TITLE: Temporary Girlfriend (4/20)
PAIRING: Lindsay/Cindy
DISCLAIMER: Women’s Murder Club does not belong to me. The characters do not belong to me. They are the property of James Patterson, 20th Century Fox Television and ABC. I have no problems with that as long as I can borrow them for short bursts and use them in pursuit of my own enjoyment. I am not trying to infringe. Though, I don’t know why anyone has a problem with fan fic. After all, it really is a compliment. If anyone wants to write fan fiction about my book, feel free.

(Cindy’s POV)

Free upgrades were one of the finest unexpected surprises life could offer, but Cindy had just learned a valuable lesson about not asking any questions when such an offer came by. Sure, Lindsay had said ‘nice’ when the woman at the desk told them that they were running low on rooms and asked if they’d like a free upgrade to a king suite, so, of course, Cindy had agreed, but when they got to the room and Lindsay had realized there was only one bed, she’d looked as surprised as Cindy felt.

Since requesting a cot wouldn’t do wonders for their cover story, Lindsay had just looked at her with that smirking grin she was so fond of and said “we’ll make do,” which either meant Lindsay was cool with sharing the bed (it was big after all) or one of them was sleeping on the loveseat. Cindy knew that person would definitely be her, which was totally unfair considering the fact that she had put her life on hold to come here and help Lindsay out. Again.

But she could worry about that later.

“So, should we hit the pool?” she asked, turning to Lindsay, who was looking out the window for any sign that something was amiss below.

Lindsay turned to her with a raised eyebrow and half a grin.

“I’m working,” she responded. “But you are welcome to hit the pool if you want.”

“No,” Cindy countered. “I’m here to help.”

She watched Lindsay turn back to her post, and tried to keep quiet, she really did, but she couldn’t.

“So, no fun at all, huh?”

Cindy was risking the prospect that she might draw out the exasperated expression that Lindsay seemed to reserve just for her, but she was surprised to see Lindsay’s lip twitch upward slightly instead.

“We are going to have nothing but fun. But on a schedule,” Lindsay answered, finally turning away from the window for good, and brandishing a piece of paper from her bag. “We’ll be hitting the pool, for instance, tomorrow at eleven a.m., with everyone else, during the pool party.”

“Sweet,” Cindy said, fairly stoked. She would hate to be at this nice hotel with someone she loved hanging out with and do nothing but work. “So, what’s on the agenda for tonight?

“Opening night festivities and a party at Heaven. I’ve been told that’s a club.”

“It is,” Cindy confirmed.

“Do the bouncers know you there?” Lindsay asked.

“Guess that depends on whether the same bouncers are still around,” Cindy answered honestly.

Lindsay stared at her with a peculiar look, as if she was trying to solve some kind of puzzle. Increasingly weirded out by the scrutiny, Cindy turned away, shuffling through her suitcase, pretending to search for a buried treasure within.

“Wear something hot and I might buy you a drink,” Lindsay teased.

“Is that allowed?”

“For you,” Lindsay responded, unzipping her own suitcase.

“I’ll get right on that,” Cindy told her, pulling her hair back and walking into the bathroom.

She turned the water on in the sink and put her hand under it, waiting for it to warm up.

“Cindy?”

“Yeah?”

“Which side of the bed do you want?”

Cindy froze, one hand under the running water, one settling on the edge of the sink for support. Okay, relax. Light manner. Steady voice.

“Doesn’t matter. You pick,” she returned.

There. That sounded relatively unaffected.

Despite her brain’s short circuit, these three things she knew. The water was finally warm. She had a week of fun and leisure ahead of her. And, tonight, she’d be sharing a bed with Lindsay.

Cindy raised her eyes to the mirror, and the person looking back at her was wearing the biggest, most satisfied grin she had ever seen.