Bernard's POV
The second Penny walked out and the door clicked shut, I allowed myself the first genuine smile I'd felt all morning. That woman had completely unraveled me, and she didn't even seem to realize it.
I collapsed into my chair and buried my face in my hands, trying to make sense of what had just transpired. Two months had passed since that flight to London, and not a single day went by without Penelope Hayes consuming my thoughts.
It wasn't simply about the physical connection we'd shared, though Christ, that encounter had been more explosive than anything I'd experienced before. What haunted me was everything else about her. The way she'd gripped my hand during the turbulence, scared but refusing to break down. How easily we'd talked, like we'd known each other for years instead of hours. The passion in her voice when she described her career ambitions.
But what really got under my skin was the fact that she'd turned me down flat.
