Because… fuck.
“Put your jacket back on,” I bark out, leaning forward and resting my elbows on my knees so I’m in her personal space.
Her lip curls up as icy blue eyes sear into me. “I’m hot.”
No fucking kidding.
My jaw clenches as I drop my stare to her sassy mouth. “Penny…”
“Stop talking.”
Our gazes meet and there’s amusement in her blazing blue eyes. Fuck if it doesn’t make my dick hard, too. For a girl who’s grumpy as shit, I suddenly feel the urge to amuse her a helluva lot more. My lips quirk up on one side as I let loose a chuckle.
“Fine, brat,” I say with a grumble. “You don’t want to talk to me, I’ll go talk to someone else.”
She kicks out one of her booted feet, planting it between my spread legs. “Stay here, Smash.” Her words are warm and playful.
She leans forward until her face is close to mine. It’s then I notice her AirPods are in. Her blond hair that’s usually in a ponytail is loose and is in messy waves that suit her. I crave to reach out and twist a silky strand around my finger.
I bite down on the inside corner of my bottom lip, roaming my stare over her made-up face to her pink lips. “So you’re going to talk to me?”
Her lip curls up and it’s hella cute. “I guess.”
“Good,” I murmur. “I like talking to you.”
She parts her lips when I toy with the keys hanging from her necklace. I tug on it, pulling her closer.
“I gotta tell you a secret.” I flash her a grin. “Come here.”
A gasp escapes her when I pull her closer to me by her necklace. I pluck the AirPod out of her ear, leaning in to whisper to her. “You look beautiful, mean-ass. So beautiful I can’t stop staring at you.”
“I’m not a ball in your court, player,” she says, pressing a finger to my lips and pushing me away from her.
Her words sting, but I guess I had them coming. It’s not like Cal and I didn’t try to fuck the entire female population in Oregon. There’s no hiding that fact.
“Don’t hate the player, hate the game,” I tease, grinning at her.
She does her dramatic eye rolling that has her lashes fluttering wildly. “Go mack on someone else.”
“You’re the only one here.”
Her head cocks to the side, her brows furling. “There are like eight other people here if you count Emilia.”
“I only see you,” I admit.
“Ew. Save it for someone else,” she says, rising to her feet. “I’m not interested.”
Before I can even think about the fact it’s because I look like a fucking train wreck, she swirls around, her finger right in my face.
“And not because of the way you look, Smash. You fucking know it too so stop being dramatic. I happen to think the dents and scars make you look badass.” She holds out her palm. “Give me back my shit.”
I hand her the AirPod, noting her body shivers when my fingers brush against hers. She snatches it away and shoves it into her ear. This time, rather than feeling sorry for myself, I shamelessly check out her ass as she walks away.
Penny has a nice goddamn ass in a pair of skinny jeans.
Jesus.
Cal plops down in her chair, smacking my cheek. “Dude. Stop salivating over jailbait.”
“I’m not…” I trail off and shake my head. “Can you blame me? Look at her.”
He barks out a laugh. “I’m looking and all I see is smartass Penny.”
“In. Fucking. Jeans.”
“Bad idea,” he mutters. “Protective big brother in three, two…”
Hollis sits down on the arm of the chair, frowning at me. “What are you and Penny up to? Lots of secrets going on. You better not be fucking my sister.”
This fucking guy…
“I’m not fucking your sister,” I snap.
I want to…if she were older.
Hollis narrows his eyes at me, reminding me of Penny. “Probably better not even think about it either.”
Cal snorts. “Nice try, rat. He already thought it. Look at his face.”
“Traitor,” I mutter, punching Cal’s knee.
“I like you, Terrence,” Hollis says. “I don’t want to have to bust you in your good eye.”
Cal cracks up laughing, earning another punch by me to his leg.
“He actually fucked your sister, but I can’t even look at your other sister. How is that fair?” I demand. “Penny’s just my mean-ass friend. Nothing more.”
Hollis’s features soften. “She’s not like Charlotte. Penny is different. More vulnerable. Innocent. She needs more protecting.”
Damn right she does.
And I feel like it’s my job to do it, too.
I don’t tell Hollis that.
“Yeah, yeah,” I grumble. “Heard you loud and clear.”
Sure, I heard him.
Doesn’t mean I was listening, though.
All night, I feel like Penny avoids me. She bounces from conversation to conversation, adding in her bitchy two cents, all the while leaving me to stalk her to each one. When Penny gets asked by Roux to hold her baby, Emilia, she tenses and I can tell she doesn’t want to.
“I’ll hold her,” I offer, sitting close to Penny on the sofa.
Roux flashes me a thankful smile. Jordy is in the kitchen laughing with the other Hoodlums and Hollis while Charlotte is locked in an intense conversation with Loden. It makes me feel bad Tierra couldn’t be here, but it’s her damn fault for getting grounded by Grandma.
“I’ll be right back,” Roux assures me. “I need to run to the restroom.”
She hands me the swaddled bundle. I lean back against the cushions, admiring the cute baby. Emilia is barely a week old and so damn tiny. I hold her to my chest, patting her back with my giant hand that’s damn near the length of her body.
So fucking cute.
A pang of sadness washes over me. I missed this with Zella. All this shit with Samantha is just for confirmation of what I already know. I’m sad that I’ve missed out on four years. Four years that Lacey didn’t have to parent alone. Sure, it would have sucked trying to go to college and also be a father, but I would have found a way to make it happen.
“You think she’ll be rowdy like Sebban?” I murmur, slightly nudging an all-too quiet Penny beside me.
“She’s part Hoodlum, so probably.”
Sebban is spending the night with Kelsey and Karen. Kelsey, though young and hot, is a surprisingly good grandma. I know she picks him up and keeps him a lot, which helps out Hollis and Roan with their strange work schedules.
I run a finger over the soft hair on Emilia’s tiny head. Her lips pucker as she makes a face in her sleep.
“I’ll hold her,” Penny says, her voice tight.
“You don’t have to.”
“I want to.”
I cock a brow and cut my gaze to Penny. She’s fidgety and her blue eyes storm with emotion, but she holds out her arms anyway. Carefully, I turn Emilia and then settle her into Penny’s waiting arms. My fingers brush along Penny’s bare skin and she shudders, scowling at me.
A small laugh tumbles out. “Sorry.”