Page 62 of Rival Season
Penn rests his hand on my waist again, giving my side a squeeze, then he takes me around, introducing me to everyone like we’re really together. I remember most of his teammates from the day they volunteered at Safe Harbor, but I get to meet some of their wives and girlfriends. They’re all really sweet and friendly.
Penn eventually excuses himself to get some poutine and I grab another cocktail from the bar that Fisher is manning. Ally sidles up beside me with a big smile. She squeals and grabs my arm. “You look even more amazing in this getup than I remember! What was Penn’s reaction?”
Heat spreads through my core and up to my face when I think back to the way he looked at me. “Oh, um…I think he likes it.”
Ally rolls her eyes. “You’re not going to give me any juicy details, are you?”
Before I can answer, Fisher hands me my drink, and I immediately chug it to avoid talking about this anymore.
Penn comes up behind me, wrapping a strong arm around my waist and pressing his hand to my bare stomach and resting the other on my hip. His thumb moves up and down on my torso. “Want to dance?”
I can’t see him, but I can feel his warm breath against my ear. I nod, my second drink kicking in so I’m feeling loosey-goosey—the only way anyone could get me to dance in public.
Penn sweeps me out onto the makeshift dance floor in their living room and the speakers begin to play “Naughty Girl” by Beyonce. The small area for dancing is packed, so when Penn spins me in his arms to face him, our bodies are practically smashed together. He sways his hips to the music, keeping one big, inked hand on my hip as he guides the other behind his head in a sexy dance move. His body moves to the music effortlessly, and he’s smiling, clearly relaxed. But despite the alcohol, I suddenly lose some of my cocktail-induced-confidence. I’m hyperaware of his eyes on me and nervous tension keeps me from moving.
“Don’t overthink it, just move to the music,” Penn says, leaning in so I can hear him over the song.
As much as I want to just switch my mind off and let loose, I’m frozen. At this rate, I’m going to ruin his fun and go down in history as the lamest fake girlfriend ever.
But Penn just smiles at me, understanding flashing in his eyes instead of judgment. He moves behind me again and gripsmy hips in his big hands. “Like this,” he whispers against my ear, gently swaying my hips from side to side in beat with the music.
I smile, relaxing against his strong body, and after a few seconds, my hips move on their own, and his hands slide up to hold my waist. We move and sway together, and Penn laughs, which helps me relax more.
If he’s laughing and having fun, I must not be that bad of a dancer?
I ease into the moves, my hands going up in the air as I dance. Penn’s hands leave my waist, and I instantly miss the warmth of his skin, but then they glide up my arms, his fingers twining with mine. He moves my hands until they’re in his hair, and I allow my fingers to move through his thick curls, loving how the softness of his hair pairs with the hard muscle of his body. His hands leave mine then, slide down my body until he rests them on my waist again.
I’ve never danced like this with someone before, it feels intimate, like a precursor to something…more. I’m intoxicated by Penn and his touch, with the way he moves against me.
We dance through multiple songs, and I can’t believe how much I’m enjoying myself. Penn never making me feel like a bad dancer, just helping me relax until I’m having fun. Eventually, the rest of his roommates join us on the dance floor. Noah dips Ally and kisses her, and Fisher does some kind of breakdancing on the hardwood floor that looks painful, but he smiles through it.
Penn’s face has a sheen of sweat from dancing, and I’m sure mine does, too. I smile up at him as another song comes to an end.
Fisher raises his arms in the air as soon as the music fades and yells. “SHOTS!”
Penn’s head falls back in laughter as everyone in the room starts chantingshots, shots, shots.
“You up for shots, Bubbles?” Penn asks, pulling me against him.
Being with him feels so easy, so natural. And that’s a terrifying realization when this is supposed to be fake. But it feels so good to be in his arms, I can’t bring myself to pull away.
Fisher eyes us with a twinkle in his eye, then waves his arms in the air. “Actually, it’s my buddy’s birthday…so BODY SHOT!”
The room switches their chanting fromshotstobody shot…thenI realize everyone is looking at me.
Penn arches an eyebrow like he’s daring me to accept. When I don’t say anything, he bends and picks me up, one hand under my knees and the other behind my back. I laugh in surprise and loop my arms around his neck for security.
“You okay with this?” He asks, walking me toward the large island in the kitchen.
Maybe it’s the alcohol—that would be easy to blame—but I’ve only had two drinks, both of them over an hour ago, and I’m not even tipsy…so I think it’s simply the man smiling at me who has me nodding in agreement. Penn’s eyes flare with renewed heat as he carefully lays me on top of the bar. The room is still cheering and laughing, everyone surrounding us as the cool marble hits my skin. It feels nice since I’m hot and sweaty from dancing.
Fisher hands a bottle of tequila to Penn along with a slice of lime and Noah rests a shaker of margarita salt on the counter. Penn’s eyes find mine as he raises the tequila over my stomach. He smirks as he pours the cool liquid into my belly button, and I intake a sharp breath at the sensation. Penn searches my face like he’s waiting for me to say no, but I don’t, so he leans down and his hot mouth sucks the shot from my stomach. His tongue slides against my bare skin and a gasp escapes my mouth. He straightens and licks the salt off the back of his hand and sucks on the slice of lime. Penn moves up toward my head before heleans down and places a swift kiss on my lips. He tastes like salt and lime and seduction.
The room erupts in cheers ofhappy birthday.
Penn holds out his arm, and I grab hold of him to help me up until I’m sitting on the edge of the bar, still dazed from having his mouth on my skin. Penn’s gaze doesn’t leave mine as Fisher pours shots of tequila for everyone else in the room.
The blues of Penn’s irises seems somehow darker and more dangerous right now, and I have a feeling the desire in my own eyes match his.
