Page 11 of The Penalty

She actually smacks her forehead with her hand. I didn’t think anybody did that outside of movies.

“Duh doi. Obviously, it’s on there. I’m all flustered. Too much excitement. It’s scrambled my brains.”

“Why are you here by yourself?” She seems like the type of person who should be surrounded by a group of friends. Befriending random people is not my thing, but I kind of wish it were a little easier for me. She didn’t think twice before claiming the massive, frowning hockey player as her friend for the weekend. I wonder if she keeps all her new friends or leaves a trail of broken hearts behind.

“You think I can’t show up at a con by myself because I’m a woman?” Her full lips push out in a pout.

“No, I didn’t mean that.” I’m stumbling over my words when I catch the little smile on her face. “Right, you’re messing with me.”

That chirpy little laugh comes out. “Yup. Not that I wouldn’t come on my own if I didn’t have someone to join me, but I had a con buddy. Someone from an artist’s group on-line I’m tight with. She called this morning. Broke her leg and is unfortunately confined to a hospital bed for the weekend. So here I am, solo rider. I feel bad for Tess, but I might not have met you if she came along. So, there’s a lighter side to the darkness. As usual.”

My brows pull together, and I’m yanked back to a time when there was nothing but darkness. Not even the tiniest pinprick of light or hope in the endless night.

A soft weight on my arm pulls me out of my memories. “I’m sorry. Did I say something wrong?”

I shake my head, trying not to get sucked back into the past. “No. No, sorry about that. I was just thinking about how there isn’t always a bright spot in the darkness. Look at what happened to the Punisher after his family was murdered. He turned into this crazed vigilante. A great storyline, but probably not the best life for him.”

“Ah, you’re getting into character. I love it. But he is fictional. And these deep thoughts are for the philosophy panel. We can hit that one up later and you can get out all thatangst.”

Right. This is a fun and carefree weekend, and I’m here to enjoy myself. No use dwelling on the past. “You’re right.”

The enormous doors swing open and the anticipation of everyone around us swells to a crescendo, like the moment before the puck drops. As soon as we get to the front of the line, she grabs my hand darting through everyone on a direct track to front of the room. She miraculously snags us seats in the third row.

After settling into my seat, I turn to meet her blue eyes. “So I was your second choice?”

Confusion clouds her expression when she turns to me. “What?”

“Friend had to bail out, so I’m your second choice.” Her eyes drop to my bare forearms when I cross my arms over my chest before bouncing back to my face. The slight pink tinge to her cheeks lets me know she appreciates the view.

Her mouth falls open, and her eyes widen. “But I...”

I lift an eyebrow and let one side of my mouth turn up the tiniest bit.

Realization dawns on her face that I am, in fact, fucking with her, but the smack she lands on my biceps barely registers.

“I can always make some new friends if you’re going to be that way.”

I shrug, but as she twists around in her seat to check out who else she might be able to hook up with, I get a little concerned. Making new friends this weekend wasn’t on my agenda. It was supposed to be a solo adventure. After all, school starts in only a couple of weeks, and once the guys move back in,I’ll be surrounded twenty-four-seven with chaos and intrusive teammates. Especially since Beau is letting JJ and Grant move in this semester. But I’m finding her company oddly enjoyable.

There’s a very real chance of something more happening between us, and I’m hoping she’ll be the one to break my dry spell. She is one of the hottest women I’ve ever laid eyes on, and the thought of getting a hold on those thick hips while I pound her from behind has popped into my head a few more times than I’d like. The way her eyes have been lingering on my body let me know it isn’t outside the realm of possibility.

Even if it doesn’t happen, the time I’ve spent with her has been enjoyable.

She turns back to me. “The possibilities are endless, but I guess I’ll stick with you for now. You better watch yourself though, Castle.”

Good. Looks like this weekend is going to be even better than I was hoping for.

The whirlwind morning didn’t leave me any time to enjoy a snack or anything, and my stomach lets out an angry growl. The sharp pains of hungry are all too familiar. I try not to let myself get to that point, so I’m swinging my backpack over my shoulder to grab a protein bar when she turns away from the video game artist she was excitedly chattering with.

“Crap. You must be starving. That’s a lot of muscle to maintain. What time is it, anyway?” She’s glancing at her watchas she asks the question. “Two o’clock. I am so sorry. I got all caught up in the excitement. Sometimes I get so involved in things, I forget to eat.” Her eyes are shining as she spins around, taking in the crowded room full of stars of the industry.

“It’s fine. I’ve got snacks. Granola bar?” I pull a pack out of my bag to offer her one, but she shakes her head.

“No, let’s go hunt down some proper food.”

She’s rifling through her bag, but I stop her when she pulls out the disorganized mess of papers.

“I’ve got it.” I grab my folder flipping to the venue map. “Food this way.”

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