A Taste of Greek (Out of Olympus #3) (13 page)

“Tell me the truth! Where are they?”

“I don’t have them. Maybe another partygoer took them.”

Her chest heaved, her puckered nipples—evidence of her arousal—pushing through the fabric of her dress. He grabbed hold of her hips and plunged inside her, a scream dislodging from her lips at the same time.

“Oh God,” she cried out, her eyelids fluttering. Her legs wrapped around him, her fingers digging into his ass, trying to pull him in closer, pushing herself up to meet each and every thrust he delivered.

“Damn it, Penny!”

Suddenly this didn’t feel like the punishment he’d intended to dole out. The aroused look in her eyes, and the plentiful juices in her warm pussy were evidence enough that she was enjoying this. He couldn’t allow this! She wasn’t meant to enjoy this. She was meant to feel his wrath!

He plowed into her, harder, deeper, faster. But her expression didn’t change. She didn’t push him away, didn’t try to get away from him. Instead she moaned, pulling her lower lip between her teeth as if trying to prevent herself from screaming out her pleasure.

His balls tightened at the erotic image before him. Fuck! He was going to come again. He should deny her, hold back, not give her what she wanted. But his body had other ideas. His hips delivered thrust after thrust, his cock only thinking of its own pleasure.

“Who told you to steal them?”

Her lips parted. “Nobody.”

He let himself go, let his body take over, allowing his control to slip through his fingers. Seconds later, he felt his seed shoot through his cock and fill her, just as he’d done the night before.

He looked down at her. Her cheeks were flamed, her hair mussed, her legs still wrapped around him. And her pussy still quivered with aftershocks of her own orgasm. He’d fucked her like he was some randy dog.

The ring of a cell phone interrupted his thoughts.

Penny’s eyes widened in panic. “That’s Grams.” She reached for her bag, trying to lift herself to a sitting position.

“We’re not done talking,” he growled, pulling out of her. In fact, they hadn’t even started to talk, since his body had had other ideas. Stupid ideas!

“I have to take this call. The ringtone, it’s my grandmother. Something must be wrong.”

Reluctantly, Hermes stepped back and allowed her to reach for her phone, while she tried to push down her dress at the same time, covering her nakedness.

Penny swallowed quickly. She couldn’t believe what had just happened. She’d let Hermes fuck her as if she were some over-sexed whore. And what was worse, she’d enjoyed it. Every single second of it! As though she were some cheap slut who would spread her legs wherever and whenever.

Her cheeks burned with embarrassment. But she tried to push the feeling away, glad for the phone call interrupting them. At least it meant she didn’t have to look at him right now, nor answer any more of his questions.

“Grams?” she answered the phone.

“Penny, I’ve fallen and I can’t get up.”

Fear punched her gut, stealing her breath. “Are you okay?” she asked, panic rising through her.

“Yes. Nothing hurt but my pride.” There was hesitation in her voice. “I think.”

“Are you hurting?”

“Just a little; it’s not too bad. Don’t worry yourself.”

Too late—Penny was already worried. “Where’s Rose?”

“I sent her home. Your father called and said he was coming. But he hasn’t arrived yet. I’m sure he’ll be here any second, if you’re busy, dear.”

“Don’t move, Grams. I’ll be there in ten.”

Penny disconnected the line and dropped her phone into her bag. “That son-of-a-bitch.”

“Who?” Hermes asked. He’d zipped up and was just putting his shirt back on.

Surprisingly, he actually looked concerned. Which made her feel even worse.

She snatched her bag and headed for the door. “My father was supposed to be watching my grandmother today, so she sent her nurse home. And of course, he didn’t show up and she’s fallen. I have to go home and help her.”

“I’ll come with you.”

She looked over her shoulder. “That’s not necessary.”

“You really think you can just ditch me like that?
Tsk-tsk
. I’m not leaving your side until I’ve got my shoes back.”

Penny stared at him, not knowing what to say. Why didn’t she simply confess the truth now? Was it maybe because she still had hope that in a few hours she would return the sandals anonymously, and he’d never know that she’d been the one who’d taken them? Or could she not tell him because then she’d have to admit that her father wasn’t the only thief in the family? That the apple didn’t fall far from the tree?

“Penny, this is not over, you know it and I know it.” He stepped closer to her. “Not by a long shot.”

Her pulse raced, her heart beating into her throat. If only she could turn back time to when she’d gotten up this morning, to the moment before she’d taken his sandals.

Why had she taken them in the first place? She only remembered the inexplicable urge to examine them closer which had gripped her when she’d touched them the first time, as if they were magical.

16

Penny pulled up in front of a well-kept older bungalow. No other cars were in the driveway. “I can’t believe he did this to her,” she muttered.

Hermes followed Penny inside as she hurried to the first room on the right. An elderly lady was lying on the floor beside her bed.

“Oh, Grams!” Penny knelt down next to her, taking her hand.

“It’s okay, Penny,” the woman said, but her face said otherwise.

“Here, let me help.” Hermes bent down and tried to gently pull her up to a sitting position, but she winced.

“Ouch!”

“Grams! You said you weren’t hurt!” Penny chided her. “Why didn’t you say? You could have broken something!”

“You worry too much!” her grandmother shot back. “I’m sure it’s just a little bruising.”

“I’m not gonna take your word for it,” Penny responded and pulled her phone from her bag.

Hermes hesitated. Trying to lift her up again might cause her only more pain. “Where does it hurt?” he asked her instead, while he heard Penny dial a short number—consisting only of three digits. 9-1-1, he presumed. He lifted an eyebrow. Was it really necessary to call the paramedics?

“Just my left side,” Penny’s grandmother admitted. “I fell on it when I tried to get from the bed into my wheelchair and it slipped out from under me.”

“Yes, my grandmother fell. I think she has broken ribs,” Penny said into the cell phone that was pressed tightly to her ear. She paced. “No, there’s no blood from what I can see.”

Hermes noticed how the old lady rolled her eyes. “That’s really not necessary, Penny.”

Penny tossed her a stern look. “Yes, please, come right away. The address is . . . ”

As Penny gave the 9-1-1 operator the address, Hermes pulled a pillow from the bed. He carefully lifted the old woman’s head and placed it underneath her. “I guess you’re not getting up until the paramedics are here.”

“She’s a slave-driver, that one,” Penny’s grandmother said with a motion in Penny’s direction.

“Grams! I’m only looking out for your wellbeing. God knows, nobody else is!”

Hermes glanced at her, surprised by the note of anger and bitterness in her voice.

“You can’t blame your father for this.”

“Can’t I?” she bit out.

“I’m sure something just came up, dear. It’s my fault. I should have waited until he got here before telling Rose she could leave.” Then she looked at Hermes. “And now, Penny, why don’t you introduce me to this nice young man you brought home?”

Penny stood there for a second, her mouth opening and then closing as she struggled visibly for what to say.

“I’m Hermes,” he said, rescuing her. He bent over and held out his hand. “It’s nice to make your acquaintance.”

“Oh,” the old lady said, and took his hand, a sweet smile filling her face. “You must be Penny’s new boyfriend. You’re very handsome, and such a gentleman.”

“Grams, really. He’s not my boyfriend. We’re just friends.”

“Good friends,” Hermes added at the doubt in her grandmother’s eyes and gave the old woman a wink.

She laughed. “I think you protest too much, dear. I might be old, but I’m not dead, nor blind.” She pointed at Penny’s dress. “You’re still wearing the same dress you went to the party in. You never made it home last night.”

Penny gave an uncomfortable laugh. “Grams, please don’t embarrass me.” She bent down to her grandmother and nervously readjusted her pillow. “How are you feeling now?”

Penny’s cheeks were flushed, and Hermes couldn’t help but wonder if Penny was truly as she seemed—a woman who cared deeply about her grandmother and who wore her emotions on her sleeve. How could a woman like that be a thief and a liar? But all evidence pointed to the plain fact that she was exactly what she looked like. She’d stolen his sandals, and now she was attempting to cover the whole thing up and trying to get rid of him.

“I told you I’m perfectly fine. I’m sorry I’m keeping you from your work. I know you’re busy with your research, trying to get tenure,” her grandmother said.

“Nice way to change the subject, Grams!” Penny’s eyes shot to him, an action that piqued his interest.

“Who says I’m changing the subject? Is that young interloper—what’s his name? Kenton?—is he still trying to push his way ahead of you?”

Disapproval twisted Penny’s lips. “He’s just doing what every ambitious person would do.”

From outside the sound of sirens approached, and Hermes noticed relief wash over Penny’s face.

“That must be the paramedics.” She rushed out of the room and Hermes heard the front door opening a few moments later.

When the two paramedics entered the room, Hermes stepped to the side to let them perform their work and examine the old lady for injuries.

Things were finally beginning to make sense. Penny was competing with somebody else for a tenure spot. How far would she go to reach her goal? Was that why she’d stolen his sandals, to get tenure?

Getting her hands on a pair of authentic sandals from a Greek god had to be quite a coup. It would lend credibility to her research and the article she’d talked about presenting to the tenure committee during their lunch a few days ago. To get her hands on proof that Greek gods existed was enough to make any ambitious woman lie, cheat, and steal. He understood blind ambition, even greed. There was plenty of that on Olympus, for sure. But to see those qualities in Penny, the woman who’d let herself go in his arms, made him sick. How could she have done this? Used him like that? And for what? So she could get tenure at some unimportant university!

Over his fucking dead body!

He was going to get his precious sandals back and make sure she never published the truth about him and the gods. It was his duty. If he neglected it, not only would Zeus have his hide, he would endanger the gods and destroy everything they stood for.

Penny couldn’t help but worry about her grandmother. This wouldn’t be the first time that she broke some bones during a seemingly harmless fall. The last time that had happened, Grams had assured her that she was fine, and in fact one of her ribs had been broken. This time, Penny wasn’t taking any chances.

“Do you think she broke anything?” she now asked one of the paramedics, ignoring her grandmother’s assurances that she was all right.

“Hard to tell. We’d better get her to the hospital for some x-rays.”

“Let’s do that then,” Penny agreed.

“Penny, that’s really not necessary,” her grandmother protested.

The paramedic interfered. “I have to agree with your granddaughter, Mrs. Galloway. We’d better have you checked out in the hospital.”

Her grandmother let out a disapproving grunt while the two paramedics carefully lifted her onto the gurney.

“You’re making me miss my favorite soap on TV.”

Penny rolled her eyes. “I’ll record it for you.”

As Penny walked ahead of the two paramedics who carried her grandmother out of the room, the entrance door opened.

“Penny,” her father greeted her, standing on the doorstep, a look of panic on his face. “What’s that ambulance doing out there?”

Then his gaze strayed past her. “Oh, God! Mom! What happened? Are you all right?” He pushed past Penny to step next to the gurney and took his mother’s hand.

“I’m fine, Bart. It’s just Penny being all over-protective again. I told her I didn’t break anything, but she insists on sending me to the hospital for x-rays anyway. Why don’t you talk some sense into her?”

He bent down to kiss her on the forehead. “Penny is doing the right thing.” Then he turned to her, a frown on his face. “How did that happen? I thought she had a nurse!”

Penny fisted her hands at her hips. “She does. But she was expecting you, so she sent Rose home early.”

He turned back to his mother. “Oh. I had no idea. I’m so sorry I’m late.”

“Excuse us,” one of the paramedics said. “We’d better get going.”

“Of course.” Her father stepped aside, and she leveled another glare at him.

Then she followed the paramedics outside. “Can I ride with you?”

One of them nodded. “Sure, get in the back.”

She was about to step inside the van when she heard Hermes’ voice behind her. “Penny!” She’d completely forgotten all about him, concern for her grandmother and anger about her father overshadowing everything.

She turned to look at him and found him standing next to her father.

“Who is this stranger in our house, Penny?” her father asked, pointing at Hermes.

Hermes turned. “I’m her boyfriend.”

Her father drew his head back in surprise. “You didn’t tell me that you had a boyfriend.”

“I don’t tell you a lot of things!” Penny snapped. And besides, Hermes wasn’t her boyfriend. What was he? Was there a word for the man she’d stolen from? Her victim? Her mark?

“Penny,” Hermes started again. “I’ll see you later when you’re back from the hospital.”

“I can’t.” She motioned to her grandmother lying on the gurney that the paramedics now pushed into the back of the van.