Page 7 of Wild Thing
Was that what I was longing for though, really? True love?
My thoughts were scrambled. Everyone always told me I was a fussy person; with food, music, relationships and lovers. But was that a bad thing? Didn’t I just know what I wanted?
The brutal truth was I wasn’t in love with Zack. He was nice, in a golden retriever way.
But I'd never been a dog person.
The energy I craved? Something wild. Territorial. Protective. Someone who would get his knuckles bloody and scorch the earth if anybody wronged me.
I wasn’t going to get that with Zack.
But I knew that type of man existed, because I'd had him once. And I'd walked away from him and regretted it ever since.
“If you could live your life again, what would you do?” I asked the stranger. Thinking about what could have been was a joy killer, but I had to know what this woman would have done if she'd had her time again.
“Are you familiar with the saying ‘once you’ve tasted fire, you crave it, no matter how badly it burns your tongue’?”
Shaking my head, I wasn’t familiar, but I fucking loved it.
“Well, I’d go and find that fire. And let it burn me to ash.”
I felt a smile dance across my lips. It was poetic in a medieval, dramatic way. Thatwaswhat I wanted, I realized: a love that set me on fire, and burned me from the inside out, forever and ever until my last breath.
The hum from the aircraft's engines had given me a slight headache. Honestly, though? It was probably the pre-midday vino that was making my head throb.
I wasn't a religious person, but as the plane touched down, I sent a silent prayer of thanks to all of the gods for the safe arrival. I retrieved my phone from the depths of my bag and immediately switched it off airplane mode. I opened my messages and hesitated, my thumb hovering over the keyboard.
I sensed the lady lean towards me.
“Make him wait a little longer sweetheart," she said, grinning.
She was right. Zack could wait a little longer.
With a sigh, I tucked my phone away, and leaned back in my seat, returning my attention to the gloomy scene outside. Now that we’d landed, I could see just how bad the weather was. Despite it being the middle of the day, the sky was shrouded in darkness, the rain a heavy downpour. It seemed to have worsened since our descent. I was secretly thrilled about the weather now that I was safely on the ground. I'd always considered myself a midnight girl in a sunshine world.
“I know you haven’t asked for this, but can I impart a slice of wisdom on you?”
“Sure.”
“Don’t settle for a love that doesn’t engulf you,” she reached over and patted me on the leg. “Forever is a long time to make small talk.”
As the plane pulled into the terminal, the seat belt sign switched off. People frantically stood up around us, jostling for the overhead luggage compartment. I watched them with a mixture of amusement and disgust.
Impulsive, impatient humans.
I wondered why I wasn't standing up too considering I was both of those things.
I need a sign,I silently begged the universe. This couldn’t be it. Could it?
Show me there is more to life other than this.
Turns out, the universe was listening that day.
And I didn't have to wait too long for my sign.
Two
DYLAN
