by M. Malone
He closed the door and leaned against the wood. “What the hell happened?” She’d been right there with him right up until the end. She’d been like fire in his arms, hot and just as dangerous to his control. Until she’d suddenly gone cold. It just didn’t make any sense.
He lifted his eyes and his gaze landed on his Army hat sitting on the hall table. He reached out and picked it up.
Then he let out a harsh curse.
* * * * *
THE NEXT DAY, Matt decided it was time to stop winging it. Penny writhing in his arms had been an unexpected pleasure. One he wouldn’t mind repeating.
He’d suspected they’d be good together, but he’d had no idea just how good it would be. He hadn’t gotten any sleep the prior night with her taste still on his tongue and the memory of her rubbing herself against his leg. She’d worked him up good and then left him hard up.
Literally.
He’d never had this much trouble convincing a woman to go out with him before. He wasn’t exactly a ladies’ man—he was far too blunt to be smooth—but he’d never had anyone run away from him either. Matt scowled. It was probably time to admit he was striking out.
He needed help.
Normally, he’d call Jackson or Nick for advice. The Alexander brothers could probably give him an entire seduction plan, complete with date ideas and a list of things to talk about. Too bad he probably couldn’t pull off anything they’d suggest.
Matt pulled out his phone and looked at his recent calls. Eli’s name was at the top. He’d been in contact with him a lot lately and even though he didn’t know Elliott that well, he felt a connection with him. He was a gruff kind of guy and definitely not a smooth talker either. Yet, looking at his bedroom, he apparently didn’t have any trouble in the seduction department. Before he could talk himself out of it, he hit the number.
“Yeah.” Eli answered on the first ring.
“Hey, it’s Matt. Sorry to bother you, but I was wondering if I could get your advice on something. The thing is… I was hoping you could tell me what there is to do in the area. You know, places you could take a date.”
There was a smile in Eli’s voice when he responded. “I see you’ve found time for something other than physical therapy. Good for you.”
“Well, actually I haven’t.”
Eli was quiet, then he broke out into chuckles. “Your therapist must be a pretty girl then.”
Matt leaned back and kicked his feet up on the bed. “Look, here’s the deal. I really like this girl. It would be nice to spend a little time with a woman that’s about more than just sex. I don’t want to take her to some club where everyone there is drunk and trying to pick up on each other. But at the same time, going out to dinner doesn’t seem all that original either.”
“All right, I can send you the names of a few local places with decent food and live music. I’ve always found them good for a casual date. If you want something fancier, you’ll probably need to drive into D.C.”
“Thanks. I’m trying to find something a little different. She’s not exactly the easiest person to impress. Normally I’d ask Jackson or Nick, but their brand of flattery won’t work on this girl. And I’m pretty sure any ideas they gave me would be stuff I couldn’t pull off anyway.”
“I understand where you’re coming from. Jackson and Nick operate on an entirely different wavelength. I’ve never had the patience for the types of games they play. My advice is to let her tell you what she likes to do.”
“Let her tell me,” Matt mused. “So I should ask her?”
“No, definitely don’t do that. Women never say what they mean anyway. Just listen to her. If she mentions something that she likes, see if you can make it happen. Even if it’s Argentinian flamenco dancing or something you really don’t want to do.”
“I really hope she doesn’t want to see me dance. I definitely won’t have any chance with her then.”
Eli’s laugh rumbled over the line. “Just trust me. No matter what it is, if you can give her an experience she’ll remember, then you have a chance.”
* * * * *
WHEN MATT ARRIVED for his therapy appointment Friday morning, Penny was wearing her strictly business face. He would have laughed if he hadn’t been so frustrated. Every step forward he made with her seemed to be followed by two steps backward.
“Good morning, Matt. Are you ready to try something new?”
Matt clapped his hands. “I’m ready for anything. What have you got for me?”
Penny motioned for him to follow her. They walked down the hall and ended up in the gym. She crossed to the equipment rack in the corner and picked up a small white ball.
“You’re progressing well with the exercises we’ve done so far. So I thought we’d start some plyometric drills today. We’ll do some wall dribbles and some overhead throws.” She handed him the ball. “Let’s take it slowly.”
Matt dropped the ball and tried to bounce it back with his left hand. He frowned when his arm wouldn’t cooperate and the ball hit his hand and rolled to the side. Penny retrieved it and handed it back.
“You can do it at your own pace. It’s going to take a while to regain the flexibility you once had.”
Matt finally got his arm in a good position and was able to dribble the ball against the wall a few times. It was a challenge to catch it and hold it at chest level. It was still hard for him to believe just how many muscle groups were used in everyday activities such as reaching overhead or picking up a grocery bag. Things most people did and took for granted until they suddenly couldn’t do them anymore. He had a new appreciation for the human body.
He thought back to the little girl he’d seen the first day he’d come to the center. He had it easy compared to someone who’d been born with a disability. Someone like that little girl would probably give anything to be able to do the things he could do. It made him ashamed of the times he wanted to slack off and galvanized him to work twice as hard. There was no excuse for complaining when you had the chance to get better.
He looked up at Penny. When their eyes met she glanced away. He sighed. If her plan was to keep them from having time to talk about the weekend, it was working. He couldn’t talk and concentrate on the ball at the same time.
He waited until the ball bounced back and then grabbed it. “It doesn’t have to be awkward, you know.”
Penny’s mouth dropped slightly. “It’s not awkward, is it?”
“Yeah, kind of.”
She looked at the floor. “Sorry. I told you I’m not good at this.”
“How about we just rewind and go back to the way it was? I’ll make off-color jokes and you’ll give me that side-eye you’re so good at. Then we’ll get back to work.”
Penny shook her head. “I don’t know how you do that.”
“What?”
“Make me feel better.”
Warmth spread through him at her words. “Let’s try this. We’ll be all business when we’re here, and then in the evenings we can enjoy each other’s company as friends.”
“Just friends.” Penny narrowed her eyes. It was clear she didn’t believe him.
“I’m more than happy to make myself available for whatever you want to do. But there’s no pressure. However, if you can’t stop yourself, I promise I won’t be offended if you take advantage of me.”
A laugh escaped before she could stop it. Matt grinned unrepentantly when she tried to regain her stern expression.
“I think I can control myself.”
“Well, then, you have nothing to worry about. Right?” Matt stared at her until she acknowledged the point with a small nod.
Penny crossed her arms. “What did you have in mind?”
“Nothing special. Just meeting up after you get off. I don’t know anyone else up here and I hate eating alone. You have to eat dinner anyway, so does it really matter if you eat it with me?”
“I guess not.”
“Okay, so I’ll see you tonight. I’ll meet you at you
r house. I’d invite you over, but I still feel weird about entertaining in my buddy’s house. I’m sure he wouldn’t care, but still.”
Matt doubted Eli would care one way or the other, but this was a great opportunity to see where she lived. Eli said he should pay attention to her to find out what she liked. Her house was probably full of clues.
“No! I mean, my house is a wreck.” She flushed a second later when Matt raised his eyebrows. “Let’s meet at the Italian restaurant across the street. I should be done around seven. Is that too late?”
Matt decided not to push. If she didn’t want to invite him to her house then he could wait. “Okay. I’m always in the mood for Italian food.”
Penny smiled. “Me, too. Italian is one of my favorites other than seafood.”
Listen to her.
Matt bounced the ball a few times. “Great. So why don’t you distract me while I practice by telling me what else you like to do in your spare time besides check out new restaurants.”
* * * * *
DINNER WITH MATT that first night was a surprisingly easy affair. He had a refreshingly honest perspective that Penny could appreciate. Matt didn’t know how to be anything other than Matt. When he gave his opinion on something, she knew it was the unvarnished truth, free of guile or agenda.
He met her after work again Monday night and they went to a local pizza place that Penny had been addicted to ever since she’d found it. They’d talked and laughed over huge slices of pizza dripping with cheese. Just a few weeks prior, she wouldn’t have believed she could be so comfortable with him, but the entire night she hadn’t felt self-conscious about how much she was eating or worried whether she had food on her face. Unbelievably, he was keeping to his “just friends” promise. He hadn’t done anything or said anything suggestive. Well, not too suggestive anyway.
It was still Matt, after all.
Tuesday evening when his truck pulled into the lot of the center, she was already waiting outside. She skipped over to his truck and climbed up to the passenger side.
“Am I late?” Matt regarded her with amusement as she dropped her bag on the floor and buckled her seatbelt.
“No, I was just ready. So, where are we going?”
“I heard about this great seafood restaurant that’s near my buddy’s house. Are you up for trying a new place?”
“Yeah. Sounds like fun.” Penny rubbed her hands together and they pulled out of the lot.
The radio blared a country song Penny didn’t recognize. She glanced at his profile as he drove. Everything about him fascinated her. He was so rough around the edges but had so many moments of unexpected sweetness. Such as his fondness for sad country songs and his devotion to his family and friends. He’d told her about his friend Nick who was expecting his first child with his wife. She could hear his excitement and happiness on their behalf. It was an unexpected thing to see this side of him.
Part of her had to wonder if he was just doing all this to impress her. Pretending to want to be her friend as a way to soften her up. It was hard to gauge what was sincere and what was flattery.
They pulled up in front of a small building with a painted sign out front that read “Selma’s Crab Shack.” Penny followed Matt to the front door and a bell tinkled merrily overhead as they entered.
“I heard about this place from my buddy, the one who’s letting me crash at his place. He said it’s small but the food is great.”
Penny looked around, already enchanted by the atmosphere. It was a small, cramped space with walls painted lobster red. Each table was covered in old-fashioned brown paper and the chairs looked like they’d been salvaged from a junkyard. Scott wouldn’t have been caught dead in a place like this.
She instantly loved it.
“I bet it is. I can’t wait.”
He looked at her in disbelief. Then a smile broke out on his face. “Good, I’m glad. It’s a little rustic, so I wasn’t sure if you’d be up for it.”
They followed their waitress, a petite redhead who looked like a teenager. Penny picked up the menu. It was only one page.
“It looks like we have a choice of fish, shrimp, or scallops. All fried.” Matt put the menu down. “Well, that was easy.”
Penny shook her head. “I’m definitely going to have to make up for this later, but I don’t even care. I have a feeling this place will be worth it.”
She put her menu down and noticed Matt was still watching her. “What?”
“Nothing. I’m having a good time.” He sat back in his chair and regarded her openly. The blatantly appraising look in his eyes gave her a thrill.
“We aren’t even doing anything yet.” Penny fidgeted with her menu. It was hard to sit still when he was staring at her like he was trying to see through her clothes.
“I know. I’m still having a good time.”
She tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear, hating how self-conscious she felt under the weight of his sexually charged stare. He’d kept to their bargain and hadn’t made any moves on her but man, those eyes. It was almost like being touched when he looked at her like that.
“So, tell me more about you.” Matt sat forward, fixing his entire attention on her. “Who do you normally hang out with when you aren’t tempting me?”
She laughed at his insinuation that she was tempting him. If anything, he was the one causing her to experience severe lust overload.
“I don’t really hang out with anyone. I’m too busy with work. Georgia has been trying to get me to do happy hour for ages. I won’t be trusting her to set up happy hours for me again anytime soon.”
Matt’s deep laugh echoed throughout the restaurant. “Oh yes, I still need to thank her for that. I’m surprised you don’t go out. I still remember how tight you were with that dark-haired skinny girl that summer. You two were always together. Whatever happened to her, I wonder?”
Penny fought to keep the smile on her face. “Rachel Addams. Yeah, we were best friends. I haven’t seen her in years.” She threw a napkin across the table at him. “What about you? What would you be doing on a Wednesday evening normally?”
“I’d be out with my friend Nick, hanging with Trent and Mara, or we’d all be over at our friend Jackson’s house. We’re a pretty tight group. Since our parents live in Florida and Trent’s folks live in the Midwest, when we got homesick freshman year of college there was nowhere for us to go. Luckily, Trent and I lived across the hall from Jackson. Nick was two years older, but he was always in Jackson’s dorm room. They used to go home every weekend so they could sweet talk their mom into doing their laundry. They’d invite us all to come along and hang out. Nick and Jackson’s parents sort of adopted Trent, Mara, and me after that.”
“I love what I do, but I’ve been pursuing my goals so long that I haven’t left much time for anything else. Including friends. It’s one of the only things I regret about being so focused on work.”
“Well, you’re changing that now.” He reached across the table and offered his hand.
Penny stared at his outstretched hand for a moment. He watched her, his dark eyes never leaving her face. Finally, she clasped his hand atop the table.
“I’m definitely changing that now.”
CHAPTER TEN
THAT WEEKEND, MATT decided to stay in town. Mara had called and they’d talked for a long time. It was difficult to take a step back and let her solve her own problems, but he was determined to do it. She and Trent were working it out in their own time and nothing he could do would hasten the process.
It was time for him to focus on getting the things he wanted. Penny was at the top of the list. He couldn’t figure out why he was so fascinated by her, but he couldn’t stop thinking about her. Wondering what she was doing. Who she was doing it with…
Eli had a wraparound couch and a pretty impressive sound system, so he’d suggested they do a movie marathon. Considering that her last visit had been a train wreck, Matt had been hesitant to suggest that they stay in for the night
.
They’d been eating dinner together after she got off work each day, but they’d always gone home separately afterward. This would be the first time they were really alone together since the kiss. That was how he thought of it.
The kiss.
Matt opened the door around six o’clock that evening to see Penny standing on the step holding a handful of movies and a grocery bag.
“I hope you don’t mind, but I brought a few of my favorites.” She came in and slipped out of her coat. He hung it on one of the pegs by the door.
“But I also brought ice cream.” She held up the grocery bag.
“I hope it doesn’t have nuts.” He rummaged through the bag to find one Rocky Road flavor and one that was plain chocolate and plain vanilla. “You remembered?” Matt looked up in surprise.
Penny rolled her eyes. “You used to make such a fuss as a kid whenever we got ice cream cones, how could I forget? You never wanted anything but plain flavors. Personally I want as much junk in mine as possible. Chocolate fudge, sprinkles, marshmallows, peanuts. Bring it all on!”
She sucked on the tip of her finger playfully and then took the ice cream into the kitchen. Matt followed a few steps behind, trying to give his overworked libido a chance to cool down.
He’d never been this desperate for a woman, and he hadn’t even seen her naked yet. Thousands of fantasies bombarded him every night, but the scary part was he wasn’t just fantasizing about the abundant curves she kept hidden under her lab coat. He kept replaying the moment when she’d run her fingers over his hair and told him the hard part was over. She’d looked at him so tenderly then. He wanted to know what it was like to have a woman like her worrying about him. Waiting for him.
Loving him.
His thoughts came to a screeching halt. It was hard enough to get her to take him seriously as a potential friend. There was no way she’d consider him for anything serious. Not that he was ready for serious. Was he? When had he gone from thinking of this as a little fun and games to potentially falling in love?
