Page 50 of CowSex

“I should apologise for that, Essex, but I won’t because it felt good.”

“The crying or falling asleep in my arms?”

He smiles and throws his napkin at me. I throw it back, and it lands straight in his coffee.

“Oops?” Is all I have. And even that I offer as a question, but he’s still smiling at me.

“Both. Both felt good.” My heart picks up its pace and begins to canter in my chest. I watch as he scoops the soggy napkin from his coffee and hand him mine to place it on. All without making eye contact with him.

“You throw like a T-rex.” I can hear the smile in his voice, but I still don’t make eye contact.

Come on, Gracie. Get it together.

“I’m not good with my left hand.” Yeah, that ain’t really what I would call getting it together.

I suck in my cheeks and do my best to fight a smile.

“Really? You do better with your right?” My gaze finally meets his, and he’s full-on grinning at me.

“Fuck you, Cowboy,” I say quietly.

“Right here? Before we eat or after? Or maybe we should just skip breakfast and eat each—”

“Here you go, guys. One omelette with extra cheese, mushrooms, spinach, and avocado and one breakfast special with the lot.”

“Thank you,” we say in unison.

“I’m Rebecca, by the way. That was rude of me earlier, not introducing myself. Koa, that’s your doing.”

“Yeah, sorry ’bout that. All my fault, and I did apologise.”

“That’s good to know.”

I watch their exchange and then offer, “Gracie, I’m a friend of Koa’s visiting from England.”

“England? Oh wow. You two meet through the band? Koa’s quite the celebrity around these parts.”

“Yeah, I’ve heard.” I leave my answer at that, not wanting to share that I’m shacking up with a total stranger.

She pauses for a second, realises that I’m not going to say anything else, smiles, and tells us to enjoy our food.

We eat in silence for a few seconds, and then, me being me, I have to say what’s on my mind.

“Do you not think that was a little totes inapprops?”

I watch as Koa chews on what Rod always refers to as ‘old ladies clit’ but is, in fact, what passes as a dry, crispy, excuse for bacon in America. His analogy is the reason I always stick to eggs when I travel here.

“Do I not think what? Do speak English.” He says the last part in what I think was another attempt to sound English. He fails.

“What you said about skipping breakfast and eating—”

“Lunch. I was gonna suggest skipping breakfast and eating lunch instead.”

I shake my head and give him my best eye roll.

Rebecca reappears, asks if we’re all good, and tops up Koa’s coffee as she asks if I’m sure I wouldn’t like any. I once again decline, and she leaves. I learned my lesson about the coffee they serve in the States the hard way. Or maybe I should say the runny way? Yep, it goes straight through me.

“There’s something I wanted to ask you.”