Page 66 of Oblivion

“Ready?” he asked, eyeing me from the driver’s seat.

“Ready as I’ll ever be,” I breathed out.

As we drove from the park, I vowed not to let Dante Bateman get under my skin any more than he already was.

CHAPTERTWENTY-SIX

Dante

I let it slip. My composure. Just for a fucking minute, but it was enough to rekindle the fire in Penny’s eyes. Baiting her about the Hummer? I welcomed it with open arms, because it took my attention off how much I wanted her.

Now that the Prescotts were renewed clients, it gave me a million more reasons to proceed with caution. This was a job I couldn’t fuck up—or fuck, for that matter. Besides, a daddy’s girl with an obvious high-spending habit wasn’t my type.

Shaking out the last of my mood, I rolled my shoulders and climbed into my Tahoe.

I still wasn’t thrilled about being a glorified babysitter, but if any of the other guys were on the detail, I would be spitting fire right now. Especially Tate.

Driving in tense silence, it wasn’t long before we entered Penny’s street. I looked ahead, scanning for a place to park, and let out a burst of laughter. Penny startled in the passenger seat, then turned a scathing glare my way.

“Random outburst much?”

Amusement got the better of me. I laughed so hard tears swamped my eyes, forcing me to slow down and wipe them away.

“Whatis so funny?” she demanded, slapping her leg.

“Is that… is that…?”

Each attempt to speak was cut off by a fresh wave of uncontrollable laughter. So much for keeping it professional.

“Why are youlaughing?”Her incredulous tone only made me laugh harder.

“Oh, fuck, that’s so fucking good,” I chortled, dashing away tears again.

“What?”

I tried to hold in my laughter, to find an ounce of composure, but as soon as my eyes cut to the vehicle in question, I fucking lost it all over again.

Barely managing to pull into her driveway, I put the truck in park and bent sideways, laughing so hard it hurt.

Penny’s muttering came from the passenger seat. “Jesus. Seriously, what is wrong with you?”

“Hold up,” I wheezed, lifting a finger to ask for a minute to pull myself together. “That pink Mini over there…” I trailed off and pressed a hand over my eyes, succumbing to breathless, uncontrollable laughter.

A hard backhand struck my bicep. “You’re an ass!”

“So, that’snotyour car?”

Silence. It was all the answer I needed.

The passenger door opened and slammed shut with a force that sobered me. I was out of the driver’s side and at hers in a flash.

“Rule number one: no slamming my truck door.”

She flipped me off and pushed through her garden gate, obnoxiously flicking it closed behind her. Instead of fumbling with the latch, I jumped clean over it and strode after her.

Following her angered strides along the path, I came to a surprisingly humble entryway. Call me judgemental, but I expected something a little more swanky than middle-class.

I laid a gentle touch on Penny’s wrist after she twisted the key in the lock. “Let me go first.”

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