Recipe for Temptation - Gina Gordon Page 0,49
She swept her hair up with both hands, exposing her neck to fresh air, then let it fall over her shoulders.
Sweat had broken out across her skin. It had already been hot in the club, but now that she was one step away from dry humping him in public…
“I think we have a winner, ladies and gentlemen.”
When Penn looked over, both Dave and Beth had stopped dancing.
The DJ grabbed Cole’s wrist and thrust his hand into the air. Cole mimicked his actions and did the same with Penn, raising her hand in victory.
Beside her, she heard Beth curse. When she stole a look, her lips were drawn in a thin line, and she was fisting her hands at her sides.
A flash of heat engulfed her. She bit her thumbnail as a blush settled into her cheeks. She’d just humped Cole in public. She’d just done sexy…in front of her siblings.
It could have been a hell of a lot sexier. But this was a huge baby step in the right direction. And she couldn’t have done it without Cole.
He had gotten on that plane to help her win that trophy. But she knew now it was far more than that. Destiny had brought him to this island. This was the universe’s way of telling her to make a change.
They made their way backstage, letting a disgruntled Beth sulk her way back to the table with Dave.
Penn pulled Cole to a stop and wrapped her arms around him. They only had a moment before they’d be in public again.
“Thank you.” She kissed him softly, quickly. “That felt really good.”
“You did all the work.” His big hands slid down her back and rested just above her ass. “I just stood there and tried not to get an erection.”
She laughed. “Which you failed miserably.”
He kissed her forehead. “That I did.”
When they made their way off stage, they returned to her siblings, most of them with disapproving looks, at their table.
“Where did you learn to do that?” Cathy asked, forcing everyone at the table to stare in their direction.
Penn suppressed her amusement. Cathy had tried to get the last laugh, thinking Penn would fall flat on her face. But she hadn’t. Imagine if she’d gone full Penn on that stage. They’d all be stunned silent.
“I thought it was hot,” Christine said, then took a sip of water.
Ian cleared his throat. “You sure know how to get Pennie to come out of her shell.” He looked over at Cole, who simply smiled.
“Penn doesn’t really have a shell.”
She knew he’d been trying the whole time he’d been here to drop hints, to get her family to realize she wasn’t the same little girl. But they were so oblivious, or so intent on keeping her in the box, they just didn’t see it.
“Really, Pennie.” Cathy leaned over the table, lowering her voice as best she could over the music. “Do you think Dad would approve of you dancing like that? All you were missing was the pole.”
Anger bubbled inside her. Of course she would bring Dad into it, and she had no doubt one of them would rat her out tomorrow morning at breakfast. But she had nothing to be ashamed of.
She smacked the table in frustration. “Get over it, Cathy. I won.”
“Good thing you didn’t become a teacher like Dad wanted, Penn,” Dave said, twisting his beer bottle in his hand on the table. “Clearly you’re not right for the job.”
Just because she liked to grind on the dance floor didn’t mean she’d be a bad teacher, a bad influence. She just didn’t want to be a teacher.
“Are you sure you two aren’t dating?” Beth cocked her head to the side, her eyes darting between them. “You look pretty familiar with each other.”
Shit. Her decision to crack the mold was backfiring. Beth was getting suspicious.
What did you expect? Your ass was all over his dick.
“Women all over the world sexy-dance with guys they aren’t dating.” They were all getting suspicious. She couldn’t miss the side-eyed glances, the rolling eyes every time she tried to defend their non-couple status.
Her heart sank. She’d shown them barely ten percent of what she was like at home, and this was what she got.
It wasn’t worth it.
“No wonder you have so much free reign at your job.” Beth wasn’t letting up. “It must be nice—”
“I think we need to get back to work.” Cole stood, pushing his chair back.
She sucked in a steadying breath. Cole’s timing was impeccable. He was one step