Living with Wolf is completely different than living with Levi. For one, Wolf isn't nearly as pleasant in the morning, and he lives up to his name when he snarls a "What's so great about mornings?" when I mumble a good morning to him on my way to the kitchen.
With a sigh of gusto, I brace myself for his prickly disposition as I open the fridge, scrutinize its contents, and then pull a strawberry yogurt out. Ever since the bombshell he dropped on me yesterday, we've been walking on eggshells with each other. And by that, I mean it's mostly me tiptoeing around him, and him crashing through the eggs with all the finesse of a bull in a china shop.
"Don't finish the milk!" he shouts from the bathroom a second before the door slams shut.
I wince. Yeah, mornings are definitely not his forte.
While peeling back the lid of the yogurt cup, I check my phone, scrolling through missed text messages and emails with a pinky. Apparently the text I fired off to Levi started a chain reaction; I also have messages from Graeme and Xander, both of whom express similar surprise at Wolf's rash decision.
And then there's Brett. I wince, reading her scalding litany of messages.
Brett: I couldn't believe it when Xander told me. Please say he's shitting me. 11:45 PM
Brett: So I texted Levi and he said he doesn't know anything more than Xander does. DO YOU NEED TO BE RESCUED? 11:56 PM
Brett: I SWEAR TO THOR AND CHOCOLATE THAT I WILL LAUNCH A ONE-WOMAN RESCUE MISSION. 11:57 PM
Brett: Where does he live? I'm coming over. 11:58 PM
Brett: Jesus Christ, Charlotte. Reply to me, woman! 11:59 PM
Brett: I'm going to bed. Text me. 12:50 AM
Brett: Are you awake? 12:52 AM
Brett: YOU BETTER NOT BE SLEEPING WITH HIM RIGHT NOW. 12:53 AM
Brett: Ok, I'm sleeping for real. <3 12:55 AM
Brett: I can't sleep :( 1:49 AM
Brett: I'm googling him. 1:50 AM
Brett: OMFG CHARLOTTE DID YOU KNOW HIS NET WORTH? 1:55 AM
Brett: He used to date Diana Carnegie? She's THAT Diana? 2:12 AM
Brett: Wake up. 2:13 AM
On cue, my phone starts ringing and after a glance at the Caller ID, I pick up. "Hi, B," I say with a resigned sigh. "I'm sorry about last night." My apology is rendered useless because she begins to screech the second I answer the phone.
"CHARLOTTE!" she exclaims, and my name is drawn out like I'm hearing it in slow motion. "Why didn't you pick up?" she continues furiously, but before I can answer, she's answering her own question. "You were with him," she decides, and I can picture the scowl that's bound to be on her face. "Wolf." She makes a rude noise in the back of her throat and I can hear her heavy breathing. "Well?"
"I was," I start to hedge, but she cuts me off.
"AHA!" Victorious, she crows. "I knew it." Then, with a tinge of judgment coloring her words, she asks, "Well, how was it?"
"Not like that!"
"Oh." Disappointment laces her words. "Then like what?"
"We just talked." There's silence on the other end. "Brett?"
"I'm here," she says. "Just...processing."
"Right." I spoon some yogurt into my mouth. "We can talk at work."
"I'm already there."
"This early?" I glance at the watch on my wrist. "But it's an hour before we open."
"Yeah, I couldn't sleep all night so I finally gave up. Wound up watching dumb infomercials all night and drinking merlot. Then I went to work."
"You better not be drunk," I start to warn, then sigh. "Whatever. Not like anyone's even coming in."
"Sure they are," Brett says. "And she'll be here in an hour, so get your ass here now."
Confused, I scrape some yogurt off the side of the plastic cup. "We don't have any scheduled appointments."
"What would you say," says Brett, "if I told you that Liza was coming in today?"
"I would say she's either very happy with Dash"âI bite my lipâ"or she's here to end our services."
There's a third option, I think, but not one I want to share with Brett right now. There's the very real risk that Liza's popping in to ask me what's going on with my supposed husband. As if today couldn't get any worse. I'm already bunking with Wolf and dealing with his weird male brand of PMS.
"Just get here now. She asked to see you specifically."
"You're my partner." I shovel in a couple more mouthfuls. "You deal with her."
"No way," Brett exclaims, vigorously repeating, "No, no, no, no."
"Brett," I try to wheedle, giving her my best pleading voice, but she's having none of it.
"Char, I told you when we started this that I didn't want to get up close and personal with any of these people," she informs me with a stern voice. "That was true years ago and it's still true now." Her voice lowers. "And Liza's weirder than most."
I can't really argue with that. "I'll be there. Can you get me a coffee?"
Brett barks out a laugh. "You just said I'm your partner, Char," she teases. "Not your coffee girl."
"You suck," I say, polishing off the last of the yogurt. "Love ya, bye."
I disconnect the call over her cackles and walk to the sink, rinsing off my spoon before dumping it in the dishwasher.
"Who was that?"
I turn to see Wolf standing there, toweling off his hair and looking less grumpy than he looked twenty minutes ago. He's dressed in an impeccable black suit and grey silk tie. Both bring out the cool grey of his eyes and I savor the sight for about a millisecond before I realize I'm ogling Wolf pretty obviously - and the last thing I want to do is stroke his ego any more than it's already been stroked.
"Just Brett," I say, tossing my trash into the waste bin under the sink.
"Oh." He looks relieved.
For a moment I wonder if he was jealous that I was talking to another guy?
"I've gotta go to work." A frown passes over my face before I can restrain myself. "It's Liza."
Wolf raises an eyebrow, lowering the towel. "Your batshit crazy client?"
I make a noise of agreement, glancing at my watch again out of nervous habit. "She probably wants to check up on me."
He's silent for a moment, which I take as a sign that he's uninterested in the conversation. After an uncomfortable pause in which neither of us speaks, I finally say, "Your milk's still there."
"Thanks." He moves towards the cupboard and pulls out a bowl and a value-size box of Cap'n Crunch cereal, prompting a grin from me. "What?" Baffled, he grabs the milk from the milk, and juggling all three, returns to the breakfast table.
"Nothing." I stand there, a stupid grin on my face. "I just didn't think the big bad CEO ate sugary kid's cereal for breakfast."
"Did no one ever tell you that sugar is a very important food group?" His lips quirk into a smirk.
"Must have missed that day in health class," I drawl. Then, it slams into me. I have to get going. "I'll see you, um, tonight?" It's weird how domestic this has become. Me, telling him I'll see him for dinner. Him, obliging me with a kiss on the forehead and a yes dear, have a good day at work.
He does neither of those things, just grunts as he shovels a dripping spoonful of cereal into his mouth. "See you."
I nod. I didn't expect anything else from him, to be honest. "Bye." I grab my purse and head for the door. Before I pass through it, I glance back. I don't know what I'm waiting for. Maybe something more than an impersonal "see ya". Maybe something that shows me that he actually cares about whether I'm here or not.
I take a deep breath. I'm already dressed. I already ate. I don't have to be at work for anotherâI check my watchâforty-five minutes.
Before my overthinking brain can advise me against it, I retrace my steps to the kitchen. He barely looks up when he sees me in his line of vision. "What's up?" Confusion lines his face. "Did you forget something?"
"I did."
My steps to him are swift and confident. He swallows as I approach, the look of bewilderment only increasing when I bend down so our noses are touching. My mouth is closed, but I can smell the sweetness of his breath, thanks to our friend the Cap'n. "Have a good day," I say against his lips.
Wolf's brow furrows in a perplexed frown. He looks so sweet like this. I can almost forgive him for thinking that he and I are the same. So I kiss him. And without a second's hesitation, he kisses me back.
It wasn't electrifying. It wasn't even that great, mostly because I'm bending over him at an awkward angle and he's probably taken aback and hoping he doesn't transfer a soggy piece of cereal into my mouth.
I guess I didn't expect the world to end or anything, but it's weird how the simple niceness of the kiss is actually better. My eyes had closed without me even noticing, and when he pulls away, they flutter open.
"Charlotte?" His eyes crinkle with shellshock and a faint trace of bemusement.
His throaty question almost makes me want to kiss him again, but I straighten my spine, offering him a lopsided grin instead. "That was me putting the ball back in your court." I straighten my paisley blouse and brush nonexistent lint from my black skinny jeans. "Do something about it."
And then I make my exit, feeling like a bold and brave heroine on a movie screen. There's something so satisfying about having the last word when it comes to Wolf, I muse as I close the door behind me.
My phone lights up in my hand and I flick my gaze to the screen, scowling and smiling in equal measure when I read the words.
Wolf: Have a good day, Charlotte. 8:25 AM
So much for my last word.
Author's Note: Hey everyone! I hope you love this chapter, just another cute moment of domesticity between Wolflotte. The question is, can it last? Guess we'll see! :)
I also have some exciting news to share! The first novel I started writing on Wattpad, Cinder and the Stone Man (Fantasy), has been featured! If a Young Adult Cinderella-retelling sounds like it may be up your alley, please go read it.
All your support for this story has been overwhelming and outstanding - thank you! Your continued support is so so so so appreciated. Please don't forget to vote and comment! Thank you :)