Steal My Heart (WAYHAUGHT)

Chapter 5

OK. Firstly, what just happened? Waverly thought, having shocked herself. Her biggest weakness had always been curiosity. Watching Nicole on the balcony, she wanted to know what it would be like kissing her. Sure, she had done sexy dancing with gal pals in Ibiza. Who hadn't, when it's 2am and most of your evening consisted of double-strength cocktails. She had never gone so far as kissing another girl. What made her do it? It didn't matter. It was so, so good. Thank you curiosity.

Secondly, which window did keeping this as neighbours fly out of? She had kissed her neighbour. As in, full on the lips, sensuous kissing. It was so, so good. She had gone too far. Her other weakness, the one which got her fired from her last job. If she had simply kept her metaphorical boat tethered instead of rowing it out to sea, she wouldn't now be frantically attempting to row this little love dinghy back to shore.

She broke away from Nicole, who seemed more than happy to stay locked in their embrace.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean...I shouldn't have."

Waverly was flustered. This was not how she wanted the evening to go. She pushed her way back to the bar, grabbing her beer. Nicole chased after.

"Hey, it's OK. Don't apologise. You're not that bad at kissing."

Waverly shot her a look. "Not bad, I'm a fantastic kisser," realising, as soon as the words left her lips, she should not be debating her technique. Rather, she should be extracting herself from the situation in which she had placed herself. Row, row, row your boat quickly back to shore.

"Can we go?"

Nicole looked confused. "Honestly, it's OK. If you hadn't, I would have made the first move. Stay, it's really OK."

Waverly was still flustered. "I didn't make the first move."

She had, but she really wasn't dealing with the whole episode using a cool head.

"No, sorry. What I meant was. Listen, let's just enjoy the evening."

Waverly wanted to go. She stood, eyes lowered considering her options. She decided staying was the better option, given she would only sit in the apartment alone stewing on what she had done. Plus, the atmosphere in Heaven was incredible. If she understood herself a little better, she would have realised already it was what had made her give in to temptation.

The Uber driver dropped them outside their apartment block shortly after 1am. They were silent during the ride. They were silent in the lift. Waverly wanted to say something. The tension between them fizzed in the air like static electricity. She decided, better for this to simmer than grab Nicole and kiss her again, which is what she wanted to do. She was keeping that little love boat well and truly anchored this time. As she reached the door to her apartment, she looked at Nicole.

"I'm sorry I freaked. It was amazing. You're not a bad kisser yourself. See you on the balcony."

With that, she let herself into the apartment, leaving Nicole standing watching her, wondering if that would be the last time they went anywhere together.

Nicole poured herself a whiskey. Standing on the balcony, the breeze of the night cooling the passion she was feeling for Waverly. She glanced at the lounger on Waverly's side.

There's a phrase: coup de coeur. It literally means 'a blow to the heart.' It's having a sudden, strong attraction to something, as in falling for something, someone. It's not the same as love at first sight. That suggests the attraction is mutual. From her sudden change of heart in the nightclub, Nicole sensed Waverly wasn't ready for anything more than friends. Nicole was used to feeling a blow to the heart. Her job entailed chasing coveted pieces that made her and her clients swoon at the thought of owning.

She had always been sensitive to beauty. It was her weakness. She could look at something, someone beautiful and it would bring her to tears. Pulling her into a lover's kiss. Like Waverly.

When her father went to prison, she questioned her choice of work. She didn't need the money. She didn't need the risk of prison. And yet. And yet, she needed something from it. Like an addict. Something kept her hooked. Having tried to fight it, seeing how her father's life had ripped apart their family, her mother leaving when she was only seven, she knew she couldn't. So, she turned the question 180 degrees. What if she didn't resist temptation? What if, she fed temptation and, in doing so, freed herself from the society's moral handcuffs.

An image of Waverly handcuffed in her bed entered her mind.

Nicole's phone woke her. It was Doc, her so-called business partner. He had a new client request while she was in London. He would be over in fifteen minutes. He preferred not to give too much information over the phone. He was old school, relying on talking to someone in person, rather than using new technology, which he considered unsafe for the line of work they were in.

He was older than Nicole, a close friend of her father, who promised to keep her safe while he was inside. He was good to Nicole, but he expected her to perform. There was nothing between them. He knew she wasn't into men, which kept their relationship strictly business.

The way he liked.

Nicole was right when she explained to Waverly Doc was intense. He knew one slip, one wrong move would cost both of them their freedom, their lives in the wrong situation. He trusted Nicole. He knew her father had trained her exceptionally well. She was a natural. One of the best he'd worked with. Her coolness, her ability to move without people suspecting what she was doing stood her apart. He had worried initially her beauty would be a problem. Men and women saw her. As much as she adored beauty. She was a walking piece of art in her own right.

She had learnt to use that to her advantage. Afterall, who would suspect someone as beautiful, as well-dressed as Nicole to be a thief? Her father had said to her over and over: The best crimes are those no one spots being committed. A slight of hand, the move in broad daylight, as others are distracted.

A magician.

Nicole listened in awe as her father taught her his profession during the time they spent together. She worshipped him. He was her magician.

"My child, you need to be a predator."

"Control your gestures, your words, your reflexes."

"Pounce the moment you sense attention is diverted."

Nicole would lie in wait for Waverly.