Penny could not bear to hear him use that tone of voice any longer. She knew he was being unreasonable. Probably he knew it too, but he was being stubborn, so she must be the one to give in.
"Darling, if you really want me to, I will call Audrey and tell her. I will say I'm ill or something" she said.
"Oh, don't bother" Jeremy said ungraciously. "It doesn't really matter, anyway."
"It does, of course it does" Penny cried, a little of her control leaving her as she realized that this stupid discussion was developing into a quarrel. She could stand most things, but not a quarrel with Jeremy.
"Darling, I will call her now. Audrey will understand" she said quietly.
Jeremy stood watching her as she went across the room to get her phone. As she reached for it, he said :
"No. Don't. I have some work to do anyways, so maybe I will just do it then, and maybe lodge at an hotel if I get too ti
"Keep still" Jeremy said. "I will rub you down. Oh, poor pet, it must have been some nightmare. You are soaking wet!""Honey, I'm so sorry... Getting you out of bed, waking you up" Penny murmured, filled with remorse."Would you like a cup of tea?" he asked."I would love one!" Penny said gratefully. "You are wonderful to me!""Like one myself" Jeremy said, grinning at her. "You stay there and try and get warm. I will be back in a moment"Penny curled herself into a ball and rubbed her feet against each other until the shivering gradually stopped. Warmth came back into her limbs and with it a rush of love and gratitude towards Jeremy. One or twice before she had had such nightmares and had lain wet and shivering until the morning, unable to return to sleep. But tonight she had him to comfort her, bring everything back to normal, to take care of her. It was lovely not be
Penny put that thought out of her mind quickly, feeling she was somehow being disloyal to Jeremy. After all, they had only been engaged a few days and there had hardly been time to discuss their future."How's the job going?" Audrey asked, breaking in on Penny's reflections."Progressing" Penny answered, not without pride. "I really have more work than I have time for at the moment. Making quite a bit of money one way and another""What are you doing with it?" Audrey asked, knowing that Penny would not resent such a question from her."Oh, shoving it in the bank for a rainy day" Penny replied laughing. "I'm bound to want a nice large bank balance sometime in my future, and apart from living expenses and an occasional dress, I don't seem to have any other requirements.Audrey did not reply, but sat smoking and thinking deeply. Although all Penny's information regarding herself and
Penny sighed. "Yes I know that" she said. "But I'm sure that once once you get to meet Jeremy, you wouldn't be so worried about this... So now please, will you tell me what has been going on with you?"Audrey smiled at her, and began to tell her about her job, and some guy from work who wanted to date her, but she wasn't sure about him yet, and Penny was glad for the change of topic.But Jeremy didn't call that night and when Audrey finally went to bed and Penny called him, he said he was too busy and wouldn't be coming home that night.He didn't return until the next day after Audrey left and he told Penny he was sorry and hoped he could meet Audrey some other time.--------------------------Two days passed and Penny realized that she felt tired sometimes. And the fatigue came suddenly especially when she hadn't even done much work. Her period wasn't late, and she was damn scared
When Jeremy left the following morning, Penny went back to the sofa, resting her head against the cushion where his head had been the evening before. She could still smell the faint aroma of cloves, and her mouth curved into a smile.The dog placed his two fringed front paws on the edge of the sofa and gazed up at her reproachfully. Penny looked at him and laughed."I know, you want your morning walk" she said, gathering him into her arms and burying her face against his silky hair"You are a big baby, Benjamin. And you won't be able to have that walk because we are going on a trip. Your daddy lent us his car"Benny produced a pink tongue and licked her face. Young as he was, he had that unerring canine instinct that warned him all was not well. There was a faint tinge of sadness in her voice, and if he could not understand he could still sympathize.Penny hugged him closer and s
Penny allowed herself to be led into the sitting room where a large log fire burned in the open grate. Coal was rationed but there was plenty of wood here. She spread her hands to the welcome warmth."Show Benny to aunt Ann, uncle Charles. How do you like my new baby?"She smiled as aunt Ann took the puppy and cuddled it in her arms."Now this really is a sweet dog" Mrs Gellar said. "Not at all like that poor mongrel you brought back from the lost dog's home"Penny laughed."You were cross, weren't you, aunt Ann. You were so sure he was alive with fleas and that I would catch them""Aha. Went after my bulbs too" announced uncle Charles gruffly but with good humor. "Now, a dog like this —better idea —very good retriever"He shook his shaggy grey head, looking not unlike any kindly sheep dog himself, Penny thought. She loved these two people better than anyone in the
"A girl doesn't get engaged every day" her aunt said, relenting "I must admit it would be a little difficult for me to come up how. The new maid we have doesn't do things well. I keep trying to make her understand how I want things done, but she just doesn't seem to get it. Besides. I wouldn't like to leave your uncle just at the moment. His health isn't too good at this time of the year as you know "Penny knew very well that Althouse he was Seventy, her uncle still enjoyed perfect health, and that if anything the cold weather suited him. She smiled, knowing that aunt Ann's last explanation was just an excuse to remain with him. They had not spent twenty four hours away from each other since the day they got married."I shouldn't give it another thought, aunt Ann" said Penny. "By the time i go back home. I will be a different woman... And look it""Oh well, Penny. I dare say there's nothing wrong with you that a little
Ignorance was certainly not bliss in her case, Penny thought with a wry smile. If she had not been so appallingly ignorant in the first place this might never have happened. She pulled herself up sharply. Nothing had happened yet, but no doubt that could be accounted for quite easily... Nerves, over fatigue, the sudden change in her way of living. She was imagining all these things. It was all her guilty conscience, she told herself severely. This was fates way of paying her for doing wrong.Penny could not bring herself to say 'living in sin'. Living with Jeremy could not and must not be tarnished by such a description of their beautiful love. She wanted her love for him to remain perfect and beautiful and nothing should be allowed to spoil it. She would not have this child.She managed fairly successfully to put her worries out of her mind for the remainder of her visit. She talked to Jeremy twice during that time and he told her how much he misse
Perfume! She had forgotten her perfume. She opened a drawer, huming a little song as she did so, and pulled out a bottle of perfume which she had hoarded carefully for just such an occasion.This was Jeremy's favorite scent. Whenever she used it he would sniff her hair with loud exaggerated sniffs and say : "Mmmm, you smell nice""Oh Jeremy. Hurry up and come soon. I can't wait to see you"She broke off her singing to look at her watch. He would be here soon. She went to the top of the stairs and listened for his footsteps. Then she rushed to the window in the sitting room to see if he were coming round the corner of the mews...But it was too dark to see anything much. She turned restlessly back and wondered what she could do. The joint... That could go in now....She was bent over the oven, when Jeremy arrived. She had not heard him come in. As she stood up he put his
She leaned back and looked up at him. "I can't believe I'm standing here like this" Penny said."Like what?" Joey asked."half naked in your kitchen" she replied simply.Joey laughed. "You could always take off my shirt""No way. The lights are on"He paused, then began to unbutton the shirt.She grabbed his hands. "What are you doing?""Taking back my shirt" Joey replied, like what he was going was very normal. Like he had been doing it for a long time."You have on jeans. You don't need this shirt as badly as I do"He slid his hands to her wrists and pulled her fingers away. When she tried to pull free, he wouldn't let go."Joey" she said with a warning in her voice.He switched tactics and started at her neck, moving his mouth over her soft skin. He cou
Penny groaned, the sound low and desperate. Holding her by the hips to keep her steady, Joey tilted her closer, right where he wanted her, and explored her pretty, slick folds with his mouth. As he’d expected, she nearly buckled at the sensation, but he kept her steady, completely in control. And he didn’t relent, just kept pleasuring her until he heard her cry out her climax a few moments later.“Beautiful,” he murmured against her thigh, watching as she shook from the power of it.He let go of her hips. She stretched again, easing this way and that, her body warm and pliant and, he would suspect, still pulsing from her powerful orgasm.He had wanted to go very, very, slow, but right now, Joey wanted to share the moment, to be part of her deep pleasure. So he pushed his boxer shorts down, not even kicking them all the way off. Using his teeth to tear open one of the condoms he’d
Penny breathed a sigh of relief. She was so grateful to Audrey. "Thank you, Audrey. I honestly don't know what I would do without you. You are a blessing. Good night dear""Good night" Audrey replied and they hung up.When Penny turned around, it was to see Joey resting on the wall, watching her. He'd put on his boxers, Penny noticed. Good for her, she thought. She stood right where she was when he pushed himself from the wall and walked towards her."See, I told you Audrey's got this. You worry too much" he said, and as he did, he slipped a hand behind her and pulled her towards him, crushing her breasts to his hard chest."I'm sorry.... I just had to be sure that everything was fine" Penny said softly, wrapping her hands around his neck and clinging to him. He obviously wanted her to cling, because his hold on her tightened and his other her grabbed her butt.&n
That realization seemed to make him grow even more engorged against her, and he threw his head back, the cords of muscle standing out in his neck.Penny wasn’t entirely sure how far this kind of thing could go. She didn't know if he was close to cumming. Nor was she selfless enough to give up truly having him inside her. But she did like it. A lot. She especially liked that he was visibly losing a little of that infamous control, his hands clenched tightly in her hair, his breath coming in short gasps.“Gotta have the real thing, babe,” he muttered, dropping his hand to her shoulders and pushing her onto her back.“I wish you would,” she whispered, wanting him desperately.But instead of pushing her farther back on the bed and climbing on top of her, Joey went to the drawer and got a condom, then returned to stand between her parted thighs. He ope
His hand moved slowly.... Determined..... Straight inside her blouse from the bottom and then upwards. His big hand cupped her left breast and squeezed gently.Penny gasped in surprise when he did that. It was weird because she'd been expecting his touch. Waiting... And looking forward to it actually. But when his thumb and index finger found her nipple and squeezed, she moaned and her hands snaked around his neck, pulling his head down towards hers.Despite the lack of light, Joey's lips found hers with undeniable precision. Like his body, their warmth coaxed out a desire in Penny that she’d been trying to keep at bay, but it only kept growing stronger and stronger.Joey broke the kiss and moved back.“Sorry,” he started, voice suddenly very low. “I—I know what happened the last time we....I'm”Penny pushed her body forward, hand o
Penny loved every inch of the house. And as he showed her around, she understood more why he loved it. A home for a family... As he had said. She wanted the same thing too....she always had. There was a time when that dream included Jeremy.... Not anymore. Right now, she could almost picture herself, Joey and Howard being a real family. Maybe with two other babies... Maybe twins. She loved twins. Always hoped she'd have them someday. Once she heard the twins were never born to women who wanted them, but that was probably another old wives tale, she thought.Joey's voice snapped her back to reality."Thank you for coming, Penny" he was saying, "You have no idea how much I have missed you. Missed hanging out with you""I have missed you too. Howard too. The house is really not the same without you" Penny replied softly, and seeing the way his eyes darkened with desire as he stared at her, she moved away a
Penny opened her mouth but no words came out. She wasn't sure why. Maybe it was because for the first time since she met Joey she'd never seen him look so angry. Or because she had just heard him use those swear words that way. Or maybe because of his plain admission of his attraction towards her. Or maybe it was all of it.She didn't know. Didn't want to care. She could feel her body start to react to him being so close to her, but she fought to concentrate. No matter what happened, she had to remember that she was still really angry with him."You can't blame me for all that, Joey" she said, trying to make him understand, "I had a bad break up with Jeremy and I .....""I'm not Jeremy...." Joey said a little harshly, his fingers digging into her arm."I know you are not, jerk" Penny replied. For some reason she felt her voice crack. Oh no. She wasn't going to cry. She shouldn't cry
What if she and Joey got together and something happened and they had to break up. Audrey would obviously have to be on her brothers side. As she should be, Penny thought truthfully. She couldn't bear to come between two wonderful siblings. And if that happened, their friendship and relationship would be ruined. Penny didn't want that. But it didn't matter now, obviously. Because Joey was leaving, and he didn't even bother to say anything about it to her, and maybe soon she'd get her own place and leave with her baby. He'd obviously given up the idea of them being together, because now he was moving on. And she couldn't blame him. He'd gone through a lot with her. Stayed with her and loved her even when she didn't return his feelings. She had rejected him so many times and now he he'd finally let her go. It was all her fault. Penny knew that, but it didn't stop her from being mad at him. He should have at least told h
Joey's hands slowed. He didn’t even lift the plate that was now perfectly clean under those soap suds. Penny's voice was so quiet now it was almost a whisper. "Joey? Do you understand?" she asked. Joey swallowed hard. Then he turned to face her, his hands dripping water as his eyes met hers. He looked.... Mad. "I understand, Penny" he said huskily. His hands made a fist, like he was willing them not to reach for her and grab her, then he brushed past her and out of the kitchen. ------------------ "Is everything okay with you Audrey" Penny asked Audrey as she joined her in the living room after putting away the dishes Joey had left behind. Audrey looked up from her phone and stared at Penny, "I'm fine. Everything is fine. Why do you ask that?" she replied. Penny took a seat beside Audrey. "You have been coming hom