I felt bad for leaving Ed to handle Inspector Raphael alone, but it was her operation and it was better if she explained it herself. Also if he found out I helped her, then he would blame Ed for involving me and be even more angry with her.

Ed was relentless so she could hold her own. I just prayed that Inspector Raphael wouldn't be so hard on her.

I had thought my man's disguise wouldn't work but it actually fooled people. Aside from Druggie Max, people I passed by greeted me with, 'Evening sir.'

Sir!

I was amused, and decided to fool around with my persona a little longer. As I walked, an owner of a trinket shop asked me to watch his shop for a short while as he went out to run an urgent errand.

"Thank you, sir," the short stout man said and hobbled off in a hurry.

People in this Town trusted strangers too much.

I walked into the shop and looked around. He sold all kinds of jewellery and tapestries, and a few lamps as well. I walked to the counter and turned, leaning against it on my elbows as I watched the doors.

A few seconds later, a figure stepped in and my heart skipped a beat upon recognising instantly who it was. I hung my head so my hat shielded my face and soft footsteps thudded against the woodwork as they approached.

"Is Mr. Woolmington not in?" Callum's low calm voice asked.

From my peripheral, I saw his legs come up right beside me.

I employed my domineering persona's voice. "Stepped out for a bit."

"I see. Did he leave you in charge or are you waiting to buy something as well?"

What the hell was I supposed to reply to that? He only told me to 'watch' the shop not 'run' the shop.

At last, I settled on, "Waiting."

"I'm here to buy a lamp. What about you?"

Had Callum always been this chatty? No wonder he was tricked into accepting ganja cookies.

"He has some nice beads here, you know."

At that, my head snapped up to him. I found him leaning against the counter as he faced me, watching me with a small smile on his clear, good looking face.

Did he...? No. No way.

I gulped. "What the heck would I need beads for?" I snapped in my deepened voice, although it cracked a bit because of my being thrown off by his statement. "Only women need beads and I am not. Not a woman, I mean. I am a man. You can see that clearly through my clothes, can you not?"

Slow down, tiger or you'll bust yourself.

Callum tilted his head. In one swift motion, he took my cowboy hat off my head.

"Hey!" I squeaked, completely forgetting my persona and jumping up straight.

He beamed when he saw my braids and I heated up in embarrassment.

"Well, well," he said, stepping closer to me. He lifted his hand to my hair and unravelled the bun, so the beads at the ends of the twists rattled and came free. "What's this, then?"

Slimy little eel.

"I forgot." I cleared my throat and replied in a bass. "I forgot about those."

I didn't know why I was still keeping up the Hargreeves persona, but I didn't want to admit defeat.

Callum sighed. "Give it up, Rose."

"Who is this Rose you speak of? I am not her. I am a him."

He pursed his lips as he struggled with a smile, but in his eyes, amusement reigned. He held one strand of my hair and asked, "If you're not Rose, then what does this R on the bead stand for?"

Crap.

"R-rah-rah-Reginald," I said the first male name that bounced in my mind. "Reggie, if you will."

His eyes widened, probably surprised at how far I was willing to drag this act on.

Agent Reginald Hargreeves always fulfils a mission, and doesn't get caught.

Callum lowered his hand. "Alright then, Reggie," he said, looking into my eyes with a new challenge. "Mind telling me why your voice keeps fluctuating? It goes high-" He raised his hand like a bar. "And then it goes low." He lowered it.

I wet my lips as I wrestled to think of an answer. "Because...because I'm nervous."

Shit, I just blurted the truth.

A corner of his lips lifted. He enjoyed me squirm. "And why would you be nervous?"

My heart's pace increased, and it suddenly felt hot. He watched me expectantly, waiting for me to admit that I was pretending.

But my answer was different. "Because of you."

He blinked and his brows furrowed, his smile faltering. "Me?"

I met his gaze head on and in that moment, everything around us dissipated into the shadows so I could see only him.

"It's all because of you," I said, finally dropping Hargreeves in the bin. "The racing of my heart and the butterflies in my stomach." My eyes lowered to his lips. "The linger of my gaze on your lips for longer than normal." My eyes flicked back to his blue ones. "They're all feelings you cause upon me by your mere existence, and presence - be it around me or in my thoughts."

Silence passed between us as we listened to our breaths, and he stared at me with an incomprehensible expression in his eyes.

"So what are you going to do about it, Callum Vaughn?" I asked in a whisper, and his eyebrows shot up.

His lips parted but I wasn't sure if it was to utter something, for Mr. Woolmington arrived just in the nick of time.

"I'm back!" His abrupt voice made us spring back from each other.

I looked away as my chest threatened to burst open from my confession.

"Thank you, sir, for - oh, hair?"

I looked up at the stout man who stood still as he watched me like I was a ghost. I simply nodded and made for the exit, but I remembered the cowboy hat. I made a swift about-turn back to Callum and snatched the cowboy hat out of his hands without looking at him. I was trembling, but forced myself to appear calm. What I didn't need at the moment was to embarrass myself.

I turned and positioned the hat atop my head as I marched out of the shop, using my other hand to wave goodbye.

Shit, that was tough.

A/N:

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