Safe at Last (Slow Burn #3)

No arguing that point.

JOIE DE VIVRE, the name of the gallery, was positioned over the door, not readily noticeable from the busy street or to people driving by. It was obvious to Zack that either the owner had shitty marketing or that the art in his galleries sold by word of mouth and he didn’t need to have a flashy display to draw customers inside. He was betting on the latter.

As soon as they walked through the doors they were greeted by an impeccably dressed woman. Her heels tapped on the polished marble floors, several strands of her upswept hair bouncing against her neck as she smiled in greeting.

The gallery was noticeably empty of patrons and Zack hadn’t seen a “closed” sign. The doors were open, but perhaps that was because DSS had an appointment and was expected. In fact, the gallery looked as though it was being prepared for the showing, presumably the reason for the request for security. Maybe a big-name artist was going to be exhibiting here. Zack was woefully out of touch with the art world. What little he knew had come from Gracie and listening to her dreams of one day becoming an accomplished artist.

Despite his resolve to put her and the past behind him, he couldn’t help but think that this could be her. Living her dream. Happy. Painting. Him supporting her in her endeavors.

Damn it but he had to stop this shit. Move forward. The irony of taking a job providing security for an art exhibition mere days after his vow to put his past firmly behind him wasn’t lost on him. Fate was a fickle bitch and right now she was having one fuck of a laugh at his expense. Or at the very least testing his commitment to the promise he’d made to himself.

After Beau introduced his group to the woman, her eyes lit up in recognition.

“Of course. Mr. Sterling told me you’d be arriving at noon. Unfortunately he’s on the phone with an important client, so it will be just a few moments before he’s free. Would you care for coffee? Wine?”

If she’d offered champagne, none of the DSS members would have been able to keep a straight face after Dane’s sarcastic remark in the parking lot. Even so, Eliza smirked, but then she was the most irreverent of the bunch.

The employee’s smile was natural, not practiced like a lot of salespeople’s were. Her comportment was impeccable, and she fit into the image of an exclusive, high-end art gallery with her designer clothing, heels and makeup that made it appear as though she wore none. Her ears were adorned with simple diamond studs that might not appear expensive but were at least two carats apiece and undoubtedly cost a hefty chunk of change.

When no one took her up on her offer, she politely excused herself and said she’d notify Sterling that they had arrived. Then she briskly walked away, her heels once again tapping a sharp staccato on the Italian marble floor.

“Size her up enough?”

Beau’s dry question shook Zack from his observations. The other DSS operatives liked to give him shit for having a keen eye for detail. He sat back and studied people, and let others do the talking. More often than not he found out far more by merely watching and listening than he would by simply talking to the person. When people thought no one was looking they tended to relax, to lower their guard, and in those moments they’d become careless or simply betray their character.

Zack could be depended on to recall the minutest details his coworkers often missed. Body language. Subtle nuances that gave people away. Fidgeting, nervousness. He didn’t miss much.

In this case, though, Beau thought Zack was viewing her with male interest, not sizing her up in a businesslike fashion. But Beau was wrong. Not that the woman wasn’t beautiful, but this was a job. Not a pickup bar.

Zack shrugged. “She’s got money. Not sure how much a gig like this pays, but I’m betting she’s got another source, whether it’s a husband, boyfriend or money she made herself. Could be a bored heiress, but she seems quite intelligent. I’d bet my next paycheck her knowledge in this field is solid. I would also bet that she has an advanced degree.”

Eliza quirked an eyebrow upward. “You got all this by looking at her for five seconds? I would hate to see how I’ve fared in your analyses, since we’ve spent a hell of a lot more than a few seconds together.”

Zack grinned. “You’re the shit and you know it. You don’t need me to give you pretty compliments.”

Eliza rolled her eyes. “Well, duh! I know I don’t need them, but they are nice to hear from time to time. Women like compliments and I’m no exception. Hanging around all the testosterone at the office hasn’t made me grow a penis and forget all about my girl parts.”