Page 129 of If Our Hearts Collide

“You are staying with me.”

I glare down at her doubled over form. Is she really making light of this situation? And does she really think I would escort her back to that whorehouse of a residence? Luke better be glad I don’t toss his entire body into a freezer to cool down.

Straightening herself up, Penny places her hands on her hips. Oh great, now comes the defiance.

“I want to go back and at least grab my toys.”

What the actual fuck? “No.” Is she for real? How will I be able to maintain a professional relationship if I know she ismasturbating a room away from me down the hall in my own residence?

The elevator car arrives, and I usher her inside before she can think to protest further.

“You don’t even want me,” she snaps, as the elevator doors close, securing us inside.

“I want you safe, first and foremost. And if that means doing my fucking job, then so be it. But going against what I’m hired to do is not in either of our best interests.” No matter how horny this princess makes me. “And there’s no way in hell I’m allowing you in your apartment while your roommate is entertaining some chick while nude.”

Luke needs to contain his hobbies to his own bedroom. I’ll be damned if I’m allowing Penny to go back to that scene. Her entire place is going to need disinfected.

“Well, I’m not staying with you.”

“You are staying somewhere,” I challenge. “And it won’t be your apartment.”

Penny twists her fingers, while rocking on her feet.

“Let me go get my clothes at least.”

“You aren’t walking back into that fuck fest.”

“Huh…”

“What?”

“A fuck fest sounds amazing right now. Maybe there’s room for one more.”

Oh, hell no.“You better be joking.”

She shrugs. “You’ll never know.”

I stay on guard in case she decides to make a run for it when the car arrives to the designated floor. “I have clothes at my place. You’re staying with me.”

“Can I expect a fuck fest?”

“No, Penelope.”

“You are boring.”

25

PENNY

I wake the next day in Collins’s guest room with a migraine from hell. Pinching the bridge of my nose, I try to get the pounding to subside.

That’s what that bitch, sangria, does to me. She is a sneaky thing whose company is enjoyable at first, but then out of nowhere, she gets hostile.

Despite drinking way too much the night before, I have all the essential events carved into my brain. The humiliation… The jealous rage… And the disappointment of wanting someone who will never choose me.

Despite the kiss and petting session, Collins doesn’t want me. He just likes toying with my emotions. Hot and cold. One minute we are making out. The next he’s pushing me away. Sure, I get his motives for wanting to keep everything business, but my brothers don’t dictate my life.

If it wasn’t for the memory of our kiss burned on my lips, I would have thought I dreamt the whole thing up. But based on the friendship vibe I got right afterward, I doubt I’ll ever get to experience it again.

---