Page 100 of Made for Wilde

I end the call and set the phone down on the counter, my hands shaking.

Sarah stares at me, eyes wide. “How the hell did he find out you’re pregnant?”

“I have no idea.” My voice is barely above a whisper. “We’ve been so careful. I’m not showing that much yet.”

Sarah frowns, picking up my phone and switching it to silent mode. “This is seriously creepy, Charlotte. Like, stalker-level creepy.”

“I know.” I grip the edge of the pedicure chair to steady myself. “The way he said ‘word gets around’ and ‘the street has eyes’... it sounded almost threatening.”

“Because it was threatening.” Sarah’s protective fury is both comforting and alarming. “You need to tell Koda about this. Like, immediately.”

“He’ll lose his mind. You know how he gets when it comes to Adrian.”

“Good. He should lose his mind. This isn’t normal behavior.”

The technician working on my feet has been pretending not to listen, but I can see the concern in her eyes as she glances up at me.

“Is everything alright, miss?” she asks gently.

“Yes, thank you.” I force a smile I don’t feel. “Just some unwanted attention from someone who can’t take a hint.”

She nods knowingly. “I have a cousin who had similar problems. She had to get a restraining order. Sometimes these men, they don’t understand no means no.”

Her words hang in the air between us, and I exchange a loaded glance with Sarah.

Is that where this is headed? The idea seems extreme, but then again, so is Adrian somehow finding out about my pregnancy and calling to “congratulate” me.

Sarah and I finish our pedicures in relative silence, both of us lost in our own thoughts. When we move on to manicures, I try to recapture the earlier excitement about tonight, but Adrian’s call has left a shadow over everything.

“Don’t let him ruin this,” Sarah says quietly, as if reading my mind. “Koda has something special planned. You deserve to enjoy it without that creep in your head.”

Two hours later, we’re walking back to the parking lot, our nails perfectly polished and our skin glowing from the treatments. The mountain air is crisp and clean.

“Thank you for coming with me,” I tell Sarah as we reach our cars. “I needed this. Even with... you know.”

“Anytime.” She hugs me carefully, mindful of our freshly manicured hands. “Have fun tonight.”

“I will,” I promise, meaning it. Tonight is about Koda and me, not about Adrian’s creepy phone calls.

The drive back to the cabin passes in a blur of mountain scenery and nervous anticipation. When I pull into our driveway, Koda’s truck is still gone. Good. I need time to transform myself into whatever fantasy he’s envisioning for tonight.

I take my time in the shower, using my most expensive body wash and taking extra care with shaving every inch of my legs. The hot water relaxes my muscles and washes away the last of my tension from Adrian’s call.

After blow-drying my hair into soft waves that cascade over my shoulders, I apply my makeup with extra attention to detail. Smoky eyes that make the blue in them pop, perfectly winged eyeliner, and deep red lipstick that makes me feel powerful and seductive.

The dress slides over my curves like it was made for me, the wrap style accommodating my small bump while emphasizing my breasts and hips. The fabric clings in all the right places, making me feel goddess-like. The Louboutin heels add four inches to my height and transform my walk into something sultry and confident.

I’m admiring my reflection in our full-length mirror when I hear Koda’s truck in the driveway. My heart starts racing, butterflies erupting in my stomach as his heavy footsteps approach the front door.

“Charlotte?” His deep voice carries through the cabin.

“In the bedroom,” I call back, positioning myself so I’m facing the door when he enters.

Koda appears in the doorway and stops dead.

His dark eyes travel slowly from my heels up the length of my body, taking in every detail of the dress, my hair, my makeup. The look on his face makes me feel like the most desirable woman alive.

“Goddamn, baby.” His voice is a rough exhale. “You look so fucking sexy.”