Page 22

Wild

It's no big deal. You will get over it.

There are the same words I told her years ago, and she just returned them to me, a well-timed pass.

Daniel, Coach Billy's grandson, is grilling Evie about Jackie, and she's excitedly showing off pictures. Daniel's mom, Megan, and Coach Billy are paying attention. I can tell they love Evie.

Richard is just trying to stay out of harm's way. The longer everyone continues ignoring him, the better for him. To think he was worried about my feelings getting in the way. He will probably elope with Evie if I tell him her reaction to hearing I might be in love with her.

"What's her favorite food?" Daniel asks as if he will personally make sure Jackie gets whatever she wants.

"I'm not sure," Evie answers, and his little face falls. "But she has enjoyed everything I've fed her."

She's treated me like an afterthought since I opened my big mouth. The muscles in my jaw vibrate as I grit my teeth.

"Can she play fetch?"Daniel asks.

"Totally,"Evie says. Then she remembers I exist. Her glance is wary. "Wild played fetch with her."

"I did," I confirm.

Coach Billy's eyes track between us. "You two had a fight?"

"No,"I say while Evie says, "Yes."

Richard almost falls from his chair. I can hear the sirens ringing through his head as he gets a front row seat to all his plans falling through.

I reach for Evie's hand. When our fingers brush, she jerks away.She'sdoing this openly in front of Coach Billy, his daughter, and his grandson. For a fleeting moment, I wonder if Evie is done with our charade. No, she isn't the type to leave me in the lurch.

"Sweetheart."

Her eyes hold mine. They are unreadable, veiled in a way they usually never are, at least not with me.

"Sorry." She smiles. "I was lost in my head."

"I'd be too if I had to suffer through my son's interrogation."Megan laughs and ruffles her son's hair. Daniel pulls away, grumbling, and Megan retaliates by leaning over to smack a loud kiss on his cheek.

"Mom!"

"Son."

I take out my phone and text Evie.

Wild: Want to leave?

If she wants out of our fake engagement, I won't blame her. Me and my big mouth shouldn't have sprung the feelings I'm still coming to terms with on her like that.

Evie: No.

Wild: Then what's wrong?

She turns her head slowly to glare-smile at me. I never knew it was possible to manage both expressions until now.

Evie: You're really asking me that?

Wild: Yes.

Evie: You're unbelievable.

Wild: Boy says he likes girl. Girl can say no. Like you said, it's no big deal, right?

Evie: RIGHT. Especially when boy might be confused by our fake relationship.

Wild: MAN is old enough to tell the difference between fake and real.

Evie: I'm not doing this with you.

I really should stop while I'm ahead.

Wild: Okay.

Evie: Okay?

Is that the only hold up then, that we're fake, and I might be confused?

I should temper my joy because it can't be that simple, but what if it is? How do I convince Evie my feelings are real and a big deal within the bounds of our fake relationship?

I'm not underestimating Evie's reservations. After being left with a stranger in Mrs. Langford by her mother during her childhood, Evie likes having a sure footing with people. Her mother's rejection and Mrs. Langford's cold fury hurt her terribly. My sudden announcement is probably the worst thing to happen to her from her perspective.

I really should have gone slower.

Or I can pull off a Richard, elope with her somewhere nobody will distract us, and focus on convincing her we could be so good together.

"...let me do it."

Evie starts gathering the dishes. I put a pause on my mental scramble to join her. "Let's do it together."

"Oh, no." Evie's smile is saccharine sweet and one hundred percent fake. "I ’ m sure you have a lot to talk about with Coach Billy."

A very attentive Megan smirks. "Please, don't interrupt couple time on our account."

We end up in the kitchen doing the dishes side by side. Our arms and hands brush as we hand over plates, working together. The horses in my head still their gallop, and the sweetest calm comes over me.

I want more of this—a lifetime of doing the dishes with Evie.

There are no maybes. This is it. She's it for me.

The sense of failure that spurred me to evade relationships while jumping from club to club is nowhere to be found. And it makes sense because I'm so used to being there for Evie. I so look forward to being her protector; it doesn't feel like a responsibility. It's me. It's us.

I shoot her a sideways glance.She'sso focused on the dishes, like she will get graded on them, that I know she's deliberately avoiding me. I tap out three counts against the sink and wait. Sure enough, her beautiful eyes do a quick dart in my direction. Our eyes lock.

"Stop staring," she whispers.

"And you too,"I retort.

She holds on to a plate, glaring. "I wasn't staring. I just…looked."

I smirk. "Same thing."

"How did my father not see it?"

The question has us both whirring around. Megan stands relaxed against the kitchen doorway, arms folded, watching us. I knew it. I knew that smirk she was wearing was trouble.

Evie hasn't caught on. "See what?"

"That you're faking this."Her eyes drop to Evie's fingers, the disappointment in them curdling my stomach. "Are the rings fake too?"

Evie makes a choking sound that comes out like a confirmation of her suspicions.

Megan's eyes land on me. "I'm really disappointed in you, Wilder. You know Dad was always willing to take a chance on you. He was going to take whatever you can give him and run with it. But after this?"

"My ring is not fake,"Evie announces in a firm voice. She points at me. "Neither is his."

I'm nodding in agreement, like yes, please. And then Evie continues, "Coach Billy is like a father figure to Wild. He wouldn't dare deceive him."

Ouch.

“As director of operations and with the size of your contract and your age, I never wanted you.”

Double ouch.

“I’m not directly involved in contract talks, but Papa listens to me.”

“My ring is not fake.” It seems Evie took that accusation as a personal insult.

Megan nods. Thank God.

"Kiss him," she orders.

Evie backs up into me. "What?"

Megan shrugs. "If you don't want me going straight to Papa with my suspicions, kiss him."

Her ultimatum roils up my fury. "Stop,"I order tightly. "I won't have you putting her on the spot. We don't have to prove anything to you—"

"And the contract?"Megan reminds me.

"Retiring without a championship never killed anyone—"

"Wild."

Evie turns around, her hand trailing a path of fire up my arms to my shoulders. I stop breathing. She raises her head, and I feel her look like a punch to the gut.

I exhale roughly. "Don't listen to her,"I urge. "We will be alright, okay?"

She looks me in the eye. I'm searching her eyes, hoping she gets the message and not be intimidated by Megan and her threats.

She rises on tiptoes.

My heart slams against my ribs.

Her hands go around my neck.

Molten fire fills my belly.

My heartbeats are so loud they sound like thunder. Her little puffs of breath heat my skin. I have a moment where I marvel at the length of her lashes and the shape of her lips.

Her hands pull me down, and I go willingly because she's asking, and there's no way she's meeting my height unless she climbs me. Then, our lips meet for the first time.

She freezes.

I'veforgotten why humans need oxygen.

My hands move up her back as she exhales a stuttering sigh into my mouth. She tastes like fire and light. Her lips are so soft I want to pull away, earn the right to kiss them and come back to claim my spoils. But she's so sweet I don't dare pull away.

Her fingers scrape through my scalp. My hands slide into her hair. With a growl, I angle my head, taking firm control of the kiss. She moans into my mouth.

"They are kissing in the kitchen!"

She pulls back, eyes wide.

Now, I remember why we need oxygen. My lungs are burning.

“Where is she?"

"Who?" That's not my voice.

"Megan."

Right . The woman she's putting on a show for is long gone.

After that kiss, I'm experiencing a rebirth. If I had doubts about how I feel about Evie, the kiss just blew them to smithereens. She doesn't know it, but Evie just set the ball rolling with that kiss. I no longer care about the contract. My plans have changed; I need to convince her we are perfect for each other.

On the way back, the air is so tense I fear an explosion soon. Evie has her arms tightly folded, looking out the window. She's seething. Richard is slumped in the back seat, finalizing his plans to elope. The first chance he gets, he directs me to stop the car so he can get out.

I oblige.

Now, it's just the two of us. Evie is not talking, and it's fine with me. It gives me more time to re-live the kiss. And think. The way she pulled my head down, her soft lips. Wow.

When I check again, Evie is asleep. Head tucked awkwardly into the space between her seat and the car door. I find a place to park. The overhead lights dance over her face. Her eyelashes are like little fans on her cheeks. I stare and stare and stare. She's so beautiful.

I grab a throw from the back seat and drape it over her. Gently, I rearrange her head from an awkward angle to a better one.

Unable to help myself, I take one last look.

"What are you doing?"she asks suddenly. "Are we home?"

"Not yet. Sleep, Sweetheart."

Her drowsiness immediately disappears. "I'm not your sweetheart."

Not yet.

Her eyes close. Then she opens them to look me in the eye. "I need you to forget about that kiss."

Not likely. "How?"

"How?"she repeats. "I did it to save our charade."

"I understand your reservations."

"Do you really? For the sake of our friendship, please don't add to your confusion."

Confusion? It would be terrifying if I had this much clarity most of my life.

Evie seems determined to seethe and glare me into obedience, but she only lasts two minutes before her head drops. Good.

We pull up into her neighborhood too soon for my liking, but I know she will be eager to have Jackie back in her arms. I swear she doesn't let that puppy use her legs.

Careful not to wake her, I cross the road to the Izaacs. Jackie starts barking excitedly, knowing her mistress is close. Bidding Mrs. Izaacs goodnight, I retrace my steps back to Evie. Jackie is so excited she's wriggling in my arms. Evie is already out of the car and running towards us.

Quickly, I take out my phone to capture the sight of puppy and mistress greeting each other after few hours spent away from each other.

I take the keys to the front door from Evie. Now, her eyes mirror Jackie's—excited and wild. I watch them ascend the stairs.

"For the record,"I announce with as much clarity as I can manage so I won't be accused of being confused later. "That was the best kiss ever."

Evie stiffens. “Wild, I told you to—"

"I'm never forgetting it. Ican't."

She glares at me. "You had my heart once because I willingly gave it to you—"

"It would have been inappropriate, and you know it."

"Iwon't fall for you again,"she continues stubbornly. "You're right. I was young then. I know better now."

We will see about that. "Good night."

She slams the door in my face.

"Sweet dreams,"I call through the door, knowing she can hear me. Forget the kiss? Does she even know what she's asking of me?

Or maybe it is no big deal to her.