47. Penn
Chapter 47
Penn
Daisy presses a hand to my chest, using me as leverage to prop herself up. "Duke's dad? When?"
"Earlier today. When I said I was struggling with something." I lie back, look up at the blade of the ceiling fan.
She's leaning over me, golden hair spilling out around her like a halo. She's an angel, a sassy, funny, feisty, sweet to her core angel. She's everything I could ever need in life. Was it unfair of me to tell her I love her? I can't figure it out. Maybe it would've been kinder to keep it to myself. Let her carry out her convoluted plan, and have the chips fall where they may.
"Hey," Daisy says softly, palming my cheek, urging me to drag my gaze back to hers. "Old man Hampton is the definition of a narcissistic asshole. He should be studied."
Apprehension courses through me. I have to tell her everything he said. Everything he offered. With one exception.
She reaches up, fingers smoothing over the pinch between my eyebrows. "You can't say anything to me about that man that will surprise me."
If only that were true.
"I'll have to give you the background, first."
"Uh-oh," she teases. "There's background?"
My answering smile is lopsided. "I thought I was meeting Hugo at Hen Pecked last night, but?—"
"He ambushed you," Daisy interjects, laughing. "It was guys' night."
"Exactly. So that means you know who else was there."
Daisy nods, her nails dragging over my chest in circles. "Correct."
"Duke got drunk, and mouthy. I walked him out to his car, and he said something shitty. I lost my temper, and?—"
Daisy's eyes are wide. "That's why he has a bruise? He told me he had too much to drink and tripped on the stairs when he came home."
"That's not even a good lie," I say, earning me an open-palmed thwack across my chest.
"Fast forward to Duke's dad," she says impatiently. "What did he say to you?"
"He's encouraging Duke to press charges against me."
"What? No. Absolutely not." Daisy's head shakes vehemently. "I will put a stop to that."
I smile at her tenacity. Her willingness to go to bat for me. "I appreciate that. You." I stroke her face, running my hand over her bare shoulder. Her breasts, pushed against my ribs, are plump and pressing together. I want to lift her over me, let their softness fall over my face, take one in my mouth.
She taps my chin. "Focus," she grins. "You can have my tits after you tell me about this."
"Busted." I manage a smile, though I'm not feeling exactly happy about what I'm preparing to tell her. "He said he'll buy my old place outright, plus twenty percent."
She sputters an incredulous laugh. "What?"
"Yep."
Daisy's gaze narrows. "And the catch is?"
She knows this family, the way they throw money around to get their way. And now, I'm included in that. It makes me sick.
"I leave town." I say it simply, but there's anger hiding behind my tone.
Laughter spills from between her pretty lips. It disappears when I don't join in.
"Penn," she says, fear shrinking her voice. "Please tell me you didn't say yes."
"I didn't say yes."
"But you're thinking about it?"
A cold knot forms in my stomach. "It's not the money. I promise you, it's not that."
"Then what is it?"
"You, Sunshine." I toy with a lock of her hair, twirling it around my finger.
"What about me?" Her voice is small again. I hate that I'm the one who made it that way.
"Glenn Hampton seems to think my presence in town is causing you grief."
"It is."
Her honesty is a sucker punch. My twirling freezes, and Daisy's hair unwinds itself from my finger. "The last thing I wanted when I came back was to be a problem in your life. To make anything hard for you. I even thought I could avoid you."
Daisy rolls her eyes, hand trailing over my stomach. "You're doing a great job avoiding me." She sits up, reaching over the side of the bed to gather the comforter that found its way to the floor during the past hour.
"Spectacular view from behind," I tell her, and she shakes her ass.
"Don't tempt me," I warn.
"Tits and ass after we talk," she chides, wrapping the comforter around herself like it's a towel. She gets herself situated, then begins. "It's true your presence is causing me grief, but only in a good way. You're a problem I needed to have. I'm so sick of playing the role of perfect Daisy St. James. With you, I can be myself. I like saying what I'm thinking, and feeling how I'm feeling. I like being intimate with you, just simply existing and giving myself over. There's no role to play when I'm with you. I'm me, and that's it."
I'm about to add how special that is, but she continues.
"I was jaded, and I needed to be reminded love exists. True love." A blush steals over her face, but I'm quick to sit up, running my hands over her cheeks.
"Don't blush," I instruct, and when she opens her mouth to speak, I'm quick to say, "And don't even think of taking it back."
"I won't," she promises.
"Daisy, you already knew true love existed before I came back. You only needed reminding." I tuck her hair behind her ear. "Think about what you're doing for your mom. What do you call that?"
"Insanity."
I breathe a laugh. "It's true love."
"Oh." She looks genuinely surprised. "I didn't think of it that way."
"True love doesn't have to be romantic."
She drums her fingers on her mouth, letting that sink in. "Where does that leave us?" she finally asks, so soft. So vulnerable.
I wish we could run away together, like she suggested. It's a fantasy, maybe even a delusion, and entertaining it is pure agony.
"Unless you're planning on canceling your wedding?—"
"And you're planning on telling me why you really left?—"
"—we're right where we've always been," I finish.
Daisy's eyes fill with tears, but she holds them at bay.
I refuse to let her hide. Push away her emotions. Not my girl. Not my Daisy. She can feel whatever she wants to feel, and I'll take it all. I'll welcome it. "Cry if you want to, Daisy. Whatever emotion you want to have, have it. I don't mind."
"That's what you told me that first night, at Summerhill. You told me I could take that low moment I was having and sink into it a little deeper." She smiles fondly at the memory. "It was so freeing to hear that. To know I could be myself, feel my feelings, and everything would be ok."
I take her hand, winding my fingers through hers. "How do you feel right now?"
"I feel...rage," she admits. "My mom is dying, and I'm stuck in this awful web I spun. It feels like I can't get out."
I wish I could tell her how deeply I empathize.
Instead, I reach for the comforter, and she lets me slide it down.
"Penn," she says, but my name is shaky. "I don't know how all this will end up, and losing you again, I..." She shakes her head, says nothing more.
"I know, Sunshine." I try not to feel the desolation, but it's there. Sour and pungent and there , in the pit of my stomach.
Leaning forward, I claim her mouth. I kiss her like I didn't recently have her.
I kiss her like I might not ever have her again.