Playing at Forever - By Michelle Brewer Page 0,39

that day comes, just so I can laugh.” She pushed at him again, stumbling back a little bit herself.

Tommy reached out and took her by the arm.

“Hey—look, I’m sorry.” He brushed her hair back. “It’s just—I would have been a fool not to kiss you back there.”

“Right, because that would have been listening to my only request. That makes plenty of sense.”

“No, because there wasn’t a single guy in there—including your soon-to-be ex-husband—who wasn’t wishing they could be in my place.”

“Don’t you try to flatter your way out of this.”

“Penny, I promise you. You really have no idea how amazing you look tonight, do you?” She felt her breath catch in her throat as he held her eyes. Part of her feared he might kiss her again, and she wasn’t sure what would happen now that they were alone out here, on the beach.

And part of her wanted it more than anything.

“Just don’t do it again, okay?” Her voice was small, uncertain.

“I’ll do my best,” Penny smiled, tearing her eyes away from his and looking out to the ocean before them. They were still on her property—below the patio, on the beach. She paused for a moment, the music from the restaurant audible even down here. She bent over and removed her shoes. “What are you doing?”

“I’m going to enjoy the rest of my evening. Would you like to join me?” Her eyes twinkled happily as she stepped out into the sand, walking just a bit closer to the shoreline. Tommy followed only a step or two behind.

Finally, she found the right spot and she tossed her shoes to the ground, laying down beside them.

“Are you feeling okay, Pen?”

“Actually, I’m feeling pretty wonderful.” She patted the sand beside her. “Sit.”

“What are you—”

“Shh,” she looked over at him. “Just listen. Just watch and listen, Tommy. It’s a beautiful night. You should enjoy it.”

A moment later, he lay down next to her—and they lay there silently, staring up at the stars.

Penny wasn’t sure when she fell asleep. All she knew was that, when she woke, the sky was beginning to lighten. “Tommy,” she whispered, surprised to find that she was tucked warmly in his arms. “Look. Isn’t it incredible?”

The sky was changing from shades of purple to shades of red, the sun glowing a dull orange color way off in the distance. It had been a long time since she’d watched a sunrise.

“It most certainly is.” He replied. If Penny would have glanced in his direction, she would have seen that he was not looking at the sky at all, though.

“Can we stay and watch it?” She asked, her voice somewhat husky from breathing in the cool air all night.

“Of course we can.”

“When we go to L.A., I want to watch a sunrise. Put that on my to-do list.”

“You’ve never been?” He sounded surprised.

“I’ve never been anywhere, Tommy, except Florida, to see my parents.” She shrugged her shoulders. “Just never had the time, I guess.”

“Well, so long as we’re involved in this little arrangement, I’m going to make sure you get to see some of the world.”

“Oh yeah?” She thought about the talks they used to have all those years ago, very similar to this one. Tommy had been all over, because of his father. He’d seen all sorts of places and had only planned on seeing more. They had talked about going all around the world.

By now, he had probably seen all the places they had talked about seeing.

“I promise.”

Tommy made a lot of promises, she realized.

When the sun had finally risen, Tommy helped Penny to her feet. She did her best to dust the sand off of her, but she knew it was going to take a long shower and a hefty dry-cleaning bill to take care of it all.

She didn’t mind, though. In the end, it had really been the perfect date. She wouldn’t have changed a thing.

“Do you think the car is still here?” Penny asked as they climbed up the stairs. The door was locked and Penny’s purse, and keys, had been forgotten inside, so they walked around to the parking lot.

“Guess not,” he shrugged. “Neither are the photographers, though, so that’s a good thing. I’ll walk you?”

“Nah, you go ahead and go back to the motel. I’ll be okay.”

“You sure? I don’t mind the walk.”

“It’s okay, Tommy. Go ahead and get some rest.” She reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Thank you for a wonderful evening, though.”

“Thank you for spending it with me.”