As the morning sun streams in through the windows, Delphine wakes up with Cosima's arm draped across her stomach. She rolls over to face Cosima, whose eyes are still shut. Delphine admires the peaceful look on her face, a far cry from how she looked at the end of dinner last night. After a few minutes of silent staring, Cosima's eyes flutter open.
"Hey," Cosima grins.
"Hi."
"You watching me sleep?"
"Kind of."
"See anything you like?"
"Maybe," Delphine shrugs.
"Maybe?" Cosima repeats as she leans forward, kissing Delphine's shoulder.
"Cosima?"
"Yeah?" Cosima mumbles, her face buried in Delphine's neck.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"It?"
"What happened last night."
Cosima pulls back to look at Delphine's face, "Last night was incredible."
"Yes, it was," Delphine smiles, "but I meant what happened earlier."
"Oh, that. I'm sorry I was so moody, I just really don't like that guy. I shouldn't have taken it out on you, though."
"You didn't take it out on me, you just totally zoned out and then walked out on me. I was concerned about you."
"I guess when I get like that, I just don't want anyone else to have to deal with me, so I sort of isolate myself."
"You can talk to me, if you want, if you need a sounding board."
"Is therapist part of the job description?"
"It could be."
"Okay," Cosima rolls back onto her pillow, looking up at Delphine. "I don't know how I feel about selling Kellerman the rights to distribute my drug. I just don't think he has the best of intentions, but my business partner, with support from the board, is pushing me to make the deal because the money they're offering is more than any other company we've had discussions with. But it's like you mentioned at breakfast, about your family being in debt after your father's treatment, I want everybody to have access to this drug who needs it. I don't want a family to go bankrupt in order to try and survive this illness, they're suffering enough. This drug could be their only recourse, the one thing to give them hope. The price point Kellerman would be placing on it is extreme, it's just not fair when this is the only drug right now that can help. I didn't start working on developing this treatment so that I could make the rich richer, while robbing the sick. I did it to help people and I think that's the last thing Kellerman cares about."
"So how would you get the drug distributed without them?"
"Well, that's the thing, there's this other company, Hendrix Pharmaceuticals, they're not nearly as large as Kellerman, and Leekie totally dismissed them as anxiety med peddlers, but, I don't know, I have a good feeling about them. And they can't offer us as much money, but they have plans to stock free clinics and reduce the general cost of the medicine to the public. And they also seem like genuinely good people." Cosima's face lights up as she talks about them.
"If you really want to go with them, then maybe you should."
"If only I could get the board to approve it. I need a two-thirds majority to okay the deal."
"I'm sure you can convince them."
"What makes you so sure of that?"
"You're very persuasive."
"Oh am I?"
"You are," Delphine nods.
Cosima brushes her fingers over Delphine's face, "You've still got some paint on your cheek."
"Even after spending an hour in the shower?"
"We didn't exactly do much scrubbing."
"And whose fault is that?"
"Hey, I really did drop the soap."
"Between my legs?"
"The soap knows what it wants."
"I hope we cleaned that room up better than we cleaned ourselves."
"I'm sure we'd have gotten kicked out of this hotel by now had Felix found out we were having sex in his art room. You don't think he has cameras in there, do you?"
"Mon dieu, I hope not."
"That would be some surveillance footage," Cosima giggles.
"Yes, it certainly would," Delphine laughs.
"I hope that paint was non-toxic."
"I think we'd be dead by now if it wasn't."
"Good point. Did I tell you how absolutely gorgeous you were in that dress last night. Not that you don't look hot in whatever you're wearing," Cosima peeks under the sheet, "or not wearing, but that dress was like next level. What else did you buy yesterday?"
"Nothing."
"Nothing? Why nothing?"
"The woman at the store I went to was horrible and wouldn't help me. She treated me like trash, told me I should be shopping at Frederick's of Hollywood."
"Are you kidding me?"
Delphine shakes her head, "No. It soured me on the whole shopping experience. I wouldn't have even had the dress and shoes yesterday if not for Felix."
"Get up, we're going out," Cosima hops out of bed.
"What? Cosima where are we going? I don't have anything to wear."
"That's why we're going shopping. Here, put this shirt on, it's the longest one I've got," Cosima hands her an oversized Berkeley t-shirt. "I've also got a pair of sweats in here somewhere." Cosima rummages through the drawer before handing them over. "They'll probably be more like capris on you."
"I'm sure they're fine," Delphine assures as she gets dressed. "Is this the school you went to?"
"Yeah, undergrad. Ooh that looks good on you," Cosima reaches up and frees Delphine's curls from the shirt. "Perfect. Let's go."
"Wait!"
"What's wrong?"
"Aren't you forgetting something," she points to Cosima's naked body.
"Whoops, better dress myself first."
—
They walk down Rodeo Drive hand in hand, "Cosima, I don't want to be here. They're all assholes on this block."
Cosima ignores her protests and walks Delphine into a shop. "Excuse me, who's the manager of this store?"
"That would be me," a man answers.
"And your name is?"
"Ferdinand."
"Hello, Ferdinand, my name is Cosima, this beautiful woman is Delphine, and this is my credit card," she hands over her Amex. "I want you to help Delphine find and buy whatever she wants. Is that cool?"
"Yes," Ferdinand takes the card, "that's very cool."
"Wonderful!" Cosima pulls Delphine aside, "Do you have your phone on you?"
"Yes," Delphine hands it to Cosima, who enters her number, then dials herself, ending the call once it rings.
"I have a meeting to get to, but I want you to call me if you have any problems or if anybody doesn't give you the respect you deserve. Okay?"
Delphine nods, "Thank you, Cosima."
"No problem. I should be back at the hotel around 6, I'll see you tonight." Cosima gives her a kiss on the cheek before exiting the store, Delphine watching her as she goes.
"That's quite the girlfriend you've got there," Ferdinand observes.
"Yes," Delphine agrees, "she's very special."
"Shall we?" Ferdinand points towards the racks of clothing. Delphine nods and begins perusing the wares.
"This is nice, don't you think?" she asks him of a black blazer with white leather trim collar.
"It's exquisite, but wouldn't you prefer more summery clothing?"
"Oh, you're right, but I think I'll try this on just in case."
"I'll start a dressing room for you," he takes the blazer and hangs it up while she continues browsing.
"Ooh, I like this," she holds up a white horse print blouse in front of her. "What do you think?"
"Lovely," he smiles and she hands it over.
By the time she finishes wading though the store, she's got a dressing room with barely enough room to fit her in it amongst all the clothing. She then proceeds to try on, and come out in, every single outfit to get Ferdinand's opinion.
"This one?" she inquires as she shows off a black draped sleeveless top paired with black skinny jeans and brown high-heeled knee-high boots.
"You look splendid."
Next, she tries on a red suede skirt and yet another sleeveless black blouse. "How about this?"
"Sublime."
This continues for another hour and a half until Delphine is done trying every single thing on and Ferdinand rings up all her purchases.
"Thank you, Ferdinand."
"It was my pleasure," he smiles. As soon as she leaves the store, he collapses in a chair, exhausted.
Arms full of shopping bags, Delphine walks down Rodeo Drive wearing a white skirt suit with black trim and matching wide brim hat that she just purchased. She stops in her tracks when she spots the dress she had admired yesterday. She enters the store and looks around, locating the rude salesgirl, who's currently assisting another shopper.
"Hi there," she looks at the girl's name tag, "Shay, is it?"
"Yes," the girl nods.
"Do you remember me from yesterday, the customer you refused to help?"
Shay doesn't respond.
"I'll take that as a yes. Do you work on commission?"
"I do."
Delphine holds up her shopping bags in the girl's face, "Well that was a big fucking mistake, now wasn't it? Au revoir, bitch," Delphine walks out of the store with an enormous grin on her face, leaving Shay with her mouth agape. The other customer thinks better of letting Shay help her and leaves the store as well.
Delphine returns to the hotel and a bellhop rushes to help her with her packages. Felix looks up from the front desk and sees Delphine walking past him.
"Well, well, look at you," Felix admires. "I see your latest shopping excursion was much more successful than your last."
"Yes, much better. Cosima helped."
"Did she now? It looks like you've got quite the catch there."
"She's not a catch, Felix, she's a client," Delphine whispers.
"Clients can't be catches?"
"They're not catches because they're not with me to get caught, they're with me to get off."
"Is that so? They all just want to get off? Even Cosima?"
"I mean, no, not Cosima. Cosima is different from anyone I've ever met. She doesn't play by the same rules. She gives and doesn't expect anything in return." Delphine looks up to find Felix staring at her with a grin. "But, look, I've never been with a woman before, so maybe that's why it's so different."
"Maybe. Or perhaps it's this particular woman."
"Felix, I'm not interested in anything with Cosima other than spending this week with her and getting paid for getting her laid."
"Whatever you say, darling. Oh, before I forget," he reaches under the desk and grabs a plastic bag.
"What's this?" she asks as he hands it to her.
"Just a piece of lingerie I found covered in paint beside the trash can in my studio downstairs. Definitely not my size."
Delphine rolls her eyes at the smug grin on his face before taking the bag and rushing to catch up to the bellhop.
After bringing all her shopping bags into the room, the bellhop earns himself a nice tip. Once he leaves, Delphine starts hanging up all her new clothing in the bedroom closet. She freezes when she spots the dress Cosima was wearing the night they met, her mind replaying the moment she unzipped it as she undressed Cosima. She leans forward, breathing in the scent of the dress, a scent that's distinctly Cosima.
Suddenly, her eyes pop open, "Delphine, what is wrong with you? She's a client, that's all. A very nice client with soft hands and a very skilled tongue." A small smile forms on her lips as she remembers the events of last night. "No," she shakes her head, "you're a professional, act professional."
—
"Cosima," Leekie calls out, chasing her down the hall.
"The meeting went well I thought," she notes as he catches up to her. "So we're all set for the vote on Saturday then?"
"Yes, the meeting went fine, that's not what I wanted to talk to you about."
"What is it? I'm in a rush to get back to my hotel."
"Why? Is Delphine waiting there for you?"
"How do you know her name?"
"I got a call from Jason Kellerman this morning, he told me all about your dinner freak out."
"I did not freak out."
"Well, whatever you want to call it, it did not leave a positive impression on him. We can't lose this deal, Cosima. The whole company is counting on it. You need to make things right with him."
"I'll do my best."
"He'll be at the Children's Hospital fundraiser on Thursday, please make nice."
"I'm always nice."
"Are you planning to bring this mysterious, recently reunited, past lover of yours to the event? And when exactly did you go on a business trip to France?"
"How much gossiping did you and Kellerman do about my love life?"
"Cosima, who is this girl?"
"You'll meet her on Thursday. I'm not answering any more questions tonight. She's waiting for me and I'm running late."
"You're always running late."
"Goodnight, Leekie," Cosima turns and exits the office.
—
"Delphine?" Cosima calls out as soon as she enter the suite.
"I'm in the bedroom," Delphine responds.
"Hey, do you wanna go ou—," Cosima pauses when she gets a load of Delphine, sitting in the armchair wearing nothing but one of Cosima's scarves wrapped around her neck. "Whoa!"
"Welcome home."
"Uh, yeah, this is quite the welcome. Why aren't you wearing anything? Please tell me you bought clothing today. They didn't give you any trouble, did they?"
"No, I bought plenty of clothing, but I realized, after all that shopping, that I didn't get you anything. So this," she motions her hand up and down her naked body, "is your present."
"But there's not much to unwrap and unwrapping is kinda the best part," Cosima teases.
"If you're unhappy, I can return your gift."
"No, no, no, let's not be hasty, unwrapping is overrated anyway," Cosima moves closer to Delphine, picking up her left leg and slowly kissing her way down it. She stops at the top of her thigh, "You know what I'd really like to do right now?"
"What?"
"Take a bath."
Delphine jumps up, grabbing Cosima's hand and pulling her towards the bathroom.
They lay together in the tub, surrounded by bubbles, with Cosima snug between Delphine's legs, as Delphine rubs the soapy loofa up and down her back, then down her arms.
Delphine runs the sponge over the inside of Cosima's right wrist, "Tell me about this."
"It's a nautilus, I got it as sort of a gift to myself when I got accepted into the University of Minnesota for grad school. I had doodled it on the back of a notebook one day in bio class. It's the golden ratio, a mathematical pattern that just repeats itself in nature, in flower petals and honeybees, in the stars in the galaxy, and in every molecule of our DNA. It's incredible, really, when you think about it, the pattern is everywhere." Cosima reaches for a few strands of Delphine's hair, which are brushing along her neck, "Even in these curls of yours."
"And this one?" Delphine rests her chin on Cosima's shoulder and caresses the inside of her left forearm.
"This is a dandelion in its seed stage, with the seeds blowing away after having had a wish made on it. It's sort of a childhood habit of mine."
"You made wishes on dandelions?"
"All the time."
"What did you wish for?"
"Oh, lots of things."
"Did they come true?"
Cosima nods, "The big ones did."
"Yeah, like what?"
"For starters, Louis came home."
"Who's Louis?"
"He was our dog. My parents got him for me for my 6th birthday. He was such a great little guy. But one day, these delivery men were carrying in a couch and left the front door open and Louis got out. He was about 2 at the time. When I was walking home from school that day, I spotted my parents outside, just sort of wandering around. As I got closer, I heard them yelling for Louis. I panicked and ran over to them, tears already falling from my eyes. They told me what happened and I immediately turned and started running around yelling his name, but he didn't come, and he always came when I called his name. I cried myself to sleep that night. Then, the next day, we made posters and hung them up all over the neighborhood. Three days went by and nothing, no calls, no sign of Louis. Then, as I was walking to school, I saw a dandelion in full seed stage looking so puffy, almost like a little snowball. I bent down and plucked it from the ground, held it up in front of my face and made a wish that Louis was okay and that he'd come back home. Then I blew on it and watched as the seeds were carried away by the wind. It was kind of beautiful. That afternoon, I got back home and was sitting in the kitchen eating an eskimo pie while doing my homework, when, all the sudden, I heard scratching at the back door. I jumped up, ran over, pulled it open and there he was. He was a little dirty, but other than that, he was totally fine. I scooped him up in my arms and he licked my face like crazy. I could tell he was just as happy to see me as I was to see him. I don't know where he went or what he did on his little adventure, but he never ran out the door on his own ever again. And I always felt it was that wish on the dandelion that brought him home. So, after that, whenever something major was going on, I'd find a dandelion, make a wish, and blow on it. My parents used to laugh and say, 'there goes our lucky little dandelion.' When I was 11, my mom made me an ink drawing of a dandelion with its seeds blowing away that I hung up in my bedroom. And when I turned 18, I got that exact drawing made into this tattoo."
"That is such a beautiful story. It's nice that your tattoos have such deep meaning for you, especially that one. What made you name your dog Louis?"
"It was after Louis Pasteur. Even at 6, I was serious about science."
"A Frenchman," Delphine grins.
"Yeah, actually, he was a French bulldog, which was why I chose Louis over some of my other favorite scientists. Although, I did almost name him Pierre."
"For Pierre Curie?"
"You got it, but Pierre just didn't sound right for a dog. The way you know is you gotta yell the dog's name and yelling Pierre didn't work as well as yelling Louis. It helps having that long E sound at the end so you can really draw it out."
"I agree. I'm glad my name doesn't end that way."
"But you still have the long E in there, so it'd be like, Delphiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiine, why'd you pee on the rug?"
"Hey!" Delphine swats her arm.
"I'm sorry, I'm sure you'd be a much better behaved puppy than that. It's pretty ironic though, huh, that I had a totally French dog? I didn't even think of it until you said that."
"Ironic how?"
"I used to take baths with him, too."
Delphine snorts, "I guess you've got a knack with the French."
"Apparently," Cosima smiles.
"Even the word dandelion is derived from the French, dent de lion, which means lion's tooth."
"Damn, that's a lot more French in my life than I ever imagined. Guess I really know how to pick 'em," she winks. "So the shopping trip was a success?"
"Yes, Ferdinand was very helpful and I got some lovely outfits."
"Great, I can't wait to see them."
"Thank you for helping me with that this morning."
"It was my pleasure. People can be such dicks, you gotta just impose yourself sometimes and demand respect."
"I told her off."
"Told who off?"
"The salesgirl from yesterday."
Cosima turns her head with a grin, "You did not?"
Delphine nods, "I couldn't help myself."
"Oh man, I wish I had seen that."
"It was quite therapeutic," Delphine smiles. "How'd your meeting go?"
"Oh, just wonderfully. Leekie lectured me about how badly he heard dinner went and how I'm ruining this deal for everybody."
"Did you tell him you wanted to pursue the other drug company?"
"No way, not yet. I think I need to meet with them first. Maybe I should invite them to lunch tomorrow, hear them out some more."
"That sounds like the perfect opportunity to schmooze them."
"Did you just say schmooze?"
"Is that not the right word?" Delphine worries.
"No, it's the right word, it's just the way you said it, with your accent, it was kinda cute. You're cute," Cosima continues, causing Delphine to blush.
Delphine smiles, "Am I?"
Cosima nods, "Very cute."
"How cute am I now?" Before Cosima can respond, Delphine splashes her in the face.
Cosima's mouth hangs wide open in shock at the water assault while Delphine laughs at her sneak attack. Cosima twists around so her whole body is facing Delphine, "I'm rethinking the whole cute thing." Cosima dunks her head in the tub, coming up with her cheeks puffed out.
"No," Delphine shouts, her hands jutting out in front of her.
"Yes," Cosima grabs her hands, then pulls her arms apart so they're no longer protecting her, and proceeds to shoot the entire contents of her mouth at Delphine's face.
"Cosima," Delphine yelps.
"What, baby can dish it out but she can't take it?"
"Oh, baby can take it all right," Delphine splashes an even bigger amount of water at Cosima who retaliates with a large splash of her own and soon they're engaged in a huge bathtub water fight that ends with them both hysterically laughing.
As their laughter dies down, Cosima's eyes focus on Delphine's breasts, which are peeking just above the water line.
"Ahem," Delphine clears her throat, "my eyes are up here."
Cosima glances up at Delphine's face, "Sorry, I was just thinking."
"Oh yeah, about what?"
"Have you ever had sex in a bathtub?" Cosima's eyes sparkle mischievously.
"No and we are not doing that."
"Why not? It could be fun."
"It seems dangerous."
"Says the girl who drives like a maniac. Now you're worried about something being dangerous?"
"I'm an excellent driver."
"And I'm a certified diver," Cosima grins as she settles over Delphine, giving her a quick kiss on the nose before moving her mouth down to her bobbing bosom, while her hands reach under the water to grip Delphine's ass.
"Are you really?"
Cosima looks up at Delphine, "Nope. I really hope I don't drown." Cosima takes a deep breath and disappears under the water.
"That's not funny, Cosima. Cosim- oh fuck!" Delphine shouts when she feels Cosima's tongue.
About 20 seconds later, Cosima surfaces, gasping for air, "Ok, maybe that wasn't the best idea I've ever had."
"I don't know, minus the whole you could die part, it felt pretty good."
"I'm glad you enjoyed it, but I don't think I'm ready to die underwater with my head between your legs. I mean as far as causes of death go, that's not a bad way to die, but I need to think of my parents, they'd be devastated."
"Devastated that your head was between my legs?"
"No, they'd be totally cool with that, their only child dead part, not so much."
"I can understand that. So now that you've got me all wound up, are you just gonna leave me this way or finish what you started?"
"Oh, I always finish what I start." Cosima's lips find purchase on Delphine's neck as she releases her right hand from Delphine's ass and runs it up and down her leg, playfully teasing at the apex of her thighs before sinking her fingers into Delphine, causing the blonde's body to buck. Cosima grins against Delphine's neck as her hand continues its motions.
Delphine grips the side of the tub, small moans escaping her lips as Cosima nibbles and sucks on her neck while her fingers work her over. "Oh my god, Cosima," she screams her eventual release, her legs involuntarily splashing water onto the floor as they thrash. Cosima removes her fingers and Delphine opens her eyes, finding the smaller girl hovering over her with a giant grin on her face.
"That good, huh?"
"That was," Delphine struggles to find the perfect word, "something."
"Is that something good or something bad?"
"Oh good, very good. It's just the feeling was unlike anything I've ever experienced."
"Really?"
Delphine nods, "Mmmhmm, it was pretty incredible actually." Delphine places her hand just below Cosima's neck and gently pushes her until her back is flush against the other side of the tub. She then runs her hand down Cosima's chest, past her navel, and between her legs. She stares into Cosima's eyes as she gently begins thrusting into her.
"Oh, yeah," Cosima nods, "that does feel good. Holy shit, that feels really, really good."
Delphine increases her pace, causing Cosima to slide around a bit. Delphine leans forward, resting her forehead against Cosima's, while her left hand wraps around Cosima's leg to brace them both. With better leverage, Delphine pushes deeper into Cosima, curling her fingers just so to bring her over the edge. Cosima wraps an arm around Delphine's back and pulls their bodies flush together as she comes.
"So?" Delphine asks, waiting for Cosima to catch her breath and say something.
"Rub a dub dub, I think I enjoy sex in the tub."
"You're ridiculous," Delphine rolls her eyes as she release her grip on Cosima, stands up, steps out of the tub and towels off before putting on her bathrobe. She then helps Cosima out of the tub and dries her off, rubbing her hands up and down Cosima's arms to warm her up.
"No offense to my poor, departed Louis, but you're a much better bath companion than he ever was."
"That makes me so happy to hear," Delphine laughs.
"What do you think about ordering room service tonight?" Cosima asks as she puts on her robe.
"I think that sounds like an excellent idea."
—
"Is all this cuddling part of the package?" Cosima wonders later as she lays in bed, cradled in Delphine's arms.
"It is for $15,000."
"It's a nice perk."
"I'm glad you approve since you're the one who moved into spooning position on night one."
"What? I did not. I woke up and found you holding me."
"Only because you snuck into my arms and were too asleep for me to move you back to your side of the bed. Plus, you had a death grip on my arm."
"Wait," Cosima sits up and looks at Delphine, "are you saying this isn't part of the deal and you want me to move over?"
"No, it's part of the deal now since I'm used to it and it's not so bad."
"Not so bad? Don't overdo it with the enthusiasm."
"Oh shut up and lay down, I want to spoon you, you brat."
"Good," Cosima grins as she settles back down and nudges her backside flush against Delphine, who wraps an arm around her. "Hey, Delphine?"
"Yeah?"
"If I can arrange lunch with the Hendrixes tomorrow, will you come with me?"
"Do you think that's a good idea?"
"Yeah, I mean, you were the only good part of the dinner with the Kellermans. They enjoyed talking to you a hell of a lot more than they liked talking to me. I'd like you to be with me, just in case things go south again, maybe you can help smooth things over, regale them with some French things?"
"French things?"
"Oui, all ze French things."
Delphine snorts at Cosima's attempt at a French accent, "Okay, I'll go with you."
"Merci."
"De rien."
