Knight Shift (33 page)

He gave her a crooked smile as his answer.

When the band started a slow song and several couples took to the dance floor, Jax caught Penny glancing over at them. He let out a deep breath and stood, knowing that this was a chance for him to try and make amends. Holding his hand out, he said, “Dance with me.”

Her eyes opened wide. “You don’t dance and I haven’t had enough to drink yet.”

“We’ve both had a lot of firsts on this trip, no need to stop now.”

“But I’m not a very good dancer.”

“I bet to differ. I’ve seen that figure of yours bring many a man to his knees.”

“Only when I’m drunk.”

“Now Dear, you know we need to practice before the wedding.”

Hearing him tease about their fake upcoming nuptials made her snicker. “Okay, but I don’t want those big feet of yours stepping on my new shoes.”

He gave her a smirk and said honestly, “I can’t promise anything.”

Penny gave in and let Jax guide her to the floor. But once they were in position, she saw the uncertainty in his eyes. Penny took charge and guided his hands to her waist, while she placed her palms on his chest. She whispered, “Just follow my lead.”

Penny started to sway back and forth and soon they were slowly moving awkwardly in a circle like a couple at a grade school dance. But after a few minutes, they both relaxed and she wrapped her arms around her date, pressing her cheek on his chest. When her arms started to tighten, Jax lifted her chin so that he could look into her face. He found a single tear rolling down her cheek.

As he wiped away the wetness, he asked, “Do you want to leave?”

She shook her head. “No, I’m being stupid. I’m just very grateful that you’re doing all of this for me. It means more than I can say.”

He wanted to tell her how much their time together meant to him as well, but he couldn’t find the words to say. Instead he pulled her back into his arms and kissed her on the top of the head.

As they continued to sway to the music, Penny spotted several women looking their way. She shook off her melancholy and said, “I think there are a couple ladies by the bar that are eyeing my fiancés butt. I can’t blame them, but they need to know that this is all mine.” To prove her point, she caressed the part in question and, while staring at the target audience, she gave a cheek a nice, firm squeeze.

Ice chuckled and said, “You’re the one that looks stunning tonight. Every man in here is jealous of me and they need to know that you’re taken.” He took her hand and kissed the knuckle closest to her engagement ring. When he released her, he lifted her chin, bent down, and gave her a kiss.

Although initially intended to be a friendly kiss, it grew quickly in passion. Without breaking their embrace, Penny put her arms around his neck. They continued to sway as they shared a deep kiss that caused many couples in the audience to snuggle against the one they loved. They were still kissing when the music stopped and one of the band members cleared his throat to get their attention.

Once the overly affectionate couple separated, the band leader leaned into the microphone and asked, “Newlyweds?”

While Penny blushed a color that matched her dress, Jax held on to her and announced, “Engaged.”

“Congratulations but, based on that kiss, you two won’t make it to the wedding night. That one was worth the price of admission.” He called to the audience, “Let’s give this happy couple our best wishes.” He started to clap and soon the rest of the room joined in.

When Penny and Jax sat down, a congratulatory margarita with two straws was sent to their table on behalf of the band. Throughout the rest of the night, Penny and Jax were approached by many couples in the room, offering them their best wishes. Although it was a small gesture, Jax was overwhelmed by the genuine friendliness of those in the room toward him. It was another first to put on his list.

As the evening went on Jax began to imitate the couples that had joined their table by putting his arm around Penny’s shoulder. Penny didn’t complain. She leaned into his embrace and contentedly snuggled in.

A couple of hours later, they decided to call it a night. Once they were in the Rover heading back toward the hotel, she leaned over and gave Jax a kiss on his cheek. She said, “Thanks for the date. I had a great time.”

“Surprisingly, I did too.”

Feeling the effect of the alcohol, she put her hand on his inner thigh and said, “You know our date doesn’t have to end. We could go park and make out like teenagers.” As her fingers moved up his thigh and caressed a more interesting part, she waggled her eyebrows at him and giggled. When she felt his body’s pleased reaction to her touch, she gently squeezed the part in question, making him swerve on the road.

He swatted her hand and said, “Stop that or I’m going to drive into a street sign.”

She teased, “Could it be that the all-powerful Ice can be distracted by this mere Human?”

The challenge was on. He stiffened his body and replied, “I can take anything you can dish out, Human.”

She accepted the challenge and said, “Let’s see who cries uncle first.” She scooted closer to him and, while her hand continued to make friends with his lower regions, her lips and tongue found their home on the side of his neck.

Although he somehow managed to pull into the hotel parking lot, he didn’t recall any of the drive. His entire mind was lost to the sensations Penny was causing. Once he put the Rover in park, she nibbled on his ear and whispered, “You seem a little distracted, Iceman.”

He shook his head and lied, “I’m totally focused.”

When she gave him a firm squeeze and he moaned, she asked, “Are you so sure about that?” She scooted even closer and licked a line across his lips. She then took ownership of his mouth, giving him a kiss so deep that it made the one at the bar look like puppy love.

When she released him and sat back, she looked where they were and said, “Alas, you made it back to the hotel, but the night isn’t over.” Seeing his glassy eyes and crooked smile, she kissed the tip of his nose and said, “I guess it’s time for bed.” She made sure she brushed her breasts along his arm as she moved back to her seat.

Jax watched Penny go into the hotel, but stayed behind for a minute and waited silently until he was able to move comfortably.

Once Penny was in the room, she headed to the bathroom to prepare for bed. She pulled out her pajamas. In one hand she held Jax’s shirt that she had been wearing at night. In the other hand she held onto the silk of one of the negligées she had brought. Although she had said she wouldn’t again initiate sex with Jax, she didn’t say anything about what she would do if he initiated the act. With a wicked grin, she dropped the t-shirt.

Jax was sitting in bed in his night pants staring at a show on the television screen and desperately trying to regain mental and physical control. When Penny emerged from the bathroom, his eyes grew wide and he groaned when he saw what she was wearing.

Seeing the obvious interest she said innocently, “Your shirt was dirty so I thought I would wear one of my own pajamas tonight. I’ll do laundry tomorrow. Do you mind?”

While he shook his head no, other body parts that were hidden under the covers, saluted her choice.

After she crawled into bed, she laid down facing away from him and asked, “No rush, but when you’re done watching your show, would you mind spooning in behind me? I’m a little warm and could use your body to help cool me down.”

Although one part of his brain warned him not turn off the television until she was asleep, other body parts ignored the warning and had the room dark in seconds. Penny smiled silently as she felt him crawl in behind her. When he didn’t press his whole body against her, she scooted back. Once there was no gap between them, she moaned and said, “That’s better.” She was very pleased feeling his obvious reaction pressed against her backside.

With his fists clenched, he tried to close his eyes and ignore the throbbing ache in his lower regions.

After a few minutes, she said as a matter of fact, “Oh, I forgot. You haven’t had your daily Penny snack.” She exposed the line of her neck.

He knew he was doomed if her blood touched his lips but, when she said, “I’m waiting,” and moved closer to his lips, he couldn’t stop himself. His mouth instinctively latched on to a pulsating vein and his teeth sunk into her sweet smelling skin. As he feared, once the taste of her blood registered, he surrendered to his needs and his hands went exploring every curve he could reach.

Since Jax initiated the action first, Penny let her own hand go on a treasure hunt and, when she wrapped her fingers around the prize, Jax roared. Seconds later, she found herself naked and spooned back into his arms. She had no idea how he stripped her without her even seeing him move, but her wondering left her mind when he pressed his body against her back and she felt something hard and cool sliding inside her.

But, as their bodies started to move together, he stopped. When he held her back, she yelled, “Oh god, don’t stop! I know that I said we wouldn’t do this again, but I really want this.” Her need was now just as desperate as his. She quickly added, “If this is about the bet, I give. You win; I lose.” She wiggled back into him hard and added, “Now where were we?” She gave him a playful growl.

As his body screamed at him to continue, he said, “It isn’t that I don’t want to, it’s that we can’t do it like this. I can’t see your face.”

Penny turned her head to look back at him and asked in disbelief, “My face?”

Sharing something personal about himself, he admitted, “When I’ve been with others, I never really cared about seeing who I was with. But with you…I want it to be different. We’ll have to switch to a different position so that I can see you.”

Being intimate was something new to Penny and, since she felt like she had years to make up for, she wanted to try everything and every position possible. Her mind completed her thought by adding, “…
and as many times as physically possible.
” But she was also very touched that he wanted their time together to be different than his past experiences. When an idea popped into her mind that she had seen in a steamy movie, she said, “Hold on a minute.”

To his complete dismay, she crawled out of bed and walked into the bathroom. She emerged seconds later and he watched her light several candles. Once she had them positioned the way she wanted them on the vanity located just outside the bathroom, she motioned him over. He wasn’t sure what she had planned, but at this point he would have done anything her naked body wanted him to.

Once he was standing behind her, she looked at him from the reflection in the mirror and asked, “Can you see me clearly now?”

“Of course, why?”

She answered him by leaning over the counter. Knowing what she had in mind, he let out a growl so low and deep, she felt the floor vibrate. Soon his sounds were joined by her moans as they began their bed scene again from a new, upright position.

After they both had cried out their passions, Penny said while panting hard, “Wow. When feeling comes back to my fingers and allow me to release the death hold I have on the counter, I’m going to give you a round of applause.” Hearing no response from him she instantly assumed she had done something wrong. She asked hesitantly, “Was it okay for you?”

His answer was his crooked smile followed by him flipping her around and kissing her so hard she had to hold onto him to prevent from being knocked off her feet. But she didn’t care…she happily kissed him back just as hard. Without ever releasing her mouth, he managed to carry her back to their bed, crawled under the covers, and pulled her body tightly against him.

She broke away from him long enough to say, “That was the last time, I promise. We’ll go back to our old routine tomorrow.”

With panting breaths, he replied, “Whatever you say,” but he really hadn’t heard a word she said. He was too busy finding ways to thank her for her creative thinking, which he continued to do well into the night.

When a stream of sunlight flashed into the room, he squinted open his eyes. To his amusement he found Penny sprawled down his body with her feet in his face and several healed bite marks in rather interesting places. With a crooked smile, he recalled the activities that led them to their current position.

After he carefully rolled Penny off of him and stretched out his muscles, he found that he ached. When he looked at the overturned furniture and bed sheets thrown around the room, he knew why his body was yelling at him. He quickly learned that Penny never did anything half way and sex was no exception to the rule. They had spent the entire night giving and receiving pleasure and Penny was an eager student. Her creative solution with the counter led to other unique approaches. Although some were quite taxing on his flexibility and strength, all of them were worth the effort and yielded great rewards that would be forever etched in his mind.

Sex had been an act that he did to appease an ache, but last night he did it just for the sheer pleasure of it. Making new and interesting noises come out of Penny became his obsession and he couldn’t get enough. Even after an entire night of pleasure, if Penny asked, he would enthusiastically spend the day trying to find ways to add more items to his quickly growing firsts list.

When Penny stirred and attempted to move, she moaned. As she gingerly sat up, she ran her fingers through her disheveled hair. While surveying the damage all around her, she asked, “What happened?”

Jax answered, “Hurricane Penny blew in.”

She turned to look at Jax and asked, “Did I really make all of this mess?”

With a wicked grin, he replied, “You had help. You were a bit enthusiastic.”

She said, “I guess I tried to make up for being years behind all in one night. I wish I could say that alcohol made me do it, but I wasn’t drunk on booze. I was intoxicated on the wonderful sensations that body of yours made me feel.” Recalling several very memorable positions she forced Jax to twist into, she asked with true concern in her voice, “How are you this morning? I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

“Not for lack of trying. You artists do look at the world differently than the rest of us mere mortals. Your sense of creativity has no bounds.” He rubbed his lower back and added, “Which my body can attest to.”

Reaching out to him, she quickly added, “I’m so sorry.”

Seeing genuine regret for her actions, he pulled her up into his arms and said, “You make a great workout.” He flipped her under him and gave her a kiss that made her toes curl to show her his appreciation.

Fearing that he was stirring needs within her again, she broke away and said, “I’ll try to maintain control on my urges from here after.” When she looked at the clock and saw that it was almost lunch time, she screeched and said, “We need to get up or we’ll be late for the appointment with the lawyer.”

As Penny crawled out of bed, Jax lay back. Although last night they had both forgotten about the reason for their trip, reality was quickly crashing back on them. Just before Penny entered the bathroom, she stopped. She turned to Jax and asked, “Aren’t you coming?”

Jax tucked the real world away for a few more minutes and joined Penny under the hot streams.

After they were dressed, they each grabbed a slice of the leftover pizza they had ordered late in the night. Shortly thereafter, they pulled into the lawyer’s parking lot. Over the next few hours, Penny signed more papers than she could count. As expected, other than donations to their favorite charities, her family left everything to her. Seeing her soon to be future bottom line, she turned to Jax and said, “Soon I’ll be able to pay you back for all of your kindness.”

He kissed her hand and said, “You keep your money and use it to fund whatever that wonderful mind of yours can dream up.”

Once all of the paperwork was in order, they drove down the road to a moving company. The blue suit from the make-shift morgue had recommended them to Penny knowing Penny had two homes to clear out and she lived across country.

Although Jax had to do almost all of the talking on Penny’s behalf, they managed to make all the necessary arrangements. Penny wasn’t mentally able to go through her family’s possessions, so the company was going to take care of it all. They would go in and pack everything up in both her parent’s house and her brother’s apartment. All food items and other perishables would be sent to a local food bank and clothes to a local shelter. The rest, including the vehicles, would be shipped to a special storage rental area where they would sit until she was ready. As they stood to leave, Jax handed over the house and apartment keys to the man behind the desk and then, uncharacteristically, shook the extended Human’s hand.

The next stop that day was picking up the ashes. Although Penny was walking and talking, it was as if she was outside her body looking down at herself going through the motions. Her first clear thoughts were hours later when she found herself walking through a park.

After letting the fresh air clear her mind, she announced, “Let’s go home. But if you aren’t in any rush, I have something I would like to do along the way.”

“Anything.”

“My family loved life and don’t want to spend eternity locked up in some vault. Instead, I would like to make stops along the way to spread their ashes in the nature they loved.”

Jax replied, “We’ll stop at a store on the way back to the hotel to buy a map and few other supplies we’ll need for the trip.”

After they made the necessary stop, they spent the evening plotting their course across the country. At first Penny thought it would be a painful process but, as they started to pick stops, she recalled wonderful memories of family outings and shared many stories with Jax. As they selected their last stop, Jax pulled out a GPS that Penny hadn’t seen him buy.

He explained, “I thought we might find this handy when we chart the precise locations where we put your family to rest. Someday you might want to retrace your steps with your own family at your side.”

She nodded appreciatively and said, “You don’t have to do this. This trip could take weeks and you’ve done more than I could have dreamed of. I could rent a car and drive myself back.”

The thought of letting her do this alone was beyond his comprehension, so he folded up the map and said resolutely, “I’m coming.” His tone informed Penny not to waste her breath trying to argue.

When he walked away with his phone in his hand, Penny asked, “Who are you calling?”

“Sam and then your boss. I promised to let them know what our plans were and I want them to know that we’ll be gone a few more weeks.”

With the plans set, they called it an early night to catch up on missed sleep. Their long journey home would start with the dawn.