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Oh, and one other detail.
I wore his favorite perfume.
“I was here yesterday,” I said, smiling at him. “You’re right. The pieces are amazing. I had to come back to see them again.”
“So, who’s your favorite artist?”
I smiled coyly at him. “I’ll tell you over a drink.”
“I don’t even know your name.”
“That’s because you never asked.”
His lips split into a wide grin as he glanced at the floor. “Would you tell me your name?”
I pretended to think about it before answering. “Penelope. But my closest friends call me Penny.”
“That’s a beautiful name. It matches the woman it belongs to.”
This man was a smooth talker. If I wasn’t about to rob him, I might actually be interested in him for a fun time before I moved on to my next job.
“So, about that drink…”
“How about tomorrow night?”
“I would, but it would have to be halfway around the country. I’m leaving tomorrow morning on a business trip.”
“That’s a shame. I have a meeting tonight.”
I sighed heavily, knowing this was my chance to get him. “Well, it was nice to meet you.” I stepped up to him, pressing my hand lightly against his chest as I leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to the corner of his lips. Then I hovered for just a second. “Maybe some other time.”
I stepped back and turned to walk away, not sparing him a second glance. A smile quirked my lips as I counted down in my head. And right on cue…
“Penny!” I stopped but didn’t turn around. “I could probably move that meeting.”
I slowly turned and grinned at him. “What time do you get off?”
He chuckled, shaking his head slightly.
“I’ll be back at closing.”
With a wink, I headed for the door. But my mind was still on that crooked piece of art.
I spent the next few hours preparing for the job. I needed to grab a few things from my stash back at the motel. Then I packed a bag with a change of clothes and the gear I needed. Laying all the tools out on my bed, I made sure each one was polished thoroughly before packing it.
I glanced at the clock, watching the minutes tick down until it was time to go. I was supposed to meet Paul at the museum, and when I arrived, he was just walking outside.
I flirted and did the whole kissing cheeks thing, even though I wanted to wipe my lips afterward. He told stories that were supposed to make me laugh, but failed. I pretended he was the funniest man I knew and played along accordingly. All I needed was his keycard to get back in the museum.
Just as we headed down the sidewalk, he slid the keycard clip off his lapel and slid it into his right-hand pocket. We walked for about two blocks, and slowly, I made my way closer to him. My hand tangled with his, and at the same time, he tried to raise his arm.
I laughed as I slid my arm through Paul’s. My fingers brushed against the pocket where I saw him slide his keycard earlier. I gently slid two fingers inside his pocket, lifting the badge with ease.
“Oh, no!” I laughed, stepping away from him. “I think I stepped in dog poop,” I said, contorting my body to look at the bottom of my heels. I slipped the badge into my pocket as he bent over and looked for me.
“I don’t see anything. False alarm,” he grinned as he stood up.
“Thank goodness. Should we stop at this cafe?”
