I stopped myself just before I told her the astronomical state of my accounts. The whiskey was pumping hot through my body and into my brain. "That's why it's so easy for you to pretend with me, isn't it? You couldn't possibly be interested in someone as poor as me."
"Poor? For someone who keeps trying to cry poor, you look like you're doing just fine to me." Corsica gestured to the wall of custom-made windows with ocean views. "I bet this has nothing to do with money; you're just feeling guilty for using me for sex."
I had to hold onto the kitchen island for support. "What?"
Corsica grabbed a soda out of the refrigerator and slammed the door. Then, she cracked open the can so it sprayed across the kitchen island at me. "You heard me. This whole thing was just an easy way for you to get sex without the complications of a real relationship. And you call me shallow."
The warm effects of the whiskey fled, and I was stone-cold sober. "You think I'm using you for sex?"
"Oh, are you going to try to tell me it was just the magic of the solstice or the influence of the starlight?" Corsica slammed the soda can down on the counter. "I thought it was really something. I thought we were done pretending. Then we got back here, and you've been jumping on everything little thing I do and accusing me of things like using you, of all people, for your money."
"I'm not accusing you-"
"Then I am," Corsica snapped.
I held onto the counter and shook my head to clear it. I marched around the kitchen island and grabbed Corsica by the shoulders. "I wasn't using you for sex. I was trying to get you out of my system. You're all I can think about. This is all I can think about."
I crushed her angry retort under a kiss and held tight as she tried to push me away. The struggle sparked the passion between us. Corsica growled under her breath, but stood on her tiptoes to give me every bit of the kiss right back.
"See?" I ground out against her lips. "It doesn't work. I can't get enough of you, and it's driving me crazy."
"Then this might help," Corsica said. She slapped me hard across the cheek and stormed away. At the stairs, she flashed me an angry look. "Pull yourself together; we're having dinner guests over. Ginny's coming from Santa Cruz and your father will be here soon."
She disappeared down the stairs, but I still felt her vibrating against me. I still tasted her lips on mine. And, I couldn't deny that I deserved the stinging handprint on my cheek.
All I could do was swear, one long, vicious string of all the curse words I could muster. Then I took the soda can she'd left and pressed its coolness to my cheek.
"Pull yourself together, Penn," I mimicked her, but the advice was sound, and I ended up laughing at myself. I needed to get a grip before Corsica made me lose my mind, or worse, my heart.
It was a relief to see Ginny at the front door a few hours later. Her smile was direct and guileless, then impish when she saw her friend.
"So, how are the lessons in spontaneity going?" Ginny asked.
Corsica rolled her eyes. "Not well. Ask Penn."
I slipped an arm around Corsica's waist. "She's resistant, but I'm willing to keep working with her."
Corsica looked relieved that I was still talking to her, but she still retorted. "You were the one that turned down paddle boarding in favor of happy hour."
Ginny smiled. "I like seeing you two together. This is a strange deal, no doubt, but you're making the best of it."
Corsica and I watched as Ginny took in the highlights of the impressive shoreline mansion. Then, her eyes flitted back to her friend and Ginny grinned. "Did you seriously dress up to greet me? I'd be impressed, but I know exactly what little hole-in-the-wall thrift store you got that skirt from."
I chuckled as I realized that treasure-seeker was a more fitting title for Corsica than gold-digger. "Please, come on in and make yourself at home. The guest suite is just down there, first door on your left."
"That's my room," Corsica hissed to me.
"Xavier will be here tonight, maybe late. Better that Ginny stay there and you stay with me."
Her expression darkened to stormy, but Ginny just laughed. "I'm good with an old-fashioned sleepover, but we can decide all of that later. First, make sure I brought the right stuff. I didn't have another suitcase; sorry."
My heart sank as I saw that Ginny had arrived with more of Corsica's wardrobe and accessories. The ladies hefted the laundry basket and hauled it to the guest suite. Corsica glanced back at me from the doorway, but my phone rang at that exact moment.
I took the call, and she took the hint to spend some time with her friend.
"Jason, I swear to God if this is something you can handle without me, I'm going to break this phone," I snarled at my assistant.
Jason's voice was cool, as always. "Then perhaps the first thing we should discuss is the details of your work delegation. I have some suggestions."
"Thank fucking God," I muttered.
"New product searches would best be handled by Roberston, since he organizes all the product testing."
I rubbed my forehead. "He had a good run last year with finding new carabiners. Fine. What else are you subtly implying that I'm neglecting?"
Jason sighed. "I'm not implying anything, sir. You deserve to take a step back and give others a hand. Your company just reached the Forbes list. No one expects you to keep it up yourself."
I hated to admit my assistant was right, but it was a relief to hear. I couldn't stand the idea of work taking me away from Monterey, getting in the way of seeing my mother or interrupting any more moments with Corsica.
Once the quick business conversation was through, I immediately marched down the hall to the guest suite.
"I don't know, Corsica. It wasn't nothing I felt when I walked in," Ginny said.
I paused and heard Corsica sigh. "That doesn't matter. He's just not my type, and that's how I know none of the rest of it is real."
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Corsica - 15
"I still can't get over how great it went last night. You were fantastic!"
I shook my head. "You have to say that; you're my friend."
"That doesn't mean it's not true," Ginny assured me. "Everyone else was saying it, too. And, your blue dress was absolutely perfect."
"Yeah, I'm glad I didn't return it."
Ginny laughed. "I wouldn't have let you do that, no matter how much Penn annoyed you."
Just the mention of his name was enough to drive a fog over our morning coffee. Standing on stage at the little lounge had felt so good, that I told myself it didn't matter that he hadn't shown up. His friends, Phillip in particular, tried to assure me that Penn had been called away on business. I wanted to believe them, but I had a feeling it was more than that.
"He's got a right to be on edge," I sighed. "His mother's treatments are intensifying, and she's going to be tested this week to see how things are progressing."
"So now you're defending him?" Ginny asked. "That's interesting. You used to just lift your nose in the air if someone snubbed you."