SURROGATE : Conception (+18) BOOK 1 (COMPLETE)

| 17 | Obliged If You Did ||

These crazy ass rich people.

If she wasn't so damn close to paying John off, she'd been out that door, walking down the road to get away if that's what it took. The walk was all downhill anyway. She should have called a cab, but that would have meant she predicted this shit was going to happen. How the hell was she to know that the Exorcism of Frida Rogan was going to pop off. Penelope knew the woman had control issues. Penelope also knew the other woman's husband wasn't playing by her rules and that was making Frida even more frustrated.

All Penelope knew thirty minutes ago, however, was that anywhere seemed better than her current location.

Frida had long ago calmed down since Mr. Rogan went up to see after her.

Penelope was doing what she did a lot to blow off some steam. She was in the kitchen layin' down some heat on some sustenance. This kitchen was too nice for people who never used it. She paused peeling potatoes. That's one thing she didn't understand. Wealthy people that ate out near everyday having a souped up kitchen like this. This was a kitchen made for cooking feasts in.

The corner of her mouth lifted. She wanted a kitchen just like this one day. She could imagine it already with the sound of friends and family laughing while she cooked up a meal. The smiles, the laughter, the ridiculous stories.

She frowned.

Was she disappointed when she heard the news that she wasn't pregnant?

She wasn't sure to be honest.

"What can I do to help?" 

She started from her thoughts, right before they sought to get her in trouble, as Liam removed his cufflinks and set them near the toaster. He rolled up his sleeves and washed his hands at the sink.

She gazed at the man, handsome in profile, lean, strong arms and legs. His eyes were tired, another long week, but he smiled at her anyway.

"You can peel these potatoes." She shook the pleasant floating butterflies that moved in her lower abdomen when the calm steady energy of his presence soothed her ruffled feathers.

He nodded and made his way next to her at the sink. She handed over the potato peeler and her partially peeled spud. He took it and their hands touched with the exchange. She swallowed down the zinging electricity that whipped through her body.

Damn, he smelled good. Cologne, the one she really liked on him. She moved to another counter grateful for the size of the kitchen. They worked for a moment in silence. She tried not to stare at him but glanced up every so often.

She frowned when she caught him struggling with his task.

"Here." She said, making her way over to him. "It helps if you peel one half at a time instead of trying to peel the entire length of the potato. May I show you?"

He nodded handing her the items.

"Like this." She said, demonstrating. She didn't dare look toward him. She could feel his gaze on her, he was so close heat radiated off his person. "Got it?"

"Mhm."

That smell was so damn nice.

"Good!" She said, moving out the way and back over to her task on the other side of the counter.

They worked in silence again as she watched him every so often. "Good, that's really good." She commented.

"Thanks for the tip." His smile made her look away quickly. "May I ask what we're making?"

When she looked up at him again, he seemed to be in a place of calm. His shoulders were relaxed, his lips pulled up ever so slightly at the corners. It made her smile. The ill feelings and frustration, the fight or flight adrenaline that was racing through her veins settled.