Griffin
It’s been two days since I stopped by that sex shop. Hindsight is such a bitch. If I’d been thinking clearly, I might have considered how shady showing up there was. But I didn’t, so I’m pretty damn sure I screwed my chances of getting Cosy to go out with me.
I should let it go. She’s in college and can’t be more than twenty-five. And that’s me being optimistic. But I can’t get her out of my head. I think she was flirting with me when I came in to buy all that shit, but maybe that’s how she is with everyone. Sadly, I don’t think I’m going to find out if that’s true, so I’m here at the hotel gym, running away from my self-flagellation courtesy of my poor decision-making.
I’m on mile five of my jog, listening to music and half paying attention to the news flashing on the big-screen TV hanging on the wall. A woman saunters in wearing tiny running shorts and a sports bra. I keep my eyes above her neck, smile and nod a greeting before I focus on the TV again.
There are six treadmills in the gym, and I’m on the one closest to the windows overlooking the pool and beyond that, the Strip. Instead of leaving one open between us, which everyone knows is gym etiquette, she hops up on the one next to me. The fan set up in the corner of the room wafts her overly floral perfume my way.
She says something, forcing me to pop an earbud out. “I’m sorry, I missed that.”
She smiles and bats her lashes. “I was just saying it’s a good time of day to work out, nice and quiet.”
It was until she started talking to me. “Sure is.”
“You here on vacation?”
“Work. You?” I keep my answers short, hoping to discourage conversation, so I can go back to fantasizing about the woman who is probably too young for me and is never going to call.
“I’m here with my girlfriends for a bachelorette weekend.”
“Fun.”
“It has been so far, and it keeps getting better.” She gives me a flirty wink.
My shirt is damp with perspiration and sweat trickles down my temple. I can’t look or smell good, so I’m not sure what my allure is, unless this woman is particularly fond of sweaty men.
She makes small talk while she stretches. She and her girlfriends are going to some club tonight—it seems like an indirect invitation—and she asks if I’ve ever been there. The last time I went to a club was the night of the bachelor party. I offered to be the designated driver because my previous club experience in Vegas hadn’t been great.
I’m not much for pounding bass and scantily clad drunk women, but on the heels of a phone call from my ex-fiancée after I arrived in Vegas, I decided a night out was exactly what I needed. I got shitfaced on shots with some woman I can only vaguely recall. The next morning I woke up in my car, minus my credit card, all my cash, and my memory of most of the night. Whoever found my card went on some kind of post-bar food binge. They only managed to charge a pizza, some cigarettes, and a bunch of crap food before I cancelled it.
My new friend lifts her leg onto the handrail and brings her forehead to her knee.
Thankfully, my phone rings, so I check the screen, noting the unfamiliar number. “Sorry. I need to take this.”
I don’t wait for her to respond. I hit the stop button, wipe my face with my towel, grab my bottle of water, and head for the hallway. The gym door closes behind me as I answer the call. “Hello?”
“Uh, hi . . . is this Griffin?”
“It is.” The voice sounds vaguely familiar, but I can’t quite place it.
“Oh, wow. I can’t believe I got it right,” she mumbles. “It’s Cosy, the sales associate you asked out at the Sex Toy Warehouse.”
I don’t know whether to smile or cringe. “Not my finest moment, but I was short on options. It would probably sound a lot less damning if the location were different, say a grocery store.”
“Possibly, but there’s a good chance you would’ve asked me out in the vegetable aisle while holding a giant cucumber, so . . .”
I lean against the wall, grinning. “That’s actually rather unlikely since I’m not partial to cucumbers.”
“What? That’s random and ridiculous. How can you not like cucumbers?”
“My brother once threw a rotten one at me, and it exploded on impact. Ruined them for me for life.”
“Wow. That’s all kinds of wrong. Makes me wonder what you did to warrant having a rotten cucumber thrown at you.”
“I can’t remember the details, unfortunately. I’d ask if you like cucumbers, but I feel like I’d be walking into some kind of trap.”
“Because they’re phallic?”
“You said it, not me.” I move toward the elevator. “So tell me, Cosy.” Her name is oddly comforting to say aloud. “Did you call to talk about produce?”
“Strangely enough, no. A new shipment of lube arrived, and you were the first person who came to mind since you failed to pick up more when you stopped by the other day.”
“I was too busy making an ass out of myself and getting shot down.”
“You caught me off guard, and I was being honest when I said I don’t date customers.”
“Mmm. Well, I appreciate your thoughtfulness, but I’m not sure I have much use for flavored lube since there are no more bachelor parties in my foreseeable future.” I punch the button that will take me to the penthouse floor.
“Might come in handy if you end up snagging yourself a girlfriend.”
“Not so sure that’s going to happen. The last woman I asked out seemed to think I was too creepy to risk going on a date with.”
“Oh yeah? How many women have you asked out recently?” Her tone shifts from curious to nervous.
“Just one, and I’m talking to her right now. I’m crossing my fingers this call means you’ve reconsidered.”
She’s silent for a moment before she mutters, “I hope I don’t regret this . . . What’re you up to tonight?”
“Taking you out for coffee, I hope.” The elevator doors open, and I step inside the empty car.
She chuckles quietly. “I don’t drink coffee after five or it keeps me up all night. Do you wanna meet up for a burger or something instead?”
Dinner is better than coffee, even if it’s burgers. “I sure would. What time works for you?”
There’s a short pause, like maybe she’s surprised I said yes so quickly. I’ve had more than three weeks to get the balls to go back to that store and ask her out. Also, I don’t play games, so if she’s calling to set up a date, I’m sure as hell going to do everything in my power to make it happen before she can change her mind.
“How about six thirty?”
My last meeting is at four, so that gives me time to get ready. “Perfect. I can pick you up, all I need is an address. I know a great place—”
“I already have a place picked out, and we can meet at the restaurant. I’ll text you the address. Oh, and don’t wear a suit. It’s not fancy, and you’ll look hot but way out of place, unless you want to look out of place, then go ahead and wear a suit.”
“Got it. No suit. I’m looking forward to seeing you again, Cosy.”
“Me too. I mean, I’m looking forward to seeing you, not me. I think. As long as you don’t end up being a total creeper, anyway.”
“I promise I’m not a creeper.”
“So you say. See ya later, Griffin.”
“Bye, Cosy.” I end the call with a smile.
For the first time since Imogen broke off our engagement, I have a date I’m excited for. With a woman named Cosy who works at a sex toy shop. Pretty sure I’ve gone insane, but I don’t think I give a fuck.
I’m in a fantastic mood during my afternoon meetings. I’ve been working with hotel management in Vegas for the past several weeks to determine whether buying a prospective property here is a sound financial investment. My family’s in the business of buying and running hotels, but we have yet to purchase in Vegas, mainly because of the casino side of things.
I’m a numbers and stats kind of guy, which is why I’m here, so I can look at the optics and the financial statements and decide if it’s worth the investment. So far, I’m handling things fine on my own. My younger brothers Lex and Bane are better at the people stuff than I am, especially Lex. I’m not big on small talk, and the whole schmoozing thing isn’t my jam, but I do it because it’s part of the job. Regardless, my good mood seems to rub off on the staff, because it’s the most relaxed meeting I’ve had since I’ve been in Vegas. It’s also the most productive, which is another plus.
At five I head back to my penthouse suite, shower, shave, and debate what the hell I’m going to wear. Cosy said no suit, and she mentioned burgers, so I’m thinking casual is best. But even my casual wardrobe is mostly khakis and golf shirts, thanks to my ex-fiancée. I don’t want to wear anything she picked for me when I’m going on a date with someone new, so I opt for an old pair of jeans, and search my selection of rarely worn T-shirts. Most of them have the Harvard logo on them. Boasting my Ivy League education seems a little on the pretentious side, so I keep searching until I find the band shirt my brother’s girlfriend gave me for Christmas. I’ve never heard of the artist, but the shirt is visually interesting, so I figure it’s a safe bet.
I double up on the deodorant, call valet, and check for my wallet, phone, and keys before I head to the lobby. I arrive at the restaurant ten minutes early. It’s actually more of a diner, which means my flashy car stands out like a sore thumb in a lot full of Honda Civics. The place has a fifties-style vibe, red vinyl seats and Formica-topped tables with laminated menus that function as place mats.
It seems to be a seat-yourself establishment, so I slide into one of the booths facing the door, set my phone on the table, and peruse the menu while I wait for Cosy. A server approaches my table, popping bubble gum, pen poised over her pad, looking bored. “Welcome to Shakey’s, home of the best shakes in Vegas.” She punctuates the sentence with a chest shimmy. “Can I get you something to drink?” She taps the menu in front of me.
“I’ll take a Heineken, please.”
“We’re not licensed, sir.” She stabs at the DRINKS heading on the menu. “We have a wide variety of shakes and floats.”
I don’t know how a burger joint can survive in Vegas unlicensed. “I’ll take a club soda then, please.”
“Sure thing.” Gum popper flips her ponytail over her shoulder and flounces off.
I keep checking my phone and watching the time, crossing my fingers that Cosy doesn’t stand me up. At six thirty-three the tinkle of the bell draws my attention toward the door. As well as the attention of every single damn guy in the entire restaurant, and possibly half the women too.
My mouth goes dry and my palms start to sweat, which is not my normal response to women. I might be a little awkward, but I can generally hold my own when it comes to the opposite sex. I don’t think it hurts that I’m easy to look at—and I’m not being conceited. I won genetic roulette, as did my brothers.
But as I take in Cosy, standing in the doorway, the sun creating a halo around her, I have to question what the hell I’ve gotten myself into. Cosy looks somewhere between delicious and scandalous. Her long dark hair hangs loose around her shoulders, perfectly straight and gorgeously thick. Her lips are glossy and pink, and her eyes are lined with black, making the sky-blue iris shockingly vibrant.
While her face alone is magnificent, it’s not the only thing drawing a lot of attention. She’s wearing a pair of cutoff denim shorts. If she turns around, I have a feeling I and everyone else might get a peek at some ass cheek hanging out the bottom. As it is, I can see an inch of pocket at the front. She’s wearing a butter-yellow tank, the black straps of her bra visible along with about two inches of bare midriff.
I sincerely hope she’s of legal drinking age, considering the number of highly sexual thoughts turning my mind into a very dirty gutter. I run my palms over my thighs and slide out of the booth while Cosy scans the restaurant.
Her eyes flare when they catch on me. I wonder if she’s as shocked that I showed as I am that she did. Her hips sway with every calculated step she takes in her insanely high heels. I’m still trying to figure out her fashion statement when she tosses a knapsack onto the seat—a fucking knapsack covered in patches and buttons—and drops into the booth across from me.
I take that as my cue to sit. “You look summery.”
She glances down and adjusts the thin strap of her tank. “Uh, this was pretty much the only clean thing I had left that wasn’t sweat pants and gym shirts.”
“So, you’re telling me you put in as little effort as possible?” I ask with a grin.
She tips her head to the side and regards me with something like embarrassment. “I usually do laundry every other Friday, so I’m down to slim pickings, which means I ended up in this.” She motions to her top.
“I like it.”
She props her cheek on her fist and motions to me with her other hand. “I’d tell you you look nice too, but I’m not sure you need me to bolster your confidence. I have a feeling you could wear three different plaid patterns and still look good.” Her gaze settles on the band logo stamped on my chest. “Oh my God! You listen to Ben Howard? I love him! I saw him in concert last year when I was in Colorado. He’s amazing live. Have you ever seen him play?”
I run a self-conscious hand over my chest. It’s just my luck she knows the artist. “I haven’t seen him live. I’m sure it’s quite the experience.”
Cosy nods enthusiastically. “It really is. Do you have a favorite album? I think their first was the rawest.”
We’re interrupted by the server who’s finally returned with my club soda and a plastic glass filled with ice, which I’m thankful for, since I don’t want to admit I don’t know the band. Our server’s gaze settles on Cosy, and her eyes flare with recognition. “Oh hey, girl! I haven’t seen you in forever. I thought you were out in Boulder!”
Cosy pops out of her seat to hug the girl. I’m right about her shorts—when she stretches up, there’s a good inch of cheek that peeks out of the bottom. “I was. Came back a couple of months ago because I need to finish up this degree and put it to use.”
“You’ve been on and off in that program since we graduated high school.”
“I know, right? This is my last semester, though.”
“Then you can get out of here for good, not just a couple months at a time.”
“That’s the plan once this semester is done.”
“Wanna take me with you? This place sure gets old.” Her gaze darts to me and then back to Cosy questioningly.
“Oh, Griffin, this is Debbie, we went to high school together. Debbie, this is Griffin.”
She doesn’t provide any further details, possibly because our introduction was rather unconventional and she doesn’t know much about me. It’s also on the tip of my tongue to ask what year they graduated high school, but I figure waiting until Debbie is gone to glean that information is smarter.
“Hey.” Debbie gives me a nod. A ding comes from the kitchen behind us, and she glances over her shoulder as the cook slides plates onto the counter. “Do you want your usual?”
“Definitely,” Cosy says.
“’Kay, I’ll put that in and come back to take the rest of your order.” Debbie flounces off again, ponytail swinging.
“What’s your usual?” I ask.
“The creamsicle float.” She taps the extensive list of float and milkshake options on the menu. “I’ve tried a few of the other ones, but none of them are as good, at least in my opinion. What’re you drinking?”
“Club soda.”
She wrinkles her nose.
“You don’t approve?”
She shrugs. “It’s carbonated water, not very riveting, but if that’s what you like, go for it.”
Debbie returns with the float much faster than she did my club soda. “You two ready to order?”
“I’ll take the double cheeseburger, loaded, extra onions, and a side of onion rings.” Cosy looks to me, possibly waiting for my reaction to her seriously non-date-friendly meal.
“Nice choice.” I order a burger and fries, hold the onions.
Once we’re alone again, I start asking first-date-friendly questions. “So other than a concert, what were you in Colorado for?” I ask.
“I spent a couple months working there.” Cosy kicks off her heels and stretches out her legs, her yellow-painted toes curling around the edge of the seat beside my knee. There are lines on the top of her feet from the straps, which tells me she’s either been wearing them for a while or they don’t fit that well.
“Oh really? Doing what?”
“I had a job working at the Red Rock Amphitheatre, mostly so I could see all the concerts for free.” Her voice has a low and smoky quality, as if she’s spent all day talking over other people.
“That sounds like fun.”
She crosses one foot over the other, toes brushing against my leg. I can’t quite figure out if it’s meant to be flirty or she’s just this casual.
“It was. That venue is amazing and beautiful. I get restless when I’m in one place for too long, so I usually take a semester of courses, then take whatever I can online so I can travel for a few months before I come back and take more courses. It means I’ve delayed finishing the program a bit, but I don’t mind.” She stirs her drink, swirling the ice cream and soda together. “I don’t always think the straight path is necessarily the best one, you know?”
“How do you mean?”
“There seem to be these unwritten life rules that everyone follows. At least that’s been my observation. At the end of high school, we’re asked to choose this one thing we think we might want to do for the rest of our lives before we’ve even had a chance to experience anything independently. If we’re lucky and we can afford it, we go to college, get a job that we’re supposed to love for the next four decades, get married, have 2.1 kids, potentially devote our entire existence to their personal development, get guilted into buying a dog, and then go on a vacation a couple of times a year to escape the monotony. It all seems kind of backward to me. I want some of those experiences now, so I can frame my career path and the rest of my choices with something other than starry-eyed hope.”
“That’s an interesting way to look at it.” And smart. She’s right, most of us follow the path we’re told to because it’s what everyone expects.
She dips her head, focusing on her float. “I don’t want to end up trapped in a job I don’t enjoy, wasting all those hours every week wishing for something else. Obviously working where I do, I can say with one hundred percent certainty adult toy sales is not my dream job.” She bites the end of her straw. “What about you? I’m assuming the suit and golf attire mean you’ve got some kind of office job where you hold meetings on the green.”
“That obvious, huh?”
She holds her thumb and forefinger half an inch apart. “Tiny bit, but I’m trying not to hold it against you.”
“I work in the hotel industry.”
Cosy perks up. “Really? Like hotel management?”
“Sort of. It’s a family business. Sometimes we renovate and facelift existing hotels.” I don’t exactly want to lie about my job, but complete honesty means divulging more about myself than I like on a first date. And I have a feeling Cosy isn’t the kind of woman who would be impressed by my family or their money. In fact, it’d probably have the opposite effect.
“Do you travel a lot, then?”
“I do. I’m in Vegas for a few more months. After that, it’s back to New York, which is home base. We’ll take all my research from here and decide whether we want to invest or go in another direction.”
“So you’re here until what, end of May?”
“For now that’s what it looks like, but if we push a project here, I could be back again.”
Cosy bites her lip and nods. “And if not?”
“Then it’s off somewhere else. What about you? Where are you headed next?” I don’t want to put her off by telling her I’m not going to be here in a few months, but she doesn’t seem to be looking to stick around either, which means this could just be casual. Easy, no strings, a few months of hanging out and having fun, which isn’t something I’ve ever done before. I’m generally a serial relationship kind of guy.
She leans back, tipping her head to the side. “I’m not sure. I have an internship at the end of term, and there are so many options. I like the idea of a cruise ship, but I’m wary about being on a boat for a month. It’s all about new experiences, though, so we’ll see.”
“You’re a lot different than I thought you’d be,” I tell her.
“What do you mean?”
“Just how you were at the store compared to how you are here.” I motion to her relaxed posture and easy demeanor. “It’s not the same.”
“Oh, well, I kind of treat that job like I’m acting on a stage, you know?” She fiddles with her straw. “I mean, I have to sell a lot of strange things to people, so I put on my salesgirl mask, and it makes it a lot easier to answer some of the crazy questions I get asked. It’s better to pretend I’m someone else and not me when I’m discussing personal-pleasure devices, because really, that’s just awkward.”
I grin when she rolls her eyes, either at herself or an internal thought, I can’t be sure. “Yes, I suppose it would be quite awkward.”
Our burgers arrive, and the conversation slows and shifts as Cosy digs in. She doesn’t pick apart her food; instead she devours it like she hasn’t eaten in a week. She’s down to her last two onion rings when she pushes her plate toward me. “Oh! You need to try one of these before I finish them.”
“I’m good. I still have a pile of fries, but thank you.”
Cosy lifts a casual shoulder. “Suit yourself, but they’re the best item on the menu aside from the double cheeseburger and the creamsicle float.”
She polishes off what’s left on her plate and pats her tummy, groaning at how full she is. Her toes curl against the side of my leg, and I resist the urge to run my hand up her shin so I can feel how soft her skin is.
I pop a fry into my mouth and grin. “I’m actually highly impressed by your ability to pound that burger. I had my doubts, but you’re clearly a professional.”
Cosy lets out an embarrassed laugh. “I had class this morning and had to rush to work right after, so all I’ve had since noon is a couple of chocolate-covered granola bars. They don’t really stick with you.”
“I imagine they don’t. If you think you can handle it, I’d be willing to split one of those sundaes with you.” I point to the poster on the wall showcasing a massive banana split.
She takes a deep breath and pats her stomach. “I can make room.”
I’m pretty damn impressed with her lack of fucks given about plowing through an entire meal and finishing it off with a sundae. My ex would eat two bites and complain about it being too much sugar or whatever excuse she could come up with to avoid eating more. When you grow up in the kind of environment I did, it’s fairly common practice for women to eat like food is poison, so this is refreshing.
Cosy flags down the server and puts in an order for the three-scoop banana split with marshmallow cream sauce in addition to the chocolate fudge and strawberry sauce it comes with.
I tap on the table, aware that we’re getting closer to the end of this date and there’s a question I need an answer to before I go asking for a second date—which I definitely want. “So, Cosy, how old are you exactly?”
A sly grin tips the corner of her mouth. “How old are you?”
I mirror her smile. “I asked you first.” Please let her be close to twenty-five.
Her right eyebrow arches. “I’m not jailbait, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
“I wasn’t. I’m fairly confident they don’t let women under eighteen work in adult stores.” But I sincerely hope she’s at least legal drinking age. I’ll be seriously disappointed if she’s in the undateable age range.
“Mmm. Good point. I’m twenty-two.” She pokes at her half-consumed float, expression curious and hopeful. “And if I had to guess, I’d say you’re what, twenty-seven, twenty-eight?”
I’ve already done the math in my head. I have this equation for ethical dateability. It probably came from my cousin Lincoln, but it’s stuck with me since college days when it was hard to tell the difference between the enjoy - your - time - in - prison freshman and the totally dateable sophomores. To stay out of the creep zone, I divide my age in half and add seven. So at thirty-three the lowest I should go is twenty-three. I wonder when her birthday is.
“You’ll need to go up a bit.” A hot feeling works its way along my spine, and I rub the back of my neck.
Cosy bites her lip, inspecting my face. “Twenty-nine?”
“Not quite.”
“Thirty?” That hopefulness holds a hint of concern now.
“Thirty-three.”
“Oh, wow. I wouldn’t have guessed that at all.” Her body language changes, the easy openness shifting to hesitant and reserved.
“Is that a problem for you?”
Debbie picks that exact moment to show up with the sundae. It only has one spoon. She’s oblivious to the tension at the table, asking if we need refills. Neither one of us looks at her when we tell her we’re fine.
“’Kay, enjoy the sundae.” She flits off.
“Cosy?” I should probably enjoy the rest of this date and forget about her because she really is a lot younger than I am. But then maybe that’s part of her allure. She doesn’t have a decade of relationship baggage. With her lifestyle, she’s not looking to settle down. In a few months she’ll be off on her next adventure, and so will I.
She swirls her straw in her nearly empty glass before she finally answers. “My cap is usually mid-to-late twenties.”
“Mine is usually midtwenties. When’s your birthday?”
“Not until January. When’s yours?”
Which means she only turned twenty-two recently. “October.”
She cringes, and I laugh. “I guess I should’ve lied, huh?”
She drops her chin and shakes her head before she peeks up at me with a wry grin. “Might’ve bought you a few extra dates.”
My stomach sinks, and I don’t bother to hide my disappointment. As much as this shouldn’t be something to entertain, I like Cosy. She’s fun and easy to talk to and not guarded or looking to climb the social ladder because of who I am or what I could do for her. And it doesn’t seem like either of us is looking for something serious. So I’m not willing to give up that easily. “If I’d asked you for a second date before I told you my age, would you have said yes?”
“Maybe.” She debates that for a second. “Probably.”
“Probably?”
“Well, I can’t unknow what you’ve told me, so that changes things.”
“Why?”
“It just does.”
“Because of some arbitrary cut-off age you’ve decided on?” Until now, I’ve followed the same set of rules, but I’ve been playing by them all my life and they’ve gotten me nowhere good. Four long-term relationships and one broken engagement later, it might be time to shake things up.
“It’s not arbitrary,” she says defensively.
“Oh? Care to explain, then?”
She dips the spoon into the whipped cream and licks it off. “Well, there’s this formula.”
“What kind of formula?” My voice has dropped two octaves, thanks to her potentially unintentional sexually charged licking. Or maybe it’s the possibility that I’m not going to find out what it’s like to kiss her, thanks to my stupid fucking question. And I do want to kiss her, despite the ridiculous number of onions she’s eaten.
She dips the spoon into the ice cream. “So I take your age and divide it by two—”
“—and add seven,” I finish with a smile.
The spoon hovers midair, and her mouth drops open. “You know about that?”
“I do. Not sure it’s worked all that well for me in the past, though.” The ice cream is melting on her spoon, threatening to drip on the table. I reach across and cover her hand with mine, pulling her forward as I lean in and clean off the spoon. It’s all very high school style flirting. I drop back down in my seat and rub my thumb over my lip.
“Thirty should be my cap,” she says softly.
“And twenty-three should be mine.”
“Twenty-three and a half,” she corrects.
“I was rounding down so you’d feel better about being close to my minimum. Maybe we could make a concession this one time and see how that goes?”
She smiles shyly. “Maybe we could.”
“Maybe?”
She plucks the cherry from the sundae and sucks off the whipped cream with a smile. “Well, I already broke my no-dating-STW-customers rule with you, so what’s the harm in breaking another one?”