Monica chatted with Penny, he became more grumpy.
"Good enough Penny. Go home it's late."
"See you later," Penny breezed. "Nice to see you again Monica."
Monica's dyed black hair bounced as she jumped off the counter. "Bye uh-"
"Penny," Shawn growled. "Let's go."
Penny didn't look back, saving Shawn from any displays of affection.
She drove home and went into the house. Her father was watching television. "How did the evening go?" her dad asked.
"Personally, a disaster."
He stared at her.
"Oh, you meant business wise. The store was busy all night."
"What did you mean?"
"I'm in love with Shawn."
Doug Rogers squirmed in his chair. "Should you talk to your mother about this?"
"No. I think this is good. I didn't think he liked me, so I focused on getting away from here."
"Why do you think he has feelings for you now?"
"When you told me I couldn't leave, I went to talk to him. And I'll skip the interim. He told me that he won't date me because of our differences. He doesn't want me to get stuck here."
"Like him."
Penny nodded.
"Is it so bad a place to be?"
"I didn't think I had anything here."
"The store?"
"Obligation to you."
"You are studying business."
She laughed. "I guess it's in my blood."
"Between you and Shawn you'd do well with the store." Doug sat back. "Maybe your mom's plan for early retirement and travelling is sound."
Penny looked at the clock. "Don't wait up. I'm walking."
"Good luck."
It was five blocks to the house that Shawn rented.
She knocked on the door. "Shawn's not home," his mother yelled.
"I know Mrs. Moore. It's Penny. I work with Shawn. Can I come in?" she called back.
"It's open."
Penny opened the door. She was nervous as she entered. She closed the door behind her. "Thank you Mrs. Moore. How are you?"
"Sit down girl. You're making me nervous. I'm well enough. How are you?"
Penny sat on the sofa's edge. "Good. I came to talk to Shawn."
"He's not home."
"He doesn't want to talk to me."
"You came to ambush him."
"Yes."
"Are you the reason he's been moping?"
"Fraid so. He thinks getting involved with me would wreck my life. I need to show him what a mistake it would be not to."
"He's been in love with you for years."
"And now he thinks he's not good enough."
Nancy Moore waved her hand. "I don't need the details girl. Do you love him?"
"I've loved him since I was eleven."
"I don't know when he'll be home."
"I'm patient. Can I wait in his room so I won't disturb you?"
Shawn's mother waved her hand.
Penny stood. "Uh..."
"At the end of the hall."
"Thank you." Penny entered his room. She closed the door and inhaled his scent. His clothes were scattered on the floor. Drawers were half open. The bed was unmade.
Penny nestled into the imprint he left on the pillow. She stared at the ceiling; prepared to wait a long time.
She was a little disappointed when he came home forty-five minutes later. She cursed herself for not asking that his mom not tip him off. She held her breath waiting for him to storm down the hall. Ten minutes later his heavy footsteps made her heart pound in her chest.
His door opened and he flipped the light on. Penny sat up in the bed. "Hi."
He jumped half a foot. "Shit. Hell. You scared the life out of me Penny." He slammed the door before sitting on the bed, his hand over his heart. "What the hell are you doing lurking in the dark? Does my mother know you're in here? Or did you sneak in the window?"
"She knows. I knocked on your front door then asked her if I could ambush you. Well, ambush was her word."
"You just don't get it do you?"
"No, not really. I don't get why you see all these differences. We are more the same. We have to sacrifice for our families. We work hard. We're intelligent. We're sexy. And we love that stupid store."
"I live with my mother. I have faded furniture that was around when I was born."
"I live with my mother. And my dad sits in a chair that he's had since 1979. Speaking of which, he and my mom want to retire early and travel. I can't run the store alone." She touched his cheek. "I need you."
"As an employee."
"As a partner. If we look at the store alone, I couldn't buy it by myself. Between the two of us ..."
His shoulders drooped. She was close.
"I don't want to be only business partners. I don't know how you feel about working with me and coming home with me as well. I know I'm not perfect. You like to go out and I'd rather stay home."
He didn't respond. He didn't even move.
Penny started to get off the bed. "At risk of annoying you, I'll leave you with that. And I don't believe any of your BS with Monica."
His hand shot out and grabbed her. "We could compromise." His voice was hoarse, as if he struggled to contain himself.
"On what?"
"Going out and staying in."
Penny lifted her head and met his eyes. They shimmered like tiny pools of water. She stepped toward him.
"I live with my mother. I can't change that."
"I wouldn't ask you to. I still have years of school left."
"When you are done you won't want to leave?"
She sat on his lap and leaned her head on his shoulder. "I only wanted to leave because I thought I had nothing here. I was wrong. You are here."
He lifted her head and pecked her lips several times. She laughed. "Kiss me properly."
"I don't know how. I've never kissed anyone before. Will you show me?"
She pressed her lips against his. He remained stiff. She shoved his shoulders. "Shawn. You aren't playing fair."
He laughed. Then, he framed her face with his hands to bring her close. She met his kiss, with parted lips and her tongue sought his mouth. His hands skimmed up her sides under her shirt, pulling it away from her. The skin on skin contact caused Penny to shiver.
"Too fast?" he inquired, brushing his lips over her forehead.
"I've been dreaming about this moment for five years. I don't think it can be too fast. But, uh, I should tell-"
He pressed his fingers to her lips. "I know." She was a virgin. She had been waiting for him. It was so cliché. She hadn't planned to, it merely happened. "We aren't going that far tonight, Penny."
"Why? I'm willing. I'm ready."
"I want to make it as good as I can. That takes time. For now, I want to hold you. What will your dad think if you don't come home?"
"He knows where I am. I'm an adult. What will your mom think?"
"She knows where I am. I'm an adult."
"What you are is a smart-ass."
"That's why you like me. Come on and lay with me."
They snuggled into his single bed. Penny kissed his nose.
"Penny?"
"Yes."
"I love you."
"I know babe."
"It still needed to be said." He was right.
About the Author:
Asrai started writing romantic, erotic fiction as a young woman while she fantasized about all the boys who would never give her the time of day. When she finished her NaNoWriMo project of 2008, she decided to share it with the world- her first novel length fiction. She also writes short erotic fiction for her blog Smut and the Dirty Girl. She likes to watch her husband cheer on the Calgary Flames while she comes up with her next fantasy situation to turn her on.
Bad writing in 140 characters on Twitter. https://www.twitter.com/asrai
Writing badly about my life blog at https://comingalive.wordpress.com
Read my smut at htt
ps://smutandthedirtygirl.blogspot.com
Keep up to date with my email list https://eepurl.com/dR91j
Mandy met the love of her life in high school. She didn't realize it until he left to pursue his dream of playing professional hockey. Twelve years later they are together again. Has life given them a second chance or will Kip leave her for his dream again?
Kip pulled the box out of its place in his bag beside the hotel double bed. He sat on atop the covers and opened the lid. He lifted out everything but the letter without looking at it. He pulled out the letter still stained with tears from when Mandy had written it. He knew the words from memory, but he needed to see them in black and white.
My love,
I never wanted to hurt you. I just think you need to concentrate on playing. It's your dream. Mine is being a teacher, and I have to work here on doing that. I'd be a distraction. I love you too much to do that. I'll be done in three years, and I'll call you then. I think it's for the best. I liked you from the moment I saw you the first day I walked into that school. I never dreamed I'd get to spend two years with the man of my dreams, let alone be loved. All my love MG
Kip was tempted to crumple the letter in his hands. He hadn't looked at it in over a year. He read it about once a year to remind him of the reasons everything had happened as it had. To try not to regret the past.
He'd lived the lie for eleven years. He'd told himself that he didn't regret letting her go. Maybe Mandy felt the same way, and he could have his second chance with her. If she didn't feel the same, then she wasn't the Mandy he'd loved all these years, and he'd be able to finally get over her. Either way, there would be some fucking closure.
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