Surrogate : Complications (18+) BOOK 2 (*ON HOLD *)

| 4 | All Plans Out the Window ||

  It was a demon's delight.

A demon's delight using Penelope's moment of weakness to succumb to his own selfish desire: to have her, once again, in his greedy arms. Oh, but how could it feel so right? Assuming what felt good was right, which he knew more than most that wasn't necessarily true.

He could feel her the moment she took the seat next to him in the cold dark theater. Still mostly unconscious but his subconscious was fully aware of her presence. Soft, gentle, a soothing relaxed feeling, a warmth seeped in under his bones as if reaching out to him, a gentle caress.

Even in her state of bedtime ready, she was beautiful. That of course he didn't see until he turned the lights on in the theater. Still it stole him as did the heavy rings hugging under her eyes. He immediately felt distressed for her. He needed to get down to the bottom of it. He needed to bring her solace.

The garbled draining sound of the coffee maker notifying him that it was finished producing its life granting elixir, brought him back to his reality. Weekends didn't seem to have any meaning to him, well, for a long while now, but it was a rather lovely Saturday morning. Peaceful, quiet.

"Good Morning!"

He brought his gaze to an energetic Penelope who's well rested eyes and exuberant glow was well worth the crick in his neck. He smiled taking her in while also relieving the memory of the evening before.

She slept so soundly against him. He stayed up well past the moment she fell asleep to feel her steady breathing, feel that light air on his neck when she exhaled. Her soap, lotions and hair products soothed his weary mind with a calming scent more because he knew that combination of fragrances belonged only to her. He gazed down at her as she rested soundedly stroking her temple. So fleeting yet so full.

"You look tired." She said wrinkling her nose.

He smiled, bringing his attention, begrudgingly, to the mug in front of him. "No worries, I have a powerful potion for that."

She laughed a little bit putting his plate and fork in the sink from last night.

"Thank you." He leaned a hip against the counter, mug in hand.

"No problem." She smiled gently.

"Tea?" He sat his mug on the counter and reached in the cabinet for her favorite mug when she declined.

"No tea." She said, plopping a clear container on the countertop that she retrieved from the refrigerator. "Lean, mean, nutrient packed green fighting machine. Prepared ahead of time by the one and only."

He winced at the beverage which had slightly browned. "Those things are meant to be consumed right after you make them."

She exhaled. "Frida assured me it would be-- Hey! What are you doing?"

He grabbed the drink once she opened it and dumped it into the sink then turned the faucet on. "What are we trying to birth, the jolly green giant or something? It didn't look safe, it had to go."

Penelope shook her head. "You're trying to get me in trouble."

He waved her off and rested his hip on the counter again, coffee in hand. "We'll get you one of those crack smoothies at that healthy place down the hill; it'll be fine."

"Crack smoothie? You have my undivided attention."

He laughed before taking a ginger sip of his coffee. "You know, down the hill. I know Frida's taken you there before."

She raised an eyebrow at him. Did he mention she was glowing? She was in shadow tucked safely out of the sun's rays, but she was glowing. "Oh come on-- it's the place with the lady who grows her ingredients on the roof?" More blank staring. "She sings to the wheat grass and everything. It's the most Frida place ever-- oh really?" He sipped while he shook his head. "This won't do. You must go so you can yell at Frida when she gets back. She's been holding out on you. Come on get your stuff we're going." Suddenly he was filled with energy but it couldn't be from the coffee.