I had heard many times throughout my life that I was too sensitive, or preachy, or clearly meant to be short-statured because I longed for the soapbox. In reality, I simply had a verystark sense of right and wrong and the inability to shut up about it—or even stop thinking about it.
That was the plight ofalwaysthinking. There were a lot of seconds in the day to fill up, and by golly, did my mind view that as a challenge it wouldn’t back down from.
“Yeah, I’m serious, and I don’t like guys in suits.”
“I’m not wearing a suit,” Paul countered with a slight growl in his voice. I really shouldn’t have found it so appealing. Never thought of myself as a furry, but maybe I should expand my horizons…
“Not physically, no. But that doesn’t mean you’re not a guy in a suit.”
Paul’s growl grew louder, and as much as I’d have liked to explore the new feeling I was having, it wasn’t really the time.
Maybe once I’m home, me and my Hitachi can have a long conversation about it…
“Hey,” I murmured, placing my hand on his chest. Uh-oh, that wasn’t the best move to keep my mind on track becauseholy crap,Paul was solid in a way that was far too appealing to me. It was like he was carved out of fucking marble and hot to the touch too! “Let’s go.”
“But—”
I gave him a meaningful look, hoping he caught my drift. “I said, let’s go.”
Thankfully, he got it and fell into lockstep with me as I turned and walked along the side of the building.
We were silent, dead silent, and most of my processing power was going toward making sure no one was following us. But as far as I could tell, we were the only ones outside the building. By the time we got to the back, I was certain there was no way the guard at the door could see us, so I quickly darted to the side and began to look for any sort of entrance.
That was the downside of having such tiny peepholes for a lookout. Sure, it offered some reliable protection, but it sure made for a narrow field of view.
“What are you doing?” Paul whispered, his voice barely audible. It was considerate of him to talk even that loud though, because I was sure he was used to dealing with other people who had enhanced senses.
“Getting us in,” I said matter-of-factly as my gaze landed on another door.
It looked just as heavy as the one we were turned away from, but as I cautiously approached it, I was relieved to see it had no guard. Good.
“Someone’s going to hear if I break that thing down,” Paul murmured, waves of cerulean concern spreading out from him.
“Who said anything about breaking it down?”
I knelt in front of the knob, then reached into my boot for a thin metal tool that might be of use. With that and a bobby pin from the messy bun I’d thrown my hair into, I started to pick the lock.
“What are you doing?” he asked again.
“Exactly what it looks like.”
“Are you telling me you’re really picking the lock?”
“I’m not telling you I’m doing anything,” I shot back primly. “I’m just doing it.”
Paul made a sound that was a mix of bafflement and amusement, and I wished I could turn to see exactly what that looked like, but I had to concentrate. I wasn’t exactly a veteran when it came to picking locks, more a casual enjoyer.
“Why would an oracle know how to pick a lock?”
“Eh, I got bored as a teen.”
A few moments later, I finally heard the sound I was waiting for. I turned the knob and opened the door slightly. It made a far louder squeak than I would have preferred, so I froze andheld my breath, listening for any cries of intrusion or thundering footsteps.
When I only heard silence, I tucked my tension wrench back in my boot and slipped the bent bobby pin in my pocket—it might be useful later. What purpose it could possibly have, I didn’t really know, but it was better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it.
“And we’re in,” I said, gently pushing the door open the rest of the way.
“Incredible.” Paul shook his head, and boy, did the compliment make my stomach do a few flips. I always was a sucker for well-meant praise. “But one second.”