Double the Trouble

“She’s fine,” Colt answered for her. “I almost never beat a woman.”

Robert sneered. “Is that supposed to be funny?”

“Not really,” Colton told him. “Nothing about this situation is funny.”

“I’m fine,” Penny said, shooting Colt a look that plainly said I can speak for myself. Then she turned back to her brother. “How are the twins?”

Robert threw a look over his shoulder at the hallway behind him. “Sleeping. We took them for a long walk and the fresh air just knocked ’em out. Maria’s checking on them.”

“Good,” she said, a smile curving her mouth. “Thanks so much for watching the babies. I can’t wait to see them.”

“Me, either.” Colt looked from Penny to Robert and back again and had the satisfaction of seeing her squirm uncomfortably.

“For what it’s worth,” Robert told him, “I’ve been after her from the beginning to tell you about the twins.”

“Too bad you weren’t more successful.”

“She’s too stubborn for her own good,” her brother argued. “Once she makes up her mind, you couldn’t blow her off course with dynamite.” He glanced at his sister. “And it’s not like I enjoyed going behind her back to tell you the truth. I’m just tired of seeing her struggle when she shouldn’t have to.”

“I understand. And I remember just how stubborn she is.” In fact, Colt recalled plenty about the week he and Penny had spent together what felt like a lifetime ago. He remembered her laughter. He remembered the feel of her curled against him in the middle of the night. The taste of her mouth, the scent of her skin. And he remembered seeing rainbows and promises shining in her green eyes.

It had spooked him, plain and simple. No other woman before her or since had ever gotten so close to him. No other woman had ever made him so drugged on passion that he’d proposed and married her before he could come to his senses.

And no other woman’s memory had stayed with him as hers had.

God knows he’d tried to bury her memory, but it just wouldn’t stay gone. He could be halfway around the world, exploring some new adventure, and hear a soft, feminine laugh—and just for a second, he’d turn and search the crowd for her familiar face. He had dreams that were so clear, so real, that he would wake up expecting to find her lying next to him.

She’d done that to him. One week with Penny had threatened everything in his life. Of course he’d had to leave her.

“Since you remember, you know what it’s like trying to argue with her,” Robert was saying.

“Oh, I don’t intend to argue.” Colt glanced at Penny and watched as sparks glinted in her eyes. “I’m just going to tell her how things are going to be.”

“That I’d like to see,” Robert murmured.

“Maybe I’ll sell tickets.”

“If you two are quite finished,” Penny announced.

“Not even close,” Colt told her.

“Not my problem anymore,” Robert said, lifting both hands in gratitude at being able to hand off the responsibility of worrying about his sister. He looked at Colt. “Good luck.”

“Not necessary.” Colt didn’t need luck. All he needed was a cold shower and then a chance to settle a few things with the mother of his children.

“Seriously?” Penny tried to get up off the couch, but Colt dropped one hand onto her shoulder to hold her in place.

“Don’t move from that spot.”

“You are not in charge here,” she argued.

“Wanna bet?”

He met her gaze and stared, waiting for her to back off first. In a contest of wills, Penny wouldn’t stand a chance. She could be as stubborn as she liked, but she hadn’t been raised a King. In the King family, everyone wanted to be right. And no one ever backed down. So if she thought she could best him in a staring contest, she couldn’t be more wrong.

Took a few seconds, but eventually, she shifted her gaze from his and slumped back into the floral cushions, muttering a steady stream of words he was probably better off not hearing. A reluctant smile twitched his lips. He had to admire her fighting spirit—even though she had no hope of winning.

A pretty, dark-haired woman with big brown eyes walked into the room, passed Robert and Colt, then took a seat on the coffee table in front of Penny. Reaching out, she took Penny’s hands in hers and squeezed. “The twins are fine. They’re sound asleep and since it was so late in the afternoon, we fed them their dinner, too. I know it’s a little early, but with any luck, they’ll sleep the night through and give you some rest.”