“Penny? What are you doing just standing out here?”

She looked up. Matt stood silhouetted in the open doorway. His chest was bare and a pair of ripped jeans hung low on his hips. Her heart sped up when she saw him, the way it always did. How could she have hesitated as long as she had? The man was magnificent and he wanted her.

She ran across the grass, skipped the two steps leading to the porch, and launched herself at him. Matt caught her and buried his face in her shoulder.

“I want you to stay.” She was trembling so hard she could barely get the words out. When he tried to pull back to look at her face, she just held on tighter. In that moment, she didn’t ever want to let go.

“That’s my decision. Stay.”

*   *   *   *   *

A FEW HOURS later, Penny was nude, snuggled up with Matt beneath the covers. The only light was the small lamp burning next to the bed. It was unbelievably intimate to rest quietly with his heart beneath her ear. There was a sense of peace surrounding them both. She couldn’t imagine if she’d allowed him to leave.

“I’ve never been this happy. I’m scared to trust it.”

At her words, his arms tightened around her. Their lovemaking this time had been different. There was a tender component to the way he touched her now, like he couldn’t believe she was real.

“So you’re going to stay here and rent from your friend?” Penny pushed up slightly so she could see his face.

“Yes. I don’t think either of us is ready to live together yet. I won’t ever pressure you into anything you aren’t ready for. All I wanted was for you to give me a chance.”

“We’re actually going to do this?” Penny grabbed him around the waist and buried her face in his chest. “I feel like I must be dreaming.”

“I know you aren’t ready to hear this, but I’m in love with you, Penelope. This is no dream. Nothing I’ve fantasized would come anywhere close to the reality of you.”

Overwhelmed, Penny reached up to brush his hair back from his forehead. “Matt… I don’t even know what to say to that. I can’t believe you really feel that way about me.”

He held her face between his hands. “Believe it, pretty girl.”

She opened her mouth to speak, but he stopped her with a finger against her lips. “I don’t want you to say it back because you feel you have to. I’m waiting for the day when you say it spontaneously just because you mean it.”

Penny was sure she was glowing. She kissed him softly. “I’m more than halfway there already.”

“I’m not worried. I know it will come in time.”

Penny ran a finger over the grooves of his abdominals. Each one stood out in sharp relief under his incredible bronze skin. Just like everything else, they seemed to be too good to be true. It was so tempting to relax into the happily-ever-after. To believe that this time things would really work out in the end. But she’d experienced this feeling one time too many. Every time she’d finally started to fit in at school and wasn’t just the “new girl.” When she’d finally gathered the courage to open up and start making friends.

Every time she found something she didn’t want to lose.

Matt tipped up her chin until she couldn’t avoid his eyes. His thumb caressed gentle circles on the side of her face. “Stop worrying. This is that unbelievable fairy-tale stuff you didn’t believe existed. It may not have been love at first sight, but I definitely felt it when we met again. When I saw you standing in the waiting room that first day, it felt like I’d finally found what I’ve been waiting for.”

“What’s that?” Penny rested her head against his chest. She absorbed the feeling of being close to his heart. That was where she wanted to always be. For however long she had him.

“Someone who makes me feel alive.” Then he flipped her over and showed her exactly what he meant.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

WHISTLING, MATT MOVED around Eli’s small kitchen. My kitchen, he mentally corrected himself. Now that he was officially moving in for the duration, he needed to think of the house as his home.

They’d spent the past week working out the details, but he didn’t care about any of that right now. It was a beautiful Saturday morning, the woman he loved was still asleep in his bed, and he was healthy.

He’d never felt so blessed.

The coffee maker made a soft spluttering sound as it percolated, and the scent of bacon was still heavy in the air. Breakfast was his favorite meal of the day and he was anxious to share it with Penny. He’d gotten up early just so he could fix her bacon and eggs before he drove her to see her surprise.

He soft-scrambled a few eggs and then dumped them on a paper plate. Eli didn’t have a breakfast tray, so he’d improvised by using a large serving platter instead. A few slices of bacon and a cup of coffee later, he carried it all upstairs and into the master bedroom.

Penny was still asleep facedown, the covers twisted around her legs.

“Wake up, beautiful.” He placed the tray gently on the nightstand and then climbed back in bed.

As soon as his head hit the pillow, Penny rolled over and plastered herself against him. He pulled her onto his chest. Then he slapped her on the ass playfully.

“Oh my god, it’s so early.”

“I know, but I brought you a peace offering. Coffee, two sugars, and scrambled eggs.”

Her head popped up. “Did you say coffee?”