Autumn gave a tight smile. Part of her felt like this was something she’d missed out on growing up. Was this what having girlfriends—or any friends—was like?
Yes, Jenna had been a friend in college. And a good one. But life had gone on, and even though they’d kept in touch, they saw each other sporadically.
Autumn had only lasted two years in college before realizing she couldn’t keep up with school and her grandfather’s shop. A shop that didn’t belong to her anymore. Once it had gone, it had taken her future and the only thing she had left of her grandfather with it.
“You okay?” Penny asked.
Autumn shook her head, realizing she’d zoned out. “Yeah, just ah…new to the dress up stuff.”
“Well, it’s always more fun when you know you’re dressing up for a purpose.”
“Like this party.”
Penny smirked. “Or like Huck.”
“He and I have come to a weird friend-enemy arrangement type thing. But I’m not dressing up for him. We’re just…hanging out.”
Penny nodded. “Yeah, I remember hanging out with Bass too. It was right before he spanked my ass and spent the rest of the night in my bed.”
That got her attention. The seemingly sweet and lovely Penny Diamond got down and dirty with spankings? Autumn had never actually been spanked herself, aside from the playful moment with Huck, but the idea had always intrigued her. Granted, she’d only been with beta-type men who saw her more as a way to pass time every once in a while than as an actual woman.
At least until Huck.
“Do you um…” Autumn glanced down. Holy hell she was nervous. She’d never “dished” or “gossiped” or traded sexrets before. Not that she had many to trade. But Huck had awoken something in her. Something that made her want to claw, bite, and even take some force back. The intensity was consuming and made her feel…
Perfect.
It was the word he’d used, and it still rang in her ears.
“Yes, I like it,” Penny said, answering Autumn’s unfinished question.
“I wouldn’t have guessed that.”
Penny shrugged. “Perceptions can be misleading. You must get tired of everyone looking at you like you’re a supermodel.”
Her eyes went wide, and she choked on a laugh. “Ah, that’s not how people see me.”
“Then you’ve been hanging out with idiots, because that’s what you look like. Sure, you have a badass biker chick thing going for ya, but a lot of guys find that hot.”
Not the guys Autumn knew. Granted, she’d lived her whole life in the same small town and thought she’d die there. She could have grown a third eye and everyone would still see her as a messy mechanic without a single feminine quality about her.
But that’s not true.
It was the first time her mind had ever whispered that.
Maybe there was more to her than even she thought. And she knew exactly who to thank—or curse—for bringing that out.
Penny looked at her with a soft expression. “I know how it feels to be put into a box and for everyone to think they know exactly who you are. You may still be in Kansas, but you’re not in your hometown anymore. Take advantage of that. Be who you want to be and accept that the people around here, especially one man in particular, like you very much.”
“He also doesn’t like me sometimes.”
“That’s because you make him think. Which is a good thing. He’ll realize that soon enough. But he does care, and so do I. You’re a great person, Autumn.”
“Thanks, Penny, that’s really nice of you.”
“Of course. And hey, if it helps, tell Huck to slap your ass a few times and your worldview will really change then!” She laughed, and Autumn made a weird chuckling noise.
“Oh my god. I think I just giggled.”