Page 37 of Drive Me Wild
“I know, but it wasn’t. And that was…”
“Zoe.” He pushes some hair behind my ear and runs a finger down my cheek. I see something flash in his eyes that isn’t hunger, it’s almost like sadness, and my body starts to freeze up.
“If you are worried about hurting me, you won’t. I’m asking this from you so I can be everything my future husband wants.”
Again, the sadness flashes in his eyes.
“Let’s start again tomorrow, okay? I’ll help you with the business plan and we can sort out this.” He waves his hands between us. “By the way, what business are you thinking of buying?”
“The bookstore.”
His mouth falls open, and he stares at me like I just told him I’m buying the Empire State Building. But instead of talking, I think of how I want those lips locked on my vag and heat rises to my cheeks in an instant. I want to grab his face and pull him to me.
“So you’re going to stay here in Owl Creek.”
“If I buy the business, then yes.”
“Which means you hope to meet this mysterious future husband here. In Owl Creek.”
“That would be great if it works out that way.”
He nods his head and then walks toward the kitchen. I follow him, but he keeps his back to me as he leans his hands on the counter. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Zoe. I need to make a sandwich and get back to work.”
I nod, even though he isn’t looking at me. Then, I walk out the door and head home.
It’s time to take the proverbial bull by the horns.
Chapter Eighteen: Caleb
My heart is pounding so hard that I’m thinking of calling 911, even though my brother will probably be the first responder. The last thing I want to tell him is I’m having heart trouble over a woman.
Especiallythiswoman.
Zoe is trying to put down roots in Owl Creek. She wants to stay here, and I don’t know if I could handle seeing her with someone else. And that’s the thing I have to reconcile.
If she’s the inspiration for all these changes— helping the teenager find a future for himself with a solid mechanics background, volunteering at the high school for the robotics team, no more flings with tourists or random women, no more racing cars and partying at the track— then maybe I can let myself believe I’m enough for her because I realize that I want to be with her. No other woman has made me want to be a different man. To question why I am the way I am, and change what I don’t like about myself.
As I finish my morning coffee, I hear her coming up the stairs to the apartment and notice my heart rate starting to speed up.
Ridiculous.
I open the door and see her wearing a white and yellow cotton dress that hugs her small frame and makes her look like spring. She’s like a new day, and my mouth goes dry.
I let her in and she drops her backpack on the couch, then pulls out a binder and her computer and sets it up on the kitchen table.
“What are you doing?”
“You said you’d help me with my business plan.”
“Right. Of course. I didn’t know you’d want to get started first thing.”
“Caleb, what is going on?”
“What are you talking about?”
“When I told you I was trying to buy the bookstore yesterday, you got weird.”
“Yeah. Sorry. I don’t know why I did that.”
