Imperfect Penelope (Wild Crush) (13 page)

I love you.

He bit the words back. Perhaps he was merely driven mad by pleasure.

Or love.

In the end the words that came from his mouth were banal, but at least lacking the explosive power to destroy the mood. “I’m afraid I made a mess of you back here,” he said as he gently pulled out of her.

Penny laughed, and the sound filled him with such joy Greg laughed too. That feeling of connection, of love, persisted, and he knew it was here to stay.
Show her it’s true first. Present your evidence before your closing argument.

That’s what he’d do. He’d show her how he felt, show her how well they worked together. When she was ready to believe him, he’d tell her he was in love with her.

Greg smiled to himself, enjoying that feeling. He’d thought he’d never fall in love again. It felt unexpectedly good to be wrong.

“If my yoga pants are ruined you can buy me a new pair,” Penny quipped as she straightened and pulled the tights up over her ass.

“I’ll buy you anything you want,” Greg replied, meaning it.

“Good. Next time you can buy me dinner. Somewhere public so we can eat before we get sidetracked.”

Greg saw the way she touched her hair, a sure sign she was anxious. She probably regretted saying that, being the one to suggest they see each other again. But Greg loved it. He grabbed her to him and held her close. “It’s a date.”

“I didn’t mean to—”

“I know.” He smiled into the curve of her neck. “But it’s a date.”

Penny sighed in resignation and snuggled into him. The curve of her spine seemed to fit to his chest like cling wrap. “I think I’m in trouble with you, lawyer man.”

“I
know
I’m in trouble with you, yoga girl.”

She touched a hand to his forearm, stroking the hairs there. She sounded very serious when she asked, “Promise me one thing?”

“Of course.”

She was silent for a few beats, and Greg could almost hear her mind working, turning over what she’d been going to say and rejecting it. “Promise you’ll clean me off well in the shower?”

It wasn’t what she’d been going to ask, but he let the image of Penny naked and sluiced by warm flowing water distract him, as he was sure she’d meant for it to. He’d do anything for her, he realized, even if that meant keeping things light. For now. “I can do that.”

“I have a detachable showerhead, just FYI.” Penny moved out of his arms and sauntered out of the kitchen, swaying her ass in a way that made Greg’s nether regions reheat. She sent a smoldering glance over her shoulder. “Coming?”

Emphatically, he replied, “Absolutely.”

* * *

“Hey, yoga girl.”

Penny drifted up from a deep, enveloping sleep when something scraped across her cheek. She shifted beneath the covers, the warm cotton sliding over her naked body. Her naked, well-used body. Her lips curved even before she came to full cognizance. They parted even before Greg’s lips met them.

The kiss was languorous and soft. Penny arched into it, felt herself growing warm and liquid a moment before he pulled away with a soft curse. He rested his forehead on hers and sighed. “I have to go. It’s five o’clock.”

Five o’clock in the morning, which meant she’d spent the last ten hours tangling with Greg—in her kitchen, in the shower, in bed. Her muscles felt stretched and energized like they did after a particularly grueling yoga session.

Well, not exactly like that. The post-Greg effect was even better than yoga. She
was
in big trouble with the lawyer man. Despite knowing that, she opened her eyes, because she didn’t want to miss seeing his face before he left. In the steel-gray light his expression was glum. “Wish I could stay.”

“Me too.” Penny touched a palm to his cheek. It was pleasantly rough. Damn, he looked sexy with beard shadow on his jaw and his suit all rumpled with the shirt buttons half-open. Her sex pulsed, remembering how that stubble had scraped across her thighs a few hours ago. “Guess it wouldn’t do for you to turn up to work in the same suit as yesterday.”

“My reputation would be ruined.”

Penny’s smile blossomed. “I kinda like the idea of ruining you.”

For all other women,
she added silently. Her smile fell. No, she couldn’t do that. He’d already been ruined.

By his ex-fiancée.

Rochelle what’s-her-name.

Greg chuckled and kissed her—swift and emphatic this time. Still, when he pulled back Penny’s breath had quickened. “Feel like ruining me again tonight? Thought I’d buy you that dinner.”

“Tonight? You move fast.”

“Not usually, but with you I find I don’t want to wait.”

Penny’s heart tripped. The idea of making a controlled, methodical man like Greg impatient was undeniably thrilling—as thrilling as it had been last night when he’d taken her up against the kitchen counter, then afterward when she’d wrapped her mouth around his cock in the shower and licked and sucked until he begged her to make him come. Yep, the simple small-town girl who would never have referred to herself as a femme fatal had made hotshot lawyer Greg Danvers beg.

Not that she hadn’t done her share of begging as well. The man made her
yearn
as she’d never yearned before.

He reached into his inside jacket pocket, pulled out his phone and handed it to her. “I think it’s getting ridiculous that I don’t have the personal number of the woman I…I want to call daily.”

He wanted to call her daily? Penny’s heart moved into triple time. It was hard to keep sounding casual. “Hmm. I suppose I could give you my number. As long as you promise not to send me pictures of your junk.”

His shock was comical. “Do I look like the kind of guy who’d do that?”

No. You look like every girl’s romantic fantasy brought to life
. “It’s the quiet ones you have to watch for.”

He held up a hand. “I hereby solemnly swear to never send Penny Irving pictures of my junk.” He cocked a sardonic brow at that last word, making it obvious he’d never used it to describe his dick before. God he was cute. “Kind of an insulting phrase for an area of my body you seemed pretty happy with last night.”

“Aw. I was more than happy, baby,” she crooned. “But no one’s penis ever looks good in pictures, and there’s that whole issue with the cloud. Clouds aren’t as secure as they used to be. You wouldn’t want any juicy pics falling into the wrong hands.”

Greg rolled his eyes and pointed to the phone. “Your number, Penelope. Would you just put it in?”

“That’s what she said.”

She giggled when Greg mock growled and dipped his head to kiss her neck. She managed to find the new contact button and add her details, filing herself under
yoga girl
, just for kicks. She also managed to put the phone down before she scrolled through his list of contacts to see if the name Rochelle was filed under R.

It wouldn’t make a difference if it was or wasn’t. She knew a man hung up on a woman when she saw one, and Greg was still hung up on Rochelle Myers. Of course he was. She’d been freaking
perfect
.

The man in question started moving his lips downward, heading with a slow, lazy purpose to her breast. Penny threaded her fingers through his hair and arched, wanting him although she should have been spent, although she should be more cautious. This was going to hurt like hell when it was over. It already hurt like hell to hold him close while knowing she’d never be able to keep him.

Last night in the kitchen, she’d been about to make him promise never to lie to her, to always be honest. In the end she couldn’t do it, because she already knew what he’d say. He’d say he’d never lie to her, but it was a promise he’d break eventually. It was inevitable, because he was lying to himself. He wasn’t over Rochelle.

The way he’d talked about her, gone on about how beautiful and kind she was had scraped at Penny’s heart. He’d fled Sydney and started a whole new life for the sole purpose, she had to assume, of escaping her. You didn’t do that if the person hurt you just a little. That was pain, deep and abiding, the kind of pain you didn’t get over quickly. Yes, it had been ten months, but she was his first since then. Penny had read enough relationship books over the years to know.

She was the transitional woman.

“Christ.” Greg ceased playing with her breast before he’d really gotten started, and turned his cheek to rest his head on her chest. “How do you keep doing this to me? You laid me flat all night and it still hurts how much I want you.”

Penny stroked his hair as a sad smile formed. “I know what you mean.”

He pushed up onto the flats of his hands and leaned over her. The dark determination in his eyes was clear even in the dim light. “Tonight. I’ll call you with the details. Wear something sexy.”

“Black dress, no underwear. Got it.”

Greg groaned and shook his head. “What am I going to do with you?”

“I’d suggest you have fun.” The transitional woman was supposed to be the fun one, wasn’t she? “You don’t have to do anything but just…be. Let loose. Stop worrying. Not everything needs to be planned out, you know.”

“Says you.” Greg glanced down at her fingers as they grasped his tie, which he’d left loose around his neck. She began slipping it free of his collar. “What are you doing?”

“Taking a keepsake,” Penny explained as she reached the end of the tie and started wrapping the slippery silk around her hand.

Greg’s eyes narrowed. “What is it about my tie you like so much?”

“Just a little fantasy I have.”

Penny fluttered her eyelashes. Apparently she could be coquettish. Who knew? The way Greg looked at her made her feel like an irresistible temptress, which made it easy to play the bombshell. And play that she would. She’d be fun and flirty and sexy and wild and the best damned affair Greg ever had. If she was to be temporary, by God for once she wanted to be memorable. He wasn’t going to completely forget her when he moved on to someone more suitable, or back to perfect Rochelle, or wherever he was headed.

“I was wrong.” Greg’s voice was soft and deceptively silky. “I know exactly what to do with you after all.”

He kissed her thoroughly and Penny whimpered when he ended it, not feeling quite so much the temptress as a fly caught in a web of her own making. A web of supposedly casual sex that had never felt the least bit casual. He grabbed his phone and left her with a lingering look that sizzled her through the sheets.

When he was gone she lay there for endless moments, staring up at the ceiling instead of going back to sleep. Holding Greg’s tie and rubbing it between her thumb and forefinger. Occasionally inhaling the scent of his cologne that clung to it.

Probably not the kind of thing a free and easy temptress would do.

Oh, help.

A moment later her phone beeped. Penny plucked it off the bedside table to see a text message had arrived.

Tried to take a picture of my junk but forgot to put phone in selfie mode.
Accompanying the words was a picture of the Alfa Romeo’s steering wheel.

Penny burst out laughing and immediately texted him back.

And you with your expensive education.

A moment later came the response.
The best money could buy. Miss you already.

Her laughter petered out as she put the phone to her chest. Suddenly there were tears in her eyes. He could be goofy. She had never anticipated goofy. Or funny, self-deprecating or sweet. He’d left her bed moments ago but he
missed her
. A drop-dead sexy irresistible lawyer she could handle. She could protect herself from him because she knew he’d never take her seriously, a naturopath who would go barefoot everywhere if she could get away with it. But a goofy, funny guy who made her feel special, that was dangerous. A man who’d been hurt before and probably wasn’t over it, he activated Penny’s protective, caring instincts. He was the whole package, one she could easily fall in love with.

Inside her head, a little voice she didn’t want to hear whispered
too late
.

Chapter Thirteen

Greg grabbed Penny’s hand as they crossed the street, heading for the community center. She liked the feel of his fingers sliding through hers way too much and tried to tug her hand free. Obstinately, he held it firmly in his.

“It’s not a romantic thing,” he said as he waved to a car that stopped in the street, allowing them to cross. “I’m making sure you don’t trip in those shoes.”

Penny glanced down at her brown faux-leather ankle boots. “You think I’d have trouble walking in one-inch heels?”

“You can never be too careful.” He followed the line of her gaze, trailing his attention up and over her floaty floral skirt and soft blue cotton-knit top in a way that made her skin tingle with awareness. “You look off balance.”

She sure as hell felt off balance after that heated perusal. “Maybe that’s because you’re holding my hand.”

“Is it?” His lips tilted in what could only be described as a self-satisfied smirk. His grip on her hand tightened. “Good.”

Penny had a momentary thought of admonishing him, but she was too breathless to do it effectively, so she remained silent as they stood in line for their tickets. Once a month during the warmer months, the community center put on a movie night in the multipurpose hall. They played old flicks that everyone had already seen, but nobody cared too much about what was on the screen. It was a social event where the locals got together to swap gossip and support the community center by paying five dollars for a prewatched movie, and twice that for an oversized bucket of popcorn.

In the past Penny had often attended the movie nights with her sisters. When Emily had moved to Kingston Vale to run a horse ranch, Penny had sometimes attended with Hope or another girlfriend. Tonight she was here with Greg, and there was no denying it felt very much like a date.

A week had passed since the night they’d cooked Pad Thai at her place, and Greg had contacted her daily, as warned. He either texted her cute messages or called to arrange to see her. Every time Penny said yes, justifying her easiness by saying they weren’t dating. They were screwing around, and a girl had to eat sometime too. She might as well eat with the guy she was screwing, right?

Greg had taken her to a fancy restaurant up in the hills behind the town, and she’d worn that black dress with no underwear. She’d loved how telling him that information had set a fire in his eyes, and had teased him about ordering the five-course degustation menu. He’d allowed her to order one main meal only, and they’d taken their dessert to go, a delicious panna cotta which Greg had let her eat while he’d buried his head between her legs and devoured her instead.

Penny had taken Greg to Zebs for lunch, where he’d tried falafel and declared it edible. She’d had dinner at his place twice, once eating takeaway Chinese on the couch and the other sitting at his kitchen bench with a glass of wine and watching him cook pasta Napoletana. It was an amusing spectacle, what with how intensely he concentrated on measuring all the ingredients as per the recipe instead of simply throwing them in the pan the way Penny did. He had zero creative flair in the kitchen, but he’d gone to a lot of trouble to cook her something vegetarian and Penny greatly appreciated the effort. She’d showed him how much three times that night.

Things had gone on like that until here they were, walking into the community center on a Wednesday night looking very much like a couple, if the speculative glances people cast their way were anything to go by. Penny had figured the cat was well out of the bag yesterday when she’d run into Greg at the Beach Break Café, and after they’d consumed their takeaway drinks at a window table, he’d leaned over and kissed her right on the mouth. It wasn’t an X-rated kiss, but it had set tongues wagging nonetheless. If there was anybody in Leyton’s who didn’t know she was dating the hot lawyer after that, they knew now.

Even Penny, who was apparently the last to know. This was no secret hot affair they were having anymore. They were dating. Publicly. Her heart pounded. How had she let this happen? Penny recalled the phone conversation they’d had this afternoon.

Greg: Do you have any plans tonight?

Penny: I usually go to the monthly movie thing at the community center. It’s lame, but it’s for charity.

Greg: Sounds great. What time should I pick you up?

Penny: Seven o’clock, I guess. Don’t be late. You’re always holding me up, lawyer man.

(They both knew she was the one who was never quite ready on time.)

Greg: Then tonight I shall be early, yoga girl.

He had been, twenty minutes early, and he’d spent the time making out with her on the couch. In the end she’d had to rush to fix her hair and pick the first outfit she could put together. They’d ended up being too late to avoid the queue. They were standing in line for the movies, holding hands for all to see, very obviously dating.

Well, shit. Not only was this going to hurt when it was over, everyone in town was going to know she was hurt. That dumbo Penny, always falling for the wrong guys and getting her heart broken.

Greg tugged on her hand. “Hey.”

She looked at him without quite making eye contact, lest he see the distress she couldn’t help but feel. “Hmm?”

“You went somewhere,” he noted. “What’s worrying you?”

That was another thing about him that was annoying, he didn’t miss anything. Although actually that was kind of nice too, being noticeable to someone. It made her feel special, cherished. It was the same way she felt when he put his hand on the small of her back to guide her through a restaurant. It was such a genteel gesture, one that said
this woman is in my care
. Was that Greg simply being Greg or was there more to it?

Did he care about her? Was it possible he was falling for her, as she knew she was falling for him? Fast and with absolutely no ability to fight the force of gravity.

Penny stopped being a chicken and looked at him. “We’re dating.”

One corner of his mouth tilted upward. “I was wondering when you’d notice.”

She frowned. “You’re very sneaky.”

“I am a lawyer.”

“I thought we were just…” Penny glanced at the middle-aged couple behind them and curbed what she’d been about to say. Instead she made a pumping gesture with her fist.

Greg chuckled. “Oh, well done on the subtlety. I always have a good time with you, yoga girl.”

“You do?”

“Yes.” He held her gaze captive. “When I’m with you, I’m happy.”

Oh God. She was dying. Dying from an overinflated heart that wouldn’t stop slamming into her sternum. The situation only got worse when Greg leaned close to her ear and whispered, “And it’s never been just
that
for me, sweetheart.”

He was called to the counter before Penny could catch her breath. While he was purchasing their tickets and the largest bucket of popcorn known to man, Penny wandered a few feet away, dragging in much-needed oxygen. It’d never been just sex for him. Was he serious?

If she was honest with herself, it had never been just sex for her either. An irresistible magnetic pull described it better. She’d been no more capable of
not
falling for Greg Danvers than she was of catching the moon in her hand.

Somehow she’d done the worst thing possible.

She’d fallen in love with him.

Not savvy, not sophisticated, not smart, Pen.

“Hey, boss.”

“Charlotte,” Greg said in response to the dark-haired girl who’d greeted him. He put an arm around Penny’s shoulders and drew her to his side. “Have you met Penny?”

“Not officially. Hi.” Charlotte gave her a little wave. She was a sweet-looking girl with big brown eyes and a ready smile, who cast a glance between Penny and Greg. “I’m the secretary. And I’m guessing you’re the reason the boss has been whistling a lot lately.”

“Really, Charlotte.”

Greg acted put-upon by the girl’s teasing, but he didn’t seem genuinely annoyed. And he didn’t deny he’d been whistling, or that Penny was the cause. In fact he drew her even closer, until the solid warmth of his body infiltrated hers.

Charlotte giggled, not in the least cowed by her employer’s warning tone. Greg was the type of boss that tolerated an employee’s teasing. Had Penny once thought of him as an ogre? He was sweet and kind and funny and handsome and caring and…

Perfect. He was basically perfect. Penny was in love with the perfect man, which was something she’d always wanted. Did she dare hope he might return her feelings, that for once she’d hit the love jackpot?

Charlotte left to meet her friends, and Greg guided Penny to their seats. The hall was lined with old-style canvas deck chairs. Not exactly luxury but it made for a fun, communal atmosphere. To Penny’s surprise she saw Hope sitting two rows in front of them, next to none other than Matt Kendrick, Dylan Wakefield’s business partner. Relieved to be distracted from her own love life, Penny watched them talking for a moment. Their heads were close together in a way that made them appear more than the platonic friends they’d always been. Matt confirmed Penny’s suspicions when he dipped his head and kissed Hope.

“Wow.”

“What’s that?” Greg asked.

“Oh, just my sister. Hang on.” Penny plucked a piece of popcorn from the top of the giant pile Greg held in his lap and tossed it at her sister. The first piece missed, but the second landed right on the back of her neck.

Hope swung around with a scowl, ready to blast some inconsiderate teenager. Penny waggled her fingers, and Hope’s annoyance eased off into an eye roll. Penny pointed at Matt, her eyebrows raised. Hope shrugged in a
hell if I know what’s going on
gesture, tilted her head at Greg and hiked her brows. Penny shrugged back in much the same way Hope had.

“You two can say a lot without talking,” Greg remarked.

“It’s a sibling thing,” Penny said.

When Greg didn’t reply Penny realized what she’d said. She might have a great relationship with her sisters, but that wasn’t how things had turned out for Greg. “I’m sorry. You still haven’t heard from Bryan?”

Greg had confided in her that he’d lost contact with Bryan. He’d apparently moved out of the last address he’d been at, and his phone number wasn’t receiving calls, like maybe his account had been suspended. He had no idea if Bryan was still participating in any of the gambler’s anonymous programs he’d promised to join, and Penny knew the fact weighed heavily on Greg’s mind.

“No, and I don’t know what else I can do to help him if he doesn’t talk to me.”

“He has to be ready to help himself. It’s not on you.”

He showed her a half smile, a sad tilt of his lips. “I know. But he’s my brother. I wish he’d let me help.”

Penny’s heart ached for him.
Screw the gossipers,
she thought, as she leaned towards him, more than ready to kiss him right here in front of everyone. Greg certainly didn’t have a problem with it, because he cupped her jaw and drew her closer.

“Sorry. Am I interrupting?”

Penny froze and slowly turned her face towards Hope, who was standing beside Greg’s chair. She cocked a brow. “Of course not. What would you be interrupting?”

Hope grinned, ignored Penny’s sarcasm and turned her attention to Greg. “I’m Hope.”

Greg stood and shook Hope’s proffered hand. “Greg Danvers.”

“I know who you are. You’re the one who disappeared from Summer’s wedding with my sister. Word gets around.”

Blushing furiously, Penny rose to her feet as well. “Hope, do you mind?”

“Not at all,” Hope said, shameless. “That’s your Alfa Romeo I’ve seen around town. Sweet ride. Don’t let Pen drive it. She sucks at reverse parking.”

“I’ll be sure to remember that,” Greg assured her, his expression caught somewhere between befuddlement and amusement.

“Hope,” Penny said pointedly. “I need to use the bathroom. Why don’t you join me?”

She widened her eyes, all faux innocence. “Can’t I stay here and keep Greg company? I’d like to know his intentions towards my little sis.”

“No,” Penny hissed and yanked on her sister’s arm until she chuckled and followed her to the bathroom. Once ensconced in the ladies’ Penny rounded on her sister. “Could you be any more obnoxious?”

“I wasn’t even trying yet,” Hope said. “What gives? Are you dating him?”

“I don’t know. I think so. I didn’t mean to. It’s complicated.”

“Obviously.”

Penny huffed in annoyance. “Why don’t you tell me what’s going on with Matt?”

Hope narrowed her eyes. “Because nothing’s going on with Matt.”

“He kissed you, Hope, and you looked pretty into it to me.”

“Yeah, well.” Hope busied herself at the sink, washing an invisible spot of dirt off her hand. “Like I said the other week, it was time I moved on and got over Dylan.”

Penny’s eyes bugged out. “You mean you slept with him?”

“No, but I’m thinking about it. All the damn time, actually.” Hope met her eyes in the mirror. “Do you think that sucks?”

“Are you kidding? I think it’s great. You and Matt would be perfect for each other.”

“I’m not talking about a relationship. Just something to blow off a little steam, put Dylan well and truly in the past.”

Penny scoffed. “Sure. Only thing is that can be easier said than done.”

“We’re not talking about me anymore.” Hope crossed her arms and leaned her butt against the sink. “Tell me the truth, what is going on with the hot lawyer?”

“The truth is…” Penny worried her bottom lip with her teeth. “Oh God, Hope. I think I’m in love with him.”

“Whoa.”

“Whoa is right,” Penny sighed.

“Have you told him?”

Penny cast her sister an incredulous look. “Are you insane?”

Hope shrugged. “How do you know he’s not in love with you too?”

“He’s not.”

Penny thought of how Greg looked at her, like she was something special. She thought of how he’d been romancing her without her permission, worming his way into her heart. Why would he do all that if he didn’t think their affair was headed anywhere? Penny’s heart started thumping with an excitement she was terrified of feeling. What if he could love her? Could the two of them make something work?