Chapter 8
Miles
It took all my willpower not to follow Penny’s car as I watched her taillights disappear into the white fog. But she’s a big girl and decided to drive back to Charlotte, even after multiple people offered her a place to stay.
Ruin texted to confirm I had talked to Penny about spending the night at my place. After her accident years ago, she’s always making sure everyone is safe when the weather gets bad.
And if I’m being completely honest with myself, I’ve become a little overprotective too. It has nothing to do with the fact that Penny’s the woman I haven’t been able to get out of my head.
I would’ve offered my place to anyone who needed it.
Keep telling yourself that, asshole. Maybe one day you’ll believe it.
I’m getting the pan ready to sear the chicken when my phone vibrates on the counter. Penny’s name flashes across the screen, and a smug smile pulls at my lips. Maybe she changed her mind and decided to stay with me after all.
But the longer I stare at her name, the more my smile fades. Fuck. What if she’s hurt?
I swipe to answer, but before I can say anything, she beats me to it.
“Miles?” The panic in her voice sends ice straight through my veins.
“Penny? Are you okay?”
“Yes,” she exhales, and my chest loosens just a fraction. “But someone tried to pass me on the highway, I lost control, and now I’m stuck.”
I close my eyes, already picturing it. “Did your airbags deploy?”
There's silence. Too long for my liking.
“Penny? I need you to talk to me,” I say, my voice coming out sharper than I intended, already bracing for one of her smart remarks.
But it doesn’t come.
“No, the car is fine. I’m just stuck in a pile of snow, and after calling one too many towing companies and getting nowhere…” she trails off, leaving the rest unsaid.
“I was your last resort,” I say without a hint of bite in my tone.
“Can you share your location?” I ask as I turn off the stove and head for the door.
For her to call me instead of Gio or her parents means that she trusts me.
Or she doesn’t want to bother a family man and doesn’t want to hear shit from her dad. Get off your high horse, man.
“Done,” she says, releasing another long breath.
I look at my phone as her text comes through. “I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
“Thank you, Miles. Truly.”
When I check her location on the map, she only made it about fifteen miles out of town. I can be there in fifteen minutes, tops. I take a couple of minutes to make something for her—I’m sure she’ll crash once the adrenaline wears off.
The roads get worse the farther out I drive.
Emergency lights blinking right at the fifteen-mile mark, and I slow down, pulling up next to her car. When I look to my left, Penny’s head hangs down, her eyes closed. Is she really okay?
Instead of staying in my car and looking through my window like a creep, I get out and walk the short distance to hers. I knock on her window with my knuckles as I lean down.
Her back goes straight in one second, her hands flying to her chest the next. She rolls her window down, and it’s written all over her face.
She’s freaking the fuck out.
“Your knight in shining armor has arrived,” I tell her as I flash her a small smile.
“Thank you, Miles. I’m so sorry I had to call.” She sounds sincerely mortified.
If she were giving me shit, I’d tell her I charge by the minute or some shit like that. But tonight, all I want to do is to comfort her and take her home to warm up and rest.
“Why don’t you help me steer the car once I have it hooked to my truck? I’m sure we can take it out of this bank easily.”
She nods and places both of her hands on the steering wheel, squaring her shoulders as she looks forward.
I rap my gloved knuckles twice against her hood before heading back to my truck. Never thought I’d see the day Penny Levine—badass extraordinaire—would be shaken completely speechless.
Moving my truck only takes a minute, but the snowbank trapping her car is way too high to have formed naturally. There’s no chance we got three feet of snow in a couple of hours.
A shovel sits in my back seat, so I grab it and start digging a path toward her bumper to hook up a tow line. Once I’ve cleared enough space, I make my way back to her window.
“Ready?” I ask.
She nods again, her eyelids heavy.
“I’ll start slow. Put the gear in neutral. When you feel the pull, I need you to steer to the right.”
She nods again, a faint smile forming on her face.
“It’s all good, sugar. I’ll get you out of here in a jiffy.”
She huffs a laugh, and I join her.
Back in my truck, I ease forward and keep it slow, just like I told her. It takes a couple tries, but eventually I pull her car free from the snowbank.
As soon as I put my truck in park, a door slams. Sure enough, Penny is already out of her car and walking toward me.
“Hey, Miles,” she says with a bright smile as I lower my window. “Thank you so much for coming to my rescue. But I think I got it from here. As soon as you untie the line, I’ll be on my way.”
I look at her like I’ve just been punked and Ashton Kutcher is about to jump out of the woods with a camera crew.
“Are you serious right now?”
She scoffs. This woman actually has the fucking guts to scoff.
“Of course I am,” she says, like it’s obvious.
I close my eyes and count to three, trying to get a grip, but I’m already pissed.
“I’m sorry to break it to you, sweetheart, but you got stuck on a pile of road construction barrels covered in snow.” Her eyes go wide, but I keep going. “And you only made it fifteen miles outside of Azalea Creek. The trip to Charlotte is what—thirty? Forty miles?”
She crosses her arms around her chest, glaring at me.
Fuck, my dick shouldn’t respond to that. But it does. Something about this woman gets under my skin in a way nothing else ever has.
“In my humble opinion, you should spend the night somewhere and reassess tomorrow. Besides, I didn’t bring my trailer to transport your car. We’ll have to come back for it once the storm passes.”
When she still doesn’t budge, I add, “Or I can follow you, and we both head to my place. It’s a lot easier to drive fifteen miles than forty in this weather.”
“What?” Her expression shifts, her mind clearly running through all the possible scenarios.
The moment she decides, the bravado slips.
“I’ll never admit this if you ever bring it up outside of this scenario, but you’re right.” She lets out a long breath as she finally admits she’s stuck with me.
“I’m in no state to drive,” she continues quietly. “I’m still a little shaken up.”
She lowers her gaze, not willing to give me the satisfaction of letting her see my triumphant grin.
“Penny, it’s still snowing. You’ve had a hell of a night.” I hold her gaze, making sure she understands me. “All I’m offering is a warm bed—just for you.”
I tack on the last part so she knows I’m not trying anything.
Which is only partially true. I’m thinking about it, but I’ll keep my hands to myself.
She’s had a rough day. And I’m a gentleman. Mostly.
“Ugh. You’re never going to let me live this one down. Are you?” she says.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I try to sound serious, but the smirk is a dead giveaway.
“Ugh. It is what it is, I guess.” She hurries to the passenger side of my truck.
I pump my fist once, keeping it low. I was expecting more of a fight, but she’s probably exhausted.
“Alright, stay here while I get your car to a safer spot.”
We look at each other for a second, like there’s more we want to say, but neither of us does.
“Here,” I say when her gaze lingers a little too long. If she keeps looking at me like that, she’s going to figure out exactly what’s been running through my head. “I brought you hot chocolate… to warm you up.”
The last part comes out too fast, and I feel like a damn teenager.
“Thanks,” she says, still a little dazed.
“I’ll be right back.” I throw her a wink before shutting the door.
The truck cabin was getting too hot. Or maybe it’s just her.
Either way, this is going to be a long night. And it will be just my hand and me.
Fucking long indeed.