Page 39 of All I Need

“Vacationers?”

“Yeah. If pet owners go on vacation, they pay us to watch their pets. But we also have a few strays that kind of just become our own if no one claims or adopts them.”

I look around the room and spot a big door that has a little one on the bottom like a dog door. He notices where I’m looking and explains, “We don’t like to keep them in kennels for long so we let them out as often as we can. There’s a fenced in area just outside the door so as long as the dogs get along, they have a little more freedom. If we have a dog that doesn’t do well with others, we keep them separated or kenneled across the way,” he says throwing a thumb over his shoulder.

I hear the clicking of nails on the linoleum and turn to see Brutus lumbering our way. His little butt wiggles when he spots us, his tongue hanging out of his mouth. He plops down by my feet, laying down on his side.

“Hey, Brutus,” I coo, kneeling down to scratch his stomach.

“Look at that, you have all the McKinstry boys falling at your feet already.”

“That she does.” I stand quickly at the sound of Walker’s voice then my breath catches at the sight of him.

Can men be gorgeous? Is that even possible? Because holy crap. He is. And standing here in front of me in scrubs… I’m a goner. My stomach tightens and I have to lick my lips to make sure I’m not drooling.

“Walker, hey!” I shout then clamp my lips together, wishing for a hole to crawl into. What the heck is wrong with me? Why am I basically tripping over myself over this guy?

The corner of his mouth turns up and he gives me a half smile. It’s one of the sexiest things I’ve ever seen. “I see Grayson started showing you around?”

“He did. Just introduced me to some of your vacationers, he called them.”

Are his eyes always sparkling like that? Did his muscles get bigger overnight? It looks like his biceps are about to rip the sleeves open of his blue scrubs. Why is that scruff covering his jaw so damn appealing? Is it hot in here?

The heat from his gaze threatens to melt me right in my spot and I wonder if he can see right through me, to all the inappropriate thoughts I have flitting through my head. He blinks and licks his lips then he nods in his nephew’s direction. “Good. Grayson takes pretty good care of them back here but every so often Linda will help out. Feeding them, letting them out, that type of thing. When owners come to pick their pets up, though, you’ll have to come back here and get them so I would need to make sure you’re comfortable with that.”

I nod my head and look at all the animals, really anywhere but at Walker since I was barely listening to him speak, just letting the deep timber of his voice wash over me. “I wouldn’t have a problem with that.” I mean, I don’t know what I just agreed to but I’m sure I can handle it.

“Good. Someone has their pet skunk in the back that you can bring out front to greet his owners.”

My head jerks to his, my eyes wide as a gasp escapes me and he bursts out laughing. “I’m kidding, Ellie. You seemed a little nervous and I needed to get you to relax.”

“Telling me to carry around a skunk was supposed to be relaxing?” I ask, incredulously.

He bites his lip to contain his smile as I hear Grayson mutter, “I’m outta here.”

The air in the room seems to have escaped right along with Grayson.

“Ellie,” Walker says to get my attention. My eyes meet his. “Come here.”

How two words have such an intense effect on me is beyond my comprehension. My feet move before I can think better of it.

I’m standing so close that I can smell the mint of the gum he’s chewing, see the small scar above his left eyebrow that I want to run my fingertip over, find out how it got there, a small hole in his left earlobe. “Did you have an earring?”

My question takes him by surprise, and maybe makes him a tad embarrassed if the slight pink to his cheeks is anything to go by. “Uh, yeah. It was an unfortunate year during college after losing a bet.”

I smile and bite my bottom lip. “The hole never closed up?”

“It did but you can still see it. I have no idea why.”

I press my lips together and he rolls his eyes, shaking his head at my struggle to contain my laughter. “Sorry. I’m just trying to picture it.”

“You don’t think it would have looked good on me?” he asks, voice teasing.

“Oh I’m sure it looked incredible.”

He takes a step closer.

“Yeah?”

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