Collide in Plain Sight

Chapter 12

Harlow

"Pierce!" I shout up the stairs as I struggle to carry a box up from storage in the basement. 

"Yes, love?" he asks, appearing at the top of the stairs. 

"Can you help me with this?" I ask.

"Of course." he responds, hurrying down the stairs. I grin to myself as he hurries to help me, thinking how nice it would have been to have him around when I was moving into my house. 

That couch was a bitch to get through the door. 

I follow him up the stairs and towards the dining room where he sets the box down on the table. 

"What is it?" he asks. I shrug, feigning ignorance. 

"It says antiques on the side. I was really just curious and the light down there is bad." I explain. He nods and plants a kiss to my head before turning towards the kitchen. 

"You hungry, sweetheart?" he asks. 

"No." I respond quickly. Too quickly. He turns to look at me suspiciously, but I just smile at him. "What?" I ask. 

"Nothing. I'll be in my office if you need anything else." he says, going to walk by me to leave the dining room. He stops next to me, reaching out to run his knuckles down my cheek as he gives me an adoring smile that makes me feel warm and fuzzy all over. "Let me know if you need any more help." he murmurs before leaving the room. 

I let out a loud relieved sigh, grateful my plan wasn't ruined by my enthusiasm. I check the hallway and hear the click of his office door close behind me before turning back to my prize. I peel back the flaps of the box, grinning as I look inside. The outside may say antiques, but the inside is full of Nerf guns and darts. I giggle a little, bouncing on my feet as I start to pull them out. One by one I check to make sure they work and load them with ammo. They get bigger the further in the box I go until I hit the jackpot. 

A gatling gun. 

I cackle maniacally to myself as I load the toy weapon, shooting it across the room and watching with glee as I pelt the curtain to dim the sounds, hoping I don't draw attention from Pierce. 

I grab an armful of the weapons, peering around the corner to make sure he's still in his office. When I'm confident he's busy, I creep around the house, depositing guns in random areas of different rooms. I grin to myself as I hide the gatling gun in the craft room, hid under the blanket I have in my favorite chair. I slink back down the stairs, placing the last gun on the floor in front of Pierce's office before climbing the stairs and standing over where he will come out of the door. 

"Pierce!" I shout, trying to put some concern in my voice. "Hurry! I need your help!" I yell, giggling slightly as I hear shuffling in his office. I hear the door swing open and see him step out. 

"Harlow?" he asks, stepping on the gun. 

He looks down at it curiously, picking it up and looking around. I laugh from above him, the sound making him turn to look up at me. As soon as he does, I aim and fire, the dart hitting him in the shoulder and another the face. He lets out a surprised sound, looking up at me with a shocked expression before it curls into a grin. He takes aim with his own gun before pulling the trigger. I shriek and run up the stairs, laughing as I dodge his attacks. 

I hear the heavy pounding of his feet as he chases me up the stairs, my heart beating wildly in my chest as I shoot behind me while running towards my room. I slide on the floor where another gun is waiting for me. Pierce empties his gun, seeing another on my bed. He grabs it, but that one needs primed before it'll shoot. I grin at him as he huffs, clearly annoyed by the added work.