Imperfect Penelope (Wild Crush)

by Sami Lee

  He couldn’t quite pinpoint the fragrance, but it reminded him of lilacs in a summer garden. He closed his eyes and it was like he could smell it. Was it a memory or did the scent permeate the whole house? He inhaled and detected the distinctive aroma of cat. He felt a bump on his lower leg and opened his eyes to see the tabby—Mr. Rumplepants—darting away from him as though to escape the scene of the head-butt crime.

  Greg sighed and looked at Penny. She was on her feet, facing him squarely with her arms crossed over her chest. The look on her face told him she wasn’t buying his excuses. “I can only repeat my apology. I’m overwrought. And I didn’t expect you to respond like that, or I would never have kissed you.”

  Her stare was flat and cool. “You kissed me because you thought I wouldn’t like it?”

  “No.” Greg frowned. “I wasn’t thinking, that’s all. And you took me by surprise.”

  “I took you by surprise?”

  Had he thought her stare was cool? Greg saw the flash of fire in her eyes and realized he’d misjudged. Again. Was he ever going to get it right with this woman? He straightened to his full height. “Frankly, the way you’re looking at me, I’m shocked you didn’t slap me for touching you.”

  “I should have. But I’m a very responsive woman. I just couldn’t control myself, I guess.”

  She was outright glaring at him, and the sarcasm was oozing off her words like oil out of a shipwrecked tanker. Was she taking a shot at how out of control he’d been? Wasn’t it good enough he’d admitted wrongdoing and apologized? She didn’t have to humiliate him. “Penelope—”

  “Oh, it’s Penelope again, is it? And with that touch of derision I’ve come to expect.”

  A muscle in Greg’s jaw ticced as he clenched it. He’d call it frustration, not derision, but he didn’t want to get sidetracked splitting hairs over nouns. “I don’t know what else you want from me.”

  “I want you to get out.”

  She turned away the second she said it, and Greg was glad she didn’t see the way he flinched. Her words were venomous, and despite everything that had already happened between them, it surprised Greg. Penny didn’t seem to have a nasty bone in her body—he was mystified as to how he’d been led to believe she was a callous gold digger. One look around her home told him she didn’t bother with expensive things, but he should have realized she was too decent a person to do what his brother had said before seeing her house. He should have known it from looking into her eyes, or from the way she’d helped him despite the fact he’d acted like a pig.

  Penny was at heart a good person. When she spoke and her tone was still full of bile, it continued to perplex Greg. “I’m not going to teach you yoga anymore either.”

  Forget perplexity. For some reason that hurt. “I won’t touch you again if that’s what you’re worried about.”

  She snorted as she stalked past him to the kitchen. “Oh, I’m not worried about that. I just don’t want to do it anymore. I’ll refund you the fee for the last two lessons. Not this week. I’ll have it next week.”

  “I’m not worried about that. If anything I owe you money for what Bryan took.”

  She turned from where she was running hot water into the sink to scowl at him. “That’s your brother’s debt.”

  “I doubt you’ll see it from him anytime soon. If you tell me what he owes you, I’ll be sure you get the money.”

  “I’m not your responsibility, Greg,” she snapped. “And I can’t be your convenient fuck either.”

  “Jesus.” Greg sucked in a breath. “Nothing about our association has ever been convenient.”

  “All the more reason for us to end it.”

  She turned back to the sink and shut off the water. She picked up a dish and sank it into the suds, giving it a wipe with jerky movements before setting it in the drying rack. Surely she hadn’t had time for breakfast yet, so the dishes must have been from last night. What kind of person left dirty dishes in the sink overnight? Not one he’d ever be seriously involved with, that was for sure.

  It was a good thing she was kicking him out. He could never be with someone who left dirty dishes for hours or let her cats recline all over the furniture. And if that wasn’t the kind of person he saw himself with, then they clearly had no future. He knew that already, but having it confirmed was a…relief.

  Yes, that was it. And it was a relief she wanted him gone because from the way he’d kissed her—hell, almost made love to her—on the couch she might have gotten the wrong impression. The impression that they could have been good together, or made each other happy, or some such nonsense. A woman with stars in her eyes might have thought that, and wasn’t he lucky Penny was smarter than that?

  Yep. He was the luckiest man around.

  “I’ll see myself out.”

  She said nothing as he left, and as he stepped out the front door and pulled it closed behind him with a thud, Greg felt the polar opposite of lucky.

  * * *

  “You make me sick, you know that?”

  Penny’s words were directed at her sister Emily, who stepped out of her truck wearing a yellow wraparound dress that clung to and flattered her womanly curves. In the car when her sister, her boyfriend and her other boyfriend had stopped to give Penny a lift to the church, she’d been too busy chatting to notice anything but the yellow fabric. Now she saw how incredible Emily looked, like some blonde bombshell out of a fifties movie. In comparison Penny felt thin and pasty in the floaty blue-and-white chiffon number that the sales lady had said was cute. Penny could pass for cute, but not sexy.

  That had been pretty well confirmed by Greg’s stinging rejection earlier in the week.

  “Why do I make you sick?” Emily frowned.

  “Because you look incredible.”

  “Is that all?” Emily fluttered her eyelashes coquettishly and smoothed her hands down the sides of her dress. “I’ve had this old thing for ages.”

  Jet Durante chuckled as he came around the four-wheel drive to stand at Emily’s side. “Don’t believe a word of it, Pen. The shopping trip was agonizing.”

  Emily hit him on the arm, which only made him grin and look even more handsome than he already did. Longish dark hair, dark eyes that danced with mischief and a lean, firm body made for a dynamite combination. Brandon Walker came to stand on Emily’s other side. The broad-shouldered veteran appeared lethal on the outside, but Penny knew he had a soft heart, especially where her sister was concerned.

  Brand and Jet were escorting Emily to Summer Campbell’s wedding. Because they were her lovers. Both of them. Two of the most gorgeous men in Leyton’s Headland.

  Life was so unfair sometimes.

  Penny gestured towards the men on each of Emily’s arms. “There’s also the fact you have two dates when I couldn’t manage to scrounge up one.”

  “Aw, poor Pen.” Emily chucked her on the chin like she used to when they were little, making Penny grimace. “Cheer up. There might be a hot eligible bachelor at Summer’s wedding.”

  “Fat chance of that.” Penny knew better than anyone gorgeous single men were as rare as hen’s teeth in a town the size of Leyton’s Headland. Which was why it made her sick that her sister had nabbed two of them. “Instead of encouraging me to dream the impossible dream, you should lend me one of your dates.”

  Emily arched a brow and looked about to tell Penny to blow it out her you-know-what, but Jet stepped forward before she could utter a word. “I’ll walk you in if you like, Pen.”

  “Why thank you, Jet. Such a gentleman.”

  Penny sent a smug look Emily’s way as she linked her arm through Jet’s. Her sister stuck out her tongue, making Brand chuckle.

  Not only had Emily seemed more happy with herself lately, Brand laughed more easily. As the four of them walked towards the tiny chapel overlooking the town and the magnificent shoreline, Penny realized
a lot of it was due to the man walking at her side. Penny was thrilled to get another unofficial brother-in-law. She got on well with Jet, even had lunch with him on Tuesday when she’d bumped into him in town. She saw why Emily had fallen hard for him, and why Brand had never stopped loving him.

  “Where’s Hope?” Emily asked her.

  “Oh you know how she is. She said she’d come to the reception for the free booze but—”

  “She doesn’t do ceremonies,” Emily finished. “I know. I hope she at least buys them a gift.”

  Penny flashed a grin over her shoulder. “She’s donating a hundred dollars to the Sand Dune Conservation Society in their name.”

  Emily laughed. “Actually I think Summer and Ty will like that.”

  “I liked it too,” said Penny. “So I did the same.”

  “Oh, man,” Jet said. “Our breadmaker is going to look lame.”

  “Told you we should have gone with the voucher for a spa day,” Brand said.

  Penny giggled at the thought of tough guy Brand suggesting such a feminine-sounding gift. It might be unconventional, but the three-way love connection Emily, Jet and Brand had was obviously working for them. All jokes aside, Penny really was just a smidgen jealous of her big sister.

  Okay, maybe more than a smidgen. Emily was not only getting some, she was getting some times two. When Penny took her clothes off, men ran screaming from the building.

  Penny tried to shove the morose thought from her mind. She’d decided not to think about Greg Danvers anymore. She definitely didn’t want to relive how it had felt to be in his arms, how all-encompassing and fiery his kiss was, or how the sure touch of his hands on her breasts had felt, how she’d shuddered with pleasure when his thumbs had teased her nipples to life. When she thought about it she got warm and gooey inside, and that was dangerous.

  Because she also remembered him throwing her off his lap like she had something contagious and telling her he’d only kissed her because he was sex-deprived.

  They entered the church and found an empty pew third row from the back. As they settled in, a few people turned their way. Penny recognized several of them, including Ty’s parents and Summer’s father, who was out of a wheelchair, but still required the use of a cane due to the stroke he’d suffered several months back. As such he’d opted not to walk his daughter down the aisle. Ty Butler stood at the altar looking uncharacteristically nervous while his best man Aaron Sanderson spoke encouraging words into his ear.

  At a few minutes after four o’clock, a guitarist began to play. Everyone turned to the back of the small church to see Summer walking arm in arm with her sister Jasmine. Summer wore off-white, a simple silk dress with a scooped neckline and a drop waist designed to accommodate her growing stomach. Jasmine’s dress was of a similar style but in slate-gray silk and with a fitted waistline. Penny couldn’t stop the tears from brimming as a beautiful haunting song about soul mates finding each other filled the air and the two sisters, who’d once been estranged, walked together towards the altar. Jet took her hand in his and gave it a squeeze. Penny transferred her gaze to his and smiled gratefully.

  As she was returning her attention to the ceremony, Penny froze. On the other side of the chapel sat the man who had plagued her thoughts since Wednesday—and for a long time before that if she was honest with herself. Greg was looking right at her, his forehead scrunched in a scowl that made his handsome face look forbidding.

  Penny’s heart started galloping. She should have realized Summer and Ty might invite Ty’s new lawyer to their wedding, but for some reason she was totally unprepared. She didn’t want to respond to him in any way that wasn’t cool or detached, but her heart rate and suddenly sweaty palms had other ideas.

  The minister began to speak, and the sound brought Penny out of her daze. Seemingly it had the same effect on Greg. Their gazes unlocked, and they both turned towards the front of the church. Penny listened to the timeless words, knowing Summer and Ty would live up to them. They were clearly in love, and with a baby on the way, she could only see their devotion to each other growing stronger.

  Penny listened and watched, but the whole time she was aware of Greg on the other side of the church and her heart pounded in an agitated rhythm.

  * * *

  The reception was a casual, intimate affair held in the Leyton’s Headland Surf Club, where once upon a time Ty Butler had learned his chosen sport. There was no assigned seating for the around sixty guests, no stodgy choice of chicken or steak. Instead everyone was generously supplied with tasty appetizers and drinks from an open bar. As a waiter wandered past with a tray of champagne, Penny grabbed a fresh glass, placing her empty back on the tray.

  “Are we going to have to pour you back in the car tonight, Pen?” Emily asked, her eyebrows arched over green eyes.

  “I’ve only had a couple.”

  “And that’s your third,” Emily pointed out. “I haven’t seen you have more than two drinks since you were sick as a dog at Hope’s twenty-first and you swore off drunkenness for the rest of your life.”

  “Do you think you could stop being a big sister for five minutes and let me enjoy my champagne?”

  Emily held up her hands. “Whoa, girl. No need to bite my head off.”

  Penny squelched the urge to apologize and took a defiant gulp of her drink. She actually didn’t love the taste of champagne, but she’d hoped the alcohol would make her more mellow. From the way she’d just snapped at her sister, it wasn’t having the intended effect.

  It was all Greg’s fault. He was across the room talking to some woman Penny recognized. Her name was Nikki Burgess, and she was a long-time client of Summer’s. In fact she’d been Summer’s first-ever client, and they’d remained friendly over the years. Perhaps Summer had invited her.

  Or perhaps she’d come with Greg. Penny hadn’t noticed if they’d been sitting together at the church, too focused was she on trying to ignore Greg’s presence altogether. But now they were standing close like they were more than acquaintances, and Nikki’s body language told Penny that the woman wished she was standing even closer.

  Nikki was getting a divorce. Was Greg her lawyer? Were they involved? Was Nikki the reason he’d shunned Penny’s embarrassing seduction attempt the other morning?

  It should make her feel a little better to think there might be another woman involved, and that Greg’s rejection wasn’t due to him being disappointed with what he saw when she’d brazenly yanked her shirt off. It didn’t. It made her angry as hell to think he was that two-faced. Sex-deprived indeed.

  He was as bad as his brother.

  No, Penny thought, realizing even in her anger and tipsiness that she was being unfair. Greg had never made her any promises. He’d kissed her once, which meant he owed her exactly nothing. She was the one who’d taken it too far and thrown herself at him.

  “Hey, Pen.” Jet chucked her on the chin until she turned towards him. His dark eyes were perceptive. “Something is wrong.”

  She showed him a tremulous smile. “I guess I’m just sick of playing the fool,” she admitted. “A fool for love, that’s what I am.”

  Not that love was the right word to describe anything that had transpired between her and Greg, but for a few moments on her couch it had felt like something that could have been something. Whatever that meant. All she knew for sure was she’d never been kissed like that before, and even days later, her lips still tingled when she thought of it.

  “Your time will come,” Jet assured her. “Have a look at Brand, Emily and me. I would never have dreamed we’d all get together, but here we are. You keep your heart open, and you’ll be ready when the right person comes along. If that means playing the fool occasionally, I reckon it’s worth it in the end.”

  “Aww.” Penny reached up and patted him on the cheek. “You are sweet. Have I told you how glad I am to have you as my unofficial brot
her-in-law?”

  Jet laughed. “You are a little tipsy, aren’t you?”

  She held up her thumb and forefinger a couple of millimeters apart. “Only this much. Don’t tell Em.”

  “I won’t. Come on and dance with me, unofficial sister-in-law. It’ll burn off the effects quicker.”

  Penny wasn’t overly sure she wanted to burn off the effects. She was enjoying the numb buzz the alcohol was giving her. But Jet tugged her to her feet and led her to the dance floor before she could object, and once she was there she didn’t mind at all. Jet was a great dancer.

  He led her expertly through an old Rob Thomas hit, making her giggle with his show-off moves. When he dipped her as the song ended, she laughed herself silly.

  From her inverted position, she saw a pair of shiny black shoes, topped by dark trousers. Her gaze trailed up over a crisp white shirt, blue tie and well-fitted suit jacket until it finally landed on Greg’s face. He was looking down at her, his ever-present scowl fixed firmly in place.

  “May I cut in?”

  Jet lifted Penny to a standing position. She tried to subtly poke him in the ribs, but he ignored her SOS signal. “Sure, mate.”

  Penny gave him a sour look as he released her. Jet only leaned down and whispered in her ear. “He’s hot, give him a chance. You have to keep the faith, Pen.”

  Keep the faith. All good in theory but how could she keep having faith that her Mr. Right would come along if she kept making such colossal mistakes? She stared at Greg and knew he was definitely not Mr. Right.

  Yet when an Ed Sheeran song drifted out of the speakers and he opened his arms, Penny went into them.

  Chapter Seven

  Penny’s stupid heart beat like crazy. Her idiotic breath faltered and her slutty hormones did a jig. She kept her gaze fixed firmly on a spot past Greg’s shoulder. As he moved her around the dance floor, she caught a glimpse of Nikki Burgess watching them with disappointment written all over her face.