The Simple Wild (Wild 1)

“Yeah, I guess so.” I sigh heavily as reality drifts back in. Smoothing my hand over Jonah’s wrist, I turn it to check his watch. “I guess you have to go back to Wild now?” It’s been a couple of hours since he found me curled up in the shower. I was sure he’d have left by now, but I’m so thankful that he hasn’t.

“I don’t want to,” he admits somberly. “Ten years working there and this is the first day I want nothing to do with planes and people. But I should check in with all the guys. They’re probably wondering why Wren hasn’t called yet.”

“Are you gonna tell them?”

“We all know Wren’s not gonna jump on the phone and do it. Some of them have already heard, I’m sure. But, yeah, it’s better they hear it from me than Maxine or one of their passengers. Plus I can’t leave everything to Agnes to handle, not when she has Mabel to deal with, too.” He sighs. “That poor kid. Wren’s like a father to her. This is gonna absolutely destroy her.”

I’ve been so focused on my own pain, I haven’t given much thought to her. Now that I do, I note that there’s no flare of jealousy behind his words, no spark of envy. Only sympathy. “I’ll come with you. Just let me grab my phone from the house.” I plugged it in when I got home from the hospital and left it there, having no desire to talk to anyone from back home.

I make to slide off, but warm, strong hands settle onto either side of my backside, trapping me in place. Jonah’s gaze drifts downward over the fitted “But first, Coffee” T-shirt that Diana had made for me, to where my thighs meet his. He opens his mouth, but then seems to change his mind about whatever he was going to say. Steely blue eyes lift to meet mine.

“What?” I ask softly, smoothing my palms over either side of his jaw again. I can’t get enough of the feel of his beard against my palms. That comment Diana made about how having me shave Aaron’s face was too intimate for her liking? I think I get it now.

Jonah pulls my body flush to his, until his hands are gripping my back tightly in an embrace and he’s buried his face in the crook of my neck, his hot breath skating over my skin, sending my blood racing.

I can feel the hard press of him between my thighs.

He wants me, but he doesn’t feel right asking.

Reaching up to cocoon his head within my arms, I roll my hips, letting him know that it’s more than okay.

The moment Jonah strolls into Wild’s lobby, he seems to shed the coat of reluctance he wore in the car ride over, my hand cradled in his.

“Working hard, Sonny?” he calls out in that booming, deep voice, startling the Alaska Native couple huddled in a far corner—the only passengers waiting in the lobby.

Sonny, who was leaning over the front desk chatting up Sharon, stiffens immediately. “I was just finishing up my break. I’m gonna get back out there. We’re almost done loading up for the last few runs,” Sonny babbles, already taking backward steps toward the exit.

Jonah drops a hand on his shoulder. “Sounds good. Tell Clark to come see me when he’s got a minute.”

“Will do.” Sonny bolts out the door.

“You are a horrible human being,” Sharon hisses with an accusatory tone.

Jonah throws his hands in the air. “What did I do?”

“Oh, come on. You know you’re intimidating.”

“I am not.” He turns to me. “Am I?”

“Sometimes,” I admit. “And obnoxious. And annoying . . .” And gentle and affectionate . . .

“Alright, alright.” He waves me off with a smirk.

Mabel is curled up in a chair next to Sharon, her head bowed as she plays a game on her phone.

Jonah pauses a moment to look down at her and his jaw tenses. “Hey, kiddo.” He ruffles her hair.

She looks up long enough to give him a sad

, shy smile, before ducking down again. Clearly not in the mood to talk, which is shocking for her. He leaves her be, disappearing into the office.

“I love your hair all up like that,” Sharon says, gesturing toward my messy topknot. Her green eyes are full of sympathy, even as she tries to play it off casually.

“Yeah, that’s called ‘Jonah hid my hair detangler and my vol­umizer and every other beauty product I own in the name of revenge.’ ” I’ll have to search his house later, when I care enough to. In the grand scheme of things, I’ve almost forgotten that I’ve been bare-faced for days. It’s been oddly liberating.

“That sounds like something he’d do,” she says with a soft chuckle, and then swallows. A pained expression fills her face. “We heard the news. I’m so sorry, Calla.”

Word does travel fast. I wonder how exactly it came out. Not that it matters, really. I steal a glance at Mabel, and Jonah’s words from earlier linger in my mind. The reality is that while he may be my dad, I have an entire life built back home that doesn’t include Wren Fletcher, that hasn’t for many years. Meanwhile, he’s everything to people around here. Standing in Wild, accepting Sharon’s condolences . . . It doesn’t feel right. I should be the one offering it.