Page 65 of Rival Season
I can’t help but wonder if Penn and Cassie had someone like Marcy fighting for them, and if that’s how they often stayed together. I hope they did.
My thoughts continue down the rabbit trail, focusing on Penn Matthews and the way he kissed me two nights ago at his birthday party. I’ve never experienced anything sexier. In awhole year of dating, Chadwickneverkissed or touched me that way; not even close. Penn’s kisses were blistering hot yet laced with something sweet. In his arms, I felt desired and feminine and safe…I never wanted it to end.
I shake my head, willing thoughts of Penn’s talented lips out of my mind, then type a few more notes on my laptop. I’m glad to see my word count grew by several thousand words today and feel like I had a productive workday aside from getting steadily distracted with daydreams about Penn’s mouth.
With a dreamy sigh, I reach for my paper coffee cup that I purchased from the coffee cart outside the library and take a sip. I wrinkle my nose when I discover it’s cold. I glance at the time on my laptop, and my eyes widen at the time. It’s nearly five p.m. already, which means I bought this coffee hours ago.
I close my laptop and slide it inside my leather bag, pleased with my day’s work. I worried that spending time with Penn and his friends would be yet another distraction keeping me from the things I need to accomplish, but actually, it’s been the opposite. Having a work-life balance is making me more productive, and I haven’t been falling behind like I expected to.
I pull my phone out and slide off the do not disturb setting. I have a missed text from Penn and the little notification has my heart lunging inside of my chest.
Penn
No rush, but whenever you’re done working, I have a surprise for you.
He sent it only fifteen minutes ago.
Hazel
I’m intrigued. And I just finished up.
Penn
Perfect. Come outside.
Gathering up my things with a smile on my face, I walk through the library and out the front doors to find Penn parked in front of the building. He’s leaning against his truck wearing a pair of jeans, a white hoodie, and a backwards baseball cap…the picture of cool confidence.
“Hey gorgeous,” he says. “You come here often?”
I chuckle. “Actually, yes. But what areyoudoing here?”
“I told you, I have a surprise.” Penn grins. “Hop in.”
I took the metro here this morning while Penn was at practice, so the fact that he drove all the way out here to campus to pick me up is very thoughtful, never mind whatever he has planned. This guy is too much.
My boots clomp as I make my way down the steps, and he opens the door of his pickup then steps aside. There’s a red bag sitting on the center console with white tissue paper poking out the top.
I slide in and buckle up while Penn rounds the vehicle and gets in on the driver’s side. He sees me eyeing the gift and waggles his eyebrows. “I got you a belated Valentine’s Day present since I was traveling during the holiday.”
“What? You brought me tiramisu before you left, remember?”
“You thought that was your Valentine’s gift?” Penn looks at me in surprise. “Please, Hazel, I’m a better boyfriend than givingdessertas a gift.”
“You didn’t have to get me anything,” I reply.Because this isn’t even supposed to be real.
“I wanted to,” he says as he drives through the parking lot and out onto the main road, clearly having a particulardestination in mind as he navigates the hills and valleys of San Francisco.
I didn’t even get him a birthday present.As we drive, I rack my brain for ideas of something special I could do for him.
Penn finally comes to a stop in a neighborhood that’s off the beaten path with quiet streets and pretty houses. He parallel parks effortlessly then smiles at me before reaching in the back seat for a picnic basket I hadn’t noticed. “Come on, Bubbles, I’m starving.”
I hurry out of the pickup and follow the man carrying the picnic basket and gift bag. I can’t help but smile as I watch the broad shouldered tattooed bad boy strutting around with a cutesy little basket and present.
“What’s so funny?” he asks.
“Nothing,” I say, finally catching up to him.
He side-eyes me, clearly unconvinced.
