Wild Hearts (Forever Wild) (2 page)

“Don’t try laying your southern charm on me and act like that’s going to make everything better.”

He sighed. “Okay, Valerie
. Whatever you say.”

I arched an eyebrow, looking up at him. “Did you seriously just sigh?”

“What?” He furrowed his brows and made a lemon face. “No.”

I wiggled out of his arm. “You totally did just sigh. What the hell, Wes? Am I already that big of a bitch?”

He shook his head. “No, you’re just a woman who knows what she wants and it’s hard to convince you otherwise, so it’s better just to give in, I figure.”

I looked at my shoes instead of up at Wes. “Am I really that bad?”

He tilted my chin up, forcing me to meet his stare. “You aren’t bad at all, darlin’. There is nothing wrong with a woman that knows what she wants and goes out to get it.”

He licked his lips and I wanted to
kiss them. I couldn’t think about that. I couldn’t keep falling for this guy. He was just a mistake that I made after a drunken night in Vegas. Not a long-time commitment. At least I had to keep telling myself that.

I pulled out my phone and sent a text to m
y roommate, Paige, as we got to the baggage claim. Paige didn’t like to wait for anyone, but thank God she agreed to pick us up and our plane was on time. I briefly told her that someone was coming back with me, but didn’t really get to fill her in on the whole accidental husband thing. Shit was going to hit the fan either way and I couldn’t figure out how to soften the blow.

“Hey, let me get that,” Wes said as he swiftly grabbed my red suitcase off the carousel and placed it on the ground in front of him.

“I can take that.” I put my hand on the handle of my suitcase and then he put his on top of mine. The warm sensation of our hands touching caused a fire to light deep inside of me. Not in my panties like it usually did; this was different. This was a spark. A spark of actual affection.

H
is eyes flitted to mine with that lazy grin on his face. He rubbed his thumb along the bridge of my knuckles. People pushed past us. Announcements went on overhead. All the buzz of the airport went on around us, but in that moment all I could think about was him.

I swallowed hard and pried my eyes away from his. Even though I didn’t want to. E
ven though I could have stared into his eyes forever.

“I can carry my own suitcase,” I muttered, looking at my feet.

He took the handle and lifted it as if it were lighter than air. “Yeah and so can I.”

“If you insist
...”

God
, why was I being such a pansy? I was always the take-charge chick, but Wes sparked something in me that had me reverted back to an awkward middle school girl. I had to buck it up soon or else I could be a goner forever.

“So where is this roommate of yours picking us up at?”

I kept my head down, willing myself not to look at Wes. If I did I would make eye contact and my heart would do another somersault. This couldn’t be good.

“She’s picking us up in the cell phone lot by Zemke, so we have to take the shuttle.”

“Lead the way, darlin’.”

I still couldn’t look at him. The past few days his arm was always around me and without
it there it felt like something was missing. How could a guy I married by mistake have such an effect on me?

My roommate
Paige’s car was parked exactly where she said it would be. I sucked in a deep breath when I saw the North Shore princess’s pearl Cadillac CTS. A graduation gift from her dad. I don’t think my dad even sent me a card.

“Keep in mind, Paige doesn’t know all of the details of what happened in Vegas and she’s not exactly the friendliest person in the world.” I tried to think of the right words to describe my roommate and sorority sister, but those were the best ones I could think of. I loved Paige like a real sister, but if she didn’t like someone, they knew it.

“I’m sure I can win her over,” Wes said, drawling it out.

I let out a deep breath. “Here’s to hoping she at least tries to be nice.”

“Hey, Paige.” I opened the passenger side door to see my roommate scowling at me. Her dark black hair was pulled into a tight ponytail and her thin eyebrows on her olive face always made it look like she was surprised. This time it wasn’t a good surprise.

“I can’t believe you’
re bringing some random hook-up from Vegas home with us.”

“I’m sorry. I’ll explain everything
, and we’re meeting with a lawyer tomorrow. Just pop the trunk so he can put our bags in there.”

Wes went around back to put our bags in t
he trunk, so I climbed in the passenger seat. As soon as I got in Paige whipped her head around to face me. “Lawyer? What the fuck?”

Wes got
into the backseat with a big grin on his face. “Nice to meet you, Paige.”

Paige did a double take, looki
ng from me and back to Wes. Then finally her eyes widened with recognition. “Oh fuck, did you get drunk and marry a stripper in Vegas?”

“What? How the hell could you know that without me telling you?”

Paige rolled her eyes and put the car into drive. “Please, Val, I’m not an idiot. The guy is way too damn built to be anything other than a personal trainer or a stripper. When you said you were bringing a guy home with you, I didn’t think it was going to be that cliché, but you proved me wrong.”

“Damn, darlin’
, she really is a bitch.” Wes laughed.

Paige whipped her head around so fast I swear she got whiplash. “What the fuck did you just say to me?”

“Paige, be nice. He’s going to be around at least until everything is finalized.” I put my hand on her arm and she flinched. She wasn’t the type of girl that backed down easy.

She gritted her teeth. “Fine, but if he crosses the line again I’m throwing his ass out. Husband by mistake or not.”

“Fair enough,” I said and glanced at Wes.

He put his hands up. “I’ll try and behave.”

Paige pulled into her parking spot in front of our apar
tment building. It was a three-story brownstone in the heart of Wrigleyville. Not the most ideal location, but I didn’t make much money and Paige’s dad paid her rent.

“This isn’t a bad place, Val.
” Wes got out of the backseat, his eyes scanning the grounds of our apartment complex. There was a black, wrought-iron fence that closed off the beautifully manicured courtyard and a cobblestone path led up to the main door.

I went to grab my suitcase out of the trunk bu
t Wes was quicker, snatching my suitcase as well as his bag and guitar case. I didn’t protest this time and instead my face heated up just thinking how well he did the southern gentleman thing.

“Are you two having a freaking moment or something?” Paige huffed.

I cleared my throat and tucked a piece of hair behind my ear. “Just getting our bags.”

Wes closed the trunk and followed us down the path to the main doorway. We were on the first floor and there were only four other units on that floor. Paige opened the door and we followed her in to our tiny apartment.

I didn’t immediately love the place when we moved in. I always had this big dream of being the curvier Carrie Bradshaw and having some amazing apartment in River North, but then reality set in when I saw how much rent would be in that area. Luckily Paige needed a roommate and was willing to take me in. I got along with her well enough and we had our definite moments of girl fighting.

Paige dropped her purse on the couch next to her
black cat, Dexter, who was sunning himself in the light from the bay window. The small living room opened up to our even smaller kitchen with outdated, white appliances and light wood cabinets, so it only took a few steps for Paige to walk over to the fridge and grab a bottle of water. “So what happens now? This dude just hangs out here until you pay for a divorce and send him back to Vegas?”

I sighed, plopping down on t
he worn-out recliner that faced the TV. “Layla helped me set up a meeting with a lawyer tomorrow, so we’ll see what happens.”

Wes sauntered toward me but then stopped at the couch. “Hey
, little fella.” He bent over, his hand hovering above Dexter.

“I wouldn’
t do that, cowboy. Dex doesn’t like to be touched,” Paige warned before taking a swig of her water.

Wes didn’t listen and instead sat next to Dexter and scratched behind his ears. Whenever I tried that with Dexter he would usually grab my hand and then bite it. But the little brat actually purr
ed when Wes touched him. Closed his eyes in an all-out, deep purr.

Y
eah. The guy had the same effect on me too.

“Is this seriously happening right now?” Paige stomped into the room, wide-eyed.

Wes looked over at us with a big grin on his face. “Should I not be touching the cat?”

I shook my head and
stood. “No, it’s fine. Dexter just doesn’t usually like people.”

“I seem to have this effect on cat
s.” The grin spread wider on his face while a flame of heat creeped up my neck.

“Ew. A pussy
joke? Please don’t tell me this is going to be just all about you two screwing like rabbits. It’s bad enough when that douche Max tries to stroll in for a quick lay at 2 AM.” Paige rolled her eyes.

“Max?” Wes raised an eyebrow.

“Don’t worry, cowboy, he’s just her fuck buddy. He only texts or shows up when he wants sex,” Paige said, quickly picking up Dexter and cradling him in her arms like a baby.

I clenched my jaw. I wasn’t expecting Paige to bring up Max, especially not so soon.
He hadn’t even texted me in a week, so he might have been over me. Then again, he really did only text me when he wanted to get together. By get together, I mean fuck.

“Why don’t I show you
our room?” I asked, quickly changing the subject.

“You two are sharing a room?” Paige asked.

I shrugged. “We are technically married.” I turned my attention to Wes. “Unless you’d rather sleep on the couch or something.”

He stood up, taking slow methodical steps over to me. “I’d love to share a room with you.”

Paige rolled her eyes and walked toward her bedroom. “You two newlyweds make me want to puke.”

Wes grinned. “She really is a sweetheart.”

I sighed. “I know. She really is a cool chick once you get to know her. If you stay that long.”

He opened his mouth slightly and then shut it, his shoulders slumping as if he was going to say something but decided not to. I wanted to know what
he almost said but at the same time I was afraid I wouldn’t like it. I had to get over him. The guy who sang songs for me and did my dry cleaning was just a husband by mistake. Not my forever.

“So you want to see our room then?” I asked.

“Of course, darlin’.”

My shoes squeaked on the hardwood floor as I walked through the living room, past our one tiny bathroom
, and opened the first door. “Bathroom is to the right and Paige’s room is to the left.”

“Hopefully I remember that when I need to take a piss in the middle of the night,” he said with a laugh as I opened the door
to my bedroom.

My room wasn’t anything special. Paige actually complained that our rooms were the size of her closet at her parents. But it was mine. I didn’t have to worry about my mom down the
hall or anything else. My queen-size bed took up most of the room with a black-and-white chevron comforter made on top of it. I had a few turquoise throw pillows stacked up at the top which I figured made up for the fact that my black, upholstered headboard looked more like a kindergarten art project than the Pinterest picture I based it off of.

Wes walked in slowly, his
boots clicking on the hardwood floor before he placed his duffle bag between the register heater and my closet. “It’s nice in here,” he said, looking up at the glow-in-the-dark stars on my ceiling. A professor and his daughter lived in the apartment before us. For the life of me I couldn’t get the stupid stars off the ceiling no matter how hard I tried.

I leaned against my white dresser. “It’s okay, I guess. It’s a place to sleep.”

“Am I sleeping in here with you?” His eyes locked on mine and my breath caught in my throat. How was I ever going to divorce this guy?

I swallowed hard, standing up straighter and rattling some of the pictures on my dresser. “Um, you can if you want. Or you can sleep on the couch. Whatever you want to do.”

A broad grin crossed his face before he pounced on the bed then rolled over so he was lying flat on his back with a smile still on his face. He looked up at me, reaching his hand out. “Come here, babe.”

“Why?” I raised a skeptical eyebrow.

He grabbed my hand, pulling me forward until I fell on the bed next to him with a little gasp. Wes wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me closer against him before he nuzzled my neck. “I just wanted to see if we both fit on here comfortably and I think we do just fine.”