Page 35 of Soul of Discretion

How did Simon even get away with this? The inspector would be the person responsible for where Nick stayed while in Montreal. Simon had to have approached him in order to change the reservation. Ballsy, but considering this was Simon, Nick should have expected it.

He finished unpacking and undressed until all he had on were his boxer briefs. He walked to the window and watched as cars drove past the cafés and shops. Montreal was known as one of the most cosmopolitan cities in North America. There was a knock on his door and Nick quickly put on his robe before answering. Considering it was 8 p.m., he was pretty sure his dinner had arrived, and sure enough when he opened the door, he found room service waiting.

Once they rolled his unidentified dinner into the living room, Nick tipped them and they were on their way. He intended to lift the covers to see what was on the menu when, as if on cue, his cell phone began beeping. He picked it up from the couch and quickly realized the beeping was coming from his crUIzer app. Nick almost hit ignore when he noticed the name on the screen, Aristocat69.

He pressed the accept button and Simon’s image came over the live video feed of the app. “Well hello, handsome. Been busy?” Nick asked.

“I wasn’t leaving you in a motel. It’s the least I could do for protecting me,” Simon explained.

“I’ve been in worse motels, and it’s my job to protect you,” Nick goaded Simon.

With that saucy grin in place, Simon replied with a sultry, “Sure.”

Nick shook his head, but the warmth travelling through his body was surprising. He couldn’t deny his own growing feelings for the overbearing earl, and understood it was going to be painful when this interlude finally ended.

“So what’s for dinner?” Nick asked as he sat down on the couch in front of his still-covered food. On the right side of the table sat a bottle of beer with a frosted glass beside it; the silverware was placed carefully around his plate. He leaned his cell phone against the vase holding the flowers and pointed it toward himself so they could eat and talk. Even though they were a province apart, they were still having dinner together. Perhaps it was something they could continue when Simon left.

Simon was now sitting in front of his own dinner. “We’ll be having one of my personal favourites tonight, chicken tikka masala.”

Nick pulled off the cover and found a large dish filled with roasted cubed chicken in a creamy, orangey-red sauce over a bed of rice. “I’m going to need a further explanation.”

Simon laughed and began describing the ingredients: garlic, cumin seeds, Greek yogurt, tomato puree, and a lot in between. Nick smelled the spices and hoped there was a good chance this would be spicy. Yes.

“This is an English dish?”

“The origin is unknown, some say the Indian subcontinent or Scotland. I really don’t care where it came from, just as long as it exists. Now dig in,” Simon declared before he stabbed a piece of chicken. Nick took a smaller first bite and his taste buds exploded with flavour: chili, curry, garlic, peppers, mixed with cream and coconut and an array of spices he didn’t know. The chicken was tender and cooked perfectly.

“Hmmm, this is good,” Nick hummed before pouring his beer, then taking a long draw. He’d never had something like this before. In truth, his usual meals involved red meat, a burger or steak. This was something completely different, and it was wonderful. Bonus: Simon was sharing this with him. How could he not care about the man? It was impossible.

Simon smiled and said, “I’m glad you’re enjoying it. There are so many things to experience out in the world. You shouldn’t miss it.”

Nick couldn’t help but laugh. “Not on my salary.”

Simon grin slipped a touch. “I suppose not. So how was your flight?”

Nick had the feeling Simon was changing the subject but went with it. “The flight was short, so that’s always good.”

“Do you think you’ll be able to get any information out of the cousin?”

“I’ve gone over his file and I believe there’s enough of an incentive to get him to talk. Has your hacker managed to find anything we can use yet?” Nick asked before taking another bite full of the creamy, spicy goodness.

“Nothing to be excited about. There was one person’s name that came up repeatedly, Anthony Baronne,” Simon answered, and Nick almost choked on the piece of chicken in his mouth.

“Anthony Baronne?” Nick gasped as he set his fork down and concentrated on Simon’s image on his phone.

“Yes, why the reaction?” Simon asked.

“Anthony Baronne is the youngest son of Augustus Baronne, the head of the Baronne family. Have you sent the information to McKenzie?” Nick asked. “And did you say how you got it in the first place? He won’t take kindly to knowing you have a tame hacker on the payroll.”

Simon chuckled. “I simply told him we’d dug so deep through the paperwork and found a few things he could use, so don’t worry. I’ve copied you in on the email. Now back to our dinner before it gets cold.”

“Agreed, nothing this good should ever be wasted,” Nick replied and noticed Simon simply staring at him through the screen. “What, do I have food in my teeth?”

“No, no. You are so refreshing.”

“Refreshing? As in silly and different?”

“No, as in reinvigorating,” Simon explained and took the last bite of his chicken.

Nick soon finished his own meal, completely satisfied until Simon said, “Now for dessert.”

“Dessert?” Nick looked at the one remaining covered dish. He had no restraint when it came to desserts and quickly removed the cover.

“English trifle,” Simon announced.

A single-serve glass goblet was filled with layers of cake, cream, fresh strawberries, and almonds; he loved strawberries. “How’d you know I love strawberries?”

“You may have mentioned it when we were lying in bed.”

“And you remembered.” Nick couldn’t help but feel special. Who does things like that?

Simon smiled and spooned into his trifle.

The two finished the decadent dessert in companionable silence. It still amazed Nick that even though they were over five hundred kilometres away, Simon had given up his busy evening so they could have a private dinner together. These little things kept adding up until Nick began to wonder if he’d ever felt so close to another person that they bothered to learn his likes, and if he would ever again have anything like this.