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That was not something I’d expected him to ask me, but then I had gone out of my way to try and get Wilder’s attention for months.A few times, we’d had a moment.At least, I liked to think so.The kind where you believed things would change, but they never did.Did he think I flirted with all guys?Or that I was cheating on Wells?
“Why?”I replied.“Why ask me that?”
Wilder didn’t put the truck in drive, but slowly looked back at me.As if he’d rather be anywhere else.That stung.The intense, burning kind that left a painful memory.As if I didn’t have enough of those already.
“How long have you been waiting on him?”Wilder asked me.
I frowned.“Uh, a little over thirty minutes.”
Wilder scowled then, and a darkness in his expression scared and excited me at the same time.“It’s almost dark.”
I nodded.I was aware of that.
“Did you not have someone else to call?”
The accusatory snarl in his voice snapped me out of my Wilder haze, and my back stiffened.If he hadn’t wanted to come get me, then why had he?I could have walked.
Reaching for the buckle on my seat belt, I released it.I would rather walk than be a hardship for Wilder Jones.
“What are you doing?”he asked.
“Getting out.I didn’t ask you to come get me.I’m sorry to have caused you any trouble or put a strain on your plans.I can get home myself.”
I didn’t look at him, for fear I would burst into tears.Having no one to depend on was something I should be accustomed to, but unfortunately, that was a woe that never went away.No matter how immune I should be by now.
“Oakley, wait.”Wilder’s hand wrapped around my upper arm.“I didn’t ask you because I hadn’t wanted to come get you.”
A small twinge of hope stirred in me even though I knew better than to let that happen.
I glanced back at him.“It sure sounded like it,” I pointed out.
He sighed.“Yeah, it did.That came out wrong.I’m just … I got here, and it’s almost fucking dark, and you were all alone, sitting there.It’s not safe.If I hadn’t seen Wells’s missed text messages, you’d still be here.It pisses me off that no one thought to come get you.”
Oh.That was … nice.He had been worried about me.My chest felt warm.Was this what having someone care about you felt like?If so, I had been missing out on more than I’d realized.
“If I hadn’t come, what would you have done?”he asked me.
I shrugged.“Walk.”
His frown deepened.“How far away is that?Like, ten miles?”
“Seven.”
His grip on my arm tightened.“Have you had to walk that before?”
I nodded my head.More times than I wanted to admit.
“Fuck,” he swore, still holding on to me as if I was about to bolt from his truck, which couldn’t be further from the truth.
I might climb up into his lap, but that would be the only move I’d make.
“Wells didn’t send you to get me?”I asked him, wanting to clarify what I thought he was saying about seeing my texts to Wells.
A fierceness darkened his face.“No.He was busy.”
I didn’t reply because, honestly, I didn’t care.Wilder was here.This was better than anything else.
“Oakley, you’re too good for him.I know he’s my cousin, but … he’s not faithful to you.”
