Chapter 7 #2
“Oh my god, stop dying!” Sable shouted as her simulated self died once again while trying to remove the egg from its pedestal.
She’d programmed every security measure she’d discovered into the three-dimensional model of the museum, and she was so close to an answer, but the sensor under the egg kept killing her at the end of each simulation.
Her fake death would be concerning if she’d programmed the sensor correctly, but she hadn’t quite figured out what she was dealing with.
If she flat-out asked Cash about its design, he would become suspicious.
The sensor below the egg wasn’t common knowledge.
She’d only noticed it because she knew what to look for, and if he learned she’d found it, he’d put the pieces together and realize she was a thief.
If she saw it in person again, though, she might be able to decipher what held the egg’s safety in its electronic hands, and while she didn’t want to abuse her doomed relationship, she might need to use it just this once.
Filled with shame, Sable changed into a cute but simple outfit and donned her wig.
She then stopped at the coffee shop, ordered two coffees and some pastries, and walked to the museum.
Cash had obviously put her on a list since the ticket agent didn’t charge her for entry, and with her guilt growing by the minute, she found herself knocking on the security office’s door.
“Sable?” Cash stared at her in surprise when he opened the door.
“Coffee?” She shrugged and handed him the second latte. “I needed an afternoon pick me up, and I figured you could too.”
“This is perfect, thank you.” He didn’t take the cup, opting to pull her into a hug first, and after a kiss that melted her every concern until only her ever-growing affection remained, he accepted the drink.
“That worked better than the caffeine,” Sable said, her brain deliciously hazy.
“Any time you need a pick me up, you know where to find me.” Cash threaded his fingers through hers and led her down the hall. “Do you have a few minutes? I could use a break.”
“I have as much time as you’ll allow,” she said. “I brought pastries, too. Would you like some?”
“I’m starving, but I don’t want to eat all your food.”
“I got enough to share.” She held up the bag. “Do you really think I bought this many for myself?”
“I don’t know. Maybe you have a bigger sweet tooth than you’ve let on.” He tugged her closer and kissed her temple.
“I’m an ea—” Sable caught herself before she told him what she was.
As an Easter Bunny, she had a strong love of chocolate, but she couldn’t admit that to him.
She liked to imagine that he’d be thrilled to discover she was also an immortal, but the truth would only complicate things now.
“I’m a girl,” she corrected. “What girl doesn’t love chocolate?
” She opened up the bag and pulled out two chocolate croissants.
“This looks almost as good as you do,” Cash said, accepting her gift. “You need to be careful just showing up randomly, though.”
Sable’s stomach clenched. She’d assumed she would be welcome, but had she overestimated his eagerness to see her?
“If you do this too often, I’ll get spoiled and expect you to eat lunch with me every day,” Cash continued, biting into the croissant with a moan that would fuel her fantasies for as long as she lived.
“If I’d known you were hungry, I would’ve stopped for sandwiches, not pastries.”
“Are you kidding me? This is great. As a single dad, I’m always bringing everyone else food, so it’s nice to have someone treat me.
” He shoved the rest of his croissant into his mouth and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her into a hug that made her feel safe.
“Next time, we’ll do a proper lunch, but right now, I’m going to enjoy this surprise. ”
Next time. Sable wanted to cry at his hope for their future. She was so close to stealing the egg, and she would either succeed and disappear or fail and end up in jail. There might not be a next time, and that single thought hurt more than any physical wound.
“While you have me, is there something you’d like to do?” Cash asked, yanking her out of her misery. “I can give you a private tour. Have you seen the egg yet?”
“Once on a group tour.”
“But you can’t get too close with those. How about I take you? My security clearance will get you right in front of it.”
Sable reached up and adjusted his glasses for him, realizing just how much she would miss the way they framed his beautiful eyes when she left, but this was why she’d visited him at work.
“That would be so cool.” She plastered on a forced smile, which Cash thankfully didn’t notice.
“Come on. If we hurry, we can sneak in before the next tour comes through. It’s stunning up close.
” He downed the rest of his latte and pulled her through the elaborately gorgeous museum toward the Precieux Exhibit, but just before they passed through its entrance, a pair of menacing eyes caught Sable’s attention.
They weren’t looking at her, though. They were focused on Cash, and her stomach fell from her body at the realization.
Peter’s words came flooding back, and her muscles flushed with ice while her blood burned to lava.
Her friend predicted it wouldn’t be long before thieves tried to kill the man she was falling in love with, and it seemed his foreshadowing was coming to pass.
She didn’t know the name of Cash’s stalker, but she recognized his face.
Any thief who valued their life memorized it so they knew who to avoid.
His picture was shared among their ranks with whispered fear because he wasn’t only a capable thief.
He was also a violent man, void of morals and emotions, and he didn’t steal with skill like Sable.
He stole with death and destruction, and if his eyes were on Cash then he was here to kill her handsome security guard.