Page 57 of Wild Then Wed
Then she sighs, loud and frustrated, and says, “You’re gonna think I’m a crazy person.”
I smirk. “I already thought that from the moment I saw your bright ass car.”
She narrows her eyes, shooting me a glare that would probably knock a lesser man on his ass.
“No,” she says, dead serious now. “I mean it. You’re gonna actually think I’ve lost my damn mind, Sawyer.”
“Try me.”
She drags a hand down her face and groans into her palm. “You know what? Forget it. It’s a bad idea, anyway.”
She starts to move past me, the toes of her boots kicking up sand with every step. Before she can get too far, I reach out and grab her elbow, spinning her gently back toward me. She stumbles a little, blinking up at me. Her chest is rising and falling a little quicker now that we’re standing this close.
“What do you need, Wren?”
She winces, her mouth pulling to the side like she can’t figure out how to word it. “A…business deal?” she says, voice lifting in a question. “Maybe? If that’s what you wanna call it?”
I bark out a laugh, quick and loud.
“A business deal,” I repeat, grinning. “Hell of a sales pitch, Wilding.”
She groans again and spins to leave for real this time, already muttering something under her breath.
“Jesus, Wren,” I call after her. “Do you wanna come to my place? We can talk about it there. It’s not a far drive from here.”
She stops, half-turned, thermos still clutched tight in her hand. I can see her weighing it, thinking it over, her lips pursed together.
Then she takes another sip of the hot chocolate, like it’s buying her time, and finally nods. “Let’s go.”
I laugh to myself and fall in step behind her as we cross the yard toward my car, boots crunching against the frozen ground.
I don’t know what the hell she’s about to drop on me, but damn if I’m not curious to find out.
* * *
Some days, the silence feels heavier inside this house than it does anywhere else.
Today isn’t any different—until Wren steps through the door and Hank seems to forget that I even exist.
He barrels into her, tail spinning like a damn helicopter, pushing his whole body into her legs without a second thought.
She laughs, crouching low, scratching behind his ears. I let the door click shut behind me, leaning back against it for a second. Watching her. Watching him. Watching the place come alive like it hasn’t in years.
“You’re a real loyal one, aren’t you?” I mutter to Hank, peeling off my jacket and tossing it over the back of the couch.
Wren grins up at me, running her hands through Hank’s fur. “We’re kindred spirits.”
I shake my head, pushing off the door with a grin. “Makes sense, you and him. No patience, no manners.”
She scoffs, then stands, her eyes skating over the living room. Wide open floors. Not much furniture. No clutter. No signs of a life lived. Her arms cross over her chest, and she lets out a low whistle.
“Of course this is your house,” she says, glancing at me like the pieces have just clicked into place.
I lift a brow. “And what exactly does that mean?”
She walks a few steps farther in, dragging her fingers lightly along the counter as she goes.
“It’s…sterile,” she says. “It looks like a model home or something. Like nobody actually lives here.”
