An amused noise sounded from the back of Zoelner’s throat, and Penni turned to see him fighting a grin.
“And you two.” Boss leveled his gaze on Dan and Penni.
Dan instinctively reached for her hand. It was sweet and charming that he always sought to touch her. And when her palm was kissing his, when her fingers were curled around his, she felt safe and wanted in a way she never had before.
You keep this up and you really are going to have your Girl Power Club card revoked.
“What about us?” Dan lifted a brow.
“Go hide yourselves upstairs in your room,” Boss said. “I don’t want Samantha Tate getting a gander at Penni either. Especially since she looks like she went ten rounds with a heavyweight.”
Penni reached up to touch the bandages on her cheek.
Becky rolled her eyes and elbowed Boss in the stomach. It didn’t budge the giant, but it did cause him to frown and blink down at his wife. “Good God, Frank,” Becky harrumphed. “What have I told you about thinking before you open your mouth.”
“What?” Boss asked, his tone completely baffled.
Becky turned to Penni. “It’s not that bad,” she assured her. “You still look beautiful.” Before Penni could thank her—or call bullshit, more like—Becky winked at Dan and said, “When I heard you guys were coming, I put in an order at Downtown Dogs. Picked them up right about the time you were landing, so they should still be hot. Grab a few on your way up.”
Zoelner, who was already marching Winterfield toward the back of the shop, turned and shouted, “I love you, woman!”
Dan pressed a hand over his heart, grabbed Becky’s fingers, and kissed them. “I’m gonna name my firstborn after you. I swear it.”
Penni felt a little stab somewhere in the center of her chest. Dan’s firstborn. Dan’s family. And where did she fit in? Did she fit in at all?
“Yeah, okay, good.” Boss pulled Becky’s hand out of Dan’s. “I’m getting sick and tired of all you fuckheads pawing at my wife.”
Dan chuckled, and Penni ached at the affection and peace she saw glowing in his face. He was home, surrounded by the things and the people he loved, and he’d never looked better or more handsome. It was as if being back here brought out the sparkle in him. The shine. And she was as blinded by his brilliant smile as she was dazed by it.
He turned and extended a hand. “Shall we?”
Penni looked down at his broad palm and long fingers. Both were callused; both were hard. Both had given her pleasure like she’d never experienced before. Of course pleasure was the last thing on her mind when she suddenly realized the importance of what Dan being home really meant. There was no more putting off the inevitable.
Time to face the music, Penni-pie. Her father’s voice sounded through her head.
I know, Dad. Give me the strength…
Swallowing, she placed her hand in Dan’s, and walked toward the metal stairway that led to the second-floor landing. With every step she took, she was reminded again that what happened in the next few hours was going to shape the rest of her life.
Chapter Eighteen
“I’m assuming by ‘dogs,’ Becky meant hot dogs,” Penni said, her delicate hand held tight within Dan’s. He just couldn’t help himself. He felt better when he touched her. Whole somehow. Complete.
Well, that’s scary as hell, isn’t it?
He tried to shake off his sudden unease but didn’t quite manage it. These feelings he had for Penni were equal parts wonderful and frightening. Wonderful because caring for a woman, wanting a woman was a heady, exhilarating experience. And there was the added bonus that when he was with her, he didn’t think about taking a drink. Didn’t need to take a drink.
Frightening because he didn’t know where all this was leading. To bed, for sure. But then what? She hadn’t flown all the way to Cusco just to engage in some bow-chicka-wow-wow. She wanted more from him. He figured she was going to ask for more from him in pretty short order, now that the craziness of the past twenty-four hours was behind them. And the question that kept nagging him was, how would he answer her? He didn’t know if he could give her more. Didn’t know if he wanted to give her more. Because giving her more was…well…frightening. And wonderful.
Fuckin’-A! It was circular logic, and he couldn’t seem to break free of it. Your mind is a dangerous place; don’t go in there alone! The little slogans he’d picked up in AA worked for more than just giving him the occasional boosts he needed to avoid the booze.
“Dan?” Penni asked, pulling him to a stop once they reached the second-floor landing. “Are you okay?”
“Uh, sorry.” He shook his head, realizing he’d been a world away. “What were you asking?”