She could master the language, the slang, the fashion, even the ever-changing roles of women in society. But technology continued to baffle her. Driving a car and changing the channel were about the best she could do.
Part of that was because it all changed so quickly. It wasn’t that long ago that computers were the size of rooms, and now one fit in the palm of her hand. In her lifetime, it felt like a blink of an eye.
The rest of it was simply that she didn’t care to learn. Since the moment she’d become a siren who could enchant people to do her bidding, she’d surrounded herself with servants. As a mortal, she’d been a servant herself, working as a handmaiden for the spoiled goddess Persephone, and she’d spent that entire time vowing she’d never do anything like that again.
So for most of her life she’d had others doing all the things for her that she didn’t want to do. In the old days, that meant literally having people to dress her and wash her hair, but then it had just become the cleaning and getting the door. In her mind, it was still the servant’s job to answer the phone.
Now everything was so convenient it didn’t make sense to have someone draw her a bath, not when she could simply turn the handle on the faucet. It was quicker and easier for her to do it herself.
Except when it came to damn phones and computers and anything of that kind. The term “tablet” only confused and irritated her more. Mankind had worked for so long to get away from writing on cumbersome tablets, only to come back to them when pen and paper were still readily available.
Fortunately, Lexi was much more technologically inclined. That was the best part of having her around. She seemed like a moron, and most of the time she was, but she could also rewire the house if she needed to.
She’d been the one who had bought Penn the iPhone. Though “procured” might be a better word, since none of the sirens had actually earned money a day in their supernatural lives. They charmed, they conned, they took what they wanted.
So far, Penn had concluded it would be more fun to throw the phone at the wall than spend another second trying to find this ridiculous bird game. She was just about to do that when she heard laughter from across the street and peered over her sunglasses to see people exiting the theater.
Gemma walked out with some boy from the play. He was cute enough in an ordinary way, but Gemma probably thought he was dreamy, and that made Penn want to gag.
The only person in the whole entire thing that Penn would even think about sleeping with would be the director, but she’d always had a thing for men in positions of power, even the smallest amount.
The director came out last, talking to Thea for a few seconds before they parted. Thea started walking across the road.
Penn had been watching the director, momentarily distracted by the dimple he had on one cheek when he smiled, and she quickly looked around. Everyone had left by then, even Gemma, but Penn didn’t particularly know where Gemma went. She’d probably just gone back to her dirty little house with her dull sister.
Just when she’d resigned herself to having missed him, she saw Daniel come out of the back door of the theater.
“Looking for someone?” Thea asked as she climbed in the car.
“No,” Penn lied. “What were you guys doing in there? Rehearsal took forever.”
“We ended on time,” Thea said. “I told you that it went until eight.”
“Like I remember everything you say.” Penn tossed her cell phone in the backseat and started the car.
Daniel glanced both ways before crossing the street, a few cars down from where Penn had parked. As he walked nearer to the car, Penn called out, “Hey, Daniel.”
“Penn.” He smiled thinly at her and seemed genuinely surprised to see her. He’d been walking by, but he stopped and stepped closer to the car. “Nice ride.”
“Thanks.” She pushed her sunglasses up so he could get the full effect of her dark eyes. “Want a lift?”
“I don’t think there’s much room,” he said, referring to the tiny backseat.
He put both of his hands on the door and leaned down, but he kept his distance. The top buttons of his shirt were undone, so she could see the scant hair on his chest, and something about that enticed her more than any amount of bare flesh had before.
“You can always sit on my lap,” Penn offered.
“I think you’re going for sexy with that, but that doesn’t seem like it’d be sexy or safe driving,” Daniel said. “So I’m gonna have to pass.”
“I could sit on your lap,” Penn said, trying her most seductive smile.
He lowered his head, looking away from her, and laughed darkly. For a second she was thinking he might actually say yes, that he’d finally take her up on one of her offers, but when he looked up, she saw the denial in his eyes.
“I’d rather walk,” he said simply and stood up.
“I’ll see you around, then,” Penn said as he stepped back from her car.
“Oh, I know you will.” Daniel turned around.