Steal the Day (Thieves #2)(46)

“How many children are you planning?” the blue-haired woman I thought was the new Mrs. Bell asked. She and Mr. Bell had recently married after her husband of thirty years had kicked the bucket last spring. It hadn’t taken me long to realize this place was popular among the geriatric honeymoon set. They might have mentioned that on their website.

“Oh, now, Mrs. Bell,” Dev replied, his voice all teasing seduction. I rolled my eyes as several of the women actually sighed. “That’s the kind of thing that sorts itself out. My wife and I will be willing to accept any babies we’re blessed with.”

“But don’t you think we should talk about any possible kiddos?” He needed to know this conversation wasn’t finished. “It’s too important to just leave it up to fate.”

Mary Jo Renfro vigorously disagreed with me. “You just have to have faith, Mrs. O’Malley. You have to trust in God. He knows best. I’ve been blessed with four little ones, each a gift. I’m sure you and your husband will have beautiful babies.”

I was still wondering if my “husband” already had beautiful babies. Dev swiftly moved the conversation to a thrilling recitation of Mr. Rucker’s passing of a kidney stone. I glared at Dev the rest of the meal.





We finally made it to the “Seraphim Suite” a few hours later. It was a monstrosity of love. The bed really was a heart completely decked out in ruffles and more pillows than any two people could ever use. The evening had been a complete bust with the exception of planting a few bugs that I was pretty sure would only catch more of Mr. Rucker’s health horror stories. I was tired, having driven all day, so my plan was to get some sleep and start snooping tomorrow.

After I settled one little issue.

Dev stretched out on the frilly bed. He looked out of place in this room. I couldn’t help but think of his condo. That was Dev’s natural habitat. The mixture of nature and the sleek lines of the city perfectly defined Dev. He looked silly surrounded by ruffles and lace. He turned on one side and rested his head in his hand. He patted the bed beside him and gave me that smile. It was the one he had when he knew he was getting some.

“No.” I turned away and started shoving clothes in the ornate dresser.

“What is that supposed to mean?” He asked the question as though no woman in his life had ever said no to him when he was trying to seduce her. It was a viable possibility.

“It means that I’m not sleeping with a man who thinks his children are none of my business.” I pulled off my sweater and jeans and exchanged them for sweat pants and a tank top.

“Zoey,” came that silky smooth voice as he walked up behind me. His arms surrounded me, and he pulled me back against him, letting me feel every bit of what he was offering. It was a substantial offering. “This is a stupid fight. This is exactly what Daniel wanted to happen. Come to bed and we can play a game. You can be the reluctant virgin bride, and I’ll teach you everything you need to know, sweetheart.”

It would be so easy to let him pick me up and toss me down and envelop me in his unique magic, but I was falling in love with the man. I couldn’t risk my heart on a man who just wanted me in bed and not in any other part of his life. “No, Dev. You can either open up and talk, or we can spend a nice evening sleeping with no touchy touchy.”

“I don’t take well to ultimatums, darling,” Dev replied, his voice harder than I’d ever heard it. “I wish you a good night’s sleep.” He undressed, sparing me not a moment of his breathtaking body. He slid under the covers and turned away from me. “Now I know why Daniel’s pissed off all the time. Being married to you really cramps a person’s sex life.”

He managed to get to sleep, but I couldn’t force myself to get into bed. I knew what would happen. I would end up cuddling with him, and I didn’t want that right now. I wanted to keep my righteous indignation fully stoked.

An hour passed and then two, and I decided it was time to get a little work done. It was past midnight. I doubted the other three couples were real big into the nightlife. I got my story straight. If I got caught, I was searching for the kitchen because I needed a glass of water in order to take my medication. Surely this crowd understood the importance of medication. I just intended to get really turned around.

I slipped thick socks on my feet because it was cold, and for the same reason added a sweater. I was careful about not waking Dev as I slipped quietly into the hallway.

There are a couple of necessary skills to perfect when your chosen profession is thievery. The ability to move silently is right up there at the top along with a certain moral flexibility and the patience to put up with wearing a lot of black. While other fathers tossed a baseball with their kids or carted them to dance class, my dad taught me his profession. I learned to walk almost silently a long time ago, and the skill came in handy this night. I shut the door behind me and stuck as close to the wall as I could. Unfortunately, the floors were wood. Carpet or anything with a pad is best at covering sound. When you find yourself dealing with hardwood, your best bet is staying near the wall. This minimizes creaks and groans. I also had stretched carefully before starting out, paying careful attention to the joints. You would be surprised how loud an elbow can be when it pops, and if you’re cold it just might. It’s better to stretch out all the kinks before starting.

There were three rooms on the second story. Dev and I were in the largest. All of the rooms were dark now. I passed by the Ruckers and could hear one of them snoring loudly. The paintings on the walls were all of angels. Mary Jo Renfro was really into angels. It begged the question why Felicity hadn’t been able to work her charms on the proprietor. It also gave me an in when it came to engaging the woman in conversation. Once I got someone talking about their favorite subject, they tended to give things away without thinking about it.