Page 44 of Wild Thing
Brax turned and faced me.
“Dyl, if I’d listened to all of the opinions that were floating around when I wanted to buy Patch and Sons, I wouldn’t have put all of my life savings on the line," he said, bracing an arm on the shelf. "And you know what?”
“What?”
“I wouldn’t be rich as fuck now.”
We laughed. Talking so freely and vulnerably felt good. It felt natural. I hadn't had a genuine conversation like this in what felt like forever. It made me realize just how disconnected I was to Zack.
I felt my expression slowly change to one of sadness.
Brax raised his hand to my face, cupped my chin and tilted it towards him. “Whoever dimmed that spark in you doesn’t deserve you.”
I already felt guilty about flirting and hanging out with Brax. But each time Brax showed kindness or affection towards me, I edged a little closer to crossing the line.
I started to feel very, very sure that I wanted Brax. I knew my body wanted him, that much was obvious. And now that we were having these deep conversations, I knew I wanted him in other ways too.
I wanted to tell him everything about my life—how lonely and isolated I'd become—but I couldn’t. Instead, I slammed up my walls and turned away from him.
Brax released his hand from my chin. “If you want something bad enough, you’ll do what it takes to make it happen."
“And what if it doesn’t work?”
“Even if it doesn't work, you still win, Dyl. It takes guts to do something that frightens you. That sort of bravery will take you far.”
Feeling slightly emotional at his unwavering belief in me, I turned back towards him. I studied his facial features. His beautiful full lips, his structured jaw, and those eyes that were made in heaven, but could look like hell.
I decided to drop my walls. Just a little bit. “It's been a long time since anyone has believed in me,” I whispered. “All I hear from Zack are phrases like ‘Be realistic,’ and ‘In the real world.’ I haven't had much encouragement… or support.”
It felt weird mentioning Zack’s name to Brax.
A flash of anger flayed across his face.
“Zack, huh?” Brax looked as if he wanted to say more, but thought the better of it. “You know what those phrases will do to you, Dylan?”
My eyes were wide as I waited for the answer.
Brax turned away from me and faced the shelf, pretending to look at the tiles stacked up neatly against each other. “They’ll kill you over time."
His mood had definitely shifted. I knew bringing up Zack was a stupid idea. I felt like an idiot. I wanted to go back into the flirty bubble we'd been in just a few minutes ago.
“Are you okay?" I asked.
Brax continued to stare at the tiles, refusing to look at me. “It pisses me off hearing his name, but it fucking makes me rage knowing he doesn’t support or believe in you.”
My eyes stung, tears threatening to spill. Which took me by surprise as I wasn't a cryer.
Finally, Brax faced me and took a small step, closing the gap between us.
I stayed frozen to the floor as he gently lifted my chin up towards his face, his thumb grazing over my bottom lip.
My eyes closed as he dropped his voice. “I’m sad that the most confident, fiery woman I’ve ever met has let someone cloud her belief in what she’s capable of."
He moved his hand toward the side of my face, tucking a wispy flyaway behind my ear.
I stayed completely still, wishing he would just kiss me, right there in the tiling superstore, sandwiched between the ceramic and terrazzo tile samples.
I felt him lean in closer.
