Cass’s bouncy brunette curls are dancing behind her as she quickly leads me away from the bar. She’s dressed tonight as what I can only assume is a Victoria’s Secret model because all she’s wearing is lingerie and a see-through robe. I keep my eyes focused on the hem of her long robe, fighting the urge to just find the exit sign and flee.
This is not my arena.
I am not the girlfriend of a guy who gets into bar fights after being offered lap dances all night. The wildest thing Mason and I used to do was catch a Thursday night football game at a sports bar when they had two-for-one wings. I am not lingerie, strippers, and this much alcohol…
I’m not Vegas.
We bank left and Cass leads me into a room with a neon champagne flute sign hanging over it. Champagne room. Of course. How cliché.
“Take a seat, hon. You look like you’re about to be sick.” She shuts the door behind us and once the glaring music and shouts are muted, I feel so much more relaxed. “You didn’t want to see all that,” she says with a pitiful smile.
Cass grabs a seat in a bean bag chair in the corner of the room. She pulls a packet of candy from the cup of her bra. She opens it and offers me what looks like a gummy worm. “Something to take the edge off?”
I shake my head. “No, thank you.”
I have no clue if Legacy Resorts has a drug testing policy for their employees and contractors. It’s probably a non-issue, but a quick buzz just isn’t worth the stress and worry of the aftermath.
“That fight was a long time coming. I told Nora not to bring Morgan tonight. But he can’t bear the idea of Nora being within a ten-mile radius of Finn without him present.” She rolls her eyes dramatically as she pops the tip of the gummy worm in her mouth. “He’s such a little weasel. I don’t know what he said to you, but I guarantee you he saw you come in with Finn and was just trying to provoke you.”
“It’s fine.”
“What’d he say?” she asks, tilting her head to the side. She finishes off the candy and rubs her hands together. “Nora and I are close, so I can tell you the truth. It’s all bullshit if that puts your mind at ease. Finn and Nora are not sleeping together. He’s been singing your praises all night. He’s so into you. I love seeing Finn like this.”
“Like what?”
She puckers her bottom lip. “In love. You guys look so good together.” She taps her temples with her fingertips and extends her arms. “I’m already visualizing your wedding here.”
“I’m not getting married in a strip club,” I deadpan.
She snorts. “Oh, stop. This place is nice. It’s the most expensive gentleman’s club in Las Vegas. We could turn it into a celebrity bride’s dream wedding.”
“Happy Birthday, Cass,” I say as a diversion. “I’m sorry if I’ve caused any unnecessary drama tonight.”
She scoffs as she hoists herself from the beanbag chair and sits right next to me on the love seat. I squirm in place, wondering how many men have gotten erections in this very seat as a dancer worked them over. I’m not sure exactly what happens in a champagne room, but I’m going to pretend a hard-on is as far as it goes.
“You, hon, are the solution, not the problem.” She leans in a little closer and tucks my hair behind my ear…kind of similar to the way Finn does. I don’t want to be rude, so I don’t allow myself to flinch. She must take this as an invitation, so she scoots in a little closer, our knees bumping together. The smell of cherry and cotton candy kicks up between us, the mixture of her perfume and mine. Hm…not a terrible smell.
Cass has been nothing but nice to me all night, and despite the fact that she’s beautiful and has slept with Finn, there’s nothing threatening about this girl at all, so I let my guard down.
“Morgan said Finn and Nora aren’t done. He told me to watch my back.”
Cass’s chest rises dramatically and then she exhales. “That’s what narcissists do. They blame the world for their shortcomings. Look, I’ve been watching the Morgan, Nora, Finn love triangle unfold for a while now, and here’s the vicious cycle—Morgan treats Nora like shit, she runs to hero Finn, who makes her feel safe. But she’s not dealing with her hurt and trauma, so she takes out all her anger and wrath on the person who treats her best. Finn eventually gets fed up and leaves her. She runs back to Morgan. Morgan treats her like shit and then the cycle continues.”
“So Finn is really the good guy?”
Cass’s smile is warm and tender. She pats my knee. “Finn’s the best guy. But love will blind you. He couldn’t save Nora from Morgan and I think that bothers him. But this is the longest they’ve ever been broken up. And I know it’s for good because as soon as he really let her go, he was able to fall in love again.” She points to my forehead. “Lennox already told me you’re a good one.”
“Ah, yeah. She vetted me under the guise of free cinnamon rolls.”
Cass snorts in laughter. “Oh, I love Lenny. We both tried so hard to get Finn to see the light for so long with Nora. We were both relieved when he was finally done. Hey—I love this, by the way.” Cass cups her hand near my breasts, about an inch away, and makes a squeezing motion. She doesn’t actually touch me, but her message is clear.
Okay, I’m not imagining it. She’s absolutely hitting on me.
Wait…is she? Maybe I’m just being dramatic because I know she’s been with Nora and Finn at the same time.
“Your outfit, I mean. This clamshell bra is so cute. Can I borrow it?”
Cass is pretty well-endowed up top. Her waist is far slimmer and her hips are much narrower than mine, but I bet we could share a bra. “Sure. This is definitely a one-time outfit for me anyway.”
“So cute. I have one in blue, but this pink one is so much better. I can tell the sequins are hand-sewn too. Such a good find.”
“Lennox,” I clarify. “All the credit goes to Lennox.”
“I’m not surprised.” Cass smiles. “Lennox is a genius for all things fashion and design. She helped decorate my entire home.”
Okay, see? This is just girl talk, totally normal. You’re freaking out for nothing—
I freeze.
The sweet smell of cotton candy is overwhelming when Cass presses her lips against mine.
I’m immobilized and it takes her a millisecond to notice. She clasps her hand over her mouth.
“Oh my God. Are you not into me?”
“Uh…”
“I thought you were flirting back.” Her eyes grow wide. “I’m a little high right now. I’m sorry, I should’ve asked. I didn’t mean to freak you out.”
“No, no, um, you were sending clear signals. I could’ve spoken up.”
She presses her hands against her cheeks. “No, it’s my fault. I just assumed we were connecting—”
“Oh, I’m not—” A lesbian? “You’re pretty. I just—” Have never dreamed of being with a woman. “I’m here with Finn. I don’t know what he’d think.” I settle for a half-truth so I don’t seem too rude.
“Oh,” Cass replies, seemingly relieved by my explanation. She places her hand on my knee. “Don’t worry. Believe me, he prefers if we start without him.”