Page 89 of Wilds of Wonder
I made a face at him. “I think you busy yourself with everyone else’s lives so that you don’t have to think about your own.”
“That’s rude.” Driscoll pointed to me. “And also a little true.”
“Is there something going on between you two?” I gestured between him and Aron.
His eyes widened. “Between me and him? The big, objectively gorgeous blond man who also happens to be a wolf?” He scoffed. “No.”
“Why not?” I nudged Driscoll. “I think he’s into you.”
“He’s too nice for me.” Driscoll waggled his eyebrows. “I like the bad boys.”
“And where has that gotten you so far in life?”
“Fair point.” He tipped his head. “Aron is nice, and we all know how he looks naked, but no. I don’t think I’m the relationship type, you know?”
I stared him down as he avoided my gaze. “This is still about what Leoni said, isn’t it?”
“She’s supposed to be my friend.” He threw out his arms. “If my own friend thinks that about me, then it must be true.”
The vines slithered over each other, weaving in and out, knotting and twisting so it was hard to see where any began or ended.
“You think we should be concerned about those?” Driscoll pointed upward.
“I think we should be concerned about everything in the Wilds.”
The tips of a few of the vines poked out.
“Blood and earth, this place is so weird,” Driscoll mumbled.
“So why can’t you have sex with the hot wolf?” Aron turned around again, glancing at Driscoll.
He nudged me. “Because he’s nice, and I ruin nice things, okay? I talk too much and I’m too direct and I don’t have any kind of filter and?—”
“And because you’re selfish,” I finished for him.
He rolled his eyes. “Fine. Maybe I still can’t get Leoni’s words out of my head.”
“Well, I’m not going to be able to convince you. All I can say is that if you find a spark of passion in this world, you should grab hold of it. If you have any interest in Hot Wolf Man, and he has interest in you, then go for it. Life is too short not to.”
“Hot Wolf Man?” Driscoll’s lips twitched. “Are you stealing my nickname system?”
“There’s not much of a system involved. You basically insert hot before some descriptive words.”
He stuck out his tongue at me, then straightened. “Well done.” He did a slow clap. “You completely distracted me from talking about you.”
I skipped a few paces ahead, then turned. “I don’t want to talk about me.”
The vines above us rustled, dipping a little lower. The tunnel curved around, no end in sight. El had insisted this was the best path forward. Apparently the other route was through a field of flowers that emitted scents that drugged their victims so they could then trap and suffocate them.
“Oh, come on.” Driscoll pointed at me. “You both went to that lake, and we all assumed you were having sex, finishing what you started up against that tree. But then you came back all weird and distant.”
I sighed, slowing so Driscoll could catch up. “He asked me to marry him,” I admitted.
“What?” Driscoll shrieked. “Spirits below, are you having a wedding? Am I invited? Oh, please let me be invited. I love weddings. The alcohol. The sad mopey single people just begging to get laid. Did I mention the alcohol?”
“Shhh.” I clapped a hand over his mouth. “There’s not going to be a wedding. I said no.”
“What?” His shriek was even louder this time, making Aron, El, and Maverick turn to stare.
