pocket.
Nevertheless, she walked straight towards the big Hybrid, pretending she was on a busy street and minding her own business.
V’rex was looking away as they met, as though he was distracted by something. His broad shoulder hit her left arm and he muttered,
“Scuse me,” and walked on past.
Penny turned around, frowning at him.
“Was that it? I don’t think—” Then she put her hand in her right pocket and found that the half flavor stick she’d put there was gone. “Hey!” she exclaimed.
V’rex grinned at her and held up the half stick.
“Gotcha, sweetheart.”
“How did you do that?” Penny demanded. “I didn’t feel a thing!”
“It’s called the bump and distract,” V’rex told her. “Watch…”
He brought her back to stand facing him and then pushed his shoulder into hers. At the same time, he reached his long arm around her body and this time Penny felt him touching her pocket—but only for an instant and only because he wanted her to, she was sure.
“See, you’re so focused on the feeling of my shoulder bumping into yours that you don’t notice my hand in your pocket,” V’rex explained. “Any pick worth his salt can do it. It’s even easier from behind. Here, put this back in your pocket,” he told her.
Penny did as he said, putting the half stick in her left hip pocket this time.
“Good, now pretend we’re on a crowded tram together,” V’rex instructed her. “I’m just another passenger, standing right behind you.”
He turned Penny around, his big hands on her shoulders, and then positioned himself right behind her. He was close, but not touching her, though Penny could feel the heat from his big body against her back. It made her stomach flutter, despite the fact that she knew she shouldn’t let herself be so attracted to the big, dangerous Hybrid.
“Uh…” She glanced over her shoulder. “I know you’re supposed to be inconspicuous and just another passenger, but I think I’d notice a seven-foot tall warrior standing behind me.”
“You got me there, sweetheart.” V’rex gave her a rueful grin. “I was a much more successful pick when I was little. Once I got my full growth, it was a lot harder to move through a crowd doing finger-work.” His face darkened. “Of course, by that time, I was into other things.”
“Other things?” Penny asked faintly. She wondered how he had gotten his start in the gang he’d been in. Had there been some kind of initiation? Maybe killing someone? Maybe chopping off their fingers…?
V’rex seemed to sense where her mind was going because he shook his head.
“Nothing you need to know about. C’mon and turn back around, I’m not done with the demonstration.”
Penny reluctantly turned back to face front, though her stomach was still fluttering uncertainly.
“Now like I said, this is a busy tram at rush hour,” V’rex rumbled behind her. “All of a sudden, it makes a quick stop and we all lurch forward.”
He demonstrated by leaning into her, his broad chest pressing briefly against her back.
“Sorry,” he muttered in her ear. “Damn transports. Brakes are all shot to the Seven Hells.”
He sounded so much like a regular passenger she might have encountered on any public transportation that Penny knew she would have been tempted to think nothing of such an encounter.
“Is that it? You did it?” she asked, turning her head to look at him. Once again, she hadn’t felt anything but his chest briefly touching her back.
“Check your pockets.” V’rex gave her a confident grin.
Penny put her hand in her left pocket…and felt half of the flavor stick.
“Oh,” she said disappointed. “It’s still here.”
“Check all your pockets,” V’rex told her.
Penny put her hand in her right pocket…and pulled out the other half of the stick.
“Hey!” she exclaimed. “I left this on the table. And how did you put something into my pocket without me knowing it?”
“The same way I took something out without you knowing, sweetheart.” His grin widened. “But you haven’t checked all your pockets yet.”
“But there’s only one more and I know you didn’t—” Penny began as she looked down at the pocket over her right breast.
To her surprise she saw the flavor stick she’d given V’rex poking out of the small pocket as though it had always been there.
“Wow…” She plucked it out and looked at it and then looked at V’rex. “I’m impressed. I can’t believe I didn’t feel you putting the sticks in my pockets!”
He shrugged.
“It takes a light touch—and long fingers don’t hurt either.” He held up his hands and wiggled the