The Thief and the Heiress

"Either they'll literally gloat themselves to death and not be a problem anymore or they will wear themselves out and be done with it." Josh shrugs. "Seems like a win-win situation to me."

Josh sips his coffee, unwittingly making a face when the lukewarm liquid touches his tongue. Ugh, cold coffee, not a good way to start the day. At least it's better than having a bullet lodged in his gut. Now he has a yardstick for awful days. A soft chuckle slips past his lips at the thought.

Stephanie found herself laughing again at Josh's statement. She could actually let her guard down around him and found it to be pleasant. When he made a face, she cocked her head to the side, "Need me to bring you up some more coffee? Or are you feeling well enough that you may actually be able to venture a trip downstairs?"

Josh is sure that most tough guys would be up and trotting down the stairs without a word, but he actually takes the time to consider. His line of work requires a lot of deft maneuvering around. If he messes his side up too badly and winds up with some kind of handicap, that will make his work much harder.

Still, he supposes he has to start pushing himself a little bit. He certainly doesn't want to impose for the rest of his life. "I think it's time to do a little venturing," he finally says, standing straighter, pleased to feel barely a pinch in his side.

Stephanie nodded, helping Josh out of bed and making sure that he didn't hurt himself. She walked silently at his side but it wasn't a bad silence. It was one of those silences that come when two people are finally comfortable around each other and don't have to make much of a fuss when it comes to getting to know one another. After all this man had been living in her mansion for almost a week and a half now, they had talked almost every day.

Josh is quiet because he's thinking, he's assessing. Usually when he's this quiet, he's on the job. He's studying a security system, he's getting to know the schedule. It's strange.

This time he's studying himself. He's making sure the pain isn't getting any worse, that the stitches are holding, that he's steady on his feet. So far, so good.

As they reach the bottom of the stairs, he can't help but glance up at the skylights. "Those should be more secure." He murmurs offhandedly.

"The skylights should be more secure?" Stephanie laughs at his musing. She had inspected him the entire walk down, had made sure that he was feeling okay and that he didn't need to take a break at anytime. "Josh are you meaning to tell me that you're paranoid about my skylights?"

Josh shrugs then shakes his head. "I mean from ... from people like me." For the first time in his life, he feels awkward about what he does for a living.

"From thieves. Honestly, if someone wants somethign here then they can take it. Sure I have valuables but I would trade everything in the world for one good, true friend," Stephanie shrugged as she looked up at them before walking into the kitchen to start making something to eat.

"You're quite a strange woman, Miss McMahon. No offense." He can't help but wince a bit at the last comment. There was a reason he let his agent do most of the talking. Josh tended to speak much too frankly when he opened his mouth.