Chapter 14

Sheldon showed Penny to the door when the evening was coming to an end. She asked in a whisper if he would be over later and he just nodded, closing the door quickly. Stephanie and Leonard had retired to his room for some privacy so he busied himself with picking up around the living room and loading the dishwasher. He was taking extra time and care with his cleaning, enjoying the simplicity of the act, reveling in the fact that cleaning didn't require secret keeping. He gave a half-hearted thought of running into the corner of the cabinet on purpose, just to make his lie from earlier seem more plausible. He stopped when he realized that there was no guarantee the mark would be similar enough the ones he already had. Plus, it would probably hurt like the dickens.

He heard Leonard's bedroom door close and Stephanie came out, looking slightly flushed. He'd seen her like this before. He would bet they just finished being intimate. He immediately imagined what Penny would like after that. He shook the thought and continued wiping the counters down with disinfectant wipes. Stephanie walked up and leaned over on the island in the kitchen, staring at Sheldon. It made him uncomfortable.

"Yes?" he asked.

"Sheldon, what really happened?"

He was not expecting her to ask that. He averted his eyes back to the counter. "I'm not sure what you are talking about."

Stephanie rolled her eyes. "Don't be coy with me. Who gave you those love bites?"

"Love bites? As I said before, I ran into the corner of the cabinet." He could feel the muscles in his face twitch.

"Sheldon..."

He looked at the ceiling. "That's my name. Please don't deteriorate it or I will require you to purchase me a new one."

"Sheldon Cooper, you are lying to me. I know you are."

He could feel his eye joining his jaw in the twitching. Damn his inability to hide physiological responses when he lied! "As I said

before, I ran into the corner of the cabinet," he repeated, voice a little shaky.

She walked toward him, backing him into the counter. "Sheldon, tell me the truth."

"No! It's a secret!"

She smiled. "I won't tell anyone. I promise."

He wasn't going to be able to resist her. It was easier when he wasn't being confronted with it. What was going to happen? He knew he was going to tell Stephanie. Would Stephanie keep the secret? Would she tell Leonard? He knew that he would tell Penny that he told Stephanie. Would Penny be mad? Would she end their relationship? He imagined an argument. He would bring up that they discussed the fact that they would have to tell someone eventually. He would procure a gift as a peace offering.

"Sheldon..."

"Ok! Stephanie, what I am about to divulge to you must not leave this kitchen. You are not allowed to tell anyone. Especially Leonard."

Stephanie's eyes grew large. She was intrigued now. Why do women love secrets? They just make things complicated. "He's in there asleep. Go on. I promise."

"Wait. Give me a moment," Sheldon said. He ran to his desk and pulled up a word document. He typed feverishly and printed a document. Stephanie just stood in the kitchen looking puzzled. He grabbed the paper from the printer and a pen. "Here. You have to sign this."

"What is it?"

"It's a contract stating that you will not tell anyone what I am about to tell you unless you have permission from me to do so."

"Is this necessary?"

"Absolutely."

She just sighed and scribbled her name down. "There."

"You forget to initial here and here," he pointed to the paper.

"Ok, there. Now what the hell is going on?"

He took a deep breath and cleared his throat. "The marks on my neck are not the effect of a kitchen accident."

"I know that. I saw teeth marks."

"Yes, they were made by someone. I am currently in a relationship. It has only been going on for a few days."

Stephanie let out an audible gasp. He winced and waited for the ridicule to begin. "Who?"

He couldn't say her name. He was going to be in so much trouble. He just made a nod toward his front door. It didn't take Stephanie long to pick up.

"No!"

"I'm afraid so."

"Sheldon! I can't believe it!"

"You are not the only one."

"And you haven't told anyone? Why not?"

He glared at her. "Think about my friends for a second."

Her face fell. "You're right. I can imagine how insufferable they would be toward you. Howard especially. But you will have to tell them eventually. They will find out. I noticed a difference between the two of you tonight. They will pick up on that eventually."

"When the time comes. She had made me promise not to say anything. I am dreading the conversation I get to have with her about this."

"Don't tell her that you told me."

"As you are already aware, I am the world's worst liar. That won't be possible."

"Well, just tell her I blackmailed you or something if she gets mad," she waved her hand in the air. "How serious is this? How did it happen?"

"Well, to answer your first question, I have no idea. We have agreed to take things slow. As for the second, I realized through research and analysis of my change in mood and thoughts that I had, indeed, developed feelings for Penny. As it happened, she had done the same."

"Who told who?"

"Well, we both were going to tell the other in a note. We just so happened to attempt to deliver said note at the same time very late Sunday night."

"Aww, matching love notes! That's so cute!"

He was being taken with anxiety now. It felt good to have the one secret out but the thought of what Penny was going to do to him seemed worse now. "She is going to kill me."

"Oh, she will not. I'm sure will understand. And don't worry. Your secret is safe with me, Sheldon."

"It better be. Or..." he pointed to the last paragraph on the contract. "You will face terrible repercussion to be determined at a later date."