Teacher's Pet

I pretended not to listen as I texted my dilemma to Ginny. There were strange undercurrents in the room, but I wanted to take the rent-free deal at face value. Ginny always knew if something was crazy good or just plain crazy.

Penn stalked across the room to confront his employer. "I told you that now wasn't a good time."

"There is never going to be a good time for this," Xavier said. "How about we let Corsica make a few phone calls while we get this out of the way?"

Penn looked at me, and I saw his meaning clear as day. Save me, he mouthed.

I set down my phone and stood just as the screen lit up. Ginny's answer was easy to read: Yes, yes, yes!

I didn't stop to think, I just trotted across the room and threw myself into Penn's arms. His dark eyes went wide, but he caught me with a surprised smile.

"Thank you!" I squealed and kissed him full on the mouth.

Once I was there, suspended in his arms with my lips pressed against his, I lingered longer than needed. Xavier was hiding a smile as he politely appreciated the view out the windows. Penn, on the other hand, regarded me with a lax-mouthed look of shock.

"I knew under that cynical bachelor exterior, you were really a knight in shining armor. This is the most romantic thing anyone's ever done for me, Penn." I winked theatrically at him, and his mouth popped shut.

A gleam warmed Penn's eyes as he dragged me back against him. "I'm still feeling pretty cynical. Could you do that again?" he asked.

My eyes shifted nervously to Xavier Templeton, but it was too late. Penn erased my worried frown with a melting kiss. I gasped against his mouth as my knees wobbled and I had to cling to his rock hard arms. His dark eyes fluttered open then closed as he deepened the kiss.

When he pulled back, I was limp in his arms. "There might be something to this romance thing, after all," Penn said with a smile.

That grin was enough to get me back on my feet with a sharp stomp to the arch of his foot. "Stop being rude to Mr. Templeton," I hissed.

Xavier cleared his throat. "As encouraging as I'm finding all of this, I'd really like to tell you some important news."

Penn caught me and tucked me under his arm where I had no choice but to contour to the side of his hard body. My mind was still reeling from the memory of his kiss while my body almost purred at the pleasure of being against him. I didn't hear Penn's smart-ass comments, but I felt Xavier's news like an earthquake.

"Your mother is very ill. Stage-three breast cancer. She did not want me to burden you with this, but, as she is now refusing traditional treatment, I need you to talk to her about it."

Penn's weight shifted against me, and I wrapped my arms around his waist for support. His beard brushed my cheek as his jaw worked, but no sound came out. Xavier stood up and moved towards us, but Penn reeled back. I steadied him as best I could and squeezed him tight.

He brushed a shaken hand down my bare arm. "You're lying. Why didn't she tell me? How long have you known?"

I felt the emotions raging through him. He was angry and directed it at his employer. Somewhere in there, a bond of trust had been broken. Then, Penn was hit by hurt and betrayal. His mother had not trusted him enough to tell him.

"Almost two years last March," Xavier said.

"She's okay; she's still alive. She's got a chance," I whispered.

Penn looked down and eased his weight off my shoulder.

I refused to unhook my arms from his waist. "None of that matters now. Just help her find her best chance at surviving it," I said.

Xavier stepped closer and reached out a hand, but Penn didn't see. He kept his dark brown eyes pinned on me. "I'm so glad you're here. I'm sorry you're here."

I held his look, even as tears swam in my eyes. "I'm glad I'm here, too."

Xavier checked his watch, and Penn pounced on the gesture. "Somewhere else you need to be?" he snapped.

"I still want to talk to you, Penn, but that's a different conversation," Xavier said. "For now, all I can say is I'm sorry. I'll send you all the details. You should really call your mother."

The two men measured each other with a long look. I released my arms from around Penn's waist and tried to slip away. His large hand flexed on my shoulder to hold me in place. I studied the polished hardwood floor, not sure I could stand the pain I was seeing in both their eyes. Whoever Penn's mother was, she was very important to them both.

"I'll call her, but you know she won't listen to me." Penn's voice was graveled with pain.

Xavier slashed a hand through the empty air. "Her and her voodoo, new-age bullshit."