Teddy Spenser Isn't Looking for Love - Kim Fielding Page 0,38

the fancy Rolls Royce, just as the driver had promised. He popped out of the car as soon as he saw them and came running over. “What happened?”

“Sprained ankle,” Teddy replied tersely, not pausing in his shuffle toward the car. He really, really wanted to sit somewhere soft and warm. No. What he wanted was to strip out of the stupid hiking gear and climb into a bed with lots of pillows and a fluffy down comforter, then swallow a couple medicinal shots of cinnamon whiskey and tumble into a sleep so deep he wouldn’t dream about his impending joblessness.

Romeo helped him to the car, his strong arms steadying Teddy as he lowered himself into the back seat. Romeo handed him an energy bar and canteen and then buckled him in before going to the other side of the car and scooting in beside him.

Meanwhile the driver had been on his phone, presumably to Joyce. He returned to the car in a businesslike manner. “I’m taking you to urgent care and then back to your hotel. Ms. Alexander will contact you later.”

“Fine.” Teddy leaned back and closed his eyes. It was too late now to worry about failure.

* * *

As Teddy had predicted, his ankle was sprained but not broken. The urgent care doctor, a cheery man with a sexy Indian accent, told Teddy to keep it elevated and apply ice packs every couple of hours. “Advil for pain, and rest as much as you can.”

“I’m going to have to walk at least a bit. Work and airport.”

“Of course. A brace will help.”

The brace in question was black, stretchy, and supportive. It also reminded Teddy of the light-bondage gear he had hoped would spark up his relationship with Gregory. Teddy had ordered a bed restraint kit and blindfold, but when he’d tried to install the kit, the straps kept tangling or refusing to adjust properly, and he’d given up before Gregory even arrived. He kept the blindfold, though. It was handy for blocking the early morning sunlight that beamed through his thin curtains.

It was dark when they exited the Rolls in front of their hotel. The driver insisted they take all the hiking gear with them, although Teddy was certain he’d never use any of it again. If he wanted to feel outdoorsy in the future, he’d stick to nicely groomed arboretums in low-topography states.

Teddy’s phone rang as they arrived in their room. He collapsed onto the bed with a groan and answered the call on speaker. “Hello, Joyce. I’m sorry—”

“How are you feeling? Sprains can be quite painful.”

“I’m okay, thanks. I just need to baby it a little.”

“Will you be able to engage in the second test tomorrow?”

He sat up abruptly, ignoring the various twinges. “Second test? But I thought after today—”

“Yes. Today was not as successful as we might have hoped. But two assessments remain. Tomorrow’s will be less physically challenging but will require some standing and walking. Are you capable?”

A second chance. For that, he’d be willing to gnaw off his foot. “Sure. Of course.”

“Excellent. My driver will pick you up at two o’clock. That will give you some extra time to recuperate.”

For the first time since he’d fallen, optimism peeked through the gloom. Maybe her tests weren’t pass or fail. He and Romeo had managed over four miles on their hike, so that could mean they’d earned partial credit. “Can you tell me now what you were testing us for today? Because I still don’t get it.”

Her laugh sounded genuine. “Of course, darling. There are qualities I believe members of a successful team must possess. Today I was looking for fortitude.”

“Oh.” Yeah, his score on that must have been pretty abysmal. He hadn’t even made it halfway around the loop. “Um, you know that Romeo was doing fine, right? He would have finished the hike if he hadn’t needed to help me.”

Romeo gifted Teddy with a slow smile that was as sweet as maple syrup. Heated maple syrup, because...there was almost certainly a glint in Romeo’s eyes. The type of glint that warmed Teddy’s skin and turned his heart into a flock of butterflies.

“Teddy?”

He almost dropped the phone. “Uh, sorry, Joyce. The connection faded for a sec there.”

She clucked her tongue. “That never happened when we all used landlines. Anyway, as I said, today was fortitude. I’ll give you a bit of a preview about tomorrow—it involves intelligence.”

“Oh. Well, thanks for the heads-up.” Not that it would do any good. It wasn’t as if he could