Page 41 of Somebody To Love

The music started up and after the bride and groom shared their dance, they invited everyone out onto the dance floor. BJ took Penny’s hand, trying to shove off the foul mood he suddenly found himself in.

“Care to dance?”

She smiled. “Sure.”

He pulled her onto the dance floor, wrapping his arms around her waist. Her hands played with the hair tied in a queue at the back of his neck.

“Is something wrong?”

“Huh?”

Her smile fell, gaze filling with concern. “You seem…upset by something.”

He was upset. The problem was, he didn’t know by what. His sister’s smart-ass comment reminded him that no matter what she had promised about never wanting to get married, Penny was a great catch. He doubted she’d stay single forever and where would that leave him? In the past, his girlfriends always had a problem with his best friend being a girl. Penny’s ex hated him before he even met him. Right back at ya, dickwad. When Penny fell in love and got married someday, where would that leave him?

And the baby?

“BJ?”

He shook his head, pasting on a smile. “Everything is fine. I guess I’m a little preoccupied with tonight.” He gave her a wolfish grin. “Kind of eager to get out of here, to be honest.”

She bit her lip, pearly white teeth sinking into the soft pink, making him go rock hard as he imagined her doing that as she rode him.

“I’m excited too. I, um, bought some special…panties.”

Oh hell, she was trying to kill him. He held in a groan, willing time to go faster. But as usually happens when waiting on something good—and he knew having sex with Penny would be fan-fucking-tastic—time seemed to slow its pace.

After a few more agonizing dances where her sweet, lush body pressed up to his—driving him out of his mind—BJ finally excused himself to help Ace decorate the newlyweds’ car. After another hour, the party wound down. The time had come to wish the couple well and send them off on their honeymoon. He joined everyone in a line outside the restaurant, happily pelting his brother in the face with birdseed, along with Ace. Del gave them the finger as he ran with Cassie to their car, now appropriately festive with streamers, tin-cans, and window chalk declaring them “just married.”

As he watched them drive away, a warm and trembling hand slid into his. He glanced down to see Penny smiling up at him, nerves and desire blazing in those beautiful eyes.

“Are you ready?”

He’d been ready since yesterday. Squeezing her hand, he brought it up to his lips, gently kissing her knuckles.

“Yeah, let’s go.”

Tonight, things would change, he knew that, but nothing would ever come between him and Penny’s friendship. He wouldn’t let it.

CHAPTER 17

Had a simple car ride ever been so filled with tension? If it had, Penny couldn’t remember. Her knuckles gripped the steering wheel until they’d turned white. Kismet was a small town. If she got a speeding ticket, everyone would know by morning. Including her sister and parents, but at the moment, she didn’t care.

Tonight, she’d finally get to sleep with BJ.

Finally? The word struck her as odd. Had she been waiting to have sex with him? Before he brought the notion up, had she been planning this? Truthfully? No. But that didn’t mean she hadn’t imagined it from time to time. Who could blame her? Her best friend defined the word sexy. Of course she’d given it a thought or two over the years.

Which was why she was currently going forty down Goldmine Street when the speed limit was a cautious twenty-five. Eagerness thy name is Penny.

They decided to drive separately to avoid any rumors. Silly. Kismet loved its rumors. The townspeople fed on them like locust. Besides, when she became pregnant, they’d have to tell everyone…something. Once the baby was born, it’d be obvious who the father was. Jackson genes were strong. And it wasn’t like they planned to keep it a secret or anything. True, their plan was a little unconventional and some people wouldn’t get it, but who cared what they thought? With the promise of the night ahead, Penny sure didn’t.

She finally pulled into her apartment complex—thankfully ticket-free—dismayed to see BJ had beaten her there. He stood, leaning against the passenger door of his truck, casual as can be. Like they were having one of their movie nights or something.

Turning off her car, she stepped out, grateful to see a bit of nerves play along the edge of his smile. She didn’t want to be the only one with butterflies in her belly.

“Hey.”

“Hey,” his smile turned down. “What’s wrong?”

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