wasn’t really that. Maybe it was more of a…longing. Because I could get used to this. A woman in my kitchen. A woman in my house. It felt warmer with her here.
Penny placed the pot on the stove and turned back to me. “I figured you didn’t have any tea bags either, so I brought some.” She pulled out some more boxes from her purse and put them on the counter.
“You promised me coffee,” I said.
“Coffee is for people who don’t lie to their Tanners about their friends being rude and not wanting to see their place.”
“Please stop calling him my Tanner. It’s just Tanner.”
She laughed. “But it’s so fun to mess with you.”
I was the one that was supposed to be messing with her. That was our thing. I didn’t like when the tables were turned.
“It’ll whistle when it’s ready.” She walked around the island. “Give me a tour?”
It was actually cute that she didn’t realize how suggestive she always sounded. A tour usually meant straight to the bedroom. Or is that what she meant? I tried to shake off the thought as I showed her the family room and downstairs bathroom.
She peered out the window to the back yard. “You have grass?” She opened up the door before I could stop her. She laughed as she spun around in a circle, her hands lifting in the air. “It’s like a little slice of Central Park!”
It was such a small yard that I couldn’t help but laugh. But I’d made it look nice. There was a small stone patio with a grill and some chairs. And some flowerbeds along the back fence.
“Scarlett would love this,” she said.
“You can bring her next time if you want.”
Next time? Bring another person? What the fuck was I doing? I didn’t want anyone here.
“You’re inviting me back?” She looked so happy.
“I don’t know how to say no to you.”
She laughed. “Show me the rest.”
I didn’t know how to feel as I showed her up the stairs. She peered into my office and into the hallway bathroom.
“What’s in there?” she asked, pointing to the closed door.
I stepped in front of her. “The only room that’s still a work in progress.”
“You can show me next time then.” She wandered down the hall and into the master bedroom. “Wow, it’s so much bigger than I expected.”
“That’s what she said.”
She laughed. “Perve.”
“The first thing you said when you stepped foot in my bedroom was that it was bigger than you expected. You walked right into that one.”
“Fair enough. I can’t believe you make your bed. I absolutely hate making my bed, knowing I’m just going to mess it up at night. But James always does it or has Ellen do it. Is that like a rich person thing?”
“Penny, you’re rich too now.”
“Not like you guys.”
“Exactly like us. You’re one of us.” I made a point to make sure all my friends’ wives felt like they were a part of this world. Because I’d failed on that before. I wasn’t naïve. I knew we weren’t untouchable. But I wanted them to know that they belonged. Especially Penny.
Her smile suddenly looked shier. “Thanks, Matt.” She peered into the bathroom. “You’re very…neat.”
“That’s probably the worst description after nice.”
“Too bad. Because you’re also nice.”
Maybe it was just me, but it felt like the air crackled between us. The bed was literally four feet away. What would she do if I backed her up until her thighs hit the mattress? Or if I pushed up her skirt? Or if I kissed that shy smile right off her face? Would she tell me to stop? Beg me for more? Because I couldn’t stop picturing her on her knees begging ever since she’d graciously put the image in my head outside.
The damned teakettle started whistling.
“Which is why I’m going to find you a nice girl.” She patted my chest as she walked by. “Come on, we have teatime and plans to discuss.”
That sounded like the gayest thing ever. What were we, two women at a 1900s luncheon? But I followed her out of the bedroom anyway. I wasn’t sure why. But I’d follow Penny anywhere. Maybe it was the smell of her perfume. Or her subtle Delawarean accent that reminded me of Brooklyn. Or maybe something else entirely.
I watched her pour the boiling water into mugs and place tea bags into each.
“Do you have any honey?” she asked.
I shook my head.
“Oh, first time tea drinkers should really have honey. What about sugar?”