Chapter 10
Ten
Bailey
T he last hour of my shifts ticks by as I reminisce about the dream I had last night. Knox going down on me was the hottest thing I’ve experienced since … I don’t even know when.
Zach was a prude and a dickhead, and our sex life was never particularly robust. He never wanted to experiment or try new things. He never wanted to do anything even remotely kinky. He just wanted plain old vanilla sex. I guess it’s really for the best we didn’t work out.
But … I think I need to get laid.
That dream left me so flustered. I woke up with soaked panties and a shortness of breath. It was like I had the damn orgasm. Who knows—Maybe I did.
My shift ends, but I don’t leave the store. Instead, I shop, picking up coffee, milk, eggs, and all of my usual things, plus a few things on sale. Then I turn down an aisle I never go down, the sheer volume of it feeling a tad overwhelming.
I scour the shelves. The bags come in all different colors and sizes, all bearing labels with ingredients and their supposed benefits. I stand there debating which to pick, finally settling for one that claims to have only whole ingredients and primarily beef .
I don’t know if a wolf will eat dog food, but I’m worried Wolfie hasn’t been eating or eating enough.
I buy the food and head home for the day. The bag of dog food sits in the passenger seat, a stark reminder of how much I may be losing it. “God, I think I’ve lost my mind,” I huff, glancing at the food, then back at the road. “Fuck. What is going on with me lately?”
I pull into my place, and there’s Wolfie. He’s sitting on the deck waiting for me, as he has been every night and morning since our first encounter. I grab the food and hop out, bending down to scratch behind his ear once I’m near.
“How was your day, boy? You were out here all day again, weren’t you?”
I love how he presses his head harder against my hand, his soft fur brushing between my fingers. He sits in the doorway as I head inside, watching me as I kick off my shoes and head to the kitchen. I find a bowl and fill it with food, bringing it out on the deck and setting it in front of him. “There you go. Do you want that? The bag says beef is the main ingredient, Wolfie. Might not be as good as the real thing, but it’s better than going hungry, right?”
He stares into the bowl for a moment before shoving his nose into the edge of it and pushing it back towards me. He paws at the kibbles, spilling some onto the deck as he whines loudly.
“You don’t want it?” I sigh. “Just what am I going to do with you, Wolfie? You can’t not eat because you spend all your time outside my place. Silly wolf.” His shoulders straighten and then slump again as if in some makeshift shrug.
But wolves don’t shrug … Do they?
I sit down in a deck chair and sigh. I’m out of ideas short of going into the woods and trying to hunt critters myself. But I’m no huntress, and the thought of killing anything brings a tear to my eye.
An idea hits me, and I smile. “You know what? Plan B, Wolfie.” I spring from my chair and dash inside the kitchen. I whip up a healthy dinner, skipping salt or any seasoning. I throw a bunch of steak strips, rice, and veggies onto two plates. Then I set one outside and wait, but Wolfie glances at it before continuing to stare at me.
“Alright, suit yourself then. I’m starving, so I’m eating.”
I no sooner finish my dinner than Wolfie’s nose is in his plate, scarfing down every last crumb and licking the dish clean.
“Did you seriously wait for me to finish before eating?” I ask with a laugh. “You’re a strange wolf.” I sigh deeply. “No stranger than me, I guess. I keep having these dreams about … a man. A gorgeous man.”
Wolfie’s ears perk up. His head cocks to the side as he looks at me. I feel silly telling a wolf all my problems and weird dreams, but it’s not like I have anyone else to talk to. Cassie is busy getting ready for her wedding. I can’t bombard her with my problems. And all our other friends are in long-term relationships and wouldn’t get it.
“I can’t stop thinking about him, Wolfie. I don’t know why. I just … feel so drawn to him. You probably think that’s ridiculous, being attached to some dream man. He’s not even real.”
Wolfie whines and paws the air. I don’t know what it is, but sometimes I swear he understands me and gets what I’m going through. It’s like he’s become my best friend in a certain sense, always there when I get home, always there to lend an ear while I vent about all the weird bullshit in my life.
I go collect his plate. I put all the dishes in the sink, leaving them for tomorrow. The day has felt long, and thinking back on the dream and my relationship with Zach has left me feeling worn out. I’ve sworn off men and dating, and for good reason. I need to focus on myself and work on healing from my shitty relationship with Zach.
And yet, I’m silently praying I dream about Knox again tonight.