Page 68 of Penny & Royce

To do so would ruin everything they had. He still needed to set everything up so no one could come between them when this whole situation blew up in their faces.

He was a realist, after all.

Eventually, everyone would know, and they’d have to be strong enough to stand their ground.

Royce mouthed the words, “You’re beautiful,” then strode in the direction where he’d parked his motorcycle.

At this moment in time, he regretted coming. Clearly, he shouldn’t have been worried about her having some other guy keeping her company. She was a solo act in her socializing.

And his hope to support her, even from a distance, had backfired because what little joy she’d had at seeing him had disappeared in a cloud of smoke. He didn’t know what he expected would happen when she saw him, but it wasn’t the disappointment that was apparent in her expression.

A twinge of guilt laced through him.

As much as he’d told himself he was here to support her because she was attending a wedding for her brother when she herself hadn’t gotten to have a traditional one of her own, he knew he’d been lying to himself.

He trusted Penny.

He trusted her feelings for him.

It was Emerson he had a problem with. The man had been clear about his interest in Penny, and Royce needed assurances that Emerson would respect the line Penny had drawn between them.

In hindsight, the risk of getting caught wasn’t worth soothing his own concerns.

Thankfully, he’d gotten out of there before any of the Taylor sisters had seen him.

Or heaven forbid, their father.

He swung his leg over the side of the motorcycle when the distinct sound of footsteps approached. Royce should have just started the bike. He shouldn’t have lifted his head to see who had come after him.

Because the second he saw her, he knew he couldn’t just make his escape.

17

PENNY

“Royce! What are you doing here?”

She could sense his unease, and it served him right.

“I told you not to come. I told you it wasn’t a good idea.”

He lifted the visor to his helmet, and he flashed her that smile that made it entirely too hard to stay irritated with him. She nearly forgot why she was upset when he looked at her like that. His smile was her kryptonite.

“You look gorgeous, Penny.”

She scoffed, folding her arms. “Nice try. You have some explaining to do. You shouldn’t be here.”

“Says the woman who chased me down so we could talk.” His voice softened a little. “Tell me, my wife, why did you do that? You could have let me go.”

Her mouth twitched of its own accord. He had a way of making all her frustration melt, and all it took was a few simplewords, a couple soft touches, and that dang smile of his that she was far too addicted to.

Penny flattened her mouth into a tight line. “No.”

“No?” he asked, raising a single brow before he reached for her hand with one of his own. Even through the leather gloves that protected him, she could feel the way his warmth affected her. “That’s not an answer to my question.”

“No, you’re not just going to break the rules—your promise—then pretend everything is okay.”

His expression sobered.