Chapter Seventeen #2
“I know, right?” She nodded slowly.
“Mine was a car accident. If Rupert ever needs an extra finger,” or eight “I know a guy.”
Penny laughed. “I’ll tell him. He doesn’t know what to do with the nine and a half he has, so I don’t think it matters.”
I’d known Penny for all of two seconds, and yet I felt pretty certain she was sharing cringe-worthy details about her sex life. It was official—I liked Penny Weiss.
“It’s a little early for wine, but I have tea if you’d like to come in.”
“You sure? I don’t want to interrupt your day.”
“I have a six-year-old to watch in an hour, so I have time.”
Penny didn’t freak-out over Trzy, but she did confess her cat allergy. It was a good test to Trzy’s hypoallergenic trait.
“You look too young to be retired.” I handed Penny a cup of tea and sat in the chair opposite her at my kitchen table.
“I’m forty-five and Rupert is fifty-nine.
” She gave me a sheepish grin. “We’re the couple snobby people like to talk about.
We were the hottest gossip topic for years.
Rupert was a tenured professor of finance at the same college where my father was the dean.
Rupert had two kids and was in a miserable marriage.
I was eight weeks pregnant with two years of college under my expanding belt, but a master’s degree in disgracing my father.
“Rupert and I saw each other for the first time outside of my father’s office.
I’d just told daddy dearest about my pregnancy, and of course I left in tears because my father was a total dick.
An hour later there was a tap on my car window.
I was bawling my eyes out, couldn’t see to drive home.
It was Rupert, a complete stranger to me at the time.
He offered me a ride home. And because I was young and stupid, hence the unplanned pregnancy, I accepted his offer. ”
“When we got to my apartment, I invited him up for coffee, vomited the details of my tragic life, and drained all my tears into his shirt, using his silk tie like a hanky. Two hours later we were in my bed naked and completely satisfied. Can you believe a guy his age had never had a girl go down on him?”
Penny grinned. I’d lost all facial function as my jaw hung in midair.
“Oh, so to answer your retirement question. Rupert is retired; he made very wise investments over the years. As for me … I don’t need to work, but I’ve always had odd jobs. Just something to keep me busy and sane. I can’t be with Rupert all the damn day. We’d kill each other.”
Penny was such an unexpected part of my day, yet oddly refreshing. She had the power to break my Netflix addiction. I knew her how-I-met-my-husband story was just a morsel of her life.
“So was the father of your child out of the picture?”
“Honey, he was out of the picture before the picture ever came into focus. You know those things in life that really are not representative of your finer moments?”
I nodded, sipping my tea. I loved her southern drawl and the way she called me honey.
“Well, during the sowing-of-my-wild-oats phase, I kinda fell into a slut rut.”
My brow lifted.
“I was stoned out of my mind most of the time and screwed anything with a dick.” She tapped the rim of her cup with her fingernail.
“Hell, who am I kiddin’? I’m pretty sure there were a few women in the mix too.
” Penny sighed. A faint smile grew on her face like she was reminiscing about the good ol’ days.
“You’ve lived quite the life so far.”
“I have. Lots of mistakes, but no regrets. What about you?”
“I’m not that exciting. Lost my leg and my boyfriend in a car accident. Moved here a few months ago from San Francisco. I make a living with my ‘disability’ by testing cutting-edge prosthetics and doing occasional photoshoots.”
“What about a significant other? You’re too pretty to not have a boyfriend … or girlfriend. Equal opportunity, right?”
I chuckled, staring down at my tea. “I do have someone. It’s kind of new and kind of old, but mostly kind of hard to explain, but he’s … quite the catch.”
“I like the sound of that.”
A knock at the door brought me back to reality just as memories of the previous night started to heat my skin.
“I’ll get out of your hair.” Penny stood.
“No, you don’t have to go.”
“Nope, I’m going. We’ll chat later, honey.”
I looked through the peephole.
“Aren’t those things addictive? They don’t work so well from the other side.”
I grinned, partly from Penny’s comment and partly from my handsome guy on the opposite side of the door.
“Yes, they are quite addictive. Peep-holing is one of my favorite pastimes.” I opened the door.
“Oh sweet Jesus! You’re Cage Monaghan.”
Cage’s eyes flitted between me and Penny.
“Yes, Penny, this is Cage. Cage meet Penny, my new neighbor.” And slut extraordinaire that I have a girl crush on.
“Oh my Lord … it’s a huge pleasure. I follow football like a dog’s nose to a cat’s ass. Would you mind if I asked for your autograph?”
Cage looked at me again. I shrugged.
“I’ll get a marker.” I grabbed a Sharpie from the kitchen drawer. “Do you want a piece of paper or something, Penny?’
“Nope.” She continued to gawk at Cage.
“Here.” I handed the marker to Cage.
“Right here, doll, if you wouldn’t mind.” Penny pulled up her shirt about four inches, pointing to her lower back. “Right above my heart and wings tramp stamp would be perfect.”
Cage looked at me again. Again, I shrugged. He signed her back and capped the marker.
“Ah, perfect. Rupert and I are going doggie-style tonight so he can stare at it. Nothing better than a guy who’s a little jealous. Makes them up their game if you know what I mean.” Penny winked then headed down the hallway.
Cage still had not said a word.
“She’s great, huh?” I snatched the marker from him and walked back inside.
“I really have no words for Penny.”
I shut the drawer and leaned against the counter. “But you have a few for Jamie, right?”
“Who’s Jamie?” He slid his hands behind me, palming my ass while pulling me into his body.
I closed my eyes as he kissed the skin below my ear. “He’s Shayna’s nanny.”
Cage stood straight, peering down at me with narrowed eyes. “So the picture wasn’t a joke?”
I grabbed his ass as well, giving it a tight squeeze. “So the ‘no fucking way’ was a joke?”
“Yes. No … I don’t know. You seriously hired a male nanny for Banks’s sister?”
“I hired the most qualified nanny who just so happens to be a guy. Please don’t show me your sexist side if you have one. I don’t want to see it. Yes, it’s official: women can be pilots and doctors, and men can be nurses and nannies.”
“Whatever, it doesn’t affect me.”
“True. Now kiss me so I can see if I still affect you.”
Cage grinned as his lips showed mine that I did indeed still affect him. “I missed you in my bed this morning,” he murmured over my lips while his hands slid up my shirt.
I pressed my hands to his chest. “We can’t do this.” I glanced over at the clock on my microwave. “Shayna is coming over while Everson does whatever the hell it is he does this time of year.”
“Now?”
“Ten minutes.”
“I can work with that.” He kissed me hard, backing me to the counter as his erection pressed to my belly.
I giggled, wriggling from his hold on me. “Stop! Ten minutes is not enough.” I rubbed my lips together. They were already numb from his assault on them.
Cage sighed. “Suit yourself, then. I’m meeting up with two of my wide receivers to practice some routes.”
I righted my bra that he’d tugged down, exposing my breasts. “Basically you’re going to a park to play catch with your friends.”
He captured both of my wrists behind my back in his right hand and bit my neck. Cage was a biter, and oh my God I loved what it did to me.
“Yes, basically,” he whispered in my ear before leaving me puddled on my kitchen floor while he walked toward my door. “Later.”
After the door already shut, I whispered, “Later.”