He's the Man (The Alexanders 3)

“You know what? Why don’t we just keep it simple? Let’s go to the grocery store. I can cook. Some stuff, anyway.” Matt hoped he could find the ingredients to make either spaghetti or pizza since those were the only two things he knew how to make.

“You want to go to the grocery store with me?”

“Yeah. It’ll be fun. I can’t guarantee the results will be edible though.”

Penny didn’t say anything, just stood watching him with those impossibly blue eyes. He had a feeling she was coming to a decision about something. Courting her was like teasing a skittish animal out when it had been backed into a corner. He was scared to say anything or make any moves that would send her scampering in the other direction.

“We could go to my house. I mean, I have food.” Penny glanced down at her hands, then back up at him.

Matt recognized the gesture for what it was. An offering of trust. She was letting him into her life as more than just a temporary, casual thing. She was allowing him into her personal space.

“Sounds good to me.”

As soon as her back was turned, he pumped his fist in the air. Finally. Now he just had to show her how good things could be between them.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

THE RIDE TO Penny’s house was made in silence. In fact, she hadn’t said much since she’d extended the invitation. As much as he hated to do it, Matt had to give her an out. He wasn’t exactly a ladies’ man, but he’d never had to force a woman to spend time with him.

He wasn’t going to start now.

“We don’t have to do this, Penny. We can just grab some burgers or something and then head home. I’m sure you’re tired. You don’t have to entertain me.”

“No, I want to. It’s just been a long time since I’ve had a guy in my house other than Scott. It feels weird. Is it wrong that I feel that way?”

“The psychologist I saw after I got home from overseas always said that feelings aren’t wrong, only actions. We all have the right to however we feel. We should examine our feelings to see what they tell us.”

“I’m not sure what it says about me that I feel guilty for moving on with my life. Maybe it’s my subconscious telling me I’m an insecure twit.”

“It’s your mind telling you to be cautious. Which is not a bad thing. I know we jumped the gun a little bit. I can’t apologize for it because I’m honestly enjoying it too much. But you were right when you said we should take things a little slower this time. So that’s what we’re doing. We’re going to cook and talk. That’s it.”

Penny shot him an incredulous look. “That’s it? No funny business?”

“I’ve never understood that expression,” Matt mused. “If you’re doing it right, there’s nothing funny about it.”

“Matt,” Penny said warningly.

He held up two fingers. “I promise I won’t kiss you again unless you kiss me first. Scout’s honor. And I was actually a scout, so that’s not a line.”

Once they were inside, Penny took his coat and hung it up in a small closet near the front door. He walked into the living room and looked around. It was decorated in warm greens, reds, and golds. The color palette was as warm as Penny was. It reflected her style perfectly. He sat down on the sofa, feeling completely at home already.

Penny perched on the seat cushion next to him. “So, I have some chicken breasts already defrosted. I could cook those and we could eat them with a salad. Or I could do a quick teriyaki stir fry. Or maybe you want pasta?”

Matt covered her hand with his. She instantly stopped chattering. “I just want to spend time with you. The food doesn’t matter. You have to know that if I was willing to eat my own craptastic cooking to spend time with you.”

“So, you were lying about being able to cook? Well, I guess it’s a good thing we didn’t go to your place,” Penny joked.

He’d never seen her quite so flustered. It was different talking to her outside of therapy. When they were in her territory, she was confident and bossy as hell. He was man enough to admit it turned him on a little. Now he was seeing a different side to her. She was fidgeting, picking at a loose piece of lint on the edge of the couch. It was strange to see her nervous. He wanted his brazen, ballsy Penny back.

“What’s the easiest thing to make?”

She shrugged. “Chicken doesn’t take long to grill.”

“Let’s do that. Then we’ll talk. In the meantime, I almost forgot to ask about the most important ingredient.”

“What’s that?”

He got to his feet and headed for the kitchen. “What do you have to drink?”