Page 19 of Double Shot

And it was true. Nat wasn’t the best employee, but that time really hadn’t been his fault. He’d caught someone shoplifting—a lizard shifter who was the daughter of a local politician, and rich enough that she definitely did not need to be shoplifting designer shoes. Her daddy had gotten Nat fired when he told his manager.

Honestly, it wasn’t that surprising, and Nat said he should’ve seen it coming. Everyone knew the lizard shifters in this town were mobsters.

As I waited for Nat to reply, I started wondering what I should say to Clarence. I nibbled on my lower lip as I considered my options.

One: Politely but firmly tell him that it wasn’t going to work out, and a second date wasn’t happening.

Two: Give him another chance, but in secret. Never tell anyone. Especially not Nat.

Three: Embrace it. Marry him. Grow my own billy goat beard. Start eating duck for every meal.

Groaning, I set my phone down and lowered my forehead to the desk. What was I doing? There were no options. I wasn’t attracted to Clarence and I hadn’t particularly enjoyed his company. Why would I consider going out with him again?

Before I could delve too deep into my own warped and desperate psyche, the sound of a car’s tyres splashing through puddles made me lift my head off the counter. I listened to a car come to a halt in the parking lot, its engine cutting off before doors opened then slammed. Two low, muffled voices grew louder as their owners approached the front office.

I wiggled the mouse to wake up the monitor and pulled up the tab for our booking software, then plastered a polite smile to my face as the door opened.

When I glanced over and saw who it was, I froze with a sharp intake of breath. “Oh Lucifer.”

“Don’t be weird,” said Vince Burke, a.k.a. one of the Goliaths, a.k.a. the Rolling Rimmer, a.k.a. the hottest ghoul I had ever seen in my fucking life. He raised a dark brow at me in warning, pale fingers threaded through those of the taller man walking beside him as they approached the desk.

High Lord Crossbody. Another Goliath, and a fae prince who wore tiny golden bikini briefs to wrestle in and had those beautiful long legs all the way up to his ass and made the most exquisite sounds I had ever heard any being make while he was being fucked to within an inch of his life.

I’d grown a little faint. Light-headed. I had to fan myself as I stared at them in a daze.

“You’re back,” I breathed when they stopped in front of the desk. “I’ve missed you guys so much.”

“You’re being weird, dude,” Vince said, but he smirked a little as he glanced at High Lord Crossbody, who cleared his throat and lifted his chin regally.

“We’ve pre-booked room—”

“Fifteen, I know.” I didn’t even look at the booking info on the computer, just turned around to snatch the key from the wall. “Seriously, guys, I cannot tell you how much I needed this. You’re lifesavers.”

“We’re not here to feed you, dude,” Vince said incredulously. “We’re just here to… enjoy the amenities.”

High Lord Crossbody cleared his throat, dropping Vince’s hand to reach into his pocket for his wallet. The ghoul tried to stop him, shaking his head and circling his wrist, stroking over the fae’s pulse point with his thumb.

“I’ll get it, babe.”

“No, darling.” The fae prince smiled at him, and unholy fucking shit, it was like witnessing Lucifer Himself block out the sun. Stunningly beautiful to the point of almost being too much. “Let me.”

Vince grinned, and it somehow looked both wicked and soft at the same time. He leaned in to kiss High Lord Crossbody’s cheek. “Thanks.”

The fae slid his card onto the counter, fingers long and elegant and ridiculously sexy. I stared at them, unmoving, my mouth hanging open, until he cleared his throat meaningfully, making my head jerk up.

“Oh, sorry.” I reached for the card reader and sighed wistfully. “I want what you guys have.”

“We actually saw you on your date last night,” Vince said, leaning an elbow on the counter.

I whipped my head around to stare at him in shock. “You did?”

“Yeah, in Gargy’s.”

“You were in there? And I missed you?”

He chuckled. “Yeah.” Tilting his head toward High Lord Crossbody, he added with a smirk, “Gave this one a handjob by the pool table. You didn’t notice?”

I choked on my own spit as the fae’s spine snapped straight and colour rushed to his cheeks. “Unholy shit, you did? I can’t believe I—”