Page 26 of Aperture

We’ve got a cart full of things for my new dog to eat, play with, and lay on when I hear my phone chirp.

Theo: Hi. Wanna get together later?

I smile to myself. I’d love to see Theo, but I was planning on trying to talk to Wyatt later. I think I owe it to all three of us to get my head straight about this.

Millie: Hi back! I can’t tonight but I’d love to see you tomorrow if you’re free?

I wait several minutes for a response as I check out at the pet store. I hope he’s not upset that I can’t see him tonight. I finally hear back almost an hour later when I’m home.

Theo: Tomorrow is good. I’ll text you in the morning.

Subtext is impossible to decipher through texting, but I can’t help but feel that he is disappointed or upset.

Millie: Can’t wait.

When nothing arrives from Theo for the next hour I decide it’s time to reach out to Wyatt.

He answers on the third ring.

“Hello?”

“Hi, Wyatt. It’s Millie.” I can hear him chuckle over the line.

“I know. My phone said MILLIE when you called.”

“Oh, not just ‘RANDOM GIRL FROM THE PHOTO SHOP’?” I joke. “Do I at least have a peach emoji after my name?”

“I’m a gentleman,” he says. “But yes you do. Along with the cherry emoji and 5 stars.”

I laugh and shake my head. “I was wondering if you could come over tonight?”

His tone suddenly gets serious, “Is everything OK?”

“Yes, fine. I just…” The phrase ‘wanted to see you naked’ pops into my brain. Damnit!

“No more weird noises outside?” He cuts me off, and I sigh with relief that I didn’t say my thoughts out loud.

“No, not at all. I just wanted to talk a bit,” I regain my composure.

“OK. I’m just finishing up at the gym. Why don’t I pick you up, and we can go for a drive?” I love that idea. “That sounds awesome,” I say.

“See you in 30 minutes?” he asks.

“Sounds good.”

“Bye, Millie,”

“Bye.”

Wyatt arrives thirty minutes later in his black Mustang, AKA the Sex God car. As soon as I hear him pull up, I feel flurries in my chest and stomach. The man makes me nervous in the best possible way. It’s time to find out what he thinks about me.

Milo trots over to the door when he knocks but doesn’t bark. I open the door and try not to let my jaw drag on the ground. Wyatt is wearing gray sweats and a black hoodie. His hair is wet like he just got out of the shower, and he has a baseball cap on backward.

My first thought is that he read my diary when he was here last and came across a non-existent entry entitled “Millie’s Wet Dream,” because he’s nailed it. I manage to pull it together long enough to take a step backward and invite him in. When he walks in, so does the most heavenly scent of body wash, shampoo, and Wyatt.

I can’t help but compare it to Theo. He smells great as well, but it’s spicier somehow. Wyatt smells masculine, musky, and warm. Where Theo is tequila, Wyatt is aged, smooth bourbon. He greets me with a friendly kiss on the cheek and then reaches down to pet Milo.

“Milo, my man. What’s up?”