Chapter 2 #2
“I missed her call,” she said. “I put my phone on silent when I walked through the Underworld Archway, so I was looking for somewhere private to return her call.”
“In the restricted area?”
“Is that what this is?” Sable looked around as if she suddenly recognized her surroundings.
“I hadn’t realized. I was staring at my phone and just walked through that door…
if this is restricted, what are you doing here?
” She shoved her cell into her jeans’ back pocket and pinned him with her best stare of disapproval, which she knew was intimidating.
She’d learned it from her mother after all, and as the mom of ten rowdy children, most of whom were sons bigger than her, the woman had perfected the Mom Stare.
“My dad works here,” the kid said, and to his credit, he tried to maintain a brave face, but his answer was far more worrisome than her disapproval.
Sable spotted his pointed ears for the first time.
This boy wasn’t just some employee’s son.
He belonged to a security guard. Of all the people to catch her, it had to be the child of someone who could destroy her.
“Well, if your dad works here, shouldn’t you know better than to wander into a restricted area?” Sable said, hoping to play the conversation her way. “I walked in by accident. What’s your excuse?”
“Please don’t tell my dad.” The kid’s face transformed from wary to nervous. “I don’t start at my new school yet, so he had to bring me to work, but I’m bored. I’ve already seen every exhibit twice, and I just wanted to see what was inside.”
“It’s okay, kid.” Sable relaxed. Seemed this child would be in bigger trouble for trespassing than she would. She’d lost the thieves for now, but at least this wouldn’t derail her mission. “I’m not going to snitch on you. How about we both leave, and it’ll be our secret?”
“Really?”
“Really.” She smiled at him. He was an awfully cute Fae with his curly brown hair and small glasses, and she couldn’t fault him for sneaking into places he shouldn’t. She’d made a career out of it.
“I’m Clover, and I’m ten,” the boy said as they exited the storage room.
“I’m Sable, and a lady never divulges her age.” Professionally, she was known only as The Rabbit’s Foot, so she didn’t mind admitting her real name.
“Nice to meet you, Sable,” Clover said. “Do you still need to call your mom? I can help you find a quiet room.”
“Thanks, but I’ll just go outside. I shouldn’t disrupt the other guests.”
“Oh okay. Well—oh crap. My dad’s coming.” The boy’s eyes pleaded with her. “Promise you won’t tell him I went into a restricted area.”
“I won’t if you don’t.”
“Deal.”
“Hey, Clover, I’ve been looking all over for you,” a deep and sultry voice sounded behind her, and everything within Sable went cold. A voice that rich and masculine, that sinfully delicious, could only belong to a man equally devastating, and she was afraid to greet the owner.
“I’m helping my new friend, Sable,” Clover said, seamlessly slipping into a little white lie. “She was lost.”
“That was nice of you,” the intoxicating voice said.
“Yeah,” Clover said. “Sable, this is my dad. He works here.” He stared at her expectantly, and Sable gritted her teeth. She didn’t want to see who that seductive voice belonged to, but it seemed she had no choice.
“Hi.” She turned and extended a hand. “I’m Sable as I’m sure you’ve figured out.”
“My name’s Cash,” the security guard said as he took her hand, and Sable’s stomach dropped, leaving her hollow and off balance.
She’d seen handsome men before, but this man wasn’t handsome.
This man was a god. He was so exquisitely beautiful that it hurt to gaze at him, but it was impossible to turn away.
He towered over her with his brunette hair, his chiseled and stoically muscled body, his elongated ears, and his glasses that made him look both incredibly intelligent and impossibly filthy.
They gave him the air of a calm professional who turned into a freak the minute the doors were locked, and the image of her bent over his desk with her bare ass on display for him flashed into her mind before she could stop it.
She couldn’t find this man attractive. He was the enemy, a Fae soldier tasked with thwarting her mission, and what’s more, she was fairly certain Cash was the special forces guard Peter had warned her about.
Cash didn’t want to release the gorgeous brunette’s hand.
It was inappropriate. He knew that, but the minute she’d turned around, his heart stopped.
She was significantly shorter than him, but her lithe body was athletically sculpted, and for an embarrassing second, he wanted to see her in a pair of workout leggings.
At first glance, her appearance said college student, but his senses told her she was older, which he was thankful for.
He liked that she was age-appropriate for him.
Golden flecks dusted her brown eyes, and they reminded him of the egg he was sworn to protect.
Her tempting brunette beach waves begged to be wrapped around his fist while he kissed her as if his life depended on it.
“Nice to meet you, Cash.” She smiled, and the expression was so fucking sexy that he had to force himself not to step closer to her. “You have such a kind son. I got myself all turned around, but he helped.”
“It’s easy to do,” Cash said, vaguely aware that Clover was staring at their still clasped hands. “Took me a minute to learn the layout.”
“How long have you worked here?” Sable asked.
“A few weeks,” he answered.
“Oh… so if I need a tour guide, I guess you aren’t the man to ask,” she teased, and Cash forced himself not to immediately contradict her. He was absolutely the man for the job.
“I made it my priority to memorize this museum top to bottom within the first few days of my employment,” he said, needing to prove himself to this goddess of a woman. “I know every room, hallway, and exhibit down to the vents, number of doors, and the size of the windows.”
“Oh, then I guess you are the man to ask,” she said, and Cash swore she shifted closer to him.
He also swore Clover noticed it as well.
“But, alas, you’re a security guard, so you probably don’t have time to give a curious girl like me a tour, so I’ll leave you to your work. Maybe I’ll see you around, though?”
She finally pulled her hand free from his grasp, and only once her soft skin left his could he breathe again.
“Until next time,” he said, hoping he didn’t sound desperate.
“Bye, Clover.” Sable waved and sauntered down the hallway toward the exit, and Cash watched her leave, paralyzed until she vanished.
“She’s really pretty,” Clover said, and if Cash had been looking, he would have seen the conspiratorial grin on his son’s face.
“Yes,” he said. “Yes, she is.”
Sable cursed as she fled the museum. Cash was definitely the soldier Peter had warned her about.
That sexy guard was going to be a problem, and not just because he was good at his job.
Too good if Cupid had recommended him, and when she’d teased him about being her tour guide, he’d proved his dedication with his knowledge of the building.
But Cash was also a complication because he was someone Sable could easily fall for.
She’d never met a man who seized control of her like he had with a simple touch of his fingers.
She felt his handshake in every part of her body, her nerves firing white-hot and electric as his palm slid against hers.
She’d never experienced lightning like that before.
No man had ever caused her to question her illegal lifestyle, but staring into the Fae male’s gorgeous eyes threatened to derail her.
Yes, Cash and his adorable son were going to be a problem.