Penn yawned and stretched her arms above her head. The early morning sun filtered through a tiny break in the dark curtains, softly illuminating the hotel room.

She glanced over at West, who slept deeply, one arm behind his head and the other on his flat, muscled stomach. Scooting back against the headboard, she sank against it and closed her eyes.

Last night had really happened. West had been like a life preserver, and she'd reached for him like a desperate, drowning woman with one last chance to save herself.

They'd connected in a way that went far beyond the intimate moment they'd shared. She'd read it on his face—he'd felt it, too.

If what they'd done last night had been that exciting, what the hell must sex with West be like? A shiver raced through her, along with a pang of jealousy for all the women he'd bedded in his lifetime.

Lucky bitches.

Penn slid out of bed, grabbed fresh clothes from her suitcase, and headed for the bathroom. She turned on the shower and adjusted the taps until the bathroom filled with steam.

He was right about one thing—she hadn't been a one-night stand kind of girl nine months ago. But that girl? That girl was long gone.

If he'd had a condom handy, she definitely would have slept with him. She'd wanted him, and she refused to feel guilty about an experience that made her feel fully alive for the first time in months.

Life was too short. Her time with Danny had taught her that. She'd blinked, and then he was gone. From now on, she was going to grab on to new experiences and live her life in the moment. This vacation was the perfect place to put that into practice.

---

West woke to find Penn holding a breakfast tray heaped with food. She'd changed into a pink tank top and white shorts, and her hair hung loose around her shoulders.

A stray lock brushed against his cheek as she leaned forward and placed the tray on his lap. He fought the urge to drag her back into bed and finish what they'd started.

He regretted using the last of his condoms with a cute beach bunny in California. He'd barely gotten her name before she'd rubbed against him at a bonfire, wanting more than her marshmallows toasted. She'd been more than willing, and he'd been buzzed and bored.

"Morning. I brought you breakfast—eggs, toast, pancakes, bacon, and coffee. I wasn't sure what you liked, so I got a bit of everything," she explained.

West couldn't remember the last time a woman had brought him breakfast in bed. He wasn't sure any ever had. Then again, this wasn't his normal morning-after scenario. He never stuck around long enough for breakfast. He usually got the fuck out before the sun came up.

"Nice. I'm starving. Thanks."

His phone beeped with a text from Adam. He sent a quick text back and placed the phone on the night stand.

Penn sank down on a chair opposite the bed. "I ate in the lobby next to the office. Alice talked my ear off. Go ahead and dig in."

"Yeah, she’s a chatterbox. So…how did you sleep?"

Her cheeks turned pink. "Best sleep I've had in months. I guess I should thank you."

He winked. "I'm happy to be of service, darlin'."

"You're right, though."

"About what?" He dumped a ton of milk in his cup and took a sip of the coffee.

"About one-night stands. I'm not normally a girl who hooks up. Not that anything has been normal lately. Normal doesn't exist for me anymore. Well, for you either, I’m guessing. Regardless, I think it's time to make a few changes."

"What kind of changes?"

She shrugged. "I need to stop thinking so much about every move I make. Take a few chances, you know? I’m twenty-four, not sixty-four. It’s one of the reasons I took this trip. I need to shake things up a bit."

Twenty-four. He’d pegged her for twenty-one or twenty-two. She’d obviously been a non-traditional college student, graduating so late. With her makeup-free face and the spattering of freckles dotting her nose, she’d get carded at liquor stores for years to come.

He wiped his hands on a napkin. "You need to have some fun and let loose in Vegas. Get some distance from the entire situation. It will recharge your batteries and you'll have a better perspective after some rest."

She smiled. "I hope so. That's the plan, anyway."

"Adam texted about your Bug a few minutes ago, by the way. It's at his garage in the city, and he'll send me the cost for that later. Don't worry. He'll take care of things for you. He's the best."

"Oh, great. Thanks for that."

"But...?" A disappointed expression on her face had come and gone when he’d mentioned the car.

"Well, the cost will likely cut into my Vegas budget a bit, but I knew that would happen. Besides, I need my car."

"Are you splitting the Vegas costs with your friend?"

"Yeah, right down the middle. Holly actually lives in Vegas, but we decided to both stay at the hotel. She cancelled the room for us yesterday, so that makes up for a bit of the money. She isn't meeting me until tomorrow, though."

"If you want, you can crash with me tonight. Save some more dough. Unless you really wanted to head over and check in."

Penn held up her hands. "West, you've helped me enough. Anymore and I'd be taking advantage of you."

"It's not a big deal, Penn. Think about it. It's only one night, and no trouble." He grinned at her. "It’s not like you eat that much or take up a lot of space."

She laughed. "I seem to remember downing four slices of pizza last night."

"Like I said, not much." He really hoped she'd say yes. He wasn't ready to let her disappear into the bright Vegas lights just yet. It wasn’t his normal pattern with a woman, but he was going to roll with it all the same, even if it was just for one more day.

"Okay. I’ll think about it," she said, nodding. "Thank you."

"You ready to go?" He drained the last of the coffee from his mug. He’d need the caffeine after last night's sleep-deprivation. He'd lain awake for two hours after she'd fallen asleep, still keyed up from what had transpired between them.

"Sure."

"I'm going to settle the bill. I'll meet you out front in ten minutes."

"Wait. West, we have to at least split the bill." She pulled her wallet from her purse.

He waved her off. "No, Penn. Save it for Vegas."

"But you bought dinner last night. I can't let you pay for this, too."

"I pay the same rate for the room whether you are here or not. Put your wallet away."

She hesitated, then gave a small nod. "Thank you."

"No thanks necessary."

---

They made it to the outskirts of Vegas in a little over six hours, but the time had passed quickly. They discussed music and movies and shared a few laughs. It was a completely different vibe than yesterday, when she’d stuck close to the door and had convinced herself he was a serial killer.

West pulled into a gas station for a bathroom break. After they’d both used the facilities, Penn went into the store to buy a bottle of water while he waited in the truck.

His gaze dropped to her sexy ass, shown off to perfection in her little white shorts. God, he loved that ass. Normally he was a leg man, but he was beginning to waver.

He wasn't the only one who noticed, either. A few guys glanced in her direction as she passed by their cars.

Penn, however, was oblivious to the male attention.

Moments later, a tall brunette got out of a blue sports car and headed into the store. She was smokin’ hot, with a beautiful face and lush, curvy body.

A clingy black skirt and low-cut top hugged her curves in all the right places. Her legs went on for miles, and the sexy heels she wore only emphasized them further.

She was exactly the type of girl he’d always gone for.

Penn exited the building as the brunette entered. As they passed each other, he was struck by the extreme differences between the two. Both women were incredibly attractive, but in such different ways. Penn’s beauty was understated, while the brunette showed hers off to full potential.

Penn smiled at him as she walked toward the truck, and it lit up her entire face. Christ, she was so damned cute. Wild blonde curls, glossy lips, with a hint of sexy wrapped up in those sweet shorts.

The other male patrons’ glances had turned in the direction of the brunette.

But not his. Not today.

Today he’d been captivated by the girl next door with the lovely smile and curly blonde hair.

"I figured you could use this." She held out a water bottle to him as she climbed into the truck. "I got one for me, too."

"Thanks." He added thoughtful to his list of things he already liked about Penn. He gave her a wink. "Ready?"

"Sure."

"So, are you planning on heading into Vegas to stay at your hotel? Or have you considered my offer?"

Penn looked uncertain. "I don't feel right taking advantage of the help you've already given me, West. I mean, it would help me financially, but I don't think it's right to put you out."

"It's not any trouble at all, sweetheart. In case you haven't figured it out, I kind of like your company."

"Same here," she said, her voice soft.

The only flaw in his plan was that she would know exactly who he was if he took her back to his house near the Vegas Strip. His hockey shit was everywhere. If she decided she wanted to stay with him, he'd have to take her to his old house. He hadn't put it up for sale yet, and though it was a large, attractive home, it wasn’t flashy like his new place. He'd purchased it exclusively for the basement—a rarity in Nevada.

He knew he was going to have to tell her the truth eventually, but he couldn't bring himself to do it yet.

"Do you live near the Las Vegas Strip?"

"Nope." The lie rolled off his tongue far too easily, and he swallowed down his growing guilt. "Outskirts. Not that far from here."

An uncertain expression crossed her delicate features. "Well, maybe you can come back to my hotel for a while. We could have dinner."

"I was actually counting on heading home and taking a long, hot shower and relaxing. It's been a long trip from Vancouver. I'm not really up for the Vegas nightlife tonight."

"Oh, right. Of course."

"We could head to my place and watch some bad movies and order take-out. If you want to come back with me, that is." His gaze dropped to her pretty legs. "It’s up to you."

Penn started laughing.

He frowned. "What?"

"You do realize you aren't as smooth as you think you are, right? That invitation wasn't exactly subtle."

"No idea what you're talking about, Blondie."

"You were staring at my legs."

"Well, you have incredibly sexy legs, Pixie, and I'm a self-professed leg man. Can't blame a man for looking." He cocked his head and gave her a wink. "What’s your thing?"

Penn wrinkled her nose. "My thing?"

"You know, when you're checking out a guy? Ass, arms, stomach?"

"I don't think I'm that specific."

"Everyone has something they gravitate toward."

She shrugged. "I really don't think I do."

"Okay, let's get specific then. What did you notice about me?"

"Once I got past the possibility you might be an axe murderer, you mean?" She smirked at him, and he grinned.

"Yeah, once you got past that."

"I noticed everything."

West raised an eyebrow. "Yeah?"

"Yes. There's a lot to notice about you. You’re quite a package, West Keller."

"So, you're a total package girl then, huh?"

Penn groaned. "Oh, please. You are too much."

"Yeah. I've been told that before." He waggled his eyebrows at her.

Penn let out a squeak and covered her red face with her hands. "Oh my God. You're so cocky." She groaned again. "Oh, no."

He laughed. "Nice choice of words."

She held up her hands. "I'm just going to stop talking. Like, right now."

She was fucking adorable when she blushed. "So, what do you say? Are you coming home with me?"

"I’ll go home with you, but only if you let me pay for our dinner."

"That's all it will take?"

Penn buckled her seatbelt before answering. "Yes."

"Deal."

Of course, it was a lie, but she didn't need to know that. She needed to save the cash for her trip. If anyone deserved a good vacation, it was her.

---

"Here we go." He swung the truck into the oversized driveway.

"This is a big place." She leaned forward to peer at it through the windshield. "Modest, but big."

"It's just a place to sleep."

The house, which was spacious and in a quiet neighborhood, was much better suited for a family than a bachelor. His new house near the Vegas Strip was modern and close to the Nevada Arena. It made it easier for him to get to games and practices.

West unlocked the front door and led her into the foyer. She set her purse and duffel bag down next to the closet while he dragged in their suitcases and her cooler.

"Make yourself at home. Kinda stuffy in here. Sorry about that." He adjusted the thermostat and turned on the air conditioning.

She went over to his stereo system. "Mind some music? Wow. I didn't know anyone had actual stereos anymore. This is positively ancient." She pointed at the record player. "Seriously, West. Records?"

"It was Drew's."

Penn's face paled. "I'm so sorry. I have a big mouth. I never would have-"

"It's fine," he interrupted. "One thing we had in common was our love of music. I have a shitload of CD's and classic stuff on vinyl. They don't make 'em like they used to."

"Spoken like a true aficionado." Penn powered on the stereo and found a local rock station. "There we go."

"Want a beer?" The cupboards and fridge were still stocked with a few basics, since he’d only recently moved.

"Sounds good." Penn walked around the living room, taking in the plain furniture and beige carpet. "If you don't mind me saying, this doesn't seem like the type of place a single guy would live."

"It really isn’t. None of that stuff is mine. I bought it furnished. I'm actually putting it up for sale soon."

"Do you like living here? This neighborhood I mean? Seems kind of far from all the nightlife."

"It's okay. It's quiet. I eventually want to be closer to the Strip."

Christ. He was going to choke on his guilt soon. He swallowed the feeling down along with another swig of beer. He hated dancing around the truth with her.

Fuck, he hated lying. He could hear Drew’s voice echoing in his head. ‘You’re the worst fucking liar in the world, little brother. It goes against your honest, blunt nature. Don’t change.’

He jolted up in his chair. It had been years since he’d heard his brother’s voice, but there it was, clear as day, in his thoughts.

And all these years later, Drew was still right. He was a horrible liar. After what he’d shared with Penn last night, he didn't know how to bring up his career without looking like a total asshole. The opportunity for him to be truthful had come and gone back on the side of the highway.

"I'm going to head upstairs to my workout room and squeeze a session in," he told her. "I’ll probably take a nap afterward. The bathroom is down the hall. Second door on the right. Feel free to make yourself at home, okay?"

She waved. "Thanks. Get some rest."

---

Penn changed out of her outfit and dumped her dirty clothes in the washing machine while West slept. She found a plain blue t-shirt in a spare bedroom closet and put it on. It hung past her knees, and on her it looked more like a dress.

She sank down on the comfortable living room sofa and turned on the television, clicking aimlessly through the channels. One bad movie later, she tossed the remote on the coffee table and closed her eyes.

At the moment, she felt light years away from Lakensville, her parents' farm and all of her problems. She felt free.

Waves of guilt washed over her a minute later. She’d always tried to be a good daughter, and for the most part, she believed she’d fulfilled every duty that went along with that role.

But she was so damn tired. She had hoped telling her parents she was going on vacation with Holly would've been the wake up call they needed to take over the farm duties.

Instead, they hadn’t responded much at all. She’d filled the fridge with food before she left and drove off with barely a goodbye. Until they decided to get some help, she feared they’d be locked in their grief for the foreseeable future. Which meant she’d be locked into taking care of the farm, and every other task they’d let slide into oblivion.

Pushing the thought from her mind, she sank further into the couch. This was a time to relax, not worry. Worrying wouldn’t solve anything, anyway.

A few minutes later she heard footsteps on the stairs. She opened her eyes to find West towering over her. "Hey sleepyhead."

"Oh, hey." She pushed up onto her elbows. "Actually, I wasn't sleeping. I was going to try, but now here you are."

"Sorry about that." He dragged a hand through his hair, causing it to stand on end. "I really crashed. I haven’t had much sleep lately."

He wasn’t wearing a shirt, and her eyes were drawn to his tattoos. A mix of vines, tribal designs, snakes, skulls, and a host of other things blended together in a mix of bright colors and patterns that covered both of his arms entirely.

She swallowed as her gaze traveled further down his stomach to the soft, darker patch of brown hair that began under his navel and faded away beneath the fly of his worn blue jeans.

His intense, unnerving gray gaze was focused on her face. She stood, and his focus moved to her calves, the only part not covered by the oversized t-shirt.

Penn arched a brow at his scrutiny.

"What?" he asked.

"You have an unwavering stare," she replied. "But you know that already. So don't act all innocent with me."

"I was just enjoying the view." He grinned. "Looked like you were enjoying it, too."

She crossed her arms. "I see your cockiness is back."

"I just call it like I see it, baby doll. Do you want to order Chinese food and watch some movies?"

"Sounds good. So, what do you do around here for fun?"

"Besides teasing you?"

"Besides that."

He waggled his eyebrows at her.

"Come on." She swatted his arm and laughed. "A stress relieving activity that doesn't involve undressing."

He held his hand out. "Follow me."

Penn reached for his hand. As his warm fingers closed over hers, it occurred to her that she’d followed him pretty far already. She wondered just how far she’d go.

---

West flicked on a light and led her down a flight of stairs, hesitating on the bottom step before pulling her forward. Her mouth dropped open as she took in the sight before her.

A small ball hockey rink with a plastic surface and two nets at each end filled most of the basement.

"Oh, wow. This is incredible." She walked out onto the surface and glanced around. "You play hockey?"

Now was the time to tell her. It was the perfect chance. He opened his mouth, about to spill his truth, before he caught sight of the happy smile on her face.

"This is amazing, West."

Snapping his mouth closed, he nodded. He couldn’t erase that happiness. Not yet. Not when she’d been drowning in misery for so long.

"Yeah. I love hockey," he told her. He walked over to a stash of sticks leaning against the wall and picked through them.

He'd searched for a house that had a basement when he first got traded to the Kingsnakes. Nevada houses didn’t normally come with basements, but his realtor had located this one two weeks after he arrived. It was the sole reason he’d bought the house.

He'd paid a shitload of dough to put the tiny rink in downstairs. It was a ridiculous indulgence, but he could afford it.

When he wanted to unwind, he would come down here and shoot around. It brought back memories of playing hockey with Drew on the ponds in Michigan. Those times with his brother had been the happiest of their young lives.

He hated the thought of losing the rink when he sold the house, but living closer to the Strip saved him commuting time.

"This goes beyond love. This is pure devotion. Like a religion."

"You have no idea. Do you shoot left or right?" He held up a stick.

Penn gave him a blank stare. "I don’t know. I've never played hockey. I've never even seen a hockey game."

He tried to hide his smile. That much was obvious. "Are you left-handed or right-handed?"

"Right."

"Try this one." He handed her a stick. "Here, like this." He stood behind her and placed her hands in the proper places on the stick. She stilled in his arms as he pressed himself up against her body. For a moment, he thought of saying to hell with this and carrying her upstairs to his bedroom.

"Such intimate instruction, Mr. Keller," she teased, then wiggled back against him. "Are you this…dedicated with all of your students?"

Christ, she was gonna kill him with that ass. He swatted her on the butt, unable to resist grabbing it and giving it a good squeeze. "Pay attention, rookie."

"Sorry." She put on a serious face. "Instruct away."

Penn was so petite, the stick seemed huge in comparison. He placed the pink ball in front of the blade of his stick. "This kind of shot is called a slapshot. Watch me."

West drew back his stick and slammed the blade against the ball. It soared across the rink’s plastic surface and hit the back of the net.

"Now it’s your turn."

Penn furrowed her brow as she pulled the stick back, swung, and missed the ball altogether. "Damn."

"You need to work on your hand-eye coordination. Practice while I take some shots down at this end, okay?"

After a dozen attempts, she finally started getting the ball into the net. "Ha-ha!" She took another sloppy shot and did a little dance every time she scored.

West bounced the ball effortlessly on his stick multiple times before shooting it into the net. "Not doing too bad, I see. You really need to work on your form, though."

"You've obviously done this before," she said dryly.

"Maybe once or twice. Want to shoot on me?"

"Um, I have no idea what that means."

He grabbed a mask and a goalie stick from his stash. "Try to get it past me and into the net. And don't nail me in the nuts, okay? I'm not wearing a cup."

She stood in front of him, then started giggling.

He lifted the mask and cocked an eyebrow. "What?"

"You look funny with that mask on. It’s just weird. All I see are your eyes."

He flicked it back down. "Show me what you got, rook."

Penn furrowed her brow and took a dozen shots that he deflected easily. "This is pretty hard."

She slapped a few more and he turned them away.

"You're not going to make it easy for me?"

"Not a chance. I’m not that kinda guy, Pixie."

"Fine."

Penn pulled the stick back and slapped the ball hard. It missed the net entirely, sailing over his head and hitting a shelf of hockey equipment.

"Oops." She started laughing. "I hope I didn't do any permanent damage."

"Not bad, kid." He lifted his mask and glanced behind him. "If the net was suspended from the ceiling, that is."

She dissolved into a fit of giggles, and he couldn’t help but smile. It was nice to hear her so relaxed.

"This is pretty fun. I suck at it, but it's a blast. Do you spend a lot of time down here?"

"A decent amount, yeah. Drew and I used to play at a local pond when we lived in Michigan. We'd stay out until it was too dark to even see the puck. Drove my mom apeshit. When I’m stressed out or just need to unwind, I come down here and shoot around."

"Michigan, huh? Another piece of the West Keller puzzle."

He cocked a brow. "I forget how observant you are."

She tipped an imaginary hat. "I am. That’s two states you’ve named so far." She plunked herself down onto the rink's plastic surface. "I don't really miss too much about home right now."

He tossed down his stick and sat next to her. "It’s that bad, huh?"

"My parents don't even see me anymore. When I told them I was going to Vegas, they didn't say a word. Not even, ‘Have a good time.’ Just nothing. They're drowning in their grief, and I don't know how to help them. How can I help them when I can't even help myself?"

"I’m not sure you can."

"What did your parents do...after? How did they deal?"

He stared out at the tiny rink. God, these were ugly memories. His mother hadn't been able to stand being around his father at all after Drew's suicide, and the fighting he grew up with intensified a million times over. They both called him to vent, and his mom called him and cried almost every single day for an entire year. She blamed his dad for Drew's death, and West couldn't deny the role his father had played in pushing Drew over the edge. He’d been glad to see his father finally pack up and move out.

"They got divorced about a year after Drew died." he told her. "They fought all the time anyway, even before that, though. The split was for the best."

"Wow." She hugged her knees to her chest. "I can't see my parents ever getting divorced. They are two sides of the same coin. They push everyone else away. Even me."

He slung his arm around her. "They just need some time. You all do."

"I know," she said, her voice soft. "The thing is, it hasn't improved at all. Not one bit, West. If anything, it's gotten worse. Danny's room is a shrine now; the farm is in total shambles. If my dad doesn't get it together soon, he will lose everything."

She glanced over at him, her expression pained. "I must be such a fun guest. Wallowing in my own self-pity. I’m sorry. I guess sometimes I catch myself having fun, like before." She gestured to the hockey rink. "And I feel guilty for it. Is that stupid?"

"No. I know exactly what you mean." It pained him to see the sorrow she carried around. It was such a heavy cross to bear.

"It's so easy to talk to you. It's a relief to know I'm not alone, I guess."

He handed her a bottle of water from the beer fridge. "Like I said, it's a shitty club to belong to."

"I'm glad it was you who stopped on the highway," she said suddenly. "Is it cheesy to say it seems like fate? Like you crossed my path for a reason?"

Her blue eyes were so hopeful and sincere, he couldn’t bear to crush her with skepticism. So he ignored the question.

"I'm glad it was me who stopped, too, Pixie." He ran a finger along one curly lock of hair. "Very glad."

She hugged her knees to her chest and bowed her head. A few moments passed before she spoke again. "West, after this week, will I ever see you again?"

How could he tell her that she might not want anything to do with him when she found out he’d lied? The truth lurked around every corner, and he couldn't deny it for much longer. It would catch up with him in the bright lights of the Vegas Strip.

"Penn, I live in the moment and don't worry about what lies ahead. It makes you old before your time. Come on, let's go watch those movies."

Guilt was eating him alive. Here she was baring her soul to him, and he could only give her a small part of himself. It was so incredibly selfish, but he wasn't ready for her to know. The second she found out he wasn't who he said he was, things would change between them. Right now everything seemed so low-key and relaxed with her. He could let his guard down and be himself. It had been so long since he was himself with anyone, and he didn’t want to give it up.

"That wasn't an answer."

"Yes, it was," he said gently.

He turned away so he didn’t have to see her disappointed expression. Making promises he couldn't keep had never been his style.