Page 144 of One Wild Wish

“Blind leading the blind.”

“As long as I’m with you, don’t really care.”

“You’re heavy, cowboy.”

“Shit.” He pushed up and pulled out. His hair was sex-strewn, mine likely as tousled. We grinned at each other. “That was insane, and I’ll be right back.”

He disappeared out his door, and I starfished on the bed, enjoying the afterglow. My body felt well-used and languid, a light tingly sensation still fluttering through my belly. My heart had also grown. It was engorged, inflated with Owen, Owen, Owen .

I imagined us cuddled on his couch while we fought over the remote, his sink crammed with my toiletries, our coats hanging side by side in his entryway.

I imagined a future with him.

I hadn’t let myself think beyond sex with a man since Brandon. That kind of hurt hadn’t been worth the risk.

Even now, the possibility of getting in deeper with Owen only to lose him to some awful deceit lingered. Time would ease this nagging doubt, the fear that he would hurt me. It also wasn’t the worst idea to lower the intensity a notch. Wait for my overthinking brain to settle. I still planned to enjoy our budding relationship, but a bit of space would do me good, calm my mind. I began gathering my clothes.

I heard Owen before I saw him. “Not sure if you like classics, but we could watch a movie. Or I could watch you while you tear apart the rest of my apartment. We could find a breakfast place tomorrow.” He walked in as I finished dressing. He frowned when I stepped into my sandals.

“Actually, I think I’ll head home. That was amazing. You’re amazing. But I need to take this slower than I realized, if that’s cool with you.”

His gaze darted to the jar of glass by his bed, tension tightening his features. “Yeah. Sure. I get it.” But he rubbed the back of his neck in agitated strokes.

He pulled on his boxers, covering up all the perfection I could have spent the evening exploring, but this was better. This was what I needed. This would allow me to get used to the idea of Boyfriend Owen, so I wouldn’t pull another stalker move and ransack his place like a complete kook. In time, I’d get over my past and trust him not to break my heart.

15

Thirteen letters for the internal pressure that causes tubing to fail.

Or how your chest feels when your girlfriend learns your lie from someone else.

B U R S T P R E S S U R E

Owen

Like a pirate nearing a treasure chest, I approached the lumberyard I’d visited a handful of times, greedily eyeing the stacks of reclaimed wood—mountains of maple and walnut and black ash. Trees salvaged from people’s yards to be repurposed into functional furniture or decorative art.

My Mecca.

The owner, Ellen, waved to me, her Rottweiler trotting at her side. “You’re becoming a regular.”

“It’s the woodchip fumes. Gets me high.”

“If that were the case, I’d be rich by now.” She nodded toward the large barn flanking the property. “Another piece of tiger maple came out of the kiln today. She’s a beauty.”

“Is that so?”

“Thought of you the second I saw her. Actually wanted to pick your brain about something.” Ellen wore heavy work boots and a tattered plaid button-down over loose jeans, her dark hair shoved into a messy ponytail. Her dog, Birch, loped away and nosed at a stick on the ground. The incessant grind of a wood planer whirred, kicking dust into the chilly air.

I loved the lack of pretension here. “Shoot.”

“The way people are salivating for all things recycled, reclaimed wood is hot. I figured it was a good time to add a retail component to my business.”

“Sounds smart.”

“Yeah, but I’m not what you’d call artistic. I’ve been chatting with some clients, sussing out who’d be interested in selling pieces here. I have ins with a few designers looking for one-off stuff. Nothing factory made. You have a good eye for the nice pieces that come through. I’d have to see your work, make sure it fits with my vision, but I thought I’d check if you’re interested.”

If I was interested? I was practically frothing to convince her I was the man for the job. It would mean doing what I loved for a living, using my hands and mind to fashion beauty from nature. “Very interested. What would you need from me, besides seeing samples?”