The Simple Wild (Wild 1)

He smirks. “Unfortunate for whom?”

“For the people of Alaska. Thankfully I’ll be long gone by then.”

Jonah reaches up. I stiffen at the first sensation of his fingers fumbling with strands of my hair.

“What are you doing?” I ask warily, even as my body reacts to his subtle touch, shivers running down my arms and along my collarbone, skittering over my chest.

“I was just curious what your hair felt like. It’s soft.” He frowns thoughtfully. “And so long. It must have taken years to grow.”

“Not really. I’ve never had it short.”

“Never?”

Unease slips down my spine. “Never.”

“Hmm . . . I think it would look good short.” He coils his fist around it to form a ponytail at the back, his fingertips grazing the nape of my neck ever so gently. “Short like Aggie’s.”

“I don’t have the right shape of face.” I clear my throat against the wobble in my voice.

His intense gaze searches my forehead, my cheekbones, my jawline, as if evaluating my claim. “I’m sure you have enough makeup to fix that.”

“I know what you’re doing.”

With a light tug, he releases his grip on my hair. “And what am I doing?”

“Trying to scare me into thinking you’re going to get even by cutting off my hair.”

He mock-frowns. “What? Like, sneak into your bedroom while you’re asleep with a pair of scissors? I’d never do that. I’m not some sicko.”

“I did not sneak into your bedroom,” I snap. “And it’s not like I disfigured you. I helped you.”

“Helped me?” he repeats.

“Yes. Maybe now you have a shot at getting laid. As long as you don’t speak.”

The wicked smile he flashes makes my throat go dry. “Do you think I have problems in that department, Calla?”

“I mean with two-legged creatures.” You arrogant son of a bitch, you totally stood there and listened to my conversation. My comeback might have been piercing and quick, but it’s too late. He has a solid upper hand on me, because he knows as well as I do that, despite everything, last night’s vengeful grooming session has caused a totally unpredicted side effect.

I’m now unmistakeably attracted to the yeti.

God, this feels like the ninth grade all over again. Billy Taylor, the captain of the hockey team, found out I had a maddening crush on him. The feelings weren’t mutual—Keegan gently passed on the message—but my little-girl infatuation became a source for teasing from his friends, and I spent the entire school year ducking into classrooms and hiding behind taller students every time I spotted him in the halls.

That was the last time I ever let it slip that I might be interested in a guy before knowing that he was definitely interested in me.

And the major difference here is that Billy Taylor was a nice guy who never embarrassed me about it.

Jonah is not Billy Taylor.

“George said he saw you come in here.” Agnes’s sudden voice cuts into the tension. She rounds the table and wanders over to stand next to us. “You should have stayed home to rest.” As usual, Agnes’s scolding is weak, at best. I don’t know how she’s going to keep Mabel in line. Then again, how much trouble can a teenager get into around here, with no bars to frequent and alcohol difficult to find?

Still, her entrance feels like a timely rescue. “That’s exactly what I just finished saying to him,” I murmur, trying to regain some semblance of dignity.

“So . . . You’re trying out a new look there?” she asks mildly, the corners of her mouth twitching. I didn’t mention my transgression to her, but my father must have.

“Apparently,” Jonah finally says. “Calla decided she needed a change.”

“It suits you.” Agnes’s dark eyes flash to me and widen, the unspoken warning in them clear. Do you realize what kind of hell you’ve invited into your life, you foolish girl?