by V McFarlane
“There is seriously something wrong with that woman,” Rhett shakes his head, “She’s got that stick shoved so far up her ass I’m surprised we can’t see the handle coming out her head.”
I laugh, “Yeah, right.”
We go back to brainstorming but no new ideas come, and we just sit, wallowing in our self-pity. I can’t let that land go. I really can’t.
“Go home, T,” Rhett yawns, “We’re done.”
I nod, “Yeah man,” I slap his shoulder and pluck up the keys to my truck.
It’s early evening but the air is warm, the sun still shining bright and the tension in my back and shoulders needs some relief. The drive home is quick, the traffic light and then I’m pulling up to the house. The smell of freshly cooked bread wafts through the open windows of the kitchen and I can see Penny by the sink.
“Hi, darlin’” I smile as I dump the keys on the table and close the space between us. I scan the surrounding areas for the children and then wrap my arms around her waist, pressing a kiss to the soft spot between her shoulder and neck. She leans back into me, her hands stilling in the water.
This is too perfect, I realise. Having her here when I get home, like it’s always been this way and if it were to change it would leave a massive hole in my life. The bread she’s baked is sitting beneath a towel on the side along with a pitcher of lemonade.
“Hi,” she breathes, tilting her head to allow access. I take it, pressing kisses up to her ear.
“I like coming home to you,” I admit, squeezing.
A sigh leaves her and then she turns in my arms, “We need to be careful about this.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well the kids,” she says, “I got home too late last night, and Ava was not in the best of moods this morning. I just need to make sure that this doesn’t interfere with her routines.”
I nod, “I get it,” I tell her, stepping back a little, “Is she okay?”
“Yeah, I bribed her with icecream,” she laughs.
“That’s good, where are they?”
“Watching TV.”
“And you’re not saying you want this to stop?” I cock my head with a smile as her cheeks warm.
Penny shakes her head and a small smile tugs on her lips as her eyes flick down my body, lingering on my chest. “Can we keep it between us though?”
“From the children?”
“And everyone else,” her eyes drop. “I just want to save the gossip.”
Her body has gone rigid with all the tension she’s holding inside, and she draws her arms around herself as if that could stop everything from spilling out. I realise, Penny has walls and they are built high. I want to know everything about her, all of it, her past, her dreams, her wishes but I feel that it will be like opening a safe with a toothpick.
I plan on knocking those God damned walls down, in fact I plan on bulldozing my way through them.
I will get her to let me in. She needs to know she can trust me, with anything. I can’t help but speculate about whatever it is that has her climbing into a hole and shutting the world out. Family? An ex-boyfriend, Ava’s father maybe? She’s never mentioned him and neither has Ava.
Who was or is he? Is he involved?
I don’t even know where she’s from, where she grew up or went to school.
There’s so much to Penny and I need to know it all.
Twenty-six
Taron
The week passes with very little interaction with Penny other than a few chaste kisses when the kids aren’t looking and a couple of murmured words. She leaves almost immediately when I get home, I thought maybe it was because of how late it was but on one of the days I cut my day short and got home a little while after the kids got back from school but she still left. She makes dinner every day and it’s always delicious and she bakes, bread, cakes, pastries.
Everything she makes is perfection, you can never just have one cake or pastry. Sometimes two isn’t even enough and I’m not too proud to admit that I’ve found myself in the kitchen at two A.M., snacking on the fluffy bread or tart apple dumplings. If I didn’t have a routine with my workouts I would have definitely piled on the extra pounds. The only problem, Penny’s never here for me to tell her how good it all is.
I don’t like it. She’s there but not really and I can’t help but feel like she’s pushing me away, keeping me at arm’s length so we don’t get too close. I see her looking at me when she thinks I don’t, I see the way her eyes eat me up hungrily and her breathing changes whenever I get close. There are feelings there so what is it she’s so afraid of?
“What’re you thinking?” Rhett asks Friday afternoon.
“Penny,” I admit.
Rhett’s the only one who knows, other than Carla but even she has no idea what’s going on. She just jumped to conclusion which I neither confirmed nor denied.
I trust he won’t go blabbing. He hates gossip as much as Penny, God knows he had to deal with a shit ton when his uncle died.
“What about her?”
“She’s just distant,” I shrug.
“You’re really into her,” he states. It’s not a question, an observation. I nod anyway. “She’s a single mom, no?”
“She is.”
“Maybe she’s just focused on her little one, I can only imagine it’s tough.”
She did say Ava struggled with the new routine.
“You should do something for her,” Rhett nods as he continues, “She’s been working for you for a week now and even you’ve said how easy everything is now. Show her how much you appreciate it.”
I never once thought I’d be getting relationship advice from Mr bed em’ and leave em’ himself. Is that what we were? In a relationship? We hadn’t clarified anything, but she doesn’t shy away from me when I kiss her or pull her into me.
“You’re right,” I agree, “That’s a great idea.”
“Full of em’, me,” Rhett chuckles, “See ya later, boss.”
“Bye,” I wave to him and then lean back into my chair, scrubbing a hand over my mouth and then pull my phone from my pocket, bringing up Penny’s contact information. I choose to call over texting and wait for her to pick up.
“Hey,” she answers a little breathless, “Everything okay?”
“Yeah, what’re you doing?”
“Oh,” she laughs, “We’re playing hide and seek,” her voice drops in volume, “Ripley’s it.”
I laugh at the thought of how into it she is, “Where are you hiding?”
“Uh,” I can almost hear the blood rushing to her cheeks, “Your closet.”
I chuckle, “I was actually wondering what you were up to this weekend?”
“Nothing,” she answers quickly and then blows out a breath, “I mean, I don’t think I’m doing anything.”
“How do you feel about taking the kids to the zoo tomorrow and then I can cook for you?”
“Really?” She asks.
“Really.”
“Okay, yeah.”
“Did you uh,” I rub the back of my neck, nerves rattling through me, “Want to stay too?”
God, I felt like I was kid again. Shit. I hope she can’t tell.
Silence on the other end of the line doesn’t give me all the hope I was aiming for. I swallow hard.
“Yes,” she finally says.
_
Penny doesn’t immediately leave when I get home which I’m grateful for. She’s cooked again and I come into her setting up the dinner table, two little helpers in tow. I lean on the door jam, my arms folded just enjoying the view of Penny in that little summer dress, the neckline a little lower than what she normally wears. She’s tanned since I met her, and I can see the strap lines where the skin is just a little paler than the rest. I never thought it could be sexy, but she makes it so. Her long blonde hair falls over one shoulder, exposing one side of her neck and all that perfectly smooth, flawless skin.
Once the table is set, I help her take the food out, bo
wls of veg and a roasted chicken which she has already carved and potatoes that look just like the ones my mom used to make.
“I bought wine,” she tells me, “White. I hope you like white.”
“I’m a whiskey man,” I smile when her face drops, “But I don’t mind a glass of white every now and then.” Plus, I add internally, if it made her happy, I’d drink anything for this woman.
She lets out a long breath and then shakes her head, disappearing to get the glasses and the bottle from the fridge.
The girls take their seats and I dish up their food as Penny comes back in and pours me a glass of wine that’s half full and herself a glass with only a small amount. “Driving,” she explains.
I nod and take a sip and wait for her to dish up her own food. Falling into a routine with Penny has been too easy. The last couple of days she hasn’t stayed to eat with me, having fed both girls before I get home and making sure I have food ready to eat or heat when I get home. I don’t know if she eats whilst I’m not home or when she gets back herself but it’s nice to see her eating and even nicer that it’s with me.
The conversation through dinner is easy, the girls are chirping excitedly about the trip to the zoo and Penny is telling me about her day. I find I could listen to her all day, her voice, the way her eyes express her feelings or the way her eyebrow cocks just a little when she finds something displeasing.
“So, what about you?” She asks, “How’s work?”
I shrug, “It’s okay.” I say with a sigh, “It’s stressful. We’ve got a situation which could change everything.”
She cocks her head, “What is it?”
“There’s a lot of land behind the distillery that belongs to my family. We’ve never had to use it before, and we don’t need to expand right now. The town council are trying to strong arm me into giving it up to them but all they want to do is build malls and cafes on it which will just cause problems for the distillery. It’s too close, too risky to have the general public that close.”
“But don’t you do tours for the general public?” She frowns.
“Yeah, but it’s controlled. We do a group a few days a week but even with that there’s a sh–” I halt my word, realising the little ears at the table, “Heap load of paperwork that comes with it.”
“Can they do that? Force you.”
I nod, “They can. They’ve given me a month to come up with a plan for the land otherwise they’ll take it.”
“Well at least they’ve given you a chance.” She says hopefully, “I mean that’s something.”
“I suppose,” I shrug, “But a month isn’t enough time to come up with a fool proof business plan that’ll work for us. We’ve looked at maybe building a hotel, that’s the only idea at the moment that seems to work but then that’s a lot of work.”
“So, what you need is something that will bring in money so the new build isn’t a complete waste but will be managed and controlled so you don’t get wanderers around the distillery?”
I nod, “Exactly.”
“What’s the place like?” She asks, a sudden gleam in her eyes, “What’s the area like?”
I think about the distillery and the only words I can think of come out my mouth, “It’s beautiful. We’re close to the creek and the woodlands and just miles of country hills and fields, it’s rustic.”
Her face takes on a sort of dreamy quality, “I might have an idea, but I’d like to see the place, is that okay?”
“Sure,” I grin, “What’s the plan?”
She shakes her head, “I want to see it first before I tell you. It might not work.”
To say my curiosity is piqued would be an understatement. We finish up dinner with a sudden refined excitement that even the girls have picked up on. When it’s time to say goodbye, I pull Penny into my office before she can escape and I kiss her hard.
Teeth clash, tongues dance and by the time we’re done we’re both breathing hard and my cock is well aware of how close she is. I press into her, eliciting a low moan from her throat that makes my blood sing.
“See you tomorrow, darlin’” I whisper in her ear, watching goose bumps chase down her arms.
“Tomorrow.”
I watch them go, thinking about how many promises she just put into that one word.
Tomorrow.
Twenty-seven
Penny
I dress Ava in a little pair of blue shorts with a pink top and place the flashing trainers Taron had bought for her on her feet. Even after having them for a while the novelty that they light up hasn’t worn off.
A horn blasts outside, causing Ava to jump and I peer through the curtain to find Taron waiting in the pickup at the end of the driveway. I expect him to stay out there and wait, but no, I see him climbing from the car, unbuckling Ripley before striding up to the door where he knocks.
I glance around the space. It’s tidy but nothing at all spectacular, not like his place. Will he judge me!?
Shit.
My palms sweat as I open the door. He looks glorious in a pair of beige shorts and blue button-down shirt that sticks to every muscle he owns. His hair is styled messily but it looks so good on him and that pair of dark sunglasses shields his eyes from me.
“You look nice,” he tells me before I can say anything. I look down at the knee length skirt and tank I had chosen for the day and then back at him.
He looks mouth-watering.
“Ava!” Ripley squeals excitedly. The girls embrace like they’ve been away from each other for a week rather than a night and my heart swells at their friendship. They are two peas in a pod.
“Are you ready?” Taron asks.
I nod and pick up mine and Ava’s overnight bag, my stomach a riot of butterflies that’s making me feel a little sick. Taron quickly takes the bag from me, throwing it over his shoulder and then we make our way to the truck. I buckle both girls into the back seat and then climb up into the passenger seat that’s a lot higher than I had anticipated. I have to grip the handle above the door and practically jump into the seat.
Taron is laughing, those dimples popping as he throws his head back.
“It’s not funny,” I grumble.
“Oh, it’s funny,” he chuckles, “It’s so goddamn adorable too!”
I glare at him, but I can’t be angry, not when he’s looking at me with so much heat, I’m surprised I haven’t combusted.
Taron keeps throwing me looks as we drive to the zoo, sideway glances and long gazes that strip me bare. I squirm in my seat, finding excuses to keep moving, changing the radio station, playing with the air con dials, anything that can keep my hands busy, so I don’t reach over just to touch him. When we finally park the truck, I practically throw myself out, taking in a large lungful of air to try and clear my head.
Taron saunters around to my side of the car, a smug grin pulling at his perfect mouth, “You okay?”
“Mm,” I mumble, “Just fine.”
He runs a hand up my bare arm, bringing goose bumps to the surface, “Yes you are.”
“That was bad,” I laugh, “Like real bad.”
“Do you prefer my mouth dirty?” He says in a low voice, one in which the timbre cuts right through me, pooling heat between my legs and making my muscles clench with the need to be with him.
“Mm-hmm,” I hum.
“Wait till later, darlin’,” he squeezes my fingers and then opens the back door, “We got little people to entertain.”
Ava and Ripley bundle out of the car, both rippling with excitement so palpable it starts to brush off on me. Well that’s what I tell myself anyway, it’s not because I’m spending the evening with Taron later and I know exactly what’s going to happen once these two are in bed.
We head to the gates, the girls skipping ahead, hands linked whilst Taron and I hang back to watch them. His hand brushes mine and then his arm and then we’re walking closer together, our arms touching. The equivalent of holding hands without giving ourselves away to the girls.<
br />
I feel bad asking to keep this – whatever this is – under wraps but I know it’s the best thing. I can’t have my past dragged to the surface, I can’t run again and if I have to, leaving would be harder to do now that Taron has become a permanent fixture in my life. Leaving him and even leaving Ripley would destroy both me and Ava. It’s for the best.
After purchasing tickets, we head into the zoo, the girls begging to see the giraffes first and as it turns out they’re situated on the other side of the park. On the way there they get distracted by every animal enclosure they see, oohing and ahhing through the fences and glass.
The day is as easy as they come, like this is any normal family on a day out. Taron dotes on both Ava and Ripley, letting them take it in turns to sit on his shoulders so they can see better or because their legs get tired. Seeing him with them does funny things to my insides. He’s the epitome of what one would call a good dad but good doesn’t seem like the right word, perfect is better. He watches Ripley like a hawk, even when he isn’t looking at her directly, he knows exactly where she is at every moment. You’d never believe he hasn’t been a part of her life for all of it with the way he is and the way she loves him, it’s so obvious, so clear in the way she looks at him like he hung the moon, the stars, hell the entire universe.
I recognise the look. It’s the same way Ava looks at me.
The thing with kids is, it doesn’t matter what you have or what you can give them, if you make them feel special, if you love them, and read them stories, play with them, give them the attention they crave, to them, you’ll always be the superhero. Always the one to fix the problems, to kiss the booboos and chase away the monsters under the bed.
We stop for lunch, setting out a picnic blanket on the hill near the aviary full of exotic birds, their loud, musical chirps the soundtrack in the background. Taron purposely comes and folds himself down next to me, leaning back and stretching out, resting his head in his hand. His other hand stretches out behind me, his fingers, featherlight as they tickle the space at the bottom of my back.