SEND ME A SHIP AND A NUMBER AND I'LL WRITE A SHORT FIC
Number 31 - Prostitute/Client AU
Penny got out of her car in the casino parking lot, it wasn't like she was going to have any fun, she was there to work and she hated her work. She couldn't believe sometimes how she ended up this way, but it was useless to try and understand it because how ever you looked at it, it came out the same, she was a prostitute. She wanted to blame Kurt who took her California in the first place, then cheated on her, or the Cheesecake Factory for not giving her one more chance. She wanted to blame the casinos for not giving her a job as a showgirl, when she first came there, and then cut her hours as cocktail waitress so much she couldn't survive. But the truth was when she needed money and a guy offered her a lot to sleep with her, she just took it, then took it again, until that was the way she made her money now, selling her body for cash.
Penny felt trapped, she needed money to live and she couldn't go back home, she would die if anyone back home would find out what she was doing now. The shame it would bring on her mother and father was something she could never bear, so it meant that she kept away from her family as much as she could now. It made it hard on her and it left her alone, a normal relationship hard for her imagine after accepting she would sell her body for cash. This was her life, letting men paw her then have their way with her, she learned to just turn them off in her mind, acting like she enjoyed it while silently hoping they were fast so she could go, it was the hell she lived in now.
It was also a dangerous way to live, between the sexually transmitted diseases and the crazies that came to that town, Penny had to be extremely careful. The diseases she could somewhat control, she carried the best condoms made and she avoided kissing them, it had worked for her so far, only a case of crabs the whole year she been doing it. The crazies where another story, some of them could kill you and she had left a couple of them cupping their nuts after they thought they could hit her. That was the reason she now came early, around dinner, trying to find guys there on business, by themselves that just wanted company, safe guys who would just screw her and pay her.
Penny walked up to the casino bar, the bartender she knew, his name was TJ and he knew exactly what she was doing, since he screwed her himself once before. "Hey TJ, how about a glass of wine." She then pulled out a Ten, because the casinos only gave free drinks to players and didn't even want prostitutes in their places.
TJ gave her a smile, that Penny knew meant he'd screw her anytime she wanted, as long as it was free. "Penny, why don't you save your money, the guy down at the end, has been sitting there an hour tonight, like he did last night, I know he is alone on business."
Penny nodded and just slipped the Ten to TJ as a tip, you always tipped the bartenders that would help you, they normally knew the crazies from the normal johns, that kept you safe and made you money. "Thanks TJ." Penny then headed to the end of the bar.
As Penny got near him, she could tell he wasn't too big, which made her relax, because even if he was a crazy she thought she could take him. He wore glasses, which was another good sign, and he seemed to be sober as he slowly played the video poker game set into the bar. However the closer she got the nicer he looked as she noticed his thick curly dark hair and facial features she thought were cute. So by the time she got up to him, looking at his nice ass on the stool, Penny hoped he would want her that night, something told her he would be nice.
"Excuse me….mind if I sit here." Penny interrupted him.
Leonard looked up from the screen and almost fell off the stool, she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. "No…Please have a seat."
"Thanks, I just don't like sitting alone at a bar." She lied to him.
Leonard just nodded not knowing what to say.
"Hi I'm Penny." Penny offered her hand to him.
Leonard stared at her for a second before he took it and gave it a gentle shake. "Leonard…..Leonard Hofstadter."
Penny smiled, "Well it is nice to meet you Leonard….Leonard Hofstadter."
Leonard couldn't help but smile, she wasn't making fun of him she was just teasing him and being friendly. "Sorry I don't have many beautiful woman come up to me, I guess I'm a little nervous."
Penny took a breath, he was so cute and honest, could he get anymore adorable she thought. She had learned over the last year the best way to get them to buy what she was selling was to keep them talking with her, so they thought there was a connection between them. So since Leonard was gambling she thought maybe she would talk to him about that. "Having any luck?"
"Not really, if you play long enough the machine always wins." Leonard shrugged, "I just try to see how long I can make my money last."
Penny nodded, "Really the best odds are with the table games, Blackjack and Craps are the best."
"I'm not good at card games, but Craps is the one with the dice, isn't it." Leonard was now curious.
"Yes they use dice and you bet on the roll." Penny explained.
"Really, do you know a lot about it?" Leonard asked.
"Some, why would you like to know about it?" Penny was happy with his curiosity, it would build a bond with him that would probably make him want to have sex with her.
"Yes, I would." Leonard smiled, "Can I buy you a drink."
His smile was adorable too, and Penny just smiled back, "Thank you, I would like that." TJ was watching Penny work so when she looked at him she knew the guy was going to buy her a drink.
Penny and Leonard talked for a half hour about the game and some other things, that Penny wanted to know so she could feel safe with him. She was surprised he worked at a university, but shocked he was a PHD, it wasn't that he didn't seem smart, he actually did, it was that Penny had never been with someone like him before and she was surprised how nice he was. She was about to hint to him that she wouldn't mind going to his room when he surprised her again.
"Penny, I would like to give this Craps game a try. Could I ask you a favor, could you go with me and sort of make sure I don't get the rules wrong." He asked her.
Penny didn't normally waste time like that and she didn't gamble, seeing too many people loose their money at it, but she liked him and the night was still early, "Okay, but just for a little while."
Leonard smiled and nodded, "Great." Then held out his hand to help her off the stool.
His hand had a firm grip but it was soft, and Penny for a second actually liked the feel of it on her skin. They walked and continued talking as he bought chips then went over to a table that wasn't too crowded to begin to play. "Just watch how they bet and remember what I told you for a couple rounds to get use to it." Penny explained, "Ask me any questions if you don't understand."
Leonard watched for about 10 minutes, asking a question or two before he thought he was ready to go., he then split the chips and gave half of them to Penny. Penny stared at him for a few seconds confused, just looking at the chips he gave her, before he noticed her expression. "I just thought since you are helping me, we could both have fun." Penny just smiled and nodded to him.
The first couple of bets Leonard lost seeming to have a little trouble getting the hang of the game. Penny had won once and lost once, pretty much staying even, however, with the third bet things seemed to change as Leonard won four times in a row, tripling his money. The next hour was crazy, Leonard seemed to win two times to every time he lost and his chips seemed to get bigger and bigger as time went on. Penny was now betting with him and was getting pretty excited as her chips kept building along with his. He never bet too much and so their losses didn't seem to matter and they made money as they continued to play. Penny had lost count of how many chips they had, after a couple hours, when Leonard finally apologized for keeping her there so long. "Sorry, I guess I just got carried away."
"No, I had fun, thank you." Penny actually did have fun and as she looked at all her chips, she knew the man beside her was going to get a freebee tonight.
They both cashed in their chips, Leonard having about $2000 dollars and Penny $1500 for herself and she had yet to spend a second on her back. As a matter of fact she was having fun, it felt so strange to be doing that with a guy, it actually was exciting. Penny took his arm as soon as the cash was in her purse, thinking maybe she would give him a little reward for making her last couple hours fun and making her forget what she was for just a little while.
"Umm…Penny…..I was wondering." He started to ask, his nervousness now dominating him.
"What Sweetie." Penny gave him her best smile to help his confidence as she gave his arm a little squeeze.
"Well it is not 9 PM yet and I been wanting to see the show here. I was wondering if you would like to go with me…..my treat." His eyes had a pleading look that actually make Penny's heart melt.
"I like that Leonard." She couldn't help but smile at the adorable smile he flashed at her from her response.
The show was great, and Penny had a wonderful time, lost in just watching the show, again forgetting who and what she was. Penny hung on Leonard's arm as they left the show room, a strange happy feeling filling her body, she felt like she had been on a date, not a prostitute with a john and she knew she would rock his world when he bedded her that night. Penny never expected what would happen next, never in her wildest dreams would she have imagined this.
"Penny, I had a great time. I was wondering if I could see you tomorrow, maybe take you to dinner?" Leonard looked at her with eyes filled with hope.
Penny stared at him for a second, he was asking her on a date, he didn't even understand what she was, he was just being nice because he liked her. She would never date a john and she hadn't dated since she became what she was, she needed to let him down quickly and not too hard, she thought. "Okay." Penny couldn't believe she agreed, it was like her mouth wouldn't obey her mind.
"I could pick you up about 6." Leonard told her with one of his adorable smiles now on his face.
Penny thought quick. "I'm in this hotel, why don't I just meet you in the bar then again."
"Okay" again Leonard gave her that smile that tugged at her heart.
"Okay then, see you at 6." Penny then leaned over and gave him a kiss on the cheek, she swore his eyes twinkled. She then went towards the elevator bank that was on the opposite side from the one he went too, until she couldn't see him no longer and detoured to the parking lot and her car.
The drive home Penny kept telling herself she was stupid, she should have never agreed to see him again. He was just another john, a client, not someone to go on a date with, but then she couldn't help thinking tonight had been sort of a date with him. They gambled and went to a show, he was interesting and cute, plus she had fun and it seemed she didn't have fun anymore. She thought about it so much she was surprised when she found herself at her small trailer in the cheap trailer park, she didn't even remember making some of the turns to her park. It was worse when she went to bed, she kept thinking of him and how he would look when she gave herself to him and although it was preventing her from sleeping, she couldn't help the little smile that formed on her lips.
The meeting lasted to 4 and Leonard had rushed back to the hotel to change, so he had been down at the bar a little before 6, but now it was 6:30 and he thought he had been stood up. It wouldn't be the first time, but he actually thought she may have liked him, so he stayed 15 more minutes before finally getting up and heading back to his room. He had just gotten to the elevator when he felt the tug on his arm, turning to see a little flushed Penny, his heart skipping a beat on how beautiful she looked.
"Sorry Sweetie, but I went out for a few minutes and the car I have went dead, so I had to get a jump and hurry to get ready, making me late. I'm really sorry and I will understand if you want to skip dinner." Penny thought they could just go upstairs and I will make it up to you.
Leonard gave her that dazzling smile again. "No that's fine, I've had that happen with rental cars before too. You look so beautiful, I have to take you to dinner." He then offered her arm which she quickly took.
Penny then noticed what he was wearing, he was in a sport jacket and tie and she couldn't help to notice how cute he looked. She now wondered where he was taking her being dressed so nice and she was happy she always wore a nice dress when she worked. She should have known he would take her there, it was a very nice restaurant on the top floor of one of nicest hotels, the view from the floor to ceiling windows, of Las Vegas, was breath taking. Even though she had lived there for almost two years, she could take her eyes away from the lights and the beauty of it all, it was like the first time she saw it for real.
Leonard smiled, the view was beautiful and he wasn't even looking out the window, she seemed like an angel to him and he was so happy to be with her. "I hope you like this, they tell me the food is good here."
Penny tore her eyes from the view and looked at him, it made her smile, "Thank you Leonard, this is wonderful." She reached over on the table and gave his hand a squeeze.
The rest of the night was amazing, the view, the food and the man across from her, made Penny feel special, she hadn't ever been on such a romantic date in her life. She also couldn't remember what is felt like to crush on a man again, he was interesting, nice and made her laugh, he was sort of perfect. They held hands as they walked back out to the car and when they finally got back to his hotel it was almost 10 o'clock, and all Penny could think about was taking him to bed.
But Leonard surprised her again. "Penny, I was wondering, I like to see you again. Would you like to get together tomorrow evening and sort of just see the strip?"
Penny smiled, "Yes I would like that." She then noticed he looked like he wanted to say more. "What is wrong Sweetie."
"Please don't take this wrong, you look beautiful in dresses and heals. But I was hoping we could just walk down the strip tomorrow, you know sort of casual." he hoped she didn't get mad at him.
Penny giggled, "I have some jeans and sneakers with me, is that okay."
Leonard nodded and smiled. "Is 6 okay again."
Penny gave him a smile, "6 is great. See you tomorrow Sweetie." Penny immediately leaned in again and gave him a longer kiss on the cheek. She then headed to the other elevator until she couldn't see him again, then made her way back to the parking lot and her car. The whole ride home to her trailer she just sang to the songs on her radio and that night she even didn't consider if she was doing anything wrong, she just cuddled her pillow making believe it was Leonard and fell into a deep and restful sleep.
The next day Penny was early, and as she drank a diet Dr Pepper, she saw him come in the bar area, the smile on his face becoming huge as he laid his eyes on her. "Hey you." she greeted him as he walked up and she tried to hide the smile as she noticed him checking her out, because she wore her best cutest jeans just for him. No sooner than he stopped in front of her, she leaned over and kissed his cheek, getting the adorable smile from him that she so loved.
"Hi, you are even gorgeous in jeans." he complemented her.
Penny smiled, "As long as you don't walk behind me to check out my ass." she teased. Penny turned and then stuck her butt out a little, "Take a good look at it now, because after that I want you walking besides me all night." she then gave him a fake glare to make sure he knew business.
Leonard both smiled and blushed, "It sure is perfect."
"Aww Sweetie." Penny then turned and gave him another kiss on the cheek, grabbing his arm as they walked out the hotel doors to the strip.
For the first hour they just walked around, Penny had been in all the hotels but only the bar and room areas so she really didn't know much about what they offered in entertainment. It actually depressed her when she realized that except for Leonard, all she had seen was the bars and the rooms, going back to her trailer after some guy had his rocks off in her. But that is what made Leonard different, she couldn't think of him as a john, he was her date and he treated her like a princess instead of a tramp, it made her smile and she surprised him by planting another kiss on his cheek as they walked. They stopped at a strip restaurant, at one of the casinos, and had a light dinner, then resumed their walk, now stopping every so often to see what was offered in each casino. Penny found one with a high tech gaming area, knowing, from talking to Leonard, he liked that kind of stuff. She happily went in with him, knowing she would be bored, but glad she could do something that he so much enjoyed. Again he surprised her, there were many games where two or more could play and she found herself enjoying herself as she competed against him in everything they played, like racing motorcycles against each other or playing combat games to shoot each other. The hour seemed to fly by and true to his promise he only stayed an hour, taking her back to see another show she noticed along the way of their walk.
It was just pass ten when they returned to the hotel, their feet a little tired but their souls filled with happiness. It was just inside the doors to the side that he kissed her, not on the cheeks but fully on the lips, it surprised her at first, but at the same time it sent a chill through her and she found herself pressing her body close to his. It only last for a short time, but when they separated they were breathless, and suddenly Penny knew she was beginning to care for him, it scared her.
"Penny." he whispered.
"Yes Sweetie." she whispered back
"I only have meetings in the morning tomorrow. Would like to get together at lunch as sort of spend the day together?" a hopeful look in his eyes.
Penny smiled and nodded, "Noon in the bar?"
Leonard smiled, "Noon in the bar."
Penny drove home that night concerned about how she would feel when he left. She hugged her pillow again pretending it was him, but she slept off and on the whole night, knowing already she was going to miss him when he left. The next day she hurried to make sure she got there before noon, deciding to just enjoy their remaining time together.
They ate lunch in the hotel restaurant, Penny wearing jeans and sneakers again like Leonard requested. It was during lunch he began to tease her. "I have a surprise for you."
Penny stopped eating, if there was one thing she couldn't take was surprises, her curiosity would always drive her nuts until she found out the surprise. "Leonard, don't do this to me, I'm not good at surprises." She whined.
"Well you are just going to have to wait." he teased.
Penny's face turned into a pout. "Leonard Hofstadter you are the meanest man I have ever met." her voice sounded like a little child. It made some people in the table next to them, that couldn't help but overhear, start to laugh, immediately making Penny blush and whisper, "Now see what you did." she teased.
"Nope, still not telling you, so eat you lunch or no surprise." he said with a wicked grin, he was obviously enjoying himself too much at her expense.
Penny tried several more times to get him to spill it during lunch and bugged him several times as he drove out of the Las Vegas city limits. "So the surprise is you are kidnapping me." she teased him after they had driven for about 20 minutes.
"No, but don't give me ideas." he joked, "We're here."
Penny looked at the sign as they turned onto the road to the facility, and she gasped as she finally understood his surprise. "You're taking me horseback riding?" she looked at him stunned.
"I hope you like that, you seemed to miss it when you told me about how you did it back home." he looked at her hoping he did right.
"Oh Leonard." Penny practically jumped out of her seat and put her arms around his neck to hug him, making him slightly swerve the car as he regained control. "I can't believe you are taking me horseback riding. Thank you, thank you so much."
"Well to be fair, you will be horseback riding and I will just be trying to not fall off." he gave her a worried smile.
They spent the whole afternoon there at the ranch, and Leonard never fell off once. He actually learned to walk the horse around pretty well, but wouldn't run or gallop his horse, so he just sat on his while Penny galloped all over the field. They also walked their horses side by side down a little trail, for a little while, it was so peaceful and quiet, Penny couldn't help feeling that it felt like when she was home. Their last hour there they just sat on the bench drinking waters while watching the horses eat in the field.
"Thank you Leonard." Penny said while laying her head on his shoulder.
Leonard chuckled, "Your welcome." lifting his arm to put around her while she scooted closer to him. "I'm glad you liked it."
"Liked it!" Penny gave him a big smile. "It is the nicest thing anyone has done for me in a long while." She then gave him a kiss on the cheek.
They didn't see the owners wife walk up to them as she watched them cuddle on the bench. "You kids are adorable, have you been married long?"
Penny and Leonard looked back at her then looked at each other, not knowing what to say, the silence dragging awkwardly on, until Leonard because of his manners gave her a response. "We're not married, we are good friends."
Penny nodded, "Good friends."
The woman gave them a little knowing smile, "Sorry, you both just seemed….never mind, come back anytime." she then went by them to the barn.
Leonard gave Penny a look, "Maybe we should be heading back and get some dinner."
Penny nodded, "Okay, all that riding made me starved." she gave him a little giggle, but it was forced, she kept thinking what that women said to them a minute ago.
They talked all the way back and all through dinner, but Penny couldn't get her mind off the woman's words. This afternoon had been wonderful, she hadn't felt so good since she left home and as she looked at Leonard across the table, she knew it was going to hurt when he left. This was only the fourth day with him and she felt she knew him forever, how could she be so comfortable with someone in such a short time.
"Penny are you okay?" Leonard said, breaking her out of her thoughts.
"Sorry, just thinking…..about work back home." She lied.
"You have to stop that, you are on vacation, so shut you mind off and just have fun." he scolded her playfully.
"Your right, I'm sorry." She gave him her best smile as they ate their dinner and continued talking. She thought he was right, stop thinking about it and just have fun.
When they walked out of the restaurant, that was off the strip, Leonard stopped, making her stagger as she grabbed him to not fall. "What's wrong?"
Leonard smiled at her, "Sorry, but look at the movie theater, they are playing that movie you said you wanted to see."
Penny looked at where he was pointing, "Oh, Yeah, I love her movies." Then she looked at him confused. "Do you like her too?"
Leonard smiled and shook his head, "Nope, but I do like sitting in dark movie theaters with my arm around girls."
Penny giggle, "Okay, I can do that." Then she gave him a wicked grin, "But no sex in the seats." He didn't know she wasn't serious, she would do him in the theater if there weren't too many people and he wanted it.
Leonard held up his hands, "Okay no sex in the seats, but I do want to cuddle."
Penny held out her hand to shake his, "Agreed."
The movie was a lot like other romantic movies, girl finds guy, then looses guy, then they find each other again at the end. Penny cried a couple times while she was under Leonard's arm nuzzled into his side, him giving her a squeeze everything she sniffled. It had been a long time since she had enjoyed a movie so much and she knew it wasn't because of the movie, it was the company. They walked back to the car hand in hand and then back to the hotel the same way, once inside kissing each other again, this time longer and deeper.
They were just standing there with their foreheads touching after the kiss when Leonard asked her. "Penny can I as you a favor?"
"Sure Sweetie." Penny whispered.
"You don't have to do it if you don't want to." He explained.
Penny wondered if he was asking her up to his room because the answer was yes if he was. "Oh, I'll probably do it. What do you want."
"They are having a formal dinner and get together Saturday night, a sort of post meeting type thing. Black tie and everything, it is sort of tradition after this meeting. I was wondering if you would go with me."
"With dancing?" Penny asked, she was definitely going, she just wanted to know what shoes to wear.
"Yes, but I'm not a very good dancer." he confessed.
"That's okay, I am Sweetie, so I'll take care of you." Penny was a little excited about it and about seeing Leonard in a Tux.
"Penny I can you buy you a dress, since you probably don't have something for a formal outing." Leonard offered.
Penny smiled, "I'm fine Sweetie, I have a dress already." Penny had a couple of formal gowns for when she would do escort work for out of town business men. She would go to a party with them then do them that night till they rolled over and fell asleep, so she could go home. Penny now didn't want to wait till he asked her about tomorrow, "Tomorrow in the bar at 6?"
Leonard gave her a smile. "Yeah, that would be great."
That night Penny lay in bed just thinking about her day with Leonard, it had been perfect, if anything was bad about it, it was that it went by too fast. It was getting hard for her to walk away from him at night when they departed company now, she even wished she was in his arms right now. The last four days with him had been some of the best of her life and she had to admit she was head over tails for him. Then reality hit her, he was leaving Sunday, Saturday would be her last night with him and then he would be gone, it wasn't fair. She looked around her little bedroom in her little trailer, thinking about what she did for a living and realizing she lived in hell. It just wasn't right that she would be given a glimpse of heaven with him, just to be returned to hell and she rolled over in her bed squeezing her pillow the tears rolling down her face as she tried to wipe her mind blank so she could sleep.
The next day Penny got to the bar in the casino a half hour early sitting at a table nursing her drink while she waited for him. She had been so excited to see him all day that this last half hour was driving her nuts, her desire for him was fueling the sexual component of her being. It was when she saw him come in the door the dam effectively broke, she just wanted to take him up to his room and spend the night in bed with him, pleasuring him like he never been pleasured before. She knew he would only have to touch her to to give her pleasure, Penny squeezing her legs together knowing she was already wet and ready for him.
He smiled as he saw her and quickly approached the table she was at, grabbing her hands as she stood up, then planting a kiss on her lips that only made her want him more. She was about to suggest they go to his room when gave her a even bigger smile and began to speak, "Penny, I got tickets to that big show you said you like to see. If we hurry and eat dinner we can just make it."
Penny was disappointed and a little bit sexually frustrated, she hadn't actually wanted to have sex with a man since she became a prostitute so wanting Leonard was something new and exciting to her. However, she was still going to spend the evening with him and she still badly wanted that, so she gave him her best smile. "Really Sweetie, you shouldn't have. Come on lets eat quickly so we aren't late." Penny then grabbed his hand and led him to the restaurant.
The show was even better than Penny had been told and being cuddled under Leonard's arm the whole time was just perfect. She didn't get to have sex with him that evening, but she was more than satisfied being with him that whole night just enjoying themselves. So when they got back to the hotel at 9:30 she was a little surprised when he wanted to call it a night. "Tomorrow at 6 in the bar." She told him again.
"I can't tomorrow Penny. The last day of the seminar we do lectures on our specialty in the evening, so I will be presenting my lecture on laser efficiency tomorrow night." he said sadly.
"Oh" Penny couldn't believe how disappointed she was, she thought she would have two days with him, now it was only one. "You guys just give lectures to each other on the last day?" she asked just trying to the keep the conversation going, because she didn't want to leave.
"No, we give a public lecture at the university for students, professors and the public." he explained.
Penny perked up, "I'm the public, could I come to your lecture?"
Leonard looked at her in surprise, "You want to come to my lecture describing methods to increase the efficiency of lasers?"
"Yes, I want to see my boyfriend's lecture." Penny immediately regretted the words after they had left her mouth as she stared at him, terrified at what he might say next.
A smile formed on Leonard's lips, "Okay, but I am not promising you will not be bored." Leonard then took Penny to the coffee shop and spent the next 20 minutes telling her times and places, while giving her directions to get to the parking and lecture hall that night. Penny drove home that night proud of herself that she figured a way to spend another night with Leonard, she had only two left and she didn't want to loose a single one.
Friday night Penny sat at the back of the lecture hall, it was huge, probably large enough to seat a couple hundred people, and all night it had remained over half full. Penny was surprised so many people were spending their Friday night listening to the lectures which she felt were boring, boring not because of their content but because Penny didn't understand most of what was said. After over an hour she was now leaning on her arm trying to stay awake, the people speaking on the podium speaking what she considered a foreign language to her. He eyes had just closed, when the moderator announced the next lecturer and Penny shot up fully awake as Dr Leonard Hofstadter came to the podium.
Penny couldn't understand most of what Leonard's was saying either, but she wasn't bored, no not bored at all. It made her tingle inside on how professional and confident he was in front everyone, speaking about something that was obviously important to everyone else in the large lecture hall. She was so proud of him and she was so proud he was hers and even though she didn't understand him she hung on his every word. When he finished she knew she clapped harder than anyone else in the lecture hall and she even saw his eyes look at her, a small smile coming immediately to his lips, making Penny feel all warm inside.
It was almost 9 when Leonard met her outside the lecture hall a large smile on his face to match her own. Penny gave him a kiss and a hug when he got up to her, "Leonard you were so great up there."
He chuckled, "So you liked my lecture?"
"It was the best one of the night." She proudly said.
Leonard smiled, "Was it because of research or the experimental data conclusions, that make you say that." he teased.
Penny looked down, blushing, "Because you were the cutest one on the stage." she confessed.
Leonard chuckled, "Well you were the prettiest in the audience…..and the loudest."
"Stop" she playfully swatted him, blushing again, then wrapped her arms around his neck kissing him hard.
When they separated they were both breathless and it took a second for Leonard's mind to clear, "Um…I didn't really have much to eat tonight, are you hungry."
Penny caught her breath a second later, her mind now on something other than food, but in no place to act on her current urges. "Yeah, I am a little."
They went to one of the restaurants in one of the casinos, the ones that stayed open all night and ate and talked to well over midnight. Penny tried to think of a way to casually get into the conversation that she would sleep with him, but they got involved in other interesting things she never had a chance. However now she could see how sleepy he was and felt sorry for him, unlike her, who did almost nothing all day and slept late, he had been putting in a full week working plus going out with her. "Sweetie, you look dead on you feet."
"I'm sorry, it just has been a long day. I guess I'm a wimp when it comes to staying out really late." he gave her the cutest smile, Penny couldn't think of anything better than curling up along side him in bed.
"Well why don't we call in a night then. I'm tired too." She lied, she would ride him all night if he wanted.
"Okay" Leonard paid the waiter and they walked back to the elevators. "Penny do you want to get together for lunch maybe tomorrow, before the dinner?"
Penny would have loved to do that but the risk of her getting caught was too high. She knew they would stay together, in the afternoon, till the last possible moment before they got ready for the party and it wouldn't give Penny enough time to go across town to change and back. "Sweetie, you know how us girls are, I will be in the beauty saloon probably all afternoon. All us girls like to look our best when we go to a formal party. You'll just have to wait till we are ready to go to see me. It will be a surprise."
Leonard smiled, "Okay, I love surprises." He gave her a kiss at her elevator and then went to the other side of the hotel to his room elevators, giving her a little wave before he left her view.
Penny's mind was on one thing all the way back to her trailer, she was bedding Leonard tomorrow after the party. She was not letting him go without sleeping with him, she had never wanted a man so bad as she wanted him. She was not going to take no for an answer, she would be as forward as it required to let him know she was his for the taking and even if that didn't work she would just tell him she wanted him. It was a relief to know she was going to do it that Saturday night and she felt like a school girl going to her first prom.
Penny had arrived early again at the bar looking for him, the excitement in her for what they were doing tonight almost too much for her to bare. She had been real careful getting ready that afternoon, making sure she looked pretty by not slutty, because she was too use to looking a little slutty for clients whenever she dressed up for escort work. However she was a little self conscious as she walked into the bar, noticing all the men undressing her with their eyes as she tried to find a corner table to wait. It made her so nervous that she got our her mirror to check that her make up didn't make her look like a hooker, because that's what she actually was. Her concern for how she looked made her not even notice Leonard walking in and to her, until he spoke. "Penny you look stunning."
Penny looked up and gasped a little herself, he looked so handsome in his Tux and Penny couldn't help thinking of James Bond as she stared at him. Leonard gave her his hand to help her up and she put her arms around his as she walked out with him, never noticing every guy in the bar area looking at them wishing they were Leonard, even TJ as he watched them go. Penny was surprised when Leonard lead her to a limousine, the driver opening the door for them both as Leonard helped her in. "Leonard a limo?" she blurted out as soon as he was seated and the door closed.
Leonard smiled, "The hotel is providing it, they like our business, during our yearly seminars so they offered the limo for the party. I get it now and a couple other couples get it after us. It will also take us back later."
Penny smiled, wondering if she would be able to wait till they got to the room later, driving in a limo alone on the way back and him looking like that. "You really know how to impress a girl, Dr Hofstadter."
The seductive way Penny said his name sent a shiver down Leonard's spine and as he looked at her, he thought she was the most beautiful creature to ever to have walked the earth. "Um…I guess you are the first girl I've ever wanted to impress." he answered honestly.
If they weren't going to a formal event, Penny would have given herself to him there, she felt like jelly, the way he looked at her, it wasn't the look of lust, it was the look of love. She gave him a little kiss, then carefully wiped the lipstick she deposited on him, off his face. Touching him sending shivers through her body again and making anticipation form in her core about being with him later that night.
The dinner was wonderful, the food delicious, especially being there with Leonard. It seemed everyone knew him and he must have introduced her to a hundred people, names she would never remember, but all of them nice to her. She even met the Mayor of Las Vegas and she wondered to herself how the Mayor and his wife would have liked it to know they had shaken the hand of one of the local prostitutes. The socializing was nice but the dancing was better and Penny really enjoyed dancing with Leonard, especially the slow songs where she got to hang on his shoulder. He wasn't a experienced dancer, like he told her before, but he followed her lead well and after a while he was doing okay, enjoying himself almost as much as her. Penny was wearing dressy flats she had bought especially for this night, because they were easier to dance in and because she didn't want to be taller than him. They were especially nice when she slow danced with him, allowing her to perfectly mold her body to his while her head rested on his shoulder, her eyes closed just taking in the feel and scent of him. She felt like Cinderella at the princes ball, not the hooker at the party of important people, it was so magical, it was like a fairy tale.
Penny and Leonard were taking a little break from dancing and Leonard had just gotten them drinks when everything came crashing down. "Hofstadter you dog."
That voice, Penny would never forget, it sounded like the cartoon Elmer Fudd and Penny remember when she heard it last, about 4 months ago. The man walked up to them a smirk on his face as he leered at Penny and almost laughed at Leonard. "Hofstadter, I always thought you were too much of a stuffed shirt to bring an escort to one of these events."
Leonard was so confused, even more than usual when he talked to Barry Kripke. "Barry what are you talking about." Penny just stood there stunned.
"Come on Hofstadter, I know she is a hooker. It took me all night to recognize where I knew her from, but I finally figured it out. I did her four months ago when I came down here for the Physics professor exchange thing." Barry then gave a little smug laugh at Leonard.
Leonard stared at him, "Barry you are wrong." he then looked at Penny to see tears forming in her eyes.
"Leonard I'm sorry. I wanted to tell you before, but we were having such a great time together and I didn't want it to end. I'm so sorry." Leonard just looked at her in shock, and it was too much for Penny. She put her drink on the table and hurried out of the room to the outside, seeing the limousine they came there in, sitting outside waiting. "Could you give me a ride to the hotel?" she barely got out.
"Of course ma'am. Will your escort be coming with us?" the driver said while opening the door for her.
"No, he has to stay and I'm not feeling well." She lied. The driver just nodded, closing the door and driving her back to the hotel.
Leonard stood their stunned, she was a hooker, he had been with a hooker all week, how could he have not seen it. He looked at Barry, "You slept with her?"
Barry laughed, "Of course, I paid her and screwed her brains out. How much did she charge you?"
Leonard looked at him, "Nothing."
"Nothing? Really! What were you doing, dating her?" Barry laughed.
It was like a light went off in his mind, Leonard looked at Barry, his anger now taking control. "Yeah, I was dating her, you asshole." Leonard now looked around for her and noticed she wasn't anywhere in sight. He quickly went outside to see if she was there, only to find she was completely gone.
Penny looked like a monster when she finally entered into her trailer, her crying making all her makeup a mess on her face. She could barely take her clothes off, she was trembling so hard from her grief and after barely cleaning her face, she dropped into her bed, her crying starting all over again. All she could think was, it wasn't fair, she had just one more night with him, why did it have to be ruined, she was going to loose him the next day anyway, why did this have to happen. Penny sobbed her eyes out into her pillow, she knew it was more than this one night, she was in love with Dr Leonard Hofstadter.
Leonard finally found the limo driver and found out Penny was taken it back to the hotel. He spent almost an hour at the check-in desk finding out she was never checked in the hotel and had never been. It seemed that she had disappeared off the face of the earth and Leonard didn't know what to do. It was past two in the morning when he finally sat at the bar and ordered a beer, thinking maybe he should just drown his pain that night away in alcohol. It was when the bartender gave him his beer he recognized the man. "You were working when I first met Penny?"
"I'm sorry sir you much be mistaken, I don't know anyone named Penny." TJ answered.
Leonard pulled a hundred dollar bill out and put it on the bar still looking at TJ, "Penny the blonde pretty woman, it was Sunday evening."
TJ reached and took the money. "Now that you mention it, I think I do remember you with a pretty blonde young woman."
"Look, I know she is a prostitute and I know bartenders know everything that is going on in their bar. I need to find her." Leonard told him.
"I don't know sir, she just looked like some girl, I don't know what she does for a living." TJ didn't know what this guy wanted, but he was an outsider and Penny was a local.
Leonard put two more hundreds on the bar, then just stared at TJ. TJ looked at the money and then at Leonard, he saw him and Penny walk out together dressed like they were going somewhere, hell he was even still in a Tux. TJ took the money, "What do you want to know about Penny."
Leonard smiled, "Her address would be nice." TJ looked a little reluctant, but after Leonard put two more hundreds on the bar, TJ told him everything he knew about Penny, including where she lived.
Penny hadn't fallen to sleep until she cried herself to sleep at about 4 in the morning. So when she heard the knocking on her trailer door she just moaned and rolled over, hoping the person knocking would soon get tired and just move on. However the knocking didn't stop and after about 10 minutes it got really annoying, so Penny got up to see who it was. She put her robe over herself and then opened the door a crack, keeping the safety chain in place, the person she saw making her eyes go wide and her jaw slightly drop.
Leonard was scared, but seeing her gave him confidence, he didn't want to loose her. "Penny, I'm sorry. Please forgive me."
Penny blinked a couple times, then closed the door to take off the chain so she could open it wider. "Leonard…..Leonard what are you saying?" she was so stunned she was babbling.
"Penny, I was just stunned last night. Barry is an ass. I can't tell you how sorry I am for not reacting quickly and doing the right thing. But once I was back to thinking straight, I looked for you, looked for you until I found you. Penny can you forgive me."
Penny just looked at him and nodded, "Leonard, you have nothing to be sorry about, it is all my fault, I should have told you. I'm so sorry I deceived you."
"Penny can you just answer one question for me, honestly, no bullshit." Leonard looked directly into her eyes.
Penny nodded, "I will try, no bullshit."
"Where we dating or was I your client?" Leonard looked again directly into her eyes, Penny thought he could see her soul.
"I'd like to think we were dating. The first night when I met you, I thought of you as just a client, but after we spent the evening together, that changed…I never asked you for money for sex, while we were together." Penny was about to cry again.
Leonard nodded. "Penny I think we need to talk. It is breakfast time, would you go to breakfast with me?"
Penny stared at him for a second then reached out to take his hand, which he willing gave her. She pulled him into her trailer and sat him down in a seat. "I'll only be a few minutes, can you wait for me?" Leonard nodded. Penny hurried getting ready and dressed, all sleepiness gone from her body as her heart beat hard and fast.
They talked in the restaurant while they ate and then for another hour just sipping coffee. Then they went down to Lake Mead and walked along the shore talking some more. Penny told Leonard everything about her, this time the truth, and he listened to every word, never judging her. They ate dinner together and Leonard never went home to Pasadena that night, even though he checked out of the hotel that morning. He stayed the night in Penny's trailer, holding her all night as they slept, then calling the University in the morning to tell them he was taking a week off on vacation.
It was Monday night when they first had sex, then every day after, Penny couldn't get enough of Leonard it seemed. They spent the rest of their time seeing all the sights in the area, things Penny never saw before, it was wonderful to her, seeing them with Leonard, it seemed like a honeymoon to her. But after a whole week together, Saturday came around and it was time for Leonard to leave. Penny turned her trailer key in to the trailer park owner, everything she wanted in Leonard's car, as she rode back with him to Pasadena. That night she slept with him in his bed, wrapped in his arms, she was living with him now and she was in love.
It was two months later when Penny got cast in a national commercial that ended using her for 6 more follow on commercials. Three months after that Penny and Leonard got married in Nebraska, her father giving her away. As Penny lay tired and satisfied in Leonard's arms, after several hours of making love, on her honeymoon night she smiled, she had left hell for heaven and she had never been happier in her whole life. She rolled in Leonard's arms and kissed him, curling up against his chest, closing her eyes, falling fast asleep.
THE END