Page 14 of In the Nick of Time
Doug stared around at what was clearly not a suite but in fact a room with one queen-sized bed. The desk clerk had informed them that the World of Concrete Convention was in town and the entire city was basically sold out. Their reservations had been bumped or “lost” in favor of the Golden Trowel Awards.
What the fuck?
“But you’re in luck. We have a single queen. It doesn’t have the best view, but it’s all we have,” the young woman said.
What the actual fuck?
Doug rubbed his bum leg. He was going to kill April when he got his hands on her. When he finally met her in person.
“Um,” Sedgewick said, looking around. “Maybe we can call down for a hideaway bed? But hey, there’s a great view of the air-conditioning units.” He nodded toward the window with a view of the rooftop next door.
Nick had Tim tucked under one arm, refusing to leave him in the car after he had set him down in the parking lot to “do his business.” Tim appeared to be a well-mannered reptile, if there was such a thing.
“We don’t have time to deal with this. We need to check out a place called The Ace of Clubs. Lives are at stake.” Doug didn’t know why SPAM had assigned him this job. He was not good at undercover work and suspected that Sedgewick would be worse. Maybe that was the point? Maybe no one would suspect he and Sedgewick were agents.
“Put the damn—put Tim down and get cleaned up, then we’ll check out the scene. I want to know what we’re getting ourselves into.”
Looking a little lost, Sedgewick set Tim down on the carpet and opened up his suitcase. Doug refused to feel sorry for him. This was the life of a SPAM agent and a person had to roll with the punches. Or whams.
“My suit is pretty wrinkled after ten hours in the car,” Sedgewick pointed out.
Doug inspected his new partner. He was rumpled all over. Doug refused to find it charming. It was fucking charming.
“Change into something more club-like.”
What that looked like, Doug didn’t know. The last time he’d been clubbing, Agent Sedgewick had probably been a toddler.
“What are you going to wear?” Sedgewick asked.
“Why are we debating what I’m going to wear?”
“We aren’t. I was curious.” Nick looked slightly hurt.
“Just… go change. And hang your suit up while you’re at it. We’ll send it down to be pressed.”
When Sedgewick steppedout of the bathroom thirty minutes later, Doug barely avoided swallowing his tongue. Sinfully tight black jeans and a pink t-shirt with a large kiss print covering the front of it left nothing to Doug’s imagination. Or anyone else’s. Sedgewick had also done something to his hair that made it look sexy instead of as if he’d gone to bed with it still damp.
Doug’s lips parted, but only for a second. He snapped them shut before he could say anything inappropriate.
“That’ll do.”
Sedgewick’s dark eyebrows drew together. “This will do? I think maybe you do need glasses. This is a damn fine outfit.”
“I do not need glasses,” Doug informed him. “I have 20/10 vision.”
“Pfftt, no one has 20/10 vision, you made that up. And anyway, you have reading glasses.”
“I do too—” Doug stopped himself. He suspected Sedgewick’s other subpower was arguing. “I am not arguing with you about this. We need to get going.”
“You’re wearing that?” Nick asked in a way that told Doug he wasn’t.
FIVE
NICK
Nick is not sure if he’s having fun yet…
The Ace of Clubs was interesting if a bit dated.
