One brow arched. “You don’t remember?”
“I remember the singing and dancing, but after that, it’s a blur.”
He nodded, like he expected that answer. “I got you into my cruiser, and you passed out cold. I tried to wake you up, but that wasn’t happening. So, it was either stay here at my place or the drunk tank at the station. What would you have preferred?”
“Here, so much here,” she said, aware that she had to look like shit, and somehow feeling oddly self-conscious about that. A new thing for her. “Seriously, thank you so much.” She paused, realizing something else too. “And thanks for not calling my cousins. I wouldn’t have heard the end of that if I showed up at home in a cruiser.”
“I suspected so.” His mouth twitched. “Clara was in my graduating class.”
Yeah, she figured Darryl probably knew her cousins even better than she did. She spent her childhood summers there in Colorado, for “fresh air” her parents said. But for the past ten years, she’d only talked over text and phone calls to her cousins.
Darryl wasn’t moving, simply watching her. She stared into the strength of his eyes, feeling that same flutter tickle in her belly that she felt when she’d met him at summer camp. An odd flutter, really. One she couldn’t exactly understand, considering he also had that whole authoritative figure thing going on, which typically was a red flag for her.
Why was she even thinking about this?
She came to River Rock to be on her best behavior, and not to be the “wild child.” Ready to get the hell out of Darryl’s house and to fix her wrongs of last night with her cousins, she slid out of bed. “So…it’s been a while, huh?”
“Ten years,” he said.
“Wow, that long,” she countered. Damn, now she was just being obvious that he rattled her a little. “Well, the ten years have been good to you.” She quickly made the bed before turning back to him.
Heat flared in his eyes. “I’m not the only one.”
Sweet Jesus. That voice. Those eyes. Darryl held a power that no man she’d met since him had. He made her belly flutter, heart race, and her regions south warm. And she had made a complete ass out of herself last night. “Thanks again for saving my butt last night, but I better get an Uber before my cousins kill me.” She turned around and spotted her purse on the floor next to bed.
“Running away just like you did after I kissed you?”
She snatched her purse then slowly looked back at him, finding his hard stare on her. “I never stay in one place long,” she told him. Not entirely true, but the reasons she left that night after their hot kiss at summer camp were so complicated, she didn’t even know where to begin.
“Your cousins told me you’ve been traveling,” he said flatly. Then he shook his head and added, “Never mind. It doesn’t matter. Though…about you leaving. There might be a little problem with that.”
In her hand, her phone beeped. She glanced at the screen. Maisie had texted back: Glad you’re safe. Stay wherever you are. There’s a wicked storm hitting us hard. I’ll come get you once the roads are clear. Oh…and btw, where are you exactly?
Penelope blinked, processing that. “No, this cannot be happening.” She rushed to the bedroom window and found a winter wonderland outside. “There’s a storm?”
“A bad one,” Darryl said, behind her. “We’re going to have to ride this out. Unless you know of anyone with a snow mobile?”
“I don’t know anyone here but my cousins, and I know they don’t have one.” Penelope glanced around, suddenly very aware that she stood in the bedroom of the guy who gave her a kiss she couldn’t ever forget, and his bed was right there. “How long do we have to wait before the storm clears?” she asked, staying focused.
“Hmm…” Darryl sidled up next to her, and the masculine sandalwood scent of his cologne infused the air as he said, “By the looks of the clouds, I’d say we’re in for another few inches of snow within the next couple hours.”
Penelope pressed her face to the window and studied the sky. “You can seriously tell that?”
He chuckled.
She turned to him and frowned. “You’re pulling my leg?”
“Just a little tug.” He winked, leaning his shoulder against the wall, hand tucked into his pocket. “The weather station said we’re likely to get hammered throughout the day and into the night. Hopefully the snow will stop in the early morning and then the plows can get the roads cleared.”
She blinked. “Wait a second. Are you saying…?”
“That’s right. You get another night with Ebenezer.” He grinned before he turned away and left the bedroom. When he returned, he had a pair of tights and a T-shirt in his hands. “Thought you might want something a little more comfortable.”
God, only then was Penelope reminded she still wore her clothes from last night. Clothes that suddenly made her feel dirty and disgusting. Classy, Penelope. So friggin’ classy! But soon that thought faded away as she realized he’d handed her another woman’s clothing. His ex-wife’s? Maisie told Penelope when Darryl married after college, and she also told her when he divorced six months ago. Penelope eyed the clothing in her hands.
Darryl gave another low laugh. “They’re my sister Ashley’s clothes,” he explained gently. “She lives in England right now with her boyfriend but stays here when she visits and always forgets some of her stuff.” His gaze traveled her body all the way to Penelope’s toes and then back up to her face. “You look about the same size.?
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