Page 37 of Wicked Scandal

Wilder slides down on the couch, pulling me with him and leaving only a scant space between us. “I think we both know this is real,” he says, voice gruff and masculine in a way that has a rush of heat shooting through me. In a slow, deliberate movement he puts his hand on my thigh, just above my knee.

I watch his strong grip, one that makes me feel small, as he caresses me with his fingertips. I feel every stroke. Even with the barrier of my sweatpants, his touch is more real than anything I’ve ever felt.

Not holding back, I give in to the feelings coursing through me and I put my hand over his. “Yeah,” I tell him with a slight nod. With that one word, the door to unknown possibilities opens for us. A heavy weight leaves my shoulders, all my fears and anxieties parting ways because it’s right now that I realize, I don’t want to fight this any longer.

“I like you, Cat,” Wilder says with a grin playing on his lips as he averts his gaze. “I like you a lot and I know you’re married and I’m your student, but I can’t stay away. You’re all I think about anymore.”

His words are everything I wanted and everything I feared wrapped with a shiny bow. Knowing I’m on someone’s mind, keeping them awake and distracting them from other thoughts. I always wanted to be in someone’s thoughts and heart at the same time. Not in an obsessive or possessive way like Troy’s, but in an endearing and thoughtful way like Wilder’s.

“So what now?” I ask him. “I mean, it’s not like this can ever go anywhere.” It hurts to say that out loud but we both know it’s true. And the two of us probably need a healthy dose of reality right now.

His honey brown eyes fix on mine and he reaches out, tucking a stray strand of hair behind my ear. “I think living in the moment is a pretty good start. No plans. No expectations. Just you and me, here and now.”

Brushing his fingers against my cheek, he cradles it in his palm and I lean into him, relaxing against his touch.

“Okay,” I whisper in agreement. “I like that plan.”

More than anything I want to throw myself onto his lap and have him hold me like there is no tomorrow. The desperation to feel his strong arms around me is agonizing.

Then, as if he’s read my mind, he wraps an arm around me and pulls me close. My face nuzzles against his chest and I curl my legs up onto his lap. It’s safe here. I feel untouchable, unbreakable.

I close my eyes, relishing the warmth running through my body. If I could pick a perfect moment in time, it would be this one.

We sit like this for a few minutes, and small talk turns those minutes into hours. Wilder tells me how he got started on his SnapTok account just over a year ago, and the urge to tell him about my account hangs heavy on my mind. I’ll tell him eventually, just not yet.

Our coffees turn cold and the clock keeps ticking, but neither of us get up, we just sit here sharing stories and getting to know one another.

Wilder talks about how he lost his mom his sophomore year of high school, and the pain in his voice when he speaks about it slices through me. I literally feel it for him. I’ve grieved the loss of my parents, but they're still alive so it’s nowhere near the same thing.

The next thing I know, a sliver of daylight is cracking through the blinds. My body jolts upward atthe sight, eyes wide. “Oh no!” I clap a hand over my mouth in a panic. “I have to go home.”

Wilder moves forward on the couch as I stand up. “Whoa,” he says calmly, taking my hand in his. “It’s okay. So we’re gonna be a little tired today. It was worth it.”

He doesn’t understand and now is not the time to try and make him understand. “I need to get home right now. I’ll see you in class, okay?”

I walk toward the door, leaving everything as it is because if I’m not in that house within the next ten minutes, Troy is going to know something’s up, but Wilder stops me. With his hand on my wrist, he pulls me back and spins me around to face him. I look up, finding serenity in his eyes.

“I liked this,” he says with a subtle grin that reveals his deep dimples. “We should do it again sometime.”

Biting the corner of my lip, I nod in response because I one hundred percent want to do this again, but next time I have to be smarter.

Wilder leans down and my heart jumps into my throat, but just when I think his lips are going to land on mine, they move to my cheek in a chaste kiss. “Have a good morning, Kitty Cat,” he mutters, letting his mouth ghost my skin before taking a step back.

“Kitty Cat, huh?” I giggle. “That’s new.”

His face nuzzles into the crease of my neck and he squeezes my body tightly against his. “Came up with it all on my own,” he jokes. “What'd ya think?”

Suppressing a smile, I press my lips together tightly, feeling a swarm of butterflies in my stomach. “At this point, I think you can call me whatever you want and I'll respond.”

Straightening his back, he lets his hands linger on my hips. “In that case, let me call you mine.”

Jaw meet floor! Did he really just say that? We both know that’s not an option, but I’ll play along. “You said living in the moment is a good start, right?” He nods and I continue. “So at this moment, sure. Why not?”

A smile spreads across his face. “Until next time, Kitty Cat.” His lips press to my forehead, then before I can even catch my breath, he’s out the door.

Pressing a hand to the frame, I hold myself up because my knees feel weak and my head feels dizzy. This is absolutely insane, but I’ve never claimed to be levelheaded. The past ten years of my life are proof of that.

Once Wilder is out of the driveway, I haul ass down the trail to my house, leaving everything in the guesthouse as it is. I have plenty of time to clean up before Troy comes home.

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