That would be how I’d spend my morning. Instead, I’m cleaning up the bathroom and washing my hands, then knocking on the door, asking her if I can come out.
When she says yes, I open the door to her putting her robe back on and tying it loosely at the side. When her eyes meet mine, I notice her flushed cheeks and pleased smile. Walking up to me, she once again places her hand on my chest and sighs happily. “Thank you so much, Eli. I know this is weird for us, but I’m so glad I can be comfortable enough to do that in the other room. I feel better. It might be like this for a while, given the sexual drive I have recently. So I appreciate you being cool about it.”
It might be like this for a while?
How long is a while?
Because I’m not sure I can take another day like this.
She’s walking around this apartment like a goddamn goddess, her sexual magnetism a ten out of ten, and tempting me with every smile, every time our eyes meet, and every sashay of her hips.
If this is going to last longer than today, then I’m royally fucked.
Chapter Twenty-Four
PENNY
“He’s not breaking,” I say as I take a seat at the bistro table Blakely and Winnie are sitting at.
“Who’s not breaking? What are we talking about?” Winnie asks, looking between us.
Blakely and I exchange glances, and I give her a curt nod.
“Winnie,” Blakely says. “We love you, and we want you to be in this circle of trust, but there’s a slight conflict of interest. You’re dating Penny’s brother, and what we’re about to discuss can’t get back to Pacey. So, we know this is asking a lot from you. Do you think you can keep this information in this circle, right here?” Blakely motions between all of us.
“Are you asking . . .” She pauses and glances over her shoulder and then whispers, “To form an alliance?”
I slowly nod my head. “A bosom buddy alliance.” I point at our chests. “We all have boobs. This is information only for those who have boobs.”
Winnie rubs her hands together. “I’ve always wanted to form an alliance. This feels right. Should we touch nipples to seal the deal?”
“Or we can shake on it,” Blakely says.
“I mean sure, not as fun, but sure.” Chuckling, we all shake on it, and then Winnie says, “So, what are we talking about?”
Chiming in like the best friend that she is, Blakely says, “Our dear pregnant friend over here is attempting to break Hornsby’s will.”
“Oh, that sounds like fun. In what way?”
“I want to have sex with him,” I say. “Badly.”
Winnie chuckles. “If I were in your position, I’d want to as well. Oh, wait . . . is this why you texted me the other night? Is Hornsby not having sex with you because of Pacey?”
I nod. “Your boyfriend is being a wet blanket on my sexual appetite.”
“And I’m assuming by this killer dress that does wonders for your cleavage, you’re trying to break Hornsby with your feminine prowess.”
“Exactly,” I say, “but it’s not working.”
“Not that you want to hear this, but all I had to do was kiss Pacey, and that was the end of that. Have you tried kissing Hornsby?”
“Been there, done that,” I say, waving my hand in dismissal. “He kissed me back for a second, and then it was as if my brother was sitting on his shoulder, reminding him of what he shouldn’t be doing. He pulled away. It was absolutely humiliating.”
Winnie’s brow knits. “That’s awful. I’m so sorry. And because of Pacey?”
I nod. “Yes, because of him. But I’ve taken that humiliation and let it light a fire under my titillated ass, and now I’m determined to break him, but he’s not cracking.”
“What have you done?” Blakely asks while Winnie still has an irritated look on her face. “Maybe we can help you come up with new ideas.”
“What have I not done?” I ask, exhausted, just as a server brings us salads. Blakely ordered ahead so we wouldn’t have to wait long for our food. She’s thoughtful like that. “Let’s see, I’ve worn see-through tank tops. I’ve asked him to hold me at night again. I’ve worn a robe, loosely tied around my body and then asked him to massage me. I made all these moaning noises—”
“Classic, well done,” Blakely says.
“Yeah, but all it did was turn me on, so then I was like, fine, I’m turned on, I’ll take care of it. I asked him to hand me my vibrator from the nightstand, and that’s exactly what I did.”