As Penny had mentioned before, Zoren possessed this hidden strength. However, this strength, this enthusiasm — it was no longer just a reserve. It scared her.
"Stop now!" Penny yelled from the bathroom, pressing her palms against the door. "Renren, you’re a beast! No more! Let me pee in peace!"
On the other side of the door, Zoren tilted his head slightly and raised his hands in surrender, taking a step back.
"I thought you wanted me to help you?" he whistled, causing Penny to glare at the door.
"I’m tired! This isn’t just exercise anymore; it’s a marathon!" she cried, making sure the door was locked, fearing he might still try to follow her.
After the first round, then the second, Zoren had gone for two more rounds because his "mighty friend" wasn’t backing down. As someone new to this part of life and relationships, they both had more energy for such intimacy. But now, she needed a break.
"Goodness..." she breathed out. "At this point, I don’t think he’s sick at all."
Penny shook her head and sighed heavily. Pushing herself off the door, she glared at it. If she hadn’t run into the bathroom, she would’ve been pinned under him again.
"It’s not like I don’t want to, but I’m so sore," she murmured, looking down at her body. Her knees felt shaky, her hips numb, and her entire body ached. Sometimes, Zoren would lose control, though he would quickly notice and slow down. Yet, the brief, tight grip he had left marks on her skin.
"Not that I hate it," she whispered, dragging herself away from the door. "In fact, I kinda like it when he gets a little rough."
As Penny dragged herself toward the toilet, she stopped as she passed the mirror. Walking backward, she faced it—and her jaw nearly hit the floor. Her brows furrowed deeply as she stepped closer for a better look.
"Oh my god," she muttered, stretching her neck to check the hickeys he had left. They wouldn’t be easily covered with a simple concealer.
When she pulled the stash of her robe, her eyes widened as she looked at her body, noticing it was covered in hickeys—bruises, really. If anyone saw her, they’d think she had been battered. Her gaze then fell to her collarbone, spotting more hickeys and faint bite marks on her shoulder.
As her eyes traveled down her body, she was left speechless. A scoff escaped her lips as she noticed the mark on her inner thigh.
For a moment, Penny’s mind went blank. She tried to recall what outfits she had brought yesterday. None of them would cover these marks.
"Hah!" she scoffed again, glaring at the door. "Did he plan to trap me here today?"
Clenching her teeth, Penny stormed out of the bathroom. The moment she opened the door, she flinched. Zoren was still standing right in front of it, now wearing loose pajamas he didn’t even need.
"Renren, you—" Her breath hitched as her eyes landed on the red marks on his collarbones, chest, and neck! She covered her mouth, noticing a love bite on his chest.
Zoren tilted his head, curiosity swirling in his eyes. "What did I do?"
"Nothing! False alarm!" she said quickly, retreating back into the bathroom and slamming the door behind her.
Zoren furrowed his brows, confused by her actions and mood. But since she said she was fine, he shrugged and walked back to the couch to wait for her. As he casually sat down, he arched a brow and glanced at the bathroom door, squinting.
"Why am I not getting tired of her?" he wondered aloud. "And I know she’s exhausted, but I can’t seem to stop myself, even when I tell myself to."
A shallow breath escaped him, and he shook his head. But he couldn’t entirely blame himself. He never thought he would enjoy making love so much—it was rather addictive. The feel of her body, her soft whimpers, her moans—everything about it was addicting.
Zoren was, admittedly, surprised at himself. He had thought he’d get tired at some point, but he hadn’t. It reminded him of the strength he once had and had since lost.
The corner of his mouth curled up as he gazed at his hand, only to notice something red on his fingertips.
"Is this blood?" he wondered, frowning. "Did I make her bleed?"
The blurry red on his fingertips made him raise his hand closer to his nose. As he was about to inspect further, the bathroom door flew open.
Zoren froze, turning his head toward the bathroom.
Penny gasped when she saw him about to smell his hand. Her eyes quickly darted to the redness on his fingertips, making her wince in embarrassment.
"What is it?" he asked, standing up quickly. "Penny, did I hurt you?"
He hurried to her, reaching her in seconds. Holding her shoulders, he looked upset, trying to sense if she was in pain, rather than see it in her eyes.
"Hehe, Renren, I’m fine," she assured him, gently peeling his hands off her shoulders. "But you need to wash your hands."
He furrowed his brows. "Why?"
"Because..." Penny let out an awkward laugh, guiding him to the sink to wash his hands. "It’s that time of the month."
His expression softened with understanding, though he still looked confused. "Also, Renren... I need a favor."
"What is it?" he asked innocently, allowing her to help him wash his hands.
Penny’s movements slowed as embarrassment filled her. Hesitation clouded her eyes as she looked up at him.
"A tampon," she said through gritted teeth. "There’s none in here."
Zoren blinked. "What’s that?"
"You don’t know what a tampon is?" she asked in disbelief, watching him blink again. "It’s something a woman uses during her period? We put it inside... you know?"
"Why do you need that when I’m here?"
"!!!" Penny gasped, realizing that Zoren, having never had a woman in his life aside from Old Mrs. Pierson, knew about menstruation but not its finer details. She doubted Old Mrs. Pierson had ever discussed such things with him.
"I’m sorry..." she dramatically wept. "But I really need one. Please."