sister’s brother-in-law because he happened to be hot, scrumptious and present. “Liquor,” she said firmly. “Lots of liquor.” Time to break out the secret stash. She had a couple of nice bottles of wine from Anna’s last visit that she’d stored.
Fleeing the room, she called in the order for Chinese and tried to pretend she didn’t hear George talking to the men in the hall.
“We’re in for the night, gentlemen. You may lock it down.”
In for the night and all alone. Yeah, she definitely needed more alcohol.
Chapter 4
T hey were well into the second bottle of wine when Penny’s phone buzzed. Mallory landed in Kansas, she would call when she could. Despite the copious amounts of alcohol they’d consumed along with noodles, eggrolls, and a split vegetable platter, Penny seemed almost sober.
“We can do nothing more until she asks us.” From the moment he’d seen Mallory’s pale face frozen in shock, he’d fought a distinct helplessness. Yes, he’d been able to call his brother and arrange a flight. George no longer had credit cards or a bank account worth speaking of, but he had family. It seemed paltry little to do for Penny’s best friend.
“I know.” Penny still stared at her phone. “I hate being a million miles away.”
“Only about a thousand,” he said. “Though I understand.”
A brief smile curved her mouth. “You’re a detail guy, aren’t you?”
Perplexed by the question, he set his wine glass on the table and began to tidy up the array of cartons from the meal. “No one ever accused me of that, no.” In the few short weeks since he’d moved in, he’d eaten at Penny’s apartment more often than in his own. Probably wise, since he had very little in the way of food in his apartment. One morning, Grady had visited to give him the general status report. After a single glance around the empty kitchen, he’d invited George back to his apartment for coffee.
He’d barely managed to make his money last the first week, spent it all by the fourth day. Penny and Mallory fed him frequently, a steady diet of takeout or whatever they threw together from leftovers. He’d managed his paltry income better in week two, but spent most of it on a few key clothing items. The speed at which he ran through his allowance astounded him.
On a sigh, Penny reached for a carton and he caught her wrist in a light grip. “No, you sit. I’ll clear this and pour you another glass, if you wish. Or I can bring you some water.”
Her skin was silky soft. He knew she worked with her hands, but her long, delicate fingers looked so tiny next to his. “You don’t have to do that.”
No, he didn’t. “I want to. You stay.” Maybe she didn’t realize how lost she’d looked when Mallory left, but he’d grown used to her vibrant, fierce personality. To see the hollowness in her eyes and the forlorn cast to her smile—had been a brutal reminder of reality. He’d felt the same way when his security team informed him of Sebastian’s injury. Later, when he’d read reports of Armand’s near miss…yes, he blamed himself and he’d been unable to do anything for his brothers.
He could do something for her. Giving her hand a squeeze, he scooped up the cartons.
“All right,” she said, with a hint of dry humor. “Maybe water would be a good idea, because your butt is starting to look biteable.”
He made it all the way to the kitchen before her words fully registered. Pausing at the door dividing the living room from their tiny dining area, he turned around to find her staring at him with too-wide eyes, her mouth agape.
“And, wow, no more wine for me.” Red flushed her cheeks, adding an air of innocence to her frankness.
“Just to clarify, is a biteable butt a good thing?”
“Oh my God.” Penny burst out laughing and covered her face with her hands as she collapsed back into the sofa.
From her response, he gathered it was, but he’d never seen her so off-center. It was delightful.
Fleeing the room, she called in the order for Chinese and tried to pretend she didn’t hear George talking to the men in the hall.
“We’re in for the night, gentlemen. You may lock it down.”
In for the night and all alone. Yeah, she definitely needed more alcohol.
Chapter 4
T hey were well into the second bottle of wine when Penny’s phone buzzed. Mallory landed in Kansas, she would call when she could. Despite the copious amounts of alcohol they’d consumed along with noodles, eggrolls, and a split vegetable platter, Penny seemed almost sober.
“We can do nothing more until she asks us.” From the moment he’d seen Mallory’s pale face frozen in shock, he’d fought a distinct helplessness. Yes, he’d been able to call his brother and arrange a flight. George no longer had credit cards or a bank account worth speaking of, but he had family. It seemed paltry little to do for Penny’s best friend.
“I know.” Penny still stared at her phone. “I hate being a million miles away.”
“Only about a thousand,” he said. “Though I understand.”
A brief smile curved her mouth. “You’re a detail guy, aren’t you?”
Perplexed by the question, he set his wine glass on the table and began to tidy up the array of cartons from the meal. “No one ever accused me of that, no.” In the few short weeks since he’d moved in, he’d eaten at Penny’s apartment more often than in his own. Probably wise, since he had very little in the way of food in his apartment. One morning, Grady had visited to give him the general status report. After a single glance around the empty kitchen, he’d invited George back to his apartment for coffee.
He’d barely managed to make his money last the first week, spent it all by the fourth day. Penny and Mallory fed him frequently, a steady diet of takeout or whatever they threw together from leftovers. He’d managed his paltry income better in week two, but spent most of it on a few key clothing items. The speed at which he ran through his allowance astounded him.
On a sigh, Penny reached for a carton and he caught her wrist in a light grip. “No, you sit. I’ll clear this and pour you another glass, if you wish. Or I can bring you some water.”
Her skin was silky soft. He knew she worked with her hands, but her long, delicate fingers looked so tiny next to his. “You don’t have to do that.”
No, he didn’t. “I want to. You stay.” Maybe she didn’t realize how lost she’d looked when Mallory left, but he’d grown used to her vibrant, fierce personality. To see the hollowness in her eyes and the forlorn cast to her smile—had been a brutal reminder of reality. He’d felt the same way when his security team informed him of Sebastian’s injury. Later, when he’d read reports of Armand’s near miss…yes, he blamed himself and he’d been unable to do anything for his brothers.
He could do something for her. Giving her hand a squeeze, he scooped up the cartons.
“All right,” she said, with a hint of dry humor. “Maybe water would be a good idea, because your butt is starting to look biteable.”
He made it all the way to the kitchen before her words fully registered. Pausing at the door dividing the living room from their tiny dining area, he turned around to find her staring at him with too-wide eyes, her mouth agape.
“And, wow, no more wine for me.” Red flushed her cheeks, adding an air of innocence to her frankness.
“Just to clarify, is a biteable butt a good thing?”
“Oh my God.” Penny burst out laughing and covered her face with her hands as she collapsed back into the sofa.
From her response, he gathered it was, but he’d never seen her so off-center. It was delightful.
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