CHAPTER EIGHTEEN | London
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
London
Light warms my face, beckoning me to open my eyes, only they feel like they’ve been cemented shut. I’m so tired. So comfortable, that the thought of getting out of bed sounds about as appealing as walking on hot coals.
That is, until I feel the mattress shift next to me. My eyes dart open in an instant and lock with a pair of hazel ones, my heart skipping more than a few beats while I take in the sight of Penn Kade.
Memories of yesterday, of last night, slam into me with so much intensity they steal the air from my lungs.
Telling him I still love him.
Him saying he still loves me.
The kiss in the truck that quickly escalated.
I don’t remember the drive back to his house.
I don’t remember walking inside.
I don’t remember much of anything outside of his lips on mine, soft but urgent.
His touch, eager but gentle.
His weight settling over me.
His bare skin against mine.
The feel of him as he moved inside of me once, twice, three times before we finally succumbed to exhaustion. And then there was the in between, the times when I lay naked in his arms, talking, laughing, reminiscing on times long since passed.
Being with Penn like this, it’s so familiar and yet so different at the same time. For one, he’s no longer a teenager and that rings true in more ways than one. His body. His touch. How much more experienced he seemed, though it pains me to think where he got said experience.
Regardless, last night was the most incredible night of my life. The kind of night romance stories are written about. The kind of night that changes everything. The kind of night that there’s no coming back from.
Now that I’ve tasted him, felt him, been consumed by him, I can’t even entertain an outcome where we don’t end up together. He’s all I want. I think in a way, he’s always been that for me—the one person that living without felt impossible to do.
Being here with him, it’s the first time in seven years that I’ve truly felt like I’m home. Because home isn’t a place, it’s a person. And Penn is that for me. He’s home. I just hate that it took me so long to admit it, to get out of my own way.
My face warms as I stare back at Penn, having not yet worked up the courage to speak.
That is, until I remember that I have to be at work...
“What time is it?” I sit up abruptly, searching the room for a clock, which I quickly locate on the nightstand. It reads 7:36. “Shoot. I’m late.” I toss back the covers, getting only one leg over the edge of the bed before Penn’s arm slips around my middle.
In one swift motion, he pulls me back down, cocooning me in his arms, his bare chest flush against my back.
“Penn, I’m late for work.” I fake an annoyance I don’t feel.
“No, you’re not. Your boss has given you the day off.”
“Oh, he has, has he?” I grin when his lips find the side of my neck, kissing and nipping at the sensitive flesh beneath my ear.
“He has. In fact, he demands that you do nothing today but this.” He presses his arousal into my backside, desire instantly sparking in my lower belly.
“And who will run things today in your absence?”
“Alec has things covered.”
“And what excuse did you give him?”
“That I was unable to get out of bed.” He smiles against my neck, his hand sliding around to cup my breast. “Not a lie. In fact”—he rolls me to my back, wasting no time climbing on top of me—“I may never get out of this bed again.” His lips find mine, teasing, tasting.
“Is that a threat, Mr. Kade?” I smile against his mouth.
“A promise.” He hisses as he lines himself at my entrance, entering me in one swift movement.
And just like, every thought that is not Penn Kade and how incredible he feels inside of me, filters to the back of my mind.
“WHERE THE HECK ARE you?” Josie asks without so much as a hello when I answer my phone.
“I... Uh... Why?” I ask instead of giving her an answer. How do I start a conversation with, oh you know, just in Penn’s bedroom, currently trying to recover from hours and hours of...
“We were supposed to meet for dinner at five. It’s currently twenty after. And you’re never late.”
“Crap. Crap. Crap.” I quickly climb out of bed, gripping the sheets to my body as I scour the floor for my clothes. “I’m so sorry, Jos. I totally forgot. Give me twenty minutes and I’ll be there,” I say just as Penn enters the room, giving me a confused look.
“Well, you better hurry because I’m already two drinks in.”
“Uh-oh, what happened?”
I know Josie well enough to know that if she’s drinking this early, there’s a reason, usually of the male persuasion.
“What do you think happened?”
“Alec?” I take a wild guess, waving off Penn when he mouths, what about Alec.
“Why the hell did you let me leave that party with him?” She groans.
“Uh, you didn’t exactly run it by me before you disappeared.” I find my pants and bra but can’t seem to locate my underwear or my top. That is, until I look up and see Penn dangling my panties from one hand and my shirt from the other.
He has no shirt on, showing off his muscular chest and abs that look so delectable, I swear I could devour him whole.
I blow out a huff as I move toward him, pressing up on my tiptoes to kiss his jaw before taking my clothes.
“I’ll be right back,” I mouth, quickly ducking inside the ensuite bathroom. “And last time I checked, you make your own decisions,” I say to Jos.
“Bad decisions, it would seem.”
“Let me get ready really fast and I’ll meet you at the restaurant soon and you can tell me all about it.”
“Fine,” she grumbles. “But if your butt isn’t here by six, I’m leaving.”
“I’ll be there. I just have to go pick up my car. Well, my mom’s car.” I correct, realizing my mistake way too late.
“Why don’t you have your car?”
“Long story. I’ll tell you about it when I see you,” I promise.
“Fine. But hurry.”
“I will.” I end the call, dropping the sheet onto the floor as I make quick work of getting dressed.
Luckily, I took a shower about an hour ago.
Well, it wasn’t just a shower, but I was washed clean nonetheless, so I don’t have to worry about that, but given that my wet hair was then laid on for an hour, it’s quite the mess.
Opting for a messy bun, I tie it up quickly, brush my teeth using the spare toothbrush Penn gave me this morning, and splash my face with some cold water.
I don’t have anything here with me, so bare-faced and in yesterday’s clothes is how Josie is going to get me.
When I reemerge from the bathroom less than five minutes later, Penn is sitting on the edge of the bed, fully dressed.
“I’m so sorry to ask but...”
“You need a ride to your car?”
“I was supposed to meet Josie at Carvers thirty minutes ago. I totally forgot. My mind was...” I smile. “Well, it was otherwise occupied.”
“Your mind wasn’t the only thing occupied, if I remember correctly.” He grins, standing before stalking toward me.
His scent washes over me before he even reaches me and I have to resist the urge to melt into him, knowing that if I do, I’m likely to miss dinner with Josie entirely.
Using the back of his fingers, he tips my chin, angling my face up toward his.
“I wish you didn’t have to go.”
“Me too,” I admit, smiling when he dips down, pressing a soft kiss to my mouth.
“Come on, I’ll give you a ride. I should stop by and check on things anyway. Make sure my brother didn’t make too big of a mess today.”
“Speaking of your brother, any idea what’s going on with him and Jos? She seemed quite mad at him.”
“I have no idea, but I could make an educated guess.” He guides me from the room with his hand to the small of my back.
“I’m sure I’ll get all the details shortly.” I sigh, following him through the house.
It’s still so strange to me that Penn owns a house.
In my head, we’re still the same crazy kids we always were.
But we’re not kids anymore, even if I still feel like one, given that I live with my parents and have no idea what I’m doing with my life.
But not Penn. He’s got it all figured out.
I won’t lie and say it doesn’t make me mildly insecure; it does.
The evening air is warm as we step outside, but there’s a nice breeze that makes it feel tolerable.
Penn opens the passenger door of the truck for me and gives my rear a little tap as I climb inside. I throw him an appalled look even if on the inside I’m dancing around like a giddy, lovesick girl.
“What time will you be done with dinner?” Penn asks once settled into the seat beside me.
“With Josie, it’s hard to say. Why?”
“Just wondering what time I can expect you back over.” He gives me a quick grin as he backs out of the driveway.
“Pretty sure my parents might get a little suspicious if I stay out two nights in a row. My mother may buy the lie that I’m crashing at Josie’s once, but twice.
.. She knows I don’t like staying at other people’s houses.
” I quickly correct myself. “Well, most other people’s houses.
” Because staying at Penn’s I would definitely do, over and over and over again.
“Pretty sure you’re an adult,” he fires back.
“True. But I need a shower.” I fight a smile. “A real shower.” I continue before he can say anything. “And I need sleep. And a change of clothes. And I have to work in the morning.”
“All I hear are a bunch of excuses.” He smiles, so I know he’s just giving me crap.
“Valid excuses, nonetheless.”
“Fine. What about tomorrow night?”
“Careful, Mr. Kade. I might start to think you’re becoming obsessed with me,” I tease.
“So what if I am?” He reaches across the cab and snags my hand, which I willingly give him. “I’ve waited seven years for this. I won’t apologize for wanting to spend every available moment with you that I can.”
It’s too fast, I want to say, but it doesn’t feel that way. Don’t get me wrong, this is all happening very fast, but with Penn, it doesn’t feel rushed like it might with someone new. No, with Penn, it feels right.
“I can do tomorrow.” I intertwine our fingers, feeling so happy in this moment that I’m at risk of bursting open at the seams.
The smile he gives me in return makes my entire body vibrate with elation.
I always thought I needed dance to make me feel alive. Turns out, what I really needed was sitting in front of me all along and I foolishly gave him away.
A mistake I’m determined to never make again.