Page 3 of Drive Me Wild (Owl Creek #2)

T he weight of moving out this morning and beginning this phase of my life is waning as I chat with people and learn about this newfound family of Renée’s.

It’s funny because I’ve been to parties in Downsville and never felt this kind of closeness or community with people, even though I’d been in that town my whole life. This is something I’ve craved but didn’t know how to define. Now that I’m immersed in it, my extroverted half wants more.

The late summer afternoon air is warm and heavy as I sink back into my chair between Renée and Avery with my first plate of food. They’re chatting like old pals with a woman who arrived when I was in the kitchen with Caleb.

“Hey Zoe, sorry I haven’t introduced you yet. This is Serena. She’s our town mayor and has her hand in everything. If you want to know something or someone, just ask her. Serena, this is my best friend in the whole world, Zoe.”

I bump shoulders with Renée—one of the ways we say ‘I love you.’

“I hear you’ll be staying in Owl Creek for a while. If you need anything, my office is right by the library. After my regular job at the town mercantile, I’m there for a couple hours every weekday. If I’m not there, I leave a note on the door so citizens can find me.”

“That’s very cool of you. I don’t think I’ve ever met a politician before.”

“Yikes. Please don’t call me a politician. It sounds like a dirty word.” She winks.

“Sorry.”

“No, no. I know, technically, I am a politician. Still, I prefer people to think of me as another community member instead of someone they can’t talk to. So, call me one of your neighbors. And if you stick around, maybe we’ll be friends soon.”

Serena smiles at me and pulls from her beer. As her head is tipped back, I watch her eyes grow to twice their size, and I turn to see what she’s looking at.

If I didn’t know better, I would think there was a bear in people’s clothes heading down the driveway. But after a few seconds of staring, I realize I’m looking at Caleb’s twin brother, Cody.

“Holy shit. Look what the skunk dragged in.”

Cody grunts and then hugs their stepdad, Buzz. I turn back to Serena and see she’s as pale as a ghost.

“You okay?”

“Yeah, I uh, I think, maybe I shouldn’t be drinking. I’m feeling a bit dizzy.”

Renée reaches over and touches her forehead.

“You don’t have a fever, but do you want a ride home?”

“No, no. I’ll be fine. Just need to splash some water on my face.”

She bolts out of her chair and heads into the house as Cody watches her every move.

“Huh.” Avery and Renée exchange a look.

“What’s up?” I look between the two of them. “I’m living here now, you might as well spill some tea.”

“This is the first time I’m meeting him.” Renée stands to greet Cody. “And it looks to me like there is something between the hermit and the mayor.”

“The hermit?”

“It’s just that Cody doesn’t come down from the forest much,” Avery offered.

I glance over towards him. He’s standing next to Caleb now, and I feel a tickle in my chest when I catch Caleb’s eye.

“Well,” Avery leans closer. “This is turning into an interesting afternoon.”

Avery, Renée, Serena, and I spent the afternoon eating and laughing.

I lose count of how often Serena and Cody go out of their way to avoid being next to each other.

Watching their weird interactions seems like a good distraction from his twin, who I can’t stop looking for when I’m not in conversation—even though I know he’s not the man for me.

Caleb is a total smokeshow and owns a business, which is on the plus side.

But Renée and now Avery have both warned me against him.

I hate to believe small-town gossip, but I want what I want, and a player isn’t going to be the kind of guy who settles down, especially with someone who can’t satisfy him in the sack.

A few people disappear into the house and come out in swimsuits, so I take my cue and head to my car.

I pop the back open and start pulling some boxes and bags out when I feel a shadow looming over me.

The absence of direct sun doesn’t help my skin cool off as I register heat radiating from the person standing behind me.

I freeze on the spot. I simultaneously want it to be Caleb, and I’m afraid of it being him.

“Need help unloading your car?”

It’s him.

I turn around and we lock eyes. His are chocolate brown with a darker ring around the outside of the iris. The almond shape is turned up on the outer edge as he smiles at me. I notice that the redness and swelling are hardly noticeable where I knocked heads with him.

“I’m just looking for my swimsuit. It’s in one of these bags. I think.”

“Wouldn’t it be easier to go through them if they were upstairs?”

I look toward the apartment as if an answer is hanging in the window. It would be easier, and then I wouldn’t have to think about my stuff when I’m dripping wet or ready to wash the lake off me.

“I suppose you’re right.”

He reaches around me and grabs the first two boxes.

“What’s in here? Bricks?”

I stifle a laugh.

“Books. Six boxes in total.”

He pauses briefly, nods, then trudges up the stairs. I’m not too ashamed to enjoy the view as his muscles work to carry the load to the second-floor apartment. And damn, it is one hell of a view. Thick thighs and an ass that fill out his jeans as if he was born to wear them.

I follow him with a duffle bag, and when I reach the top of the stairs, he’s already placed the books near the small bookcase and opened up two windows to get a cross breeze going.

“There’s no air conditioning up here because it usually doesn’t get hot enough to need it. If Cole doesn’t have a fan, I can run home and grab one for you.”

The apartment is a small studio—no more than a kitchenette, bed and wardrobe, bookshelves, chair, and table. He’s standing on the side of the bed opposite me, and the air is thick with late summer humidity and circumstance as we look at each other.

“Thank you, that’s very thoughtful. I’ll leave these windows open for now and see how it goes. Weather should turn soon anyway.”

“We don’t get as much rain as you do in Downsville.”

“Oh, you’ve been there?”

He scratches his head and looks at the floor. “No. No. I’ve just heard. Let’s get the rest of your stuff so we can go swimming.”

He rushes past me and down the stairs. We work in silence, and after several trips each, I’m unloaded.

“The bump on your head doesn’t look like it’ll kill you.”

I peek at myself in the long mirror mounted to the wardrobe. My bangs are parted, and there is a trace of the earlier collision, but there is nothing I’m concerned about. Caleb stands behind me, and I look at him in the mirror. His chocolate eyes are fixed on me, and I feel a quiver in my belly.

No matter what people say about him, he has been kind and thoughtful today, which attracts me even more than his broad shoulders and thick arms. Being alone with him up here is waking up my lady parts again.

Which is a big warning sign .

I need to stop thinking of him this way. I would never be able to be with a man like Caleb. He’s experienced, and I’m, well…not.

“I guess I should start looking for my suit. See you out there, and thanks again for your help.” I turn and smile at him.

“My pleasure. See you out there.”

He rushes out, shutting the door behind him. But it’s several moments before I hear his feet carry him down the stairs.