One Penny: A Marked Heart Novel by M. Sembera, Margaret Civella Page A

in a slow breath, she whispered, "Yes."
    Lifting her wrist higher, he leaned down and carefully touched his lips to the center where there was no ink just bare skin directly in the center of one heart pointing toward him and the other to her.
    Seth placed his thumb in the center of her tattoo where his lips had just been as he looked down at her softly sharing, "I can feel your heart beat."
    Penny let out a short breath as she closed her eyes tilting her chin up towards him.
    Keeping his gentle hold on her wrist with one hand, Seth could feel Penny's pulse quicken as he slowly brushed his fingers against her cheek and down the side of her neck with the other. He moved closer drawing out the moment as long as possible, just in case this was his one and only chance with her and it never happened again. As he watched her lips part in anticipation, Seth closed his eyes and touched his lips to hers.
    True to her nature, Penny's lips were warm and sweet as they moved against his. There was comfort in the feel of her smooth skin under his fingertips and the flavor of her lips when he took the opportunity to taste them. She was the cream and sugar that soothed and sweetened all the doubt and anxiety in Seth's otherwise embittered life. And he could only imagine what feeling the rest of her would be like.

 
    Sixteen
    Running until his lungs burned, Seth started to wonder how good of an idea it had been to kiss Penny last night. There was no way to gain a better perspective of the situation. It was as if he needed her to breath and there was no way around it. He needed to see her, talk to her, touch her or he would end up suffocating. His run was meaningless, pointless and did nothing to alleviate, it only added to the physical pain he was already in.
    ~
    Not knowing exactly what to do with herself, Penny sat in the center of her bed staring at the tattoo on her wrist. Every time she closed her eyes, Seth kissing her was the only thing there. The way his lips felt against hers, the soft touch of his fingers on her skin and in her hair. If kissing him had this kind of effect on her she couldn't help allowing her mind wander to what everything else would be like with him.
    Jumping a little when there was a knock at her bedroom door, Penny hopped off of her bed, flung her closet door open.
    "Come in," she shouted as she quickly started looking for something to wear.
    "You're not ready?" Charlotte fussed, walking into the room.
    With an apologetic expression, Penny replied, "Sorry, I don't know where my head is this morning."
    "I do," Charlotte assured with a smirk on her face.
    Quickly turning away from her closet, Penny exclaimed, "You have no idea! Last night he kissed me and it was, he was... amazing."
    "Full body tingles amazing?"
    Nodding, Penny swore, "Let's get naked amazing."
    Suddenly Braden's voice interrupted them from the living room as he spouted, "Gah, nasty! I can here y'all!"
    Charlotte made a face and swung Penny's door closed.
    Wishing her brother hadn't heard that, Penny flung herself back onto her bed, burying her face in her pillow.
    Penny lifted her head saying, "I can't think about anything else."
    Seating herself on the edge of Penny's bed, Charlotte asked, "So, no more let's be friends?"
    With a heavy sigh, Penny rested the side of her face against her pillow as she looked at Charlotte, pouting, "I don't know."
    "Friends with benefits?"
    "Ugh..." Penny groaned before reminding, "No sex wagon."
    Scowling at her, Charlotte said, "Well then, I say you blow off your plans with me today, get dressed, go knock on his door and see if he's worth a detour on your road to recovery."
    "What about bouquet shopping?"
    "I'll get Liv to come with me," Charlotte replied before ordering, "Now, put on something cute and go seduce the neighbor."
    "That's not..." Penny started to argue before Charlotte stood up saying, "I'm still holding out on your brother so at least one of us should be getting some."
    With a disgusted expression,