Fight or Flight

Part 4

"I'm glad you decided to stay." He says.

"I guess I'm surprised you asked. Do you normally meet women in men's rooms?" I quip.

He laughs with his whole body, his eyes squinting in the most perfect way, "Almost exclusively. No, I'm kidding you, you are the first. Trust me when I say nothing about this evening has been normal."

"I would definitely not put myself in the "normal" category so I suppose that is fitting." I say only half joking.

"What's normal to the fly is chaos to the spider." Griff says and I notice a change in his eyes but it's gone before I realize it's even really happened.

The bartender brings our drinks over and Griff slyly slips him a tip. From the looks of it $100 dollar bill. 

Being from a wealthy family did not give me a false understanding of money. I worked hard to be able to follow my dream as a painter and support myself. My father wasn't exactly supportive and was hoping I would fail and go for a more conventional career, but that has not happened and I am anything but conventional. Sure, I have my family, but that doesn't mean I didn't teach yoga and dog walk when I first went out on my own to make ends meet when my art just wasn't cutting it.

I chuckle at his reference and ask, "So what's your story? What do you do?"

"I work for my family's business."

I sit silently waiting for any additional details but a few seconds tick by and I finally respond with, "Oh, okay. Doing what exactly?"

Griff gives a sly smile, "Let's just say whatever needs done. We all work there, my brother and friends. Our families are close, hell the whole neighborhood is close." He's only giving me more information to appease me, my face rarely hides my emotions. I can tell that's all he's going to give up.

"So, your friend Ava had her pick of the group. Do you think any of them stand a chance?"

I laugh a little coolly, "No, not even a little bit. Ava has an on again off again boyfriend and they are currently on again. I think."

He looks obviously disappointed.

"Were you going to ask me for her number or something? Have me hang back so you wouldn't have to fight for her attention like the others?" Nothing in my tone is anything but sincere. I don't mind, I have more of a girl next door vibe with my dark blonde hair and freckles. Sure, guys find me attractive but I have always been more cute than va-va voom.

He looks at me with a serious confusion on his face.

"Is that what you think?" He pulls his leg up to rest his foot on the stool's rung and in turn leans closer to me. "I guess I will let you in on my secret; when I rejoined my friends and saw you at the bar, I made it very clear to them you were off limits. If I hadn't, I may have beat one of their asses for just looking at you. You are quite possibly the most beautiful creature I have ever seen." His voice serious and low. 

I am instantly taken aback and turned on by his honesty.

"Oh, well, okay then." I stumble over my words and I can feel my entire body getting red.

He is laughing out loud, it's actually a wonderful sound that I would have enjoyed if it wasn't at my expense.

"Do I make you uncomfortable, Erin?"

"No, no I am completely fine. Men tell me I am a beautiful creature all the time." I say with sarcasm dripping off the words.

He doesn't seem to notice and replies, "As they should."

I shift uncomfortably in my seat and he starts the conversation again. We talk about my work, both of us growing up in New York but in different neighborhoods, hilarious stories of his brother and friends and the trouble they got in, my sister with her ability to keep my grounded and how much we both loved living in the village.

I didn't want this night to end but the bar had completely cleared out and I look at my phone for the time. No way it could be 12:00am I know for a fact this restaurant closes at 10:00pm.

"Oh, wow how is it midnight already? I'm shocked they didn't kick us out before."

Griff gives a knowing smirk, "I know a guy."

I brush the comment off a little mesmerized by his half smile, grab my purse and head toward the door. Griff is quickly right behind me with his hand barely touching the small of my back as he guides me toward the kitchen instead of the exit.

"What are you doing?" I say, thinking about reaching for the pepper spray that sits snugly in my purse. My sister bought it for me when I moved to the village. She, like me father, thought that anywhere but the upper east side was grounds for a mugging.

"Just take it" she said to me. "I wanted to get you a gun, but dad wouldn't hear of it." Much to her surprise I haven't had to use it.

Griff looks down to me and says, "You're not in a rush to get home, are you?"

"No, I guess not." I am saying with as much suspicion as I can muster.

He takes me through the kitchen that connects to the dark hallway by the bathrooms. Soon we are outside in front of a fire escape.

He looks at me waiting for me to take a step up onto the escape. I look at him like he's lost his mind.

"Come on Erin, don't tell me you have no sense of adventure."

I cock my brow at him and grab his hand waiting for him to lead me up the steps. Even I am surprised at my confidence.

"Where you go, I go." Griff says and takes a step up onto the fire escape.