Page 63 of Freeing the Wild
“No, I don’t doubt your cooking.There’s just two women I’ve ever known that can really cook.My grandmother and Mama Jo,” I tell her as I serve myself a hefty plate of whateverthe fuck ziti is.After I helped her pack her belongings, she insisted I bring a plate home with me, saying she had to “earn her keep.”Of course my head is in the gutter around this woman 24/7, so I immediately thought of all the other ways she could earn her keep.But I accepted the food gratefully because I had just gotten out of the shower after a long as fuck day and was considering making myself an easy heat dinner when the power went out.This ziti concoction seems a lot better.
I sit down beside her on the sofa, in my sweatpants and my warm UK hoodie, relaxing for the first time in fourteen hours as I take a bite.
“Holy fuck,” I tell her as I shovel in another mouthful.This is fucking delicious.
“Told ya,” she says, a beaming smile taking over her face.“World-famous.”
I look her over as I chew.She’s in a pair of fitted leggings and a sweater that looks like it’s more my size than hers.It covers all her curves, but her face is bright and free of makeup and her hair is a mass of platinum-colored waves and curls.The way she looks right now could just be the prettiest damn thing I’ve ever seen.Though it might have to do with the fact that she’s onmysofa.
“Mmmhmm, so fucking good,” I mutter as I continue eating.Add one more appealing thing about this woman?She can really fucking cook.
“So your grandmother was your best friend, but do you have any idea where your mama is?”she asks, watching me enjoy my dinner.
I shrug.“No clue.”
“You’ve never heard from her?”
I shake my head.“Nope.I don’t even know if she’s alive.”
“Do you wonder about her often?”she asks softly.
I take my last bite and think for a second.
“I used to,” I tell her honestly.“I used to wonder a lot ifmy dad would’ve been different if she’d stayed.Or if she ever thought about me.”
Cassie reaches over and places her hand on my knee.I instantly tense under her touch.My skin is a live wire feeling her warmth through my sweats.
“I’m sure she thinks about you,” she offers.“I’m sure she wonders.”
“Well, either way, I don’t think about it anymore.Not since I realized wondering didn’t help or change anything.”
Cassie’s brow furrows as I stand.She replaces her hand in her lap.This conversation is getting too heavy.
“What about you?What’s your story?Before me, how often did you show up like a whirlwind on some guy’s ranch, then leave them in the dust while they waited for you in the dark corner of a bar before me?”I ask as I rinse my plate.I grab myself a big glass of water from the Berkey filter on my counter and take a drink.I’m surprised not to hear a witty retort, so I turn around to make sure Cassie is still breathing.
“Never,” she says when my eyes meet hers.
I make my way back over to the sofa and set my glass down on the coffee table before I retake my seat beside her.
“Well, I definitely don’t go around having one-night stands in my truck.”I clear my throat.“For the last year I almost haven’t had any one-night stands at all actually, aside from you.”
I wait for her to say something, but she doesn’t.So either I’ve really surprised her, or hell has frozen over, because that’s twice in the last five minutes she’s had no smartass remark for me.
“Well, add that to the things we have in common,” she says softly, looking down at her hands in her lap.“And so you know, you were the first.I’ve only been with two other men before you, and I don’t think one even counts because I was seventeen and we had no idea what we were doing.So, in truth, there’s really only been one other man I’ve been with.One relationship.”
I recoil.What?
But she’s so feisty.So confident, so fucking sexy.How is there only one other man she’s truly been with?I lean back on my sofa and huff out a breath.
“How is that possible?”I blurt.
Cassie shrugs.“I don’t trust people very often.And I have to be on my game all the time.I don’t need a man sucking all my mojo out of me.”
I chuckle and scrub my face with my hand.“I had no idea, I would’ve … I’m sorry,” I tell her.
“I wasn’t a virgin, Haden.”She laughs.“I had a boyfriend back in Memphis for two years.We’re still friendly.We broke up when I moved to Nashville.”
“Why?”I ask, though I’m unsure as to why.I’m just so goddamn curious about every single thing about her.
