“Only if you promise to tell me everything.”
“Deal,” Penny wanted to dance around the house, she was so giddy. Instead, she pressed her lips to Amy’s temple.
“You know you’re practically covered in sand, don’t you?”
“We fell asleep on the beach.” Amy sighed, staring at Penny enviously.
“I can’t believe my best friend is dating a celebrity.” Penny’s enthusiasm died down a bit as she remembered that she and Tommy had an arrangement and nothing more.
That was okay, she told herself. She was happy enough just to be Tommy’s friend.
So then why, she wondered, did her heart feel just the slightest bit broken?
Tommy was utterly and completely tormented.
Try as he might, he couldn’t get her off his mind. He tried watching tv, but he’d only ended up thinking about the way his heart had nearly thumped it’s way right out of his chest when he’d seen her coming down the stairs.
He’d tried flipping through one of the scripts Graham had given him to read through, but instead he’d remembered the way she had looked just before he’d kissed her. And then that had led him to thinking about how she’d looked after he’d kissed her—which, in his opinion, was even better.
He’d started to read the sports page, but then the image of her that morning, sleeping in his arms, had crossed his mind.
It was driving him insane.
He tried to tell himself that the only reason he was thinking about her so much was because he knew that he couldn’t have her. It had been a long time since Tommy had come across a woman he couldn’t have.
It was just the chase that had him so hung up. The desire for a challenge.
Because it didn’t matter how much he wanted her. It didn’t even matter if she wanted him back. Physical attraction was not all that hard to come by.
But friendship? Especially like the one he and Penny had?
That was a true rarity.
He sighed, throwing the newspaper across the room and running his fingers roughly through his hair. Tommy was going stir crazy in this tiny little room.
He nearly pounced on his phone when it started ringing, only slightly disappointed to find that it was Graham. “You, my friend, are golden.”
“Why’s that?”
“You know why! You and that foxy little wildcat of yours, that’s why. You bought out the entire theater?”
“For just one showing.”
“That’s romance, my friend.” Tommy chuckled, shaking his head. Graham had never, in all the time Tommy had known him, had a serious girlfriend. “So what’d she say about L.A.?”
“She’s ready to go whenever you want her to be.”
“And what about you?” Tommy got up and crossed the room, his eyes landing on something on the floor.
“I’m not against it.” He leaned down and picked up part of the newspaper he’d thrown just moments ago. “But I’m not against coming back here afterward, either.”
“Come on, man—there’s nothing in that place for you.”
“Actually, Graham, I beg to differ.” Tommy glanced down at the real estate section he was holding in his hand. “I’m going to let you go—I’ve got a call to make.”
“Are you calling her already? You do know you’re not really dating, right?”
“I’m not calling Penny,” he grinned. “I’m about to call another woman, though. So that should make you happy.”
“I’m all for it! Just make sure you keep it discreet.”
“Oh, I will.” Tommy hung up the phone and stared at the smiling face of the real estate woman for a moment before dialing the number. “Hello Mrs. Harris, my name is Tommy. I’m looking to buy a house in the Ravenside area.”
Chapter Seven
“Oh my goodness,” Penny breathed as they pulled up to Tommy’s house. “You live here?” The house was huge. Ridiculously huge. The car made it’s way up the drive slowly, stopping at the gate to wait for it to open. Penny was in awe.
This was just too much.
There were photographers stationed just outside the gate and she felt herself slide closer to Tommy and further away from the windows as a few of them pressed their faces up to the glass.
As the car pulled through the gate, though, the photographers pulled back. “They know better. I’ll get them for trespassing if they cross that line.” Penny stared back at them. He had been right when he’d told her it was worse in L.A. She couldn’t imagine not even being able to have even a single moment’s privacy.
“You can hear them all the way up here,” she mused as they stepped out of the car. The sun hung high in the sky above them and she was suddenly longing for shorts and a tank top.
“You get used to it.” Penny looked back at the gate, knowing her picture was being taken but not even really caring. She just couldn’t believe it. “Hey, you coming?” She turned to find Tommy walking up his porch and she hurried to catch up with him, only to come to a sudden stop as soon as she did.
“Are those palm trees? In your house?”
“I don’t know if that’s technically inside the house or not.” Penny just stared at him, her eyes wide. Tommy laughed, reaching out to take her hand. “Come on, let me give you the tour.”
They passed through the first set of glass doors and Penny immediately understood what Tommy was talking about. What she would consider the foyer was huge: to her right was obviously part of the house and to her left was a pool, complete with a waterfall cascading down from the second floor.
She felt her jaw drop.
Several glass doors led inside the house—one looked like it led to a bedroom and the other two to the main living area of the house. He took her through one of those. “This is the living area—kitchen, theater room.” He wasn’t kidding when he called it a theater room—there was a giant screen on the back wall. “Over there is a bedroom.”
“How many bedrooms does this place have?”
“I think it’s about six, but I use one as my office.” Penny covered her mouth with her hand and Tommy only laughed some more. “Come on, there’s still more.” They passed by the kitchen to get to the stairs. “Down there is the dining room and the living room.”
“And it’s just you that lives here, right?”
“I have company often,” he waved for her to follow him up the stairs and so she did, trying to take it all in. The theater room was visible from upstairs as well, and Tommy even had a few chairs situated so that you could watch from this spot. “There’s the laundry room, and my office—and there are two more bedrooms that way.”
“Is that an elevator, Tommy?”
“Yes, it is.”
“And all of these walls are made of glass, aren’t they?”
“You got it.” Penny couldn’t believe it. She just couldn’t believe it. “This is my room,” he pulled one of the heavy glass doors right in front of them open and held it, motioning for her to go in.
She gasped the moment she set foot through the door, covering her mouth with both her hands.
It was beautiful. The glass walls continued in here, two doors leading out to a balcony. Even from where she stood, she could see the waterfall. “That overlooks the pool.” He told her, and she stepped forward, pulling the doors open. When she looked to her right, she could see a mixture of cliff and beach.
“Is that another bedroom over there?” she asked and he nodded. “Tommy, this is just—”
“A lot?” Penny nodded. She turned around and walked back into the bedroom, peaking around corners. There weren’t any doors for the bathroom—but in a house made mostly of glass, she figured privacy wasn’t really of the utmost concern.
Except from the outside. All of the exterior walls were made of thick adobe, as if to keep all outsiders in their place.
“I can’t believe this is all yours.” She sat down on his bed, needing a moment to take it all in. “Which room am I supposed to be sleeping in?”
“Whatever one y
ou want. You can even have this one, if you’d like.”
“I’m not going to take your bedroom—especially when you have so many others to offer. That’s just plain rude.”
“But this is the best room in the house—really, you can take it. I insist.”
“I don’t know…” Penny bit her lip. She really didn’t want to take Tommy’s room.
“I insist. I’ll just sleep across the hall. It’s not like we’ll be here for long anyway.” They weren’t even staying a full week, so he had a point. She had told Tommy they could stay as long as he’d like, but he had insisted it didn’t need to be a long trip.
“If you’re sure,” Penny sighed, laying back on the bed. “I can’t believe all of this is yours.”
“Sometimes I can’t either.” She rolled on to her side and propped herself up on her elbow.
“So what’s on the agenda for today?”
“What would you like to be on the agenda?”
“You mean we have the day to ourselves?” Penny sat up excitedly. She had thought this trip was going to be nothing but business—for both of them. On the flight in, Graham had given them both a very detailed itinerary. Tommy had nothing to look forward to but meetings and interviews for the next few days—except, of course, for his evenings, which would be spent out on the town with Penny on his arm.
Graham had told her to be prepared for a couple of busy days of her own as well, though he didn’t tell her what they would be spent doing.
“All to ourselves.”
“Well then, I know exactly how I want to spend it.”
Of course she chose to spend the first few hours in her bikini. Of course she did.
Tommy was beginning to think that Penny was sent to this earth for the sole purpose of making his life a living hell.
Well, when she wasn’t too busy making him happier than he had ever been.
Tommy was becoming a walking contradiction.
He hated the way she tackled him into the pool, tumbling in with him.
But he also loved the way her eyes lit up as she did so, as if it was possibly one of the happiest moments in her life.
He hated the way her body had developed over the years, how she’d grown into her curves.
But he absolutely loved watching her run around the edge of the pool, squealing as he chased after her.
Most of all, though, he hated the way she smiled at him—not just with her lips, but with her entire being.
But he couldn’t get enough of it either.
What he needed was some time away from her, he told himself. He needed to go out for an evening, pick up some girl, and make himself forget all about Penelope Lang. He’d done it before, hadn’t he?
But even as he thought it, he knew it sounded like it was about the least appealing thing he could imagine.
“Can we watch a movie?” She asked him as she towel-dried her hair. When she flipped her head upright, he wanted to pinch her pink little cheeks.
Ugh, pinch her cheeks?
That was so not the kind of guy he was. Tommy Davidson was a ladies man. He wined and dined with the best of them. He wasn’t playful. He was seductive.
Unless it was with Penny. She had always been the exception, hadn’t she?
“We can do whatever you’d like, pretty lady. The day is yours to do with me whatever you like.”
“Whatever I like?” She questioned, her tone tinted with suggestion. Tommy raised an eyebrow.
“Well that depends. We can’t be breaking any rules, can we? I gave my word to a girl I kinda owe it to.”
“Well, I guess I can’t do anything then, can I?” She smiled at him from over her shoulder as she tossed her towel aside and disappeared into the house. Tommy remained outside for a moment, clenching his jaw.
Maybe he was going to have to have a little talk with her about her behavior.
He wasn’t sure how much longer he would be able to control himself if this kept up.
He imagined that conversation. “Penny, I’m going to need you to stop being so goddamn cute. And sexy. And intelligent, too. Oh, and please never wear a bikini ever again. At least while I’m around. No, wait, make that ever. And while we’re on the subject, let’s add sexy red dresses and adorable sweaters. Maybe you just shouldn’t wear anything at all. Wait—no—that is a bad idea. How do you feel about muumuu’s?”
Yeah, that was definitely a conversation he was going to have with her.
He made his way into the house to find her wearing one of his t-shirts as she thumbed through his vast film collection.
“You know, you probably have more movies here than my dad had at his store.” He didn’t notice the banana until she took a bite.
Well, maybe he’d save it for after the movie, he thought.
Yes, after the movie. That was a good idea.
“Are you hungry?” She questioned. Starving.
“I…could eat.”
“I already checked the cupboards. You don’t have any food.” Tommy shrugged, trying to focus here.
“Well, I guess we’ll have to order in then, won’t we?” Penny smiled happily as Tommy disappeared into the kitchen to retrieve his extensive menu selection. “How about Chinese? This place has some of the most amazing—”
“Stop right there and just dial the number. This is about experience for me. I’m ready for just about anything.” She leaned in very close. “Within reason, of course.”
“Penny Lane, you might very well be the death of me,” he couldn’t stop himself from saying the words. And of course, Penny just giggled.
It wasn’t until a couple hours later, after the movie, after they’d eaten, that Penny hurried into the room from the kitchen and jumped onto the couch, lying down in his lap. “I feel like I’m in a fairytale, Tommy. My own personal fairytale.”
“You haven’t even seen anything yet,” he told her, tangling his fingers in her hair.
“I can’t imagine it getting any better than this, though.” She rolled on to her side, using his leg as a pillow as she used the remote to turn the lights down and start the next movie.
And it was in that moment that Tommy realized he felt exactly the same way.
She woke to find herself on Tommy’s couch. It wasn’t like any couch she had slept on before, though, because she woke up feeling wide awake and refreshed—not at all stiff or sore. “What a lot of good it did me, giving up my room for you,” Tommy’s tone was sarcastic as Penny opened her eyes and looked up at him. “Good morning.”
“You should have woken me!” She sat up quickly, looking around the room. “You’re already dressed?”
“And showered, aren’t you proud?” Penny frowned. She hadn’t meant to fall asleep last night. She couldn’t even remember what had been going on in the movie.
“How long was I sleeping?” Tommy glanced at his watch. “About ten hours.”
“Ten hours?” Penny jumped up, realizing she still wore Tommy’s t-shirt, and under that, her bathing suit. “Well that just wasn’t supposed to happen.” Tommy laughed.
“It’s a vacation, Pen. Relax a little bit.”
“Actually, don’t relax. Not today. Today, you’ve got appointments.” It was Graham’s voice. Penny turned around to find the man coming down the hallway behind her.
“What kind of appointments?” Penny asked.
“I’m curious about that myself.” Tommy added, crossing his arms.
“Nothing too strenuous. I just scheduled some time at the spa. Maybe a little shopping afterward.” Graham turned to Penny. “Don’t worry, it’s all on Tom’s tab.”
“I don’t need Tommy to pay—”
“No, it’s okay, Penny. I want you to be able to enjoy yourself a little while you’re here.”
“But Tommy—”
“It’s all about experience, isn’t it?” Penny glared at him. How dare he turn her own words against her. That wasn’t fair.
“Don’t worry, you two little lovebirds will be reunited tonight. You�
�re having dinner at The Ivy tonight. Reservations for nine sharp.” Graham offered a cocky grin. “Now, you run off and see what you can do with yourself and you, come with me,” he pointed to Tommy. “A driver will be by to pick you up in about thirty minutes, Penelope.”
“Oh wow,” she only had time to offer Graham a dirty look before he ushered Tommy off and she had to hurry upstairs to shower.
She finished with almost no time to spare, having taken a few minutes to decide what to wear. She had no idea what people in L.A. wore to spas. Finally, she just settled on a pair of shorts and a plain tank top. She’d seen people in Hollywood wearing shorts and tank tops before, hadn’t she?
Of course she had, she told herself as she climbed into the back of the car. The driver didn’t speak to her at all and so she sat quietly in the back, taking it all in. The paparazzi still waited outside Tommy’s house, as if they had taken up permanent residency there. Part of her almost felt bad for them. What kind of a life did that leave them with, spending all their time chasing after someone else’s?
Traffic was much worse here than it was at home and the majority of the trip was spent amidst a sea of angry drivers.
In fact, that was how she spent a greater majority of the day, she thought.
Graham had her sent to a spa first, where she had muscles massaged that she hadn’t even been aware she’d had. She had been moisturized to and fro, and treated to an all-natural breakfast consisting mostly of fruits and granola.
The shopping had been a little bit more than she’d bargained for. Graham had even gone so far as to provide her with her own personal shopper—a chipper gay man named Diego, who was much more straightforward than Penny was used to.
She hadn’t expected to go shopping on Rodeo Drive.
The shops had nearly overwhelmed her as she walked along the sidewalk, trailing behind Diego. He knew exactly what he was looking for, not even stopping to ask for her opinion. It was fortunate for her she had done this several times with Amy—Amy found the clothes, made Penny try them on, and offered her opinion before Penny even had a chance to speak hers.
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