Chapter 4 #2
“Dr. Owens!” the volunteer, Brittany, cheers as I enter the building. It’s fairly small for an animal shelter; at capacity, it could only hold roughly a dozen dogs and a few cats, if that. But it’s quaint, homey, and welcoming. The entire place hums with warmth and small-town charm.
The building itself is a converted storefront, its exposed red-brick walls softened by colorful Polaroid photos of happy families and their new pets. It’s charming and exactly what I would expect from a place in such a sweet small town.
“Hi, Brittany! How are you?” I ask excitedly. This is my happy place. I feel in my element around animals and humans who love animals the way I do.
“I’m so well! Excited to get some puppy snuggles eventually and equally eager to get a clean bill of health for all of them.”
“I agree. Mom was a stray?”
“That’s what I’ve been told. She snuck under someone’s porch and had her litter.
They caught her coming and going on their door camera.
Animal control came and picked them up, but they were only able to hold them for the week.
Luckily, we have room, and one of our longtime volunteers went down to pick them up.
” Brittany’s cheeks bloom crimson as she averts her eyes, clearly imagining the volunteer. I chuckle under my breath.
“That sounds great. If you don’t mind, I’m going to head into the back and get set up and ready for them. Just come get me when they arrive.”
“Sure thing!” she says in a cheery voice that echoes behind me.
I easily navigate to the single exam room, having been here once before and remembering the layout, to get everything ready for the sweet momma and her babies.
It’s not long before Brittany is back, popping her head into the room, her blonde, shoulder-length hair bobbing around her face.
“Dr. Owens, our volunteer is here with the mom and her puppies. He’s bringing them in now.
” A rush of excitement flows through me as I follow her toward the back of the building to a separate entrance.
Brittany hands me a chart that must have been given to her by the volunteer to hand over from the previous shelter.
I scan the documents as I wait in the hallway by the back door.
“Let’s get them right into the transition room, Britt—” I call out as I lift my head from the clipboard.
My mouth falls open as the man from Daily Rise steps directly in front of me, easily setting the extra-large crate down onto the linoleum floor at my feet and then standing to his full height.
He crosses his arms at his chest, the large muscles pulling the fabric of his T-shirt taut. Jesus Christ, he must live at the gym.
His arms are covered in tattoos, a snake curling around his veiny forearms. Holy fuck, those veins.
Is vein porn a thing? It has to be a thing.
I gape at him like I’ve never seen a man before, as if I’m parched and he’s my water source.
It would probably be frowned upon if I licked him, but god that’s what I want to do.
Where’s Kira when I need her to hold me back?
Screw that thought, actually, she’d be the one telling me to go for it and asking about his taste after I was done.
“Rhys.” His soft baritone breaks through my haze as he sticks his hand in my direction. Rhys. I repeat the name in my head over and over like a mantra. God, it fits him so well. I bet he spells it the sexy way, too. With an h and a y instead of two e’s.
Shaking my head slightly, I look up, meeting his piercing green eyes, looking at me with the same intensity as twenty minutes ago.
My breath quickens, my heart flipping behind my ribs before banging against my chest like it’s trying to claw its way out.
And the warmth pooling between my legs? That’s for sure not supposed to be happening.
Finally crashing back down to earth, I pull myself together enough to place my hand in his, where thick, warm fingers close delicately around mine. “Bristol.” The air around us immediately changes, as if every charged particle in the room is suddenly holding its breath.
Something stirs just beneath the surface, a current flowing between each of us through the point of our connection, the kind that lights up all the hidden wiring of my body and makes my heartbeat bang loudly between my ears.
It expands, curling softly around my ribs, reaching outward until I’m completely consumed.
The urge to gasp for air is strong, but I’m transfixed.
Frozen. What is it about this man that overrides all rational thought and feelings?
I meet Rhys’ sparkling emerald eyes, and it’s as if my entire world flickers through them. This isn’t energy passing through us; it’s recognition, awareness. Like something deep inside me has been awakened, and its counterpart is standing right in front of me.
Rhys’ thumb passes gently over my skin, making my eyes involuntarily flutter closed from the contact, my breath hitching in an audible hiss. It’s so soft, so tender, just a gentle swipe back and forth like he’s trying to memorize the feel of my hand.
Jesus Christ, what is happening right now?
“Room’s all ready, Dr. Owens!” Brittany cheers as she trots down the hallway.
I yank my hand away from Rhys, bringing it to my center and wringing my fingers in the opposite hand.
I can feel the heat of his stare, and when I dare look back at him, his head is cocked to the side in quiet observation, eyes trained on my hands as I twist and massage them in front of me.
Clearing my throat, I drop my hands to my sides and take a deep inhale. “Rhys . . . would you mind bringing the crate into the room, please?”
He regards me for a moment, eyes bouncing back and forth between mine.
“Anything for you, Bristol,” he replies, carding his thick, tattooed fingers through the hair at the top of his head.
I nearly melt into a puddle on the spot, a moan on the edge of my lips.
My name should not sound that good coming from another man’s mouth.
Nodding, I walk down the hallway, trying my damndest to pull myself together to actually work with my heart beating at a truly unhealthy rate, and my body flushed with warmth.
I’m fucking engaged, for fuck’s sake. Not that Rhys knows that. I don’t ever wear my engagement ring to work because it’s three massive ridiculous monster carats and much too large to allow me to function properly with animals and staff all day.
Rhys is hot on my heels as I enter the room, and if I don’t get space from this man soon, I may combust. Who am I right now?
This has never happened to me before, and my brain hasn’t caught up with the rest of my body.
Surely, it’s just lust, the effects of being in front of a truly drop-dead gorgeous male specimen, and lack of touch at home.
That’s all this is. But even as I try to convince myself of it, it feels cheap.
Sweet puppy whines and yips can be heard from the crate, and suddenly, my attention is only focused on one thing. Well, six things, if the chart is correct. Kneeling down to the travel crate, I peer inside, meeting a set of big, beautiful brown eyes as her puppies climb haphazardly over her.
“Would you both mind stepping out, please? I’d like to minimize her stress levels, and I’m sure she’s feeling a lot of it right now with the transport and all the changes.
And dim the lights on your way? We’ll leave her in here for a bit for some calm and quiet before I do my examination,” I tell the two of them, who are already moving.
The door closes softly with an audible click, and then I’m left alone.
Opening the crate door, I hold it wide and speak softly to her.
“Hi, sweet momma, it’s okay. I’m gonna take such good care of you all.
” She gives a little huff of breath and then looks at her sweet babies before looking back at me, giving me a face that I swear says, ‘what do you want me to do when they’re hanging all over me? ’
Eventually, she leaves the crate, and I offer my hand for a gentle touch.
She’s mid-sized, with a beautiful brown coat with a white patch on the center of her upper chest. She’s desperate for a bath and grooming, but otherwise seems to look good.
Surprisingly, she nuzzles into my palm, and I coo at her, offering her some, probably needed, love and comfort.
I can relate.
“You’re in good hands, girl, I promise. Settle in with your pups.
I’ll be back,” I tell her, standing and making my way to the door.
I watch for a moment as she looks around the small room, sniffing and timidly looking for a safe spot to move them.
A dog bed set up in the corner with donated blankets, food, and water is available, and I give her a lingering smile before I leave her to find a moment’s peace.
As I leave the room and pull the door closed behind me, my body bounces off a gigantic stone wall.
“Ooph!” I yelp as I stumble backward, my feet tripping me up.
Strong hands grip my biceps, helping to right my body and keep me on two feet.
Electricity sparks at the touch, and my eyes snap up to find Rhys looking down at me, his bottom lip pulled between his teeth, doing his best to hold back a smile again.
I quickly right myself, adjusting my scrub top and then toying with my hands in front of my body as he drops his to his side.
“So sorry about that, I wasn’t looking where I was going. ”
“Nothing to be sorry for. I’ve had worse things happen than this.”
“Oh?” I say, like an absolute idiot. Have I spoken to the opposite sex before?
Jesus Christ, Bristol, pull your shit together.
Rhys lets out a breathy chuckle as his hand moves up to rub the beard at his jaw.
It’s obvious he’s amused as I fumble around the hallway like a teenager who is fangirling over a male pop star. Or more like a Viking king.
“I’ve got to get going but it seems like she’s in good hands,” he says, his voice so deep and smooth I swear I feel it in my core.
“Ye-yes. I’ll stay as late as I have to until I know they’re settled and healthy. Thank you for bringing them in.”
“It was my pleasure.” And I swear to all things holy, the way that man says the word pleasure should be considered a sin.
Together, we walk to the front of the building, where I busy myself at the counter, not sure what I’m doing because I don’t even work here.
Could this be any more awkward? Heavy footsteps retreat for a moment and then get closer and closer until I’m forced to look up to meet those dazzling green eyes.
Rhys drops a white bag with the Daily Rise logo onto the counter with a soft thud. “For later,” he says with a wink before turning and walking out the door like he didn’t just send me into another dimension.