Penny took a sip of her milkshake.
And for a second, as her lips wrapped around the straw, I forgotthat I was pissed at her. God, I just wanted to feel those lips around my cock.Stop.
“It’s a good thing you did tell Tanner,” Penny said. “He toldme he has a whole binder full of potential suitors.” She frowned. “No, that’snot the right word. Suitresses? Maybe?”
Tanner nodded. “Yes, it’s a bit of a dated term, but suitressis the female equivalent to suitor. I’m impressed that you knew that. I haven’theard the term in years. And I do indeed have a binder full of suitresses.”
I didn’t need his binder full of women. We’d literally justtalked about this last night. Did he have severe memory loss or something?
“Mommy?” Scarlett said, yawning awake from her nap. “I needto use the potty. Please,” she added.
“Okay,” Penny said and scooped her up into her arms. “Be rightback.” She practically sprinted to the restroom.
Scarlett liked to give very little warning before she neededto use the bathroom. In that one way she was just like her father. Very uncaringof the consequences of her actions. Fine, she also had brown eyes like James. Otherwiseshe was as sweet and beautiful as her mother.
“So this is going very well,” Tanner said.
I turned to him. “Really? What part of this conversation doyou think is going well?”
“You weren’t going to be allowed to hang out with heranymore. So I inserted myself into the situation to appease her husband. You’remost welcome.”
“Tanner, I don’t actually want to find love. I told youthat.”
“Yeah, but I had to continue with the charade. Did you expectme to tell her that this was all a ploy just so you could sleep with her?”
Fair point. “No, of course not.” I didn’t need James andPenny both mad at me.
He looked over to see that Penny and Scarlett were still inthe restroom. “Hmm…too bad.”
“What’s too bad?” I learned a long time ago that you had toask Tanner questions when he left stuff open ended. Waiting in silence for himto fill in the blanks never worked. He always acted like he had all the time inthe world and would literally make you wait and wait and wait some more.
“Because she also agreed to sleep with you tonight. Room 904at your usual place.”
Wait, what? I would’ve choked on my milkshake again ifI’d just sipped any. “What are you talking about?”
He lowered his voice. “I told her that it’s better to get youout of her system than to let this unresolved sexual tension between you go onany longer in its destructive path.”
My heart started beating faster.
“But I’m assuming you can convince her that just this onceisn’t quite enough. I’ll leave that to your performance in the bedroomtonight.”
“You’re kidding me right now.”
He laughed. “Do I ever joke about true love? And you’re goingto have to pull out all the stops, because it sounds like James knows his way aroundthe bedroom quite well.”
Why would I want to know that? I couldn’t question him anyfurther because Penny and Scarlett sat back down.
I swore Penny blushed when she met my gaze.
This was really going to happen. I was going to sleep withPenny? For just a second I thought about James. But I squashed it back down. Jamesnever gave a shit about my feelings. Why should I care about his?
“So what’s the plan?” Penny asked. “I know you’re going outwith the guys tomorrow, but maybe we can all get together on Sunday?”
Sunday? But Tanner said…
“Out with the guys?” Tanner asked and looked over at me.
I wasn’t actually going to go get drinks with them after Ifucked Penny tonight. She must realize that. “James, Rob, and Mason. You’rewelcome to come, Tanner. I just didn’t mention it because I know you don’t getalong super well with them…”
“Of course I get along with them. I get along swimmingly witheveryone. Just because Robert Hunter is jealous of our friendship doesn’t meanI don’t like him.”
Penny was looking back and forth between us, clearly findingour conversation entertaining.
“What are you giggling about?” I asked. I couldn’t wait tosilence her with a kiss. How many nights had I dreamt of that?
“Nothing. You two bicker like an old married couple.” She handedthe rest of her milkshake down to Scarlett, whose eyes lit up.
“We do not,” Tanner and I both said at the same time.
“Point made,” Penny said with a laugh.
I shook my head. “We’re meeting at My Favorite Bar at 8:30,”I said to Tanner. And you’re more than welcome to come.
“Oh, The Dead Rabbit?” Tanner asked. “Sounds great.”
“No, My Favorite Bar.”
“Huh. The Back Room?”
“No, My Favorite Bar, Tanner.”
“The one in East Village?”
“Tanner…”
He snapped his fingers. “Oh that swanky rooftop one?”
“The name of the bar is My Favorite Bar. None of us have everbeen there, but it has good reviews.”
Tanner laughed. “What a stupid name for a bar. I knew yourfavorite was The Dead Rabbit.”
Penny shook her head. “Yup, definitely an old married couple.I gotta get Scarlett home before she falls asleep again.”
“But Mommy, I haven’t finished my milkyshake yet.” She gaveit one last very loud slurp. “Never mind.” She pushed it onto the table.
Penny smiled at me. “See you both on Sunday, I guess.”
She’d said Sunday. Again. What about tonight?
“Just text me the time and place,” she added.
“For…Sunday?” I asked. What about room 904?
“Unless you’re busy?”
“No, Sunday’s great.” She probably just didn’t want to sayanything in front of Scarlett.
“Bye, Uncle Matt!” Scarlett said. “Bye, Mr. Tanner.”
“See you later,” I said to Penny. I couldn’t even hide thestupid grin on my face. I’d be doing a lot more than seeing her later.
She gave me a weird look and then laughed. “On Sunday, yes.”
“Right. Sunday.” I nodded.
Penny pulled her eyebrows together. “Are you feeling okay,Matt?”
“I’ll be feeling a lot better after tonight.”
She nodded. “I’m glad you liked the milkshake. We’re gonna leavenow.” She gave me one last weird look, waved, and walked away.
Tanner burst out laughing.
I just stared at him.
“You thought I…” he laughed harder. “That she was going to…” Hecould barely catch
