Cole had taken up Penny on her invitation to see a movie. It was the first time he had been on a date since before Maria's death and it felt extremely awkward at times.
Nonetheless, Penny seemed to fully believe his feigned enthusiasm for their date. He felt like a douchebag, pretending to be interested in a woman he cared nothing for; and like a douchebag, he was trying to get her in the sack -- although without actually having sex with her. He still had no idea how he was going to pull this off.
The movie was a romantic comedy; Cole paid scant attention. During their time in the cinema he thought about how his time could be better spent doing other things. Even though he was doing this to find Maria's killer, it sure did not feel like it. He would much rather be going through his case files for the billionth time or giving Zafira another sensual massage.
His mind did drift a few times towards that sexy succubus that forced her way into his life. Her perfect body, how her silky smooth skin felt, and those powerful orgasms were often at the front of his mind. If he were any other guy, he would be focused more on Penny's body, which was impressive in its own right.
Just not as impressive as Zafira.
After the movie, Cole drove Penny home to her apartment. He parked the car at the entrance, "Well, I had a great time,Detective Harvey. We should do it again some time," Penny said, smiling cutely.
"Please, I told you to stop with the 'Detective Harvey' stuff. Just call me Cole."
"Well then, Cole, thank you for a wonderful evening."
Penny leaned in, giving Cole a small peck on the cheek. She opened the passenger door when Cole grabbed her hand, stopping her.
"I haven't had a wonderful night like this in a long time. I'd hate for it to end."
"Well, the night is still young," Penny said. "I can show you around my apartment if you want."
"I would like that," Cole smiled.
Cole parked his car into an empty space and then followed her up to her apartment. It was a cozy place, though it seemed a little bare. She had few furnishings. Only a couch and coffee table sat in her living room, with a small TV perched atop of an end table. Her minimal kitchen had a stove that looked barely used. A compact refrigerator and spotless microwave hunched on the counter. A dining room table was noticeably absent.
"Nice place," Cole said, as he sat down on the couch. "Did you just move in?"
Penny sat next to Cole and shook her head. "No; been living here for over a year now. I've been saving money for college and haven't been able to buy much. I tend to not live beyond my means."
"It's good you have your priorities in order."
Penny laughed. "A rare quality I know. But having your priorities in order doesn't leave much time for dating."
"I'm surprised you asked me then," Cole said.
"You seemed like a nice guy and I always liked older men better. Guys my age don't act very mature."
"Age has nothing to do with maturity. Hell, look at Frank."
Penny scoffed. "You have a point. Look up douchebag in a dictionary and you'll find his picture."
"I wouldn't doubt it," Cole laughed. "Just yesterday he was telling me about his oh-so-skillful ways of spotting virgins. He claims you're a virgin because you dress so conservatively."
"So because I don't dress like a slut for his entertainment that makes me a virgin?" Penny asked disapprovingly.
"According to the great Frank Wallace; yes, it does." Cole said sarcastically.
"He's such a pig!" she scoffed again. "I hate to admit though, that he's right."
"You mean, you really are a virgin?" Cole asked.
"Yes, and I'm not ashamed of it. I just haven't found the right guy yet. I always said that I would save myself for marriage and with college and work I've had no trouble keeping to my word. This doesn't bother you, does it?"
"Not at all," Cole replied. "I'm surprised is all. It's a rare quality these days."