She opens her mouth but closes it again.Objections and questions grow within her gaze, but so does unhappy resolution.
“I thought you’d prefer I introduce you to your coworkers since you don’t want to hide our history, but if—”
“Not our history; our connection.”
I know she means our intertwined past through her brother, but I smirk at the intimacy implied by her choice of words.It sounds as though we share a special bond between us.
Her eyes widen, and a blush colors her cheeks.
“Connections.With an s.Not connection.I misspoke.Our connections,” she insists.
Fucking hell, she’s too cute when she’s flustered.
“I stand by my words, sweet pea, but yours will work for now, too.I look forward to seeing you tomorrow,” I say before stepping around her and making my excuses and exchanging farewells with the groom-to-be.
Brennan doesn’t ask, but his furtive glance between me and Penelope speaks volumes.I clap him on the shoulder and lean in to whisper my congrats.
They haven’t announced it yet, but by the glow around him and his fiancée—and her vomiting yesterday—they must be expecting.Brennan’s proud smile and the way he tugs his woman closer to him is confirmation enough.
I leave without a backward glance, afraid my cock will spring to life if I lay eyes on Penelope again, but glimpse her at the edge of my periphery when I turn into the hall.My fear becomes reality as I catch her staring at my ass.Wearing jeans has never been so painful.I smirk but lengthen my stride and focus on the path in front of me.
Penelope Miles is now my future.
Tomorrow she’ll sign an employment contract, but that’s only the beginning.I’ll do whatever it takes to pull her into every part of my life.
Penelope Miles is the hidden obsession of my heart.She’s my muse.My comfort.My world.
I’ll earn her trust, vanquish her demons, and spend eternity with her by my side.
Chapter 5
Penelope Miles
“You did what?!”
I take a deep pull on my soda and enjoy the fizzy burn before meeting Peter’s gaze.
“I got a job,” I say.
This feels too similar to how my self-defense friends reacted when I told them about Sebastian’s offer.I didn’t escape fast enough and ended up being forced through a gauntlet of concerned friends.
Hilary was furious until I told her I accepted.Brook was concerned and made a comment about overbearing bosses being dangerous to single women, but her smirk didn’t match her words.Audrey remained skeptical, but then everyone forgot when her fiancé, Brennan, urged her to make an announcement.
As much as I know my friends meant well, my insides still shake from all the attention.
“Congratulations!”Peter says.
I wait for the barrage of questions, but he merely grabs another chicken wing off the coffee table and shoves it in his mouth.
“Really?That’s it?You alone know how out of character this is for me.How can that be all you have to say?”
He chuckles as he chews, leans back, swallows with annoying grace, and takes a sip of his beer before responding.
“The offer must have been flippin’ amazing for you to accept, so unless an old fling offered it, I say go for it.”
I hesitate too long.
“Pen!Who?”
