CHAPTER SEVENTEEN | Penn
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Penn
“Hey.” I look up just in time to see London enter the office, her skin flushed from the warm morning sun. Little tendrils of hair that escaped her braids stick to her face.
She’s the most beautiful creature on the planet and I find myself unable to form actual words in her presence.
It started after church last Sunday. She held my hand. Such a small, simple gesture and yet, it has since tilted my world on its freaking axis, and I feel like I’m walking around on uneven ground.
We never talked about it. She just got up, said goodbye, and left with her parents like nothing happened. Monday when she came to work, nothing. No mention of the shift between us, even though I know with complete certainty that she feels it too.
Nothing.
It’s maddening.
“Hey. How’s everything looking today?” I try to seem normal, but I’m not entirely sure I know what normal is between us anymore.
We’ve gone from basically wanting to rip each other’s heads off, to tolerating one another, to... Hell, I don’t even know how to put words to whatever this is.
“Good. Trav and Lou had to cut a tangled net loose last night, so their catch was low.”
“Did you report it to your dad so he can get it replaced?”
“I did.” She nods, taking the seat behind her desk.
“And Travis? Did he keep his lips to himself?” I can’t help but say, realizing I’ve done exactly what she was hoping for by the smile that turns up the corners of her mouth.
“He did. Pretty sure our boss threatened to fire him if he didn’t.” She meets my gaze, humor behind her eyes.
“He’s not good enough for you.”
“Is that why you don’t want him kissing me?” She challenges.
“In part.”
“What’s the other part?”
I open my mouth, fully prepared to tell her precisely why I don’t want him kissing her and just how far I’m willing to shove his head up his ass if he ever does again, when there’s a knock at the door seconds before it swings open and Travis steps inside.
Speak of the devil and he shall appear.
“Sorry to bother you, I just wanted to see if you’re ready,” he says directly to London.
“Ready?” I ask, unable to keep the edge from my voice.
“Travis is taking me to lunch.” London stands, grabbing her bag. “Don’t worry, it’s just as friends.”
“Where are you going?” I ask.
“To the new Sushi place on Harper Street.”
“Mind if I join?” I surprise them both by asking.
“I... Uh... Sure.” Travis tries to act like he’s completely caught off guard but not London... Her smile widens as if she knew I was not going to be able to let them walk out of this building together.
“Perfect. It’ll be my treat.” I stand, grabbing my phone off the desk before shoving it into my pocket. “After you.” I gesture toward the door.
“Actually, do you mind going without me?” Trav says to London, the two sharing a look that does not sit right with me, like they’re in on the inside of something that I’m on the outside of.
“You sure? You were really excited about his place,” London finally says.
“Yeah, I just... I think the night is finally catching up to me.”
“Okay.” She nods. “I’ll see you tomorrow then.”
“Yep. See you tomorrow. Later, boss man.”
And just as quickly as he appeared, he disappears.
“I think you scared him off.” London barks out a laugh.
“Did I? Or did you?”
“Me? I’m not scary.”
“Tell that to a man who doesn’t have direct experience in that department.”
“I’ve never scared you.” Her hands go to her hips in defiance.
“LV, you’ve done nothing but scare me since the moment you entered my life.” I grin, tugging open the door. “Now, do you want lunch or not?”
She regards me for a long moment before finally nodding. I catch her scent as she slips past me in the doorway and damn if it doesn’t almost bring me straight to my knees.
One thing is becoming abundantly clear. I need to get a grip and I need to get one fast, before I end up doing something really, really stupid...
“HOW’S YOUR ICE CREAM?” I ask London as we make our way toward my truck, having just finished lunch a few minutes ago. To no one’s surprise, London insisted we get ice cream after. She’s always had a sweet tooth a mile long.
“Divine.” She licks the cold cream, letting out a little noise of appreciation that instantly has my groin twitching. “I still can’t believe you didn’t get any.”
“I ate so much at lunch, I’m not sure I could fit it anywhere.” I rub my stomach for good measure.
Lunch was... Well, it was incredible and it had nothing to do with the food. It’s the first time since London returned that we just talked. No anger. No sadness. We just talked like we used to, about everything and nothing at all.
I found myself never wanting to leave that restaurant because for the first time in seven years, I felt oddly whole again, like part of my soul that I’ve been missing had been returned to me.
“You’re missing out. This blueberry lemon is to die for.” London gives me a toothy smile.
“I’ll have to take your word for it,” I say, tugging open the passenger door of my truck for her. She makes no attempt to climb inside.
“You could try it.” She extends the cone in my direction. “Or are you afraid you’ll get my cooties?”
I study her for a brief moment before leaning forward and biting off a large chunk of the top of her ice cream swirl.
“Hey!” She pulls the cone away, appalled. “I said you could taste it, not eat half of it in one bite.” Her scold turns to a laugh and I’m pretty sure it’s the sweetest sound I’ll ever hear. God, how I’ve missed it. How I’ve missed all of this.
“You’re right,” I tell her with a smile, melted ice cream sliding out of the corner of my mouth as I fight to get down the very large bite. “Divine.”
“I can’t take you anywhere.” She tsks, reaching up to wipe ice cream out of my beard.
I catch her hand as she starts to drop it, not entirely sure what my next move is, only that I don’t want her to stop touching me...
Our eyes lock.
My breath quickens.
Heart hammering, I lean in, trapping her between me and the truck door.
“Penn.” My name is a whisper on her lips. Lips that I’m currently finding it very hard not to kiss.
And I almost do. In fact, not kissing her is maybe one of the hardest things I’ve ever done in my entire life.
Time seems to slow down. The tension grows thicker by the second as my eyes dart to her lips for the tenth time in ten seconds.
I watch in rapt fascination as her tongue darts out, dragging across her lower lip—whether intentional or not, the action sets my insides on fire.
“Get in the truck, LV. Before I do something you don’t want me to do.” My tone is low, my restraint being tested beyond its limits.
She presses up onto her tiptoes so she can speak directly into my ear.
“There’s very little you could do that I wouldn’t want you to do,” she whispers seconds before her lips brush my earlobe, sending a shiver through my entire body that is currently firing on all cylinders.
Before I can respond. Before I can move. Hell, before I can even think, London turns and climbs into the truck.
I stand frozen for what feels like hours but is likely less than a few seconds, before I finally gain some semblance of composure.
Straightening, I look up just in time to see London flash me a wide smile before she leans to the side, grabs the door, and all but forces me out of the way as she pulls it closed.
I mutter a curse as I force my feet to move. Crossing around the rear of the truck, I try to steady my breathing before opening my own door. Climbing inside the truck, the tension outside seems like child’s play when I close the door, sealing us inside the suddenly too small cab.
“Careful,” I warn, starting the engine without glancing in her direction.
“I don’t remember you being so serious.” She waits to say until I’ve pulled out onto the street.
“I don’t remember you being such a tease,” I fire back, throwing her a sideways glance because I can’t resist the urge to gauge her reaction to that statement.
She licks her ice cream, seeming completely unfazed.
“Who said I was teasing?” she says after a second lick.
“Don’t test me, LV.”
“Why? Would you fail?”
“Yes.” I don’t bother lying. We both know I would, in fact, fail.
Silence.
One minute.
Two.
It seems to stretch on forever.
“Can I ask you a question?” When London finally speaks again, the playfulness in her tone is gone.
“Anything.”
“Do you still love me?”
I white-knuckle the steering wheel.
“Why would you ask me that?”
“Because I don’t want to play games.”
“Who says I’m playing anything?” I fight to keep the edge from my voice.
“I hurt you.”
“Thank you for stating the obvious. Everyone knows you hurt me. That’s no secret.”
“You hurt me, too.”
“I don’t see how.” I swallow past the knot that lodges itself in my throat.
“Yes, you do.” She calls me on the lie. “So rather than continue to dance around what happened, maybe we should have an honest conversation.”
“I don’t think you want to have an honest conversation with me.”
“No, I think I do.”
“You really want to do this? Right here and now?”
“No time like the present.” She shrugs like we’re not about to hash out seven years’ worth of pent-up feelings and anger.
“Fine. You want to do this, let’s do it.” I abruptly pull the truck over onto the side of the road. If we’re going to have this conversation, I’m damn sure going to be able to look at her while we do.
“What are you doing?” She gives me a bewildered look as I shift the truck into park, unbuckle my seat belt, and turn toward her.
“You want to talk, talk,” I say, not sure I’m actually prepared to hash this out right now—then again, I’m not sure this is a conversation I will ever be prepared for.