Page 57 of One Pucking Wish

“Do you need to stop by your place?” she asks from the passenger seat.

“Nah, I grabbed enough yesterday.”

She nods. “So how was practice?”

“Very long. How was work?” I turn onto her street.

“Same. Long and uneventful. What should we order in?”

“I don’t know. Whatever you want.”

“We should make something,” she suggests.

“Do you have ingredients?”

“No. We’d have to go to the store.”

I release a sigh and pass her condo, continuing to the grocery store a few blocks past her place. I loathe going out in public. While I don’t think I’m a celebrity by any means, this is Crane territory, and everyone in this area is a fan. I hate the pictures, small talk, and signatures. In my downtime, I don’t want to have to deal with any of that. I just want to veg out. Going out in public makes me feel like I never leave work. I have to smile and be friendly when I don’t feel like doing either. It’s exhausting.

Sensing my hesitation, she says, “It will be quick. In and out. You can even stay in the car if you want.”

“No, I’ll go in with you.”

I park the car, get out, and walk around to Penny’s side. Opening her door, I extend my hand and help her out. It’s an old-school gesture and doesn’t seem like something I would do, but I have to admit, I love it. A few weeks ago, we arrived to work, and Penny was busy on her phone, so I went around to her door and opened it for her. The gesture felt right, and I’ve been doing it ever since. I have this innate desire to take care of her in every way possible.

Penny thanks me and leans her back against the car. She circles her arms around my neck and pulls me against her. Palms splayed against the car, I cage her in. “I missed you today,” she says before leaning up and pressing her lips to mine.

A feral growl sounds from the back of my throat, and I deepen the kiss. I circle one of my arms around her back and pull her against me while my other hand undoes the metal clip in her hair. My fingers thread through her hair, holding her face to mine as my mouth worships hers. My tongue circles hers as our lips fight for more. Kissing Penny is intoxicating, but it’s never enough.

She cups my cheeks with her hands and pulls away panting, a smile crosses her face. “I’m guessing you missed me too?”

“Fuck yeah, I did.” I’m so hard beneath my jeans as I lean into her. I know she feels it.

She scratches her manicured nails lightly against the scruff of my face. “We need to focus. What do you want to make to eat?”

“You know I’ll eat anything.”

“I know, but aren’t you craving anything? Is there something that your mom used to make for you that sounds good?”

She hasn’t brought up my mother since I told her she was dead, and I want to be angry that she is now, but I know that this talking shit is part of being in a relationship. Seeing that I’m currently obsessed with Penny, I have to play the game. Nothing about opening up comes easy, but I want Penny enough to try.

I take a second to consider her question. “Well, she used to make a killer grilled cheese and tomato soup.”

“Grilled cheese and tomato soup? That’s what you’re craving?”

“Yeah.”

“It must be a generation thing. My mom didn’t cook much, but she could make a delicious grilled cheese,” she says.

“Cheap white bread, processed American cheese, and generic condensed tomato soup?”

“Yep!” She grins. “The cheaper the better. Maybe it wasn’t so much a generational thing but a poor thing.”

“Maybe,” I agree. “Regardless, it’s tasty.”

“It is.” She pushes off from the car and threads her fingers through mine as we start for the store entrance. “I haven’t had this meal in years.”

“Me either.”

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