Page 24 of Ruffled Feathers

Making my way through the air-conditioned office to the kennels, I attached everyone’s kennel tags to their collars. Each dog’s collar tag would only let them in their own kennel, so they could get a little peace and quiet if they ever wanted out of the communal areas. Bacon and Eggs got to share one, though, because they preferred to curl up together and would cry if separated.

Shifting through the tall gates, I let the Beagles off their leads, and they raced straight into the common area. Then, moving further down the rows, I put Smilow in our geriatric section. This was for our elderly puppers, who wanted to nap, eat, and lie in the sun without being jumped over by more rambunctious dogs.

As I put Smilow in, he gave me a look that said I probably could’ve been quicker, and I was lucky he wouldn’t talk to my manager, then went to lie under the blanket on his fluffy bed.

Grinning, I went back out to the bus to let in the next lot. And the next. Before I knew it, I was smiling widely and chatting away to my favorite friends. I loved all of the dogs, from the wild, enthusiastic Shepherds like Apollo and Aksel, who seemed to run and play from the moment they arrived to the minute they left.

Or Tank, who was always holding at least two tennis balls in his mouth, even when I hadn’t put out any balls yet. I’d swear he kept them in his cheeks and would just spit them out when he wanted to play.

Or Mika the Goldendoodle, who had an emotional support blankie that she spent all day carrying around.

I kept an eye on them all as they played, the ever-serious X the Doberman at my side surveying the shenanigans. “They’rein a good mood today, wouldn’t you say?” I said to him conversationally. “You wouldn’t believe this, because I’m sure you’re a law-abiding citizen, but I got picked up by the police on the weekend. You’re being supervised by an almost-convicted felon.” X gave me the side-eye, like he was reevaluating our friendship.

Drax and Loki were getting a little rowdy, so I stood and went over to do my job. The second I unzipped the pouch on my belt, every dog in the yard stopped, their attention immediately on me.

I looked down at them with my most authoritative expression. No one else in life listened to me, but when I told these guys to form an orderly line, they did. Grinning, I fed the first one a treat, then the next, and so on.

What a job.

I was exhausted when I made it home that night, my feet and knees aching from standing in the yard most of the day. I’d been tired for weeks now, and when I walked through the door to the smell of dinner already cooked, I could have wept with relief.

Kicking off my boots and hanging my bag in the coat closet, I walked into the large kitchen. A shirtless Sonny was cooking something on the stove, and I swear, drool welled in my cheeks. Sonny wasbeautiful.Soft, golden skin stretched across flexing muscles, unadorned by anything. No tattoos. No scars. Just smooth perfection that you wanted to mark up with your teeth and nails.

I wasn’t surprised to see Truett sitting at the island across from him, typing on his phone. He’d lost his suit jacket, just in his vest and white dress shirt, but underneath the soft white cotton, I could see the tattoos that flowed up his arms. I knew they ran over his torso too, some even spreading down histhighs. I’d really enjoyed the family pool parties over the years, just so I could watch him in his swim shorts, moving around like a work of art. Or a wet dream.

Those slutty thigh tattoos had been a focal point in many of my teenage fantasies. Also, my adult fantasies.

What was weird about the scene, though, was Rufio perched on Truett’s shoulder. The bird looked absolutely ecstatic to be there, clinging to genuine Armani.

Shaking my head, I strode into the room, like I hadn’t just been loitering in the hall, perving like a creep. “That smells amazing,” I told Sonny, and when he looked up and smiled at me, my heart flip-flopped in my chest.

Fuck. So beautiful.

“It’s just cheese and garlic pasta, but I’ll run to the store tomorrow and get supplies for something more substantial for the rest of the week.” Was there slight disapproval in his voice that the only thing I had was deli meat and frozen pizza?

I was busy. I didn’t have time to cook elaborate meals. So I nodded noncommittally, walking over to Rufio. Bending closer, I put my hand out for him to step on. “What are you doing up here, Mister?” I asked, but the question was really for Truett.

The Alpha in question shrugged. “I walked past the cage, and he said, ‘Let me out of here, fuckface.’ Who am I to argue with a request like that?” He looked at the bird with amusement. “I kind of like his audacity.”

I just bet.“You’re never going to find a permanent place with language like that, Rufio.”

“RUF-I-OOOOH!” the bird chanted back at me.

Laughing, I walked to the bird stand in what had once been the dining room, but now housed both Pepe and Sweetpea the pigeons, and Elvira, the umbrella cockatoo with a plucking problem. An experienced parrot handler was coming to get Elvira at the weekend, and I was glad. Whatever had happenedto her before she was rescued had made her withdrawn, and I didn’t have the time nor the skills to bring her out of her shell. She needed specialist care.

I sat Rufio on top of Elvira’s cage, which had all the parrot toys and enrichment laid out. That should keep him busy for a little while anyway.

When I walked back into the kitchen, Sonny and Truett were laughing together, looking like the teenage boys I’d fallen in love with all those years ago, making my heart ache. One day, they would belong to someone else.

I pasted a smile on my face and went to join them. They might belong to someone else eventually, but today, I’d pretend they belonged with me.

Twelve

Lance

Self-flagellation was kind of becoming my thing, and nothing was more painful than watching Otillie-James smile and laugh with the other two guys in the house, knowing I would never be a part of a dynamic like that.

Couldn’t be, really. I was a danger to anyone I loved. Akio was the only being I could care about, and that was only because he could read my moods before even I could.

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