The Game

He raised his phone. “You didn’t answer my text.”

“Didn’t bring it.” Because it’s stashed away in a library at UCLA, I mused proudly.

“You should always carry a charged phone.”

I folded my arms. “Are you going to hit this place?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Let me get you a drink.”

The room to his left was flooded in darkness and yet the rest of the gallery glared beneath fluorescent lights.

I narrowed my eyes. “What are you up to?”

He feigned innocence. “Enjoying the art.”

I stepped left to peer into the dark showroom.

His frown deepened. “You can’t see that one tonight.”

“Really?”

He gestured to the rope cordoning it off. “Out of order.”

“That’s convenient. I wonder who put that there.”

“The staff, I imagine. There’s a fault with the sensors.”

I moved toward the door and he grabbed my arm.

“Let go, please.”

His hand snapped away and his back straightened. “There’s a good reason it’s cordoned off.”

“I’m sure there is.” I threw him a look of triumph and climbed over the rope and headed in, pulling the strap of my purse across my chest and easing it behind me.

“Zara,” he called after me, “I was standing in front of the sign.”

I turned and forced a smile. “Am I ruining your plan?”

“You can’t be in here.”

Yes, buddy, I’ve caught you in the act.

Passing the first impressively large portrait on the left of a holographic tornado, I admired its realism. Though with merely digits and codes it wouldn’t be worth anything and was impossible to steal. Walking onward there was the footage of a hurricane at sea with rolling waves; a living, breathing masterpiece. Next, an image of the sun shining brightly and I shielded my eyes trying to figure out what would be so appealing in any of these.

My heel caught in the ground and I peered down at the tiny holes in the floor tiles.

Fuck.

“Hurry!” Tobias was inside the rope and frantically gesturing. “This is the rain room!”

I gawped toward the sound of rushing air.

A deluge of rain—drenching me.

When I opened my eyes, I blinked through the blur of water at a horror-stricken Tobias. The rain ceased, though a few droplets still hit my head as my hair squished to my scalp. My dress clung horribly. I’d become the exhibit.

Careful with his footing on the slippery floor, Tobias hurried over and shrugged out of his jacket.

Breathing through these waves of panic... Oh, no, I’d ruined this lovely dress. Wiping water out of my eyes, I looked up at him. “It’s Escada.”

“I love it.” He gave a sympathetic smile. “Both versions.” He wrapped his jacket around my shoulders.

I welcomed the warmth with a sigh. “I’m so embarrassed.”

Tobias cupped my cheeks and leaned in and kissed me, his lips soft and comforting against mine, my mouth tingling, my need for him relighted as I almost forgot this was forbidden.

He broke away and gave a reassuring tug on his jacket to bring it further around my shoulders. “You have a funny way of trying to save me, Zara Leighton.”

I gave a shrug of surrender and shivered.

“Oh, sweetheart.” He pulled me into a hug.

“You’ll get wet.” I nudged him away.

“Come on.”

Trudging toward the exit behind him, I paused briefly to wring water out of my hem. I couldn’t bear the thought of anyone seeing me like this.

How embarrassing.

As I stepped out into the hallway the stark chill made me tremble.

“Let’s get you out of here.” Tobias rubbed his hand up and down my back.

Gabe walked briskly toward us in a flurry of concern. “What the hell happened to you?”

My teeth chattered. “Bit of an accident.”

“Why did you go in there?” He threw a glare at Tobias.

“I’ve never known it to rain in a gallery.” I mean whose idea was this, anyway, and what purpose did it achieve? Where I came from it rained almost every bloody day.

“It’s out of service.” Tobias gave a look of resignation. “The motion detectors are meant to pick up movement—”

“Stop the water hitting you when they detect you’re beneath,” added Gabe. “I love this one. When it works.”

“Is my makeup smudged?”