Page 98 of Devoured

"Yes. Today was perfect." She looked up at the sky, like she was searching for an answer to something. "It's weird not being able to see the stars."

"Pros and cons."

We walked slowly back toward the hotel. It was nice walking through the street holding hands. We'd never be able to do this on Main Street. But we could do this every night if we moved here. If we started over.

I took a deep breath. I just hoped to God that I could handle starting over again. Because I was really tired of fresh starts. I wasn’t sure if we had much of a choice though. She liked this just as much as I did. How much longer could we keep our relationship a secret? Maybe disclosing our relationship to Dean Vespelli would be for the best.

I heard music playing in the distance. I smiled, the song pulling me out of my thoughts. “Come with me." We jogged through Central Park until we came to a guitarist. He was strumming his guitar and singing.

Penny laughed as I twirled her around in the middle of the sidewalk and then pulled her in close.

My hand lingered on the small of her back. It reminded me of when I’d first walked her home in the rain. I’d told myself to stop. I should have known I’d never be able to. And I wouldn’t change a damn thing. I smiled. Really, not one damn thing. Because this moment couldn’t be more perfect.

The wind blew, sending her red hair in a million different directions. I pushed it away from her face.

She laughed as she stared into my eyes. "Do you know this song?"

"I believe it's called Hands Down." I twirled her again and placed both of my hands on her waist.

"Every day I spend with you I fall harder and harder."

Me too, baby.I leaned down and kissed her. When the song ended I didn't pull away. We kept swaying to the loud sounds of the city. I didn’t want this moment to end. But I knew I needed to get her back home. I knew all our moments like these had to be limited for now. "I should get you home."

"Does that mean going home with you? Or are you sending me back to my dorm?"

I laughed. "I'd like to bring you home with me."Always.I didn’t want to go to bed unless she was next to me.

"I don't want tonight to end." She slid her hands into my hair and pulled me back down to meet her lips.

I could kiss her all night. I could stand in the middle of Central Park for the rest of my days and die a happy man.

She deepened the kiss.

I groaned and slowly pulled back. "I love you, Penny."

"I love you, James."

***

I yawned and reached out, but my fingers came up empty in the sheets. I slowly opened my eyes. Penny wasn’t in bed next to me.

But I heard her muffled voice in the other room. She must be on the phone with Melissa or something. I closed my eyes for another second. But then I heard another voice. Who was Penny talking to? Maybe she was on speaker phone?

I grabbed my phone to see what time it was. I had a dozen missed calls and messages from Ian and…Shit.Half of them were from Isabella.What the fuck?

I clicked on one of them. “Real mature, James. You’re forgetting the fact that all the cards are in my hands. You should be begging me on your knees, not having me followed around. I never took you for a stalker.”

How the hell did she know I hired Max?

Penny kept talking and then I realized that I knew the other voice. It was a little hard to forget it when it had been screaming at me for the past few years.

No. No, no, no.I pushed the sheets off of me just as I heard Isabella call my name from the other room.

God Damnit.

"James, get the hell up!" Isabella yelled.

It only took me a second to burst out of my room. I stared at Penny, scanning her from head to toe. I didn’t actually think Isabella would hurt her. But I just needed to make sure. She was wearing one of my t-shirts, and she looked perfectly fine. Minus the fact that there were tears pooling in the corners of her eyes.

---