Recipe for Temptation - Gina Gordon Page 0,57

between gritted teeth.

“We’ve…uh…”

She couldn’t exactly say she’d been fucking Cole’s brains out. Or that he was fucking hers. In the grand scheme of things… There had been lots of fucking all over her hotel room.

And maybe the bathroom.

Cole crossed his arms over his chest. “It seems your father thinks I’m a bad influence on you.”

He seemed to be taking the criticism in stride.

“Of course you are.” Her father glared. “My daughter is veering a long way from being the role model I raised her to be.” His frown deepened. “The only explanation is your presence in her life.”

“Forgive me for saying so, sir.” Cole stood straighter. She was glad that he was aware enough not to touch her, to not show any type of affection whatsoever. “But I don’t think you know your daughter at all.”

Shit. Shit. Shit. Now Cole was going to rat her out. Had she stumbled into some sort of twilight zone?

“We should probably get into the buffet. Everyone’s waiting for us,” she interrupted. This was ridiculous.

“With all due respect, your daughter isn’t the good girl you think she is. That is—” He regrouped. “She is a good girl, a great girl, but not the timid wallflower you’ve all made her out to be. And I, for one, admire that kind of strength and confidence. Penn’s audacity is what I love most about her.”

Her breath hiccupped, and she glanced up at him, but he kept his eyes on her father.

Love.

He’d just said love. And that he loved her non-good girl behavior. Her mind whirled. How could that be?

“I’m her father.” Harold pointed at Cole’s chest and loomed over the two of them in an intimidation tactic. “Are you trying to tell me that you know my daughter better than I do? Better than the man who taught her to ride a bike? To skate? To shoot hoops? To—”

“Yes. In fact, I do.” Cole’s face and body language were unflinching. He was playing the intimidator as well as her father. “When was the last time you actually sat down and talked to her?”

Her eyes widened, and her head spun even more. Cole was defending her. Again. He was by her side again. And she was just standing here saying nothing.

Her father bristled like a porcupine. “You’ve got a lot of nerve, young man. We may not be rich or famous, but we are a family, and we love each other no matter what.”

A half-laugh, half-scoff shot out of Cole’s mouth. “Yeah? That’s also what I thought families did.” He slid his arm around her shoulders, and she nestled into his protection. “Until I met yours.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” After a moment of sputtering, he looked over at her and barked, “He’s turning you against us.”

She forced herself to respond. “I…”

She looked up at Cole. He urged her on with a nod, but she had nothing. He had just stuck his neck out for her, and she didn’t even have enough courage to stick up for herself. Or for him.

“Harold, dear. Everyone is waiting.” Her mother placed her hand gently on her father’s arm, without even looking at him. She was staring right at Penn.

“I’m not fin—”

“Yes, you are.” Her mom glared at her dad. It was…weird. Margot Foster never came between the Sergeant and an argument. “We have to announce the winner.”

She tugged on his arm, her father letting out a disgruntled huff. But he took one more moment to stare down Cole, who gave it back to him in return.

When it was just the two of them, she hung her head.

“He shouldn’t have said any of those things. I’m sorry,” she said. “I should have—”

“I never thought I’d say this, but I miss your big mouth. I hate seeing you like this.” He feathered his fingers through her hair, but she shrugged away. “Christ, Penn.”

Tears stung behind her eyelids, but she blinked them away. She would not cry. She would not let the words of this man affect her so deeply. Because once they got back home, she might have to make a choice. And the odds were, that choice wouldn’t include being with Cole.

Cole showing up in Hawaii had been the best thing to ever happen to her. And maybe, when they untangled themselves from between the bed sheets and went back to their regular, non-sexual lives, their friendship would be stronger because of it. But until then…

She had a trophy to win.

They walked, out of sync, into the dining room. Cole lagged two