Oh, how things had changed how she’d changed. Would she ever be the same person she’d been? God, she hoped not.
“Ahh Penny,” Dillon said on a satisfied sigh. “A man could get spoiled by this kind of attention.”
She grinned, happy to have pleased him. “Tell me I’m the best you’ve ever had even if it’s just to massage my ego,” she half-teased.
He sobered, his gorgeous eyes lighting with something that immediately took her breath away but it was gone in an instant and she wondered if what she’d seen had simply been her imagination. For a heartbeat, Penny thought she’d caught a glimpse of deep emotion behind those sultry eyes. Dillon rose up and pulled her roughly into his arms, clutching her possessively. His hands roamed freely across her body, pausing to squeeze handfuls of her large breasts as if he couldn’t get enough of her. She trembled at his touch as his hand sought the heat of her pubic mound. The sensitized skin leapt to life as his fingers grazed the damp slit between her thighs. “Penny, you are the best I’ve ever had,” he said quietly, his faintly ironic tone pulling at her. “That’s half the problem.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m not the right person for you, Penny. No Buchanan would be the right man for you.”
Her heart stuttered painfully as old insecurities rose to jab at her. “Don’t you mean I’m not good enough for a Buchanan?”
“I meant what I said.” His finger dipped between her folds and gently stroked the nestled nub, making it hard for her to hold onto sense or reason.
“You deserve a man you could bring home to your father if he were still alive, a man who didn’t live in the shadow of ugly secrets.”
“I don’t care about your secrets,” she said, squeezing her eyes shut as her breath quickened. “I want you, Dillon.”
“No, you don’t,” he assured her in a fatalistic tone as he nuzzled her neck while slowly building the pleasure
until she began to squirm “I’m. ruthless, cold, and cruel on my best days. On my worst, I’m unbearable.”
“I don’t believe you,” she said, swallowing a cry as the sensations began to circle the target. “I… I… think you’re eaten by guilt and that makes you… ohhh , God… makes you think you’re worse than you… are. Ohhhh .that’s it, that’s it! I’m cumming, Dillon!”
Sweet oblivion overtook Penny as she succumbed to the orgasm that Dillon had given her with the power of his fingers and settled with a deep sigh against his chest, melting against him as if her bones were suddenly made of powder. He brought his finger to his mouth and after inhaling her scent left behind, he popped his finger in his mouth and sucked it clean. She blushed but secretly enjoyed that he found every aspect of her irresistible. It seemed completely natural to lie naked together —and unlike the twins — Dillon was in no rush to leave. In fact, he seemed content to lie with her in his arms. In this place, it seemed possible to shut out the world and ignore all the reasons why they were embarking on a doomed journey.
They showered together, enjoyed dinner, and then found themselves curled on the sofa, laughing and sharing stories like an old married couple. It was surreal and wonderful and Penny savored every stolen moment. Until, the front door crashed open and the twins strode in, looking angry as hell and ready to kill someone.
“You bastard,” Vince snarled as soon as he saw Dillon and Penny cuddled up on the sofa. Penny flinched at the hard gaze Vince settled on her and actually shrank against Dillon for protection.
“ Sonofabitch,” Nolan swore under his breath, coming to stand beside Vince. “You just couldn’t leave well enough alone, could you?” Directed his question at Dillon, who seemed coldly amused by their show of rage. “Pretty proud of yourself, aren’t you?”
“You’re early,” Dillon responded with a subtle irritation to his tone. “I didn’t think you were smart enough to figure out the ruse for at least two days.”
“Yeah, well maybe you’re not as smart as you think you are,” Vince shot back, his eyes twin coals of burning rage. “That’s always been your problem … too damn full of yourself to realize you’re just like everyone else: fallible.”
Penny nervously sat up and tried using reason before World War III broke out. “We need to talk,” she started but Vince cut her off.
“There is nothing to discuss. Go to the car and wait for us there.”
Penny looked to Dillon for backup but he was too busy staring daggers at his brothers. “Dillon?” she ventured, needing him to have her back. “We can all talk like adults, right?” “Penny,” Nolan said, quietly but firmly. “You signed a legally binding contract. You belong to us. Please do as Vince told you.”
Tears stung her eyes as pure mortification washed over her. She hated being reminded so crassly of their arrangement, even if Nolan was only stating the bald truth. Penny suddenly felt Dillon’s stare and she turned to him, unsure. “I… ” want you to stand up and defend me. Please Dillon, tell your brothers what I mean to you. But Dillon simply watched as if testing her.
“Looks like your pet has a rebellious streak,” Dillon said, a cruel smirk on his beautiful face. “Maybe you should treat your pets with more regard.” “Stop calling me a pet,” Penny snapped, her nerves ready to fray as jaggedly as her heart. “Why are you acting like this?”
“He’s acting like the bastard he is,” Vince said. “Dillon has always done what Dillon wanted, no matter the cost to anyone else.”
“Tsk tsk, little brother. I’m not the only Buchanan with a penchant for wanting what doesn’t belong to him.”
Vince’s face colored and he looked ready to bury his fist in Dillon’s mug. “Watch yourself.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re gunning for what’s been due to you for a long time.”
Dillon started forward, his eyes glittering. “So ready to play the hero. Must be nice to be able to conveniently forget your part in Isabel’s death.”
Vince’s gaze shot to Penny, then returned to Dillon to mutter tersely, “ Stop dredging up the past. Some of us have no interest in wallowing in our own misery. ”
Penny couldn’t help herself and held her breath in the hopes that finally the mystery would be revealed about the woman before her. She needed to know what’d happened to Isabel, even if knowing ‘shattered her illusions,’ as Dillon had put it.