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Alas, we didn’t have time. There was a meticulous way to the things she planned out, and I wasn’t going to be the one to cause any disruptions or delays. I pushed myself up to a sitting position, then started the coffee pot while she took the first turn in the bathroom.
As that brewed, I started to do what I did best. I cleaned, wiping away any surfaces, folding clothes into the empty suitcase, and washing the glasses from the bar in the sink of the kitchenette. I prepared two cups and left them to cool as I finished cleaning. When Vienna came out, she found me glaring at the bed.
“I think we can safely say, the bed did nothing to deserve that kind of anger,” Vienna said playfully as she walked to the suitcase that held our clothes. She tugged out an outfit and shopping bag, throwing it over her shoulder as she stood up.
“Should we take the sheets with us? Since that’s where we spent most of our time?” Not to mention the unimaginable amounts of fluids we were leaving behind.
She glanced around the room, the cogs of her brain visibly working. Her gaze landed on the wine bottle we’d shared last night. We’d barely had more than a glass and a half each. Enough to celebrate but not so much either of us were drunk.
Walking over to it, she pulled out the cork, then dribbled a little red wine onto the rumpled white sheets. The pattern was random and sparse, and to an unknowing eye, it looked exactly like a spill and not at all intentional.
“There. The issue with hotels is, not all staff change the sheets after every room is cleaned. When they see the stains, on both the pillows and the sheets, they’ll have no choice but to strip them. And you know how you keep your whites so bright?”
A slow smile spread across my lips. Damn, I loved the way Vienna’s brain worked. She quite literally thought of everything. “Bleach.”
“Exactly.” She smirked as she disappeared inside the bathroom once again. The next time she appeared, she didn’t even look like the same woman. A raven black wig cut into a dramatic bob with blunt bangs covered up the lovely waves I loved so much. Her makeup was heavy, but expertly done. If I didn’t know she was alone in the bathroom, I would have thought she had a visit from a talented make-up artist.
The hair matched perfectly with the black one-piece suit that hid most of her shape and gave the appearance of a more tall, slender woman.
She stuffed her clothes and bag into the suitcase with our dirty clothes as she pulled out an outfit for me. I took the items from her hands and frowned down at the selection. It wasn’t the khakis that I was questioning, or the polo golf shirt. On top of the pile was a golf visor that was open on the top to show the head. Only, the top wasn’t open. A deflated wig with spiky, bleach blonde highlights seemed to be sewed into the edges of the hat.
“I just put this on?” I didn’t know much about wigs, but for them to appear real, they usually took more than slipping them on. Right?
“Yes. It’s nothing crazy. If you need help, I’ll fix it for you after you change.” She nudged my arm until I was walking toward the bathroom.
When I came out, she had a little handheld vacuum in her hand, running it quickly over the floor. “Perfect timing. I’ll sweep up the bathroom really quick and check the shower, then we can get out of here.” She let her fingers glide over my forearm as she passed me.
The hair on my arms stood up as my slacks got tighter.
Within minutes we had both suitcases packed up, the room and bathroom spotless, but still messy enough it looked like people had been here, and we were gone.
I followed Vienna’s lead as she took us to the elevator, then through the lobby and out to the sidewalk. The traffic was fairly tame during mid-morning with only a few honks here and there. Nothing like rush hour in the morning or afternoon.
Vienna led us around the corner and across the street to a decent looking parking garage. It wasn’t a posh location like our hotel had been. Nor was it dilapidated, where I thought we’d have to defend ourselves going in. Needing a decent power wash and some weeding, it merely looked like a regular garage.
On the third floor, she pulled out keys and unlocked a black sedan. I loaded the suitcases when she opened the trunk, then we slid into the car.
“Still no questions?” The question was almost taunting, even if it was mostly teasing. After a quick glance at me, she started the car and pulled out of our parking space.
“No.”
A tiny line appeared between her brows as she looked over at me again. “Why are you smiling so big?” She genuinely sounded perplexed.
I touched my lips, finding them stretched across my face in what had to be a slightly disarming smile. “That was fun. Any time we spend together is fun, but being out and working together, like we have secrets from the rest of the world? It’s amazing. I hope you take me with you more often.”
Her tawny eyes softened and she found a more comfortable position in her seat. “You’re nothing like I thought you’d be when we first met. You know that, Rick?”
I laughed, but didn’t comment. It wasn’t difficult to figure out what her first impression of me was in that dark, dank alleyway. And she was right. In a way, she was nothing like I’d expected either. In fact, she was better than anything I could have dreamed up.
“What are we up to today?” I asked, still high on our time together.
“Well,” a sly smile slithered across her lips. “Today it’s time for Fletcher’s second test.”
Shit. That wasn’t what I wanted to hear at all.
17
Vienna
