“There’s something off about this whole thing. Peter’s not a mastermind, and we know he received payment from someone.From what I’ve read in his file and after you called Todd, the coding was too advanced. Whoever wrote that code knew what they were doing.”
Pen presses her fingers into her eyes.
“There’s something…” she sighs, taking a sip of her drink.
It’s then I notice how tired she looks.
It’s my turn to lean forward.
“Pen, you’ve flown in and been on the go constantly ever since you arrived. When did you last sleep?”
She gives me one of her side smiles, although it doesn’t quite reach her eyes.
“I slept on Kris’s plane. The bed is surprisingly comfortable, but it’s never the same.”
She closes her eyes and drops back against the sofa.
I smart at the fact she slept in a bed owned by Kristophe Lansdown, even though I know I have no right. She’s engaged to the man. She does a lot more than sleep in his bed. Nausea hits at the thought. Every time Pen has dated over the years, it’s left me with a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. Not that I deserve anything else. She was never mine. I still remember the time she lost her virginity. The guy was hanging around for months. He’d been a complete nerd, and to this day, I don’t know what Pen saw in him. When she finally did the deed, he let the entire campus know he popped her cherry. Jaxson, Zach, and I made him regret that move. Pen was ours. In between sobs, he told us it was a dare, but he would not give up the person who dared him. Pen laughed it off, but I saw the pain in her eyes. Trust was not something she readily gave, and the fact he abused hers.
I made my choice. Duty to the family above everything else. I gave up any right to Penelope Dawson years ago. She deserves every happiness, and I should be excited for her. She works tirelessly for others. Mum adores her and all she does for theFrazer Foundation. As their fledgling recipient, she’s shown her gratitude over and over. Offering internships, scholarships. Not to mention the vast amount she personally donates to fund future projects. She’s their poster girl, their big success story. Mum and Dad couldn’t have been more proud if she was their own daughter.
“Shit, I’m surprised you can string two sentences together,” I say, standing up. “You can crash here tonight. It’s not like I don’t have the room.”
Pen remains silent, and it’s only when I look more closely I realise she’s fallen asleep. Not just dozing, either. She’s sound asleep. Soft little snores escape.
I smile at the memory of finding her passed out on the table in one of the computer labs after she pulled an all-night session. She’d made the same noises then. She was so mad when she woke to find me sitting next to her, continuing our project.
I move towards her. Her head is at a strange angle, and I know when she wakes up, she’s going to have a dreadful neck ache.
I grab one of the throws Lottie likes to snuggle under when she’s watching TV, but throw it back down. Pen deserves a comfortable night’s rest, and my expensive, handcrafted sofa is not going to offer her that.
Leaving her, I head upstairs and open the door to one of my many spare rooms. Chrissy, my housekeeper, has them all aired and laundered. I pull back the covers on the freshly made bed before making my way back downstairs. Pen hasn’t moved, although I can’t stop the smile at the tiny snorts she’s giving off.
She always was a great sleeper. When she went to sleep, nothing would wake her. It was like she hit a brick wall and needed time for her brain to recover.
Looking down, my heart clenches as I stare at my once best friend. I lost her once before, and now I’m losing her again.Before I can think, I stoop and scoop her into my arms. Pen is not small, although she’s all height and long limbs.
She lets out a grunt of protest before snuggling into my chest, her head resting on my shoulder, her breath teasing the skin on my neck.
I bite my lip to suppress a groan at the feel of her in my arms
I carry her up the stairs, manoeuvring her through the door before lowering her onto the bed.
Her arms snake around my neck, and she lets out a little moan as I go to pull away.
I freeze, with my hands going to where she’s locked hers behind my head. She’s surprisingly strong. She pulls my face towards her, and I close my eyes, letting her scent wash over me.
She’s sound asleep, but her body is calling to mine. She arches up towards me, trying to pull me closer. Before I can stop her, her lips find mine. Her tongue snakes out and dances along the seam of my mouth, asking for entry. My lips soften, and I groan, deepening the kiss before I come to my senses.
I squeeze my eyes closed and resist. Pulling her hands from behind my head, I stare down only to find she’s still sound asleep. She groans in protest, but I place her hands down and pat them. Noticing once again the garish socks she’s wearing.
As always, Pen removed her shoes when she entered the apartment. She’s been no different. Her mum has a no-shoes in the house policy. I think because she worked such long hours, she didn’t have time to clean the floors as often as she would have needed to or liked. They may not have had much money, but Ms D always kept an immaculate home.
Pen rolls onto her side with a moan. The sound shoots straight to my cock, and I harden like a teenager.
I lean over and pull the duvet up to cover her, ignoring the increasing pressure between my legs.
She lets out another moan, and I pause.
