by Logan Chance
I dropped my hands from her face and cursed under my breath. “I don’t care about that.”
“But it’s your dream.”
“Penny, dreams change. You wake up in the morning and your life changes, and when you lay your head back down at night, you have all new dreams. You’re my dream.”
“You just don’t get it.”
“I’m trying. Start from the beginning.”
She rubbed her hands together, trying to dispense some of the sand from her fingers.
“I knew you were in trouble with the Lopa. So, I decided to help.”
“Ok.”
“I made a deal with my father. But, I’ve been sworn not to tell, Theo. I can’t tell you.”
“Penny, you can tell me anything.”
She bit her lip, digging her toes in the sand, before finally giving me something. “I asked to manage Lopa.”
“You asked?”
“Yes, when my father came at me with his deal, I begged him to let me manage the Lopa so I could still see you.”
“What deal?”
“To help you with the Lopa. He would buy it to bail you out. I asked for his help.”
“So, you asked to manage it? Why?”
“Because I didn’t want to be apart from you.”
I wrapped an arm around her shoulders and squeezed tight. “I don’t want to be apart from you either.”
“It’s all so complicated.”
“So the deal was he buys the Lopa, let’s me own half, and you manage?”
“Yes.”
“And Dex?” I egged her on.
She exhaled slowly and turned to me. “My father says if I don’t abide to his terms, he’ll take the Lopa from you. If I don’t marry Dex, well, he’ll bankrupt you.” Her gaze wouldn’t meet mine as she ran her fingers in the sand.
I rose from the sand, dusting off my pants in the process. I couldn’t lose her to keep the Lopa. “Fuck, Penny. I don’t care about it. Let him have the crummy place. Let him take it. All I want is you.”
“Please, Theo, you can’t mean that.” She grabbed my hand. “Maybe you don’t care about the Lopa, but I do.”
The sadness on her face made my heart almost stop.
“Come here,” I whispered.
She hesitated, briefly, then ran into my waiting arms.
“Make this nightmare end, please,” she cried.
“Shh, shh,” I soothed her. “We’ll think of something.”
And now, I had to think of something to fix this. Something big.
SEVEN
PENNY
Don’t want to go home, but can’t stay here.
“Theo, I want to see your dolls,” I decided.
“I should take you home,” he said like a stick in the mud. “You need to sleep this off.”
He was no fun at all, but I was still crazy about him.
I gave him a thumbs down. “No. Your place.” I poked him in the arm. “Besides, you have to do what I say. Know why?” He shook his head, smiling. I placed both hands to my mouth, breathing heavy through them. “Theo, I am your manager,” I said in my best deep voice, drawing out the words. It sounded pretty damn good, if I did say so myself.
“You did not just try to impersonate Darth Vader.”
I giggled at the deadpan look on his face. “Try, I did not. Do, I did.”
“Oh boy. Now you’ve moved onto Yoda. You’re adamant on seeing the dolls, huh?” he whispered.
I glanced over to him and envisioned him as my very own Jedi come to destroy the empire built by my father. His hair looked wild and I wanted to run my fingers through it. “Yes.”
We stepped through his front door, and I felt like I was home. I glanced at his dolls and stepped closer to them.
“So, tell me about them.” I jabbed a finger at the cabinet. “Can we play with them?”
He grinned as he grabbed me by the waist to steady me. “No, we can’t play with them.”
I stuck my tongue out at him, and he growled. Sexy, feral, and primal. Rawr. The giggles were about to make an appearance. I arranged my face in a serious expression the best I could. “What made you start collecting?”
“I’m not really sure. I’ve always been a big fan of comics and Star Wars. Superheroes are cool. It gives you something to believe in.”
“What do you mean?” I peered at the Batman figure in the front, trying to focus on just one.
“Well, superheroes save the planet. They do good deeds.” His eyes lit up as he grabbed the doll still in the box. “Most do, some don’t, but still. It gives us a role model to aspire to be like. If you become more than a man, devote yourself to an ideal, then you become something else entirely.” He looked over at me and winked. “To quote Batman.”
Philosophical Theo was hot. “Say it,” I whispered.
He placed the doll back and drew his brows together. “Say what?”
“Say ‘I’m Batman’.”
He rolled his eyes as he muttered the words, “I’m Batman.” He grabbed me by the waist and squeezed. “Come here, you silly girl.” He kissed my temple as I thought about his earlier words. Theo was my superhero. Swooping in to save the damsel in distress, or in this case the drunk girl from falling over onto his cabinet of dolls. “You’re a good man, Theo.”
He leaned close to my ear. “Shh, don’t tell anyone.”
Oh, I wouldn’t. I didn’t want anyone else to come along and take him from me. Fear gripped me. Because, pretty soon I’d be married, and he would be free to do as he pleased.
I went to the couch, sat down, and pulled my knees to my chest.
“I’m sorry I made you take me somewhere. I just couldn’t face going home. I don’t even know why. It just seems like when I’m with you the whole mess fades away.”
He sat beside me. “What do you want to do?”
I knew what I wanted to do.
“Sex is always fun. But, what I really want to do is just forget. I just want to hang out with you. What would you be doing if I wasn’t here?”
“Jerking off.”
Holy shit, yes please. Maybe I could help him.
My eyes widened as he cracked a smile. I laughed as he grabbed his Xbox controller.
“I’d be playing video games, maybe,” he said as he flipped on the TV.
“Really? You’re going to play right now?”
“What? You told me to act like you’re not here. In all honesty, I’d probably rush off to bed so I could dream about you.”
My heart swelled. “Aw, Theo.”
“I dream about you all the time. Even when I’m awake, I’m dreaming of you.” He leaned closer, caressing my cheek as chills skated all over.
“I think about you every second of every day, too.” I kissed his full lips wanting him to know I meant every word.
When he broke the kiss, he leaned back against the couch.
“Want to watch a movie?” he asked.
“Sure, what do you have?” I sprung from the couch to scan over his movie collection. “Some collection. Oh wow, you have the movie Titanic.
He rubbed at his beard as he smiled. “Yeah.”
“You hopeless romantic,” I moved closer as he sat on the couch, clocking my every move. “I want you to paint me like one of your French girls, Jack,” I said, quoting a line from the movie where Jack paints a portrait of the heroine, Rose.
“Um, ok. Sure.” He rose from the couch and motioned me to lie down. I began unbuttoning my blouse but Theo stopped me. “Keep your clothes on, or I will be taking advantage of you.” My legs trembled as I lowered myself onto the couch.
He moved over to a cabinet and produced a pen and paper. I smiled as he pulled up a seat across from me.
His eyes were intense as he studied me. I felt them everywhere.
He touched the pen to the paper, and his concentration was fierce.
He glanced up every few moments as I lay on the couch daydreaming. I wanted every night with him. My emotions were getting the best of m
e as he drew on the paper.
I laughed, and his eyebrows shot up. “Stay still.”
“Oh, sorry.” I tried my best to hold as still as possible as he continued.
“I have to get these lines on your face just right.”
“Of course,” I murmured.
He brushed a dark strand of hair from his eyes as he continued. My heart rushed as I tried to clear my fuzzy mind. I didn’t want to be drunk anymore. I wanted Theo to take me to his bedroom, and make love to me again and again.
When he was done he lifted the paper and said, “Ta-da.”
I laughed as I rose on unsteady feet to see the masterpiece. When I glanced down at the picture Theo had drawn for me my skin heated. Tears threatened to fall, and I couldn’t calm the rapid tempo my heart pounded against my ribcage.
“Well, the lighting is bad so it has some rough spots,” he said, trying his best to keep a straight face.
I gazed at his profile as he studied the picture. “I love it.” A huge grin split my face as Theo laughed. I hugged the picture and then studied it again. Only my Theo, so freaking adorkable.
He grabbed the photo, crumpling it with both hands.
“Hey, no. I want to keep that.”
“You can’t be serious. It’s really bad. Sorry I’m no master artist.” He half-smiled.
“It’s perfect.”
I grabbed the picture from him, smoothing out the wrinkles as I gazed at it one more time.
I kissed his cheek. “Okay, show me your video game skills.
His face lit up as he grabbed another controller out of a drawer and handed it to me.
After half an hour of him destroying me in some shooting game where I couldn’t even move my character, he shut the game off.
“Tell me why you like Star Wars so much,” I asked.
“Are you kidding? It’s only the best saga ever. And the Princess Leia fantasy is hot, too.”
“The Jabba the Hutt thing, where she’s dressed as a slave?” I asked, scrunching my nose at him. “He looks like a giant slug.”
“Well, he wouldn’t be involved in the fantasy, but, yeah.” He rubbed at the back of his neck with his right hand.
“Let me get this straight, you want a girl to dress in that getup?”
“Fuck yeah, I do.”
I laughed as he smiled. I enjoyed hanging out with him.
“Oh ok, I’ll try to remember that then.”
“Yeah write it down, take a picture. What about you? Any wild fantasies I can help fulfill?” His eyebrows arched as a slow smile spread along his gorgeous face.
I leaned back and kicked my feet up on his lap. “Yeah, imagine a beach. Late at night, with a stranger.”
His thumb traced lazy circles on my ankle. “Oh, I imagine that night all the time.”
“Me too. You think about my boobs?” The question slipped out of my still rubbery lips. I really needed to sober up, but I was having a hard time of it.
“Your boobs?” He smirked.
“I know you think about them. I saw your list.”
He sat up straighter. “My list?”
“Yeah. The day of the interviews. I saw the list you left on your precious clipboard.”
“Fuck,” he ran a hand down his beard, “you weren't supposed to see that.”
“Just how many lists do you have?”
He glimpsed up to the ceiling briefly before answering, “Quite a few.”
“What about? Are there any about me?”
He shook his head, eyes trained on the floor as he smiled. “Penny, they’re all about you.”
“I’m going to need to see these lists.” I smiled as our eyes met. He had lists, and many about me. Along with the picture, these lists would be my most prized possession. I was falling for this man.
“Maybe someday.” He gazed at me through hooded lashes.
For a few hours Theo and I talked about my father and everything we could think of to get me out of my impending doom. He begged me over and over to tell my father to shove it. But, I couldn’t tell him the real reason why I agreed to my father’s demands.
Sober by the time Theo dropped me off, I left him with a promise to think of a plan.
I prayed we would.
The next morning when I stepped into the kitchen, the rich smell of coffee and Margo’s sour expression greeted me.
My head was pounding. “May I help you?” I asked.
“Where have you been? And, don’t lie to me, I know you weren’t with Dex. He stopped by looking for you,” she said as I trudged into the kitchen.
I grabbed my bag and dug out my phone. “Shit, I had my phone off. Was he mad?”
“What do you think?” she asked. Her sarcastic expression let me know full well he was most likely pissed.
“Great.” I turned the phone on and skimmed over the missed calls. “Ten missed calls, fuck.”
“So, where were you?” She leaned across the counter and held both hands under her chin, waiting for me to answer.
“Honestly? I went to the Frosted Mug, by myself. I just had a lot to think about,” I said, sitting on a stool across from her.
She slid a large red mug of steaming coffee in front of me. “I know you do, sweetie. I’m so sorry.” She walked over to me and wrapped her arms around my shoulders. “Where’s your car? Who brought you home?”
“Ok, you’re coming at me with a lot of questions right now. Theo brought me home,” I said.
She tilted her head at me. “What? Ok, explain.”
I told her the story, leaving out the kiss and the gut spillage.
“You didn’t tell him about your father, did you?”
“No,” I lied. It felt horrible lying to her, but if this could work I had to keep our secret safe. I needed a way out of this whole mess. A happily ever after of the epic kind. Although, happy endings didn’t always happen in real life, I begged the universe to allow me at least one chance at getting one.
“Well, I hope it all works out. I really do, Penny. I see how much you care for Theo. And, how much he cares about you. Did you try explaining all of this to your crooked father?” She crossed over to the fridge and grabbed some creamer for her coffee. When she turned back around to face me, she stopped. “What? Why are you looking at me like I just discovered the cure for cancer? Want some creamer?”
I shook my head, her simple brilliance hitting me like a freight train.
“What’s wrong, Penny? Did I say something wrong?”
I leapt from the stool. “No, you said everything just right.”
***
I rushed through getting ready and dashed out of the house before the sun had risen. I called an Uber to take me to the Frosted Mug to retrieve my car and then fired off a text to Theo:
Meet me at the lifeguard station, please.
Once I had my car, and he answered he’d be there, I made my way to the place where we first kissed. I needed to tell him everything I thought we could do to get out of this predicament.
The sun hid along the horizon, and a soft breeze swept off the ocean. Seagulls squawked as they swooped along the shore. When I wandered onto the sandy beach, I removed my shoes, allowing my toes to sink in the soft sand, and glanced up to the empty wooden station. No lifeguards were present this early in the morning, and the beach was empty.
Taking a deep breath, I made my trek toward the spot where Theo and I shared one of the best nights of my life.
“Hey there,” Theo’s deep voice sounded behind me.
I spun around, smiling wide as I took in his deep, dark eyes. “Hi, you.” His lips lifted in a grin, and we stood staring at each other like two giddy teenagers.
“What’s this early meeting all about?”
“I think my father is a crook,” I blurted out. No simple talk, we didn’t have time for it. I needed to get things started before this escalated further.
He chuckled. “He is pretty awful.”
“No, I’m serious, Theo. I think he does shady things. T
axes, bribes. I’m not sure. I know him and the county commissioner go to the Bahamas every year. What if something happens there?” I said in a rush.
“Whoa. Well, it explains going to the Bahamas if he’s doing something shady. Maybe a few off shore accounts as well. How can we prove it though?”
Ah, the million-dollar question. A man like my father knew how to cover his tracks. I kicked a shell poking out of the sand with my toes and then returned my eyes to Theo. “I don’t know.”
He pulled me into a hug, kissing the top of my forehead. “We’ll think of something, baby.”
My heart flitted around in my chest. I loved when he called me baby. It did something to me when he used the endearment. “Follow me,” he said, taking my hand in his strong one.
He didn’t speak as he led me off the beach, pulling me into a small abandoned lot. His car sat in a darkened corner and he pressed the fob to open it. “Get in,” he demanded.
I hopped in the passenger side as he moved around the car. The minute he shut the door, he pulled me in for a kiss to erase all other kisses. Want and desperation poured off him in waves, and I tugged his face closer.
“God, I want you Penny,” he breathed over my skin.
“I want you too.”
“The thought of you loving that bastard hurt. I hated it.”
“I’m sorry. Theo, there isn’t anyone but you,” I whispered.
He kissed me again as his hands toyed with the hem of my blouse. He went too slow. I needed him now. I leaned back and removed my shirt, flinging it into the back seat. Theo took in my white lacy bra, and a low rumble erupted from his lips.
He stopped me when I went to remove it. “Don’t, not yet.”
My chest heaved while he took his time staring at my chest. Licking his full lips, he brought his face closer and rested it along my cleavage. “I love your fucking tits.” He reverently cupped one and then the other with his hands. The soft kisses he trailed along my skin just above the cut of the bra, teasing me, were driving me mad. Slowly, his thumb rubbed over each nipple, and my head fell back. “Theo, please,” I moaned. Finally, he reached around to my back, unsnapping my bra strap. The material fell from my body, and his mouth immediately took one nipple, biting, nibbling, and sucking it until I couldn’t see straight.