want."That same part of him that had recognized her as his Other wasn't ready to let her out of his sight.
Her nose wrinkled as she shook her head. "I'm going to run home and change. I smell like breakfast."
"I like breakfast."Drake unconsciously licked his lips.
"I like clean clothes. I'll see you at three."She waggled her eyebrows suggestively.
"See you at three."
"Can I cut back through the building?"
"Of course."Drake held open the door to the club, sending Penny in first. "Can I walk you to your car?"His hand drifted automatically to the small of her back, guiding her through the doorway. He felt each point of contact acutely, like an electric shock coursing through him.
"I used valet. Thanks though."Penny laughed and waved as she disappeared into the crowd in front of the stage.
Her laughter haunted him, floating through Distant Fury and then War Puppets , drowning out Glenn's shriek. The final lights dimmed and Drake darted out on stage, fingers drumming on gear as he waited for the band to clear out. Glenn leapt off stage and the rest of the guys disappeared into the wings.
Drake rushed through loading the truck, slamming the door shut at 2:45.
He waved off shouts from the bus and headed back inside for a cleanup in the bathroom. The bouncers nodded as he headed for the sink. A splash of cold water on his face cleared up bleary eyes. A quick sniff of his pits assured him that he was still masculine fresh.
He grabbed cash from the ATM and walked out the front door.
Penny stood, leaning against an ancient, limegreen Impala. Furry black winter boots covered her from knee to toe, but above those, she wore skintight gray leggings.
Drake followed the line of her smooth thigh until his eye met the hem of her pea coat.
Penny cleared her throat and Drake looked up in a hurry. "Glad you came back. I was afraid I'd have to walk back to the hotel alone."
"You're still going back to the hotel alone."She winked. "But at least you get breakfast with me before you go to bed. Come on, let's go."She pulled open the passenger door and walked around, keys in hand. She slid behind the steering wheel while Drake stared after her. She honked and he finally got inside the car.
"Close your door and buckle up. Winter streets are a blast with this thing."She revved the engine and tore away from the curb before Drake's door had latched. She burned her way through the icy-slick streets of downtown St. Paul, catching the freeway at Tenth and Wacouta.
35E was dead at 3:15 in the morning and Penny took full advantage of the space to move. "My brother rebuilt the engine for me. It's got balls, right?"
Drake nodded, dry-mouthed. "Definitely. I should drive."
"Sorry," she shook her head, "no one drives Lisa but me."
"Lisa?"
"The most popular girl's name the year she was born."
Drake hesitated. "You know it-"
"She."
"Okay. You know she was probably built the year before her actual model year, right?"He twisted in his seat to see her face better.
"Yep, but Lisa was the most popular girl's name from 1962 to 1969. I'm covered."She ten and two'd the wheel and made a hard right, rear end sliding around the cloverleaf exit ramp for 36.
Drake gripped the armrest, wishing for airbags. He wasn't afraid so much as conscious of her mortality.
She hooked another right at the top of the first exit and two blocks later, pulled into the tiny, poorly lit lot of a diner that looked remarkably similar to the one where he'd met her. Penny climbed out the door and pushed the lock down.
"There's no clicker for her. Manual locks."
Drake looked down at the door panel, eyeing the lock. "I remember when cars starting coming with locks."
"You were there, were you?"
"I, well, I..." His own slipped admission trapped him.
"I know."She tapped his shoulder. "I can tell."
A parking lot was not the place to have the conversation she was alluding to. Drake looped his fingers through Penny's. "Maybe we should go someplace quiet."
"This is plenty quiet. No
Her nose wrinkled as she shook her head. "I'm going to run home and change. I smell like breakfast."
"I like breakfast."Drake unconsciously licked his lips.
"I like clean clothes. I'll see you at three."She waggled her eyebrows suggestively.
"See you at three."
"Can I cut back through the building?"
"Of course."Drake held open the door to the club, sending Penny in first. "Can I walk you to your car?"His hand drifted automatically to the small of her back, guiding her through the doorway. He felt each point of contact acutely, like an electric shock coursing through him.
"I used valet. Thanks though."Penny laughed and waved as she disappeared into the crowd in front of the stage.
Her laughter haunted him, floating through Distant Fury and then War Puppets , drowning out Glenn's shriek. The final lights dimmed and Drake darted out on stage, fingers drumming on gear as he waited for the band to clear out. Glenn leapt off stage and the rest of the guys disappeared into the wings.
Drake rushed through loading the truck, slamming the door shut at 2:45.
He waved off shouts from the bus and headed back inside for a cleanup in the bathroom. The bouncers nodded as he headed for the sink. A splash of cold water on his face cleared up bleary eyes. A quick sniff of his pits assured him that he was still masculine fresh.
He grabbed cash from the ATM and walked out the front door.
Penny stood, leaning against an ancient, limegreen Impala. Furry black winter boots covered her from knee to toe, but above those, she wore skintight gray leggings.
Drake followed the line of her smooth thigh until his eye met the hem of her pea coat.
Penny cleared her throat and Drake looked up in a hurry. "Glad you came back. I was afraid I'd have to walk back to the hotel alone."
"You're still going back to the hotel alone."She winked. "But at least you get breakfast with me before you go to bed. Come on, let's go."She pulled open the passenger door and walked around, keys in hand. She slid behind the steering wheel while Drake stared after her. She honked and he finally got inside the car.
"Close your door and buckle up. Winter streets are a blast with this thing."She revved the engine and tore away from the curb before Drake's door had latched. She burned her way through the icy-slick streets of downtown St. Paul, catching the freeway at Tenth and Wacouta.
35E was dead at 3:15 in the morning and Penny took full advantage of the space to move. "My brother rebuilt the engine for me. It's got balls, right?"
Drake nodded, dry-mouthed. "Definitely. I should drive."
"Sorry," she shook her head, "no one drives Lisa but me."
"Lisa?"
"The most popular girl's name the year she was born."
Drake hesitated. "You know it-"
"She."
"Okay. You know she was probably built the year before her actual model year, right?"He twisted in his seat to see her face better.
"Yep, but Lisa was the most popular girl's name from 1962 to 1969. I'm covered."She ten and two'd the wheel and made a hard right, rear end sliding around the cloverleaf exit ramp for 36.
Drake gripped the armrest, wishing for airbags. He wasn't afraid so much as conscious of her mortality.
She hooked another right at the top of the first exit and two blocks later, pulled into the tiny, poorly lit lot of a diner that looked remarkably similar to the one where he'd met her. Penny climbed out the door and pushed the lock down.
"There's no clicker for her. Manual locks."
Drake looked down at the door panel, eyeing the lock. "I remember when cars starting coming with locks."
"You were there, were you?"
"I, well, I..." His own slipped admission trapped him.
"I know."She tapped his shoulder. "I can tell."
A parking lot was not the place to have the conversation she was alluding to. Drake looped his fingers through Penny's. "Maybe we should go someplace quiet."
"This is plenty quiet. No
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