The Price of Penny

by T. C. Rybicki

  She shoved me hard. I was flat on my back the next second. I was practically dying for her but I had behaved myself for the better part of five months. Now she was the aggressor which was ultra hot. Penny climbed over me, she pinned each knee against my hips. She briefly broke our contact to discard the final piece of fabric between us, her silky panties. They were black and I’ll never forget that fact as long as I live.

  “Whoa, whoa, whoa. You want this to last more than ten seconds, don’t you?” I needed a second to take it all in, to remember the way it felt to have all of Penny on display in front of me, to memorize the hungry look in her eyes, as well as calm myself the hell down. I wasn’t joking about the ten seconds. She fell completely forward so she could kiss me. It took all my strength not to let nature take its course.

  When she took a break from my mouth to kiss that spot on my neck she was partial to, I took a deep breath. I told her we had all night, all weekend. “We don’t have to rush.”

  “We’ve been making out non-stop for weeks, I don’t need anymore foreplay, Chet. I only want you.”

  “I want you too, so much.” I still needed to slow her down. I, honestly didn’t know the first thing about being with a virgin. I didn’t want her to be uncomfortable, I knew she probably would be at first. The fact that I would hurt her really bothered me since I was hoping she actually enjoyed herself. I needed to get her off me to gain a morsel of control so I could take care of her needs first. I rolled her and I followed until our bodies nestled together side by side. Penny swung a leg over me and we started kissing again. We succumbed to deep passionate kissing, the type of kisses that assured me I would never forget the taste of her. Penny played on all my senses. My mind and body felt maxed out and we weren’t even doing it yet. The entire time we made out, our hands caressed and fondled heated skin. My muscles took turns tensing and relaxing at her touch. I couldn’t get close enough. There was only one way to make us closer.

  Penny felt the same way, “Please Chet, I’m dying. I want to be yours.”

  “You already are.”

  “But I want all of you.”

  She rolled to her back. I made the move to settle my body between her legs. Nothing was between us or ever would be. Penny pulled my head with her hands, our kisses deepened, followed by a gentle unrehearsed rhythm of our bodies. I consumed her and we had almost gotten to the point of no return when the last sliver of brain function came back to me. I forgot all about protection which was my job. I knew she wasn’t on anything. I pulled back which wasn’t easy. Penny held me in place with her feet tight against my thighs.

  “You’ve got me completely crazy, you know that?” I’d never been so close to being that careless. I sprang off the bed, hit the floor, grabbed the drawer of the nightstand, jerked it open and got out what I needed. I was back in place before she had time to miss me. I ripped the foil with my teeth.

  Penny covered her face with her hands, “Oh my gosh, oh my gosh! I can’t believe I almost did that. I’m so stupid. Sorry, total novice here.”

  I told her it was okay. I was not a novice and I still forgot. She had almost made me forget my name, so protection was the last thing on my mind. Once we were being safe, I coaxed her with my voice. I told her to relax and trust me. I kept repeating how much I loved her.

  “I love you so much.”

  I thought our best bet was to go slow, but that only lasted a few seconds when she practically growled in my ear, “Just do it.”

  That moment made time stand still. It was only the two of us in existence, we were separate beings becoming one and it took my breath away. I was a man and had most certainly never thought of it like that. Before Penny, I was consumed by purely physical urges. Of course, this was physical and so damned good, I was close to embarrassing myself or letting her down. She felt amazing and oh-so welcoming after that initial resistance.

  I didn’t dare move for fear of hurting her more, but also to protect myself from losing control. It was almost too good and I wasn’t used to this much intensity, not to mention I’d lost count the months of celibacy I’d endured.

  My head fell against hers. Seconds passed with neither of us moving or saying a word. We soaked it all in . . . feeling everything together, breathing the same air, sharing our bodies. Penny sniffled a time or two and I swept a tear from the corner of her left eye.

  I whispered my love for her again, she replied with her body when she encouraged me to move. Penny never had to tell me twice about anything once we got to know each other. Making love was a whole new experience for both of us. I treasured the gentleness of this first time. It was my attempt at protecting her in the beginning, but I soon realized I was the one that needed the careful approach.

  She said things against my chest that no one else would ever be privy to. In return, I whispered my deepest desires and feelings in her ear. I said truths to her that I’d never uttered to another soul. I told her plenty of times, she was it for me and I knew that wasn’t an embellishment. I would never lie to Penny. As our bodies elevated into a new demanding cadence, I felt her breaths increase. She clung to me with her legs and arms. Occasional scrapes from her nails across my back threatened that last fraction of self-control that remained. I had to hold out longer for her. I wanted her to be wholly fulfilled like I knew I would be any second.

  I gave us both the best advice, “Let go . . .”

  And she did. There were no more doubts if she’d forever remember this as a near perfect memory like I was sure to. My mind spun to the point I was delirious as I felt Penny wash over me. She was vocal as she fell over the edge. I followed her into ecstasy several heartbeats later. The physical, emotional and spiritual aspects of our relationship had just culminated in one sacred place. I loved her and she loved me and it was way more than a stated fact, it was everything.

  “You’re trembling, babe.” She breathed heavily against my arm. “Sure, you don’t need help?”

  “Oh, I need help alright, but nothing, a giant takeout order and round two won’t cure. I’m ordering sustenance before I get a headache. What do you want?”

  “Anything’s fine. I’m not picky.”

  “Lies, Penny. All lies, you’re picky as hell. We both are.”

  “Not about food though.”

  I was sincere when I asked if she was truly okay. “I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

  “Well, that’s not the right word, maybe you overwhelmed me and it was intense at first, but then amazing. You’re amazing and I might be the luckiest woman on the planet. I’ve never been happier. I love you.”

  “I meant to plan something way more romantic in San Diego: rose petals, soft music, candlelight. You caught me off guard. I suck at romance but that’s our little secret.”

  “Actually, you don’t. You’re quite terrific making our moments romantic if I’m completely honest.”

  “Oh yeah, tell me more. I like when the ladies brag.”

  She twisted my nipple. “No more ladies, one lady from here on out.”

  “Of course. I’m kidding.” One lady used to sound terrifying, now it sounded like the only possibility.

  “Well, I’m dead serious when I say, you did good, Romeo, better than I ever imagined. I’ve got some major catching up to do. The Internet would surely implode if I gave even the tiniest of details about what you’re like. My man has it going on.”

  We laughed together. She had way more going on than she’d given herself credit for. I was practically spouting poetry in my thoughts and sometimes out loud about how she made me feel during our first union. If X or Wayne ever got word of this, I’d never hear the end of it. I’d be humiliated, but there was nothing embarrassing about sharing my feelings with Penny. I’d fallen so hard, I felt paper thin.

  We cuddled and kissed a few more minutes before I informed her she would need to renew her strength. I had to have some food. We’d napped earlier. I was fully prepared to keep her up all night.

  Penny was confident when she climbed ov
er me. “I think you’ve got it all wrong. I’m the one that’s going to keep you up, not the other way around.” She kissed me soundly on the lips and made me thankful I was a young man brimming with virility and stamina.

  She stopped the renewal of activities sooner than I would’ve liked. I was ready to change the order of service and go for round two, then food. She got up and headed to my bathroom without one single attempt at covering up. There was no reason now. She stopped, pulled her hair up in one crazy looking ball of curls before twisting around to face me. I stared with my mouth open. I’d had all of her only minutes before, but I needed more immediately. I couldn’t get enough of her, ever.

  “Changed my mind. I do have a preference. I want nachos, fully loaded with chicken and beef, sour cream, guacamole, jalapenos and salsa. Never mind, just call it the works. I’m feeling hungry and super spicy.”

  My mouth watered for more than one reason. She was spicy as hell without the food. I had a feeling Penny would never hold back again and I couldn’t wait for whatever that meant for us in the future.

  Tinkling wind chimes filled my dreams. It took a minute to realize I wasn’t out back on a windy day. I was asleep in bed counting on my alarm to wake me up in the middle of the night. It had been our nightly tradition for almost a week. Chet was doing night shoots currently. If he got off at eight in the morning that meant I had to wake at four to see him. He’d been gone three weeks now. I knew it was going to be hard to adapt, but it was downright painful, especially after spending every single day and night together those last few weeks.

  I flicked on the lamp. Pepper gave me the usual dirty look. She assumed I’d gone mad weeks ago. She and Chet had a battle of wills whenever he stayed over. Pepper had her bed on the floor but kept finding her way on the bed with us, usually on his legs. Thinking about him in my bed made me miss him a tiny bit more.

  There were a couple of good things to look forward to. I talked or Skyped with him everyday and I was finalizing plans to go to Argentina within the month. He was supposed to have a lull in shooting. We only had to survive three months apart and one month was almost up. He had a break and then they resumed for a few weeks in Canada depending on the weather. Hopefully, a lot of that time, I would be with him. He encouraged me to take a leave of absence.

  He’d been insisting on other things as far as living arrangements were concerned, but I wasn’t sure. Chet didn’t want me to renew my lease. He wanted me to move in with him. He started asking daily since we were in San Diego. He’d feel better if I had round-the-clock security and gated parking. So far, no one had ever hinted at knowing where I lived. I highly doubted I commanded that type of curiosity. Chet had been seen with other women over the years. There had to be plenty of pessimists that didn’t think we were serious or that we’d last long. I was fine not letting the truth out just yet.

  One thought about the getaway had me flushed head to toe. The first week of sexual activity was merely a precursor to what Chet had in store for me. He unleashed all his true knowledge as soon as we started our vacation. We barely left our suite. Most of the time, we ate room service at all sorts of odd hours. I learned many things and tried to keep up. He said I was the perfect pupil. I only managed to get him out into the sunshine one afternoon so we could play tourists. Of course, he was recognized immediately, but lucky for us, it was a respectful fan. The guy even knew my name. That was becoming a regular occurrence, but I still had trouble wrapping my mind around it. We kept our head down the rest of the day and managed a quiet romantic dinner out. That was when the moving in suggestion began.

  I’d only been awake five minutes when Chet appeared on my laptop. “Hey, beautiful.”

  Only Chet could call me ‘beautiful’ with a mountain of bed head and sleep in my eyes. He could be very convincing. I thought he looked tired. I wanted to know how the shoot was going. He rarely spent much time discussing work. He’d much rather try to sex me up via our video chat.

  “What are you wearing?”

  “Are you really going to ask that cheesy question again and waste time when we have less than an hour? I have to work and I need more sleep.” I’d been needing more and more sleep, but never quite getting enough.

  “I can’t think of a better way to spend an hour than looking at you. Lean back so I can see all of you.”

  I did.”It’s just one of your raggedy tank tops.”

  “Hot! That shirt never looked so good.” I laughed. I hoped I looked a bit different in his tee or I was failing miserably. “One more thing, turn to the left.” I did and then he asked if I’d turn to the right. Chet thanked me for a glimpse at both side boobs.

  “You’re so crazy, but God how I miss you.” I found it hard to believe nothing eventful was transpiring with the shoot, but he kept deflecting my questions. I sensed drama. I reminded him, he was in one of the most anticipated sequels of the decade. Filming had to a bigger deal than he made out.

  “This week has been a no-brainer. Most of the shoot is going as planned. I don’t want to talk about that. Get back to the part about how much you miss me and I’ll fill you in how we can get closer via Skype.” He flashed his bedroom eyes. I knew all his expressions by heart by now.

  “Forget it, what if someone hacks our chats?” He assured me that one night he was getting me out of my comfort zone and out of my clothes. I decided to torture him a bit. “So, I went on a date tonight.”

  “What the hell? You just murdered my imagination that you were going to take that shirt off.”

  I giggled when I told him the truth that it was Wayne. He called me on my break and wondered if I’d pick him up and go out for enchiladas- his treat, but I had to face the traffic to go to him.

  “Ugh, Wayne is spending time with my girl. Meanwhile, I’m thousands of miles away and you won’t even take your top off while we talk. I feel cheated. What does he want anyway?”

  “I resent that. He’s my friend too. I think he wanted some companionship and sound advice. He misses you too, you know.”

  “How’s Operation Aubrey?”

  “Well, he said ‘hello.’ That’s progress. Previously, he’d only spoken to her about her computer.” I could see Chet rolling his eyes on the screen. He told me to keep doing what I was doing with Wayne. This was the least weird he’d ever been. I preferred to call him unique, either way, he was good to us and I trusted him. However, I did not trust that douchebag Xavier or I’m your special buddy, Grace. Chet, eventually told me a little bit about the shoot and their names came up often.

  I yawned. He wasn’t boring me, but I was increasingly exhausted as the days of this work week from Hell moved forward.

  “Awe, Penny’s so sleepy. I’m sorry.” He mocked me in his baby voice. “We don’t have to keep doing this. The night shoots are almost over.”

  I told him I’d be fine after a long nap tomorrow. No, that was wrong; it was already today. He did this thing where he circled my face with his fingers. It almost felt real like all the times he’d done it to me in person. I swear my skin erupted in a million goosebumps. “I can’t wait to touch you again.”

  “Me too. I love you and I miss you like crazy.”

  “I love you too. Tell me what you miss the most?”

  “Chet . . . all of it. Everything. Us. You. I don’t know.”

  His voice was taunting, “Yes, you do. Tell me.”

  “Okay, I miss when our eyes connect and I don’t only hear that you love me, I know it.”

  “Honey. Damn.”

  “And I miss the very beginning when we start to make love. Well, truthfully, I miss the whole thing, but at the start, when you take my breath away, that’s the most amazing part. My favorite, actually.”

  He didn’t respond at first. He only shook his head a bit. I’d done a rare thing and rendered him speechless. He told me I was beautiful again and that he loved me. Then he said I should get a little more sleep. “I’m grimy and need a shower and you just gave me some new material. Missing you has never
been more real. Love you, sweet dreams- about me, I hope.”

  My screen went dark. I meant to tell Chet about my doctor’s appointment, but that would have gotten him even more wound up. He’d be especially pleased when I informed him I was handling that department. Maggie told me I was naive to trust a man with all the birth control so I was finally acting like a grown up and getting on the pill tomorrow.

  Hot air and harsh knowledge smothered me. The thrum of adrenaline-filled blood rushed through my head. I couldn’t get the words to come out of my mouth when I realized what the question meant.

  “Penelope, are you okay? Let me get you some water.” I heard the sound of running water and then cool liquid flushed my mouth and throat. The nurse kept asking questions. I could speak again, but I didn’t want to.

  “I’m sorry, can you repeat that? I had a head rush since I skipped lunch.”

  “I said, is it normal for you to skip a month? You said your last cycle was around July 25? Did you mean August?”

  It should have been the end of August, but it wasn’t. Why had I not been paying attention? Those details were more important than ever.

  “Well, my sister and I were synced. She got married and moved out, so I guess I’m . . . I don’t know . . . irregular.” I was reaching for lame excuses to face the reality of my carelessness.

  “Do you want me to get you a pregnancy test? Dr. Brown will ask before she prescribes birth control since you’re late. Is there a chance you could be pregnant?”

  The answer was on the top of my tongue again. We’d been careful. I thought about all the odds and probability, but I also knew the truth. The truer statement was we’d been careful most of the time. However, I remembered once in San Diego when we took a chance. It wasn’t a conscious decision, more like we got a little carried away and didn’t care. I sure cared now.

  “Yes, please. I need the test.”

  Maggie drove up in the driveway and honked which was a typical reflection of her regular impatience. I thought maybe we could talk before she sped off, but she never gave me a chance to speak. “Well, this is new. I’m picking you up instead of making you cart me around LA.” She bounced her hands on the steering wheel like a drum after turning up the radio. “I love this car so much. It suits me, doesn’t it? Keats is the only person I’d trust to buy a vehicle without me picking it out.”