Something Wilder

By Jae T Ryter

Erick Martin, a bestselling author, finds his new muse for his next novel in a bookstore. Infatuated with Lauren, he goes on a cat-and-mouse play of observing and interacting with her. Lauren, too, becomes enthralled with Erick, but their friendship soon blurs the lines toward temptation. There's only one obstacle in their way… she's married.

 

As the two get closer, they must decide whether the desire is stronger than moral responsibilities. The question remains: are Lauren and Erick just lusting or is it fate driving them together?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Posies & Peacocks
• Release date: Nov 26, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223838524

Book preview

Chapter One

Pulling up in front of the two-story bookstore, Erick stared at the building's two doors looking for which entrance would take him to the coffee shop inside the store. It was pretty obvious to him that meeting up with his best friend's girlfriend at a used bookstore was not on the ideal list of places that Erick would want to meet. But he wasn't going to argue with her when she asked to meet him. She had sounded distraught, and they were almost like family.

He had been friends with her boyfriend, Tony, since high school; and sixteen years later they were still friends and roommates. He had known her for almost as long, though she had not dated Tony the whole time. Tony had always had a crush on her, but it took him until about two years ago to ask her to be his girlfriend.

Tony wasn't the type of guy who would kiss and tell, so Erick did not know a lot of details about their relationship, nor did he really care. It wasn't until Ellie called him did, he start to think about the relationship between his friend and his girlfriend. Maybe all wasn't wonderful in paradise. He was about to find out.

As a popular best-selling author, Erick knew that he might be recognized at a bookstore and was prepared to have his meeting interrupted by his reader fans wanting a book signed. He was sure at a used bookstore there would be plenty of his books around to have signed.

He grabbed his signature orange sharpie from his glove box as he exited his 1969 vintage Dodge Charger, shoved it in his pocket, and headed inside. The store was just opening, so he prayed he would be spared a little by book fans.

He saw the petite blonde he was meeting, sitting with two cups of coffee at a table in the corner already, so Erick casually sat across from her.

She pushed one of the cups toward him and without greetings she got straight to the point of the meeting. I'm pregnant.

Don't you think you should be telling Tony this, instead of me? Erick said as he took a drink from the paper cup. His uneasiness of being in a bookstore caused him to pay more attention to his surroundings and less to her.

Yeah, but... Ellie squirmed. It's not his.

As soon as she said this, Erick turned his attention to her. What? You cheated on him?

Ellie pushed a full-size manila envelope in front of him. Not exactly.

He picked up and opened the envelope. Inside was a police report from about a month prior. He scanned to see what he was looking at and a word caught his eye: Rape. Erick looked up from the report and saw her eyes begin to water. Ellie? Really?

She nodded her head, trying to force the tears back. Being a writer, Erick always had words for everything; but this time, he was at a loss. They sat in quiet for a moment. Erick looked around hoping that he could come up with the perfect words to say and praying that no fans would come at this inappropriate time.

He turned his head back to Ellie, but someone caught his eye. He quickly turned his head back to see a dark-haired average build woman walking into the coffee shop next to a blonde, about the same height, with whom she was talking.

At initial glance, he smiled at the sight of her but remembered Ellie's issue that was sitting right in front of him. He turned to her. I'm so sorry, Ellie. Don't worry about Tony. I'll talk to him.

Thanks. I have to keep the baby, Ellie told him.

Are you sure you want to?

It's not the baby's fault, right?

Erick thought for a moment. Yeah, I guess you're right. Well, you know that if you need anything; just ask.

She smiled at his generosity and knew that he was sincere. Thanks, Erick.

---

After their conversation, Ellie left, leaving Erick alone in the café. He went to look for the girl who caught his eye. Erick searched the store and caught a glimpse of her exiting the main store area through a door in the back that was marked for employees only.

Erick went back to the coffee shop area to ask the barista about this girl that he knew he wanted to see again. Excuse me. The girl that came in here, dark hair, glasses, employee maybe?

The girl behind the counter recognized Erick. Oh my God, are you Erick Martin?

He smiled. Yeah. Do you know the girl?

Wow. But, yeah, that is Lauren. She's new here, the coffee clerk responded.

Does she come to the café often? Do you know? Erick was persistent in his questions.

Well, she has come in each morning during the week. She works Monday through Friday.

Erick thought for a moment, looked around, then asked, Do you guys have Wi-Fi in here?

Yeah, it's free.

Perfect. Erick grinned and walked out of the coffee shop checking his watch.

---

When Erick got home from his meeting, he pulled a chair up to his laptop and closed out the story he had been working on for the last two months and opened up a new document. He began writing about the girl he saw at the bookstore and how he felt about seeing her. She sparked a new idea in his head; he was going to meet her and write about his quest to get to know this girl. He knew he was crazy, and it may not amount to anything, but if it turned into a story, then he had a new book to work on. If not, it was material for something else in the future.

---

The next morning, Erick gathered up his laptop and headed to the bookstore's coffee shop in hopes of seeing the lovely girl from the day before. The seat he chose gave him full view of each entrance to the coffee shop, the one off to the side and the one out the back. Each of them opened up to the store itself, but it also put him in full view of everyone. It was a price he would have to pay for a girl who was inspiring him.

It wasn't long before she walked in giggling with her friend, apparently her co-worker, also the same girl as the previous day. Erick glanced over his laptop and watched her laugh, her looks, her mannerisms. There was something about her that was warming to his heart as he looked at her.

At the counter, the barista leaned over to Lauren and inconspicuously told her, You know the writer, Erick Martin?

The blonde next to Lauren spoke out, Who doesn't?

Well, he is sitting right over there, and he was asking about you yesterday. The coffee girl told them from behind the counter in a low whisper.

Lauren questioned as she glanced behind her, Who, me?

Erick saw them glancing over at him. He smirked and looked down at his computer when he was spotted.

Yeah, wanted to know who you were and if you came here a lot.

Lauren smiled with flattery. Her blonde co-worker, Elisa said, Wow, aren't you lucky? Hottie McHot Hot writer boy is smitten with you.

Lauren elbowed her co-worker. Whatever. I'm married.

When Lauren glanced back over at Erick, he was looking at her but immediately looked back down at his laptop. She smiled again, this time from a little embarrassment.

The girls grabbed their coffee drinks and sat down at one of the tables just outside the coffee shop, but still in the store. Erick observed and typed at the same time. He was documenting her movements and what he perceived was happening with the girls, creating a fictitious dialog between them about him. What he didn't know was that he was correct. The girls had sat down and were talking about Erick.

Elisa was a big fan of Erick's books, and Erick himself. He was young, good looking, and had been featured many times in People magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People. If there were pin-ups for authors, Erick would have been on the walls of girls everywhere. He had die-hard fans that showed up for television appearances and book signings. This kind of popularity made Erick almost like a hermit. Sitting out in the open made him vulnerable, but he was going to take the chance for a while and see how it went.

After a bit of discussion, Elisa got up and grabbed one of Erick's books from the shelf. She walked up to him and held out the book. Sorry to bother you, but would you mind signing this book for me?

Taking the book from her, he opened the front cover up and signed