists work. We’re not writing a note. We’re getting in and out. We’re legit.” I smile. “Until I can get a hold of my facilities rep contact and let him know.”
“You’re such a baddie,” she teases.
I tug her close. “Is that a good thing or a bad thing?” I breathe her in. She smells of orange and vanilla, like a creamsicle. But not as sweet, more fresh and natural. Raw. My stomach clenches.
Her eyes dilate. “I haven’t decided yet,” she says as her gaze dips down to my lips. “But we need to move before the vacuummers get here.”
She carefully places the devices in her cinch bag, slings it on her shoulder and steps forward.
I gesture around the room. “Do you need anything else?”
She shakes her head. “We’re pressing our luck as it is.”
“You ready for tomorrow then?”
She takes in a deep breath. “It’s the last big thing I’ll do at the Early Childhood Center, so yes and no.” Her smile is wistful. “But it’s going to be great meeting so many new kids.”
“Seriously, Charlotte, I thought football players were hard workers. Dedicated. You’re putting all of us to shame.”
She just shakes her head. “We should get out of here.”
“Shhh,” I say as I hold her arm. “I’ll lead the way.”
She clicks her tongue, but waits for me to step forward, hiding her behind me.
We make it to the door to the hallway and hear the women talking loudly.
“They’re still in the room back there. I think we’re all good.”
We slip out of the door, tiptoeing down to the stairwell. She starts to giggle and I shush her again, giving her a look.
We step into the stairwell and I go down first. “So I’ll get coldcocked first, if it comes to that,” I explain.
“How brave of you,” she says. I don’t miss the teasing in her voice…or the ease. The happiness.
We enter the main floor and that’s when the lights go out, leaving it shrouded in darkness.
Charlotte takes a big breath and we stop walking.
I manage to reach back and locate her hand. I reach my other arm up and wave it in the air to trip the motion sensors. No luck. “The lights must be on a timer.”
“It’s actually, oddly really dark in here. And why would the lights time out with housekeeping still up there?”
“Huh. Good question.” I point to a light ahead of us. “I think if we just start walking in that direction, we’ll be fine.”
“Are you sure that’s the way out? What if we’re going the wrong way?”
I grasp her fingers more tightly. “Well then, we’ll figure it out when we get to that light, won’t we?” I don’t mean to be short with her, it’s just that I like her, and I don’t know what to do with it.
“I’m turning on the flashlight on my phone,” she says.
Now it’s my turn to take a deep breath. “And risk being seen? No, I think we should be grateful for the darkness.”
She laughs and squeezes my hand back.
Voices and brisk footsteps sound ahead of us. I plaster her against the wall, making our breaths as silent as we can. I guess I’m pressing up against her from some caveman mentality coming up through my DNA.
“Hold still,” I whisper, realizing that, again, I’m trying to protect her.
“Uh, I couldn’t move if I wanted to.” Her voice is muffled against my chest.
“Oh, sorry.” I ease back off her. “Secret heists make me do weird things.” I catch her gaze in the moonlight casting through a skylight above us as a cloud moves away, displaying the moon in its glory.
Her heart is thrumming against my chest. Everything in me wants to kiss her. Her big, dark eyes question me and challenge me.
I should do it, right? The question in my eyes seems to be answered with a yes. She nods, just a little tip of her head, but it’s enough. I lean forward.
“The electrical panels are just down here,” a voice says, now much closer than before.
I grasp the doorknob just to the right of Charlotte and push us inside, shutting the door as silently as I can just as the voices reach us.
We freeze and wait until they pass. This must be a janitor’s closet, as the scent of cleaning supplies and bleach assaults my nose. I count to twenty, then ease the door open a crack. It’s once again dark in the hallway.
“Yeah, we better go,” Charlotte says.
And this time, we manage to make it around the corner and are guided towards the front door from the light of the lamp posts shining through the floor-to-ceiling lobby windows.
I’m almost disappointed the heist is over.