Alex and Penelope Ch. 10

"Of course," Alex said again.Of coursewere the only words in him.

"Good," Claire said haughtily. "Get me a morning appointment at the spa for tomorrow."

"Of course."

"Is the little brat still there?" Claire asked.

He sat up slowly, his lips creased in anger. Now he had words. "She is," he said, looking over at Penelope, still naked and on her stomach fast asleep. His grin was malicious. "And if you ever refer to her by anything other than her name, you'll be out on your ass without so much as a handbag."

"Yes, darling," Claire said mockingly. "So thenPenelopeis still there. Well. I'm so very much looking forward to having a daughter around when I return who's, like, five years younger than me."

"Ten," Alex said through his teeth, solely to remind Claire of her own age. "She'stenyears younger than you, and somehow far more mature."

"Okay, honey," Claire said sweetly. "We'll have this discussion tonight then. See you soon!"

It wasn't a threat, though Alex read it as one. He slammed the phone down on the bed and rolled to his side, looking down at Penelope's naked back. Her face was toward him, her hair across the pillow. He ran his fingers through her soft golden curls by her ear, hating himself.

He'd never take it back, not in a million years, but now reality had finally set in. He'd been able to pretend that Penelope was the only woman in his life for three weeks, as she deserved to be. And he knew she'd be hurting when Claire came home, and not in the good ways he had planned for her. Not through rough sex or spankings or gagging on his cock. Her heart would hurt, and that ate him up inside.

He wondered if they should have never started this, for her sake. He was selfish enough to make her his, but she really hadn't known what she'd signed up for. Even after they'd discussed it, she still didn't know the full extent. The extent of having Claire around for a few more months until he found a way to get her out. The extent of his own sexual needs from a partner.

They'd only just begun there, and she'd been so good with new experiences. They hadn't even scratched the surface.

But they would. They were in it now, and there was no turning back. Nothing but that firmnohe consistently expected from her would make him stop.

Penelope stirred, her eyes fluttering open. "You were on the phone . . ." she muttered, enjoying his fingers gliding through her hair.

"Yes," he said softly.

Penelope didn't ask him who it was; that was his business. But she thought she knew. She'd been slowly waking up, drifting in and out of consciousness, but she was sure it had been Claire. She'd been dreading this, but now that it was here, she didn't feel as awful about it all as she thought she would. Monday morning she'd be leaving with Alex on a business trip, and he'd promised that they'd find a way to continue until he was free of her.

The only thing that bothered her was that she'd never wake up to him touching her again. And as he did, her eyes began to water.

Alex took her softly for an hour until they came together, then they took a leisurely bath together. Once out, Alex called Beverly to tell her he was up and to have breakfast ready soon, as he often did on weekends before Penelope was here. Ever since, he'd tried to keep his staff out of the house on the weekend. Now things would return to the occasional days off on a weekday based on his busy schedule. Things were definitely returning to normal.

He hated it.

Alex left Penelope's room to go dress in his own, and as he neared the stairs, he heard the backdoor unlock and open and knew Beverly had arrived. His room was on the opposite end of the house as Penelope's, originally designed that way so she wouldn't hear him having sex with Claire. Now he was glad for the other way around, just in case he woke up in the middle of the night and needed her. He knew it would happen. Claire took Ambien every night, thank god.

Breakfast was somber, as was to be expected. They both tried to make normal conversation, but today weighed heavily on their shoulders. Again Alex considered writing the check, but instead simply amended the timeline. Enough with this six months bullshit. Two or three, max.

He just didn't want the bitch to have a dime.

"Claire will be home at six tonight," Alex told Beverly once they were through with breakfast. "The house is already spotless, thanks to you and Reuben, so take the day. You can return at five to prepare dinner."

"Of course," Beverly said, clearing the two plates. She hated Claire, and would need a fun afternoon with her husband to mentally prepare for the woman to be back. It had been so nice having her away this long. Claire took many vacations, but never longer than five days, usually during the week while Alex worked.

Beverly had heard Claire and Alex fight when Alex had told her his goddaughter would be living with them. That was when Claire had rounded up her girlfriends for a trip to Fiji. Beverly prayed Claire would schedule more time away now that Penelope was here, since she didn't want to be a "mother to a hick." Beverly adored Penelope and couldn't understand how anyone in their right mind wouldn't, which only affirmed her dislike for Claire.

Knowing Beverly would at least stick around to clean the kitchen after cooking, Alex suggested they go for a swim. They met out at the pool, Penelope in a bikini that Alex wanted to rip off of her body, and would, once Beverly was gone. Once covered in suntan lotion, they dove in and swam the length. Alex kissed her in the grotto, but they didn't stay in there too long.

As soon as Beverly walked out the backdoor, he told her to enjoy her day, then helped Penelope out of the pool. They dried off and went inside, upstairs, and were naked once more.

Alex was soft and gentle with her the entire afternoon, making everything about her, in hopes it would soften the blow she was receiving. She needed to know that he cared about her deeply, and while inside her, he told her just that. Told her she was his world. Told her how amazing she felt. Told her he never wanted this to end. Told her he couldn't wait for their trip. Told her she was beautiful.

Every word of it was true.

Penelope nearly cried when she rose from the bed at four. She disappeared into the bathroom and told herself that it wasn't over. Things would just change a little. That she was strong and she could handle this, and that it would only be six months and then she'd have him all to herself. She believed with her whole heart she could make him happy, and swore that no matter what, she would do just that. And right now, she just needed to be here to make him happy. Be ready for him when he could get away, and leave him alone when he couldn't. She knew that once school started it would make things easier, and she was still looking forward to school.

At five, dressed in a skirt and blouse and wearing the shoes she'd bought Friday with Kathleen, she met Alex in the living room to watch TV.

At six, the front door opened, and Penelope and Alex dutifully stood from the couch, gave each other a look, then walked down the hall into the Foyer.

Claire looked stunning. Penelope couldn't believe Alex could ever want to leave Claire for her. She was radiant with her natural tan, sunglasses on her forehead holding back her straight brown hair back from her face. When Penelope had first met her, she hadn't looked at her like she was competition. She'd just thought of her as Alex's wife, and that was that. But now, as she studied her, she saw her beauty. She had large brown eyes, a ski jump nose, and full pouty lips. Her breasts were large, a D maybe? Double D? Definitely enhanced by how round they looked in her yellow tank top. She was thin, but not skinny, and had a defined curve to her hips that swayed as she moved.

"Claire," Alex said plainly.

Ben dropped a suitcase behind Claire and grinned at Penelope.

"Hello, darling," Claire said sweetly, tilting her head to the side. She walked over and wrapped her arms around Alex and kissed his lips.

Alex had his eyes to the ceiling and didn't move.I should have kept Penelope in the other room,he thought with regret. "Welcome home," he said, giving Claire a tight lipped smile. "Fiji was good to you."

"Oh yes!" Claire gushed, then raised a shoulder. "Can only get a tan like this in the South Pacific."

"Whitney and Jodi enjoyed themselves?" Alex asked.

"We had a wonderful time," Claire said. Her eyes settled on Penelope and she tried very hard to be friendly. At least the girl had cleaned up some, as her clothes weren't off the sales rack. "And you?" she asked, aiming the question at both of them. "How've things been around here?"

"Not as good as Fiji, I'm sure!" Penelope chimed in jokingly, trying to lighten the tension. Tension probably only she was feeling.

"No," Alex agreed, toneless. "I did take some time off to help Penelope get settled." He swept his arm at her, stepping away from Claire. "Took her shopping."

"I can see the change!" Claire said. Alex rolled his eyes; she was such a fucking snob. "You look adorable, Penelope."

"Mostly we just laid around the pool," Alex continued. "I threw a party so she'd get to know people, but I didn't want her to feel lonely while I worked."

"So you've made some friends?" Claire asked.

Penelope nodded, but Alex cut her off before she could speak. "Kathleen took her shopping when I was back to work, and she went out with Clinton and the bunch to Echo. They're going to keep her busy." He said this directly to Claire to tell her not to worry about babysitting. Not that he thought Claire would actually try, but he wanted Penelope around Claire as little as possible. "The nice thing is that most of them go to the U, so she'll have friends there already when she starts next week."

"Wonderful," Claire said. A huge weight off her shoulders. Just one week and Penelope would be out of the house all day, maybe in the evenings too, if she'd made friends. Kathleen loved going clubbing with Britney, so there was that. She had no idea how Penelope fit in with that group, but didn't really give a shit, as long as she did.

Claire occupied the conversation through dinner with stories of Fiji, while Penelope quietly listened, trying to look as interested as possible. It was really important that Claire liked her for now, so that Alex could do what he needed. She was so afraid that Claire would see it all over her face the second she'd returned and the accusations would come flying. She'd braced herself for that possibility, but things seemed to be going well enough.

After dinner, Penelope wasn't quite sure what to do, so she excused herself and helped Beverly in the kitchen with washing dishes. Beverly kept telling her she shouldn't, but once Penelope had insisted, Beverly told her what a darling she was. Penelope just needed something to do, and she liked Beverly.

It made her miss her mom.

She'd barely talked to her parents; her mind had been otherwise occupied. She'd made the twice a week phone call as short as she could, and written an occasional e-mail, but otherwise that was it. She hadn't even talked to her friends back home! So when Beverly with her husband for the night, she went to her room to make some calls.

"So," Claire said, lounging on their bed in her short satin slip. "Shopping, huh? With our money?"

Alex rolled his eyes, his back turned in their dressing room as he unbuttoned his shirt. "Withmymoney," he said simply.

"Well, she needed it," Claire said, rolling onto her back. "I couldn'tbelievewhat she showed up here wearing. I swear, have you ever seen anything like it?"

Alex slid on a white undershirt, then removed his pants. "Yes, actually," he said dryly. "We grew up in the same town." He turned around to face his wife. "It was only an inheritance that got me here, and I remember that every day."

"Oh, yes," Claire said, bored. "But you've made that fortune ten times over andstillyou work every second of the day."

Now in his boxers and undershirt, Alex walked over to the bed and sat down in disgust. This didn't even feel like his room anymore. He belonged in the room Penelope was in. This wouldn't be his room again until it was hers. "Because if I didn't, you'd spend it until there was nothing left."

"Oh, yes, that too," Claire said, turning on the charm. "Thank you again for the trip. When I suggested it, I swore you'd tell me three weeks was too long."

Three weeks wasn't long enough,Alex thought. He climbed under the duvet and bent over Claire. "You're welcome," he said simply, then lightly kissed her cheek and laid down.

He closed his eyes as he felt the shuffling beside him, then she was under the covers with him. Her hand rubbed his chest. "A tee shirt, huh?" she said seductively. "Since when do you wear a tee to bed?"

"Sometime over the last three weeks, I'd imagine," he said.

Her hand rubbed down to its hem and she slid it under the shirt, toying with his boxer briefs. "Three weeks, Alex," she whispered, then kissed his cheek. Her hand continued down and she found him completely soft, which surprised her. She wrapped her fingers around him and began working her hand. "Over a month since we had sex."

"Yep," Alex said, focusing entirely on keeping himself from getting an erection. She did nothing for him, but a hand did, whether it was hers or someone else's. He thought about the work he'd have to do come Monday. "Oh, I'll be taking a business trip first thing Monday morning. I'll be back on Thursday."

Claire's hand paused, thankfully, but stayed put. "You're leaving me alone with your goddaughter!" she said indignantly.

"Oh, no, of course not," he said, opening his eyes and looking at her seriously. "I wouldn't do that to you. Penelope's coming with."

"Whatever for?" Claire cried in wonder.

Alex propped himself up on his elbows. "Well, first of all, I knew you wouldn't want her here, and I assume that's still correct judging by your previous reaction. She's never been out of her hometown other than here, so Jessica is going to take her around while I'm busy so she'll have some fun before she starts school."

He could tell Claire was appeased, and, to his great pleasure, her hand left his groin. But she flung herself on her back, smiling at him. "I need to get fucked, Alex!" she cried. "I'm glad you're taking her with you. Now fuck me, and fuck me hard."

Alex grinned ever so slightly. "I'm a little tired, Claire. And we have a busy day tomorrow at the Spaulding's. Best to call it a night."

Claire eyed him, her mouth agape. "You're kidding, right?"

"Not in the slightest," he said.

Claire stared at him hard. He didn't break. "Fucking asshole," she said. With that, she rolled to her side and flipped off the lamp.

Alex smiled, settling down in his bed. He revised again. One month. One month and she'd either leave, or he'd pay her to.