Chapter 17
Miles
Penny’s hand stays tucked in mine the entire drive home, and I can’t stop thinking about how easy it feels to hold it.
That thought should probably worry me more than it does. Maybe that should freak me out a little, but after tonight, letting go sounds a hell of a lot worse.
I drive slowly, careful not to hit a bump and wake her. She looks so peaceful with her head resting against the window.
I’m not sure what she spoke about with my sisters, but I hope they put in a good word for me.
Most women only ever wanted the version of me they heard about around town, and I got used to keeping things easy. Casual. No expectations.
But Penny makes me want to try harder than that.
Makes me want to be better than the guy everyone thinks I am.
Once I park the truck, I quietly get out and walk around to carry her inside. As soon as I unbuckle her seatbelt and lift her into my arms, she lets out a happy little sigh, a smile spreading across her gorgeous face as her arms wrap around my neck.
And fuck, I feel like a billionaire, carrying the most valuable thing in the world into my home.
As soon as I lower her onto the couch, she stirs awake.
She rubs her eyes before looking around sleepily.
I stand a few feet away, taking her in.
“What are you doing all the way over there?” she asks, a lazy smile curving her lips.
“I was just admiring you,” I tell her honestly.
“Then come admire me from up close.” She pats the spot beside her on the couch.
The moment I sit down, she curls herself into my arms.
“This shouldn’t feel so good,” she murmurs against my chest, her warm breath brushing against my skin.
“Why shouldn't it feel good? I’m a nice guy,” I say, amusement slipping into my voice.
“Yes, you are. But you’re also off-limits.”
I frown, but stay quiet, giving her space to keep talking.
“You and I want the same thing Miles. No commitments,” she says sharply.
“That’s true, but that doesn’t mean we can’t give each other a little comfort,” I say quickly, feeling the sudden need to defend whatever this is between us.
“Fine, you win.” In one swift move, she swings herself onto my lap, straddling me.
Fuuuck.
She shouldn’t feel this good on top of me, but the way her body molds against mine feels damn near perfect.
“Boss,” I grit out the second she starts rubbing her pussy against my growing hard-on.
“Yes, Miles?” she asks breathlessly against my ear.
Then she licks my throat.
A moan slips out of me before I can stop it.
“Boss, as much as I like where this is heading, you need to sober up,” I say against her breasts, which she’s expertly pressed right in front of my lips.
“I’m fine, Miles. I know what I want,” she says while continuing to torture me by rolling her hips against mine.
“I’d feel better if we waited a little longer so I can make sure you’re really sober.”
As bad as I want to bury myself inside her, I need her fully aware and conscious for this. Even with the nap, she’s still tipsy.
“You’re no fun,” she pouts before sliding off my lap and dropping back onto the couch.
“Hell, no. Nobody’s accusing me of not being fun.” I try to give her a serious look, but the smile tugging at my mouth ruins it.
She giggles, her eyes still a little glassy. Which tells me she’s definitely not sober yet.
“Do you want to hang out in the hot tub for a while? I bet after a couple of hours you’ll be fully back to your senses.”
Her entire face lights up. “You have a hot tub?”
I nod. “Out on the deck off my room.”
“What are we waiting for?” She jumps to her feet and grabs my hand to pull me up with her.
I chuckle and let her drag me toward the stairs like I’d ever tell her no.
The hot tub stays running year-round, so all that’s left is pulling off the cover and grabbing a couple of towels.
Cold night air rushes in the second I open the deck door, sharp enough to sting my skin, but once we’re in the water, we’ll be fine.
Back in my room, I sit on the edge of the bed and strip down until I’m left in nothing but my black boxers.
Penny watches me openly while I undress, her gaze dragging slowly over my body without a trace of shame.
And fuck, that turns me on even more. There’s nothing sexier than a woman who knows exactly what she wants.
When it’s her turn to undress, I sit back against the headboard and watch her.
Penny stands in front of me, slowly peeling off each layer with the kind of temptation that makes forbidden fruit seem worth the fall.
My dick hardens instantly, long and proud beneath my boxers.
The second Penny notices, one eyebrow lifts.
“What can I say?” I shrug. “I’m enjoying the view.”
Then I spread my legs a little wider, giving myself some room.
By the time she’s down to a sexy-as-sin purple lingerie set, I can barely think straight anymore.
I push off the bed and walk toward her, taking her hand in mine. Her skin feels soft against my rough palms.
At first glance, Penny looks delicate as porcelain, but underneath all that softness is a woman tougher than most men I know.
I love that about her.
I lower my head slowly, giving her plenty of time to pull away if she wants to, my lips searching for hers like a missile locked onto a heat signature.
Her hand slides around the back of my neck and pulls me closer, and a quiet laugh rumbles out of me against her mouth.
“Alright, boss. Message received.”
Still holding her hand, I guide us outside onto the deck.
I help Penny into the hot tub first, and the second the cold air hits her bare skin, goose bumps break out everywhere.
“I liked it better inside,” she says through chattering teeth.
“You’ll warm up in a second. Trust me.”
I slide into the water across from her, stretching my arms along the edge of the tub while steam curls into the cold night air around us.
When the water reaches her shoulders, she lets out a relieved sigh.
My foot brushes her beneath the water.
Then she nudges me.
And just like that, we’re suddenly in the middle of some ridiculous underwater toe war.
Before long, the deck fills with giggles, splashing water, and Penny accusing me of cheating every five seconds.
Who knew being this happy could feel so damn easy?
“Fine, you win.” I relent, bracing my arms at the edge of the tub while I sink deeper into the water in defeat.
Penny pops to her feet and does a little victory dance, shaking her ass while making silly noises that nearly make me choke laughing.
My God. If she’s going to celebrate every win like this, I’ll happily lose every competition for the rest of my life.
Once another shiver runs through her body, she sinks back into the water. “I didn’t know you had a tub back here. The view in the morning must be breathtaking,” she says, rubbing her hands up and down her arms.
“The view’s pretty spectacular right now,” I say, my eyes never leaving hers.
She closes her eyes as a gorgeous smile spreads on her face.
I can’t tell if those rosy cheeks come from the hot water or my words. Either way, she looks beautiful.
“I added it after I bought the place from Gio and Ruin. Comes in handy after long days at work.” I lean back against the tub. “Honestly, fixing this place up has probably been my favorite project.”
“I can tell you poured your heart into it,” Penny says softly as she slowly crawls her way closer to me through the water.
“Yeah,” I admit, trying not to focus on the way my heartbeat picks up the closer she gets. “It’s the place I wanna grow old in. The place where my nieces and nephews come whenever their parents are being assholes.”
Penny rolls her eyes, amusement written all over her face.
I grin. “What? I wanna be the cool uncle. River’s always the grumpy one, and Merlin—even if he could be cool—is probably going to spend half his life away from home being a soccer star.”
I shrug, but my attention shifts right back to Penny when she stops only inches away from me.
I swallow hard, the air between us suddenly thick with want and need.
“What about bosses who need a place to stay?” she asks before dragging her tongue slowly across her bottom lip.
“So long as they’re hot, sexy bosses, they’ll always have a place here too.” I try to sound cocky because I know she loves busting my balls whenever my ego shows up, but my voice comes out rough instead.
Her eyes darken with desire, and that’s my undoing.
My lips crash into hers as I guide her gently against the side of the tub. A needy groan escapes me while I brace my arms on either side of her, careful not to crush her beneath my weight.
Her fingers tangle in the back of my hair before yanking hard
I groan against her mouth.
She snickers softly, clearly pleased with herself.
I’ve tried to be patient. Tried giving her time to sober up.
But her movements are steady now. Intentional.
And fuck, I want her.
“If you want me to stop at any point, you tell me. Alright?” I pull back just enough to make sure she sees I’m serious.
She nods before pulling my mouth right back to hers.
Thank fuck.
Because the need to be inside her is stronger than every ounce of self-control I’ve got left.
“I’ve missed you, boss,” I murmur against her lips once we fully come up for air.
The second the words leave my mouth, I stiffen.
Did I go too far?
“Then don’t stop,” she whispers before nibbling at my ear.
“Penny, are you sure?” I ask, searching her eyes while giving her another chance to back out.
She lets out an exasperated huff. “Yes, Miles. I’m sure. I want you to fuck me into oblivion.” To emphasize her point, she presses her pussy against my dick beneath the water.
Both of us moan at the contact.
“But you practically drank a whole bottle of wine by yourself.” I remind her.
“I absolutely did not. I had like, two glasses, tops.” She glares at me.
I raise an eyebrow.
“What? You want me to beg you? Fine.”
Before I can stop her, she drops to her knees in the hot tub, water sloshing around us as it rises to her chin.
Her hand slowly trails up my leg.
I tense. “Penny.”
“Miles, I’m a thirty-five-year-old woman. I think I know what I’m doing.” Her gaze locks onto mine, sharp and stubborn.
I let out a long breath, my head falling back in defeat.
Then her hand slides beneath the waistband of my boxers. The moment her fingers wrap around my cock, I know I’m done for.
And surrendering to her feels right. Too fucking right.
“Boss,” slips out of me like a prayer.
Her hand starts stroking me slowly while she rises higher in the water, her warm breaths brushing against my chest as she searches for my mouth again.
I lift my head and open my eyes.
And fuck.
She looks like temptation itself standing in front of me.
I lean forward, and our mouths crash together in a searing kiss. Everything after that feels like adrenaline, heat, and complete fucking bliss.
Then suddenly her hand leaves me.
A pathetic sound slips out of my throat before I can stop it.
“What?” she asks, clearly amused.
“Nothing. I was enjoying your hand on me,” I admit as her legs wrap around my waist. “But this is pretty damn good too.”
I roll my hips against her, and Penny lets out a deep moan before throwing her head back, exposing her neck.
The sight nearly wrecks me.
I drag my teeth lightly across her throat, feeling the wild urge to mark her. Everywhere.
“Miles, I need you.”
Those four words pour gasoline straight on the fire burning inside me.
I stand, lifting Penny out of the tub with me.
She squeals, laughing while her nails dig into my back. “You make everything look so easy, Miles,” she says, awe slipping into her voice.
“What do you mean?” I ask as I open the glass door leading back to my bedroom.
“You carry me around like I weigh nothing.” Her nails press into me again for emphasis. These muscles are ridiculous.”
A laugh escapes me. “You barely weigh anything, boss.”
I toss her gently onto the bed, and her laughter fills the room.
The sound wraps around my soul, warming places I didn’t even realize had gone cold.
“Besides,” I say while climbing over her, “you make it really easy to spend time with you.”
I don’t let either of us sit with the weight of those words for too long.
Because if I start thinking too hard about what any of this means, I’m screwed.
Right now, I just want to lose myself in her and forget the rest of the world exists.