Intimate Knowledge

  “Hurry,” she coaxed, her voice ragged, her heart pounding so hard she could feel the vibration in her chest. He was touching her, so intimately she wanted to scream in pleasure and frustration.

  She wiggled closer, and he had no choice but to slide inside her. They both groaned. Penelope’s head fell back as she wrapped her legs tightly around him, drawing him deeper and deeper inside her. He didn’t move at first. The sensations spiraling through them both were too overpowering. Too fragile somehow.

  He squeezed his eyes closed. “You have no idea how good this feels.”

  He pulled her to the very edge of the dresser, where she was more accessible, more vulnerable, and then, with their arms around each other, he began to move. Slowly at first. But it was too late for a lingering seduction. They were too far gone for that.

  Penelope half sobbed his name as she clung to him. His hands were on her hips now, moving her body against his. It was the kind of sex she’d always dreamed of. The kind of sex other people had. Hot. Desperate. Frenzied.

  She’d never been expressive during lovemaking, but she couldn’t stay silent now. She could hardly believe the feverish moans and urgent cries that were coming from her own throat.

  Maybe Simon wasn’t the one who had been restrained, she thought. Maybe she was the one who had held back. The one who had been afraid to lose control.

  But she was losing it now. Rushing headlong toward a climax that, when it happened, made her feel as if she had shattered into a million tiny pieces.

  She gasped, then cried out as her body convulsed in spasms. Simon shuddered and drew her to him, holding her so close that Penelope could feel his heart beating against her chest. He continued to hold her for long minutes afterward, and then, when it seemed as if something needed to be said, the doorbell rang.

  Penelope jumped in shock, and then her body went rigid in Simon’s arms. “Oh, my God…”

  “Ignore it,” he murmured. He was still inside her. Still impossibly hard. With a little encouragement…

  Penelope pushed him away. “I can’t. It’s probably Ariadne bringing back my car. She has a key to the front door. If I don’t answer, she’ll let herself in.”

  That got through to him. He turned quickly away and began to straighten his clothes. Penelope hopped off the dresser and grabbed her blouse.

  Now that she had a moment to think about what had happened—what she had let happen—mortification quickly set in.

  Keeping her eyes averted from Simon, she made a quick stop in the bathroom, then hurried to the door. Peeking through the peephole, she called, “Who is it?”

  “Ariadne. I’ve brought your car back.”

  Penelope didn’t open the door all the way, hoping that her sister would simply hand over the keys and leave. But instead, Ariadne brushed past her into the apartment. Penelope had no choice but to close the door behind her.

  “What happened?” she said. “I didn’t expect you to come by so early?”

  “We were bumped,” she said in disgust. “Can you believe it?”

  “Sorry,” Penelope murmured, clutching her blouse around her.

  Ariadne seemed to notice her disheveled appearance then and said doubtfully, “I’m not interrupting anything, am I?”

  Penelope ran a hand through her mussed hair. “No, I was…just getting ready for bed.”

  Ariadne gave her an odd look. “Are you okay?”

  “Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?” Penelope winced at the defensive tone in her voice.

  Her sister shrugged. “I thought you might be coming down with something. You’re all flushed and your eyes look a little feverish.”

  “No, I’m fine. Just tired, and I have an early day tomorrow so…”

  Ariadne didn’t take the hint. Instead she surveyed the apartment. “You know, I really love this place. It always seems so homey. I don’t know why I don’t come over here more often.”

  “You’re welcome anytime,” Penelope said. “You know that.”

  “I know…it’s just lately…” She shrugged. “You know how it is.”

  It was obvious she had something on her mind, and Penelope was torn between wanting to help her and needing her gone.

  “Can I talk to you about something?” Ariadne finally asked her.

  Penelope cast a glance toward the bedroom. “Now? It’s kind of late—”

  “It won’t take long, and I could really use your advice.”

  She looked so dejected and miserable that Penelope didn’t have the heart to send her away. “Addie, what is it?”

  Her sister bit her lip. “It’s about Simon.”

  Penelope’s heart almost exploded inside her chest. It was all she could do not to look at the bedroom again, because she was almost certain that Simon was listening at the door. “What about him?”

  Ariadne sighed. “How did you know you were in love with him?”

  Penelope blinked. “What?”

  “How did you know he was the one? I mean, it was obvious to me that you two were crazy about each other, but how did you know? Was it love at first sight?”

  Penelope thought back to the very moment she’d spotted Simon in the museum. Love at first sight? No, of course not. But she’d felt something and she could have sworn he had, too. She supposed that only proved what a good actor he was.

  And moments ago in her bedroom? Had that been an act? Which was the real Simon? The kind, considerate and restrained companion or the dark and dangerous lover?

  It was beyond Penelope how she could feel anything for him now when she didn’t even know who he was.

  “Penelope?”

  “I’m sorry, what?”

  “Was it love at first sight?”

  “No, but we did have a connection,” she admitted.

  “Because you’d been high-school sweethearts, right?”

  Penelope frowned. “We weren’t high-school sweethearts. I had a crush on Simon, but he didn’t even know I existed.”

  “That’s not true,” Ariadne said. “I was just a kid back then, but I saw the way he looked at you when he thought no one was around. He was just too shy to let you know, that’s all.”

  Penelope stared at her in shock. Ariadne was mistaken. Simon hadn’t had feelings for her back then. He’d never had feelings for her.

  She let out a breath. “What’s this all about, Addie? Why all the questions about Simon and me?”

  Ariadne heaved a huge sigh. “It’s Ethan.”

  Ethan Bryne was the lead guitarist in Ariadne’s band, and unlike Simon and Penelope, the two of them had been high-school sweethearts in the true sense of the word. They’d started going out in their freshmen year and until a few months ago, had remained inseparable. For some reason that Ariadne hadn’t seen fit to share, the two had decided to call it quits romantically, although they were both still active in the band. How they managed that, Penelope wasn’t quite sure. It hurt her just to be in the same room with Simon.

  “What about him?” she asked.

  Ariadne bit her lip. “He wants to quit the band.”

  “Why? I thought he loved performing as much as you do.”

  Ariadne’s eyes were suddenly brimming with tears. “I thought so, too. But now he says…he says he wants more out of life than just one gig after another. He’s talking about getting a regular job. Buying a house. He’s even mentioned having a kid lately.” Ariadne closed her eyes on a shudder. “We’re on the verge of getting a record deal, everything we’ve worked so hard for all these years, and he wants to throw it all away.”

  “Has he met someone?” Penelope tried to ask tactfully.

  “No, I don’t think so. I mean…we’ve both seen other people since the breakup, but I don’t think he’s serious about anyone.” She started to pace. “In fact, I think it’s just the opposite. I think…he wants us to get back together.”

  “But wasn’t it his idea to break up in the first place?” Penelope asked in surprise.

  Ariadne nodded. “That’s j
ust it. He wanted to do his own thing, sow his wild oats, whatever you want to call it. Now that he has, he’s ready to settle down. But I’m not. I haven’t seen anything of the world. Not really. Only the places Mom and Dad used to take us to on vacation, and that hardly counts. I want to really travel, live in exotic places. I’m too young to settle down. I haven’t done half the things I want to do.” She was getting more and more worked up as she talked. “Do you realize that by the time Helen was my age, she’d already traveled all over the world? And look at Cassandra. My God, can you imagine a more exciting life?”

  “Some people would say the same about you,” Penelope said. “You’re in a rock band, Addie. You’re living out everyone’s fantasy.”

  “I guess,” she said doubtfully. “I just never thought I’d have to make a choice between Ethan and my career. I thought we’d make it to the top together, and then some day, when were older, we’d find our way back to each other, you know, as a couple. Only now…”

  “What?”

  She put a hand to her mouth. “What if he doesn’t want to wait for me, Pen? What if he meets someone while I’m out there finding myself?”

  “I guess that’s a chance you’ll just have to take. But you can’t make a commitment feeling this way. It wouldn’t be fair to either of you.”

  “I know. But sometimes it’s just so hard to let go.” She wiped her eyes with her fingertips. “Thanks for letting me unload on you like this. I’d better get going. I’ve got someone waiting for me. I’ll call you in a few days, okay?”

  Penelope walked her to the door. “Will I see you tomorrow night?”

  Ariadne frowned. “What’s tomorrow night?”

  “The auction at the museum.”

  “Oh, right. Yeah, sure, you count on me.” Her smile still seemed wan. “I’ll be there with bells on.”

  With anyone else, that would have been a figure of speech. With Ariadne, Penelope never knew.

  She closed and locked the door, then hurried back into the bedroom. Simon was gone, leaving her to wonder how much of her conversation with Ariadne he’d overheard before he’d decided to cut and run.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Penelope tried not to think about Simon at all, but as busy as she was at work the next day, he persistently crept into her head. Like the proverbial bad penny, he kept turning up, screwing with her life and with her emotions. She should have sent him away the moment she saw him in her bedroom last night, but instead she’d let down her guard.

  She wasn’t going to make excuses for her behavior, but it was all water under the bridge now, she tried to tell herself. A mistake she wasn’t going to agonize over much less repeat, even though it had been the best sex of her life. Mind-blowing sex, actually. A term she’d always considered hyperbole, but now she felt as if she’d been initiated into some exclusive club. But membership hadn’t come without a price. She would have had a hard enough time getting over Simon when she’d merely been in love with him. Now she also had to contend with her lust.

  Okay, just stop thinking about him, she told herself firmly as she threw herself into her work.

  The museum’s regular operating hours were from ten to six, Tuesday through Saturday and twelve to six on Sundays. The doors had opened at the normal time that morning, but had closed four hours early in order to give the staff sufficient time to prepare for the night’s events. By the time the last tour ended, the place was already a beehive of activity.

  Penelope had just started up the stairs to retrieve her purse and car keys when she collided with Jane, who was already dressed for the evening in a beautiful beaded silk dress. She dropped her evening bag and the contents went flying. Penelope chased a gold tube of lipstick down the hall and brought everything back to her.

  “Sorry about that.”

  “It’s not your fault.” Jane fiddled with her purse. “The clasp is broken. That’s the second time that’s happened to me tonight.”

  “I mean, I’m sorry I bumped into you,” Penelope said.

  “Oh.” Jane glanced up and shrugged. “That probably wasn’t your fault, either. I was reading over my notes and not paying attention to where I was going.”

  Penelope nodded at the clipboard in the woman’s hand. “I don’t think I’ve seen you without that thing for the past two days.”

  Jane grimaced. “I feel like it’s become an appendage. I never realized how much planning and preparation these things take.”

  “But you’ve done a beautiful job,” Penelope said. “And I’m sure this evening will go off without a hitch.”

  “Yes, but I’m already worried about the details I might have overlooked. It’s driving me crazy.” Jane shook her head. “Oh, well. It’s the perfectionist in me, I suppose. By the way, have you seen Avery?”

  Penelope had become fairly adept at avoiding him. “No, why?”

  “He was looking for you earlier.”

  “Really?” Penelope tried not to look alarmed. “Do you know why?”

  “No, but he seemed pretty anxious to find you.”

  That didn’t sound good. “Do you know where he is?”

  “He’s not in his office. I was just up there. I think he must have gone home to change.” Jane put a hand on Penelope’s arm. “Listen, do me a favor. Have a chat with him when he gets back. See if you can calm him down. He’s so wired up about tonight, he’s driving me crazy.”

  The last thing Penelope wanted was a confrontation with Avery Bennett, but if she kept so obviously avoiding him, he was bound to get suspicious. Besides, there were dozens of people all over the museum. Even if Avery suspected that she was on to him, he wouldn’t try anything with so many witnesses around.

  Another thought suddenly occurred to her. If Avery was out of the building, this might be an excellent time to have a look around in his office.

  It was the sort of thing that wouldn’t have crossed Penelope’s mind a week ago, but after everything that had happened with Simon, she no longer felt inclined to sit back and let events happen to her. Searching Avery’s office might not be the smartest thing she’d ever done, but somehow it made her feel a little more in control.

  Glancing over her shoulder to make sure she wasn’t seen, Penelope headed up the back stairwell. Racing up the steps before she could change her mind, she emerged on a silent and deserted third floor. Everyone was either downstairs helping with last-minute preparations, or they’d gone home to change. Penelope tried to be as quiet as she could, but as she made her way down the hall, the creaking floorboards sent shivers up her spine. Even the hum of the air conditioner seemed somehow ominous.

  She approached Avery’s office with growing trepidation. She wasn’t cut out for this sort of thing. Slipping into Fairhaven after hours was one thing, but searching A very’s private domain was quite another. He could walk in on her at any moment, and for all she knew, he could be armed.

  Taking a deep breath, she stepped quickly inside. His office was neat and organized and his desk completely cleared off, but several boxes were lined up on his credenza. As Penelope started toward them, her toe hit something on the hardwood floor and sent it rolling underneath the desk.

  Bending, she tried to retrieve what looked to be a small medicine bottle, but it had rolled too far. She had to get on her hands and knees to reach it.

  Just as her hand closed around the tiny plastic cylinder, a voice said from the doorway, “Penelope? What on earth are you doing?”

  Penelope was startled so badly that she bumped her head on the desk as she tried to straighten.

  “Avery!” she said breathlessly. “I—uh, was just looking for you.”

  “Under there?” he asked incredulously.

  Penelope managed to laugh. “No, of course not. I…dropped something. Anyway, I came up here looking for you and when you weren’t here, I figured you must have gone home to change.” She winced inwardly at her babbling, but Avery didn’t seem to notice.

  “I just got back.” He held out his arms. “H
ow do I look?”

  Penelope struggled to her feet. Her heart was beating so hard she almost felt dizzy, but somehow she managed to smile and say, “Very elegant. Is that a new tux?”

  “I’ve had it for years,” he said as he fastidiously adjusted his cuffs. “But I like to think of it as a classic. By the way, did you find it?”

  “Wh-what?”

  “Whatever you dropped.”

  Her hand had automatically curled around the medicine bottle when she’d heard his voice. Instead of showing it to him, she said, “I, uh, lost an earring back.”

  He came toward her, and for the first time, Penelope realized he wasn’t using his crutches. “You need some help?”

  “No, I found it.” She slipped the pill bottle into the pocket of her skirt. “Avery, where are your crutches?”

  He shrugged. “I left them at home. Foolish, I know, but they ruin the line of my tux.” He came around the desk, and it was all Penelope could do not to back away from him. “You said you came up here looking for me?”

  She nodded. “Jane said that you wanted to see me earlier.”

  He looked blank for a moment, then nodded. “Right. I wanted to let you know that there’s been a slight change in the schedule for tonight.”

  “A change? What kind of change?” she asked anxiously.

  He gave her a curious glance. “Are you okay? You seem a little on edge.”

  “No, I’m fine. It’s just…” She wiped her palms down the sides of her skirt. “I think we’re all a little nervous about tonight. Plus…I’m running late. I still have to go home and change.”

  He gave her a once-over. “Yes, I can see that. Well, don’t worry. This won’t take long.”

  When he made another move toward her, Penelope automatically stepped back. He gave her a puzzled glance. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

  “I’m just…worried about the time.” She checked her watch.