by M. Sembera
When they made it back to where they started, Penny was hunched over with her hand on her side and her face was bright red.
"Are you alright?" he asked.
Taking short gasps of air she nodded.
"Look at me," he said placing one hand on her side and his other hand against her back as he informed, "In through your nose and out through your mouth."
It took her a few minutes of copying his breathing pattern before she finally caught her breath.
Although he was concerned Penny had overdone herself running as fast as she did, breathing in sync with her was an incredible feeling. The soothing calm of their harmonized breathing led his mind to wonder. Seth wished they were no longer standing on the walking path that surrounded the apartment complex. He leaned down to kiss her wanting her inside his apartment underneath the comforter on his bed. Kneading his hand into her side while pressing her against him by the small of her back, Seth drew her into a long slow kiss that escalated with frantic velocity.
Seth's moment of blissful abandonment was cut short as Penny broke their kiss and pulled away.
"No, don't," he instinctively urged needing to feel her against him.
Allowing him to pull her back to him, she leaned her head back saying, "We should head back," as she looked up at him.
He wanted to think they would head back to his apartment to continue what he had just started, but the expression on her face showed otherwise.
~
Relieved Seth didn't seem angry with her, when he walked her back to her apartment door and gave her a soft kiss goodbye. After all Penny's 'let's go faster' encouragement, she had stopped him dead in his tracks.
Inside her apartment, Penny saw Charlotte sitting in a chair next to the couch talking to her brother.
"Braden, get out," she demanded needing to talk to her friend.
With a look of shock, he questioned, "Why? What did I do?"
Feeling like there wasn't time to argue, Penny griped, "Just, never mind," before grabbing Charlotte's wrist and pulling her out of her chair.
Practically dragging Charlotte behind her, Penny pulled her into her bedroom and closed the door.
Seating herself on the corner of Penny's bed, Charlotte smiled in anticipation.
"Did my advice motivate him?"
Pacing back and forth, Penny blurted, "No, it didn't."
"Hunh. Well, Seth is kind of an odd guy."
Stopping to face Charlotte, Penny swore, "I should have just stuck to my making friends plan."
Charlotte gave her a curious look before asking, "What happened? I've never seen you like this before."
After taking a deep breath Penny explained, "He kissed me and then he was 'kissing me' and I don't know, I got scared."
"Why?"
"Because, it was... I don't know... It was more than I expected but still not enough and all I could think about was how bad it will hurt in the end."
Sitting back, Charlotte offered, "But what if it doesn't end? What if he's the one?"
Shrugging her shoulders, Penny looked down at the floor.
"Since I've known you I have never seen you get more than a little disappointed over a guy."
"What if he's not?"
Standing up, Charlotte placed her arms around Penny and hugged her imparting, "There's only one way to find out."
Nodding, Penny hugged her back.
Twenty One
Spending the majority of his Saturday going over numbers and trying to make sense of what the previous accountant had done to JPT's newest account's holdings, Seth had to step away. He more than likely would be finished by now if his mind had not kept wandering back to Penny.
Seth sat on his couch flipping through channels trying to think about anything other than her. It was frustrating for her to want him to move faster then stop him when he did. He felt uneasy and played with. The only reason he had held back in the first place was because he was trying to show her how much he cared about her. First it was let's be friends then it was I don't want to date you and then she was all over him and did not want to go slow. But now that he wanted to make that leap, she was the one taking a step back. Seriously, what did she want from him?
Riddled with confusion and unable to see how a simple run would satisfy anything after today, Seth had no clue as to what he should do. The thought occurred to him, he should just go talk to her. Penny was pretty upfront about things, if he asked her she would more than likely tell him what her problem was. Feeling comfortable with his decision, he turned his TV off and headed towards the door.
Penny was standing right outside Seth's door when he opened it.
Giving him a sweet smile, she greeted, "Hi."
"Hey... I was just about to," he started to say before she cut him off asking, "Oh, were you going somewhere?"
"I was coming to see you," he answered with a smile before offering, "Do you want to come in?"
Nodding she walked into his apartment with a sudden look of worry in her expression.
Anxiety filled Seth as he hoped she wasn't there to put an end to what was going on between them.
"Umm, I just..." she started at the same time he said, "Look I..."
"Sorry, go ahead," he assured.
Glancing up at him before giving him a nervous smile, Penny shared, "I don't know what this is between us."
Slightly relieved, he replied, "Neither do I."
"Do you, by any chance, know what you want it to be?"
Taking a step towards her, Seth placed his hands on her shoulders before sliding them down her arms and taking her hands in his.
"Are you aware that is the most frightening question anyone has ever asked me?"
Penny appeared sad for a moment before covering her expression with a smile as she said, "You don't have to answer."
Apprehensive, it wasn't really a matter of wanting to answer. Seth didn't know if he could answer.
As he looked into Penny's eyes, Seth saw beyond this moment in his apartment, past his need to take things further with her, to a house one day where freshly baked cinnamon rolls sat on the kitchen table. Penny would be smiling at their children, sitting around the table as he wrapped his arms around her and whispered in her ear. Then she would smile up at him and his life would be complete.
Realistically, telling a girl you just started seeing that you could see her having your babies was insane. He couldn't tell her that. She would think he was crazy.
Knowing he had to do something to show her this wasn't something he was taking lightly, Seth remembered the present he bought for her in the home goods section of the local store a few days ago.
Letting go of one of Penny's hands, he held firm to the other saying, "Come see."
Wearing a light smile he could tell she was confused as he led her into his kitchen.
"Close your eyes," he requested before letting go of her other hand.
~
Standing in Seth's kitchen with her eyes closed, Penny didn't know why he was trying to show her something in his kitchen. She had put him on the spot. She knew she did. It wasn't necessarily on purpose, however she did want an answer.
Startled when she felt Seth brush his lips against hers, Penny opened her eyes as she looked up at him.
Taking a step back, he informed, "This is for you," as he nudged a package on the counter in her direction.
"You bought me a present?"
Nodding, Seth seemed nervous.
"Can I open it?"
With a slight laugh he replied, "Yes."
Seth's anxiousness made Penny feel a bit apprehensive over what might be inside.
Slowly, she untied the bow before carefully removing the wrapping paper.
"Be careful," he warned as she gave the box a little shake in order to slide the top of the box off.
Unable to imagine what was inside, she hesitated before removing the tissue covering whatever her gift was.
Staring into the box, she heard him ask, "What do you think?" bu
t she couldn't pull her eyes away from the contents inside.
Inside the box sat a black and white polka dotted dinner plate. On top of the plate, there was a matching bowl. A clear tumbler glass stood up from the center of the bowl. Inside the bowl there was a fork, spoon and butter knife tied together by a little yellow ribbon.
She was speechless as Seth reached into the box and pulled out the silver wear. Without a word, he opened his drawer and placed her fork with his before the spoon and then the knife. After closing the drawer, he opened the cabinet. Pulling her glass out, he set it in the cabinet next to his. A warm enthusiastic yearning that started in her toes, rushed through Penny causing her to feel like she was going to blush, as she watched him set her bowl inside his. When he lifted her plate and set it on top of his, she waited for him to close the cabinet door before stepping closer.
The expression on his face showed a concerned curiosity, but that was more than likely because she still had not answered him. The words she wanted to say, she knew were right for the moment but it was far too soon to say them, at least out loud. He was making room for her in his kitchen, incorporating her into his life. It wasn't just a set of dishes he gave her, it was the answer to her question.
Pushing up on her tip-toes, Penny slid her hands up his chest before resting them on the back of his neck.
"Thank you."
Biting the corner of his bottom lip, Seth asked, "You like them?"
Penny's heart grew restless as she tugged him closer whispering, "I love them."
Placing his hands at her sides, he closed the space between them meeting her lips with his.
Swirls of anticipation filled Penny as Seth walked her through the kitchen while continuing to kiss her. She wanted to open her eyes and glance around to see where they were headed, but it quickly turned out to be unnecessary as she heard the sound of a doorknob turning. She felt his bed behind her knees just as he moved his hands to the sides of her face.
Feeling her face grow warm along with the rest of her, Penny grew nervous. This wasn't even close to being her first time but the realization that it could be the first time for something else, caused her to hesitate.
Sliding out of his grasp, she sat down on the edge of his bed.
Seth knelt in front of her, smoothing his hands down the sides of her hair before taking her hands in his, softly assuring, "I'm not in a hurry."
"I just don't want this to end," she shared, needing far too many things from him all at once.
Leaning into her, he rested the side of his head against her shoulder, wrapping his arms around her waist.
"Twelve years of therapy from the time I was seven. Five different therapists. Eight medications. Twenty-three different techniques to alleviate my anxiety. Nothing comes close to you. The way you soothe everything inside of me right down to my soul when I'm with you. I'm not willing to ever give that up."
Unwrapping one of his arms from around her, Seth took her hand and lifted her wrist bringing it to his lips to kissing the center of her double heart tattoo.
Seth's lips made their way from her wrist to the inside of her elbow before he pushed up, pulling both of them onto his bed.
With his hands planted firmly against the bed he hovered over her, swearing, "I don't see an end in my future with you."
His voice was low and deliciously inviting making it hard for Penny to concentrate as she looked up at him, questioning, "You see a future with me?"
Leaning closer, he brushed his lips against hers while saying, "A lifetime of moments like this."
Penny opened her mouth, but the words that were just at the tip of her tongue were now stuck in her throat.
Taking advantage of the moment, Seth deepened his kiss before rolling them both onto their sides. He wrapped an arm around her waist pulling her flush against him.
"You set the pace," he whispered in her ear before nibbling down the side of her neck.
With various emotions coursing through her, an unexpected realization broke through. If he truly wasn't in a hurry, then why was she? She wanted to savor all the moments like this, the ones that would never happen again. When there is still an uncharted mystery in discovering one another. Seth was a man to take her time with.
Before she was lost in the sensation of his lips and his touch, Penny breathed, "I like this."
Dragging his lips across the side of her jaw, he placed a soft kiss on her lips and replied, "Anything you want."
Penny couldn't help but let out a laugh as he smiled and pulled her into another kiss.
Twenty Two
Everything over the next few weeks seemed to flow perfectly into place. Penny's skill had improved enough for Kieran to tell her that her work was looking good. She and Seth had slowly progressed into some serious heavy petting but were still holding out for just the right moment. The wedding was now only two weeks away and although Auggie was unbearable to be around, everyone else, even Braden seemed happy.
Standing in Charlotte's room waiting for her to unveil what she had referred to as the most stunningly beautiful shoes of the face of the earth, Penny shook her head at Liv.
"Wonder if Kieran likes that sorta thing..."
Carefully cutting the box open, Charlotte replied, "My black stilettos are Augustus' favorite. You know sometimes..." before curling the side of her mouth into a smile as she warned, "You might want to cover your ears Penny."
"Maybe you could just not talk about the nasty things you do with my brother."
Laughing, Liv chimed in saying, "We all know Auggs likes to get a little freaky now and then."
As Charlotte started to laugh, Penny glared at them, fussing, "We don't talk about that day, ever."
"All I'm sayin' is Kieran and I've never got butt naked and done it on the kitchen table."
Throwing her hands over her ears, Penny shouted, "Oh Gah, Liv! Shut up!"
Charlotte scolded, "Stop, we did all agree never to bring it up." Just as Penny lowered her hands from her ears, Charlotte added, "Besides he had me bent over it, there's a difference."
"That's it! I don't even want to see your shoes now," Penny griped turning to leave the room.
"No, I'm sorry. We'll stop," Charlotte swore.
With a heavy sigh, Penny replied, "Fine but these better be some spectacular shoes."
"Sorry for teasing but it's only fair," Liv said.
"How is reliving that horrible, horrible day anything but wrong?"
Charlotte answered for her saying, "You're the only one of us getting any right now."
Although slightly grossed out due to the previous subject, Penny knew Charlotte was standing her ground with Auggie but she had assumed Liv and Kieran had worked things out.
Penny stood there silently for a moment before Liv gave her a suspicious look.
"You are, aren't you?"
Charlotte broke in before Penny could answer, questioning, "You haven't slept with him?"
"You say that like it's a crime."
Liv quickly blurted, "She's saying that like she's shocked as hell."
Rolling her eyes at them, Penny shared, "No, we haven't. Yet."
"So what do y'all do?" Charlotte asked.
Trying her best to suppress the smile that instantly formed, Penny replied, "Things."
"Ah, I see," Liv said before asking, "So is he... Skilled?"
"That's really personal," Penny answered in lieu of 'Like you wouldn't believe'.
"I'd say by the shade of red she's turning right now, whatever he's doing makes her one happy Penny," Charlotte enlightened.
Unable to help herself, Penny enthusiastically nodded.
~
Leaning back in a chair on Kieran's porch, Seth laughed as he listened to Braden's bachelor party suggestions.
"What if it's a classy strip club?"
Auggie and Kieran shouted, "No!" in unison, shooting down his idea for the fifth time.
"Sor-ry, I was just sayin'..." Braden griped before turning to Seth, asking, "Don't you
think..."
Quickly ending that thought, Seth shook his head saying, "There is no way Penny would be okay with that."
Everyone glanced at Auggie for a moment as he made an irritated noise and narrowed his eyes at Seth before shaking his head and looking away.
Cleary he wasn't Cara or whatever anymore. It wasn't like Auggie was real friendly to begin with, but it did seem like he was even less than that since finding out Seth was seeing his sister.
"Ignore him," Braden said before laughing, "He's just extra pissy 'cause Charlotte cut him off until the 'I do's'."
"I can sympathize," Seth replied before Auggie jumped out of his chair and Seth's mind snapped 'You're going to die'.
Auggie lunged at Seth shouting, "What the f..." just as Kieran grabbed him explaining, "Auggs, pretty sure that means they're not."
Seth's chest constricted as he shook his head swearing, "We haven't yet."
"Yet?" Auggie growled at him as Kieran snapped, "Boy!"
Seth's head was warning 'Shut up!-Shut up!' but for some reason he couldn't stop his mouth from saying, "It was my idea not to."
The porch was suddenly completely silent, with the exception of the sound of Seth's breathing.
Kieran stared wide-eyed at Seth and Braden's mouth was hanging open while Auggie gave him a death stare. Trying to judge if he should get up and run or if it was safer not to move, every muscle in Seth body had painfully tensed and he was on the verge of hyperventilating.
"That's my sister," Auggie warned through gritted teeth.
Seth frantically nodded at him.
Jerking away from Kieran, Auggie grabbed a Guinness out of the ice chest and sat back down, before Braden leaned over whispering, "Man, I thought you were dead for a minute there."
Trying to regain a sense of composure, Seth barely nodded as he recovered for his near death experience.
Aside from the occasional glare from Auggie, everything had pretty much gone back to normal by the time Penny, Charlotte and Liv pulled up.
Seth watched Penny skip onto the porch before seating herself in his lap. As she kissed his cheek, he quickly glanced at Auggie to make sure his life wasn't in any danger. As it turned out, with Charlotte there she was the main focus of his attention allowing Seth to feel comfortable enough to wrap his arms around Penny.