Page 97 of Drive Me Wild
We go back and forth, listing off feel-good songs until Josie dozes off, her warm breath hot against my chest. Even in a bed with low thread-count sheets and permanently dented pillows, I’ll sleep better than ever just because I’m with her.
That’s what Josie does. She makes everything better. Every cup of coffee and matcha latte tastes more delicious when I’m drinking it next to her. Every song sounds better when she’s singing it because it’s so completely her. Every story I tell is funnier when she lets one of her giggles loose. She makes the most mundane, everyday type of shit exciting. She’s the love of my life. And here, with her, is exactly where I belong.
THIRTY-SEVEN
JOSIE
I turnonto my side and reach out, only to find the other side of my bed empty. My muscles tighten as I momentarily wonder if last night was a dream. Did Theonotcome to Gemini’s opening party? The suddenbangandthumpof things falling in my bathroom reassures me that Theo is indeed here.
“Babe?” I call out. “You there?”
My words cause some sort of volcanic explosion, because that’s the only explanation for the subsequent noises that come from my bathroom.What in the bloody hell is that man doing?Before I can get out of bed to check that my makeup isn’t shattered on the floor, Theo comes waltzing out. Just like the first time we slept together, he’s completely naked and utterly happy about it. Unlike the first time we slept together, I can now study his gorgeous frame without an ounce of embarrassment. I’ve never met someone so comfortable in their natural form—not that I’m complaining.
He walks over, swinging his dick like a helicopter, and slips under the covers with me. “Morning, gorgeous.”
“Morning, handsome.” I snuggle against the hard warmth of his body. Muscular arms wrap around me, trying to pull me even closer. “Should I be scared to go into my bathroom?”
When he doesn’t answer right away, I nudge his rock-hard abs.
“I organized it,” he says quickly. “How’d you sleep? I slept like a rock. Well, a very rock-hard rock, if you know what I mean.”
The only part of that sentence I focus on is the word “organized.” This is what I get for sleeping in. Before I can demand an explanation and answers, he gives me a pout and says, “I even took before and after photos.”
I’m not sure if I should laugh or cry. “What’s wrong with how my things are organized, Theo? Please tell me you didn’t throw anything away.”
“For starters, none of the labels are facing the same way,” he says defensively. “How do you know what anything is? I only threw out expired medicines and face creams.”
I smack his arm. “Why’d you do that? You can use medicine for, like, two years after it expires, babes. Google it.”
“No, you can’t,” he groans. “And if you don’t properly shut your toothpaste, bacteria will spread and multiply.”
I shove my face into my pillow so I don’t say anything I regret. This is what happens when Theo is left unattended for too long.Chaos.
He presses a kiss against my forehead.Such a boyfriend move.“I’m just preparing you for when we eventually live together because your lack of organization isnotgoing to fly, princess.” Theo nuzzles his face into my neck. The rough feeling of his scruff against my skin tickles, and I squirm underneath him. “I’ll be the best roommate ever. I cook, I clean, I make you orgasm,andI watch all your shows with you.”
“You don’t stop chattering during my shows. It took us two hours to get through a thirty-minute sitcom because I kept having to rewind.”
He purses his lips in thought. “But it makes me more lovable.”
“It does. You’re very, very lovable.” I place a few kisses on his stubbled jaw. “Should we turn on the race?”
Theo’s started in almost one hundred and fifty Grand Prix. This morning marks the first one he’s missed in nearly eight years.
“Weird hearing you say that, eh?” Theo chuckles. “But nah, I’m okay. I’ve had my fill of Formula 1 this morning. Finalized the details of my contract.”
Ah. That explains why he was up early enough to organize my entire bathroom.
“Everything’s sorted now?”
He nods with a satisfied smirk. “Yep. You’re looking at AlphaVite’s newest driver.”
The noise that comes out of my mouth is half actress-being-scared-in-a-horror-movie and half actress-being-surprised-in-a-cute-way-in-a-romcom. Theo waits as I bombard him with question after question, not giving him any time to answer one before jumping to the next.
“Slow down, baby.” Theo kisses my forehead again. “Yes, I’m happy with my decision. Yes, McAllister is about to go through a PR nightmare. Yes, I’m taking a pay cut, but I’ll still be able to buy you unlimited ice cream, so don’t worry. And yes, it was completely my decision. It’s what I want. AlphaVite is an opportunity for growth and new challenges. And even with the clauses in my McAllister contract gone… well, fuck them. I’m petty.”
My petty, perfect man.
I leap out of bed and rummage through my closet until I find what I’m looking for. It’s buried beneath the rest of my F1 attire, which is mostly McAllister shirts and hats, but it’s relatively easy to spot, considering it’s the only blue item in a sea of red.
