“Don’t know. You just seem to have some sort of aura about you in here, almost like everyone is trying to catch your attention.”
Tobias turned his head toward Penélope. Her eyes bore into him. He flashed a narrow smile at her before turning to Annabel again. “I guess I just know how to make a party out of any night.”
“You like her, don’t you?” Annabel said.
A surprised look crept into his eyes. “What makes you say that?”
“I don’t know. The way you look at her, I guess. You’ve hardly taken your eyes off her all night.”
“What’s her deal anyway? Is she always this calm?”
“She’s just a very cautious person, but she has a good heart.”
Tobias nodded, his mind drifting from fantasy to fantasy of him and Penélope alone in a room. “Listen, I can’t have you standing here by yourself. Let me introduce you to my pal Teddy. I think you’ll like him.”
She blushed. “You don’t have to keep me sweet just so you can talk to my friend. I’ll be okay here by myself. Besides, I’m enjoying the music.”
“Cool. If you need anything, just call the waitresses.” Tobias dashed back to join Penélope at the table. He sat and put his arm around her shoulder. “So, do you live close by?”
Penélope pointed to her right. “I’m just over there,” she said. “East Sixty-sixth Street.”
Tobias nodded. “Nice area. I actually don’t live too far from you, but I’m staying at a friend’s tonight, over on Park Avenue. Sort of a house-sitting gig.” He paused to top up her Champagne. “So, do you and Annabel share a place?”
“No, not quite,” Penélope replied, hesitating slightly.
“What’s the matter?” Tobias asked, the grin leaving his face. “Do you live with a boyfriend or something?”
“No, not at all.” She laughed. “No, I live with my younger brother. It’s quite awkward actually. He just got out of the hospital and I’m kinda looking after him.”
“There’s nothing wrong with that. All men need a bit of looking after.”
“Yeah, you can say that again.” She laughed again.
“So why haven’t you got a boyfriend?” he asked. “Surely the only reason a beautiful woman like you isn’t seen around is because you’re already snapped up.”
“Well, to be honest, I spend all my time looking after my brother these days. I haven’t really had any time to date.”
“Well, I’m glad you’re single.” He caressed her shoulder. “At least I can court you in an honest way.”
“Court me?” She giggled like a schoolgirl. ”This just keeps getting better. I didn’t know guys still did that. It’s always about sex and money these days.”
“Obviously, I’m not one of those guys.”
“Oh, really? You have nearly three grand’s worth of Champagne on your table and you say you’re not about money.”
Tobias rubbed his hands up and down her waist. “I’m not going to lie, Penélope. I really like you.” He looked deep into her bright green eyes.
“I like you, too. I didn’t expect to even talk to anyone tonight, but it’s been nice meeting you.”
***
The clock struck midnight, and the patrons became increasingly intoxicated as the Champagne continued to flow.
Tobias massaged Penélope’s feet as they rested against his legs, his lips drawing closer and closer to hers. Just then, her face tightened. She held on to Tobias’ hands and squeezed them. “Please don’t be another one of those men who would say anything just to get me in bed.”
“Where did that come from?” He pulled her closer to him and held the side of her head against his thick chest for a few seconds.
“I don’t know. I’ve just been really let down by so many men lately, which is probably why I’m like this. But sitting here with you is so nice I actually—”
Tobias interrupted her by planting a gentle kiss on her lips, his hands holding up her long dark hair. He enjoyed the feel of her soft lips on his. Slowly pulling away, he looked deep into her eyes, captivated by her beauty, still oblivious of everyone around them.
“So, do you make a habit of kissing girls you don’t know in nightclubs?” she asked. She delicately wiped the edge of her mouth with her hand.
“I don’t really make a habit of kissing girls I don’t know. I guess—”
Penélope pulled his face forward and kissed him ardently, her tongue massaging his. He felt her abruptly pull away and looked up to see Annabel holding on to her shoulder. He leaned back and wiped his mouth, unable to meet the stares of the prying eyes around them.
“Can I talk to you, hon?” Annabel said. She motioned for her friend to follow her. Penélope rose and spoke into Tobias’ ear. “I’m just going to the restroom, baby. I’ll be right back.”
Tobias nodded. Annabel then led Penélope toward the enclosed section of the club, wriggling slightly to get across the crowded dance floor. He watched them from a distance and frowned when he noticed Annabel wildly raising her hands, as if in protest of something. He didn’t know whether it was an argument or something else, but he felt a slight unease.
The women were gone for almost ten minutes, and Tobias sat in silence, continuously looking at his watch. He was worried about what he saw and hoped the disagreement didn’t concern him. He then lifted the collar of his blazer to his nose, trying to inhale Penélope’s lingering fragrance. He contemplated their kiss, recalling the feel of her lips on his, the gentleness of her tongue as it caressed his.
He truly hadn’t believed it to be possible, feeling such a connection. He poured himself a full glass of Champagne and gulped it down, hoping the fizz would help return his mind to a calmer state. From the corner of his eye, he noticed Annabel gracefully walking toward him, but without her friend. He quickly rose to his feet.
“Where’s Penélope?”
Annabel smiled. “Relax, lover boy. She’s just finishing her makeup. What the hell did you say to her? She really likes you, and for her, that’s shocking.”
Tobias grinned. “She’s great,” he said. “I can’t even lie, I’m totally hooked.”
Annabel squeezed his large biceps and spoke with a firm voice. “You do know you can’t lie to me, right?”
Tobias nodded.
“That girl means the world to me,” Annabel went on. “I hope—”
“Trust me, I’m a good guy. Scout’s honor.”
“Well, I’m going now, but I need you to promise you’ll look after her.”
Tobias held up his right hand in mock salute. “You have my word on that. I’ll take care of her.”
“Well, you’d better.” She smiled. “Or I’ll come and hunt you down.” She broke into a fit of laughter, and Tobias joined in.
“What’re you two giggling about?” Penélope asked. She stood two feet from them, her body arched slightly to the right.
Tobias walked toward her and stretched his arm across her waist. “Oh, nothing really.” He paused to study her flawless makeup. With her eye tint and foundation, she looked as if she had just left a beauty salon. “Annabel was just giving me the friend warning.”
Penélope chuckled. “Oh, she just loves me. I swear sometimes it feels like she’s my second mom.”
Annabel kissed Tobias on both cheeks and did the same with Penélope. “Well, I’ll leave you lovebirds to it now,” she said to her friend. “I badly need my bed. Stay safe, baby. If you need anything, call me.”
“I’ll be fine, Ann,” Penélope said. “Tobias will look after me.”
“If you want to come to my place after, just come. I’ll leave the key under the mat.”
“Thanks, honey, I love you.”
Ten minutes later, Tobias said his farewells and led Penélope outside, where dozens of people desperately tried to hail cabs, many finding it difficult to stay on their feet.
“So, where’re you taking me, mister?” Penélope asked. She staggered momentarily, grabbing on to Tobias’ shoulder.
/> “It doesn’t really matter to me. I thought we could maybe go to my friend’s place, if you want to.”
Penélope held his face in her hands and planted a kiss on his lips. She pulled her head back and peered into his eyes for almost a minute. “I’d love to,” she said. She turned toward a taxi line. “I don’t know how we’re going to get there, though. You couldn’t buy a taxi out here.”
Tobias sniggered. “Oh, don’t worry, that’s already taken care of.”
“What do you mean?”
A dark blue BMW sedan pulled up directly in front of them, and one of the nightclub bouncers rushed to open the door. Penélope looked at him with wide eyes. “What do you actually do?”
Smiling, Tobias helped her into the car, subtly declining to answer her question. The traffic started to break up after a few minutes. Tobias stared at Penélope and stretched his hand toward her waist but pulled it back.
“What is it?” she asked.
“It’s just you. You’re so goddamn beautiful. I don’t know what to do with myself when I’m around you.”
She pulled him toward her and kissed him softly. Her lips tasted like honey, delicate and sweet. When he looked up, he noticed the driver watching them in the rear-view mirror.
***
Tobias opened the apartment door and stood aside, allowing Penélope to walk in. She walked into the living room and ran her hands across the black leather couch. She looked at Tobias and nodded before heading for the kitchen.
He walked in after her and stood by the entrance with his arms folded. She rested her hands against the table beside the stove and stared into the glowing stainless steel sink for a moment.
“This is a nice apartment,” she said. “It’s spotless.” She walked past him and back to the living room, and he followed her. “I’m guessing yours is like this, too.”
Tobias laughed and nodded. Penélope walked past the TV mounted on the wall and peered into the bathroom and then the bedroom next to it, nodding approvingly. She walked back to the living room and leaned against the wall opposite the TV.
“So what’re we gonna do now?”
Tobias stared at her intently before approaching her with purpose. He reached for her waist and pulled her toward him, kissing her fervently.
She pulled back and raised her hands. “Relax, Tobias. I’m not going anywhere. We have all night.” She kissed his bottom lip and then moved on to the top.
Tobias kept his eyes closed, taking in her sweet fragrance. Clementine, almonds and vanilla—her smell was immediately familiar and stirred his senses.
She took a few steps back and held his left hand in her right. She smiled and turned around before leading him into the bedroom.
2. Unexpected Feelings
The clock on the wall adjacent to the bed struck 2:15 a.m. and woke Tobias from a brief nap. The bedroom was huge, at over 200 square feet, as was the whole apartment. Bookshelves stood on either side of a large television set—at least fifty inches—mounted on brackets. The floors were laminated, and paintings covered the walls. The bed was probably the largest king-size bed he had ever slept in. He had always enjoyed staying at Lucas’, even if only for the comfort he felt while sleeping.
He glanced to his right upon feeling movement. Meeting his gaze were Penélope’s sensual green eyes, illuminated by the lamp on the nightstand and looking affectionately at him. He clenched her hands, hoping to stop his body from trembling. He was still incredibly turned on.
Smiling, she moved closer and hugged him. “I’ve had an amazing time with you, baby.”
Tobias kissed her forehead. “I don’t think amazing’s the word I’d use.” He gently kissed her lips.
“Oh, and what would you call it?”
“I don’t know, earth-shattering.”
Penélope giggled. “You do come out with everything, don’t you?”
Tobias moved closer, his face stern. “Baby, you have to believe me when I say I do really like you.” He lay on his back. “I definitely hope I get to see you again.”
“Do you really?”
He sat up. “What do you mean?”
She gently ran her fingers across his chest. “Do you really want to see me again?”
He brushed her hair aside and held her face. “Of course I do. I won’t be able to think of anything or anyone until I do.”
“You’re so cute.” She kissed him and stared into his eyes. “Now it’s your turn to tell me about yourself. Where are you from?”
“Well, I was born in Düsseldorf.”
“Düsseldorf? As in Germany?”
“Yeah, why? Does that surprise you?”
Penélope sat against the headboard. “I don’t know. I definitely thought you were American. And you haven’t got a German accent.”
“Well, I might as well be American. I came here when I was 8, right after my dad died.”
“Oh, that’s so sad. What about your mom?”
Tobias frowned and squeezed his knuckles. “Well, she did bring me over here, but she couldn’t leave her past alone.” He wiped his eyes. Penélope leaned forward and caressed his face, but he quickly turned away. “In the end, it killed her.” He sniffed and faced her again. “She died five years ago, and there was nothing I could do to save her. The doctors said it was the drugs that killed her, but we’re not born with syringes in our hands. Someone or something puts it there.” His face tightened. “Her family made her a junkie, and I’ll always remember what they did to her.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I’m okay. I’ve made peace with it.” He forced a smiled.
“So you’ve been here all by yourself for the last five years?”
“Yep. It’s not all bad, though. I love it here. Plus I’ve met lots of great people.”
Penélope stroked the back of his head. “Well, I’m here now. Hopefully I can be one of those people in your life.”
“So, what about you? What’s the deal with your parents?”
The very loud ring of Penélope’s cell phone, sitting on the nightstand, interrupted them. She twitched nervously, a look of worry creeping onto her face.
“Are you going to get that?” Tobias asked. He held on to her hands.
“No. I’ll let it ring. It’s probably just my brother checking up on me.”
When the ringing ended, an uncomfortable silence fell on the room. Less than five minutes had gone by before the phone rang again. Penélope continued silencing the ringer, but the caller persisted for ten more minutes.
Finally, Penélope—trembling—turned the phone off. “I’ve got to go,” she said, her face filled with distress.
“What’s going on? You seem really scared.”
“It’s nothing.” She straightened her dress and put her shoes on. “I just have to get back to my brother.”
“But why are you so scared. Is it your brother?”
“No! My brother will never hurt me.”
“Then why do you look so worried?”
“Can you call me a cab, please?” She rushed to leave the room, but Tobias stopped her.
“No. Not until you tell me what’s wrong.”
“Please call me a cab or I’ll just get one outside.”
“What’s happened?” Tobias raised his hands. “We were having such a great night.”
“I promise I’ll call you once I get back.”
“Okay, just hold up. I’ll call you a cab.” He picked up his cell and ordered a taxi.
As Penélope opened the door to the apartment building, Tobias held on to her hand, reluctant to let go. She kissed him briefly and rushed into the waiting cab, which was promptly driven off. Tobias stepped out onto the pavement and waited until the taxi was out of sight. He glanced at his watch. It was nearly twenty minutes to 3.
He shut the door and stood still for almost a minute, haunted by the fear he’d seen on Penélope’s face. Why did I just let her go? He walked to the coffee table and picked up his cell. He scrolled down to her number and dial
ed it. After four rings, it went to voice mail. His returned to his room and put on a pair of shoes. I can’t just leave it like that. Shit, why the fuck did I let her go?
He rushed to the door and grabbed the handle before wincing and placing both hands on his head. He was overreacting. He must have been. It was probably nothing. He would just wait and call her in the morning to make sure that everything was all right. He took off his clothes and went back to bed.
3. The Bearer of Bad News
Annabel Lopez hated waking up early on Saturday mornings. It was her only true day off, and she tried her utmost to remain asleep until late morning or midday. But her continuously ringing cell phone was making that difficult today, and she finally turned the ringer off.
She opened her eyes ten minutes later, though, her vision still somewhat blurry. The clock said 10 a.m., and she frowned as she forced her eyes closed, attempting to return to sleep. After almost an hour of trying, she sat up angrily and mussed her hair.
Her caller ID showed that she’d gotten calls only from withheld numbers. She moaned and pounded the bed before getting up. She turned the TV on and left the room. She walked across the mahogany floor of the living room and into the bathroom beside the front door. Halfway through brushing her teeth, she paused, thinking she’d heard the faint ringing of her cell. A second later, she confirmed that it was indeed ringing and dashed back into her room. She placed it against her ear, panting.
“Miss Lopez?” said a voice at the other end.
“Yes.”
“I’m Detective Jack Monroe of the NYPD. I’m trying to find a next of kin for a Miss Penélope Salazar, and I see that she’s listed you on her passport as that.”
Annabel bit her bottom lip.
“Miss Lopez?”
“What ... what’s this all about? Why do you want to find her next of kin? Has anything happened to Penny?”
The man didn’t speak for a few seconds. Annabel heard his heavy breathing before he finally said, “Can I please inquire of your association with Miss Salazar? Are you related in any way?”
“I’m her friend.” Annabel’s voice trembled. “We’re more like sisters actually, so if anything’s happened to her, I need to know.”
The Kiss after Midnight (The Midnight Trilogy) Page 2
