Page 66 of Drive Me Wild
“Nope.” The door shuts with a softthump,and she makes her way over to me. Situating herself on the oversized gray couch, she says, “He’s playing poker with Lucas.”
“And Poppy?”
As if on cue, Ella’s friend waltzes out of the bathroom. She’s visiting from New York and, let’s just say, she’s made the paddock her own personal dating service. I’ve concluded that her theme song is “Man Eater” since the power Poppy has over the opposite sex is impressive. Men have willingly gone back to her apartment after dates—fully knowing they’re not getting any action—just to change her smoke detector batteries or fix her washing machine. Considering she eats men for breakfast, heropinion on my current predicament may be helpful. Or hurtful. That’s up in the air.
I draw in a deep, audible breath.Here goes nothing.
“I’ve been sleeping with Theo. And yes, the Theo I’m talking about is Theo Walker. The same Theo Walker who had a debate with an ESPN reporter on why using conditioner before shampoo better moisturizes your hair. And he just told me that he wants to give things a real shot, and I didn’t know what to say. I can’t just make a snap decision about a relationship like that, you know? This isn’t like deciding if I want one or two scoops of ice cream. Do I want to be with him? Yes, of course. He’s my best friend. But this year was supposed to be about doing things for myself, not getting into another relationship. So, now I have no clue what I’m supposed to do about any of this, and I need your help.”
The minute I’m done speaking, I bury my head into Champ’s scruffy neck, feeling exposed and on display. I abhor confrontation and Theo put me in the spotlight in the worst way possible. Hence why I asked for a minute to breathe, although that led him going off on me.
Poppy claps her hands together. “Told you so! Pay up.”
I glance up to find her auburn eyes narrowing at Ella expectantly. Ella’s completely oblivious to her friend. Instead, she gapes at me in dawning astonishment before tossing a throw pillow in my direction. It smacks me in the head before landing softly at my side. Champ leaps onto it before turning in a few circles and curling up into a ball.Such a little tater tot.
Ella tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. “What the hell! Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Oh c’mon, El,” Poppy cuts in. “You’re the world’s worst secret-keeper.”
“Am not! I’m just not a good liar.Verybig difference.” Ella grabs another pillow and throws it at Poppy before swiveling herhead to me again. “You know I wouldn’t have told anyone, right? Not even Blake.”
“Yes, yes, I know,” I reassure her. “I was trying to figure things out on my own. Us out. How I felt. Feel.”
Ella’s rarely at a loss for words, but she continues to stare at me with a slack jaw and wide eyes.Lovely. Not exactly the support I need right now. Poppy pours us each a glass of wine to ease the confused tension in the room. The liquid reaches the rim, threatening to spill over if the glasses are disturbed.
“Since your news seems to have broken Ella,” Poppy says with a pointed eye roll, “I’ll take over. Is Theo the only guy you’re sleeping with?”
I nod. “Yes.”
A simple look from Theo and my pulse skyrockets. He has complete control over my body and all it takes is a sweet smile, a lingering kiss, or a caress of the arm. He’s ruined all other men for me and the wanker knows it.
She crosses her long legs like she’s conducting an important interview. “Are you going on dates with other people?”
“Um… no.”
Poppy sighs. “You have to have a roster, Josie. That way, you don’t catch feelings for anyone.”
“That sounds complicated,” I admit. “What if two of them have the same name and you accidentally text one instead of the other?”
“I don’t save anyone’s number unless they’ve made me orgasm at least five times total.” Poppy shrugs as if this should be a well-documented fact. “Do you guys text all the time or just when making plans?”
“The former,” I squeak out faintly. If I’m not with Theo, I’m either on the phone with him, texting him, or most likely thinking about him.
“Okay.” Poppy nods slowly. “And if you—or he—found out the other person was sleeping with someone else, what would happen?”
The mere thought ofanyonetouching Theo the way I have—the way Ido—makes my stomach churn. I’m not a particularly jealous person, but I’d ask Kelsey for private lessons if it meant keeping the Insta-models at bay.
My silence to her question is answer enough.
She slowly claps her hands together and smiles widely. “Well, congrats! There’s no need for you to freak out.”
“No?”
She shakes her head, her raven-dark hair brushing against her shoulders. “Nope. The decision’s already made. Theo’s your boyfriend.”
Her words send a flutter of warmth to the pit of my stomach.Shit.I groan loudly into Champ’s scruffy neck. This is theonething that wasn’t supposed to happen. Under any circumstances. Whatsoever. How do you figure out who you are when you’re tied up in a relationship? “Why do I suck at being single?”
Ella interrupts my pity party. “Before you spiral, keep in mind that you can’t compare Theo to any of your exes or previous relationships.”
