Helen swiveled her chair all the way around and stared up at the board. “Did you take those pictures with your phone?” she asked in a voice that sounded like she’d smoked way too many cigarettes in her life.
“Yes.” Melissa glanced at the photo of one of her favorite dogs and chuckled to herself at how the angle of his head made it seem like he was grinning. She’d snapped that particular photo at just the right moment. Mikey looked adorable. “And they turned out pretty darn good, if I do say so myself.”
“My granddaughter bought me one of those smartphones.” Helen’s expression changed to one of annoyance. “I still can’t make heads or tails of the blasted contraption. She’s going to show me how to text the next time I see her.” Her brows puckered together making the crease between her eyebrows even deeper. “I don’t know why. Seems to me, it’d be a lot easier to call someone than to type out everything you want to say on that itsy-bitsy keyboard.”
“I see your point.” Melissa moved to stand next to Helen and put a hand on her shoulder. Despite Helen’s cantankerous ways, the elderly woman reminded her of her favorite grandmother who’d passed away a few years ago. Helen had the same gun-metal gray hair and penchant for rolling her knee-high stockings down around her ankles. She also smelled like Nana—an odd mixture of Jean Naté body splash and denture cream. “Are you ready for your break?” Melissa asked.
“You betcha.” She paused as Melissa helped her stand. “Thank you, dear.” Helen patted her hand gently. “You’re so good to me.”
Despite her age, Helen was still fairly spry and got around without the aid of a cane or a walker. As she disappeared from sight, Melissa sank to the chair and pulled it up to the counter. As usual, Helen’s work area was neat and tidy. Helen was a stickler for neatness. She was also a germaphobe, as evidenced by a bottle of anti-bacterial hand gel and a box of wipes she used to clean the desk and phone several times a day.
For the next twenty minutes, Melissa answered several phone calls and greeted a couple who’d come in looking for their lost cat. After she’d called another volunteer up to escort them to the back to see if their pet had been brought in, she felt the vibration of her cell phone in the back pocket of her denim skirt. Pulling it out, her heart did a little flip when she saw the text from Jake.
Are you at the shelter this morning?
She typed yes, hit Send and then waited. Seconds later, her phone vibrated again.
Mind if I come by? I’m in the area and thinking of getting a friend for Max.
As soon as she fired off her response Melissa’s heart did more than a little flip, it hammered against her ribs. She’d planned on seeing Jake tomorrow as scheduled for the Blaze game, but not today. Today she wasn’t prepared at all. Her hair was a hot mess, and her only makeup was a swipe of gloss on her lips that had probably worn off by now.
Taking a breath, she forced herself to calm the hell down. Since when did she have to prepare herself to see Jake? He’d seen her at her worst. And she didn’t mean just fifty pounds ago. Unlike a few women at the gym, she wasn’t one to apply makeup or style her hair before she worked out. It made no sense whatsoever. By the end of her training sessions she was dripping with sweat. Jake was used to seeing her in unglamorous mode.
Just as Helen reappeared, Melissa saw Jake’s SUV pull into a parking space in front of the building. Even if she wanted to spruce herself up, there was no time. Besides, it didn’t matter what she looked like. She and Jake were friends. That’s all.
“That is one fine-looking young man heading our way.” Helen’s voice penetrated her thoughts.
Melissa stared at Jake through the glass door. Walking toward them with a purposeful stride, he looked so damn good looking it was impossible not to stare. Maybe he’d taken the whole weekend off. He wasn’t wearing his usual khaki pants and white polo. Instead, in his slightly faded jeans and short-sleeved navy blue Henley T-shirt, he looked like he’d stepped right out of an L.L.Bean catalog.
“Mind if I sit?” Melissa jerked her head up to see a sardonic gleam in the older woman’s eyes.
“Oh. I’m sorry.” She pushed the chair back, got to her feet and stepped away from the counter. “I was distracted.”
“I can see why,” Helen said as she gingerly lowered herself onto the chair. “I may be old, but I’m not dead.”
Melissa stifled a giggle as Jake pushed through the double doors. “Hey,” she said, rounding the reception desk to stand next to him. “That was fast.”
“I was a block away when I texted,” he said as the doors closed behind him.
“You’re not supposed to text and drive,” Helen interjected sternly. “It’s dangerous.”
Jake looked at Helen and smiled his most charming smile. If that didn’t melt Helen’s granny panties, Melissa was sure nothing would. “I was stopped at the light,” he said, his tone respectful. “I agree with you though, it’s dangerous to use a phone while driving.”
Helen gave him a grudging nod. “I suppose that’s okay then.” She looked at Melissa with a speculative gleam in her eyes. “Is this your boyfriend?”
“What?” Melissa asked, then shook her head. “Oh. No. This is Jake Sawyer. My trainer at the gym. Remember I told you how he’s been helping me lose weight?”
Helen’s eyes grew round. “So you’re the trainer from hell.”
Melissa’s cheeks warmed as Jake laughed. She’d never thought a laugh could be sexy. Until now.
“That’s me,” he said. “And you are?”
“Just call me Helen,” she said, then nodded approvingly. “I’m pleased as punch at how much you’ve helped our dear sweet Melissa. It wasn’t healthy, her carrying that extra weight around.”
“She did all the work,” Jake said, modestly. “There’s only so much a trainer can do.”
“So you’re thinking of adopting another dog?” Melissa asked before Helen started in with the matchmaking. She’d already tried to hook Melissa up with her grandson. Unfortunately, he was forty-two. A little too mature for Melissa’s liking.
At Jake’s nod, she gestured toward the back. “I’ll show you around and then you can take a look at the dogs.” She moved toward the doorway that led to the offices and kennels.
“What do you do here?” he asked, following her.
“A little bit of everything,” she said as he fell into step beside her and they moved past the administrative offices. Melissa nodded to one of the other volunteers who passed them in the hallway. As they got closer to the area where the animals were housed, the raucous barking of the dogs grew louder. Melissa had long since gotten used to the continuous barking, but for new volunteers, especially ones that hadn’t worked in a shelter or kennel before, it was an adjustment. “I really enjoy bathing the dogs and cats.”
“You bathe cats?” Jake asked with surprise, and followed her as she made a left and entered the grooming area. “And they actually go for that?”
She laughed at the astonished tone in his voice. “It’s not their favorite thing, but we try to keep the animals clean and presentable. It helps them get adopted. Of course, they don’t know that. If they did, I don’t think they’d mind being groomed.”
“How do you get them to keep still?” Jake asked, his expression inquisitive.
Melissa halted in front of one of the stainless steel bathing units. “Well, this unit is specifically made for bathing larger dogs.” She set her hand on the ledge. “The door opens and I can guide them inside. When I close the door, there’s a special seal that won’t leak when the tub is filled with water. Once they’re in the tub, they usually accept their fate and let me do my thing.” She gestured toward the faucet area. “And that nifty spray nozzle comes in really handy.”
Jake surveyed the rest of the room. “Is that unit for cats?” he asked, pointing to a similar, smaller bathing station.
“Yes. And for small dogs. Most cats don’t care for water, so I usually attach a collar and short leash to make it easier to handle them.” She
held out her arm, wrist side up. “See that?” She pointed to the thin, red four-inch scar that ran diagonally across her skin. “I got this from a cat I bathed last week. He was not happy with me at all.”
“Did it hurt?” Jake touched the scar as he asked the question. His light caress caused a shiver of awareness to wash over her.
“Yes.” He stood so close she could feel the heat from his body. Her pulse, already erratic, skittered alarmingly as he lightly traced the scar with gentle fingers. She imagined him touching her in other places and felt her cheeks start to burn.
Just then, he looked up. Their eyes collided and her heart did that annoying flip-flop thing again. His fingers were warm on her skin. She swallowed hard as electricity pulsed between them.
“You really love all the animals here, don’t you?” he asked in a low voice.
“That’s why I volunteer,” she said, still aware of his gentle touch on her arm. “There are days when it breaks my heart, but I’ve got to do my part to help them find their forever home.”
“Forever home,” he echoed. “I like the sound of that.”
* * *
Jake let Melissa precede him out of the kennel area and wished he could adopt all the dogs he’d seen today. He couldn’t fathom how Melissa was able to work at the shelter weekend after weekend and still be so upbeat and positive. The sad truth was all the dogs and cats in the shelter had been abandoned. For one reason or another, their owners hadn’t wanted them and dropped them off so they wouldn’t have to deal with them anymore. Worse than that were the cruel individuals who drove their pets to unfamiliar parts of the city and let them out of their vehicles to fend for themselves. The lucky ones were found and brought to the shelter, but others weren’t so lucky. He could imagine their fate and it pissed him off.
“Are you off today?” Melissa asked as they walked down the hallway and past the grooming area. When he’d been inside earlier, the unmistakable smell of wet dog and shampoo had invaded his nostrils. Melissa hadn’t commented on it. Like the continuous barking of the dogs, more than likely she’d grown used to it.
“I’m working the night shift.” Jake glanced at his watch. “My assistant manager gets off at six-thirty.”
“So did you see any dogs you think may be a good fit for Max?” She paused by a closed office door near the reception desk and opened it. “I’m just going to grab my purse. My shift ended thirty minutes ago.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you stay late,” he said, and waited by the door. He checked out the office. The walls were painted pale green and there were photos of dogs and cats tacked up on every available space.
“It’s not a problem.” She cast him a smile over her shoulder, then bent down to open a desk drawer and provided him with a spectacular view of her round, voluptuous ass. Earlier he’d been distracted by her silky smooth legs. They weren’t in the gym, but she was still his client. He shouldn’t be thinking about her legs, or her ass, unless it involved exercises that focused on those areas of her body.
He managed to feign interest in the myriad of photos on her wall rather than her enticing curves as she straightened and turned around with her purse in hand. “About that friend for Max. Did you see any possibilities?”
Jake thought about it for a few seconds, then nodded. “Mikey.”
She stopped mid-stride and stared at him. “Mikey?” she asked, and then her eyes grew moist. “You want to adopt Mikey?”
Jake nodded and moved toward her. “Is there some reason I shouldn’t?”
She shook her head and wiped at the corner of her eyes. “No.” She blinked. “He’s my favorite. But he’s nine years old and he’s been here awhile. I didn’t think anyone would ever adopt him.” Without warning, she launched herself into his arms and hugged him. Instinctively, he put his hands on her waist and immediately became aware of the soft contours of her body pressed tightly to his. Although she’d been at the shelter all morning, her hair smelled fresh and clean, with a hint of citrus. He closed his eyes as her fragrance wreaked havoc with his hormones. When she let him go and stepped back, it was all he could do to not pull her back against him.
“When we went by his kennel earlier I wanted so badly to tell you how wonderful he is. How gentle his disposition is. But I didn’t want to sway you.” Her radiant smile took his breath away.
“I think Mikey’s age and temperament will be a good fit for Max,” he said, trying to control the heat that curled tightly inside of him. “But I’d like to come back one day next week and spend some time with him. Maybe I could bring Max with me and introduce them to each other.” He paused, wondering if that was allowed. “Is that okay?”
“It’s no problem at all. It makes perfect sense that you’d want to make sure they’ll get along before you adopt him. We have an enclosed grassy area behind the building where you, Max and Mikey can spend some time together. And you can fill out an interest card before we leave. It will alert the staff that you’ll be back to spend time with him.” Melissa clasped her hands together and beamed at him. “I just know Max and Mikey are going to be the best of friends. I have a really good feeling about this.”
Jake had a good feeling about it too. He hoped they were both right. After seeing the excitement shining in her eyes he’d hate like hell for her to be disappointed.
Ten minutes later they were in the parking lot standing next to his Land Rover. “Where are you off to now?” he asked. For some reason—one he didn’t care to analyze at the moment—he wanted to spend more time with her.
“The nursery to pick up a few new plants. I want to add some color to the garden. And then I’m attempting to set up a trellis. I need to anchor it to the back of the house.” A flash of humor crossed her face. “We’ll see how that turns out.”
“I could put it up for you,” he said, casually.
“Oh, I couldn’t ask you to do that.”
“You didn’t. I volunteered.”
“Don’t you have to go to work?”
“Not for a few hours. It won’t take that long.” He grinned. “If it does, my father will disown me. His motto is a man should always know how to take care of his home. Of course, he usually made that proclamation as he supervised me and my brothers from his lawn chair.”
Melissa let out a delighted laugh. “Okay. I’ll take you up on your offer, but you have to let me feed you dinner before you go to work. I was going to make that ground turkey taco salad recipe you gave me a few months ago.” She tilted her head and smiled. “How does that sound?”
It sounded pretty damn good. “Sounds great.”
* * *
As Jake had expected, securing the trellis to the house wasn’t a time-consuming project. Melissa owned the required drill and had already purchased the hardware, so while she puttered in her garden, planting the flowers she’d purchased at the nursery, he worked on the trellis.
Although her backyard wasn’t as large as his, she’d filled the small space with a variety of different plants and shrubs, and in various spots on the awning-covered patio, she’d placed a variety of freestanding and different-colored pots filled with vibrant flowers of different hues. Beneath the wide wooden trellis he’d just finished working on, she planned to plant bougainvillea. A good choice as it bloomed from summer through the first frost.
“Would you like some lemonade?”
Jake turned from the trellis and found her standing behind him. Wisps of her hair had escaped her ponytail and clung to her sun-kissed cheeks. With her mussed hair and streaks of dirt on her arms and legs, she looked adorably disheveled.
“Are you done planting?” he asked, and pushed himself up from his knees.
“Yes.” She put her hands on her hips and turned to survey her flower beds. “What do you think?”
“It looks like you hired a professional landscaper,” he said, honestly. “Maybe you could come over and work your magic on my backyard.”
“Sure. I’ll supervise from the lawn chair.”
Jake threw back his head and laughed. “Dad would love to see that.”
“So. Lemonade?” she asked with a smile.
“Yes. Please.”
“I’ll bring it out here.” She gestured to the table and chair set under the awning. “Have a seat, I’ll be right back.”
While Melissa was in the kitchen, Jake packed the drill into its case and set it next to the plastic container that held screws, molly toggle bolts and other assorted hardware. As they’d worked together in the yard, the conversation had turned to home improvement and he’d been impressed when she told him that she and Paige had done all the painting inside the townhouse, and that she’d stained the credenza in the living room herself. During the entire time he’d known her, she’d never once mentioned her knack for do-it-yourself projects. Today, not only had he discovered how much she cared for animals, he also learned she could easily host her own home and garden show.
A few seconds after he’d parked his ass in one of the cushioned chairs at the table under the awning, Melissa returned holding a tray with a large pitcher of lemonade and two glasses. Sliced lemons skimmed the top of the liquid just atop the crushed ice cubes. Jake’s throat constricted. He was thirstier than he thought.
After Melissa poured the lemonade and handed him a glass, she took a seat across from him and sat back in her chair. “It’s nice in the shade,” she said. “I love sitting out here in the summer.”
“I can see why.” Jake lifted his glass and took a long drink. The cold, tart liquid was refreshing after being out in the hot sun. “How long have you lived here?”
“About three years.” She lifted her glass. “Before that Paige and I rented an apartment. But we got tired of having people living above us. We scraped together a down payment and bought the townhouse. We’ve never regretted it.”
“You’ve done a great job with the inside. If you hadn’t told me, I would have assumed you hired someone to paint.”
“Thanks.” She smiled, then sipped her lemonade.
A comfortable silence fell between them and Jake felt himself relax, lulled by the late afternoon heat, the perfumed fragrance of the flowers wafting in the air, and the sound of birds chirping enthusiastically in nearby trees. This was the life. He took another drink of lemonade, then set the glass on the table, extended his legs and got comfortable.
Breaking His Rules (Feeling the Heat #4) Page 5