Page 4 of Crave Me

CHAPTER 2

Evan

I open the passenger door to the dark blue Explorer, ushering Wren through. She pauses before slipping inside. “Hey, check it out,” she says. “Chivalry isn’t dead after all.”

I chuckle because I have nothing better to say. Even if witty comebacks were my forte, this woman would still have me at a loss for words. It didn’t take her long to verify my credentials or acquire an impressive vehicle to test drive, her command and efficiency, making the process smooth.

I take a quick look at the interior as I glide inside, adjusting the seat to accommodate my height.

“What made you decide on an Explorer?” I ask, concentrating on the vehicle’s features so I don’t openly stare at Wren.

She tilts her head. “You’re a suit, a businessman, right?”

“That’s right.”

“For starters, you don’t need a truck. Trucks are good for hauling equipment, wood, things like that.” She laughs a little. “That’s not something you need. But a big guy like you does need something comfortable, and seeing how you’re taking the Blue Route to work, you also want a vehicle that’s going to keep you safe. The maniacs on the highway will bowl over a smaller ride, but in this, even the crazies will think twice before messing with you.”

“That’s understandable, but why didn’t you lead me to the Expedition? They’re more expensive and will guarantee you a higher commission should I decide to purchase.”

Her smile will be my undoing. Perhaps she’s aware, and why she widens it further. “I’m not here to sell you something for the sake of filling my pockets. That’s not what I’m about. My experience is the Explorer is easier to navigate in the city, not to mention slightly better on gas. If you lived in the mountains or commuted from a more rural environment, I might have considered an Expedition. But for a badass, city guy like you, the Explorer is perfect.” Her stare flickers over my body. “You feel me?”

As taken as I am with her, I wish she would have chosen a better phrase. “I do.”

She winks. “Then see? I’m giving you exactly what you need.”

“It would seem so,” I respond. This woman is honest and ethical, but it’s her ability to charm that continues to captivate me. “Shall we?” I ask, motioning to the road.

“Prepared to be awed,” she responds.

I shift into gear and pull away from the building. “You’re given name is Erin,” I say, wanting to know more about her.

“Yup,” she replies.

“But you go by Wren.”

“I kind of had to,” she says. “My brothers apparently thought Erin was too long and nicknamed me Rin, which morphed into Wren. The name stuck.” She shrugs. “I can only imagine what I would have been called if my Ma named me Ivory like my Grammie O’Malley—God rest her soul—wanted.”

“Ivory is quite lovely. But Wren appears to suit you.”

“Yeah? I don’t know. I think I could have pulled off Ivory seeing how my skin only knows white and whiter with the occasional freckle.”

“If you say so,” I say chuckling.

No sooner do I pull onto the main road than my phone rings.

“Alfred, answer,” I say.

“Who’s Alfred?” Wren asks.

Before I can explain that it’s the technology that commands my phone, Ashleigh’s voice belts through the speaker. “Evan, where are you?”

I grumble. Is there no escape from this woman? “Ashleigh, I’m in the middle of a meeting.”

She sighs. “A meeting? Can you be more specific?”

“No,” I practically growl, well aware Wren is watching me.

“I’m trying to help,” she says. “Do you understand that? Anne and Clifton are beside themselves without you here.”