Recipe for Temptation - Gina Gordon Page 0,42
It was some serious shit.
“As much as I love our conversations…”
He laughed. “Sure, you do.” Their conversations were almost always one-sided.
“Finn is coming to get me for a doctor’s appointment. But can I leave you with one last thought?”
“Sure.”
“You only have to ask yourself one question: do you think Penn is worthy of knowing who you really are?”
In the shower, he’d touched himself without a second thought. Without any thoughts at all, except for the way Penn tasted and the way her moans revved up his own desire. That had to mean something. Something far more important than sex itself.
Hell, yes. She’s worthy.
He trusted her, and he knew his secret would be locked in the vault. But more important than her being trustworthy was his decision to trust her in the first place. Exposing his past, his deepest, darkest secrets, meant more than just telling her the truth.
He was falling for her.
And that was even scarier than facing his past.
Now all he had to do was hope he didn’t end up a splattered mess on the concrete when it was all said and done.
Cole had flashed his money around once again and arranged with the concierge for a candlelight dinner in a thatched hut on the water. Now the evening had even more importance. Tonight he was going to blow her mind. Not only with the scenery and the romantic gesture, but by telling her some of his shit. The shit she’d been wanting to know forever.
He was ready. He could do this. She wouldn’t judge.
He sat on the sofa, absentmindedly flipping through the pages of a magazine while he waited for Penn to finish getting ready.
“Hi.” Her voice carried softly from the door of the bedroom.
He looked up from the magazine, and immediately his dick tightened at the sight of her. She wore a short, red dress with a thin brown belt wrapped around her waist. There were no shoulder straps, so it hugged her breasts perfectly. She’d put sunglasses on top of her head, but they were barely noticeable between the black waves of her hair. She’d done something with it. Something to make the shiny strands curly…but not. God, he sucked at describing girl stuff.
“Are you going to pick your tongue up off the floor?”
He snapped his gaze up and looked at her face. He hadn’t realized he’d been staring at her breasts the whole time.
“Sorry, I—” He took a deep breath and regrouped. “Damn. You look fantastic.”
“Fantastic enough for wherever we’re going?” Her body fidgeted, and her eyebrows perked up. “Aren’t you going to tell me what we’re doing?”
“It’s a surprise.”
He stood and walked over, and put his hand on her hip.
She took his gesture even further and pulled him closer. “You look pretty fantastic, yourself.”
He’d dressed in a pair of white linen pants and a purple-checkered button-down shirt.
She nuzzled his neck, inhaling deeply. “But I do prefer how you look with your clothes off.”
He growled. They were on the same page when it came to where their clothes looked best. On the floor.
He smacked her ass, partly to shake her out of the smoldering desire that had flared between them as soon as she embraced him, and partly to keep his own mind focused. “You ready?”
She nodded and threaded her arm through his.
He gestured to the door, holding out his hand. “Your romantic evening awaits, my lady.”
They walked through the hotel, turning a few heads. Yes, he could definitely get used to having Penn on his arm. If nothing else, for the ego boost. As far as anyone else knew, they were ideal for each other. Deep down, he knew Penn cared about him. She’d displayed that time and again over the last three years. They’d developed a real friendship, and over the last few days, nurtured a sexual chemistry he’d never experienced with anyone else. But that didn’t mean she was equipped to handle his baggage for the long haul. It might tear them apart. Which made his growing feelings for her all the more dangerous.
But he had to try.
They walked side-by-side, being sure to keep their distance until they were behind closed doors, and were greeted at a small boardwalk by Jason, the hotel staff member who had arranged the evening.
“Mr. Murphy. Everything has been prepared just as you asked.”
She gasped, and her eyes turned a shade of cobalt as she caught sight of the small hut positioned on a low cliff above the water. “Is that where we’re going?”
He nodded, shook hands