Miles

by KB Winters

  “Okay, did I miss something while I was gone with Rose?” Colton asked. “How did you go from asking me about a dating profile to full on marrying some girl you’ve casually known for years.”

  Lucas chuckled. “Hawk has frazzled dad brain. I’m immune by now. You gotta go slow for him.”

  I laughed and repeated the story from the beginning.

  “Damn, and I thought what I did was ballsy,” Colton said when I finished.

  We all laughed and I relaxed into it. Nothing in my world made sense anymore, but I could at least count on my friends to bring me back from the edge of insanity.

  “Miles! Hi, it’s Karena—” a perky, cheerleader voice cut in, having swiped the phone from her hubby. “First of all, congrats on manning up! We’re all super proud. Secondly, I’m on the other line with Isla and we both want to know when we get to meet your bride!”

  Lucas burst out laughing. “Damn, Warren. That didn’t take long.”

  “Sorry, she…wrestled me…” Colton said, coming back on the line.

  “She wrestled you?” I repeated.

  Colton laughed but didn’t try to argue his side. We all knew Karena was a sprite compared to him and there was no way in hell she could overpower him. Unless she played dirty, and knowing Karena, that’s exactly what happened.

  “Well tell her that Penny will be here in Georgia by the end of the month.”

  I think.

  Colton relayed the message and I heard squealing in the background on both lines. “They want to start some kind of Army wives club,” Colton explained, tuning back in.

  Lucas chuckled. “I think it’s just an excuse to get together and drink wine.”

  “A little tricky when a third of the trio is a couple thousand miles away,” I said.

  “That’s what Skype is for,” Colton replied.

  I laughed. “Got it. Well, she’ll be here soon. First, we have to survive dinner with my parents.”

  “Ouch,” Lucas said.

  “Two weeks from now. If all goes well, I’ll have the rest of my trust and can finally start lining things up for the garage.”

  “Very cool, man. Can’t wait to see it!” Lucas replied.

  The sound of wailing filled the air before Colton could put in his two cents. He sighed heavily.

  “Everything okay over there?” I asked, holding the phone away from my ear.

  “Yeah. She’s just pushing the boundaries these days…toddlers are not for the faint of heart.”

  Lucas chuckled. “Take it easy, Hawk. We just got him married off. You don’t want to spook him off kids now that we’re finally making progress.”

  “Ha ha, very funny.” I grinned.

  “Good point. Well, take it easy, guys. Miles, let’s hit the gym tomorrow?”

  “You got it.”

  Colton hung up, leaving Lucas and me on the line. “You okay, Warren?”

  I paused. “Yeah. I’ll be all right. I just gotta figure out how to balance everything. There’s a lot going on right now. Phasing out of the Army, starting a new business…a wife. It’s all sinking in.”

  Lucas laughed. “I gotta say, you never do anything halfway, do you?”

  I shook my head. “I guess not.”

  “You’ll figure it out, Miles. I know you will. And, hey, if you need anything in the meantime, call me, all right?”

  “I will. Thanks, brother.”

  “Anytime.”

  We said our goodbyes and hung up. I sank down onto the edge of the bed and checked to see if there were any messages from Penny. We hadn’t discussed how often to keep in contact. I wanted to give her space as she thought about everything but I couldn’t help but flip through my phone and find her number. It all had a high school feel to it. Call. Don’t call. Call?

  No. I set the phone aside. She deserved some time to decompress. We’d had a rough morning and while we’d recovered during the trip to the airport and the flight to LAX it couldn’t hurt to have some space to breathe.

  After all, this wasn’t a normal marriage. We didn’t have to play to any rules or conventions. We’d figure it out on our own.

  * * * *

  The week flew by, mostly filled with work, work, and more work. I guessed my unit decided since I was getting ready to leave, they should take advantage of me while they could. When I wasn’t at work, the gym, or sleeping, I was looking for garage sites and starting the paperwork process to get things moving. Penny and I had texted a few times, but overall things had been awkward since we left Hawaii.

  We danced around the real issues, keeping things light and cordial, neither of us wanting to dig right into the heart of the matter, but with my parents’ deadline rapidly approaching, I knew it was time to stop bobbing and weaving.

  It was late and as I dialed her number, I hoped she was still home and not out with her roommates. To my relief, she answered before any images of her out dancing in something skimpy or sexy could take hold in my brain and rattle me anymore than I already was. “Hey,” she said, her tone flat.

  “Hey, Penny. How’s your week been?” I stood and started to pace back and forth down the main hallway of my second floor, going to the top of the stairs and then pivoting and going back to the master bedroom, over and over.

  “It’s good. I finished the layout on the last two pages of my book and wrote the dedication. That kind of took a lot out of me.”

  “I bet.” I cringed, this wasn’t the way I wanted this to go. “I’m sure it feels good to get it finished though. Now we can find you the right publisher. Cake.”

  “Right. How about your week? Sounds like you’ve been busy with work. How are the plans for the garage going?”

  “Good. I have a lead on a building that’s coming up for lease. It has the space I need and a good location.”

  “Cool.”

  I raked a hand through my hair and stopped pacing. “Listen, there’s no easy way to say this, so I’m just gonna drop it. My parents want to meet you. A week from now. They’re throwing a dinner for us and it’s not really optional.”

  “A week from now?” Penny sounded irritated.

  “I’m sorry. I’ll fly up and we can go to the dinner and then I can help pack or do whatever you need for the rest of the weekend.”

  Penny scoffed. “Why didn’t you tell me about this sooner? Didn’t you think I’d have my own plans?”

  I flexed my jaw, biting back a snappy reply. “I’m sorry, Penny. You’re right. I should have let you know as soon as I found out.”

  “Yes, you should have, but this time, it’s fine. We can do the dinner. Just tell me what to wear and when to be ready. I’ve played that game my whole life. I can do it again.”

  “Penny, please don’t be like that. It’s just a dinner, all right? You had to know this would be part of the whole arrangement.”

  “Yeah, well, I’m beginning to rethink this whole thing…”

  I gripped the railing of the stairs and stared straight ahead at the wall. “What? Why? Am I somehow inconveniencing you? I haven’t even talked to you all week!”

  “Exactly!” Penny fired back. “You haven’t bothered to call me all week. All I got were a couple of half-assed texts and then when you do call it’s two sentences and splat! The truth comes out! You just need something from me.”

  I jerked my hand from the railing, leaving my palm red, and stalked back down the hallway. “What is it that you want, Penny? You don’t want to actually be with me or even try to have a relationship, so how was I supposed to know you wanted me to call you or check in? You could have called me, you know.”

  “I never said I didn’t want to have a relationship with you!”

  “Whoa, hold on. Am I talking to the right Penny?” I shook my head, disoriented by her sudden change of tune.

  “I said I didn’t want to sleep with you, Miles. Surely you can have relationships without that. Or, maybe I’m wrong. Maybe that’s all you care about and if I’m not going to be up for that you might as well just
ignore me. Oh, except when you need a date for your stuck-up dinner party!”

  “I don’t need a date, Penny. I need my wife. That’s what this is, remember?”

  “Of course I remember. How could I forget?”

  “What is this really about, Penny? What are you really pissed about?”

  She fell silent and I closed my eyes, waiting for her to tell me she was backing out.

  “I don’t even know,” she said, her voice quiet. “I’ll figure it out.”

  I cleared my throat. “You know, I’m new to this whole relationship thing, but I’m pretty sure we are supposed to figure this out. You know, together.”

  “I’ll figure it out,” she repeated, not missing a beat this time. “I’ll see you when you get to town. We have a guest room here if you want to stay with us.”

  I swallowed down my argument. I needed to see her in person to continue the conversation. There was no point in arguing over the phone. Especially when neither of us seemed to know what it was we were arguing about.

  “All right. I’ll send you my flight details and the dinner information.”

  “Okay. Thank you. Have a good weekend.”

  “You too, Penny.”

  She said goodbye and clicked off the call. I slipped my phone into my pocket and went to my bedroom to grab some workout gear. There were only two ways to deal with it—drink or work out. I was trying to do less of option number one, so sweating it out would be the best option.

  Or at least the one that would keep me from ruining my new marriage any further than I already had.

  Chapter Twenty

  Penny

  “Are you sure you’re going to be okay?”

  Jasmine’s concern flooded her voice, and I plastered a smile on my face before turning around to face her as she stood in the doorway of my bedroom. “I’ll be fine, Jazz. Thank you.”

  Her almond eyes narrowed. “Penny…”

  “It’ll be okay. I promise.” I tried to hike up the edges of my smile but knew it was a weak effort.

  Lo popped in from behind Jasmine, her bright face appearing over her shoulder. “Hey, Penny. You want us to bring something back from the restaurant? You know the fancy food at those dinners never tastes good.”

  I laughed and some of the pressure released. “Sure. That sounds good. I haven’t eaten anything all day.”

  Jasmine’s eyes widened and I knew she was about to launch into a new set of questions. I held up a hand to cut her off before she started. “I’ve just been nervous. I’ll eat tonight. I promise.”

  She arched her brow at me and I knew she was memorizing a mental note to harangue me about it later. “All right.”

  The doorbell rang and all three of us jumped.

  “Sounds like your hubby is here…” Lo said, grinning from ear to ear.

  I sucked in a sharp breath and then followed them down the hall and down the stairs to the main level of the apartment. Jasmine and Lo went to the coat closet and while they were getting into light jackets, I opened the front door for Miles. “Hey.”

  Oh.

  My.

  Word.

  Why did he always look so damn delicious? It really wasn’t fair. How was I supposed to stay cold and detached when every inch of him was screaming for me to tear off his clothes with my teeth.

  He offered a crooked grin. “Hello, Penny.”

  Jasmine and Lo were behind me and I bumped into Lo as I stepped back to let him inside. “Oops. Sorry.”

  Bunch of gawkers…

  “All right, ladies, we’ll see you later,” I prompted, all but shooing them out the door.

  “Hi, Miles,” Lo said, offering a small wave.

  “Hey,” Jasmine added.

  “Hello,” he replied, nodding at each of them in turn.

  I bumped Lo with my booty and both of them scurried like startled seagulls, flapping to the front door, and we all moved like a merry-go-round with Miles coming in, Lo and Jasmine filtering out, and I shuffled to the entry to the living area. “Bye, guys!” I said, waving as they started down the hall. Jasmine flashed me a thumbs up and Lo held up her hand to show she’d crossed her fingers.

  “Where are they headed?” Miles asked me once I shut and locked the front door.

  “A friend of ours is having a birthday party at a restaurant on the east side.” I continued through the arch and went into the living room. I felt Miles following behind and waved at the couch, indicating for him to take a seat.

  “I’m sorry, Penny. I didn’t realize you had plans tonight.”

  I stopped walking and drew in a breath, willing myself to get it together before I screamed at him. I didn’t care about the party. That wasn’t what had me on edge. “It’s fine. There will always be more birthdays, right?” I turned and faced him where he’d stopped in the middle of the living room. His duffel bag still hung across his chest. “I can take you up to the guest room if you want to put your stuff down.”

  Miles stared at me for a beat. “Penny, what did I do to make you so angry?”

  I sighed. “Miles, please, let’s just get through this weekend, okay? Now, I need to go upstairs to finish getting ready.”

  He tossed the strap of his bag over his head and let the duffel drop to the floor with a loud thump against the bamboo floors. After that, he shucked out of his black leather jacket and tossed it down to join the bag. I forced myself to keep my eyes locked with his and not stare at his body encased in the tight black t-shirt he was wearing. “We’re not going anywhere until we figure this shit out, Penny. I’ve been losing my damn mind for the last week, and I am not going to go to this dinner and be worried about it the whole time. I’m here. You’re here. We’re not leaving this apartment until we get it together.”

  I folded my arms. “That’s insane! You flew all the way up here to go to this dinner, you told me it wasn’t optional, and now you’re saying we’re not going unless we can sort out our drama? Which is it, Miles? I’m getting dizzy.”

  “I already apologized for the short notice on this whole thing. Trust me, it’s not how I want to spend my weekend either.”

  “Then why are we going? You have yet to tell me why this is such an emergency. I thought the whole reason why you had to get married was to get your money and get out from under your parents’ thumbs.”

  Miles heaved a sigh. “They want to know this is legit. You and me. And then, as long as nothing sets off their alarms, they have papers for me to sign to get the money.”

  My eyes went wide. “Aha. So that’s why the rush. You need your cash.”

  “That’s what this is, remember, Penny?” Miles’ tone wasn’t hostile but instead put-out, exhausted, which irritated me more.

  “Right. Well then if you’ll excuse me, I’ll go finish getting ready and then we can go.”

  I started across the room to the staircase but Miles snagged me by the arm and held me in place. His stare bore into me when I dared to look up at him. “Penny, please don’t do this.”

  “I’m not doing anything, Miles.” I tugged at my arm but he wouldn’t relent his grip. “What is wrong with you? Let me go!”

  He released me and scrubbed a hand down his face. “I just want to know what it is that you want from me. From this relationship.”

  “Nothing. Not one damn thing.”

  He stared at me for a moment longer and I shrank back. “I don’t believe you,” he whispered.

  I started to object, but before I could fling a retort at him, he reached a hand behind my neck and brought his lips to mine in a crushing kiss. My heart plummeted on a wild roller-coaster ride. The anger that had been building inside of me channeled into the rough kiss and when Miles wrapped his other arm around me, I broke free of the kiss and pushed away from his chest, flinging myself back against the nearest wall like a shotgun blast.

  “What the hell?” I panted, my eyes wild as I glared at him.

  Miles took a step towards me. “You want me. That’s why you’re so damn pissy all the
time.”

  “That’s insane,” I fired back. “Talk about an ego. Damn.”

  Miles closed in one more pace and my heart rocketed back into a frenzy. No, no. Go back. I can’t…

  “Penny, just admit it. You want me.” One more step.

  Shit.

  “You’re delusional. I’m in this for a book deal, remember?”

  Miles nodded. “I do. But that’s not the only reason. Do you want to know how I know?”

  “You don’t know!” I argued, wishing there was more firepower behind my voice. It was getting thin and desperate as he got closer and closer.

  “I do. And I know because it’s exactly how I feel too,” he said, his tone low. “I want you too, Penny.”

  I shook my head, screaming that it wasn’t true, but unable to force myself to say the words out loud. “No, Miles, we can’t. It’s only going to be a mess.”

  He took the last step, officially invading my space, and the smell of his cologne and the warmth radiating from his hard muscled body dissolved every last objection I had. My lips parted as my eyes met his. Miles’ gaze flicked to my lips and I trembled at the look in his eyes. Dark and hungry.

  “Miles,” my final plea was swept away as his lips crashed onto mine again, taking them with renewed fervor. His lips moved against me, parting my lips further and his tongue swept over my bottom teeth and then found its way to the tip of my tongue.

  Shit.

  I’m wrecked.

  Oh, God.

  The result set off a Fourth of July fireworks show in my belly.

  The last of my cognitive thoughts—the ones screaming at me to run fast and get away from him before I lost my footing completely—faded and I threw my arms around Miles’ neck, desperate for more. Miles groaned into my open mouth and the primal sound lit me on fire, every nerve crackled with the blaze as it spread over my skin. Miles’ fingers traced down the back of my neck and around my face to trace the line of my jaw before getting lost in my loose locks. He guided my mouth exactly where he wanted it to go, deepening the kiss even further.