Page 15 of An Unfinished Memory

He looked at me likeWho?

Right. Berry was mine. She hadn’t been ours at one time. “My new cat. She’s probably hiding. Can you feed Sylvester?”

He nodded like it was no issue. I’d gotten my bearded dragon, Sylvester, after I finished vet school, but he’d been my pet. I’d caught Wilder murmuring to him once about how his food would make good bait, but otherwise, Wilder had left the reptile care to me. Yet, he was willing to do animal chores after I hid him in my bedroom and told him to leave.

Wasn’t that his thing? To always be of assistance? That was an old issue, and we were in new territory today.

“I’ll feed and water Oreo, but you might want to see him before you go.” I ran my bottom lip through my teeth. “He sniffed you on me.” My cheeks blazed. I had to smell from head to toe of Wilder.

His gaze heated, but there was a beat of loss in his amber irises. “Sure,” he said quietly.

“Okay,” I said again, darting for the bathroom. I rushed through brushing my teeth, combing out my hair and throwing it up in a messy bun, and giving my face a quick scrub.

Did I notice my face glowed? That the line forming between my brows was gone? That I was pleased to see beard burn? Or that my eyes shone and all the creases I thought I had gathered through the divorce had somehow been fucked away?

No. I refused to.

In the bedroom, Wilder hadn’t moved. His hot gazebranded my skin as he clocked me moving around, finding jean shorts and a loose, pink Sutton’s Animal Care shirt I had designed in the name of branding for my new vet clinic. I stuffed my feet into beaded sandals so I could match Aggie’s summery vibe a little better.

I checked the mirror to make sure I didn’t have a sign above my head that saidI had sex allll night.

Wilder stood and crossed to me. My pulse jumped all over the place. I wanted to run out the door as much as I wanted to sprint toward him. He put a hand on my hip and claimed my mouth. I let out a squeak, unprepared for a minty make-out session when his sister was on the other side of the door. He must’ve snuck into my bathroom and stealthily cleaned up.

His prowess had always turned me on.

“It’s gonna be hot out today,” Aggie called from the front of the house.

Did the little sister interfering with naughty times never expire? She used to catch me and Wilder making out around their family ranch all the time.

I broke the kiss, keeping Wilder’s fevered gaze as Aggie’s voice drifted into the bedroom. “We should plan an ice cream stop.”

“Sure,” I called and tried to step away, but I was caught in his strong hold.

He put his mouth next to my ear. Shivers zinged down my spine. “When are we doing this again?”

Never, the logical part of my brain unhelpfully answered. The word didn’t reach my lips. “I don’t know.”

“I have next weekend off,” he murmured. “I’ll come down after my shift Friday.”

I nodded, not trusting myself enough to speak quietly. Did I have plans for Friday?

I wouldn’t. Not between the hours of ten p.m. and eight a.m. “I have clinic hours Saturday morning.”

“I’ll be gone by then.”

“The, uh, code for the garage door is…” I knew it had been a bad idea. I screwed up my face. “Your birthday.” Which was in two weeks.

His expression turned solemn. “Mybirthday?” he whispered.

“No one would expect me to use it.” I’d almost done our anniversary, but I didn’t need the constant reminder that the date was now an ordinary day.

Sadness dimmed his expression. “Friday, then.”

I nodded, brushing my gaze over his lips. He was so close. But I’d kept Aggie waiting long enough. I snatched the excuse to put a pause on thinking about me and Wilder. I left the bedroom, closing the door behind me.

Aggie came out of the kitchen and smiled. “Ready to find some used shit for my animals to destroy?”

“I’m ready.”

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