Page 14 of Caught Up In You

“Drive safe,” he says, and this isn’t a platitude, it’s acommand.

I did not take Owen McBride for bossy, but I like it.

It’ll be a nice memory for when I’m home and picking a toy from the drawer in my bedside table.

Because that’s all this can be.

A memory.

Owen’s headlights are in my rearview mirror for most of the drive back to Cardinal Springs. Just as we reach the town line, he flashes his brights before turning to head to his office. And that’s when I’m finally able to take a full, deep breath.

For the last thirty miles, I’ve been on pins and needles, replaying that kiss. The feel of the cold metal of his truck against my back, the warmth of his body covering me. The feel of his lips and tongue and teeth, his hands as they explored my body. The way my skin heated every place he touched and the way it still burns with desire now.

I hope that the longer I drive, the more that heat will fade, but it doesn’t. When I pull into my driveway, stopping beside Hazel’s battered Subaru, I’m still vibrating from our encounter.

The air is frigid, and it smells like snow. Any minute now the ice will start to fall. I should go inside. But instead I sit there, holding my phone.

“I’m not going to text him,” I mutter, flipping it over in my hands. Ghosting Owen seems like the quickest way to exorcise our encounter from my mind.

But of course there’s no ghosting Owen McBride. He’s part of my life whether I acknowledge what happened between us or not.

And the worried way his brow creased when he shut my truck door…I don’t want him worrying about me. That’ll just prolong the misery, right?

So I unlock my phone, navigate to the text message he sent, and type.

Made it home

There. That’s all. I did what I promised I’d do.

But I don’t stop typing.

Everything okay at the office?

The little bouncing dots appear almost instantly, accompanied by a fizzy feeling in my stomach.

Owen

Yup. Just wanted to double-check that the generator had fuel. Need to be ready to do X-rays when a kid I won’t name because of HIPAA regulations inevitably tries to snowboard down the icy hill behind his house on a sheet pan

Wyatt

Gotta make sure the lights are on for when someone eats yellow snow

Owen

You laugh, but someone’s mom is going to call me about that first thing tomorrow

Wyatt

What do you do for yellow snow?

Owen

Drink plenty of water and watch for nausea and vomiting

Don’t eat yellow snow, Wyatt

Wyatt

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