I immediately recall his face. “Yeah. But—”
Samson raises his hand, stopping me. “Please don’t start with the whole speech about not banging guests. We know how you feel about it.”
“Man, am I that predictable?”
Samson shrugs with a grin.
“Fine. I accept that. I’m not into casual sex. Sue me.”
“I’m not mad about it. All I’ll say is that a hookup never killed anyone.” He tilts his head. “Actually, that’s probably inaccurate, but it's an extremely slim chance. Probably.”
I snicker. “Thanks for that.”
“He’s probably not a serial killer or one of those weirdos looking to harvest organs on the black market.”
“Probably not.”
“Right. See where it goes. You might be surprised by what a little physical fun can do for your mood. Dopamine and all that.”
“Point made. You good? I’m gonna get out of here.”
“I got it. Have fun tonight,” he adds in a teasing tone.
I just roll my eyes, playing it cool, but even I have to admit, it wouldn’t be the worst thing if something did happen. I won’t take advantage of someone at their low point though. As far as I’m concerned, this is nothing but a friendly meal between two people who will never see each other again after this weekend.
Back in my room, I stand in front of my closet, still wet from my shower and trying to figure out what to wear. Choosing clothes always makes me miss the days of living at the clothing-optional resort in the Caribbean. That was the life. It doesn’t fly here though, so I choose a pair of shorts and a clean T-shirt that isn’t too beat up.
I’ll take Cato over to Pacific Beach to my favorite fish taco place. It has a great view and a chill vibe that should suggest a friendly outing, not seduction. I hope he’s cool and the conversation flows. There’s nothing more uncomfortable than awkward silence.
Well, here goes nothing. I head out and walk over to his suite. It’s a perfect day, a standout even in a place where perfect days are plentiful. There’s the hint of a soft breeze that always delivers the scent of the sea with it, and the sun plays hide and seek with the clouds, so it’s not too hot or too cool. Even as the day begins to unwind, there couldn’t be a more pleasant evening.
I arrive at Cato’s door, taking a deep breath before knocking. I hear a bit of shuffling behind the door, and a yelled out “one sec” before the door finally opens. Cato smiles, looking tempting in a white linen shirt, black shorts, and a gorgeous tint of pink on his cheeks.
“Hi, Tigo.”
“Hey. Everything okay?”
“Oh yeah. I just almost tripped on my suitcase.” He chuckles. “I’m good though.”
“Ready?”
“Yep. Just need some shoes. You can come in for a second.”
I step inside but hover near the door as Cato shoves his open suitcase out of the way before popping into the bedroom. He comes back with flip-flops on.
“Ready.”
“Great.”
Cato follows me out and around the lobby. Even though everyone knows I’m taking him out, I don’t need their prying eyes making him feel uncomfortable.
“Gonna take you over to Pacific Beach. We call it PB around here.”
“Oh, awesome. I’ve been dying to see a beach.”
“You’ll like this one.”
We get to my car in the parking lot, and I wonder for just a second what kind of life he leads back in Phoenix and what he might think of mine.