Cosy
“I’m going to kill you,” I say loud enough for Griffin to hear.
“I tried to close the door.”
“With no explanation as to why.”
The two men stand side by side, their posture and stance exactly the same. They move almost in tandem. It’s freaky. The younger guy’s brows pop, and then he smirks knowingly. This must be his youngest brother, Bancroft. He used to be a professional rugby player and based on his size alone, I can see why. He’s massive. Also, I’m almost positive his nose has been broken, and he has a couple of facial scars that only add to the badass hotness.
This family has ridiculous genetics.
If I don’t murder Griffin for this, we might have very pretty babies one day. In the very distant future.
The older man—clearly Griffin’s father—blinks a whole bunch of times. His expression remains relatively flat, which is super impressive. “Why was your new intern in your bathroom, Griffin?” I’m even more impressed that he doesn’t mention the obvious, that we were alone, with the door closed.
I skirt Griffin, approaching Mr. Mills Senior with a confidence I definitely don’t feel, and extend a hand. “I’m Cosy Felton, Mr. Mills, Griffin’s girlfriend.”
I get a few more blinks. It must be a Mills men thing. And suddenly a huge, disarming smile lights up Mr. Mills Senior’s face. Instead of taking my hand, he pulls me into a solid hug. He pretty much crushes my ribcage before he lets me go and holds me at arm’s length. “I’d hoped I’d get to meet you. This must mean you’re coming for dinner. Mimi will be so thrilled. Does your mother know yet?” He looks to Griffin.
“Dude. You have zero game, you know that, right?” I say over my shoulder.
Griffin shrugs. “Pretty sure I obliterated my game when I asked you out in the first place.”
His brother snorts. “Griff has never had game. He relies on his pretty face for everything.”
“Screw you, Bane of my existence.”
“Lame,” Bancroft and I say in unison.
Mr. Mills Senior chuckles and addresses Griffin. “I like her already.” He turns to me. “I sincerely hope you can make dinner tonight. It’ll give us all a chance to chat.”
“My wife, Ruby, will be there,” Bancroft says.
“And Amalie as well, Lexington’s fiancée,” Mr. Mills Senior says. “So you’ll have support. Then we can talk more about your internship.”
“You mean, my time on the ship?” I ask, confused as to why this keeps coming up.
All three men exchange a look. “Bancroft and I need to head to a meeting, but we’ll see you at the house at six.” Mr. Mills Senior clasps my hand in his. “Cosy, it’s a been a sincere pleasure, thank you.”
“You’re welcome?”
He hugs me again. Bancroft gives me a fist bump and a wink before they leave.
“What exactly was he thanking me for?”
“Dealing with me.”
“You’re not difficult.”
“I can be intense. And impulsive, and I don’t always consider the impact of my actions, like bringing you here without adequately preparing you for what you might face.” He’s fidgety now.
“Oh. Well, I can handle whatever you throw at me.” I tug on his tie with a playful grin. “Who’s this new intern they keep mentioning?”
He clears his throat and looks anywhere but at me.
“Griffin?”
“You’ll work for Mills Hotels when you move to New York.” It sounds more like a directive than a discussion.
I cross my arms. “Excuse me?”
“It makes sense. You have a hotel management degree. You’re graduating at the top of your class.”
“And you know this how, stalking stalker who stalks?”
“I emailed the head of your program, asking about the top students in the class. You were number one. You have the skills and qualifications required to work for Mills Hotels.” He’s so matter-of-fact it’s unnerving.
“And how will that look in the eyes of your employees?”
He frowns. “I could get you a job with the competition if working for Mills Hotels makes you uncomfortable, but I’d prefer not to.”
I roll my eyes. “Seriously? As if the competition is going to hire me. They’ll think you’re planting a spy.”
“So, working for Mills Hotels makes the most sense. You’ll intern, paid of course, and then you’ll move into a position that suits your talents.”
“And people will speculate I got the job because of my stellar blow job skills. Long live nepotism.”
“They’ll figure out you got the job because you’re smart and competent pretty damn quick, Cosy. Especially when they see your transcript and your employment history, which is nothing short of impressive with glowing recommendations. I should know. I’ve called every single one of them. I will say that if I ever meet Rob from the amphitheatre, I will probably kick his ass. But employment history aside, since when have you given a shit what other people think?”
“It’s not me I’m worried about, and Rob was the creepiest boss ever.”
“I will definitely be hunting him down and beating his ass. If you’re not worried about you, what are you worried about?”
“You going on a firing rampage because people gossip. See your reaction to Rob for details.”
His lips thin in a line, which is impressive considering how full and pillowy they are.
I run my palms up over his broad chest and lace my fingers behind his neck, bringing my body flush with his. He’s right, I don’t care that everyone who walks by his office can see us. “I’m in this with you, Griffin. Just remember that we’re a team and we take things on as a team. You don’t get to white knight me. If I start working for Mills Hotel as an intern, it needs to be on a regular intern salary, not some insane inflated paycheck. And I won’t work under you since I’ll be under you enough as it is.”
“You’re better than the typical intern salary, but if that’s what you want . . .”
“That’s what I want.”
“Then that’s what you’ll get.”
He’s half an inch away from kissing me when a knock startles us both. His brother Lex is pressed up against the glass, fake humping it.
I lift a brow. “Everyone in this family is super serious, aren’t they?”
“They used to be.”
“What happened?”
“My brothers fell in love.”
“And you?”
“I found my soul mate and finally figured out what love really was.”
I drag him back into the bathroom and shut the door for privacy. “Did you say what I think you did?”
“I found my soul mate?”
“The other part.”
He smiles softly. “This shouldn’t be news to you, Cosy. I think my actions speak a hell of a lot louder than words.”
“I like words,” I whisper.
He brushes his lips over mine. “I want you to move to New York. I want you to work here so I can see you every single day, and when I travel, you’ll travel with me so I never have to miss you again, because I love you, Cosy Felton, and I don’t want to spend another day without you.”
“I love you back, Griffin Mills, so much, even though you have zero game.”
“I’d rather have you than game.”